Life needs Motion!

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ID-10030974Roger Sperry, the recipient of the Nobel Prize in 1982 for his work in brain research, stated

“The more structurally distorted we are, the less energy we have for metabolism, for healing and for thinking.”

This is Chiropractic 101!

Without movement you could not sustain life. Blood cells that don’t move cannot transport oxygen, lungs that don’t move cannot breath, hearts that don’t move can’t pump blood, and spines that don’t move can’t create the motion needed for proper joint nutrition, proper body mechanics, or stimulation of the joint-brain pathways required for the regulation of hundreds of internal functions your body performs each and every day.

Movement and alignment of the spine is required for healthy brain function, specifically the coordination of activities such as concentration and learning, emotions, motor control and organ function.

Chiropractors ensure your spinal joints are moving the way they were designed to, so that YOU can move, think and feel the way you were designed to!

Fall Yard Work – Tips to Avoid Injury

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ID-100198746Working outdoors in your garden and yard is a great form of physical activity, even better if it’s something you are passionate about. The fresh air and sunshine boost your immune system, and often support feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

This fall while cleaning up your yard, consider these tips to protect your body and avoid injury:

1) While mowing the lawn, keep your head up and stand directly behind the mower so you can keep your hips and shoulders in line with your spine. Push the mower uphill rather than pulling. Always use both hands rather pushing  or twisting with one.

2) When working in the dirt, crouch down, sit on a stool, or squat instead of bending at the waist which can strain the joints in the low back. Bend your knees when lifting anything so that you can use the strength of your legs. Keep yard waste bags close to your body while lifting them.

3) Hold a rake with one hand at shoulder height, one hand at waist level and walk or drag the pile.

Most importantly, vary your tasks, take breaks when necessary, and ask for help with heavy items.

Avoid staying in prolonged postures involving the lower back and neck.

Your best bet for protecting your back? Consider Chiropractic care! Waiting until symptoms appear before taking care of your body often can make the problems worse, ultimately causing them to take longer to heal. Chiropractors assess your posture and spinal joints to ensure they are moving properly and that your body is physically balanced – optimizing your ability to feel and function your best!

Reproductive Health & Chiropractic

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315948dr6jlzqncEvery part of your body works better with a spine that is moving properly.  

Problems with reproductive health in both men and women such as menstrual irregularity, fertility issues, PMS,  menopause, and impotence have shown improvement and resolved with chiropractic care. We’ve seen many people find support and relief!

Spinal misalignments called vertebral subluxations cause muscle imbalances, joint irritation, inflammation, and early degeneration.  Spinal subluxations alter the healthy mechanical and neurological functions in the body. Subluxations weaken all organ systems, leading to sickness, pain,  and a lesser quality of life. Doctors of Chiropractic correct spinal subluxations to restore proper motion and function within the body.

Subluxations in the lumbar spine and hips and can lead to dysfunction of the internal organs in the lower abdomen, particularly the bladder, bowels, ovaries, uterus, and prostate gland. Many people find relief when they support their body naturally, and  when combined with other lifestyle changes they feel and function better.

Instead of relying on medications (with side effects!) help your body heal from the inside-out. Consider Chiropractic first!

Disclaimer: Chiropractic care supports overall health and healing, but is not a cure or treatment for infertility or reproductive issues.

It’s About Power!

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purple NSI make house-calls – to the little boy with a fever, the woman suffering from seizures, the infant crying all night, the woman struggling with anxiety and depression. Not a single one of those house-calls was because they had back pain, nor is it the reason I am in practice.

 

There is a magnificent power that organizes your body, regulates all functions, helps you heal, and gives you life. It’s a master internal intelligence network responsible for everything your body does. Every cell, every organ, every muscle, every tissue is under the direct influence of this intelligence. This power comes from your brain, and flows down your spinal cord.

Chiropractic adjustments work because they realign your spine and restore the power in your body, allowing the life in your body to flow without obstruction.

Healing happens from above-down and from the inside-out. It’s the only way.

When you have spinal subluxations, your body cannot work properly. It’s that simple. Pressure on your spinal cord obstructs the ability of your perfectly designed body to organize itself, to grow, to heal, to think clearly, to be happy, to digest, to reproduce, to eliminate, to breathe and to move. This is why when you choose chiropractic your whole health changes over time, and problems you weren’t even aware of disappear.

This is why the boy with a fever, the woman with seizures, the crying infant, and the woman with depression all experience profound changes in their body, in their mind, and in their life. It’s why people I have adjusted have been able to conceive, recover from lifelong constant infections, get off antidepressants, and walk again. It’s why infants have their spines checked within weeks of being born. It’s why people feel euphoric after being adjusted.

