November, 2014 – Wellington Prep Entertains Nu Vista Residents
Photos submitted by Julie Khanna
On Monday November 17, 2014 the second grade class from Wellington Preparatory entertained the residents of Nu Vista Living with a violin concert during lunch time. The residents enjoyed the show so much that the kids extended it by two songs. It was a rewarding day for all.
Travel with Terri
Unwrap the Magic of Christmas in Grapevine
Story by Terri Marshall, Photos courtesy of Grapevine CVB
Grapevine, Texas is a lovely place to visit any day of the year. The Grapevine Vintage Railroad with beautifully restored Victorian rail cars chugs along. Historic buildings line Main Street. Local wineries share the fruit of the vines and residents exude an unmatched passion for their community. Centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Grapevine is truly a place for every season, but when the Christmas season arrives this enchanting town transforms into a magical wonderland of holiday delights. Welcome to Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas!
Grapevine, The Christmas Capital of TexasDuring the holidays the city’s historic buildings are dressed up with ribbons, bows and wreaths and set aglow with more than one million lights along Main Street. Musical performances delight residents and visitors alike. Fireworks brighten the night skies and hot chocolate melts the chill in the air. Here are a few reasons you should add Grapevine to your holiday wish list.
Light Show SpectacularThe season opens with the largest lighted Christmas parade in North Texas as 100 lighted floats join marching bands along downtown Grapevine’s historic Main Street. Marvel at the nightly Light Show Spectacular and enjoy the singing Christmas tree throughout the holiday season. The Twinkle Light Boat Parade takes the celebration to the water. Watercrafts decorated in all of the finest sparkling lights lead a floating festival from Twin Coves Marina as vessels join in the parade at each marina along the route. The parade is visible from the shores of Lake Grapevine and the Glass Cactus Nightclub at Gaylord Texan Resort.
Grapevine GaylordSpeaking of the Gaylord Texan Resort, it certainly adds to the festivities of a Lone Star Christmas featuring ICE! and Santa’s Wild Workshop Snow-tubing. This year’s ICE! exhibit features the ever popular Frosty the Snowman and his friends. Other Lone Star Christmas favorites include a snow-tubing adventure through Santa’s workshop, cookies and milk with Mrs. Claus and gingerbread cookie decorating with Gingy, the most famous of all gingerbread men.
When she’s not at the Gaylord Texan, you can visit with Mrs. Claus aboard Grapevine’s North Pole Express. The Victorian rail coaches of Grapevine’s Vintage Railroad are magically transformed into a holiday haven where guests are greeted by elves singing traditional Christmas songs. More magical moments unveil as the train draws closer to the North Pole when Mrs. Claus makes a special appearance to give each child a “We Believe” silver Santa bell. When the train arrives at the North Pole, a snowy Christmas tree trail filled with magical holiday moments leads to Santa. Jolly St. Nick wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas as he shares his Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk with all the boys and girls.
All Aboard the Grapevine North Pole ExpressThe little ones will be delighted with the Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk, but the grown-ups can get in the spirit with a ride on the Christmas Wine Trains. Each train features a different Grapevine urban winery. Hors d’ouevres are served and there’s plenty of holiday cheer.
The wine tasting continues at local wineries. Don’t miss the award-winning Sloan & Williams Winery. Military veterans, Alan William Kunst and Ralph Sloan Mattison, Jr., bring integrity and respect to every bottle of wine produced. In the true holiday spirit of giving these talented winemakers actively support Wounded Warriors, Toys for Tots and Angel Flight. Enhance your holiday cheer by ordering a flight of wine ice cream (yes, you read that right…wine ice cream) in six decadent flavors including Cherry Merlot, Red Raspberry Chardonnay and my personal favorite, Chocolate Cabernet.
View Christmas through the eyes of Grapevine’s earliest settlers at Nash Farm’s Victorian Christmas. Docent led tours begin in the pole barn with hot cider and cookies and continue through the farmhouse and the farm. While there, make an old fashioned Christmas ornament to add to your holiday tree.
