We Will All Be There Some Day

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to treat many elderly people in my office. Sure, some are cranky and miserable, but so are some young patients. Most are filled with life and wants more than needs, and they are a lot of fun.

To be honest with you though, 20 years ago when I first began my practice, treating the elderly was very tough for me. I thought to myself, "Is this how I am going to end up? Am I going to be sick, cranky and in pain?"

I soon found my answer in an 82 year-old woman. Her skin was sagging and it looked like she had one foot in Heaven's door. She was receiving treatment for neck pain. She was very quiet. I thought she was either sleeping or in deep thought. And then as if she were awakened from her sleep she said, "Doctor, can I tell you a dirty joke?" To humor her I said, "Sure", thinking to myself, "How dirty can this be and why is she whispering?" Well, let me tell you, she told this joke with the most colorful language. It was a great joke and I laughed my you-know-what off.

She then said to me, "You know, doctor, although I am old and it looks like I have one foot in the door to Heaven (started to get worried as I thought she might have been reading my mind), I am not dead yet."

I couldn't wait for her to return for her next visit. She always had great stories and jokes to tell. She treated with me for a few months and I learned a lot from her. I think that at times I got more out of our sessions than she did.

So here was my paradigm shift. Ever since then I love treating the elderly. And when I have a patient over the age of 75, I always ask what they consider to be the secret to longevity.

The common denominator, the commonalities with those living a robust elderly life, is not smoking, daily exercise, the consumption of fruits and vegetables more than meat, and moderate alcohol use. In fact, recently researchers from the University of Cambridge statistically analyzed studies of about 20,000 relatively healthy subjects aged 45-79. The study concludes that you can add about 14 years to your life by embracing four life style habits:

1. Don't smoke.
2. Get regular physical activity.
3. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation.

And I would add one more:

5. Use your mind every day. Do puzzles, work on the computer, get a hobby, write a letter, play cards, etc.

And the real key to longevity is to have parents who lived for a long time. Sometimes it's just in the genes.

Here is my action tip for the week.

If you know some elderly individuals, take them out to lunch, pay them a visit, and most of all listen to them.

Take care and I hope you will embrace this lifestyle and live a life worthy of living.

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

Ice or Heat?

One of the most frequently asked questions at my office is,"Should I use ice or heat for my pain?" The patient generally goes on to say, "My primary doctor tells me to use which ever feels better, the physical therapist tells me to use heat, and the chiropractor tells me to use ice. I am so confused." I usually reply, "Put ten doctors/chiropractors/ physical therapists in a room and ask a question. You will get eleven different answers."

I will share some scenarios to give you a better idea of which application to use--ice or heat. If you are not sure what to apply, use ice. When an athlete gets injured, you will see him or her immediately receive an ice pack.

For injuries, it is best to use ice, not heat. If you are experiencing a flare-up or aggravation of a condition, use ice. For headaches, I recommend ice. If you have a migraine headache and/or pain over the eyes and pain in the neck (a possible combination of tension headache and migraine), use the sandwich approach. Use one ice pack behind the neck and another ice pack over the eyes.

Stiffness in a muscle or joint responds well to heat. I always recommend moist heat or the heat packs you can microwave as opposed to an electric heating pad. For some reason, most folks achieve better results with the moist heating pad or microwave heating pad.

Let's talk precautions. Never use ice or heat directly on the skin as you could injure and burn the tissue. Always have some kind of buffer (towel, T-shirt, etc.) between you and the ice/heat pack.

Time is also an important consideration when applying ice or heat. In acute cases (a new pain), ice should be used as follows: 15 minutes on, 10 minutes off, 15 minutes on, 10 minutes off and ending with 15 minutes on. In this acute situation, you can repeat this sequence 1 to 3 times a day. If you are icing just once (e.g. after an activity,) apply ice for 20 minutes. You can apply heat for 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

Some of my patients have an aversion to ice. If you are one of those people who react rather than respond to ice, I strongly recommend the following: Put a thin bath towel in the clothes dryer for 20 minutes. Then place the ice pack in the towel and apply to the affected area. Initially you will feel the warmth,then a cooling effect. You can apply this ice/heat for 30 minutes. If your pain does not decrease in three days, I strongly recommend that you see your doctor for an examination.

That's it for now. Stay Well, Stay Healthy!

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

To Believe in Oneself is the Beginning

Over the weekend I watched the movie “Peaceful Warrior,” which tells the story of a young, arrogant gymnast who encounters a wise mentor. The movie is based on the book “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman. The movie received only two stars (I actually thought it was better than two stars). However, its message should definitely be rated five stars.

A serious accident puts the gymnast out of commission. His doctors tell him that he will not be able to return to the sport of gymnastics. His coach no longer believes in him. Worse, he no longer believes in himself. He meets a wise man who guides him to see the way – that there is a purpose to all events. In short, Dan lets go of his mental baggage, realizes that you don’t give up on what you love, and understands that life’s journey is important and that through the journey one learns about oneself.

