All in a day's work. . .

I'll be up and at 'em in the morning, going to check out a new core strengthening program that maight be useful for my patients. This program was originally designed to help a group of Himalayan climbers and is now being offered in Austin by my friend, James Garland. You can check out his offerings here or email me for more information.

I'll let you know how it goes!

A picture's worth 1,000 words. . .

and this one may also be worth 700 billion dollars! Time to pay up, buddies. . .

Home again, home again. . .

Back to the blog!

We had a great time in Europe. It was great to see my buddy and his family, and we really appreciated his first-class tour. Of course we did the touristy stuff. Here we are at St. Stephen's Basillica:

And we also spent a few nights just hanging out on the back patio, American-style.

But, of course, the main highlight of our trip was Oktoberfest! We were there for opening day,
and we enjoyed as much beer and pork products as we could get our hands on! When they roll it in by the cart. . .

and serve it up by the litre. . .

You just can't help yourself but to have a good time!

No Place Like Home

I am leaving for Europe in a few days. While I am certainly excited about the trip, my mind is on other things as well.

I seem to spend a lot of my evenings and weekends working around the house lately. I have been building cactus gardens and flower beds and creating a "jungle" that will provide privacy and a pleasant atmosphere in years to come. While most people in my shoes would be dreaming of the architecture, aromas and experiences that overseas travel will bring, I find myself dreaming of elephant ears and banana plants and birds of paradise!

I guess you could say I am "putting down my roots" in our home in Spicewood. I know we'll call that place "home" for many years to come, and I look forward to it. When it comes time to board the plane and go see the sights in Hungary, Austria and Germany, I know I'll be ready. For now, though, I have a greater understanding of the phrase, "There's no place like home."

Time for a shower. . .

Don't miss the Perseid Meteor shower. Peak viewing is on the night of August 12th into the morning of the 13th. 

The Perseids are remnants from the comet Swift-Tuttle and are named for the constellation Perseus. Just like train tracks seem to come together at the horizon, 'shooting stars' of a meteor shower also seem to originate from a single point. In this case, they seem to emanate from the stars that make up the constellation Perseus.

Meteors are small pieces of rock and dirt varying in size from tiny dust particles to sand grains with an occasional pebble thrown into the mix. When a comet travels through our solar system, the sun heats the comet causing some evaporation. The comet leaves behind a dust trail. When the earth's orbit travels through such a trail, the dust hits our atmosphere at a great speed causing it to burn up. Often, these meteor showers are recurrent and predictable to a certain degree. 

The Perseid meteor shower is an annual event but the intensity of this year's shower (how many shooting stars per hour) is uncertain. Under a dark sky, 60 - 100 per hour is typical for this shower. However, there are indications this year's Perseids might be a lot better (say 300 an hour). There is always a tiny chance for a spectacular event with 1000's or more per hour, but don't count on it! 

The moon cooperates nicely this year for the Perseid Meteor shower. Although the moon is a fat waxing gibeous, it is far to the south and will set early enough to have several hours of good observing before the Sun rises. If the sky is clear and you are away from city lights, conditions should be ideal for observing. The darker the spot you can find the better. Also, make certain you have a clear view of (especially) the North-North Eastern sky.

Unfortunately, for most, the best time to observe meteor showers is very early in the morning with the peak around 3 a.m. But with meteor showers things are always uncertain, and you might catch a terrific show before midnight. 

I Scream, You Scream. . .

We all scream for ICE CREAM!! And here's a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and help a good cause. . .

On Thursday, June 26, from 6-9 p.m., Ben & Jerry's in Westlake will be donating 25 percent of its proceeds to the Austin Valkyrie's Women's Rugby Club. The money will be used to help the team with uniforms, transportation and gear for the next season. Members of the team will be at Ben & Jerry's Thursday night to thank you for your support!

It's not every day that you'll have a chiropractor suggesting that you ice cream, but I love Austin, my wife loves ice cream, and we both love anything that gets people on their feet and moving around like rugby.  Giving to a good cause has never been so delicious!

Get Smart

Today, I'm headed to the Texas Chiropractic Association convention in San Antonio. I look forward to returning to practice Monday morning with a full head of steam and lots of great ideas to help you get well and live well.

Sayings in Chiropractic

There are many sayings in chiropractic. Three of my favorites:

1. It’s not so much what you did, but what you didn’t do after you did it.

2. You should have core stability before distal mobility.

3. To restore function you need to restore posture.

The common theme threaded throughout these sayings is: the patient has control over their situation. From time to time, we all need a little assistance – even chiropractors experience back pain! This is where therapies such as spinal decompression, active therapeutic movement, spinal adjustments, trigger point release and many other modalities come into play.

When you enable the body to find its balancing point and protect itself, then you have restoration of spinal motion. Unfortunately, when the brain recognizes the spine is in trouble, it starts to compensate with muscle spasms, which can actually be detrimental to your recovery in the long run. So, as chiropractors, we help you reset your neurological balance in your body and let your brain find your spine’s perfect balancing point in order to protect you.

Of course, patients who are aware of their posture and practice their core stability exercises are much more likely to maintain their spinal health and lead the pain-free lifestyle we all long for. The good news is: with a sound treatment program, a little coaching and some proactivity on your part, all the daily activities you desire can be well within your reach.

We are here to help you achieve your goals. Just give us a call and we’ll get on the road to recovery together.