The Wellness Way- Granville

01/02/2026

💪✨ PROTEIN: The Most Underrated Superfood ✨💪

Most people are not eating enough protein — and that includes healthy adults, athletes, and especially our older population. Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders. It’s foundational to nearly every system in your body. Let’s break it down 👇

🧬 Protein is rich in essential amino acids — the building blocks your body can’t make on its own. These are crucial for:

🔥 Muscle strength & growth
🧠 Mental clarity & mood stability
🦴 Bone density & joint support
💅 Hair, skin, and nail health
🛡️ Immune system defense
🧃 Blood sugar regulation
⚙️ Hormone production
💥 Mitochondrial (energy) function
🦠 Gut repair & detoxification

And yes… longevity & vitality too. Especially as we age.

📏 General rule of thumb? Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of your ideal body weight.
👉 So if you want to weigh 150 lbs, aim for ~150 grams of protein per day (spread across meals).

🙌 The population I’m most concerned about? Older adults.
Many stop eating as much after retirement — appetite drops, movement slows, and protein intake tanks. The result?

🚶‍♀️ Loss of mobility
💤 Poor recovery
🪑 Muscle wasting & fatigue
❌ Increased falls & hospitalizations

It doesn’t have to be this way. Prioritizing protein can dramatically improve strength, stability, endurance, and mental well-being — at ANY age. It's one of the simplest and most powerful upgrades you can make for a longer, healthier life 💖

👩‍🍳 Easy ways to get more protein:

🥚 Eggs, meats, fish, organ meats
🫘 Lentils, chickpeas
🧀 Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
🌰 Nuts & Seeds
🥤 Quality protein shakes (whey, collagen, bone broth, or plant-based)

**One of the easiest hacks in getting enough protein in daily is to make a quick protein shake. My personal favorite brand is Equip Protein which is third party tested for heavy metals, pesticides/herbicides and is meat based not dairy derived. If you go to www.alexanderikawellness.com under products you will find it and you can use "GRUBISH15" at checkout for 15% off your first purchase.**

**If you are unhealthy and do not know where to start one of the most powerful resets you can do for you body to get enough protein is a carnivore diet where you only eat meat and salt**

📍Let’s make Licking County the strongest, healthiest, most vibrant community in Ohio!

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01/01/2026

🚫🍭 NO SUGAR. NEW YOU. 🍭🚫
Licking County friends — we’re kicking off 2026 with a clean slate and clear minds. Why? Because sugar is silently wrecking your health… and it’s time to fight back. 💪✨

👉 Did you know excess sugar can contribute to:
🧠 Brain fog, dementia & Alzheimer’s
💔 Heart disease & high blood pressure
🦴 Arthritis & cartilage degeneration
🍔 Obesity & stubborn weight gain
🧬 Insulin resistance & Type 2 diabetes
👁️ Vision problems & eye degeneration
🍄 Weakened immunity & yeast overgrowth
🏷️ Skin tags
💪🏻 Hormonal imbalances like low testosterone
🔥 Chronic inflammation
🍷 Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
⚡ Nerve damage & neuropathy
🦷 Tooth decay & cavities

…and even cancer risk 📉

😳 And we’re consuming it every day—in our coffee, sauces, cereal, snacks, breads, pastas, alcohol, and even so-called “healthy” foods.
But not this month. 🙅‍♀️🙅‍♂️

🎉 Join The Wellness Way for our No Sugar Challenge all January long!
We’re saying NO to sugar and YES to:
🌿 Clarity
🌿 Energy
🌿 Healthy hormones
🌿 Strong immunity
🌿 Radiant skin
🌿 Joint comfort
🌿 And a more vibrant YOU!

✨ You’ll be shocked how much better you feel when sugar is out of your system — and we’re here to support you every step of the way! 💚

📍Local to Licking County, Ohio? Let’s build a healthier community together, one day at a time. You in? 💥

👇 Comment “I’M IN!” to get connected, inspired, and sugar-free.

