Des Moines Chiropractic Newsletter - November

Compass Chiropractic November, 2012 E-Newsletter

Help Us Support Meals from the Heartland!

 

A goal has been set to raise at least $1,500 to go toward Meals from the Heartland by the end of the year.  Any new patient who donates $50 or more to Meals from the Heartland will receive a complimentary first visit (exam, any needed spinal X-rays, and mechanical table massage up to $300 value).

Call (515) 309-1217 to schedule an appointment!

Waiting Room Wellness - The Music We're Most Thankful For

In 2010 and 2011 we learned what books and movies our patients were most thankful for.  This year, we'll be sharing the music we're most thankful for, and asking our patients to share theirs in our waiting room or by sending in their picks by email.  Check out our picks below.  Additionally, I'll share the book and movie lists from past years.

Sandy

I oftentimes get very caught up in listening to the music in the background of movies.  I love the way a musical score can set the tone and mood for movies.  It certainly has a huge influence on how the viewer processes emotions, views the characters and events happening up on the screen.  Yet a well composed score can be enjoyed and listened to long after the movie is off the big screen.

When I think about music that has touched my heart, composers John Williams and John Barry come to mind.  John Williams is an American composer, conductor and pianist.  He's known for his many film score compositions including music from the Star Wars movies, Jaws, Superman, Indiana Jones, E.T., Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Hook, War Horse, the first three Harry Potter films as well as many, many other well-known movies.  He is known for his long-standing collaboration with film director Steven Spielberg.  A former conductor of the Boston Pops, he has also penned a number of well-known compositions for TV, including themes for the Olympics.

But the score that I have long admired and listened to more than anything else is the soundtrack from the film Out of Africa, which was scored by English composer John Barry.  The music John Barry composed is, in my opinion, one of the finest film scores ever; it greatly complemented the incredible cinematography of Africa which I enjoyed seeing in the movie.  I have listened to the soundtrack countless times and chose it as the soothing background music played during labor and delivery of my two daughters.  The Out of Africa soundtrack earned John Barry an Oscar for Best Original Score and it remains on the American Film Institute's list of top 25 American film scores. 

Years from now, I suspect and hope that some of today's movie scorers/composers, will be remembered for their extraordinary contributions to 20th and 21st century music.

Sheri Abresch

Red Hot Chili Peppers:  All of their albums
John Hiatt:  All of his albums
R. Carlos Nakai:  Canyon Trilogy
Sinead O Connor:  Nothing Compares 2 U
Beck:  Mellow Gold & Odelay

This was pretty hard for me to do, seeing that in the late 80’s to early 90’s I managed one of those “record stores” that do not exist any longer!  Therefore I was exposed to a wide variety of music and soaked it in like a sponge.  The RHCP are just a classic for me that never fail to pick my mood up and make me want to dance around crazy!  John Hiatt, to me, is just one of the best song writers, with riffs and lyrics that just make me sing along. (Poorly and out of tune, I might add.)  R. Carlos Nakai is a Native American flute player that has always made my heart and soul stir.  Sinead O Connor is a woman in the music world that stirred the pot, so to speak, when she released this album.   I respect her greatly with her killer voice and lyrics to make you ponder.  Beck, at the time of Mellow Gold, was just a different sort of character with one of my all time favorite lines in a song:  “and my time is a piece of wax falling on a termite, who’s choking on the splinters”.  Of course, he has many lines that are similar to this… complex, yet comical!  Love it!

Peter

I guess my choice of music artist depends on the mood I am in, or what task I am trying to accomplish. The times I listen to music the most are when I am driving, exercising, and studying. Recently I have found a new group I have really grown to like, they are AWOLNATION. I have a driving playlist on Songza, which is a program like Pandora, and they came on with a great electric vibe to them and can keep me entertained on the road. They are really not popular but I do think they have a Billboards top 100 song, it is titled “Sail.” Exercising is a unique listening situation, if I am doing cardio workouts, I like to listen to music by Jack Johnson to take my mind away from the fact of how much I am sweating. However, if I am doing a weight training session, I need something explosive to raise my blood pressure. For that situation I usually turn to Deadmau5, he is a DJ that creates dance music from scratch and can have a really high beats per minute count. Lastly, when studying for whatever exam is coming up I always listen to Coldplay. Coldplay has been a long time favorite of mine and when in the background during a cram session it can help the anxiety and tension.

Dr. Krohse

As a music lover, it's incredibly difficult to narrow down the "music I'm most thankful for" to just a few picks.  I have different favorite artists for all the moods and emotions I go through.  However, if you held my hand to the fire and made me choose a few albums to get dropped on a desert island with these three would probably make the short list.

