Attention, New Year’s Resolution types and others determined to lose weight: “Before you can ever change the body, you have to change the mind and its approach to health,” explains Dr. Daryl Rich, DC, CSCS, of [Core] Chiropractic and Wellness in downtown Roanoke. The goal of both chiropractic and wellness care, he says, is to look at the patient as a whole. “So many times, not just a muscle or a joint causes somebody to have pain. It may be that they are overweight and the need nutritional counseling. They may need (an) exercise to work on a completely different part of the body so that that complaint area isn’t a problem.”
Rich says when patients start feeling better, they like to stay better, and that’s where the wellness care comes in – not just dealing with a pain issue, but making sure that person is optimally as healthy as possible.” Rich claims that, “Chiropractic is probably the best health care field that can accomplish this, based on our paradigm of how we see the body.”
With a new year dawning, many people undoubtedly are resolved to be healthier and more fit. Rich, based in the refurbished Sixteen West building on Church Avenue, establishes individual treatment plans and goals for clients, helping them focus on their biggest needs. “Identifying what their biggest issue is, “ says Rich, “then helping them set up their goals—what they need to accomplish—and laying out that plan. Frequently we design nutritional, exercise, and even just kind of daily lifestyle goals or plans to follow.”
As part of its program, Core Chiropractic and Wellness periodically offers LivFit, “a weekend of practical instruction and training from leading local experts designed to put you on the path to health, and keep you there.” The most recent session is scheduled for January 24, 31 and February 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. LivFit is a nutritional and exercise program featuring, not only Dr. Rich, but local professionals such as chef to teach good healthy cooking and a nutritionist (Jeannie Redick) to help with achieving goals.
“We design and give each individual exercises,” says Rich. “We also teach foods that they need to stay away from. It’s a program designed to help establish good healthy habits and good healthy lifestyle.” Rich often talks to his chiropractic clients about nutrition and offers a fact-filled, looping slideshow for patients on that topic in his office.
The key to establishing and maintaining such a lifestyle is purpose says Rich, “Just the willpower alone will never get you anywhere, but if you understand that dropping 25 pounds is the key for you to be happy and healthy – and play with your kids and grandkids – there’s your purpose. [That] helps you to establish why you are willing to change the behavior patterns that you’ve been doing. That helps you stay on task. Otherwise, its too easy to go right back to the old things that you had been doing.”
Rich also provides follow-up for his patients. “We just start with checking patients, or checking individuals in our program with their body fat. We check their weight and reexamine them at different periods of time through email if they have questions. They can ask questions about if they need to switch or tweak something. And, then, of course, established [chiropractic] patients of ours that also go through that program, we work on that every time that they come in.
Rich has this advice: “to be more successful in eating healthier, focus in one improvement that you can accomplish consistently, [one] that requires some effort and thought but would have a big impact on your life. Start with a game plan and focus on the areas you struggle with to create the action points that help you to be more successful.
One example he says is the wish to lose weight by eating out less for dinner. Rich says, to do this first start by looking at a weekly schedule and putting together a menu at the beginning of the week. Take into account the evenings that you don’t have time to cook a long meal. On those nights, have a previously prepared or crock-pot meal ready for a quick and healthy dinner. “This prevents the impromptu decision making that rarely ends in making a healthy choice,” notes Rich, adding that chiropractic adjustment also helps the nervous system function better. “[When] the nervous system functions better, people feel better and they’re more apt to want to eat better, they’re more apt to want to exercise more, and likewise they’re whole body just works healthier.”
Dr. Rich urges patients to clearly identify their biggest concern. “That kind of communication is key, and with that communication then we can devise a specific rehab program for them to help fix that prevailing concern.”
For more information about upcoming LivFit seminars of chiropractic, visit Core’s website at www.CoreRoanoke.com/LivFit or call 540 344-1055.
