Could You Do This?

Or this...

Nicki and Myra are incredibly gifted dancers and generously give me some credit for keeping them performing at optimum levels, and minimizing the pain that a rigorous dance schedule pummels their bodies with.  They are the talent, of course.  It’s all them!  I’m just happy that they entrust me to provide chiropractic care and nutritional counseling to them.  Could you do that with chiropractic care?  Some of you could.

I know I couldn’t.  If I tried dancing like that I’d be crippled for life.  These ladies are dedicated, and practice, practice, practice!  Years of training allow them to make these moves look effortless!  I’m amazed by their talent.

But even if you and I can’t do that…we can do other things.  We all desire to live our lives to the fullest with as little pain as possible, and stay healthy!  This can be…achieved!

Myra and Nicki value chiropractic care to improve their health, keep them operating at peak performance, minimize damage to their bodies and just plain stay healthier!  In other words, improve longevity in a healthy way.  Getting older will happen; the trick is to stay young while doing it.

These two women are incredible dancers…athletes and celebrities in their own world.  You may not know them, but you would recognize the names of some major celebrities who also use chiropractic care.  Perhaps you’ve heard of these people:  Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Lance Armstrong (in his book, Lance gives much credit to his chiropractor for his success), Arnold Schwarzeneeger and a virtual endless list of performers in all genres.

In fact, a past spokeswoman for chiropractic and avid user of chiropractic care since she was a child, is former Ms. Fitness, USA, Sarah Harding.

 See one of Sarah's fitness competitions here:

You know that athletes and other celebrities put their pants on the same way you and I do.  They’re human.  But performers will do whatever it takes to succeed.  Many use chiropractic to reach the level of success they desire and keep themselves at the top of their game.  What makes them different, perhaps, is that when they encounter a health challenge they handle it immediately.  It’s the difference between success and failure, winning and losing.  Isn’t it interesting that so many choose to utilize the benefits of a specialist in spinal care…a chiropractor?

I’ve had the great privilege to care for thousands of patients, average people like my own family, medical personnel (medical doctors, nurses, acupuncturists, massage and physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, surgeons and more), lawyers, clergy, priests, ministers, rabbis, aerospace (NASA) engineers and personnel, four mayors, city council members, government and law enforcement personnel (FBI, police, sheriffs), the young (two days old) to the elderly (you’re never too young, too old, fragile or brittle, but the care is different), postal workers, fire personnel and EMT’s.  CEO’s and, yes, even a few downright celebrities and pro athletes.

I don’t know if there’s a person in a profession I haven’t treated.    All in all…very regular folk.

Why am I sharing this?  No, it’s not to boost my ego.  It’s to let you know people are people.  We all need help; we all have the right to HEALTH, but health is a choice.  Intelligent people choose wisely.

If you haven’t utilized chiropractic care lately to stay healthy, then maybe it’s time to get a check up!

If you live locally and would like to avail yourself of chiropractic care, why not give us a call and…come to the chiropractor you wish you had in your family!

Be the celebrity of your life…be a champion…to yourself and your family!

Yours In Health,

Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. Go to our website for more information and health tips! www.barrettchiroclinic.com

P.P.S.  Don’t be stingy, like one of my patients who refused to let his golf buddies know why his game had dramatically improved.  Now he was winning!  Tell others about chiropractic care and all the benefits!

Would You Walk 5,000 Miles...

...for people you don't know...

In foreign lands...

To give them hope...

Improve their self worth...

And correct disfiguring physical deformities?

I know someone who is about to do just that!

Please watch this very important video!

Stress Management

Stress In The Workplace

Let’s face it, if you have a job, you have stress and little time to relax or repair the mind and body. This translates to a host of signs and symptoms like irritability, anxiousness, depression, aggressiveness, digestive problems, headaches, muscle aches, neck and back pain, mood swings and sleep disturbances to name but a few. So how do you cope? Try these tips!

