Health care strategy I am utilizing: Chiropractic With Massage Therapy This week I was wonderfully reminded of the power of chiropractic care in conjunction with massage therapy.  I know, this sounds ridiculous since I recommend this constantly to our community members.  However after a week off from work, poor eating, drinking and being more sedentary during our vacation time than normal, I was feeling really stiff and sore. I grabbed an adjustment and a 60-minute massage and overnight felt enormously better.  By pairing these two therapies that focus on different aspects of the body I noticed my range of motion improve and my comfort level skyrocket.  If you find that you have fallen off your self care routines lately then please make it a point to prioritize an adjustment and massage this week! TV show I am watching: Race To The Center of The Earth Do you enjoy reality tv?  How about adventure racing?  If so, this program is amazing.  Engaging, funny, heart wrenching and inspiring, Race To The Center of The Earth places four teams at four different locations around the world and has them work through countless obstacles on their way to finding one prize.  The prize is attached to a buoy in the middle of the ocean and underneath it, one million dollars has been stashed!  Give this a watch if you are looking for some genuine entertainment! Quote I am repeating: "A man is as young as his spinal column." ~ Joseph Pilates In the last 13 years of working with people from all walks of life I have seen a number of themes emerge in regards to the best practices for human health.  One of the most profound has been the importance of a strong, upright posture when looking to maintain performance, reduce pain and maximize quality of life.  In contrast to the common belief that all a person must do in order to be healthy is eat right and exercise, I whole heartedly attest to the idea that great posture must be added to this list.  Without it, chronic pain, loss of function and a loss of freedom ensue.  This week, make sure to be diligent in your pursuit of optimal spinal alignment through chiropractic adjustments, traction and postural exercises! --- Have a kick ass week everyone! In Health, Dr. Devin Shea, DC

Concept I am reviewing: Equality Versus Equity One of my most recent passions is healthcare equity.  I have long been frustrated that chiropractic care is often reserved only for individuals who have achieved a certain level of financial success.  In looking to understand what can and should be done to remedy this problem I came across a concern.  I was unable to tell the difference between "equality" and "equity".  If you are just as ignorant as I was then please read further.  The word "equality" means that all people would receive exactly the same level of healthcare in order to help them live successful and fulfilling lives.  This is problematic because not everyone is starting from the same point financially and has the same expectations.  In contrast "equity" involves trying to understand and give people what each individual needs in order to enjoy a successful and fulfilling life.  To summarize how I interpret this concept I would describe it with the following idea. To create an equitable solution in holistic healthcare a certain minimum standard of chiropractic service should be available to all people regardless of financial consideration.  This allows people who normally can't afford care, but who would still largely benefit, to receive some chiropractic. It would not be the highest quality but it would be a lot better than none at all.  In contrast, people who would like to pay for higher quality chiropractic services or pay for health insurance that would help them achieve such care, may do so if they wish.  I encourage you to think about your own industry and apply this concept of equality versus equity to your own situation to really understand the thought process! Book I am hearing: You Are An Ironman by Jacques Steinberg Last week I announced publicly that I have been provisionally accepted into the Santa Cruz Half Ironman race on Sept 12th, 2021.  A huge part of that journey is to learn the nuances of each of the three disciplines (swim, bike and run).  For example what to pack on race day, at what intervals to consume food and water, as well as how to avoid chafing in my nether regions (Yikes!).  One of the best ways I have found is to watch videos on the subject, listen to podcasts and listen to the aforementioned book on Audible.  Steinberg tells the tale of six individuals and chronicles their preparation and execution of Ironman Arizona in 2010.  Due

Position at Aligned Life I are hiring: Patient Care Coordinator Are you passionate about health?  Do you want to be a part of a team where you make a real difference in peoples lives?  Do you have an anatomy or physiology background?  Are you a powerful individual? Aligned life is growing again and looking to hire a high energy, health focused individual to help ensure the quality of every patient appointment.  This role will include providing hands on patient care in support of Dr. Shea, getting patients in and out of traction, assisting with explaining postural exercises to patients as well as administrative duties.  This position will require approximately 20-25 hours per week.  If you are a growth oriented individual who wants bring it every day, please take a look at our job posting on Indeed.com, answer the questions and submit a resume.  We look forward to speaking with you! Audiobook I am hearing: The Common Path To Uncommon Success by John Lee Dumas It has been a long time since I have written a negative review of a book I am listening to, however this definitely deserves a thumbs down.  To summarize this work, Dumas tells you multiple times about his path to success which, upon hearing the first time, seems to be the only valuable content.  The recommendations seem over simplified and not descriptive enough to actually help you become "Uncommonly Successful".  I am bummed because Dumas has come out with some good stuff over the years through his wildly successful podcast.  I guess we all deserve a mulligan! Quote I am pondering: "A year from now you may wish that you had started today!" ~ Karen Lamb One of the most rewarding aspects of my life is working with amazing people every day on my team.  In fact, at the end of my career I believe that the people who I will have influenced the most won't be my patients, but rather my team members.  It is always incredibly exciting for me to go through the hiring process.  You never know when the right person is going to walk through the door and absolutely change your life.  Over the 13 years I have lead Aligned Life I have had the chance to work with some absolutely dedicated and talented individuals.  Each of them contributed in their own way to creating the experience you go through as a member of the Aligned Life community.  In starting this new journey

Race I am running: Ironman 70.3 in Santa Cruz After months of trying, I am proud to announce that I have been accepted to run the Half Ironman on September 12, 2021!  The distances for the race are as follows; 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run.  Having never done anything close to this level of intensity I can honestly say I am scared and excited.  Honestly, I am freaking out.  This race will be the culmination of over one and half years of training 6 days a week. It will also serve as a milestone for me following a very difficult time in my life.  However, before I can officially run this race and complete a bucket list goal, I need your help!  My acceptance into the race was pending my ability to raise $1750 for the Ironman Foundation.  The foundation attempts to provide funding for a number of important issues including COVID relief, racial equity, bicycles for children and hunger relief.  For the full story of my "Why" for doing this event and to donate directly online please click HERE.  I greatly appreciate your support and could not do this without your help.  Thank you! Vacation I am taking: The Week of April 12-16 Due to the blessing of being deemed an "Essential Business" throughout the past year and  attempting to navigate through the COVID affected world, I have not been able to take much time away from running the operation at Aligned Life.  This in conjunction with my boys being on spring break made it seem like the right time to take a step back for a week to get re-energized.  I recognize the impact on all of you who depend upon our facility to take care of your health and accordingly appreciate your patience.  I strongly recommend that you spend more time during the aforementioned week stretching, focusing on your body position habits, getting a massage (Stan is available for services in the office!), using your home traction orthotic and taking walks.  These behaviors will help you get to the following week without getting into a crisis.  Once again, I really appreciate the chance to get away and rest assured, I will be a better provider for you on the other side of the holiday! Quote I am loving: "The miracle isn't that I finished.  The miracle was that I had the courage to start!" ~Unknown I am not a very