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  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Carpal Tunnel pain is ZERO FUN!! Perhaps you’re just “living with the pain” or pain relievers help you sleep but have you considered trying chiropractic? Chiropractors specialize on musculoskeletal complaints and yes, we work on wrists!! A lot of people don’t know we can work on arms and legs too. 😉 The tricky part is that wrist pain is not always caused by issues in the wrist but actually the forearm, shoulder and even the neck! I don’t have specific statistics but in my experience, I see most of the underlying cause coming from the shoulder and neck. I’d estimate that this is the case 7-8/10 times when a person has a complaint…

  • Ear Infections in Kids

    By Dr. Angela L. Graper, CACCP Why do kids have more infections? And why do they “grow out” of them? Let’s start with the anatomy. When kids experience pain, it is usually because of pressure built up behind the eardrum in the inner ear canal, also called the Eustachian tube. In children, the Eustachian tube is a slightly different structure than in adults. First off, it is at a horizontal angle, making it more difficult to drain on its own. Also, it’s narrower so it takes less fluid buildup to create discomfort.  By understanding the structures surrounding the ear, we can then fully appreciate additional modalities that can help the…

  • Sleepless Children in Chanhassen

    One of the reasons that parents seek out our services is due to their kid’s sleeping problems. It may be that their child was a great sleeper and all of a sudden is waking up ten times per night. Or it may be that they have had a hard time going down to sleep since birth. What can Chiropractors do to help? First off, our focus is on the nervous system and since this controls EVERYTHING in the body, we can influence how a child sleeps. When we adjust children, we are sending information to their brain via the spinal cord. We also discuss different aspects of the nervous system…

  • HypnoBirthing® in Chanhassen

    Taking the Birth World by Calm! Using Hypnobirthing By Natasha Reilly After the birth of my second child I felt a calling to work with women as they transitioned into motherhood. I knew that with support and education couples could make choices in how to bring their child into the world in a calm and empowering way. I love working with families, providing the knowledge that I wish I had when I was expecting my first child. I am honored every time I am invited to join other couples as they go through their own journey. I’m thrilled to be offering HypnoBirthing® classes at Family Focus Chiropractic! I learned and…

  • Food Sensitivity Testing

    By Dr. Angela Graper There are many options these days for food sensitivity testing. One of the best ways is an elimination diet but that can be daunting and time consuming. It can also mean that your “cheat” meals create underlying inflammation without knowing it. At Family Focus Chiropractic, we offer several tests that measure sensitivities to foods, which tests different immunoglobulins compared to getting allergy testing done. More information on intestinal permeability resulting in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions found in Alternative Therapies here. CYREX Perhaps you’ve read about Cyrex testing in the books Grain Brain or Primal Body, Primal Mind. We have this testing available. The two panels that we utilize…

  • Gluten-Free Meal Plan #2 in Chanhassen

    By: Dr. Angela Graper I’ll be the first to admit that we didn’t follow last week’s meal plan exactly. We had leftover ham from the holidays that needed to be eaten up and I tend to over-plan, which means recipes get pushed back. That’s easier and more cost-effective than under-planning. For lunch today, we had leftover Caribbean Oxtail Stew as I really don’t like wasting food when we pay more for grass-fed and organic. The higher cost and increased work of obtaining food like this really adds value for our family. So you’ll see some of the same recipes as last week but that’s the ebb and flow of meal…

  • Gluten Free Meal Plan #1 by Family Focus Chiropractic

    By Dr. Angela Graper Meal planning takes work but with some motivation and a cold Sunday, it isn’t too bad 🙂 I plan according to what’s in our freezer but you could stock up on different cuts of meat by buying whatever is on sale and freezing it. We do this with chicken breasts. When we buy the Family Pack, we save a few dollars per pound. Last time, it was $3.99/lb vs $5.99/lb. We package them into serving sizes and freeze them, mainly for “Curry in a Hurry” which I’ll share later. Sunday  – food prep for Monday’s dinner.  Chop veggies and make beef bone broth. Monday night –…

  • Favorite Postpartum Snacks in the Southwest Metro

    By Dr. Angela Graper You have a new baby. You’re sleep deprived. Perhaps you tire of eating every few hours like I did. I want to share some of my favorite nutrient-dense and healthy snacks that make it easier to eat in the joyous and stressful time of a new child. You’ve just built an entire human being, so we want to make sure that you are rebuilding yourself, which is why nutrient-dense is important, not just calories. 1) Coconut Milk Shake 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk 1-2 Tbsp almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter (a few ideas) Frozen berries Greens like spinach Protein powder (high quality – can usually…

  • Fun Alternatives to Halloween Candy in Chanhassen

    As Halloween creeps closer don’t fear about your little goblins craving those not-so-good-for-you sweets… WE HAVE SOME SOLUTIONS!  Become a trendsetter for your neighborhood and pass out FUN and healthier alternatives! Bulk Bags of Organic Lollipops (found on Amazon) Halloween Stickers: A dozen per sheet costs less than $2 Glow in the dark vampire fangs Fake mustaches Temporary tattoos Finger lamps (Amazon) Candy Trade-In with Parents! A fabulous idea to avoid a week of sugar bingeing and preventing behavioral issues =) After a night of Trick-Or-Treating have your kiddos dump their bag of candy on the floor. Perform bargains and trade-ins for fun alternatives and healthier treats-you decide how many pieces of…

  • Kick Type 2 Diabetes to the Curb in the Southwest Metro

    By: Angela Graper, D.C. Let’s talk about the cost. Total costs of diabetes in 2007: $174 billion. An average of $8,000 per person. Think about that number – $8,000!! The risk. If current trends continue, 1 in 3 Americans will develop diabetes by 2050 according to the CDC.   The how. When you consume a meal with sugar (glucose), the beta-cells of your pancreas release insulin (hormone). The insulin links up with glucose to get the sugar into the cells. Now imagine if a salesman came knocking at your door at 8 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm, 2:30 pm, 5 pm and 8 pm, day after day, week after week.…