Get wet--Drink more water, at least half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day. Avoid sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined “break” foods and sugary drinks like sodas. These not only cause excess weight but give false energy followed by a crash. They can create agitation and even aggressiveness. Instead, bring a thermos of chamomile or Melaluca tea for healing and relaxation.

Play ball--Standing for long periods puts excessive stress on the feet, knees, hips, back and neck. To handle, put a golf ball on the floor and apply pressure rolling the ball under the foot and concentrating on the sensitive areas. Next, place a tennis ball behind your back and lean against a wall or a door. Roll the ball applying pressure to any sore or tender muscles.

Move it--It is crucial to take breaks. Create a habit of a two minute stretch break every hour. Elongate those cramped overworked muscles, move fresh blood and oxygen into stressed, overworked tissue and reduce fluid build up. Do ten to fifteen jumping jacks--remember those? Don’t like them? Okay, simply stretch your arms, lift them to the sides and up over your head stretching towards the ceiling or sky. Stretch forward, touch your toes. Put your hands on your low back for support and stretch backwards--don’t fall! Stretch left and right, turn your torso left and right, always holding a position for a few seconds never bouncing through these motions.

Now for the neck. Flex your head forward, extend it back, flex right and left towards each shoulder, turn your head left and right. Do each position five or ten times.

Next, shoulder shrugs. Perform slowly and deliberately forcing a strong sustained contraction in the muscles. Bring your shoulders to your ears, roll them backwards (imagine trying to crush a can between your shoulder blades), roll your shoulders and arms down towards the floor. Roll forward towards your sternum and then back up to your ears. Do this all with your head back, looking at the ceiling. Repeat five to ten times.

Suck it up-- Breathe. Stress makes us breathe shallow or even hold our breathe. Break this cycle! Take slow, deep breathes from the diaphragm. Breathe through the nose for four seconds, exhale slowly through the mouth for six seconds. Repeat five or ten times.Lavender can also alleviate stress-related symptoms. Dab it on the wrists or fill a spray bottle with six to eight tablespoons of water. Add two to four drops of essential lavender oil and shake. Spray it periodically throughout the day.

Let it be--Holding on to workplace drama, only serves to cause more stress and becomes toxic to us. Identify the problem, take responsibility, change your external and internal dialogue. Saying to yourself, “I am so angry. I am hurt, etc.” only continues to promote and foster that negativity. It seems trite but you will get more of what you say. “I am” is very powerful. Instead why not say, “I am happy”, “I am having an exceptionally great day.” Or at the moment of anger, say a prayer or mantra that is appropriate for you.

Give--Do something nice for a fellow employee or stranger. This will elevate your mood, kick up your endorphins and create a nice environment externally and internally.  For more ideas on giving and to receive a free e-book go to http://www.givetolivebook.com/ .

Pray/Meditate--Pray or meditate throughout the day, it doesn’t have to be long, just focused. Perhaps before you leave the car to start your job, at lunchtime or before you end your work day. This can lower your blood pressure, regulate heart rate, change your mood, balance blood glucose, regulate your nervous system and “center’ you. Read my free special report on how to get closer to God which includes prayers and an affirmation that I created and personally use. Go to http://www.attractmoregod.com/.

Music--If allowed, and assuming it doesn’t interfere with your job or endanger you, music is an obvious stress reducer. Studies show it helps regulate physiological functions that impact our health. It enhances the nervous system, elevates mood, stimulates good memories, creates a calming effect, slows respiration, heart rate and blood pressure. Identify your responses to different types of music and then listen to that before, during and after work. Match the music to the desired effect you want. I’ve created some unique and special prayer music to help me. You may find them beneficial also. Samples can be heard at http://www.attractmoregod.com/.

Dr. Richard F. Barrett is a renowned chiropractor, author, nutritional healer and public speaker. He is the author of many books including Improve Your Health Pro-Actively. He has been voted one of America’s Top Chiropractors in 2004, 2006 and 2007. For more information and additional stress reduction techniques please visit http://www.barrettchiroclinic.com/,send an e-mail to info@barrettchiroclinic.com. Or visit Barrett Chiropractic Clinic 2853 Dulles Avenue, Missouri City, TX.

