Join us at our Next Health Care Class!

Dr. Tod Pelly invites you to join his next health care class taking place on Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

Take an hour out of your evening, and join us for a bite to eat and a casual and informative discussion on our well being.

There is no cost to attend, however seating is limited. We would love to have you join us.

Call Alysha at the Pelly Clinic today to learn more and reserve your spot:(604) 988-0132.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
6:00pm at The Pelly Clinic

3093 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver

Every big change begins with a Small Step

Dear Patient and Friend,

Have you heard about “A Small Step” ? Dr. Pelly spent time in Nepal this past October and November to provide chiropractic care to the peoples living in small villages throughout the Himalayas. He treated over 600 people, many of them very young children. Please visit www.facebook.com/asmallstep to learn more, and show your support by “Liking” the page. Photos and video coming soon!

Stress is the body’s physiological mechanism of “fight or flight”. Fight or flight describes how our evolutionary biology (from our ancestors) affects how we react to different situations in the modern world. The stress response is coded into our physiology to shut down less vital systems of our body for fighting (the immune response, digestion, reproductive functioning, concentration, etc) for more crucial systems (adrenaline, blood pressure, glycolysis, lipolysis, etc).

How does that response affect modern man? This response was a healthy response when we were being chased by a tiger and needed to either fight or flight- to essentially run away to safety, so we could revert back to our more natural state of physiology. In the last 40,000 years, our genetic code has not changed at all… meaning that we still have the same response to a threat. The difference now is that there is so much stress in our lives that we have no opportunity to run to a safe place because stress follows us. Stress lives in our thoughts, and trauma lives in our bodies far longer than the physical damage. Every time we think of a stressful event, our nervous systems revert back to the “fight or flight” state, and things like the immune response, digestion, reproductive functioning, kidney functioning and concentration decrease, and our blood pressure elevates, our blood glucose elevates, our blood cortisol levels increase, our cells become more insulin resistant, and a host of other things occur.

Chiropractic works on the nervous system. When there is stress on the nervous system, it becomes more prone to the state of physiology of fight or flight. As we sort through the layers of subluxations in the spine, we decrease the stress on the nervous system, and allow it to tend towards a state of relaxation. While administering an adjustment, it’s not uncommon for the patient to have an immediate emotional response. Patients often spontaneously start to cry or laugh, and have no idea why. The subluxation stress on the nervous system sometimes doesn’t allow the patient to express himself, and when that stress is finally removed, expression occurs. Chiropractic allows the body to process stress more effectively.

How does a structural lesion in the spine affect emotions? Stress on the body comes in three forms- physical, chemical and emotional. Many times, a subluxation is composed of all three forms in varying degrees. Structure affects function and function affects structure. Emotional stress can cause subluxations.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Tod Pelly

In a rare but welcome display of appreciation of wellness principles by the scientific community, Newsweek published an article last week entitled “Caution: Killing Germs May Be Hazardous To Your Health,” a commentary on recent studies that demonstrate that microbes are not the ruthless villains they have been made out to be, but rather are useful and synergistic contributors to the wellbeing of the planet, including the host organism that acts as their home.

These are ideas that chiropractors, natural nutritionists and other wellness professionals have been espousing for decades – in fact, I heard noted wellness expert Dr. James Chestnut say that if he was forced to pick only two nutritional supplements to take and give to his kids daily, he would choose omega-3 fatty acids and a probiotic – in other words, a seeding of microorganisms that help to establish the optimal internal environment for maximized health expression.

The presence of these microscopic creatures is clear evidence that nature knows better than we do, as the roles they serve have subtly flown under our scientific radar since we started thinking we were in charge of health, and that the way to get there was to fight disease. No, nature has been leaving us clues and signs about the natural balance of life forever, but it is refreshing to see that mainstream scientists are finally picking up on this fundamental philosophy of natural living. It may seem counterintuitive to medical thinking, which has led us to believe that germs are bad, but actually these little bugs make vitamins in our intestines, help to regulate our immune systems, and even influence our serotonin levels, meaning that microbes may help us to be happy.

The article points out that our fear around bacteria has created an imbalance in our ecology that may well have serious detrimental effects. The onset of MRSA, methicillin-resistant staph aureus, is an extended reaction to the consequences of overusing penicillin – many staph infections were not responding to it, necessitating the use of a new anti-biotic – but true to form, you can’t keep a species that reproduces every twenty minutes from finding mutational answers to those kinds of challenges, and thus we have risked creating and in some cases already created super-resistant strains of microorganisms. Making more and different anti-biotics is not the solution, but rather we need to ask a new question – what are these bugs here for, why do they live in our bodies, and instead of trying to kill them, how can we learn to peacefully co-exist with them, for the betterment of all?

It is uplifting to think that orthodox science is becoming more sensitive to this perspective. Germs have traditionally been looked at as invaders, and now the possibility is being considered that they are there for a reason – and this is cause for great hope and satisfaction on the part of those who have stood for the natural way from the start.

In no way does this signal that the war is won – but it does point out that the winds are changing, and from this small acorn, a mighty oak will grow, and with it, the dawn of a new age of awareness, based on things natural, and the integration of this concept into household thought will be inspiration enough to carry on our fight, until all humanity realizes its birthright, as a vital part of nature, not the ruler of it.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Tod Pelly

Let’s face it, we’re all busy – the ordinary chores, errands, meetings, phone calls, paperwork, not to mention the typical stresses of life, it all whirls around us with a slightly irritating hum that tends to fade into the background of our lives.

