We are off to Atlanta, GA to start our journey to become proficient in the mechanisms associated with mild Traumatic Brain Injuries.   We are studying under Ted Carrick, DC, PhD, who is a Distinguished PostGraduate Professor of Clinical Neurology at Logan College of Chiropractic, near St. Louis, MO.  It should be an intensive 3 days of learning.  Stay posted and I will update you on the latest and greatest ways to treat people who may have suffered a recent or past head injury.
For more info on Dr. Carrick, follow this link:  http://www.carrickinstitute.org/ciabout.asp

Here are some ways that I have learned and finally succeeded with proper eating. 

1. It is okay to be hungry. 

2. Fasting/skipping a meal is great. BUT do not give yourself permissions to eat more at your next meal. Eat a small portion and feel how your stomach begins to shrink. 

3. Get away from this thinking "clean up the plate"!  It is fine to clean up the plate if portion sizes are appropriate.  If portion sizes are the size of a trough, no cando!

4. Make Sunday (or a day that works for you) prep day and organize your fridge shelf by shelf.  Always have staples of fruit and veggies in the fridge. Washed and clean if possible. 

I always cut up veggies and place damp cloth or paper towel over the veggies/or under in glass containers that are see through. So you see the beauty of the color and start thinking, that looks like good fuel. 

5. Use spice and spicy condiments for flavor. Ranch is not the only flavor available in America. 

6. Prep some meals in advance. Make a pot of soup and cut your protein choices up into very very small pieces, thus less will mean more.  Use a lot of veggies, onions and garlic in soup making.  They are God's idea of flavor enhancement. 

7. When fresh herbs become available, use them in your prep, cooking and serving of meals. 

8. Drink only water with meals and I encourage you to drink the majority of your water at the end of your meal.  This will make you chew, produce saliva to break down starches and then eat slower.  Complete each meal with 8 oz of water. If you "think you are still hungry", decide ahead of time you are NOT.  Walk away and do something purposeful outside of the kitchen. Laundry, homework with kids ect.   The need for that "sweet" post dinner treat will fade away. 

9. Preplan every day with respect to food allotment.  Tomorrow this is how it will be no "ands, ifs or butts". After all, "I am working on improving my family's health and mine along with it".  Use the Bible and search verses re: the need for food and how God intended us to use it. 

10. Give yourself no permissions to eat out for the next month. BUT plan for a fun evening out in a month to eat out, not to over indulge. Split a meal with your family.  DON'T overeat. Why stretch the gut and waste money on un-needed food.

These are rules that I live by and I have been able to transform my body much more efficiently by following these.  Feel free to make more rules and regulations for yourself, after all discipline really means an organized, non-self induced-chaotic existence. 

Welcome to our blog.  We look forward to using this as a resource to inform you about our newest findings, studies, and goals.  Kate tells me I have to update it frequently.  So, as she reminds me I will fill you in.  Please also, let us know what other information you'd like to see here.

I am so excited to travel with Dr. Kelly to Atlanta in about 2 weeks to attend our first of 14 modules of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Courses that will equip us with the most up to date, real time, therapeutic interventions available for helping patients recover from mild Traumatic Brain injuries.  

As you all have heard, lots of people are suffering (traumatic brain injuries) TBI's and don't know what to do to recover. Many go months or years without the proper intervention and succumb to post head injury sequelae of symptoms including chronic pain, headaches, vertigo, dizziness, loss of balance, forgetfullness, insomnia ........

I have experienced first hand the unbelievable results of Brain Based functional neurology while studying under Dr. Fredrick Carrick of the Carrick Institute.  His Brain based approach to TBI's is brilliant to say the least. We are hoping to learn from his over 30 years of understanding of the functional and anatomical aspects of the brain and nervous system. 

Our courses will run monthly for the next 14 months, so lots of travel time ahead of us, and although airport travel is something to be desired, what a great opportunity to spend time learning and sharing patient cases and brainstorming with Dr. Kelly. 

Stay tuned and I will update you on our first module and the types of cases and rounds we partake in..... Until then, happy March and stay warm and don't let the snow and ice get you down!! Literally don't fall.  Quick tip:  When walking out of a warm building into the cold Minnesota outdoors, STOP and let the bottoms of your shoes/boots cool down and reach the temperature of the outdoors.  This will reduce the slippery layer formed by the melt under your shoe. Viola, less head trauma. 

Take care. Yours in health, 

Dr. Ala