In Search of the Virgin Mary; The Medjugorje Chronicles

St. Blaise, Dubrovnick and Father Roy Oggero

Immersing oneself in the pilgrimage experience means abandoning one’s normal life and embracing in totality all that the Blessed Virgin Mary…that God, wishes for that person. Once one says, “Yes” and commits to the journey, they must push themselves…their ego, out of their own way. Hence exposing themselves to the entire richness of the trip from the grand and obvious, to nuances and subtleties that weave together a powerfully fulfilling, rewarding and enduring spiritual experience.

Part of this means continual prayer. Silently…openly…individually…or in groups. Sometimes, casually and other times more formal.

For Catholics, “mass” is the ultimate formal gathering of the body of the church, to praise, worship, confess, speak utter gratitude and receive Christ in their lives. During the journey, we participated in daily masses in various churches and hotels.

Understandably, for many, this can be an overload. But after all, this is what we went for…to find the Blessed Virgin Mary, get closer to God and have a spiritual…a divine encounter.

A significant blessing for our group was having Father Roy Oggero, a Basilian priest, as our spiritual leader. Father Roy, as most people call him, has a beautiful, loving soul coupled with a lively and humorous personality. It’s easy to feel love, warmth and the presence of God when he is in your company.

Masses were celebrated by Father Roy, with the exception of a few, in which he was a con-celebrant with many priests such as in Medjugorje. I’ll share more of that with you later.

The Church of St. Blaise is a magnificent 18th century Baroque church dedicated to the patron Saint and protector of Dubrovnick, the beautiful ancient port city on the Adriatic Sea.

George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright, described Dubrovnick as, “the pearl of the Adriatic”. Unfortunately, “the pearl” wasn’t glowing the day we visited. It was a rather gloomy day, punctuated with rain storms and yet, it was still magical and beautiful.

St. Blaise holding the city of Dubrovnik

Ancient treasures abound inside St. Blaise Church.

This day we brought our own treasure…Father Roy! (Knowing Father Roy as I do, he’ll probably think I’m calling him ancient when he reads this…)
Having video camera in hand, I was able to capture much of our adventure including many of the masses. Father Roy and our group were gracious enough to indulge me as I attempted to record forever our experiences during the Medjugorje pilgrimage.

I invite you to participate in the mass at St. Blaise celebrated by Father Roy Oggero and listen to his insightful sermon. I believe you’ll be captivated by his powerful message delivered in his usual gentle, loving but “cut to the chase” fashion, as he discusses the reason for our lives.

The video is an edited version which does not cover the mass in its entirety (so don’t panic…it’s not an hour long…only about five minutes).

You don’t have to be Catholic to glean some pearls of wisdom from this. I believe it can serve all. If nothing else, you’ll get a glimpse into the Catholic mass, and enjoy the beauty of the Church of St. Blaise.

My continued purpose with the Medjugorje Chronicles and accompanying videos is to expose and enlighten. To help all of us tap into our spiritual being and connect with God.

Embrace the love!

Continue the journey!

Blessings,

Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S. More videos and stories to come…



Ricky's Pico Rico

Remember my blog about Mexico, Mariachis and Mom? 

Well, here's another story out of Mexico from Mom's birthday trip. 

If you've ever had pico de gallo at a Mexican restaurant, you know how awesome it can be...or not, depending on the restaurant.  Regardless of where I've ever had it, I've never had it made fresh at my table.  That is until we ate at Los Zarapes in Mazatlan, Mexico. 

Our host, Johnny, made us the best pico de gallo I've ever had in my life!  (Remember, I live in Texas where there's a lot of Mexican restaurants!)  But what's even better, Johnny taught me how to make it and I have it on video.  I'm going to share the video with Johnny's special recipe.  Believe me, it will be well worth your while to watch this short video. 

Once you make your own pico de gallo, you'll be hooked.  And no more buying that garbage so called pico de gallo in the grocery store.  I guarantee it.  Fresh vegetables always win...and they're healthier too.  But you knew that. 

