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I’d like to share with you some wisdom I have learned from the great Stoic Philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. His “Meditations,” as they were posthumously named, can be very helpful at teaching how to control your perception & mental management in a way that will benefit your health, relationships, character, and pursuits.  The Art of Perception

“The impediment to action advances action.” Whatever stands in the way becomes the way. This persuades rationality when contemplating perceived barriers. We cannot view roadblocks as the end of a path because it is often these roadblocks that fuel the passion and creativity to advance.

In the sense of pain, the answer is not to halt all activity and wait until it ceases. The solution comes from the process itself. Determining what caused it in the first place, making necessary changes to prevent further deterioration, and taking steps to phyiscally improve and guarentee it doesn’t happen again. This is why we are constantly testing and retesting the effects of treatment during a session. This allows us to narrow down the most accurate diagnosis and beneficial therapies. 

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” A major theme in the book is that we have the ability to control our own perceptions regardless of the situation. When something happens against our expectations, we can either complain and stir up disappointment, or we can turn our thoughts to more productive means. Which is called mental management. He emphasizes our risk of losing the present due to preoccupation and dwelling on the future or past.

Just applying this in my own life, I have benefited tremendously. I no longer find my self getting angry, envious, or disheartened becuase I know that reactive emotions serve no purpose. We must control the impulse to immediately assign value judgements. When we consider events as natural rather than good or bad, we no longer fall back on the inclination to start an emotional fire.

“Choose not to be harmed — and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed — and you haven’t been.” He teaches that in any scenario we must judge the situation objectively, willing accept the outcome, and unselfishly act moving forward. I really like the last part because I have too often seen anger used as a therapeutic tool without any regard for the collateral damage it causes.

Can you remember the last time you lashed out in a moment of frustration? Did berating the other party or breaking another item resolve it? That brief rush of power never rectifies the situation and may even dig at your integrity. “Does what’s happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness, and all the other qualities that allow a person’s nature to fulfill itself?”

“For times whe you feel pain: See that it doesn’t degrace you, or degrade your intelligence-doesn’t keep you from acting rationally or unselfishly” 

And with that said, he also points out that to endure pain and prevail will deliver far better fortune than the path of surrenduring to the pain. This discipline of character pays dividends for your own mind and in the perspective of those around you. Another great Stoic, Epicurus, noted that ‘pain is neither unbearable nor unending, as long as you keep in mind its limits and don’t magnify them in your imagination.’

These are just a few bits of wisdom from the mind of a great philosopher. I can’t stress enough how beneficial this mindset and mental management can be when applied to all aspects of life. Harden your mind and soften your soul is my take away from most of it. We can achieve harmony by accepting God’s will and being disciplined in our perceptions and actions. 

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Many Blessing, 

Dr. Jack

Our goal for 2021 is to increase the amount of education and educational material we provide to our patients to benefit them in their daily lives. To accomplish this goal, we will be sending out educational information throughout the year without oversaturating your inbox.  Throughout this month we want to take some time to provide some education on topics that may be relevant to you! Today we wanted to educate you on Mold (Education and Eradication).

Education:

Mold. A word we are all familiar with and probably have a general sense that it’s not good, but what else do you know about it? 

Here are some facts:

· Mold is everywhere. It grows rapidly especially in dark, cold, moist spaces such as basements and crawl spaces. Mold does have a vital role in the environment to decompose organic matter to make nutrients more readily available to other organisms, but the problem arises when mold grows in moist areas of your home.

· Not all Mold is dangerous.Like any other type of living organism, not all mold species are the same and many of them aren’t toxic at all. However, mold species that grow in your home (most common: Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, and Alternaria) can be dangerous and cause a reaction of the immune system.

· It is Versatile. Mold thrives in moisture-prone areas, such as the bathroom or basement, but also in hidden areas like behind walls. Mold prefers organic or porous surfaces to grow on. While mold can’t grow on non-organic surfaces such as concrete, it may grow on dust or dirt layers on those surfaces.

· Mold spreads fast. In the right conditions, mold can grow in as fast as 24-48 hours after a water damage event. The perfect conditions for mold growth are a food source (organic material like drywall), moisture, and an ideal temperature of 77 °F – 88 °F. Thus, water damage remediation is critical to preventing mold growth after a flood.

· Mold is bold. Many people use bleach to get rid of mold in their home. The truth is that bleach kills live mold, but not mold spores. What’s more, removing mold with bleach and water can make mold regrow even faster. To remove a small-scale (less than 10 square feet) mold infestation, use a mix of household detergent and water.