Experience the fascinating craft of glass blowing with a workshop at Vetro Glassblowing Studio. Vetro’s open studio concept provides a hands on opportunity for making a unique glass ornament to add to your collection. Work with the artists to transform colorful ground glass crystals into a thing of beauty. From the fiery blast of the 2,000 degree furnace to the careful puffs of the glass blowing artists, you will treasure the experience as much as the ornament you help create.
Ornamental art at Vetro Glassblowing StudioThe performing arts round out the holiday celebration options at the Palace Theatre where America’s Got Talent favorites, the Texas Tenors perform classic Christmas music from opera to country favorites – all with a Texas twist. Of course nothing says Christmas like a classic Christmas movie – well unless that movie is shown in a restored 1940’s era theater! Grapevine’s Palace Theatre has the full lineup of the classics including It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Y’all head on over to Texas now and catch the spirit in Grapevine!
***
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at . Also, check out her blog at . You can contact Terri at .
Teen Talk
’Tis the Season for Holiday Parties
By Gabrielle Harris
Now, I don’t know about you but every holiday that comes around the corner gives me an excuse to have a party or celebration of some sort. Finally, my favorite holiday season has commenced and it’s time to party plan! As a party planner for the last eighteen years and proud Pinterest user, I am an absolute expert when it comes to holiday party celebrating.
My school newspaper class has been having holiday cookie swap parties ever since I was a freshman (so for four years), and they’re one of my favorite types of celebrations. You probably already understand how this is going to go. Everyone supplies a type of cookie, a large enough portion for all of the guests attending, and then all attendees take one cookie from each person. By the end of the party, you’ll have twenty different cookies on your plate which is either a really good or very, very bad situation for your calorie counter. For these parties I usually just stick with my sugar cookies with a Hershey kiss placed in the middle – they’re super simple and I make them every year!
You’re never truly too old for a good old fashioned Christmas movie night. I basically have them every night in December by myself with a mountain of popcorn, but having a party is always fun too! It would also be more fun if everyone showed up in pajamas, so it’s similar to those slumber parties you’d have as a kid, watching Christmas movies with friends. Elf is always a must when it comes to Christmas movies. Home Alone, The Santa Clause trilogy, Christmas with the Kranks are a few of my favorites that I have to watch every year. ABC Family also has 25 Days of Christmas which is a very beautiful way to spend nights during December! And the pajamas add to the “throwback” feel of childhood Christmas seasons for me at least.
My all-time favorite type of Christmas party would have to be an Ugly Christmas Sweater party. Mainly because I own about a closet full of knitted sweaters and I’ll use up any opportunity to buy more in hopes to find a Christmas sweater that is absolutely amazing yet, atrocious. There are so many things you can do with Ugly Christmas sweater parties. Having an Ugly Christmas Sweater contest has to be done with the theme of the party. It’s a huge laugh and gives everyone something to talk about later.
It may just be me that loves to be with others during this time of year and have an excuse to host another event. But, I truly think this time of year should be spent with loved ones no matter what holiday you celebrate! I hope you all have a very, jolly holiday season!
Gabrielle Harris is a senior at Wellington High School. She is involved in the Quidditch team, Key Club, and is the social media and news editor for the WHS Wave school newspaper. She hopes to study mass communications in college and aspires to someday tell her travel stories to the world.
Christmas Trees
By Robert Frost
The city had withdrawn into itself
And left at last the country to the country;
When between whirls of snow not come to lie
And whirls of foliage not yet laid, there drove
A stranger to our yard, who looked the city,
Yet did in country fashion in that there
He sat and waited till he drew us out
A-buttoning coats to ask him who he was.
He proved to be the city come again
To look for something it had left behind
And could not do without and keep its Christmas.
He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas Trees.
I doubt if I was tempted for a moment
To sell them off their feet to go in cars
And leave the slope behind the house all bare,
Where the sun shines now no warmer than the moon.
I’d hate to have them know it if I was.