Once you make the pico, it's up to you to decide what to do with it.  Straight up on a corn chip is great, or mixed into a chili con queso...fantastico!  Couple that with a smooooth margarita (frozen or unfrozen, salt or no salt) made with good tequila and even kick it up a notch by adding Presidente brandy.  Now it's muy sabroso!  

Enjoy the video and bon appétit...whoops, that's French...in Español...bueno apetito! 

Adios y via con dios!
Dr. Rick Barrett

How's Rudy and the Nahuathl Stove Project?

Some of you have asked about Rudy.  Lately, I've had numerous inquiries about Rudy and the Nahuathl Indigenous stoves he builds.  Rudy is in good health, but as many of you have heard, Mexico is a hot bed of controversy because of the drug cartels and the associated killings. 

We have many friends that live in Mexico and many more who live in the United States, but still have family throughout Mexico.  Some areas are affected more than others certainly.  Caution and awareness are two words that spring to mind.  There are dangerous places throughout the world.  Many of the United State's large cities like Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, (to name a few) have areas that would be best avoided.  I think the same is true in Mexico.

The good people, the uneducated, the helpless, the poor, and the average person trying the best they can to carve out a decent life for themselves are always damaged by the effects of the uncaring, the criminals, the evil people (if you allow me to use that term). 

So the news from Rudy is that he and the people in the region have been greatly impacted in a negative way.

The following is from Rudy's latest e-mail:

"We've had some very hot and windy weather.  The Nahuathl natives feel that we are in for a very dry season.  The old natives say that this hot and dry wind is bad and they are right about it.  All the creeks and streams are nearly totally dried.  Not much water is left in water springs.  Even our three rivers are way down in their normal level."

Rudy then went on to say in one of the towns where we do our medical missions; the local police station was under attack.  Grenades were even thrown, but didn't explode!  It's a very sad and troubling state of affairs in this once peaceful and beautiful region of Mexico. 

Rudy goes on to say, "I am still doing what little I can to keep my work with the Nahuathl people.  Stay well and healthy.  May God bless you always."

Regardless of the hardships, Rudy always ends his correspondence with a blessing to everyone. 

I'll be sending Rudy more donations this week to continue his work.  I'm always happy to be the conduit to get funds to Rudy and to aid the Nahuathl people.

If you would like to donate please visit our Missions of Hope website at:

http://www.missionsofhope.com/donate.html

Please continue to send good intentions, beautiful, peaceful energy and prayers for the good people in Mexico and throughout all the troubled regions of the world.

Thanks for all your help!

Blessings,
Dr. Rick Barrett

P.S.  "There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom and peace of mind.  They are always attained by giving them to someone else."  Peyton Conway March.

What's A Certified Music Practitioner? Find out by looking at the YouTube video I just posted.

Just posted a video to YouTube.  I speak to Gail Best, a certified therapeutic music practitioner.  After life changing events, Gail, a talented musician, reconnected with God and found her purpose in life.  She shares her gift of healing through music with the sick and dying.  I believe you'll be touched by what Gail says.  I think you will also be touched when you hear a sample of her music.  If you have an infirmed friend or family member, I highly encourage you to contact Gail.  She is a blessing to those in need.

Mexico, Mariachis and Mom

In November, Mary and I were fortunate to celebrate my mom’s 87^th birthday with her in the coastal city of Mazatlan, Mexico.  She has been a huge blessing in my life.  Not only is she a great mom, but also a best friend.

No opportunity was spared to tell everyone we could that it was her birthday.  At first, she didn’t want anyone to know, but as she was showered with compliments and treated like a VP, she opened up to it nicely; it started in the Continental Airlines President’s Club and upgrading her to first class.  She was thrilled…it was her first time and the flight crew treated her like a queen, after they found out…

…that’s right…it was her 87^th birthday.

