Too many people nowadays live in the paradigm of ‘if it ain’t broke it don’t need fixin’. In other words, if they feel fine with the way things are - then they are “good enough”. The “good enough” mentality means you don’t think you need improvement, need help or need to change anything in any way. I think the “good enough” mentality is actually the cause of many health problems we see nowadays.
Ask yourself this… would you like to be: more fit, thinner and leaner, more flexible, stronger, happier and healthier than you are now? What is holding you back? Is it because being “good enough” has become so easy? If so, I can relate. I still think this way from time to time.
For instance, I just started my first day of a 9 Day Detox and Cleansing Program. This program is designed to detoxify and clean the body internally of unhealthy chemicals that build up over time. I should mention, this is not a simple ‘pop a pill with each meal’ kind of health program – it requires commitment to a purpose! After my first 12 hours of consuming supplements and simple snacks instead of my traditional breakfast, lunch, dinner I begin to wonder if this was a good idea. I begin to rationalize that I am already pretty healthy and fit, so why am I putting myself through this process? The “good enough” mentality begins to rear its ugly head.
Actually, I was having the following thoughts before even beginning this health cleansing program: would this be worth it, can I finish it, will I cheat and or quit early, do I really need to do this, aren’t I healthy enough already, etc… the same thoughts that everyone else would have before taking on such a challenge.
My motivation on this Detox and Cleansing Program is to be the best that I can be. For this reason alone I am committed to succeed and rise to the challenge. I am committed to knowing what it is like to live at my full potential. I want to be an example to my family and friends that health and fitness is an investment with unparalleled rewards. I believe that “being at your best” is always better than “being good enough”.
For these reasons and a few others, I continue to push my limits in achieving a higher state of health and wellness. I can say that with each decision I make to refuse to be “good enough” the rewards of becoming better are always well worth the effort. My decision to be a lifelong chiropractic patient, to workout even when I am tired, to eat well even when something else sounds better… will improve my life and its impact on others.
Being “good enough” was never meant to be good enough or acceptable. Your life and your health is a gift – not a guarantee!
I applaud your decision to be a part of this office and your commitment to reading our educational newsletters. By doing so, you are refusing to accept the “good enough” or “as good as it gets” mentality as I have. It is a pleasure to be a part of the process that leads to you getting better, and your learning to be as good as you can be.
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
Maximized Health “tip of the week”
The Real Dangers of Soda to You and Your Children
This is an alarming amount of sugar, calories and harmful additives in a product that has absolutely no nutritional value. Plus, studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. Despite this, soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States.
Teenagers and children, who many soft drinks are marketed toward, are among the largest consumers. In the past 10 years, soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States. Teenage boys now drink, on average, three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. The average for teenage girls is more than two cans a day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day.
While these numbers may sound high, they’re not surprising considering that most school hallways are lined with vending machines that sell, of course, soft drinks. It’s not uncommon for schools to make marketing deals with leading soft drink companies such as Coca-Cola from which they receive commissions--based on a percentage of sales at each school--and sometimes a lump-sum payment.
The revenues are used for various academic and after-school activities, but what activity could be worth devastating the students’ health, which is exactly what consuming all that soda is doing? Getting rid of vending machines in schools--or replacing their contents with pure water and healthy snacks--could make a big difference, as vending machines can increase the consumption of sweetened beverages by up to 50 or more cans of soda per student per year. Let’s take a look at some of the major components of a can of soda:
• Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.
• Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.
• Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens (cancer causing).
• Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.
• Tap Water: I recommend that everyone avoid drinking tap water because it can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium, and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.
• Soda is one of the main reasons, nutritionally speaking, why many people suffer health problems. Aside from the negative effects of the soda itself, drinking a lot of soda is likely to leave you with little appetite for vegetables, protein and other food that your body needs.
If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure water is a much better choice.
