This Week's Health Goal: Try Some New Berries!

Everyone is always talking about how healthy they are, but do you actually know why? Yes, they have antioxidants, but what does that mean? Listed below are some of the different berries you can try this week, as well as their strongest ingredient and what it does.

Berries!

Acai Berries: One of the most powerful antioxidants in acai berries is anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is found in many reddish-purple berries and is an excellent free radical scavenger. Free radicals cause wear and tear on the body and contribute to accelerated aging and poor health. The more antioxidants we consume, the less likely we are to have free radicals roaming around the body.

Blueberries: The potent antioxidant in blueberries is gallic acid. Not only is gallic acid a very effective antioxidant, but it also helps inhibit the growth of yeast and fights against viral infections.

Cranberries: One of the strongest ingredients in cranberries is quercetin.  Quercetin is a very powerful anti-inflammatory and possibly even better at controlling allergies. Also, some of the phytonutrients found in cranberries reduce the risk of bacteria sticking to the walls of the urinary tract and causing infection.

Goji Berries: Goji berries are known for their high amount of protein as well as their carotenoids, precursors to vitamin C. They can be extremely helpful to vegetarian diets due to their higher sources of protein and even some iron. However, these berries are also part of the nightshade family. If you have a problem with nightshades, then it's best to avoid them.

Gooseberries: These berries are extremely beneficial to heart and blood vessel heart. A compound in them, called corilagin, helps to lower LDL levels (sometimes referred to as the "bad cholesterl"). It also helps prevent LDL molecules from sticking to the sides of your blood vessels, preventing a build-up of plaque.

While these berries may contain different levels of phytonutrients, they are all beneficial to your health. So, have fun enjoying different berries this week and know that you're doing a great thing for your body!

yours in health

dr samantha boldt dc

liveyourlifechiro.com

This Week's Health Goal: Try Some New Berries!

Everyone is always talking about how healthy berries are, but do you actually know why? Yes, they have antioxidants, but what does that mean? Listed below are some of the different berries you can try this week, as well as their strongest ingredient and what it does.

Berries!

Acai Berries: One of the most powerful antioxidants in acai berries is anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is found in many reddish-purple berries and is an excellent free radical scavenger. Free radicals cause wear and tear on the body and contribute to accelerated aging and poor health. The more antioxidants we consume, the less likely we are to have free radicals roaming around the body.

Blueberries: The potent antioxidant in blueberries is gallic acid. Not only is gallic acid a very effective antioxidant, but it also helps inhibit the growth of yeast and fights against viral infections.

Cranberries: One of the strongest ingredients in cranberries is quercetin.  Quercetin is a very powerful anti-inflammatory and possibly even better at controlling allergies. Also, some of the phytonutrients found in cranberries reduce the risk of bacteria sticking to the walls of the urinary tract and causing infection.

Goji Berries: Goji berries are known for their high amount of protein as well as their carotenoids, precursors to vitamin C. They can be extremely helpful to vegetarian diets due to their higher sources of protein and even some iron. However, these berries are also part of the nightshade family. If you have a problem with nightshades, then it's best to avoid them.

Gooseberries: These berries are extremely beneficial to heart and blood vessel heart. A compound in them, called corilagin, helps to lower LDL levels (sometimes referred to as the "bad cholesterl"). It also helps prevent LDL molecules from sticking to the sides of your blood vessels, preventing a build-up of plaque.

While these berries may contain different levels of phytonutrients, they are all beneficial to your health. So, have fun enjoying different berries this week and know that you're doing a great thing for your body!

yours in health, dr samantha boldt dc

This Week's Health Goal: Brush Your Teeth With Your Left Hand (Or Vice Versa)

Use your opposite hand!

55% of the population is said to be strongly right-handed, 3% is strongly left-handed, and the rest fall somewhere in between. No matter which hand you might prefer, you may not know that it is actually hooked up to the opposite side of the brain. When we work with our right hand, we stimulate the left side of the brain, and vice versa. It's easy to see that many of us rarely depend on one hand as much as the other. Therefore, one side of our brain is getting less activation than the other. This week's health goal is to practice brushing your teeth with the opposite hand. While you're at it, try throwing some other activities in there as well. Try using scissors, writing, cleaning, or anything else you can think of all while using the opposite hand and see how you do!

