Finding HOPE: 

Balance This Life — Challenge Accepted

Story by: Kara LaFrance 

I hurt….Systemically. I have bone growth that entraps nerves. I have an overactive nervous system which reeks havoc on a constant loop.
The top of my head to my feet — something always hurts.  I have been on more medications that I care to count but I always take a huge dose of HOPE.

HOPE is not an easy pill to swallow everyday. Especially when you can’t un-grow things that are causing the pain. But I demand a life. I demand joy. I demand involvement in society.

These are not easy tasks, but I like to-do lists. A few things keep me sane. Art and design and helping others. So I use art and design to help others. Be it for my nieces’ and nephews’ school, my church, local nonprofits, small businesses (my list is growing).

That’s the mental part. There’s always a physical part. And as I stated, pain won’t be ignored. And Big-Pharma is not the answer. Maybe one part of the solution but it is not the be-all end-all if you want a life well lived.

Medication hurts and does not remove pain – it just distracts you from it.

Discovering Alternative Treatments:

Chiropractic

Founder, Jory Pradjinski says: "I have used chiropractic care for years. My chiropractor helped me believe in what might be possible. The changes in my body from the adjustments helped me get off all of my pain medications."

Conditions Commonly Treated by Chiropractic

Chiropractic treatment addresses damage, disorder, and misalignment of the joints, particularly along the spine. Chiropractic therapy can treat a wide variety of conditions, since it can correct both localized joint issues and your general posture, which can influence your overall well-being, especially your nervous system.

Given their emphasis on holistic health, many chiropractors also assist patients with improving their nutrition, activity, bodily function, and other lifestyle concerns.

These are the categories of conditions chiropractic helps with: Back Problems, Arthritis, Headache, Neck Pain, Musculoskeletal Conditions, and Traumatic Injuries. Read more to find out the specific conditions in each category. 

Exploring Wellness: 

FOOD AND PAIN: Avoiding Processed Food & Additive Chemicals 
 

By: Jena

I have changed my diet to cut out a lot of chemicals over the years and it has given me more energy, helped me to eat less, feelings of exhaustion have declined, and I just overall feel healthier. It's tricky to get started, it took a couple years to realize all the things I was eating that were packed with horrible chemicals. 

First, buying things that are low fat or sugar free often means they have added chemicals as substitute ingredients. 

You have to look for labels that have less ingredients and ingredients that sound more natural. Just start off with these two big one's (high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil). They are popular ingredients in pre-packaged food that you want to avoid. It takes awhile to find the chemical free foods that don't have these ingredients. You want to look for labels that say "natural" and sometimes you can pick an organic option. But, organic foods can still have problems. So just focus on products with less ingredients and little to no added chemicals. You can also use the EWG App to scan products to see how bad they are. 

Overall though you just need to focus on eating more veggies, meats and things that don't come in a box. My husband and I have come up with a lot of vegetarian dishes with no carbs and meat and veggie dishes that are delicious. It has taken time but it has been worth it. I feel better physically and mentally from eating healthier. 

If your colon isn't clean, you are not effectively absorbing all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food. 

INGREDIENTS

HOW TO PREPARE