Yet more I’d hate to hold my trees except
As others hold theirs or refuse for them,
Beyond the time of profitable growth,
The trial by market everything must come to.
I dallied so much with the thought of selling.
Then whether from mistaken courtesy
And fear of seeming short of speech, or whether
From hope of hearing good of what was mine,
I said, “There aren’t enough to be worth while.”
“I could soon tell how many they would cut,
You let me look them over.”
“You could look.
But don’t expect I’m going to let you have them.”
Pasture they spring in, some in clumps too close
That lop each other of boughs, but not a few
Quite solitary and having equal boughs
All round and round. The latter he nodded “Yes” to,
Or paused to say beneath some lovelier one,
With a buyer’s moderation, “That would do.”
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.
We climbed the pasture on the south, crossed over,
And came down on the north.
He said, “A thousand.”
“A thousand Christmas trees!—at what apiece?”
He felt some need of softening that to me:
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”
Then I was certain I had never meant
To let him have them. Never show surprise!
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents
(For that was all they figured out apiece),
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends
I should be writing to within the hour
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
A thousand Christmas trees I didn’t know I had!
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,
As may be shown by a simple calculation.
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,
In wishing you herewith a Merry Christmas.
Legal Intelligence
Do You Need a Will or Trust: Tips on When You Should Start Considering Creating One
By Blanca Greenstein, Esq., Andrew Rothstein, Esq. & Nadia Hoosien, Esq. with Greenstein & Associates
Protecting your family and business in the event of a death is one of the most important life planning decisions a person will have to make in their lifetime. Unfortunately, it is a common fact that most Americans will not have a Trust or a Will in place to protect their loved ones or business. It has been a widespread belief for most, that a Trust or Will is something people only consider upon reaching their retirement age, if at all. There are however many benefits of having either a Trust or Will in place, which this article will highlight in the following manner: (I) the differences between a Trust and a Will, and (II) points to consider when to create one, and which option is right for you.
(I) Differences between a Trust and a Will
A Trust is designed to provide legal title to property for the benefit of another, and is considered a Revocable Trust, unless the instrument expressly states to be irrevocable. The most common reason to create a Trust is to avoid probate court and costly attorney’s fees. The most common type of Trust is also known as an Express Trust, which is primarily used when the owner has an explicit intention to create it for a particular purpose, such as creating a Trust for his or her beneficiaries or a charity of his or her choice. It is important to note that a Trust requires certain elements to be met in order to be viewed and treated as a valid Trust. Such elements require the owner’s intent to divide his or her property into legal interests that have a legal purpose. The Trust must have property that is transferable, and can include any property, including life insurance proceeds. And finally, a Trust requires beneficiaries and a trustee of legal age, competence, and capacity to enter into contracts.
A Will on the other hand does go through probate court, and is designed to have a person manage your estate, which includes distributing your property at death. The most common type of Will is known as a Testamentary Will, and is a formally prepared document that requires your signature, as well as two other signatures in the presence of witnesses. It is important to note that the State of Florida does not recognize a Holographic Will, which is a document written outside of the presence of witnesses.
(II) What to consider when creating a Trust and Will, and which option is right for you
Nobody wants to think about the time when they are no longer with family and loved ones but planning for the future is essential to make your wishes known and to provide for your loved ones. To put it plain and simple, when any life-changing event occurs, you should update your Will and/or Trust. A life-changing event includes marriage, having kids, purchasing property, buying a business, divorce, or when health issues arise. Because the majority of American’s do not have a Trust or Will, it is important you understand the process of what happens without either instrument. If neither a Trust nor Will is in place, the State will administer the distribution of your property following a formula set out in the Florida Statutes. The formula is primarily designed to distribute property to the deceased’s surviving spouse and children. The downfall in dying intestate, is that the process is a time consuming and emotionally draining experience for your loved ones that can leave them in a difficult financial state.
Remember, you do not have to be a millionaire or have an abundance of real estate in order to put a Trust or Will in place. The purpose of either instrument is to provide for your loved ones, while ensuring that your goals and wishes will be seen through. The Law Offices of Greenstein and Associates understand the difficulty in planning for your future, and our expertise and experience will provide you with comfort and confidence in dealing with these sensitive issues.