Why does this benefit you?

By using both hands, you actually help to connect the left and right side hemispheres of the brain. Experts say that people who use both hands increase the size of their corpus callosum by 9%. The corpus callosum is the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres together. When practicing new movements, we can also increase and strengthen new and current neural pathways in the brain. It's good for our brain to continuously be challenged and learn new things. Let us know what activities you try this week with the opposite hand and have fun!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This Week's Health Goal: Foam Roll Every Day!

This Week's Health Goal: Foam Roll for 5 Minutes Every Day!

Foam rolling is a fantastic way to release tight and sore muscles. Using a foam roller is essentially a very affordable way to give yourself a deep tissue massage. It helps to break up adhesions and any scar tissue that has formed in the area. The iliotibial band (lateral thigh) is one of the most common areas people use a foam roller on. However, there are multiple areas you can roll out in order to decrease tension throughout the body.

The upper and lower back, calves, and quadriceps are all areas that tend to tighten up easily. Place the foam roller in one of these areas and use your body weight to put pressure on top of it. Either roll back and forth, or for especially tight areas, you can apply constant pressure until you feel the muscle relax. At the end of the week, you'll feel like a new person!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's health goal: Gargle With Salt Water

This Week's Health Goal: Gargle 

With Salt Water

One of the easiest and most effective ways to maintain a healthy mouth is to do a simple salt rinse. It combats gingivitis, bad breath, sore throats, and will also help sores heal faster. 

How does it do all of this? Salt temporarily increases the pH of your mouth to create an alkaline environment. This makes it hard for bacteria to survive. Salt water is also an isotonic solution, meaning it contains the same concentrations of salts in our body. Therefore, it doesn't irritate the mucous membranes of our mouth like other medicinal mouthwashes, and can be a very gentle way of keeping the mouth clean. 

From a maintenance standpoint of view, you can safely do a salt rinse three to four times a week. Salt rinsing every day risks weakening the enamel of the teeth. However, when you have a sore throat or are recovering from oral surgery, doing a salt rinse three to four times a day will help your mouth and throat heal faster. 

How to Make a Salt Water Solution

4 ounces of warm water

1/2 tsp of sea salt (or table salt)

1 tsp baking soda (optional)

Swirl the solution in your mouth for 30 seconds 

and then spit it out!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This Week's Health Goal: Get Organized!

This Week's Health Goal: Get Organized!

Clutter can lead to creativity, but the research shows that it can also lead to anxiety, fatigue, weight gain, and decreased health overall. So it's time to get organized! Becoming a more organized person isn't a task that needs to be done all at once. We want to focus on little steps that can move us in the right direction.

There are two main areas of organization in our life. The first is physical, so things like our bedroom, office, garage, etc. The second is mental. Are we clearly able to organize our thoughts or do we have so much going on up there that we tend to forget things? Both physical organization and mental organization are important in maintaining overall health.

This week, spend 5 minutes a day working on organization. You can start by going through that stack of papers that hasn't been touched in 3 months, or taking a few minutes out of every day to write down the different thoughts going through your brain. Below are a few different ways in each category to help you organize your life!

Physical Organization:

-If you carry around a purse, wallet, backpack, or briefcase, spend some time this week pulling everything out and only putting back in the necessities. Everything pulled out needs a home, whether it's the garbage or a folder in your house.

-Go through the papers in your office and make folders for all of the different categories these papers fall under. You don't have to worry about throwing anything away.....yet. However, by starting this process, you will most likely find that some things can very easily be discarded.

-Pick a clothes drawer or part of your closet and go through it for a few minutes each day. Decide what you want to keep, what can be donated, and what should just be thrown away.

Mental Organization:

-Spend 5 minutes everyday jotting down notes of the thoughts or ideas that you had. By actually writing them down, your brain is able to interpret things in a different way and more easily able to decide what is important and what is not.

-TO-DO list: Write out your to-do list every morning, anything and everything that you can think of, and then circle the top three most important ones. Know that the other ones are still on the paper, so you don't even have to think about remembering them until your three most important tasks are done.

