Cracking the Code to the Healthiest Town in America - Highlands Ranch, CO

Highlands Ranch, Colorado is a bedroom community located about 25 miles south of Denver, CO.  According to Money Magazine and Forbes, Highlands Ranch, CO is the healthiest place to live in America.  What is their secret and why can’t the rest of the country catch on?  Dr. Nick Caras of Highlands Ranch sheds his insights on what makes his community the healthiest in the nation.

Highlands Ranch chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner believes he may know the answer.  Dr. Nick Caras of Premier Chiropractic & Natural Medicine in Highlands Ranch is the owner and chiropractic physician of the largest paleo chiropractic clinic in “the healthiest town in America” – Highlands Ranch, CO.  He is also the author of two books, “Detoxify Your Lifestyle” and more recently “The Non-Stop Paleo Life.”

Dr. Nick Caras has been in private practice since 2004 and since that time has been teaching what he has now coined “The Non-Stop Paleo Lifestyle.”  His mission and goal is to help as many families achieve true health and optimal well-being as he possibly can.  Through functional medicine, diet, nutrition, detoxification protocols, high-intensity exercise regimes, as well as many other factors in overall health, Dr. Caras has been helping one Highlands Ranch resident at a time to achieve overall health.

Let’s dive in!  First of all, what is the criteria that was measured to find the healthiest community in America.  Of course, they wanted to look at low rates of heart disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, and other common conditions.  They also wanted to look at factors such as the number of doctors and hospitals in the area as well as what people stated as far as “how they feel.”  A healthy mindset is correlated to how you feel.  They didn’t just look at obesity rates in adults, they counted children as well since childhood obesity is becoming a major epidemic in some parts of the country.

So, what makes Highlands Ranch so different from the rest of the country?  First and foremost, we are a very active community from a physical fitness standpoint.  From our four (free of charge) state of the art rec centers, vast number of open-spaces to run, bike, or hike, to an array of playgrounds and parks; there is something for everyone in Highlands Ranch.  Our elementary schools, middle schools and high schools are top-notch with regards to academics and athletics, and our children’s athletic programs are abundant.  It’s not just for kids, there are a variety of adult sports leagues almost every night of the week as well.  In Highlands Ranch, there is an activity or sport for everyone.  As a Chiropractor and functional medicine doctor, I believe staying active is just one of the key components to why Highlands Ranch is rated as the healthiest community in the country.

On top of our active lifestyle, we have a plethora of all-natural, organic places to dine and shop at.  There are actually two Whole Foods Markets in the area, a natural grocery store, and a great farmers market each Sunday where you can pick up local & organic produce, meats, fish, and other healthy foods.  There are many local restaurants that prepare and serve all-natural, organic and local foods as well for those nights you want to dine out.

So what is the secret to Highlands Ranch being ranked the #1 healthiest community in America?  Is it just the healthy food and all the exercise options?  I believe it goes well beyond that.  I think we have great doctors, both western and eastern medicine, we have great people who go beyond the call of duty to help out their fellow neighbor, our school system is constantly ranked one of the best in the nation, and our open space trails in Highlands Ranch are second to none.  Another often overlooked factor is our weather.  With sunshine around 300 days a year, the weather here is second to none which makes it so easy to stay active and get proper vitamin D from sun exposure.

Just like the state of your health today, there is not just one factor, there are many factors and our little community 25 miles south of Denver has put many of these factors together and have come up with the healthiest community in America and I am honored to be a part of it.  I have tried to put all these factors together in one simple program and coined it the Non-Stop Paleo Lifestyle.  The goal is to put together a program that combines diet, exercise, nutrition, supplements, toxicity reduction & detoxification protocols, and how to keep a healthy mindset all together so you too can be healthy, have healthy relationships, and raise a healthy, happy family.

When I first opened up my doors to my Highlands Ranch chiropractic clinic, my goal was to help make Highlands Ranch, CO the healthiest community in the world!  According to money magazine, we are #1 in the country and must keep helping and teaching anyone in our community where true health comes from.  By helping one person at a time, we can start to make real progress in the future of our health care.

Dr. Nick Caras can be reached at his virtual office at www.NonStopPaleo.com  for more information on his 8 week Paleo Lifestyle Boot-Camp.

If you happen to live in the Highlands Ranch, CO area, you can reach Dr. Caras at his Highlands Ranch Clinic at www.DetoxifyYourLifestyle.com or by phone at (303) 346-4949.

You can also purchase Dr. Caras’ book: “The Non-Stop Paleo Life – How to hack your way to a Healthy Life” on Amazon today.