· Mold and me. 

o Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath.

o Other recent studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in some children, particularly among children who may be genetically susceptible to asthma development, and that selected interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies.

o A link between other adverse health effects, such as acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants, memory loss, or lethargy, and molds, including the mold Stachybotrys chartarum  has not been proven. Further studies are needed to find out what causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage and other adverse health effects.

o In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition.

· Black Mold. 

o Toxic black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, as it’s known to scientists, can release spores as it feeds on organic materials in common household materials like drywall, carpet, insulation or sub-flooring that have been exposed to moisture. These spores, if ingested or inhaled, can cause a range of unpleasant and even dangerous symptoms in humans.

o Symptoms associated with black mold exposure:

§ Chronic coughing and sneezing, irritation to the eyes, mucus membranes of the nose and throat, rashes, chronic fatigue and persistent headaches can all be symptomatic of black mold exposure or black mold poisoning.

o Can I get rid of black mold myself?

§ Yes but it is not recommended because you have to invest in protective gear (including a respirator), seal doorways or openings and there is a chance you won’t extract it all (including spores) so for your safety we recommend you hire professional help.

Prevention:

1. Inspect buildings for evidence of water damage and visible mold as part of routine building maintenance

2. Correct conditions causing mold growth (water leaks, condensation, infiltration, or flooding)

3. Inside your home you can control growth by:

  a. Controlling humidity levels

     i. Keep humidity levels as low as you can—between 30% and 50%–all day.

     ii. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. 

     iii. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the
         moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity
         levels more than once a day.

  b. Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows and pipes

  c. Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding

  d. Ventilating showers, laundry and cooking areas

     i. Be sure your home has enough ventilation. 

     ii. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. 

     iii. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.

Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture. 

Eradication:

There are a couple of considerations for handling mold that already exists in a building or home: when you can clean or have to remove, how to clean items or areas that you can handle safely, and when to consult an expert.

General Guidelines for Surface Materials

· Hard materials: 

o When you can do it yourself:

§ If the area is less than 3 feet x 3 feet

§ If there isn’t Black Mold

o The EPA suggest you wear protective gear including: 

§ Goggles

§ Gloves 

§ A properly fitting N95 respirator

o How to eradicate this amount:

§ Scrub the mold off with warm, soapy water, then let dry completely

§ Bleach isn’t necessary on hard services

§ You can use White Vinegar but it is not necessary

o When you should consult an expert with proven experience cleaning up mold:

§ If the area is 10 ft2 or larger

§ If the area involves your heating and cooling system

§ If the area involves sewage or other contaminated water

· Absorbent materials: 

o If the mold is on fabrics, carpet, ceiling tiles and other absorbent materials, you may need to replace them.

o Mold can grow inside the crevices

§ Making it all but impossible to remove

§ You may need to remove the material surrounding and replace it in order to eradicate the mold.

· Other materials: 

o If you’re nervous about effectively cleaning moldy items, such as heirloom furniture, a valuable rug or keepsake clothing, consult an expert on the item.

o Get references and ask about affiliation with professional organizations.

o After clean-up, follow the tips above for preventing mold growth in the first place, and don’t forget to replace your air filter regularly—at least every season—so everyone in your home can breathe easier.

General Guidelines for Removal Process

· Find the source of moisture or water leak and have the problem repaired or repair it yourself.

· Remove moldy items from living areas. Once it starts to grow in carpet, insulation, ceiling tiles, drywall, or wallboard, the only way to deal with the problem is by removal and replacement.

· It is important to properly clean and dry the area as you can still have an allergic reaction to parts of the dead mold and mold contamination may recur if there is still a source of moisture.

· Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly.

· Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly (within 24-48 hours) after any flooding. Dig out mud and dirt. Use a wet vacuum to remove remaining dirt. 

· Scrub cleanable surfaces (such as wood, tile, stone) with soapy water and a bristle brush.  Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces (such as flooring, molding, wood and metal furniture, countertops, and sinks) with water and dish detergent. 

· Dry surfaces quickly and thoroughly after cleaning. If you have a fan, air conditioner or dehumidifier that wasn’t affected by flooding use it to help the surfaces dry after you finish cleaning

· Growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup (8 ounces) of bleach in 1 gallon of water to kill mold on surfaces. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners.

· If you choose to use bleach to clean up:

o Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.

o Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.

o Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.

o Small areas (such as a shower, or an area the size of a door) can often be cleaned by residents, but larger areas might need more professional help.  

o Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.

Sources:

Mold Facts 

Mold Effect on Health 

Black Mold 

The modern family needs modern health care solutions, so Cross-Upp Chiro created a Family Chiropractor center that helps them heal faster and feel ready for whatever life throws their way.