-Make decisions: Making decisions is hard, and we have all put it off at some time or another. Every day, take one thing that you have been putting off making a decision on, and sit down until that decision is made. You can make a pros and cons list or use the WRAP method, but don't move on to something else until that decision is made!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's health goal: Get Spicy!

This week's health goal: Get Spicy!

No, we don't mean the hot kind of spicy (not that you can't), but you SHOULD experiment with different herbs and spices in your kitchen. Many of these plants are not only tasty, but they also have multiple health benefits. For example, cumin has shown to be anti-inflammatory while also aiding in digestion and helping to regulate the immune system! 

Below we have listed a few spices and herbs commonly found in different cultures. If you're in the mood for something Indian, try adding in turmeric, cumin, and red pepper. If you're in the mood for Moroccan, put clove, cinnamon, and paprika in your dish. You can add as few or as many spices as you want! So get spicy this week, all the while knowing that you're doing something amazing for your body!

Chinese: Anise, Szechuan Peppercorn, Fennel, Cassia, and Clove

Indian: Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Fenugreek, and Red pepper

Latin American: Chile, Paprika, Cumin, and Mexican Oregano

Mediterranean: Basil, Bay Leaf, Chervil, Dill, Fennel, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme

Moroccan: Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Paprika, Mace, Peppercorn, and Turmeric

Thai: Basil, Black pepper, Cardamom, Chile peppers, Cilantro, Cloves, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Lemongrass, Turmeric, and White Pepper

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

Today, we are making sweet and tangy chicken! Surprisingly, for as many steps as were in this recipe, there weren't too many mistakes. The chicken also turned out to be quite yummy! We would definitely make this recipe again! This recipe comes from Recipes for Repair - A Lyme Disease Cookbook by Gail and Laura Piazza. 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 large chicken breasts with skin and bones, cut in half

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

2 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp water or chicken stock

1 Tbsp mustard

1/2-1 cup of water (optional if chicken looks like it is becoming dry)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes.

4. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

5. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and reserve for later use.

6. Season the skin of the chicken with salt and pepper and add the chicken to the hot pan, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, or until browned. Then, turn the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

7. Add the rosemary and thyme to the pan. (We didn't have sprigs, so we just used fresh rosemary and thyme.)

8. Combine the honey, vinegar, water or stock (just the 3 Tbsp here) and mustard, and stir the mixture into the chicken.

9. Return the onions and garlic to the pan and stir well.

10. Place the pan in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check to see if the sauce has become too thick and syrupy; if it has, stir in the remaining 1/2-1 cup water. (Our sauce was already very watery, so we did not add any more. We ended up using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts and think that is why everything was so juicy!)

11. Turn the chicken breasts and cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is nicely browned.

12. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs. If the sauce is still too thick, stir in a little more water.

13. Place the chicken on a serving platter and top with the sauce.

This recipe was delicious! Our sauce was very watery and there was definitely no thickness to it, but I don't think that affected the taste at all. However, next time we will use chicken breasts instead of thighs and see if that makes a difference. Good luck and enjoy!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's health goal: Try a new vegetable!

This week's health goal: Try a new vegetable!

Most of us know that we should be eating more veggies. If I have a patient coming in with a health issue, and especially for anyone with an autoimmune disease, chances are I've told them they need to consume 6-9 servings of vegetables a day. While most of them look at me like I've just declared that I'm an alien from Mars, some of them really take this idea to heart and receive fantastic health benefits from it. While quantity is great, quantity and variety are fantastic! This week, however, we will focus on that variety part......by trying just one new vegetable you have never eaten before.

Eating a variety of vegetables gives us a greater amount of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are beneficial compounds found in plants that haven't been classified as a vitamin or mineral. Some examples include flavonoids, resveratrol, and carotenoids. Many phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, or act as an antioxidant. The more colorful and diverse are vegetable intake is, the more of these benefits we receive!

If you're at a loss for a vegetable to try, here are a few great ones that most people haven't heard of.....or at least haven't eaten before.

•   Jicama
•   Salsify
•  Dalkon
•  Kohlrabi
•  Sunflower Sprouts

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

     

This week's health goal: Reconnect With Someone You've Been Missing!

This week's health goal: Reconnect with someone you've been missing!