Here is the No Sugar guidelines:

Foods to Enjoy:https://www.thewellnessway.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/NS-Foods-to-Enjoy.pdf

Foods to Avoid:https://www.thewellnessway.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/NS-Foods-to-Avoid.pdf

Tag a friend who needs this challenge 👯‍♀️👯‍♂️

01/01/2026

Part 1- and there’s more where this came from.

What things are you leaving behind?

01/01/2026

Happy new year!!!!!
We see so excited to do health with you in 2026 ❤️
May this year bring the healing changes you have been working toward.

If this is the start of your journey, we’re here with you the entire way!!

Let’s go!!!

12/31/2025

💡Why It Matters — Root Cause Benefits of Mouth Taping:
😴 1. Better Sleep Quality & Deeper Rest

Mouth breathing = light, disturbed sleep 😕

Nasal breathing = calm, parasympathetic, deep sleep 🧘‍♂️🛌
➡️ Mouth taping helps maintain nasal breathing all night, reducing micro-awakenings and improving time spent in restorative deep and REM sleep.

🦷 2. Oral Health Superpower

Mouth breathing dries out saliva 😬 — your first line of defense against bacteria.

This leads to cavities, gum issues, and halitosis (bad breath).
✅ Mouth taping supports saliva production and natural oral cleansing.

👃 3. Natural Nitric Oxide Boost

Nasal breathing increases nitric oxide—a molecule that supports:

Blood flow 💓

Immune function 🛡️

Cognitive clarity 🧠

Cardiovascular health 🫀
📈 Nitric oxide is a big deal—your nose produces 6x more when you breathe through it!

🧠 4. Cortisol & Stress Regulation

Mouth breathing is associated with shallow chest breathing = stress response 🚨

Nasal breathing activates the diaphragm and calms the nervous system.
❤️ Lower nighttime cortisol = less anxiety, better mood, and balanced hormones.

💤 5. Mild Sleep Apnea & Snoring

Mouth breathing can worsen airway collapse and increase snoring or mild apnea.
✅ Gentle mouth taping can help keep the tongue positioned properly and support airway stability.
🎯 Especially helpful when paired with tongue strengthening (e.g., myofunctional therapy).

🏡 Especially Relevant for Licking County Locals:

With seasonal allergies 🌼, sinus congestion 🤧, or indoor heating in winter ❄️—residents of Licking County, OH may unintentionally fall into mouth breathing.

🛏️🌿 Functional Summary:

Mouth taping is more than just a sleep hack—it's a holistic intervention that:

🌙 Enhances sleep depth

🦠 Improves oral and immune health

💨 Boosts nitric oxide

😌 Reduces stress load and cortisol

🌬️ Promotes clean, oxygen-rich breathing

Looking for a good quality brand for mouth taping? Follow this link:

https://hostagetape.com/products/buy?snowball=ALEX93909

📣 Let’s Keep Spreading Breath-Based Health in !

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12/30/2025

🌿💩 Why Am I Always Running to the Bathroom?! Let’s Talk Diarrhea 💩🌿
Yes, it’s awkward—but your body is talking to you and it’s time to listen 👂✨

Diarrhea isn’t just an inconvenience. It can be a clue your gut, immune system, or even brain 🧠 are asking for help!

Here are some functional medicine root causes to consider:

🌱 1. Dysbiosis – When gut bacteria are out of balance ⚖️ (too many bad bugs or not enough good ones), your digestion gets chaotic! Think bloating, urgency, and loose stools.
→ 👾 Parasites, bad bacteria, or yeast overgrowth can all play a role.

🥬 2. Lack of Prebiotics – Your gut bugs love fiber that feeds them—especially ones that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate. Without this? Poor gut barrier, inflammation, and yes… more diarrhea.
→ Solution: Eat those 🥦🥕🍌!

🚨 3. Food Sensitivities – Gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy… the list varies person to person. These can cause inflammation in the gut lining → diarrhea.
→ Ever tried an elimination diet?

🌿 4. Mold Exposure – Yep, toxic mold can trigger chronic diarrhea, brain fog, fatigue, and more. Ohio basements, anyone?
→ Test your environment (and your body).