We are The Complete Chiropractic Experience that incorporates muscular release therapies and rehab with adjustments to enhance performance and fast track your recovery. At Family Chiropractor Cross-Up, we address your joints but also all the muscles, ligaments, vessels, and nerves around them because your pain isn’t an isolated process.

This is a one stop shop for care. Spine pain is common, but it is worth considering the arms and legs that transfer tension to it. Our combination of methods brings a new level of sophistication to Chiropractic that emphasizes pain free movement, stability, and endurance.

It is important to give you options when it comes to preserving or transforming your health. You are unique and all the events in your life, leading up to today, have tuned your body for a very specific lifestyle.

Sometimes we are so focused on the finish line that we forget how to manage our health in the meantime. For that reason, Cross-Up Chiropractic is here to give you and your children relief and solutions that your body needs to succeed.

Our services include physical pain management, lifestyle & nutritional counseling, exercise programming, comprehensive health assessments and home care plans. A true performance and Family Chiropractor health center.

Book Appointment Here

People are increasingly asking How Can a Chiropractor Help You? The answer may surprise you: In many more ways than you may think! That’s why Cross-up Chiro shares the possibilities with you.

The development of the Chiropractic profession has come such a long way of the past 10 years. We have seen this massive expansion of practice scope essentially meaning there are more ways we are “allowed” to help people. The Chiropractic and many other Health Care Professions are full of brilliant minds who continue to push the overton window with regards to giving patients’ all they need to live a healthy and enjoyable life.

Cross-Up Chiropractors embody exactly what so many hard working Doctors wished we would as they paved the way forward with new research, better tools, and a holistic mindset.

That is why we strive to be, for the most part, a one stop shop for family care and sports medicine. This form of Chiropractic provides more time for patient interaction and treatment that ultimately leads to quicker results too.

For many years Chiropractic has been seen as the spine people, and although the adjustment (spinal manipulation therapy) is still a tenant of our practice, we are experts in anatomy and physiology and the treatment of muscular, ligamentous, nerve, vessel, and lymphatic conditions. Quite frankly, these systems are almost always co-involved in the case of injury.

HERE, our method can be simply said with the following:

• First, by releasing tension and promoting circulation through muscular therapies, we eliminate the barriers of movement and ensure full range of motion.
• It is then through specific rehab that we balance supporting muscles to counter poor posture.
• Finally, we challenge the original area of complaint with previously painful activities to guarantee an improvement that will get you back to doing what you want, need, love, or desire to do without hesitation.

What kinds of tools do we use in this process:

• Active Release Therapy
• Acupuncture
• Adjustments
• Cupping
• Exercise/Biomechanics Training
• Gua Sha
• Fascial Flossing
• Compression and Vibratory Therapy

The answer to the question: How Can a Chiropractor Help You? is now much clearer. Let us help you get to the next level of your health. The road to feeling strong and resilient isn’t quick, but I bet it’s a heck of a lot faster with us at your side.

To set up your session with either of our Chiropractic Physicians, check out the link below.

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Autoimmunity has become a popular diagnosis in the past few years, but most doctors still don’t quite understand what it means. Autoimmunity is not just a single “disease” and shouldn’t be used as a blanket diagnosis when we can’t narrow down anything else. In fact, autoimmunity is a necessary and benign process that we need to clean up damaged and aging cells in the body. It is estimated that we generate a whole new body’s worth of cells every 7 years with the help of autoimmune activity.

Evidently, problems begin to occur when the immune cycle becomes chronically overactive in the context of uncontrolled inflammation. We now refer to autoimmunity as a spectrum because the process can be present for many years before the development of symptoms or full blown disease.

Brief review of the immune process

When faced with a toxin, our immune system fires up two main lines of defense: cytokines (first responders with pistols) and antibodies (military with heavy artillery). When the toxic exposure is too big for the first responders, our body sends in the military. The military antibodies may get rid of the invading toxin, but they create a bit of collateral damage in the process. At which point our body produces autoantibodies (secret spies) that are very specific and go to clean up the left over debris (damaged organ tissues).

So where does autoimmune disease come into the picture? 

It comes in when infectious agents, bacteria, or foods confuse the bodies immune system because they are structurally similar to human tissue. In other words, the antibodies we create to protect us from toxins can easily mistake and destroy parts of our body that look similar to the toxins. This is referred to as molecular mimicry.

For example, Gluten from wheat, rye, or barley can not be broken down sufficiently by our bodies because we simply don’t possess the enzymes to digest it. This causes the body to create antibodies to attack the undigested gluten molecule that we perceive as a ‘foreign invader.’ Unfortunately this foreign invader resembles a protein structure around the brain, so our antibodies begin to attack the brain as well!

