We all have times we feel on edge. Overwhelmed, burned out and run down. Those feelings can manifest in some individuals as depression and others as anxiety. You may notice you’re having trouble concentrating, even impacting your sleep. Do you eat right, workout and meditate, but you’re still not feeling like yourself? We may have the answer.

Inositol. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised. Inositol is a sugar alcohol but contrary to the name it is neither a sugar nor an alcohol! More confused? Let’s start at the beginning.

Inositol is found in many foods - mainly fruits like cantaloupe and oranges[2]. It is found in bran, nuts and seeds in its phaylate form which is unfortunately indigestible by humans so we don’t get much inositol from our diets.

Inositol serves many functions in the human body from helping to give a cell its shape to giving instructions to a nerve and even breaking down fats! As a clinician we use it primarily for clients with...

I don’t know about you but when the alarm goes off at 5am I am only functioning at about 25%. I’m lucky some days that I my hair is clean and my scrubs are on right side out! Let alone planning to be gone from the house for 14 hours with an infant and prepared for anything!

Below you’ll find my organizational tools - easy tips to incorporate into your day to maybe save you a few minutes, maybe lower stress; ideally help you to live a Salutogenic Life!

Ritual One: I start every day with a protein shake - whether I’m heading to work, the gym or to run errands with the husband.  It’s fast, easy, and really good for you. I prefer whey (Dr. Jade likes the vegan).  Whey protein powder is a detoxifier and SL vegan protein powder with monk fruit is great if you’re pre-diabetic or trying to lower A1C.  It will help regulate your blood sugar - just don’t add high glycemic fruit.

I used to be more ritualistic in my ingredient choices...

The lawyers I know have great stories of being overworked, stressed out and sleep deprived. Is it possible to reverse all of those effects with one simple activity? Making yourself more productive, less stressed and even sleeping more efficiently? Meditation may be your answer.

Meditation has proven health benefits such as lowered blood pressure, boosted immune health and even slowing aging! For me it was not an easy activity to accomplish. I would either sit and create a to-do list or fall asleep. I took classes with professionals and could never quite get it. Similar to my yoga practice – it took me at least four months of practicing 3-4 times per week until I could quiet my mind and focus on the yoga itself. Now on to mastering meditation.

Below are some of the researched benefits of meditating. If you are not feeling as healthy, happy and energetic as you should; this is an easy place to start. See our other blog posts for the best free resources for...

Over the past 90 days we’ve done everything we can to better service our clients from a distance. We’ve changed healthcare portal providers to better allow for HIPAA-compliant virtual visits for both Functional Medicine and Physical Therapy. We’ve simplified our services to include a monthly group plan for stress as well as 3 and 6 month All Inclusive Functional Medicine Programs. We’re proudest of our expanding testing line that can be completed COMPLETELY AT HOME!! Below take a look at the current testing kits available. They can be picked up curbside from our clinic or mailed directly to your door. They are completed in the comfort of your home and the price includes the consultation with Dr. Leasure to discuss results as well as health implications and lifestyle modifications. If you’re interested please contact us directly at 847-362-4476 as pricing is only valid for the next 90 days and quantities are limited.

The FIT22 Food Sensitivity Panel

If...

Back pain is one of the most common reasons pregnant women come into our office.  Although getting adjusted may help alleviate low back pain in soon-to-be moms, there are far greater benefits to beginning chiropractic care as early as you can!

One of the most important aspects of caring for a pregnant woman is the ability to keep her stress levels down and her nervous system functioning at 100%.  Regardless of the type of stress, they all have major implications for the fetus.  The increase in adrenaline while under stress can cause an increase in fetal heart rate and a DECREASE in fetal oxygen supply.  Getting adjusted will help restore balance within the nervous system and decrease the effects that stress has on the body.

While the fetus grows, the mother’s body is going through numerous musculoskeletal changes.  Over 30 years ago, Dr. Larry Webster developed a technique to help reduce the effects of sacral subluxation on the pregnant woman. ...