John Mayer - Continuum
 
If you have dismissed John Mayer based only on his radio singles and personal life, you might have missed out on an amazing album with a song for every emotion.   In "Stop this Train" John talks about the emotions of growing old and seeing your parents path in front of you.  "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" and "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" are a couple of the best breakup songs ever.  Ultimately though, "The Heart of Life" reminds that life is good.

Counting Crows - August & Everything After

This is one of the ultimate rainy or snowy day albums to sit around in pajamas, sip coffee or hot chocolate, and relax.  Listen to "Anna Begins".

Paul Oakenfold - Live at Ibiza

This mix has inspired me during more miles of hard running and cycling than any other song.  Since I love those activities, I'm extremely grateful.  I start the mix up and the miles just fly by.

November, 2011 Waiting Room Wellness - Movies We're Most Thankful For

During the month of November, our patients and friends shared the movies that they are most thankful for. Here's the complete list for your winter viewing pleasure:
Movie Title         Recommended by:
The Straight Story            Tony Collins
Rudy      Doug Kueck
The Breakfast Club          Bruce Charlet
Full Metal Jacket              Bruce Charlet
It's a Wonderful Life       Karen Schmidt
It's a Wonderful Life       K. Klein
The Money Pit  Sheri Abresch
Indiana Jones Series       Sheri Abresch
Harry Potter Series          Sheri Abresch
Harry Potter Series          Sarah Countryman
Lord of the Rings Series Sheri Abresch
Lord of the Rings Series Sarah Countryman
The Spirit of the Marathon          Jessica Pilling
Christmas Vacation(National Lampoon) Jessica Pilling
Christmas Vacation(National Lampoon) Mark Weeks
Vegas Vacation (National Lampoon)        Mark Weeks
Vacation (National Lampoon)     Mark Weeks
My Sister's Keeper        
Finding Nemo  
Up        
Laura     Gail Sage
Rebecca               Gail Sage
Radio Days          Gail Sage
The Magnificent Seven Jan Thomas
Message in a Bottle        Jan Thomas
Pretty Woman  Jan Thomas
Dr. Zhivago         Theresa McCarty
The King's Speech            Noel Nicholas
The Music Man (original)              Noel Nicholas
Wind Walkers    Bart Weller
Twister Bart Weller
The Rock              Bart Weller
Godfather           Ron Welch
Captain America 2011     Steve Sondall
Beauty and the Beast     Susan Stam
What Women Want        Carl Stam
Despicable Me  Sarah Schulte
Star Wars - Original          Mike King
Ghostbusters    Bobby Leonhard
Some Like it Hot               Jenny Leonhard
Holiday 1938       Jenny Leonhard
White Christmas               Jenny Leonhard
The Nightmare Before Christmas              Nicki Chaput
Bob the Builder Alec
Thomas the Tank Engine               Alec
Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon Alec
Finding Neverland           Sarah Countryman
Chocolat              Sarah Countryman
Top Gun               Karyl Weiland
Pirates of the Carribean Series   Karyl Weiland
Jason Bourne Trilogy      Karyl Weiland
E.T.       
Wizard of Oz    
Willie Wonka    
Gran Torino        Doran Pruisner
Purple Rain         Brad Wuhs

November, 2010 Waiting Room Wellness – Books We’re Most Thankful For

Just in time to add a few books to your holiday wish list, we are excited to release the full list of recommended books from our November Waiting Room Wellness. Patients and friends came through with a number of great recommendations of "books we're most thankful for."

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Nifffenger - Johnna Light (Connie's daughter)
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - Johnna Light
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - Beckett Light (Connie's grandson)
Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson
Many Lives Many Masters by Dr. Brian Weiss
Linchpin by Seth Godin - Jed Gammell
On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong - Jessica Pilling
The Greatest Salesman in The World by Og Mandino - Jessica Pilling
A Time for Dancing by Davida Willis Hurwin - Katie Pruisner
The Hobbit by JR Tolkien - Jeremy Pace
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Jennifer Marinangeli
The Bible - Cam Kirkpatrick
The Five Love Languages - Cam Kirkpatrick
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey - Cam Kirkpatrick
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
Run, Baby, Run by Nicky Cruz
Omnivore's Dilemna by Michael Pollan - Fred Jensen
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey - Bob McConnell
The Road by Cormac McCarthy - Nick Franceschi
A Walk in Woods by Bill Bryson
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert - Joanne Davis
A Child Called “It” by David Pelzer - Joanne Davis
Don’t Sweat Stuff by Richard Carlson - Lynn Barnhouse
The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer by David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener, & Tanjala Kole – Teresa Algreen
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – Shondra Murphy
The Giver by Lois Lowry – Janet Blazanin
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom – Lorna Miller
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann – Loran Storts
How to Heal Your Life by Louise Hays – Sherry Ellingson
The Celestine Prophecy Series by James Redfield – Sherry Ellingson
Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson – Wanda Havard
“If You Have to Cry Go Outside” by Kelly Cutrone – Amy Boblit
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom – Amy Boblit
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver – Miriam Mintzer
The Zen of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig – Miriam Mintzer
Into the Wild by John Krakauer – Jed Gammell
The King of Lies by John Hart – Jill Burt
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill – Jennifer Marinangeli
The Shack by William Young – Loran Storts
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Brown – Jen Cason
Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren – Jen Cason
Generation Kill by Evan Wright – John Bogaard
Dresden Files Series by Jim Butcher – John Bogaard
The Navigator by Clive Cussler – Steve Sondall
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer – Ben Garrett