Disclaimer: This column is not intended to provide legal information or advice. All data and information provided on this column is for informational purposes only as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law, and not to provide specific legal advice. By reading this column you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the publisher. This column should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
Health & Fitness
“Shoot for Your Star”
By Sherri Mraz
“Don’t die with the music still in you.”
What is the one thing that you have always wanted to do, that one thing that keeps whispering in your ear? For me, I have always wanted to write a book. It has been years since I had the goal but kept putting other things on my priority list in front of my real dream.
Now, I can finally say that I have done it. Not only that I got published but also that I launched my first book in NYC!
This is a picture of my book, “The Cookin’ Yogi’s, More Energy, Less Waist” and me on stage in Lincoln Center! I would never have been able to say that before!
The best part of all was getting up on that stage with some other authors and getting so much recognition. The power of so many of us reaching a long held dream was so inspirational.
If I were to ask you what are three things that you have always wanted to do, could you answer? When was the last time you did nothing but listen to your inner voice?
Without giving it too much thought, write down your three things. Maybe you want to paint, write, and dance or plant a garden. Whatever it is don’t wait.
I hope that my story inspires you to go after your dreams. Don’t get so caught up in your life that each day goes by and you never get around to the things that you want to do. Start each day with an intention and then go after it.
I think the most important lesson for me in this accomplishment is to remember not to live small, whatever your current circumstances are. You can do anything through keeping your sights on God, loving others, a little hard work, perseverance, and never losing FAITH in yourself.
Shoot for the Moon and you may just hit a star!
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Sherri Mraz is also known as the Cookin’ Yogi. She works with clients privately and in groups to improve their health. She teaches healthy cooking classes, yoga and is a public speaker. Sherri has trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC and is certified through Teachers College Columbia University and by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She is also registered with the Yoga Alliance at the advanced teacher level, a member of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and studied at The Hippocrates Health Institute. She studied ancient nutritional wisdom, and the latest diet and healthy lifestyle trends with renowned experts such as Dr. Mehmet Oz, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Walter Willet, Dr. Anne Marie Colbin, and Dr. Neal Bernard. Sherri is the author of the Cookbook “The Cookin’ Yogi’s, More Energy, Less Waist” and the “3 Day Bliss Detox” She is located at Keystone Chiropractic in Royal Palm Beach. Please contact her at Sherri@CookinYogi.com or visit her website at www.CookinYogi.com
AW Spotlight
Eric. H. Light, Attorney at Law
Personalized Proactive Protection Planning
By Krista Martinelli
There are plenty of lawyers to choose from these days, but attorney Eric Light offers that special, personal connection that so many professionals lack. What do his clients appreciate most? “My responsiveness,” he says. “My constant contact with them. We always get back to them within 24 hours. The connection with clients is not just doing the work – it’s about building trust and friendships.”
His areas of law include, but are not limited to:
Estate planning, explains Light, is important for anyone to consider, no matter what age or income level. There are different circumstances for different people. Some people want to ensure that their kids are protected if both parents pass away. Some want to arrange for the “what if” questions if they become incapacitated. For others, it’s all about planning for their assets.
“I always say that if you get it done properly the first time, you will save time, money and heartache,” he says. He points to the fact that many people today go to cheaper “quick fix” solutions, finding later that their true intentions were not properly spelled out in the first place. He explains that by trying to take a shortcut, you could be costing yourself a lot more money in the future.
What Attorney Eric Light does is “Personalized Proactive Protection Planning.” In other words, he tailors a plan based upon what his client needs. He also prides himself in being able to summarize complicated legal documents in ways that people can easily understand.
For example, in the case of a loved one’s passing, Light works with a decedent’s beneficiaries to determine how monies will need to be distributed and exactly why it’s being done that way. Another example is the scenario of what would happens when individuals do not have a trust. A person could becomes incapacitated might require a court-appointed guardian to manage that individual’s assets. “With a trust, everything flows better and many more scenarios are addressed which ultimately protect not only the client but that client’s heirs,” he says.