What keeps us going? Why do we do what we do? And why do some do it better than others? What propels us to weather the drudgery of daily existence to feast on those delectable moments of breakthrough and victory that seem to make it all worthwhile?

In his classic book “Mastery,” George Leonard comments that our fast-paced, sound-bite driven culture has hypnotized us into thinking that pleasure occurs only at the time of accomplishment, and not necessarily throughout the journey it took to get there. In essence, this tricks us into accepting an hour of pleasure in exchange for fifty, a hundred or several hundred hours of “pain,” the passage of pain of having worked hard and invested fully to arrive at that destination.

Leonard points out that there is something inherently wrong with this formula. Isn’t it possible that you could find significant pleasure in the process of achieving, perhaps a different flavour of pleasure from the delight of fruition, but pleasure nevertheless?

And what keeps us present and vigilant? Nothing works better than a sense of purpose, a reason to persist, an incentive that fulfills you more than any other use of that time and energy would. Your purpose is the driving force behind your actions, and you’ll need clarity of purpose to be precise, passionate and thorough in carrying out your plan, in spite of whatever obstacles.

Using your purpose as a lens that focuses your worldview makes you more productive, more disciplined and more attractive. Developing certainty about why you do what you do sparks you to find another gear, and ignites something more inside you that you may not have realized was there.

Learning to enjoy the process, wherever you find yourself in it, is a sign of visionary leadership. By seeing your ultimate objectives vividly and in detail, by remaining steadfast in your positive expectancy and commitment, and by concentrating your power on what’s most important to you, you will get more out of yourself and generate the winning edge that will put you over the top.

In challenging times, reconnect with your purpose – it will give you shelter from the storm.

Health and wellness occurs when our nerve system properly adapts to stressors internally and externally, moment by moment so that we function with effortless ease. When we fail to adapt in a proper or timely manner, we shift to a state of dis-ease. In every moment, our nerve system assesses the world around us and the world inside of us and responds to one vital question: Am I safe?

This is a function of the sympathetic nerve system and a function of our innate intelligence to keep us safe from harm or danger. Some refer to this function as “fight or flight” and some refer to it as our “defence physiology.”

It is my experience that someone who is in “defence physiology” is trapped in survival and therefore, cannot grow. Defence physiology can come from stress, anger, confusion, frustration and uncertainty and it never serves us to grow or prosper.

You go to defence physiology when you feel attacked, alone, unprotected and afraid. These all may help you survive, but they will never let you grow and expand. Defence physiology forces the body to respond in many ways including tensing your muscles, dilating your pupils, slowing down your metabolism and weakening your immune function. Being trapped in defence physiology lowers your quality of life, your level of wellness and clearly affects us physically, emotionally and mentally.

I have discovered these truths about defence physiology:
A. It is an innate survival mechanism.
B. When you are trapped in it, you can survive but you cannot grow.
C. There are three ways to get out of defence physiology so that we
can once again be in a position of growth and well-being. This
should be everyone’s goal and objective.

The three ways to get out of defence physiology are:
1. Becoming aware that you are trapped in it and no longer wanting to be in it. Yes, awareness and consciousness are critical.
2. Remembering who you are … a child of God, fully equipped, destined for greatness, unique, special, gifted and blessed. By reclaiming your identity, you can once again relax and trust both yourself and the universe and put yourself in a position for growth.
3. Deciding to raise your energy, by having an empowering morning routine, by committing to an exercise program, by getting adjusted more regularly, by eating better, by writing in your success journal each day, by being on time, by demanding more out of yourself, by telling the truth, by raising your standards and by removing your tolerations. You get out of this no-growth trap by reclaiming your purpose and passion.

Why you need it!

There is now convincing evidence that supplementing your diet with specific levels of vitamins and minerals can slow the biological processes of aging, decrease risk of many degenerative conditions, bolster immune system function and preserve brain function as we age. A healthy diet can guard against vitamin and mineral deficiency states (example: scurvy, rickets, and iron-deficiency anemia). However we are realizing that to optimize health and maximize our defences against heart disease, cancers, dementia, cataracts, osteoporosis, and other common conditions, that supplementation of specific amounts of vitamins and minerals is necessary. A large number of clinical trials have provided strong evidence that individuals using supplementation are reaping important health benefits compared to non vitamin users.

Heart disease and cancer

Antioxidant supplementation like Vitamin C, E, A, selenium, lycopene, lutein, bioflavinoids and beta-carotene are key agents that protect our genetic material from cancerous mutations induced by damaging free radicals in the body. There is also an overall increase in the strength of our immune system from antioxidants.
Energy, stress, and brain function

B vitamins can boost energy production and help combat stress. It has also shown that its effects can decrease heart disease risk as much as 30%. B vitamins have also been associated with better brain function i.e.: memory, concentration, alertness, and cognitive function in general.

Osteoporosis and blood pressure

Calcium and magnesium has been shown to prevent bone loss (osteoporosis) of all ages. Calcium has also been shown to be involved in lowering blood pressure. Other nutrients that assist in lowering blood pressure are co-enzyme Q10, hawthorn, and quercitin.

How to supplement properly

All supplements must be 100% natural, no fillers, and must have a large array of nutrients with adequate amounts. People who supplement quite often take too little or don’t stick to the required daily routine. A standard process that we undertake for all new patients in our clinic is to do a nutritional analysis which will allow them to realize which areas of there daily nutrition could improve.