For many people the word detox sounds scary, depriving and unnecessary.  The reality is we are inundated with toxins on a daily basis and they are wreaking havoc on our systems.  Every second of every day our bodies work on eliminating toxins that we are exposed to and it is extremely effective in doing so.  Problems arise when we overload the system.  

We eat chemically laden, processed foods.  We use products in our homes and on our bodies which contain plenty of toxins.  We breathe in toxins, and follow it up with our alcoholic beverage of choice at night. All of these items independently of each other won’t cause a system crash, but when you combine them, over the months and years, your body is crying for help.

Many symptoms that are considered common or normal most likely are signs of toxic overload.  Headaches, fatigue, brain fog, gas, bloating, pain and even difficulty losing weight may all be due to an inability to detox...

Before our current Social Media and Functional Nutrition Assistant Jorell started working with us, he started out as our summer intern during the summer of 2019. The following is the retelling of his first-ever adjustment! 

Jorell & NSPAH

I’ve been interning at North Shore Pro-Active Health for 4 weeks. I was given the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Jordan Leasure in assessing lifestyle solutions for patients seeking functional medicine services. But in the midst of observing these appointments, I’ve watched Dr. Jordan perform spinal adjustments on a few of her patients. Admittedly, prior to working at the clinic I have never sought out chiropractic or retaliatory services and never knew how powerful a healthy spine is in the context of a person’s overall livelihood in preventing chronic disease. 

History, Examination & Treatment

The full first-patient examination was both quick and comprehensive. Dr. Jordan asks questions regarding my...

With the fast paced lifestyle many families are living today, most don’t have the time to put a healthy, delicious meal on the table for dinner. It may be easier and more convenient to go through a drive-thru, order a pizza or some other unhealthy, non-nutritious food from a restaurant. But for many of us who are looking to be healthier, lose a few pounds/inches, and/or teach our children better eating habits, what good does that do for us? I have found that using my crockpot has helped me and my family in more ways than one. It is super easy just throwing a bunch of ingredients in to the crockpot, turning it on low and then letting the crockpot work its magic. When you come home from work later that night, you have dinner ready to go and the family can sit down to a hot, cooked meal and you don’t have to feel the added stress about what to feed your hungry family.  

One of my favorite “go to” crockpot recipes is super delicious, figure friendly, and...

Did you know massage therapists in Illinois need 750 hours of learning and training to qualify for licensing?  A typical curriculum would consist of Anatomy 1 and 2, Pathology, Physiology,  Kinesiology, Palpation, Clinical integration, Ethics, Hydrotherapy, and Alternative complementary therapies.

A skilled massage therapist should know how to assess a range of motion for all joints, assess your gate and posture upon viewing, utilize Orthopedic testing if necessary, assess your information from your intake form, and talk to you about your concerns.

After doing these things, massage therapists should be able to use their knowledge of anatomy and massage therapy to devise a plan for treating you that day. Usually, our goal is to find the source of your pain and eradicate it through various massage techniques and modalities.

Sometimes the therapist may check for pain or abnormalities in areas other than where you are experiencing localized pain because often times the source...

Deciding to take the plunge into parenthood in itself is a big challenge. But before you do that, pause for a second – or even a month or two. In order to give yourself the best opportunity for a healthy pregnancy and ultimately a healthy baby, here are the top 5 things you need to know and do before trying to hop on the conception train. At North Shore Pro-Active Health we see patients, pre -conception, pre-natal, during pregnancy, post partum and even adjust our smallest patients within 5 minutes of birth!  Pre-conception is a very important time as you can change the DNA of your follicles, which leads to the DNA of your fetus!

1. Schedule a Prenatal Checkup

Schedule an appointment with your chiropractor, midwife, ob/gyn, or family practice physician for a preconception health check. At North Shore Pro-Active Health we will thoroughly analyze your personal medical history, family history, any supplements or medications that you are on, etc. We may...