Eric Light has had his own practice for four years now. Previously, he worked in different law firms throughout Florida. He graduated with his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2000 and received an LL.M. degree in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law.
He offers a free initial half-hour consultation. He enjoys having the opportunity to meet prospective clients so he can ascertain their specific situations. Then he presents them with a couple of options and together they begin with a plan.
Much more accessible “than your typical lawyer,” he can be reached on weekends and responds to text messages quickly.
Light is an expert in proactive planning. He reviews the client’s assets, establishes a proper plan, makes sure assets are titled correctly and minimizes exposure to probate and guardianship issues as well as potential tax issues.
A family man, Eric Light is extremely proud of his four children, ages 4, 6, 8 and 10. “They are amazing – they are my life,” he says. He’s also a lifelong Floridian.
He’s been involved with the Wellington Chamber for a few years. As a resident of the Western Lake Worth/Wellington community, he appreciates the family-oriented community. “As a family, we have really enjoyed events like Saturday Night Lights and WinterFest.” His work with the Chamber is “a great opportunity” to expand his practice out west. He recently gave a talk to the Young Professionals of the Wellington Chamber. “I love sharing my experiences and paying it forward.”
When it comes to charitable organizations, Light is on the board of Easter Seals of Florida. In the past, he’s also enjoyed working with Vinceremos, feeling that helping kids with autism is extremely important. He recently participated in a Gratitude Training, a 9-day transformational workshop in two parts) followed by a 3 month Leadership Program. “Our group raised over $40,000 in funds for troubled youth,” he’s excited to announce.
While Eric Light’s office is in Boca Raton, he holds appointments in Wellington with clients on Thursday evenings.
“We are a firm based in giving quality service. We are thorough and passionate about what we do. We are not like every other law firm, really being there for you – like a good friend. I want to be the attorney who’s there for you for all of your major life events.”
Call Eric Light for a free half-hour consultation and get started in the planning process today!
Eric H. Light, P.A.
Attorney at Law
Masters of Law (LL.M.) in Estate Planning
561-226-4622
301 Yamato Road, Suite 1240
Boca Raton, Florida33431
The Florida Foodie
Tis the Season for Green Markets!
By Saucy Sarah
South Florida has left behind the sweltering summer and is now transitioning to the most delightful time of the year in this Sub-Tropical realm: winter. The “season” also brings the return of the green markets to our county. Be it a green market, a farmer’s market, or an open-air market, there is a quaint charm to these eclectic gatherings of tents that house a variety of foodie delights. I have always been a sucker for a good Saturday morning stroll through the lanes, peering into the various stalls, stopping to smell the fresh produce, sample local honey, buy a waffle—hot off the iron—with berries from Plant City.
These mostly outdoor gatherings of local vendors, artisans, and craftsmen, are an important component of our community and the Slow Food Movement started by Alice Waters in Berkeley, CA. The slow food movement emphasizes community; locally-sourced food products produced by the people of the community. A green market becomes the medium through which locals can sell their wares and, in return, support the local economy. This is community building at its most delicious.
With the holiday season upon us, I am championing you to focus your holiday dollars on small, local, business in the spirit of supporting your community. Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after “Black Friday” was created to highlight local, independently-owned businesses in order to strengthen the non-chain and non-franchised shops in the community. There is no better way to show your support than to patron a green market during our “season” when the markets are at their peak. Buy locally grown produce, give locally crafted gifts.
