Classic Helaine Fare

My absolute favorite meal is brown rice and eggs.

Over the years, I’ve created variations on it by adding avocado, putting it on a bed of arugula, even replacing the brown rice with purple cabbage, which is so sensational, I’ll write another post about that. This dish has grain, protein and you can eat it for any meal. My husband calls this my hippie food. I call it Helaine Food.

Here’s the recipe:

Avo, eggs, brown rice: perfect any time of day

• 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp olive or grapeseed oil
• 2 organic eggs
• ½ cup cooked brown rice
• ½ avocado sliced
• Couple pinches of good salt

In a frying pan, combine the following:

1. Saute the garlic over low heat with the oil
2. Add the 2 eggs and scramble in the pan
3. Throw in the cooked brown rice and mix together
4. Put on a plate and sprinkle some salt (I like pink Himalayan sea salt)
5. Add the sliced avocado..and enjoy my favorite meal, Classic Helaine Fare.

Get your yah-yahs out

A patient comes in with an injury and asks, “When can I start exercising again?”
Now to me, exercising right after I’ve adjusted you–especially if you’ve hobbled into my office–is like putting a big fat handprint on a freshly painted wall.
I’m all for exercise–I do it myself (and on a fairly regular basis, too).
But when you’re injured, you need to lay low for awhile before you start up your routine.

Otherwise, you run the risk of re-injury and we’ll have to start treatment from the beginning. But sometimes you just need to get your yah-yahs out. I understand. You need it more for stress relief than a toned bum. To that I say, if you’re improving and stabilizing, by all means, get your yah-yahs out.

Modify your workout:

• If you run, do a 18-20 minute walk-run interval.
• If you love barre classes, try one-on-one Pilates.
• If you love yoga, do a couple of sets of sun salutations and 3 of your favorite poses.
• Try swimming or taking a walk–not a power walk.
• Limit whatever you choose to 25 minutes.

Eventually you’ll be back to your (new) self and back to what you love to do. Want more ideas? Ask me! I’m full of good ideas. What do you do when you’re on an exercise hiatus?

Dancin'

We’re always ready to dance now.

A couple of weeks ago, I was taking an exercise class from my favorite instructor, the fabulous Teresa Ellis. She was teaching a class called Dance It Out (think Zumba but with much better music and dance moves). At one point, Teresa put us in a circle and had us do our own moves across the floor.

As an ex-dancer, I can tell you it’s still stressful to come up with something on the spot. My turn was approaching, so I thought, go big, just go big. My inner choreographer took over: “5 6 7 8…jazz run jazz run jazz run jazz run…1 2 3 jump high arm extended knee bent …and Fosse arms to finish!”  Quite a moment.

I was wearing Saucony running sneakers, but if I’d been wearingTHESE instead…… they really would’ve bumped up my game. My new Oxfords are amazing and honestly the most comfortable shoes I’ve bought in a very long time. Even in the office, I feel like I could dance or break out into a jazz routine. Try an Oxford-type shoe instead of the ballet flat this season. They’re more supportive and better for your spine. What shoes make you feel like dancing?

Seek. And find.

A classic seated figure 4 stretch in my office

When I’m stretching, I don’t always stay in one position the entire time. I call it the “seek and find” technique. I often have patients tell me they’re tight in a certain position. So I take a basic stretch, like the seated figure 4, and have them move around, trying various angles until they find a part of the stretch that works for them.

Downward dog is another great one to seek and find. Bend your knees, lift your heels, bend your elbows…get the idea?

Once you find a spot where you feel the stretch, hold it for at least 45-60 seconds.

Shifting to seek my stretch

And finding a deeper stretch.

The best cure for hiccups

Put a knife in a glass of water, drink the water with the knife still in it. Cured.

So last week, I had the hiccups. They came out of nowhere and got annoying really fast. My friend Amber (remember Amber, holding her toddler like a bag of groceries? My previous post) started laughing at my predicament. Well, it was pretty funny.

Her husband Jon, a wonderful occupational therapist, said, “I have the best cure for hiccups.” He put an ordinary dinner knife in a glass of water and said, “Now drink the water.”

“With the knife still in the glass?” It made me a little nervous.

“Yes.”

I drank but said to myself this is so not going to work.

20 seconds later: Hiccups GONE.

I don’t know how it worked. But it worked.

Have any of you tried this? Do you have other cures? Let me know what you do to cure your hiccups. Amaze!

Carry your baby like a bag of groceries

My friend Amber carrying her cute toddler on her hip. Yikes.

You’ve all seen the posture. A new mom with baby in tow. With her hip jutted out and baby on the side. Possibly a coffee cup in the other hand. It’s hard to be ergonomic as a new mom (I understand…I was just trying to carry as many things as I could without dropping my kids). But carrying kiddos on the hip creates a curve you don’t want: in your spine, a functional scoliosis.

After being pregnant, new moms have lost their body placement and feel very loosey-goosey. Whenever possible, carry your little ones in front, like a bag of groceries. And make sure to hold your core in.

My friend Amber carrying her cute toddler on her hip. Much better.

See how important it is to make a switch away from your hips? Try it. See how much better your back feels. And let me know about it, too!

Addicted to Chiropractic

And to all of you who are worried about getting “addicted” to chiropractic. I say, “Do you do yoga?” “Yes,” you say. “You probably don’t stop with just one class, right?” Me again. “Doing it regularly makes you feel good. Same thing with adjustments.”

Here’s why. Each time I adjust you, I’m telling your body to stay that way. It’s like learning a new skill, similar to learning parallel parking (i.e., me: I needed extra lessons but now I am an excellent parallel parker).

We all have certain holding patterns that our bodies are used to being in. But sometimes, they just go out of alignment. My work is hands-on to relieve any discomfort and put you back in alignment. It might take one adjustment, or it might take more. Everyone is different.

Fact is, lots of people have misconceptions about how much chiropractic care they need. There are stages of treatment, i.e., urgent care – you’re in pain, maybe you need to come in today AND tomorrow; rehabilitative care – we’ve got the situation managed, now maybe a few times a month will keep it managed; and maintenance, where you come in regularly but less often.

Musicians aren’t addicted to practicing their instruments. They play regularly to stay in top form. Dancers aren’t addicted to dance class. They just need to stay mobile, strong and flexible. Both body and mind require regular attention, after all, and chiropractic is one form of attention. Want some? Why not set up regular appointments and see how you feel? To that, I say, “Let’s try it!”

Little things

I’m a big believer in the transformative power of little things. Just a couple of exercises a day really helps keep the pain away. We create health by doing small things on a daily basis. Lots of people don’t have time to exercise for an hour a day. Or maybe we don’t feel like moving for 60 uninterrupted minutes.

So I have a little routine for the roller that takes 5 minutes. Sometimes I end up doing more just because it feels good. I think just a little something every day can be even more valuable than one workout a week. Put the timer on for 7 minutes or just exercise while you listen to 2 or 3 songs on your favorite Pandora station. See if you don’t feel a little stronger, a little looser, maybe even a little more energetic with a small dose of goodness every day.