Read more

Many mainstream cleaning products contain Gluten which may not be a big deal to some people but for people with severe Celiacs disease and even those with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivities (which is rapidly becoming more prevalent in the US) these products may be increasing the activity of their immune system which can lead to an immune-compromised state of being. In times like this we all need a perfectly functioning immune system to avoid severe forms of common diseases as well as severe reactions to viruses such as COVID-19 or the Flu. Therefore, let’s think about Healthy Cleaning Products.

Before you make the switch to natural and healthy cleaning products, we want to educate you on the ways some of the major cleaning products (more specifically their ingredients) that affect your health.

Facts: 

The EPA advises you avoid the following list of common ingredients in household cleaners: 2-butoxyethanol (or ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) and other glycol ethers, Alkylphenol ethoxylates (some common ones are: nonylphenol and octylphenol ethoxylates, or octoxynols), Bisphenol A, d-Limonene, Dyes (may be listed as FD&C or D&C, Ethanolamines (common ones to look out for are: monoethanolamine [MEA], diethanolamine [DEA], and triethanolamine [TEA]), Fragrances, Parabens, Phthlates uPine or citrus oil, Quaternary ammonium compounds (look out for these: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC), benzalkonium chloride, dodecyl-dimethyl- benzyl ammonium chloride; lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride; benzyl-C10-16- alkyldimethyl, chlorides; benzyl-C12-16-alkyldimethyl, chlorides; benzyl-C12-18-alkyldimethyl, chlorides; benzyl-C16-18-alkyldimethyl, chlorides; and didecyl and didecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride), Triclocarban, Triclosan, Bleach or sodium hypochlorite.

Why are these chemicals harmful?

Studies have shown these chemicals can:

· cause or trigger asthma

· are linked to cancer

· irritate or chemically burn your lungs and skin

· interfere with the functioning of your liver and other organs

· affect your reproductive system (impede on hormone regulation which can reduce fertility)

· affect the health of unborn babies (causing birth defects)

Of course, many people use these chemicals for years without noticing any direct effect of these chemicals, so what changes your risk of experiencing these consequences?

· how hazardous the product is and how concentrated it is (some products are manufactured with the intention of the consumer diluting the solutions)

· how often the product is used (most people clean their counters in their kitchen daily and their bathrooms weekly, carpets weekly, etc.)

· the amount that gets into your body (you are absorbing some of these chemicals every time you use these products unless you are using gloves and a mask when cleaning)

· the age, health and gender of the person using the product (the older you are or more chronic health conditions you suffer from, the more your body will react to the chemicals on a cellular level)

Need some specific examples?

· Common cleaning ingredients can be laced with the carcinogenic impurity 1,4-dioxane.

· Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride has been found to cause infertility and birth defects in humans.

· Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride has been linked to asthma, respiratory issues, skin allergies and irritation, and developmental & reproductive toxicity.

· Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) was classed as a Category III antiseptic active ingredient by the US FDA because of a lack of adequate safety data for its use as both a health care antiseptic and consumer antiseptic product

· Bisphenol A has been linked to hormone disruption, brain toxicity and behavioral issues in infants and young children, cancer, heart problems, obesity, diabetes, and ADHD.

· Triclosan has been associated with a higher risk of food allergy. It has been detected in human breast milk, blood and urine samples. Studies on rats have indicated that exposure to this chemical modulates estrogen-dependent responses (possesses anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic properties which can lead to many hormone dysregulation issues including infertility)

But there is hope!

You can make your own healhty cleaning products to avoid unwanted chemical exposure to protect you body (liver and lungs especially).

Ingredients to look for:

· Castile Soap

· Borax

· Baking soda

· Vinegar

· Washing Soda

· Essential Oils

· Isopropyl Alcohol

OR

You can purchase healthy Cleaning products, some of our favorite brands include: Method, Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation, Burt’s Bees, L’Avant Collective, Better Life, CitraSolv, and Ecover. Most of these products are not only safe for you but also for the environment.

Sources include:

EPA Fact Sheet

Environmental Working Group’s Cleaner Agent Facts

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Triclosan

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC)

Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride

Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride (DDAC)

You’ve been using these cleaners for years and noticed you have developed a sensitivity to the smell or perhaps you are experiencing rashes, eczema, or irritation of the skin while using these cleaners or even soaps and perfumes?

You may be experiencing Chemical Intolerance. If this is the case, you need to be treated by a natural medicine healthcare professional in order to restore your detoxification pathways, remove toxin abundance, and restore your natural barriers. If you are experiencing these symptoms and would like to discuss treatment options call 847-984-2702 or Book Online.

Be on the lookout for the next topic in this series: Home Filtration Systems: Water & Air.