Thank You for being part of Our Journey!

Wow!  What an amazing day to Celebrate!  We couldn't have asked for nicer weather for our Client Appreciation and Grand Opening- bright, clear blue skies, warm sunshine and a gentle breeze.

I feel so blessed and fortunate to share our space and transformations with so many of you in attendance.  There were about 100 energetic guests who went home nourished, uplifted and inspired.  Following the ribbon cutting, Mary Anne shared two beautiful poems and there was an impromptu labyrinth walk to the centre where cello (Allanah), guitar (Thommas) and drum beats (Brendan) shared their gifts.  It was a truly magical experience for me!  Sharmaine challenged our guests with a light-hearted, lively and fun quiz about "Outrageous Vitality" tips.  Then Dr Norm shared a personal, heart-felt account of his introduction to Nanaimo, our process of buying the house and the vision and transformation of the space.

As Dr Norm spoke earlier today, "I feel like Royalty".  You, the Lifehouse Community, our friends, family and neighbours certainly treat us very well.  Thank you so much for all your generosity with contributions to our growing, blooming garden, cards, gifts, well-wishes and kind words.  They all mean so much to Alita, Dr Norm and myself.

Special thanks to:
Cory Anderson for assisting with the ribbon cutting, Mary Anne Moore's poetry reading, Sharmaine Henophy's enthusiastic 'Miss Plum Bloom' clowning, Delaney Madisen for supporting Ms. Plum Bloom and creating poster, Missy Nobels for her energy and support, David Seath for his creative photography work, Bart Long for leading powerful "Lion Walk" experiences, musical talents of Allannah Dow, Thommas Michaud and Brendan Holm, Alita Madisen for assisting in preparing nourishing, healthy snacks.

And to all of you who joined in our celebrations ~ Thank you for being part of our very special day!  It was a very enjoyable, lively day because of you.

Shine bright!
In gratitude for such a special Lifehouse Community within Nanaimo and with Much Love,

Heather & the Lifehouse Crew

Genes

One of the things that most pains me is when I hear people say,” I have this (condition) but they think it is because of my genes”. 

People like this are being fed a lie and we need to remember that though genes play a role in health, they are certainly not the sole determiners.  The unfortunate piece is that people do feel they have no power in regards to their genes, so they end up feeling powerless, victim to their situation, and resume living a lifestyle that may or may not promote health.  Study after study shows that health is a result of both our genes and our lifestyle and that our lifestyle switches aspects of our genes on or off. 

Genes are predetermined, and they provide a baseline or possibility.  Our lifestyle is what provides the variants and this is what we get to determine.  The MacArthur Foundation produced a study that showed only 30% of aging is due to our genes and 70% was due to our lifestyle.  Another similar Chinese study showed that a whopping 90% was due to our lifestyle.  Regardless, whether it be 70% or 90%, it is by far more significant than your genes! Lifestyle is the only thing that you can choose, so it makes sense to focus our attention on how we can influence our health positively regardless of which genes we have.

As you are seeing, the influence of our lifestyle choices is very large.  I would like to walk you through a simple exercise to build on this.

What age was your oldest grandparent who ever lived? 

Now take that number and minus it by your own age.  Take that number…..This is your minimum potential years remaining.  Meaning if genes were it, this would be the minimum years that you have left.  Now implementing the current research we also know that by adjusting your lifestyle you will add both quantity and quality to the number of years remaining.  How do you want to spend your years remaining?

A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, healthy nutrition and regular chiropractic care.  It is as easy as that.

Oh and as an aside, I wrote a while back a heartfelt story about my father, who was being faced with some heart challenges.  If you haven’t read that story yet I strongly encourage you to read on below - the post called "Way to Go, Dad".   An update to his story:  for the past six months Dad has been busy improving his diet, adding regular exercise and getting adjusted regularly.  And guess what?   Two days ago he took his last Lipitor pill (and my guess the last one he will ever take!)  His body has balanced itself.  His heart has improved and he is ready now to move on without the need of pharmaceutical intervention.  Way to go Dad! 

Remove interference to your innate health potential: 

A properly functioning body can do everything naturally 

that pills attempt to do chemically.

Have a great weekend, enjoying the sun, moving your body and nurturing yourself with great food.

