Anytime I meet a new person, the conversation eventually meanders to what we each do for a living. When I tell him or her that I'm a chiropractor, I inevitably receive one of two reactions:

1. "Oh, I just love chiropractic! It's helped me and my family so much!!" To which my response, is, "That's wonderful!"
   
2. "Oh, I don't really believe in chiropractic." To which my response is, "Oh, I see," and then I change the subject.

My new response, however, may be to recommend that they watch the following video. I attended an incredible seminar this weekend by Dr. James Chestnut, DC, entitled, "Chiropractic, Omega-3, and Vitamin D: The World’s Most Evidence-Based Spinal Recovery, Wellness, and Prevention Protocol." If you are on the fence about the efficacy of chiropractic, this will help you understand why it's an excellent first choice for healthcare, particularly for neuromusculoskeletal problems. If you've been trying to get your friends or loved ones to go to the chiropractor but they've continued to resist, this might help you make your case. Luckily for you, this is the abbreviated presentation--I attended the 4-hour lecture! As an added bonus, Dr. Chestnut discusses why vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation are excellent wellness protocols for almost everyone. Still have questions after watching this video? Contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation, and we'll discuss how we can help you.

I am so excited about today's presentations! You and I each know someone or perhaps ourselves who could benefit from the information presented in at least one of these lectures. I'll be watching all four, so you can definitely schedule an appointment with me to see if any of the ideas in these presentations could benefit you. If you decide to watch them today, click here--they're free for 24 hours. If you want to watch them later, click here--you'll get all 30 lectures from the entire summit. Don't forget that if you decide to implement any of the ideas from these lectures, be sure to talk to your doctor first, whether that's me or someone else. Cheers to your health!

Nail biting, skin picking, and hair pulling--onychophagia, excoriation, and trichotillomania, respectively--are all considered obsessive grooming disorders. A recent HuffPost article discusses the negative effects of nail biting as well as ways to eliminate the behavior, but it misses one important treatment option: n-acetylcysteine (NAC). NAC has demonstrated clinical efficacy in all three categories; check out this literature review for more information.

Always talk to your doctor before adding a new supplement to your diet since it may react poorly with your other supplements or medications and because she/he will be able to determine the appropriate dosages for you. You may want to provide your doctor with a copy of the literature review referenced above when you contact her/him to discuss NAC usage, or schedule your complimentary consultation with me today if you are considering utilizing NAC for one or more of these problems.

Despite my best efforts to destress via meditation, journaling, exercise, proper sleep, and a (mostly) healthy diet; I am still afflicted with the occasional facial blemish or two. Last night, I had two starting to form and thought that I probably needed to do my usual Aztec healing clay mask (1 part clay, one part organic apple cider vinegar; apply to face; let dry for 5-15 minutes; and then wash off), but one of the attendees at the class mentioned that she only uses organic coconut oil for her face both as a cleanser and moisturizer. I had heard of this practice but had never tried it; however, the woman who recommended this had absolutely flawless, beautiful skin.

Becky Newsom, our aromatherapy expert and the yoga instructor at Foundation Fitness Briarcliff, mentioned that she once had a problem with blemishes but started using a combination of pure, therapeutic grade lavender essential oil and fractionated coconut oil at night. She, too, now has a flawless complexion. Since I had both food-grade, organic coconut oil and pure lavender essential oil at my disposal, I decided to experiment on myself. If it worked, I would have a new, natural, non-toxic way to clean and moisturize my face.

I first washed my face with a pea-sized amount of coconut oil--it did an excellent job of removing my eye makeup. I then rinsed my face with lukewarm water--many resources suggest using oil only, but I just couldn't resist the urge to use water since I couldn't stop thinking about the aforementioned eye makeup just sitting on top of my skin with the coconut oil.

Next, I combined another pea-sized amount of coconut oil with a single drop of lavender essential oil and gently rubbed it all over my face, avoiding my eyes but paying special attention to the two blemishes starting to form on my chin.

When I woke up this morning, the blemishes had shrunken, flattened out, and become closer to my natural skin color. I repeated the same regimen this morning, and by midday, my blemishes were gone!

I do have a couple of cautions for you before trying this method. First and most obvious, if you have an allergy to coconut oil, essential oils, and/or lavender, you should not try this technique.  If you aren't sure whether you have an allergy to these substances, you should get an allergy test just to be safe. If you don't have an allergy but do have particularly sensitive skin, you should try a small test patch on a less delicate area to determine your reaction. Finally, as a chiropractor, I studied the basics of dermatology, but I am not an expert in this area. Plus, I don't know your specific situation.  As such, I recommend that you speak with your dermatologist and/or aesthetician prior to trying this idea, especially if you are currently being treated for a skin condition. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

What about you? What's your secret to a bright, healthy, and blemish-free complexion?