🧠 5. Vagus Nerve Dysfunction – Your brain and gut are besties. If the vagus nerve isn’t firing well (from chronic stress, trauma, or injury), digestion slows down in some areas and speeds up in others = 💩
→ Try breathwork, humming, gargling, or cold exposure to tone it!

🧬 6. Nutrient Deficiencies – Zinc, magnesium, B12, and fat-soluble vitamins are often lost during chronic diarrhea… but also necessary to STOP it.
→ Are you absorbing your nutrients?

💊 7. Medications or Antibiotics – Even months later, these can disrupt your gut microbiome. Time to rebuild.

Don’t ignore your gut—it’s the seat of your health!
Chronic diarrhea is a signal, not a diagnosis. Get curious, not scared. Start with a stool test 🧫, food journal 📓, or micronutrient panel.

🙌 Functional medicine focuses on why symptoms are happening, not just masking them.

📍Local to ?
Here’s to better digestion in Newark, Granville, Heath & beyond! 💚
Whether it’s farm-fresh food 🥬 or fixing that musty basement 🧰—healing starts at home.

💩💚

12/29/2025

Our office is out of power today due to the wind damage!
We will still be seeing patients in office after 9am (when we can actually see 🤣)

Our phones will not be working today.

Please contact 740-404-6487
For any needs today! You may call or text this number!

You can also go to our website to schedule your appointments!

Our chiropractic and functional medicine doctors focus on root causes of stressors on a body. Chiropractic, PT, and wellness consults.

12/29/2025

🌙✨ MELATONIN: More Than Just a Sleep Hormone ✨🌙

Most people think of melatonin as just the "sleep hormone" 🛌... but did you know it’s actually one of the most powerful antioxidants in your entire body? 💥🧬

Yes — melatonin neutralizes free radicals, protects mitochondria 🧠💪, and supports immune resilience. It’s made not just in the pineal gland, but also in the gut, skin, bone marrow, and even your mitochondria! 🔥

🌅 Why You Feel Sleepy After a Day in the Sun
Ever notice how being outside on a sunny day ☀️🏖️ totally wipes you out (in the best way)? That’s because melatonin receptors are found all over your body, and they respond to natural light cycles.

Even firelight 🔥 and candlelight 🕯️ soothe us because they mimic natural sunset hues — signaling to the brain, "Time to wind down."

🚫 But Blue Light is the Enemy...
Phones, TVs, and LED lights 📱💻 keep blasting blue light, which blocks melatonin production 😬
👉 Pro tip: Use blue light blockers 🕶️ at night or install apps like f.lux or Night Shift.

💤 Supplementing with Melatonin? No, It Doesn’t Shut You Down
Contrary to common fear, melatonin supplementation doesn’t shut off your natural production. Why? Because your body's melatonin rhythm is tied to light exposure, not just supplementation.
So whether it's 0.3 mg or 3 mg, you’re just supporting a deficient system, not replacing it. ✔️

😴🧠 Melatonin and Hormones
Low melatonin = high cortisol.
High cortisol (especially at night) = anxiety, insomnia, belly fat, hormone imbalance, burnout 🚨
Keeping melatonin strong helps keep cortisol in check, so your body can rest, repair, and regulate hormones effectively.

🌃 Night Shift? Let’s Talk.
Working overnight or rotating shifts? This can cause a major disruption to your circadian rhythm, increasing risk for:
🔸 Hormonal imbalances
🔸 Insulin resistance
🔸 Mood disorders
🔸 Gut dysbiosis
🔸 Even cancer risk (studies suggest long-term night shift work is a possible carcinogen) 😱

→ If you’re a night shift warrior 💪🩺, your melatonin system needs extra support. Red-light therapy, darkening your bedroom, and melatonin timing protocols can help.