The message is simple—believe in yourself. Many of us don’t succeed because we don’t have the approval or support of our families or friends. How many times have you shared a dream or goal with a family member or friend, only to have your words shot down? When this happens, we often begin to lose confidence in ourselves.

The solution is to look inside and believe in yourself. I know that sounds so cheesy, but it’s the truth. And this takes practice. One has to develop the habit of believing in oneself. And you can say affirmations and think positive all you want, but you must also “do”. You must take action.

This belief is best demonstrated by athletes and how they compete. Regardless of your sport, the repeated coaching line is “get your head in the game”. This should be your mantra whether you are starting a business, building or maintaining a relationship, working to complete a goal, attempting to lose weight, exercising, or trying to achieve happiness. Keep your head in the game and be mindful of your thoughts and actions.

When you look at those who have succeeded (however success is defined for each), you will find that they never gave up on their dream or on themselves. And you should never give up on yourself.

This leads me to a brief story I want to share with you. Over twenty years ago I met with a practice management company to learn how to build my practice. I met with the president of the company who told me that if I didn’t sign with them I would always be in debt and I would never succeed. Well, he was incredibly wrong.

When someone tells you that your idea, goal, dreams or aspirations won’t work, don’t succumb to their thought process or lack thereof. Keep in mind that you just have to try. And if it doesn’t work, try a different way. Remember when facing a mountain you have four choices: turn away, go over it, around it or through it. What would you do?

If you get a chance, log on to www.danmillman.com

Take care of yourself. Believe in yourself.

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

P.S. If you need help creating your life map e-mail me at Michael@frompaintopersonalgain.com for your FREE 30 minute coaching session.

Practice, Practice, Practice

I had the enjoyable opportunity to watch a local youth baseball game this weekend. These were 9-11 year olds, the minor leagues. There’s no more tee, no pitching by the friendly coach. This is baseball. This is when coaches begin to find their prize players. This is the in-house league. The talent is scouted for travel baseball try-outs. Travel baseball is for the really good players. Long story short, if you don’t play travel by third or fourth grade, your chances of playing ball in junior high or high school are slim to none.

Understanding how my local community baseball league is operated has led me to the realization that in today’s society it’s much easier to be an adult than it is to be a kid.

Baseball is no longer a bunch of little kids running around playing. The kids participate in intense practices. Some kids go to clinics or camps to learn how to play better. Some parents hire coaches at $100 per hour to help their children with fundamentals.

I wonder what our society would be like if more parents took this same approach (intense practices) to teaching their children the fundamentals of exercise, nutrition, money management, wealth building, and having good self-esteem.

Please do not misunderstand me. I think sports are great, and there are many lessons children can learn from playing sports. And one of the most important aspects of playing sports is practicing.

In fact, practice is extremely important for everything you do – whether you are starting a business, trying to achieve happiness, or training for life. You don’t always get it right, but half the battle is won just by showing up.

Let’s take a look at how practice can apply to real life. I have been helping a 42-year-old client train for a 5k run (3 plus miles). When I started with this individual he was 10 pounds overweight, not too bad, but enough to hamper his run. When he first started to run he had pain in his lower back and both knees. He began to discipline himself with exercises I personally developed for his knees and back. He practiced these movements every day until they became second nature. At times he would grumble and groan about practicing, but after a few weeks I heard less complaints and his running improved. Although some practices were hard, he muddled through and did his best.

By applying these same principles of practice (showing up every day, doing your best, learning new strategies, not worrying about failing) to building a healthy, happy and wealthy life, you are bound to succeed.

Just show up and do your best!

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael Kaye

Frozen Computer

It has been a week and then some since I last sent out a broadcast. I want to thank everyone who e-mailed me to make sure I was okay or to tell me that my broadcast was missed.

Here’s what happened. On Wednesday, March 19, 2008, I was sitting in front of my computer typing as fast as I can (turtle speed). I was putting the finishing touches to an exercise program when I decided to cross reference an exercise maneuver. I popped over to the Internet and typed in my search. I waited and waited for the computer to respond. Nothing. So, relying on my highly technical computer skills, I hit CTRL ALT DELETE. Still nothing. Now it was time to use my second technical move - when in doubt, reboot. Internet came on but froze. Done! Kaput!

Since that is the extent of my technical skills, the following day I dropped my computer off to the specialist. I had several viruses. Even the anti-virus program was tainted. I went eleven days without a computer. I had a computer at work, but I could not access many of my files or e-mail. I was going through withdrawal. The first two days were awful.

Then things started to change. I was spending more time with the family, reading even more than usual, and actually meeting a few friends for lunch and dinner.

Usually I am in computer mode – e-mail, researching and writing (activities of isolation) – but without the computer I went into social mode. And I liked social mode.

In case you are wondering, I am sharing this with you for two reasons – first, to apologize for not getting a broadcast to you in a timely manner and, second, to share with you how I am currently changing my computer habits to find more time for other things.