Dr. Norm

Way to Go Dad - Beacon from Feb 2010

(See the update to the following story in our Sept 2nd 2010 Posting - Genes)

I have frequently told the story of my family’s first introduction to chiropractic and how it saved my father from invasive back surgery.  Now there is an ongoing unfolding story of my father in his more recent health challenges that I would like to share with all of you as a source of inspiration. I know watching my father through all of this certainly has been an inspiration for me.

Three years ago my father was diagnosed with his first “degenerative lifestyle disease.”  Lab tests showed that he had high cholesterol levels, so immediately he was placed on a statin drug.  A year later he developed mild chest pain when exercising. It was determined that he had atherosclerosis; he then had significant heart surgery to place a stint in his heart to enlarge one of his blood vessels that feed his heart.  On the way out of this surgery he mentioned to the attending nurse that he heard that his health challenges were 80% due to lifestyle (things that he can control) and 20% due to his genes. She replied, “You have those numbers backwards.”  Deflated, he returned home, with a new prescription in hand that he was told he would have to take for the rest of his life, succumbing to the realization that his quality of life was slowly eroding primarly to things he could not control.  

Lastly, this past year he was diagnosed with border-line diabetes, a surprise to him, as he is not obese, and diabetes does not run in our family.  However, the doctor raised huge amounts of fear, and insisted that he should begin another lifelong drug, and that they would also look at some lifestyle changes.  Witnessing this I was incredibly afraid.  Seeing him begin a new medication each of the last three years, I could see that my father would become another Canadian statistic. (Did you know that the average Canadian senior is on 6-7 medications)!  The only ray of hope was that this new doctor made reference to some lifestyle modifications.  “Wow Dad, looks like you have a good doctor, one that is going to work with you to make some real changes in your life.”  

On my father's next visit to the doctor, after a litany of lab tests, and lengthy discussions of the various test results, my Dad asked, “and what about those lifestyle changes” and the doctor responded, “oh, well you can just look those up on the internet.” Again my father left, with little motivation and very little direction, deflated.  (Recognize that my father is a 62 year old farmer, one of the least likely candidates to go home and do a google search for lifestyle modifications, let alone implementing them). 

Desperately, I began to brainstorm another plan. I talked with my two brothers and my mother.  I placed hours of thought into what I could see my father doing and then I began to think of ways to communicate the importance of making these changes. This last Christmas, while we were in Hawaii I seized the opportunity.  “Dad, about your health, are you happy with the way things are going?”  “No I hate taking all these pills.”  Then mom piped in, mentioning the numerous side effects he was experiencing.  “Well Dad I really believe that there are a few simple things that you could change in your lifestyle, like exercising regularly and changing a few things in your diet, that would really make a difference, and you know Dad,” I said with a solemn, open heart, “It could mean the difference of you playing with your grandchildren for a couple of extra years.”  He took a second to digest what I just said and then replied, “and maybe even getting off some of these drugs too?!”  “Maybe,” I replied.

We then took time to go down to the local gym and test drive the exercise equipment, getting a sense for which ones he liked the most.  Watching my father pedal a stationary bike was the last thing I would ever expect to see, let alone seeing him do it in Hawaii!  I was so proud of him to stretch into a new experience…I know going to a gym is typically intimidating for the most of us.  He then went home and made it a top priority to invest in a bike ASAP.  He did his research, and this past weekend assembled his new bike!  I will never forget the phone message he left for me, he sounded proud, inspired, encouraged and optimistic about his choices and the changes he was making, and he wanted to know, “Norm would it be okay if I road this thing twice a day?!”  I laughed to myself, knowing deep inside that we are doing everything we can to allow my father the chance to play with his grandchildren for as long as he can.  Way to go Dad!

Remember, it is both the chiropractic adjustment and living a chiropractic lifestyle: one full of healthy foods, exercise, and a healthy mental attitude, that makes the difference. Just how much difference, we could argue about it all day long, maybe it is 80% and maybe it is just 20% regardless it could be the difference of you getting to play with your grandchildren a couple of extra years, and isn’t that worth it?!

Thanks Dad for doing your work, learning, stretching and trying on new things.  I am so proud of you.  Remember, you now have an entire community of people cheering you on, stick with it.  I look forward to sharing more of your successes in the times ahead and maybe somebody else out there will be inspired to make changes in their own life too.  Thanks for being an inspiration to all of us.

Much love

Norm