Thanksgiving Survival Guide

  According to the Caloric Control Council, the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone.  That's the equivalent of more than 2 1/4 times the average daily calorie intake and almost 3 1/2 times the fat.  Yikes!  Here are some suggestions to prevent overfilling yourself:

• Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungry: We often eat faster and more when we are hungry.  Therefore, eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on Thanksgiving day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
• Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly, put your silverware down while chewing and stop when you are full.
• Turkey - go skinless: Choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
• Side Dishes - watch your portion size: Strive for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
• Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: High fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again, moderation is the key.
• Drink plenty of water: Alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink water to help keep you full and keep you hydrated.
• Leftover Turkey? Instead of turkey sandwiches, use the leftover turkey to make a pot of soup with fresh chunky vegetables or a fresh garden salad with turkey.
• Experiment with new recipes: Many delicious yet healthy whole food contemporary Thanksgiving recipes can be found on-line.  Have some fun and experiment! 
• Don't forget the Exercise: Get a work out in before or after the meal to burn off some of those extra calories.  Consider taking a family walk after the food has settled. 

The History of Gonstead Chiropractic

Gonstead represents the ultimate standard in "hands on" spinal adjusting and remains the leader in chiropractic techniques.  Dr. Gonstead found there was no substitute or better method for analyzing or correcting spinal misalignments than with a pair of skilled chiropractic hands. This remains true today.

Dr. Clarence S. Gonstead (1898-1978) began practicing chiropractic in 1923 in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, a small farming community of 1,200 residents in south central Wisconsin. Dr. Gonstead's reputation spread throughout the state, the country and ultimately around the world, as a multitude of patient's health problems were corrected remarkably fast by his brand of chiropractic treatment. Hundreds of patients were seeking his care on a daily basis, and with his dedication to helping these patients, Dr. Gonstead worked from 8 a.m. to midnight six days a week plus every Sunday morning from 5 to 10 a.m. to be able to accommodate these growing patient numbers. When Dr. Gonstead's schedule was at the limit of his physical capability, he knew the only solution to meet the public's health needs on the scale the public was demanding, was to build an unparalleled chiropractic treatment facility and staff it with Gonstead trained associates.
The Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic, completed in 1964, was the third and final clinic Dr. Gonstead would design and treat patients from in this little town of Mt. Horeb before his death in 1978. Dr. Gonstead built the largest chiropractic facility in the world. A 22,000 square foot clinic, it had a waiting room to seat over 100 patients, 11 adjusting rooms, x-ray facilities and lab, and a lower level to hold Chiropractic seminars. It was to become the most renowned chiropractic facility in the world. Next to his new clinic, Dr. Gonstead added a 78 room, full-service motel to accommodate the clinic's numerous long distance patients. Dr. Gonstead and his fellow staff members attended 300 to 400 patients on a daily basis. This huge following of patients led Dr. Gonstead to start the Gonstead Seminar of Chiropractic, helping to teach and develop even more Chiropractors in the art and philosophy of the Gonstead system of chiropractic treatment.

Today, more than 30 years after his death, we at Valley Chiropractic adhere to the same principles Dr. Gonstead developed and practiced to serve our patients and help them achieve health.