We all have that one person (at least) who we don't talk to as much as we would like. It might be a friend or family member. Maybe it's been a few months since you've called the parents or grandparents. Perhaps you haven't seen your best friend for a while. Well this is the week to reconnect!

Humans were not meant to live in isolation and many people are shocked to hear that a poor social circle may be just as harmful to your health as obesity or smoking. A study done by Brigham Young University, entitled Social Relationships and Mortality Risks, showed a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social circles, even after all other factors were accounted for. 

There is no set number of friends or family members that someone should have or be close to in order to gain health benefits, but the research continuously shows that the more complex a person's social circle is, the better their overall health. In certain cultures, it is customary for grandparents to continue living with their families. They help out with household chores, watch the children, and stay involved with the family activities. Many of these cultures have multiple people living past one hundred years of age, with one of the main reasons being their constant socialization.

This week, try to reconnect with someone you haven't talked to in a while or work at making a new friend! They could be the key to your good health!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto

     Today, I am going to attempt to make butternut squash risotto! As usual when cooking with me, there were multiple learning experiences and I actually forgot to add an ingredient this time. However, the good news is that this dish turned out fantastic! The recipe used was found on grubhub. 


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp ghee
2 large onions, diced
2 tsp salt
2 butternut squashes, peeled, sliced, and cubed
1/4 quarter cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 cups chicken broth


Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil and ghee in a large pot over low-medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes until slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. 

2. Peel, slice, and cube the butternut squash. (This was my first time actually cutting up butternut squash. I cut the bulb off of the bottom and just used the top part of the butternut squash, so I may have had less than 2 butternut squashes.)

3. Meanwhile, working in batches, place the squash in a food processor and pulse until it reaches a rice-like consistency. (I only had a small food processor and it broke about 3/4 of the way through. I would strongly recommend a full-sized food processor if you're going to attempt putting butternut squash in it.)

4. Add the squash to the pan once the onions are caramelized and saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add the vinegar, parsley, and broth. (The vinegar is the ingredient that I forgot. Oh well, next time! Also, I only put in 1 cup of broth rather than 2 due to the fact that after leaving out the squash bulbs and destroying the food processor about half way through, I now only had about 1 butternut squash all together.)

5. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is completely tender. Add more broth if necessary and salt to taste. 

All in all, I thought this recipe turned out fantastic. The most difficult part was cutting and processing the butternut squash, but other than that, it was a very easy recipe. It also turned out delicious. Everyone in the family liked it, with only one person thinking that it could use a little more seasoning. Next time, I will remember the white wine vinegar and probably add in 2 Tbsp of parsley. Good luck and enjoy!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's health goal: Practice balancing for 2 minutes every day!

This week's health goal: Practice balancing for 2 minutes every day!

One very important part of determining how well we move and how coordinated we are is our vestibular system. It tells us where our head is in space. Are we laying down or standing? Are we rotating to the right or bending over? 

Another important aspect of balance is proprioception. Proprioception is able to sense movement within a joint and knowing joint position. Is our our foot pointed or flexed? Are our arms straight up or slightly in a "Y" shape. 

If we don't continuously train these systems, we begin to lose the ability to sense how we are moving and where our body parts are in space. Luckily, by leading an active lifestyle, you are continuously training these two systems. Simply by walking, we are inputting some information into these two systems and keeping them from deteriorating. 

However, it doesn't hurt to up the training a bit! Our vestibular and proprioceptive systems are important for preventing injury and avoiding falls. The more we train, the less likely we are to get hurt. All it takes is a few minutes a day! Read below to find some excellent training exercises for both systems!



Exercises

1) One Legged Stand Variations

     Begin standing with feet together and near a wall or something to grab onto if you begin losing balance. With your eyes open, slowly lift your right foot off the ground and bring it to your knee or as high as it can get. Hold this pose for 20 seconds. Do the same with the left. Repeat on each side 5 times. Once you feel comfortable, lift your leg up and then slowly turn your head to the right and left while continuing to hold the position. Finally, try to hold the pose again while keeping your arms perfectly at your sides, then at 90 degrees, and finally with your arms raised above your head. As you begin to balance easier in this position, work your way from 20 seconds to 30 seconds. After mastering the exercise above, try going up on your toes. Keep both feet on the ground at first. For the truly masterful, you can begin doing the exercises on your toes with only one foot at a time!