Palm Beach County Green Markets
Markets open on Saturdays:
* Abacoa GreenMarket
Hours of Operation: 8:00am to 1:00pm
Villages of Abacoa Amphitheater
Abacoa
561.756.3600 ~ http://www.abacoa.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.details&content_id=45522
* Boca Raton GreenMarket
Hours of Operation: 8:00am to 1:00pm
RoyalPalmPlaceShopping Center
South Federal Hwy & SE Mizner Blvd
Boca Raton
561.299.8684 ~ http://www.localharvest.org/boca-raton-green-market-M1173
* Delray Beach GreenMarket
Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 2:00pm
Old School Square
NE 2nd Avenue, ½ block north of Atlantic
Downtown Delray Beach
561.276.7511~ http://delraycra.org/greenmarket/
* Lake Worth Farmers Market
Hours of Operation: 9:00am –
SE corner of State Road A-1-A & Lake Avenue
Lake Worth
561.547.3100 ~ www.lakeworthfarmersmarket.com
* Wellington Green Market At the Amphitheater
Hours of Operation: Saturdays 8:00am – 1:00pm
12100 Forest Hill Boulevard, Wellington, FL
(561) 283-5856 ~ www.wellingtongreenmarket.com
* West Palm Beach GreenMarket
Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Water Front Commons
West Palm Beach
561.822.1515 ~ http://wpb.org/greenmarket/
Markets open on Sundays:
* Taste of the Gardens GreenMarket
Hours of Operation: 8:00am to 1:00pm.
Palm Beach Gardens Park
4301 Burns Road
561.630.1107 ~ http://www.pbgfl.com/greenmarket
* Royal Palm Beach GreenMarket and Bazaar
Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 1:00pm
11600 Poinciana Boulevard
Royal Palm Beach
561.792.9260 ~ http://www.royalpalmbeach.com/
Daily Markets:
* Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market
Hours of Operation: Mon-Sat/9:00am to 6:00pm & Sun/ 10:00am to 5:00pm.
12033 State Road 7
Boynton Beach
561.499.3994 ~ http://www.bedners.com/
* Rorabeck’s Plants and Produce
Hours of Operation: Mon-Sun./7:00am to 7:00pm
5539 S Military Trail
Lake Worth, FL 33463
(561)642-3382 ~ https://www.rorabecks.com/
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture):
* Solace Farm
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a way to directly connect farmers to consumers. Customers buy monthly “shares” of the harvest and reap the benefits of getting fresh produce directly from the farm to their kitchen.
Customers can pick up a box of fresh veggies & fruits or, depending on their location, have the box delivered every Friday.
7765 Lyons Rd.
Lake Worth, FL
(561) 229-6885 ~ Solace International
Solace Organic Farms, Home of the Fancy Chicken
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In her previous life, Sarah, a Palm Beach County Native, spent ten years working in various high-end eating establishments around South Florida. She is currently a fiction thesis candidate in the MFA program at Florida International University where she also teaches creative writing and rhetoric. If that is not enough, Sarah is also the owner of Cakes by Sarah, a local custom cake shop. Sarah lives in Lake Worth with her husband and two beautiful boys. “Food, fiction, and family are my life.”
Ask the Docs
Don’t Crack Your Own Neck Before Reading This
A wave of videos and books teach you to adjust or manipulate yourself. Will you get hooked on the crack? Is it safe?
By Dr. Jonathon Chung of Keystone Chiropractic
I’m sure you see it almost everyday. Whether it’s the local weight lifter before he hops on a bench, the fidgety co-worker who likes to hear all of his joints pop, or the guy on the plane that’s been rubbing his neck all day.
It’s the serial neck popper. They look straight out of the warm up scene of a martial arts movie, sound effects and all. While most will cringe and bite their tongue when they see it, the serial neck popper looks more focused and at ease. In fact, if their joints were capble of it, these people might pop it more often. Heck, it might even be you.
“It feels so good, how bad can it be?”
Some of the people who come into my office for care used to be serial neck poppers. Emphasis on the words “used to be”. One of my first recommendations for people when they get their first adjustment is to avoid popping or cracking their neck. There’s usually a look of defeat on their face when I give them that recommendation. But the truth is that one of their greatest sources of relief from neck discomfort was actually the very thing that was making their problem a chronic issue.
http://chiropractorwellington.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/bad-nasium.jpghttp://chiropractorwellington.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/bad-nasium.jpg
The loose ligaments, and uncontrolled forces from self-manipulation prevent this neck from staying in place.
