Dr. Elise Rigney and her practices, Impact Chiropractic and Impact Medical, have been a part of the Northern Colorado community since 2012. We sat down with Dr. Rigney and asked her how she tackles it all with her growing practice, two daughters, a husband and a full social calendar. Her answer? Self-care.
We've been hearing this word thrown around a lot lately, but it's an important piece of what keeps us, us. We overwork, cancel our yoga classes, cut back on socializing and even skip a few meals from time to time. This fast-paced lifestyle can take a toll on our physical, mental and emotional well-being. To keep up with this Energizer Bunny way of working, we often put self-care on the back burner. More often than not, it takes a wake-up call to notice the toll this kind of lifestyle takes on our lives. No matter how indulgent it may sound, self-care is crucial for our physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Dr. Rigney's self-care rituals are all preventative and holistic so that her mind, body and social health are all taken care of.
1. Dr. Rigney receives an IV of stem cells annually. For her, it's a regenerative medicine routine to secure prevention. Preventative stem cell therapy is meant to decrease inflammation and degeneration within the body while also helping to prevent future orthopedic and neurological issues.
2. Acupuncture remedies the surface effects of aging by triggering a self-repair response in the skin and addressing the internal stressors that contribute to the signs of aging. It is the only targeted beauty treatment with direct health and well-being benefits. While it is recommended to start in your 30s, this ancient treatment has been known to produce results no matter how old you are when you decide to start treatment. It helps to stimulate collagen and can often eliminate the need for botox. For those seeking holistic remedies to aging, Dr. Rigney recommends cosmetic acupuncture because it is an excellent alternative to traditional chemical-based treatments. Dr. Rigney also receives full-body acupuncture at the same time as her cosmetic treatment to help with hormone balancing and digestive health.
3. Dr. Rigney is often asked to speak at conferences and is regularly interviewed within her profession. To prepare for these opportunities, she tries to read two to six books per month in order to constantly stay educated and to fuel her brain. She regularly spends her reading time on her Amethyst Biomat as a way to "multi-task" her self-care routine. The Biomat helps to decrease muscle pain, increases circulation, reduces inflammation and improve overall health.
4. Every morning, Dr. Rigney's routine consists of bulletproof coffee and apple cider vinegar. She takes a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar daily in order to help alkalize her body to prevent candida and abnormal cell growth. Dr. Rigney also likes to start her day with bulletproof coffee, which increases her body's ability to burn fat for energy.
5. With a busy social calendar, Dr. Rigney considers herself an extrovert. In order to fulfill her social self-care needs, she loves to spend time with friends who are other local female business owners that she adores. They regularly get together over a glass of wine and spend time together in mastermind sessions that focus on their businesses and their impact on this community.
6. For Dr. Rigney, family dinners are part of her self-care rituals. Non-negotiables, like family dinner, are important for balance in her busy life. It is one way she can keep the balance between owning multiple businesses, being a doctor, a speaker, and a mom and wife.
"Time together as a family over a healthy meal is an important daily ritual we have established. I'm grateful to have a husband who is a chef and plates healthy meals every evening for our family. We try to eat organic, seasonal, grass-fed, nonGMO dishes. We live by Hippocrates quote, 'Let food be thy medicine.'"
Her husband, Rocky, a classically trained chef, serves healthy and abundant meals to his family after a long day. A local realtor with HomeSmart, Rocky makes it a priority to curate from-scratch meals for his girls. Learn more about Rocky at RealtyFortCollins.com.
Herb-Encrusted Chicken Breast with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cremini Mushrooms
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
Remove chicken from package, and massage with oil. Add herbs, salt and pepper to plate and lay each side of breast in mixture until evenly coated. Using a large cast-iron skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat until the butter starts to brown. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan and allow each side to sear until golden brown. Ensure that the internal temperature of the middle of the chicken breasts reads at least 165 F, roughly 5 minutes per side. Feel free to butterfly chicken toward the end to expedite cooking.
For the vegetables:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, stems and outer leaves removed
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons chicken stock (Note: You can also use beer or wine)
1 package cremini mushrooms, washed and quartered
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt butter until just brown. Add all ingredients to pan and saute until sprouts start to brown and a thick sauce is created from butter and vinegar. Stir often.
For the white wine cream sauce:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, more if needed
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
Sea salt, to taste
Optional: 2 tablespoons white wine or IPA for added flavor
Directions
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, and add cheese and seasonings. Allow sauce to slightly boil until desired thickness is reached. You can always use a slurry to thicken to reach desired thickness.
For the pepper garnish:
1 red bell pepper
1 large poblano pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic reduction
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a small saute pan, add all ingredients and cook over medium-high heat. Saute peppers until they start to char.