💡 Bottom Line:
Melatonin isn’t just for sleep — it’s a master antioxidant, hormone modulator, and circadian rhythm regulator. Protect it like your health depends on it… because it does! 🌌💛

📍 Serving wellness from Newark to Granville, Heath to Johnstown — let’s rise and rest in sync with nature 🌾🌕

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from our team to you and your family ❤️❤️❤️🙏🎄🎄

12/23/2025

🚨 What is a Herxheimer Reaction? 🤔
Also known as a “healing crisis,” this is something many people experience when starting a detox, antimicrobial herbs, or certain supplements. It's a normal (though not always pleasant!) sign that your body is releasing toxins faster than it can eliminate them. 💥💪

✨ Common Herx symptoms may include:
😵 Brain fog
😴 Fatigue
🌊 Skin rashes or breakouts
🛌 Changes in sleep
🩸 Changes in your menstrual cycle
🦴 Joint or muscle aches
😟 Anxiety or mood swings

Don’t panic! This doesn’t mean anything is “wrong”—in fact, it often means your protocol is working! 🙌 But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it. The goal is to support your detox pathways and slow things down if needed. 🌀

🛠️ How to support your body through a Herx:
🥤 Drink extra spring water with ½ a lemon chopped in (lemons help your liver & lymph!)
💩 Make sure you're having daily bowel movements—your gut is your exit ramp 🚽
🌿 Lower the dosage of supplements if symptoms are too intense
⚫️ Take activated charcoal or binders to help trap and remove toxins
🧘‍♀️ Rest, breathe, and support your nervous system (like getting adjusted)—this is temporary!

💡 Remember: It’s okay to go slower. Healing is not a race. 🐢💚
A Herx reaction isn’t dangerous in most cases, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s a good time to check in with your holistic or functional health provider for guidance. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

🌿 Trust the process. Support the pathways. Stay hydrated. Move your lymph. You've got this! 💪💧

📍Local to Licking County?
We see Herx reactions a lot around here, especially as more people dive into detox, gut repair, and herbal protocols. You are not alone on your healing journey! 🫶

👇Drop a comment if you’ve experienced a Herx—and what helped you through it!
Let’s support each other. 💚

12/20/2025

🌍✨ GROUNDING: It’s Not Woo—It’s Science! 🧬🦶
Feeling stressed, inflamed, or out of balance? Your nervous system might just need a dose of good ol’ barefoot earth.

👣 What is Grounding (Earthing)?
It’s the simple practice of walking barefoot on natural surfaces like grass, soil, or sand—allowing your body to physically connect with the Earth’s surface electrons.

💡 Here’s How It Works:
The Earth carries a subtle negative charge. When we make direct skin contact (think bare feet on the grass!), our bodies absorb these free electrons, which may help:

🌿 Neutralize free radicals (less oxidative stress)
🧘 Reduce cortisol levels (calms the stress response)
🔥 Decrease inflammation
🛌 Improve sleep quality (by supporting circadian rhythms)
💓 Enhance heart rate variability (a marker of vagal tone + resilience)

Basically—Mother Earth is the OG antioxidant 💥🌎

🧪 Studies have shown grounding can shift brainwaves and nervous system tone, supporting parasympathetic (rest + digest) activity. It can also thin the blood slightly, improving circulation 🌬️💖

📍Licking County Locals — we are surrounded by grounding opportunities:
🌳 Dawes Arboretum
🌲 Lobdell Reserve Trails
🌞 Your own backyard after a rain
🧺 Take a picnic, ditch the shoes, and soak in the calm!

💬 Pro Tip: Start with 10–20 minutes a day. Morning dew? Even better—water amplifies conductivity! ⚡

👇 Who’s grounding today? Drop a 🌱 if you're giving your nervous system some Earth medicine!

Don't like the cold season? No problem, they have grounding mats, pillows cases, bed sheets, blankets, etc to have better control over weather restrictions or just lack of time. You simply plug these into the outlet in your home and lay on the devices and you are grounded! Here is a link to a reputable site that sells good quality grounding products:

https://www.ultimatelongevity.com/earthing-grounding/products/ground-therapy-sleep-mat.shtml?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22981303679&gbraid=0AAAAADsUfCy5lpm-rFkCACl3pGyH3iV7E&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5nKBhCpARIsACa_NiM4Z4qILVA4jQ6QlyQQ3VbhTEfTwwHxGv8O1wmNOjn3ESNQZQ9d7nYaAqltEALw_wcB&variantId=40344028413994