The x-ray on the right is an example of someone who spends a lot of time popping their own neck. He had no history of a car accident, sports injury, fall, or trauma. However, he has been popping his neck aka, self-manipulating multiple times per day for years.
The green line represents the center point where a person’s head and neck
should line up. The red line represents how the patient’s head and neck currently line up in their “normal” seated position.
The level of displacement is not hard to see. In fact, most of you would probably notice someone like this who always holds their neck off to the side.
Though he always feels his neck is very tight, the neck tends to be very floppy without a strong degree of stability. Even after several corrections, his neck will continue to have a tendency to slip towards the side until the ligaments tighten up and heal.
What Happens?
So what exactly happens when you self-manipulate?
Despite popular belief, there is nothing insidious about the popping sound made by joints. The classic crunching sound that you hear, and is stereotyped with chiropractic has nothing to do with broken bones, or rubbing bones against each other. The sound comes from tiny gas bubbles within the fluid that lubricates your joints. When the joint opens up rapidly, these bubbles get released and pop causing those sounds.
It’s more like opening a can of soda than the crunching of a bone. If your neck or back cracks here and there with normal movement, it’s not a cause for concern most of the time.
The sound is ultimately not the problem. What truly is a problem is the way the thrust affects the spine.
In recent years, there have been videos, articles, and books that teach people how to adjust themselves. Now bear in mind, the neck is one of the most sensitive and important pieces of anatomy in the human body. So people are being taught to manipulate their neck without regard for the following factors:
1. Risk factors – Does your neck have disc bulges or protrusions? Are there plaques or anatomical malformations? Some of these risk factors are susceptible to rotation/twisting forces in the neck. Many of these problems can be identified and planned for with a proper examination, but without one, how do you know?
2. What is the current structure of the spine? – How is the spine currently aligned? Do you know which direction puts you into a better position? Are you moving the right vertebra? Are you pushing the vertebra into a worse position than it already is?
In my office, we use very precise, laser aligned x-rays to identify these malpositions in millimeters. Can your own hands do the same?
3. Constant Manipulation = Loose ligaments = Poor Stability – Every time you manipulate your spine, you are causing ligaments in the spine to stretch like a rubber band. When you stretch a rubber band enough times, it eventually loses it’s shape and becomes less stable. Your ligaments work the same way. If you keep pounding on your neck with self-manipulation, your neck eventually becomes a sloppy mess like the x-ray above.
When people have ligament instability, it leads them down the road where they depend on manipulation to keep feeling good. Not a good situation, and a big reason chiropractors get a bad rap for getting people “addicted to adjustments”.
So what now?
When choosing a chiropractor, it’s important that they are actually measuring what they are doing to the spine. Almost any chiropractor is able to make someone feel better with manipulation. Manipulation sends a rush of feel good signals into the brain. However, a Structural Chiropractic approach is more than about feeling better in the moment.
It’s about restoring your spine and your nervous system to a state of Normal. A normally functioning spine has the ability to heal and maintain itself without relying on constant manipulation.
That’s why the procedures we perform in our office Atlas Corrections. Because it’s truly about fixing the problem and getting it to stay fixed. Many times, these corrections can be performed without any rotation or twisting of the spine. It’s very gentle, and very effective.
Self-manipulation, while a temporary rush and feel good sensation can create hypermobility and long term structural problems in the neck. Additionally, it’s easy to become addicted to that feeling, and make your body dependent on constant manipulation to feel normal. In our world, we call that getting “hooked on the crack”. There are just too many questions about what can happen when you self-manipulate. It just doesn’t make sense to do something likely harmful for a few minutes of temporary relief.
Did you like this article? Feel free to share it with the people you care about and see if a Complimentary Consultation is the next step to regain their health.
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Dr. Chung is a practicing Structural Chiropractor in the West Palm Beach area. He has been published in peer reviewed scientific journals and is a sought after speaker in health and wellness. Follow his blog at http://chiropractorwellington.com/category/keystone-chiropractic-blog/ or find him on twitter at @drjonathanchung.