Dr. Krohse recommends Lights & More Showroom

Our good friends, Mike and Sandy, from the Lights & More Showroom in Urbandale have recently announced the closing of their showroom.  Starting this Thursday they'll be offering unbelievable deals and prizes as they sell off their inventory.  If you get in soon enough you can even order items in at a discount.  Check out all the details here!

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Glad Press 'n Seal

Duct Tape, WD-40, and Glad Press 'n Seal.  These three items combine to offer thousands of solutions to problems.  While I'm sure you're familiar with the first couple problem solvers, the third may be new to you.  Glad Press 'n Seal is a bit like a saran wrap with a POWERFUL adhesive on one side.  It provides a great seal on anything but comes off easily as soon as you want it to.  Since adding Glad Press 'n Seal to my household supply drawer it has quickly become indispensable.  It's a quick replacement for a mug lid when I need to bring a smoothie to work.  It replaces the saran wrap and puts it to shame when covering leftovers.  Lately I've come up with some ways to use my Press 'n Seal outside of the kitchen.  While doing some cold weather biking I used it as an extra layer over the front of my socks, and when I go running in sub-zero, windy days this winter I will probably even end up with a layer of Press 'n Seal around my midsection.  Pick up some Press 'n Seal and in a couple months I'm sure you'll find yourself wondering how you survived without it.
 

MacGyvered Cold-Weather Press'n Seal Cycling Socks

Des Moines Chiropractic Newsletter - October 2012

Compass Chiropractic October, 2012 E-Newsletter

Help Us Support Meals from the Heartland!

 

Our Practice Representative, Peter, recently shared with me the incredible impact that a local, relatively new organization has had all over the world.  Peter's enthusiasm has inspired us to make Meals from the Heartland our community fundraiser for the last quarter, and I've asked Peter to share his personal experience:

When I first met my wife Jenna, she and her family had often volunteered for an organization called Meals from the Heartland. I did not think much of it other than another hunger or feed the world program, selfishly thinking that everyone gets hungry from time to time and you just have to deal. But there is a different type of hunger that this charity feeds, one that is chronic and life threatening all around the world. While many of us take for granted the box of rice or can of corn sitting in our pantry, we fail to recognize that somewhere in the world, that can of corn collecting dust, is all a family will eat for a day or even two.

There are astonishing statistics on worldwide hunger, World Food Program in 2009 reported that there are 1 billion people that suffer from chronic hunger. That is the entire population of North America and Europe combined. To bring the problem closer to home, the USDA estimated that in 2010, 17.2 million households in the United States were food insecure. There are things that can be accomplished from coming together as a small or large group to help reduce these astronomical numbers.

Some may have heard of Meals from the Heartland from media outlets, advertising, or personal experience. To those that have not, this organization provides food and nutrition to an average of 15,126 persons daily. The way this is accomplished is by help and donations of volunteers who prepare a meal package consisting of rise, soy protein, dried vegetables and vitamins. Meal packages can be packaged by almost anyone and from personal experience it takes less than 30 seconds for a team of 6 to complete. The cost to provide a meal to a family of six using this method is just $1.20 USD, and can be shipped worldwide or nationwide.

For the cost of Happy Meal or a bag of chips, there are 18 children that could have had a meal full of nutrients that is much needed in their lives. The recent Meals from the Heartland event last month in Downtown, Des Moines provided 5,122,008 meals in only just four days of volunteering and donations. Big numbers need big results, and with your help big or small, the number of starving families can be drastically reduced.

More information on Meals from the Heartland can be obtained visiting their website.

A goal has been set to raise at least $1,500 to go toward Meals from the Heartland by the end of the year.  Any new patient who donates $50 or more to Meals from the Heartland will receive a complimentary first visit (exam, any needed spinal X-rays, and mechanical table massage up to $300 value).

Call (515) 309-1217 to schedule an appointment!

Thank you for helping us support Special Olympics Softball

With the support of our new and established patients, we raised over $1,800 to support Special Olympics softball.

We received a report on the team we raised funds for.  The Village Northwest Panthers competed in the softball national tournament in September  in Oklahoma City. The athletes had a wonderful time and were truly honored to participate in the tournament.  The team came back with a silver medal in Division 5.  The other two teams in Division 5 were from Mississippi and North Carolina.