The action steps that I have taken to change my computer habits are as follows:

The first thing I did was to unsubscribe to e-mails I receive and don’t read. Now I know I am taking a risk by making this suggestion to you. I don’t want to lose a reader/subscriber, but if you do not feel that you get anything from my broadcast, then you should move on (but I hope you don’t).

The second action step was to view e-mail only twice per day, the afternoon and the late evening. I also turned off the little bell that dings every time e-mail is delivered, since I found that knowing I had e-mail was a distraction that I had difficulty ignoring!

Third, I e-mailed my friends and kindly asked them to call me if they have any questions instead of e-mailing me to avoid back and forth e-mail which takes up more time. I also asked my friends to avoid forwarding chain e-mails.

The fourth and last action step involved specific scheduling for computer time. The goal is to work on projects at a given time. For example, my goal is to write 30 minutes every morning, keeping in mind that some writing projects will take more time.

I hope this broadcast was helpful. I love the information age. At the same time, I feel it’s important to engage in human contact. You can’t get a hug from your computer (at least not yet). If you find that you are spending too much time in front of your computer, create a schedule that will allow you to accomplish your work and manage your in-coming e-mails so that you have more time for social activities.

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results

My Neck and Back are Stiff Every Morning

Today I am going to discuss how preparing for your day can help minimize pain in the lower back and/or neck. Activities of daily living—the things you do each day such as getting dressed, going to work, doing the laundry—are usually difficult if you suffer with pain. And the morning time before your muscles are used to moving is often the time when pain is at its worst.

Here are some steps you can take to prepare for the day that will help to control your discomfort:

Get your clothes and any other items you need ready for the next day before going to bed. Don’t forget your socks and underwear! You want to do this to avoid rushing around in the morning. When you have to rush, it is easy to move without being careful, increasing the possibility of injuring yourself.

If you suffer with morning stiffness and you carry a laptop or briefcase, put them in your car the night before to avoid bending and/or carrying objects in the early part of your day. Don’t forget to lock the car!

If your mornings are difficult, set your alarm clock to go off 30 minutes earlier. This will give you extra time to warm your muscles in a hot shower. Speaking of showering, it is best to keep all your bath products at waist level where they can be reached easily. If you suffer with neck pain, you want to avoid reaching overhead and if you suffer with lower back pain, you want to avoid bending in the morning.

You will want to use an electric toothbrush to avoid bending at the sink to brush your teeth. Just five degrees in forward bending at the waist places your lower spine in a precarious position and you may experience sharp pain. If you blow dry your hair and suffer with neck, arm and shoulder problems, you may want to consider purchasing a stand to hold the hair dryer (Google hair dryer holder/stand).

Do some stretches to address the problem region.

If you have lower back problems, you should stretch your hamstring muscles. The hamstrings are in the back of your legs, extending from your sit bones to the back of the knees. To stretch the hamstring properly, lay flat on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. With one knee bent and foot flat on the floor raise the other leg straight in the air (or as straight as you can) and hold behind the knee for 10 seconds. Repeat. Perform two repetitions of the same with the other leg. The next movement requires both legs straight (as opposed to knees bent). Raise and straighten one leg in the air and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with other leg. Perform two sets, 10 seconds each leg.

If you have neck problems, the best morning exercises are two range-of-motion maneuvers. Drop your chin to your chest and roll your head to one side. Hold for three seconds, then roll to the other side and hold for three seconds. Repeat. Next, tilt your head to one side (ear to shoulder) and hold for three seconds. Tilt your head to the other side and hold for three seconds. Repeat.

The golden rule of exercise: If there is pain, stop the exercise. If you experience increased pain in your back or neck or tingling or numbness in your arms or legs when performing these exercises, stop the movement patterns and let your doctor know of your symptoms.

The simple act of preparation by stretching your muscles can help manage pain in the neck and lower back. And, yes, most definitely, these exercises should be performed every single day!!!!

To Your Health, Wealth & Happiness!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye

Happy Valentine's Day

I am very grateful for all those who have subscribed to my site. I hope that I have been able to help many on their path to health, wealth, and happiness. I love the opportunity to be able to communicate with my subscribers as I care about each and every one of them.

On this Valentine’s Day and every day, I think every person is special to someone.

The media hype and commercialism of this day make it very easy for anyone, be they a teenager or an 85-year-old widow or widower, to feel inadequate if they do not have a romantic relationship with someone. This is sad. Each of you is loved by someone, and probably many “someones”, in this world, and you need to remember that that is what is important.

I just came from the store where I witnessed many men, and some women too, frantically grabbing balloons, cards, candy, stuffed animals, and expensive roses.

I hope that these gifts are truly what their partners were looking for. I hope that their partners appreciate and accept the gift as an offering of love and don’t compare it to what their co-workers or friends received and say that it doesn’t measure up.

I personally would prefer that I have some good quality time with the people I love rather than these things that die or get tossed aside in a week.

Anyway, I just wanted to remind you to take a moment to tell the people you care about that you love them. And I also wanted to remind you that you are loved.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Dr. Michael J. Kaye
Knowledge, Action, Results