Cultural Corner
Give a Cultural Gift
(Very little storage space required)
By
Lori Hope Baumel
Great show, great seats! Photo: LH Baumel
We always have much to be grateful for. Commercial as it is, the best part of the holiday season is spending time with friends and family. Most of us feel beholden to exchange gifts with those you care for. Or, let’s admit it, there are those you are obligated to exchange presents with as well. Regardless of the reason, I want to make you aware of the types of gifts that require very little space, yet fill the heart in a big way.
December has too many holiday happenings to list. If you’re an Around Wellington reader then you are Internet savvy enough to explore the multitude of things going on in our county. Therefore, my “top five” list will concentrate on suggestions that will entertain and perhaps introduce a friend or family member to the arts.
There are many options for expanding the creative horizons of your loved ones. Perhaps treat them to a jewelry making, painting or pottery class. A museum membership runs about $75 but lasts an entire year. The possibilities are endless. While you’re there, treat yourself to something cultural as well. Either that or drop Santa (or your Hanukkah/Kwanza shopper) a few hints that you’d love to see a show or take a class or two.
On behalf of the Baumel family, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season filled with music, laughter and love.
Live… Go… Do!
Top Six Cultural Gift Ideas For December
In no particular order, the following suggestions can meet any budget. They’re eco-friendly as well!
1) Theater Tickets:
The Kravis Center, Duncan Theater and other Palm Beach County venues are offering extraordinary entertainment from all over the world. Ticket prices start at around $25 depending on the show. You can purchase a gift certificate and have the recipient pick their own show(s) or you can purchase tickets to individual shows online or directly from the box office.
For more information go to:
www.palmbeachstate.edu/theatre/duncan-theatre/
2) AMC or Regal Movie theater gift card:
December is the month that the big Oscar contenders are released in theaters. I love giving the gift of a night out. Recently, I purchased some movie gift cards at Walgreens. If affordable, couple the movie card with a gift certificate to one of our fabulous local restaurants. If you’re really feeling generous… offer to babysit, if the recipients are a young couple with children, or help care for an elderly parent for the evening.
3) ITunes gift cards:
ITunes gift cards can be purchased for as little as $10. It’s often difficult to pin down musical taste. Let your recipient choose the music they want to listen to. Everyone loves to pick his or her own playlist!
4) Audio or E-books:
It’s as simple as sending an email. Go to Amazon or Audible.com and give the gift of an e-book or audio book to an avid reader. If you know someone who prefers to listen to books during their daily commute or on an upcoming long trip, then an audio book would be the perfect gift.
5) Music lessons:
Do you now somebody who wants to play an instrument like piano, guitar or ukulele? Why not treat them to an introductory music lesson or two. Village Music, near the Wellington Mall or Melody Acres Music in the Wellington Country Plaza offers experienced, top-notch music teachers who take on students of all ages. Perhaps you know an adult who studied piano as a child and wants to pick it up again. Here’s the perfect opportunity to bring musical joy to those who wouldn’t necessarily buy a package of lessons for themselves.
6) Bootz Culture Camp VIP Passes:
Bootz Culture Camp in Wellington combines art and travel, bringing fun “destination” art classes to all ages. Check out our AW Spotlight story about Bootz Culture Camp! A VIP Pass to Bootz Culture Camp, valued at $30, makes a great cultural gift!
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Lori Hope Baumel and her husband Eric live in Wellington and have three children.
Their eldest, Sam, 27, is a media producer and conceptual artist who currently resides in (extremely hipster) Brooklyn, NY. Her younger children, Evan and Rachel, wrote the Around Wellington “Teen Talk” column in previous years. Rachel, 24, lives and works in Boston, MA and Evan, 21, is a senior at American University in Washington DC. Eric has practiced radiology in Wellington since 1991. His many talents include artist, cook, photographer and, recently, medical app developer. You can learn more about Lori at www.loribaumel.com or read her blog:www.grownupcamp.tumblr.com
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