Introducing Sheri Abresch
Chiropractic Assistant & Practice Representative

Background: Hi everyone!  My husband Steve, our chocolate lab Rileigh, and I have lived in Norwalk and the Des Moines area for 11-12 years now.  I grew up in Western Iowa in one of those towns (Tennant) that you would miss if you blinked while driving by it. I have worked in Retail Management for over 20 years, but have always been interested and intrigued with health and wellness.  In 2010 I made the decision to pursue that interest, quit my job and went back to school full time.  I recently got my BS in Health Science with Nutrition as my emphasis.  Currently I am pursuing a Masters in Health Education.  You might ask what I plan to do with that in the future.  Well I have not decided 100% yet, although I have a passion for helping people get healthy and feel great.  I am strongly considering using my education and passion to help create programs to do just that.

Favorite aspects of working at Compass Chiropractic:  My favorite aspects of working at Compass, besides our patients, is the chance to utilize my education and passion in helping people get healthy and feel great.  I am very excited to work with Dr. Krohse.  He has always been such a wealth of information!  I could always tell that he genuinely cared about the health and well being of his patients.  He has that same care towards his staff.

What I enjoy outside of work:  Outside of work you will catch me taking my “baby girl” Rileigh for walks, reading, listening to music, cooking, going to the movies, making jewelry and exploring my creative, crafty side, and how I LOVE to shop (just ask my husband)!  I also love to bike ride, but have not found the time to squeeze it into my schedule, plus my bike is pretty darn dusty and needs some serious maintenance right now.

How I give back to the community:  This is another reason I am excited to come to work for Dr. Krohse.  He does some great community work, and that is something I have not been as involved in as much as I would like.  Although I will say I am a sucker for those kids and teenagers that come knocking at my door to sell me something that benefits the school or some activity they are in.  I am hoping to find the right community involvement fit for myself through this job.

Words to live by:  Try to find the positive aspects in any situation you encounter.  It may be a small one, but it is ALWAYS there.

Favorite local restaurant:  For me to pick a favorite restaurant would be like asking your dog to pick their favorite toy.  Because they love them all! For someone who is nutrition oriented, this is definitely a problem.  I love to eat out and yes, there are some restaurants I like better than others, but really, I am not too picky.

Something most patients don’t know about me:  I donate a dollar almost every time I shop at Petsmart toward whatever donation they have at the register.

Sandy recommends Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds

The Holmes family loves pumpkin carving and we always save and roast the seeds.  The following recipe is a little fancier and spicier than some of the traditional pumpkin seed recipes.

Caramelized Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

•             3 tablespoons white sugar
•             1/4 teaspoon cumin
•             1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•             1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
•             1 pinch cayenne pepper
•             1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
•             2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted dry
•             cooking spray
•             2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
•             1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
•             1 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions
1.            Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2.            Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3.            In a large bowl, stir together white sugar, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper and nutmeg and set aside.
4.            Place the pumpkin seeds on the prepared baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake the seeds in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 25-30 minutes.
5.            Heat the oil (or butter for better carmelization) in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds along with brown sugar. Cook and stir the seeds until the sugar forms a coating on the seeds, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the caramelized seeds into the bowl of sugar-spice mixture, toss to coat, and let cool.

Dr. Krohse Recommends Luna Bistro & Catering
 
You've probably driven within a block of one of the best new restaurants in town and didn't even know it.  As you took Pennsylvania/6th Street south from 235 into the East Village area you just needed to take a left turn on Des Moines Street to find Luna Bistro.  This charming, intimate restaurant features an amazing, seasonally-changing dinner menu and reasonably priced, unique sandwiches and soups for lunch.  You can take your partner or a group of friends out for an evening sure to impress by planning on picking a starter, entree, and dessert for $35 with their prix fixe option.  I've only had lunch from Luna so far but would rate their burger as one of the most flavorful I've ever had.  Make a reservation at Luna the next time you're looking for a great dinner and night out or stop in over the lunch hour during the week.

Read the UrbanSpoon feedback to see I'm not alone in recommending this hidden gem of a restaurant!

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Plant Life Designs

If your landscaping needs a refresh or you'd like your house to feel especially festive with a handmade, custom wreath this holiday season, look up Tara Dudley at Plant Life Designs.  We've gotten one of her custom wreaths each holiday season since opening and always enjoy both the fresh pine scent and all the compliments from our patients.  Last week she shared this clever idea in the picture to the left for your October entertaining.

Calendar

1st Tues each Month – Kid's Day – Children under 13 receive ANY needed services (exams, adjustments, ART) at no charge

2nd Tues each Month – Athletes Day – Athletes any age bring a team picture or action picture and receive 1st day services (exam and any needed X-rays) at no charge