2) Heel to Toe Walk

     Place your right foot down and then place your left heel right up against the front of your right foot. Continue in this manner, and walk in a line for at least 12 steps and then turn around and come back.

3) Tape Walk

     Using tape, mark spots on the carpet in a circle about a step width apart. Now walk in a circle trying to step only on the spots you marked. Then switch and go the other way. If this seems too easy, go around your house and collect your cushions and pillows, try to get at least 8. Set them up in a circle spaced about a foot or two apart. Now walk in a circle only on the pillows. Switch and go the other way. You can also place the pillows in a line or a zigzag pattern and follow that!

4) Tennis Ball Toss 

     This exercise will require a tennis ball. Face a flat wall holding a tennis ball, standing about 3-6 feet away. Start by throwing the ball at the wall with the left hand and catching with the right hand. Then throw the ball at the wall with the right hand and catch with the left hand. You can also practice throwing with the right and catching with the right, and vice versa. If you get really good, try throwing two balls at once!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This Week's Goal: Go To Bed At A Reasonable Time

This Week's Goal: Go to bed 
at a reasonable time.

Whether it's because of a tv show, a good book, a game on the phone, or something else, most of us are up much later than we should be. Our bodies need sleep, about 7.5-9 hours of sleep in fact, to be well rested. While sleeping, our brain gets de-cluttered and memories are cemented, growth hormone (used for repair) is secreted, and you also decrease the hormones responsible for hunger! If we don't get enough sleep, all of these activities dramatically decrease. 

This week, pick a time that you are going to lay down in bed and stick with it. If you're someone that has trouble falling asleep in the first place, you might have to put a little extra work in during morning hours as well. The next two paragraphs are for you!

Immediately upon waking, spend two minutes working out as hard as you can. The difficulty will change for everybody, but I recommend jumping jacks, high knees, push-ups, or air punches to get the blood flowing. Then, don't eat or drink anything but water for 45 minutes, not even coffee! 

Many people who have trouble waking up in the morning and falling asleep at night have reversed cortisol patterns. Cortisol is our stress hormone, but it is also very important to our sleep cycle. By doing the work-out and not eating, we increase the amount of cortisol we pump out in the morning, and decrease the amount that's available to pump out at night. Effectively, this helps us wake up easier and go to sleep more quickly. After about 1-2 weeks of this, you should notice a difference!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's goal: Be one with nature!

This week's goal: Be one with nature!

There's no doubt about it anymore, being outside is good for your health. Multiple studies have shown that people who do outdoor activities on a regular basis not only feel healthier, they also have more self-esteem, less anxiety, sleep better, and are happier! The good news for the busy worker bee side that many of us have is that we don't have to be out all day. In order to start improving these various aspects of people's live, people only had to spend 20 minutes outside each day. 

Therefore, our goal this week is to spend at least 20 minutes outside everyday. This can be accomplished by taking a walk or bike riding, going stargazing, just sitting outside and enjoying the day, or anything else you can think of! Now go enjoy the fresh air!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt dc

This Week's Goal: Read 15 Minutes A Day!

This week's goal: Read 15 minutes a day!

Most of us probably wish we had a little more time to read. Whether it's a good back, a magazine, a newspaper, or anything else, reading helps keep the mind sharp while also expanding our knowledge. This week's goal will be to set aside 15 minutes every day for reading. Some early birds might have better luck reading first thing in the morning, while night owls will be more successful reading at night. It doesn't matter when you decide to read, just have something put aside for this week so that you're ready to go!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week's goal: Prep meals for the week!

This week's goal: Prep meals for the week!

Trying to eat healthy throughout the week can be difficult enough without all of the constant cutting and cooking. It's much easier to make everything all at once! Meal prepping can have a lot of variation between meals or none at all depending on your need for variety. The link below is a great site that shows some easy chicken recipes to make for the week. 

21 Chicken Breast Recipes Made for Meal Prep

Sometimes I will eat the same exact meal a few times in a week, but often I change the recipes up just a little. I'll add in different vegetables, different sauces, or even different spices in each container. This tends to change the taste enough so that nothing gets boring! Experiment and have fun!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt dc