December 2024
<— Signing over 35 years (with a smile) to his favorite associate.
It’s been almost a year since Watson Chiropractic became Mesa Natural Health Chiropractic, and we are going strong and loving every minute of it! We are so thankful for all our patients and their patience as we navigated all the things that come with such a big change. (Including Dr. Silveira’s penchant for remodeling.) We’d love to share what’s happened this year, what’s happening this month and what’s coming in the new year ahead!
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We’ve been working our butts off since February to prepare to switch to a better medical software that makes OUR job easier, and gives YOU a better experience. As of Monday, December 2nd, all appointments will be scheduled in the new program. You may get an email from Mesa Natural Health via Jane App, where there will be a button to set up your new patient portal. It’s super convenient and easy to use. We haven’t enabled online scheduling yet, because we have to make sure we know how to do it before we have patients do it themselves! But you can still see your appointments, manage your notification preferences, save a card on file for a faster in-office experience, and pay bills if needed. If you have any issues with the new program and need help, feel free to ask the staff and we’ll figure it out together!
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We highlight a different supplement or product each month at our office! December brings cold, and with it……colds. Let’s just get this out of the way first: No, being out in the cold does not make you sick, although we can all hear our grandma’s voice yelling “put your jacket on, you’ll catch your death!” Here are the connections: Being in the cold can weaken your immune system, and dry air can make your nasal passages irritated and less likely to filter germs. Not to mention that when it’s cold outside, our noses gets runny, and we tend to wipe our nose with our hands (usually fairly covered in germs). All these things in play, we put ourselves in a room full of children and aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends and neighbors and that one cousin that doesn’t cover his mouth when he coughs….. and suddenly we’re sick. So to help prevent that, this month we’re offering 15% off on our immune warriors: Vitamin D3, Immune Active, and Liposomal Vitamin C. Stop in any time and grab your vitamin boosters!
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As some of you may know, Dr. Silveira has been making natural skin care products for the last decade or so. She started doing research about all the ingredients in the fancy, expensive soaps and scrubs and facial oils, and was, quite frankly, horrified. Being an overachiever of the highest degree, she knew she could do better. So she spent months formulating, calculating and crying until she came up with the perfect recipe for bar soap that was COMPLETELY natural. No additives, no preservatives, no fragrances (just essential oils). The only chemical included is sodium hydroxide (lye) and that’s because you can’t make soap without it. The lye is “saponified” in the process so that it’s no longer caustic.
BUT WAIT! She couldn’t claim that her soap was all natural when it would touch plastic equipment. So not only is there nothing gross in the soap, it didn’t touch anything gross either. All the equipment and packaging is as eco-friendly and natural as possible. Bowls are glass, spoons are wood, soap molds are wood, packaging is compostable, etc.
She’s developed five different “flavors” of soap over the years, multiple sugar scrubs, and custom facial oils. She’s made a batch of each over the last week just for you (don’t look at her kitchen), and they will be available in office soon, so be sure and pick up some stocking stuffers while supplies last!
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We’re always looking ahead! Since we’ll only do this newsletter quarterly (we don’t like to flood your email if we can help it), we’ll let you know what’s coming up between now and April!
Historically, we haven’t been great at social media. We’re going to try to be better though. So be sure to follow us on Instagram!
Monthly Specials:
January: New Year, New (Healthier) You! 15% off Multi-Vitamins
February: Heart Health Month! 15% off CoQ10, Fish Oil, and Vitamin C
March: If you party like the Irish, you may need liver support. 15% off phosphatidylcholine and LV-GB
Fun Stuff
Dr. Silveira’s Famous Rice Krispie Treats
There is absolutely nothing tricky about this recipe. Being that Dr. S absolutely hates cooking, but loves this treat, she just threw a bunch of stuff in a pot and hoped for the best. Turns out, these are the best rice krispie treats you’ll ever eat. The secret? More butter than you think. (Isn’t that always the secret?)
Ingredients:
Rice Krispies Cereal
1 bag of marshmallows
1 stick of butter
A buttered 9x12 baking dish
Wax paper
Directions:
Melt an entire stick of butter in a big ol’ pot. You heard me. An ENTIRE stick. Most recipes call for a few tablespoons and that’s just silly.
Pour in about half the bag of marshmallows.
Stir until completely melted (no lumps left)
Turn off heat and pour in rice krispies cereal, stirring until it’s all mixed to your preferred level of goopy.
Pour into baking dish, level out with a silicone spatula. Put a piece of wax paper over the top to help you smooth it out without the spatula sticking to the treats. (Genius, right? That’s why she’s a doctor.)
Let cool for about as long as you can stand it, then eat the entire dish. You’ll do better in January.
Heather’s French Onion Pastry Braid
Ingredients:
2 yellow onions, sliced thinly
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 c beef broth
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 box puff pastry (there are two pastry sheets per box)
4 slices Swiss cheese (or 1/4 grated)
4 slices smoked provolone (or 1/4 c grated)
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
Chopped chives for garnish, if desired
Directions:1. Thaw your puff pastry according to the instructions on the box. This usually takes about 40 minutes and this will give you enough time to cook down the onions.
2. Place a medium, heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the onions all at once. Allow onions to cook undisturbed for a few minutes, then stir in thyme. Place lid on the pan and allow to onions to cook for a few minutes at a time, letting them sit and then stirring well and reducing heat as needed if they start to burn. The onions will begin to brown and break down like an onion jam.
3. When onions are entirely browned and completely soft (this may take about 40 minutes) add your beef broth a few tablespoons at a time to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pan as the liquid evaporates. Add your pats of butter and stir while they melt. Remove from heat to cool while you prep the pastry sheets. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
5. Lay your pastry sheets down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat. Cut slits one inch apart at an angle from each other on both sides of the puff pastry. (See photo)
6. Cut your cheese slices in half and lay the smoked provolone along the center of the pastries. Scoop onion mixture evenly into the middle of the pastry sheets and spread to the edges of the cut slits. Top with your cut Swiss cheese slices.
7. Starting at the top, fold the pastry strips over the filling while alternating sides. Repeat with second sheet. Once braids are complete you can transfer them to the same cookie sheet a few inches apart (they do puff, after all!). In a small bowl mix your egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash on braids with pastry brush.
8. Place in oven and bake for 25-35 minutes (depending on oven). Check braid often and take out when golden brown. Let cool slightly, top with chopped chives if desired, and enjoy!
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All of them.
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“Try icing it.”
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Frostbite.