In Mazatlan, Mary and I became friends with Johnny Brown, the owner, of a wonderful restaurant…Los Zarapes.  We enjoyed it so much, we ate there several times.  The food, service and atmosphere were outstanding.  Once Johnny learned it was mom’s birthday, he and his crew treated her like she was their mother too!  They showed her a great time with music, dancing, and a special meal.  These guys really know how to have fun and throw an impromptu party, and they truly seemed to enjoy mom as much as she enjoyed them.  Though one of them said she reminded him of his grandmother…she didn’t like that comment too much.

Luckily, I captured some of the festivities on video.  I even got mom’s permission to share all of this with you.  I think you’ll love it.

Check it out at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3gRTTOxd_c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOC352n_1E

Mom, Johnny Brown, Mary and Rick

Johnny, Mom, Rafaellle and waiter

Rick and Johnny

 

Johnny and Rick

By now, you may be asking, “What’s mom’s secret to health and vitality?”

It’s not easy to point to just one thing.  There are a number of factors.  Some are readily identifiable; others will remain a mystery to me.  Certainly we can’t count family history; her parents died at 57 and 64 years of age.  I am confident that a strong faith, love for God, and a prayerful spiritual life path have been factors.

Good solid relationships; she has friends that span her entire life since she was a young girl.  Having meaningful long term relationships create peace, stability, and certainly strong bonds that satisfy the heart at a deep level.  What else?

·        A great wit and penchant for humor.  She has always been quick with a joke.  Her comical side reminds me a lot of the actress, Betty White.

·        A long and loving marriage.

·        Mom loves to make people happy and always gives the best of herself in countless ways, but especially showing her love through food.  (She has always been a magnificent cook and baker.)

·        A deep abiding faith in God.

·        A very physically active youth and adolescence.  She was a gymnast, and also worked hard since childhood.  Mom was always involved in jobs that were physically demanding.  She is a hands on person at home as well.  Assisting in home repairs, yard work, painting, etc.  There was never a physical task that mom wouldn’t participate in.  She still cleans her own house, cooks, and bakes and does yard work.
 
·        As an adult, she became very interested in nutrition, learning as much as she could about good nutrition and vitamin, mineral and herbal nutritional supplementation.  She was on the forefront of taking vitamins and minerals…way before it became popular.

·        Chiropractic—though she found this much later in life, she enjoyed the benefits of regular chiropractic care well before I chose that path as my vocation.  Naturally, she enjoys regular chiropractic treatments under my care.  Not a bad situation to have her son as her chiropractor, right?

Perhaps mom has even been given special grace by God to stay with us this long and in such superior condition.  That, of course, is a matter of faith and belief that won’t be answered in this lifetime.

My mom is an inspiration to me on many levels…how to act, how to love, how to persevere, how to…be.  Perhaps she will inspire you too!

I say, live life to the fullest, eat, drink and be merry.  Do it with honesty, integrity, and allow God to be part of the party.  And I say go to Mazatlan.  Visit Los Zarapes and tell Johnny…Mary, mom and I sent you.  You’ll be treated like family, experience friendly people, wonderful food and maybe Johnny will even buy you a drink!

If you haven’t clicked on the video yet, here’s the link…enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3gRTTOxd_c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOC352n_1E

Meeting World Renowned Organist, Pavel Kohout

Did you know there is no musical connection between Bach and Bachman Turner Overdrive?  I'm sure you did.  If you like organ music you need to go to a performance by Pavel Kohout (www.pavelkohout.org) He was fantastic and is considered one of the most brilliant representatives of the new generation of European organists.  Pavel is from Prague in the Czech Republic where much of my family lives.  After the performance, we attended a very nice reception at the Czech Center Museum  http://czechcenter.org/ in his honor where I had the privilege of speaking with him for quite a while and yes, I spoke some Czech.  We had a great time.  Czech out his music (pun intended) at http://www.pavelkohout.org/listen-pavel.html. You'll enjoy it, even if you're a hard core Stevie Ray Vaughan or Joe Bonamassa fan like me!

P.S.  Wonder if mom has saved any recordings of my organ music!  If so, I'll send it to Pavel.  Maybe I can play in Prague, too.