Halloween is over, which means the countdown to the holiday season is officially on.

     The holiday season is full of fun, food, parties, connecting with loved ones and of course – presents! It is also a time of late nights, stress, worry and unfortunately for many people, sickness and burn-out.

     Having observed my patients and practice members go through 19 holiday seasons, I have become aware of some patterns that drastically effect people’s health and well-being during this time of year. The most obvious trend we see is that we look after far more acute crisis patients during the holidays – and no, it is not from shoveling snow.

     I have also observed the behaviours that lead to either a healthy holiday or a crash and burn holiday. Typically, those behaviours start now.

     So, how do you set yourself up for success this holiday season. It really is very simple.

     In the fall, most people are busier than they are during the summer. It is for that reason they ‘fall’ back into a routine. Some people use that routine to include things that add to their health. They structure a healthy diet, schedule 4 workouts a week and meditate on their noon hour. They see a health practitioner like me regularly – not because they are messed up, but to care for and enhance the function of their spine and nervous system. In other words, it is part of their routine to things that ADD to their overall level of health.

     On the other side of the aisle, people use the ‘busy’ness of the fall as an excuse to not do the things that keep them healthy. They eat more fast food as they rush around, skip the gym due to a hectic schedule and generally get lost in the overwhelm of life.

     We have all been there, so we all know how that pattern ends, don’t we? CRISIS. We get sick, develop headaches, throw our back out…or worse. Fortunately, or unfortunately, most people are pretty tough, so the crash typically ends up happening sometime around or during the holidays.

     There is some good news here, though. The first is that you are reading this now and have time to get yourself on the right track if you start right away. Ask yourself what you can schedule into your life that will ADD to your health in a positive way (not the same as treating a problem)? What habits can you tweak so that you will be healthier in 6 weeks than you are today?

     The other half of the good news is that even if you do find yourself in the midst of a crisis (pain, sickness, burn-out), know that the purpose of that crisis is to interrupt the life you have been living to create a change. Knowing this you can use the crisis as a wake-up call to get back on track as opposed to just treating the symptoms (secondary conditions) and going back to what created the problem in the first place.

     Perhaps the most obvious difference between healthy and unhealthy people is that the former focus on building health while the latter focus on treating symptoms. Having worked with thousands of people over the last 20 years there is no question that the people who get the best results with Neurospinal Optimization are those who use it on a regular basis as a way to enhance their health, well-being, and performance.

     Don’t fall victim to the challenging side of the holiday season. Take control and get better, not worse this year. It will be a great gift to both yourself and your loved ones.

Thorin Gault, D.C.

As told in the Book of Ecclesiastes and later made popular by The Byrds’ version of the song Turn, Turn, Turn!, there really is a time for everything. One of the great lessons I have learned as I have become older – and hopefully a bit wiser – is that life is not about pushing all of the time.

With the seasons come different actions, different routines, and a changing focus. For most people, summer is a time of rest, relaxation, indulgence, socializing, and fun. This is great because it actually prepares us for the next season of autumn – which surprise – starts today!

September marks the beginning of transform time. Transform means taking massive action, making progress, getting results, and following a plan or routine. The transformation we make over the next several months will be what we celebrate at Christmas and the New Year.

So, starting today, how can you maximize the results you will achieve this season? Here are some tips to make sure you transform to the fullest this autumn.

The first step is to Decide what you want. In what areas of your life must you make progress in? Perhaps your career, finances, relationship, or hobby require some transformation? Certainly health is a huge area for most people after a summer of beer and burgers. Make a list of 3-7 areas of your life that need an upgrade.

Now, for each area write down what your progress will look like. Here is the key: make sure that what you write down is in the positive. So, instead of focusing on ‘losing’ weight, phrase it as ‘gaining’ leanness, vitality, health or the ability to fit into size x jeans. Write these down now.

The next step is to come up with a Plan to achieve the results you have committed to. One of the best ways to do this is to model someone who is already getting those results. If you want to be healthy, find the healthiest people you know and model their behaviour, focus and structure. Once you decide what changes you will make, it is essential that you write your plan down and schedule it. In my experience, weekly planning is the best way to incorporate any changes into your life.

The last step is the one that most often causes failure. The final and most important step is Action. It doesn’t matter how inspiring your goals are, or how well laid out your plans are, without massive and consistent action you will never get there. You must act and you must do so with pig headed determination (thank you Chet Holmes)! The practice members who get the greatest results in my office who become more healthy and adaptable every year are those who commit and follow through. Likewise, the chiropractors I coach who get the greatest results in their practice commit and take massive action. If you are not going to take action, save yourself the disappointment and don’t even start this process.

Do yourself a favour and make the most out of the season of fall by really creating some transformation in your life. Think about good it will feel to celebrate all of your progress in a few short months. When it comes to transforming both your health and life, I know of no better support than Network care. Our office will be holding several workshops over the next few months to help people take the next step. If you are reading this in another community, feel free to contact me for a practitioner close to you.

To close, a quote from peak performance and transform master Tony Robbins.

“Network Spinal Analysis and Somato Respiratory Integration, Donny Epstein’s revolutionary methodologies, are amongst the most powerful sources of personal transformation I have ever experienced or seen. They produce embodied and empowered strategies that are both sustainable and enjoyable for enhanced human resourcefulness and wellness.” I am stronger, more inspired, creative and healthy because of this work. It has personally and professionally helped me to maximize my ability to contribute to others.”Anthony Robbins