And yes, it’s why back/neck/hip/leg/shoulder/elbow/foot/wrist/jaw pain goes away too.

Chiropractors don’t heal,  YOU do. We remove the power obstructions and help facilitate the process, while giving you support along the way.

Sometimes healing is fast, sometimes it is slow, we have no control over the process, but certainly the way you live your life outside of this office has a tremendous impact.

If we haven’t yet discussed your food intake, your exercise habits, your quality of life and general sense of peace and happiness, you are not healing as well as you should be. Consider what we need to address next, and let me know. We’ll reserve more time on your next visit.

You deserve to be thriving in all facets of your life, not just surviving. Allowing your body to properly communicate with itself is the best place to start.

Pack Them Light and Wear Them Right!

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ID-100103394Every school year starts the same for me.  While dropping my sons off at school in the morning I watch all the kids strut their stuff with their new gear, and I am reminded how backpacks can affect children’s spine and posture!

I routinely check the backpack of all the children in the practice every September, and conduct clinics and posture check-ups in the schools.

Here are my top tips to keep in mind for your children:

1) Choose a pack that FITS them! With the straps adjusted so that it sits on their shoulders, the bottom of the pack should rest either in their mid-lower back or just above their hips. A pack that is too small can strain the upper back. A pack that is too large will strain their shoulders, cause them to lean forward, and pull their centre of gravity down (which can make them more likely to lose their balance). Packs that are too large also make it easier to overfill them!

2) The total weight children should be carrying in their backpacks is roughly 10% of their body weight. Teens in grades 9-12 can carry up to 15%.  Weigh your child, and then weigh them with their pack on. Modify what they carry as needed, and remind them to remove the pack when possible if standing for prolonged periods of time.

3) Remind your children to use both straps and adjust them so that the pack fits snugly. With a proper fit you should be able to slide your hand between the backpack and your back. Using the waist strap helps reduce the strain on their back and transfers some of the load to their hips.

Why is this important? Because the majority of spinal problems we see in adults orginate in childhood! Prevent your child from developing poor posture and poor health by adding a Chiropractor to the team of health professionals who care for them. 

Get a Leg Up!

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ID-10048857Every part of your body works better with a spine that is moving properly.  

Problems in the legs, knees and feet can often start in the spine. Challenges with walking, running, climbing, jumping or general mobility can be resolved with Chiropractic care – from kids through to seniors!

Spinal misalignments called vertebral subluxations cause muscle imbalances, joint irritation, inflammation, and early degeneration.  Spinal subluxations alter the healthy mechanical and neurological functions in the body. Subluxations weaken all organ systems, leading to sickness, pain,  and a lesser quality of life. Doctors of Chiropractic correct spinal subluxations to restore proper motion and function within the body.

Subluxations in the hips and lumbar spine can lead to leg pain, numbness & tingling in the legs or feet, and muscle weakness. They can also contribute to pain and dysfunction in the knees, ankles, and feet. 

Instead of relying on medications (with side effects!) help your body heal from the inside-out. Consider Chiropractic first!

 

Kids Have Spines Too!

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CIMG0902I love seeing children in the practice. Their energy is contagious and they are so much fun to be around. Many people are still surprised when they see me adjusting children…here’s some of the most commone questions I hear:

Why do so many parents choose to bring their children to Chiropractors?

To help them grow strong and healthy! Spinal misaligments (subluxations) begin early in life, and the sooner they are corrected, the better the body is able to recover and heal. Whether in an adult or in a child, subluxations cause joint damage, inflammation, reduced mobility and structural imbalance. More importantly, subluxations impair nerve system function, affect the ability to adapt to stress, and inhibit normal body function.

Parents seek Chiropractors for their children to help them recover from an illness, develop proper motor skills, support their brain development, and offer relief for many ailments.

Is it safe? How are children adjusted?

Clinical experience shows that chiropractic spinal adjustments are very safe and comfortable, even for newborns. Chiropractic examinations and adjustive techniques are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal condition. They are both gentle and specific to the child’s developing structures, and parents often comment about how much their children enjoy their adjustments and look forward to visits. The best part about chiropractic care? Unlike over –the-counter prescription remedies and other drugs, chiropractc simply helps the body heal itself…no side effects, just good effects!

Does is Work?

A study compared the level of health of children raised under chiropractic care and mainstream medicine. The results revealed that:

– Nearly 43% of the medical children suffered from tonsillitis, compared to less than 27% of the chiropractic children

– The chiropractic children showed lower antibiotic use and a lower incidence of disease, especially ear infections. If this group of children did became sick, it was reported that the illness was mild compared to those exhibited by their classmates.

A pilot study was undertaken to determine if a relationship existed between the incidence of childhood diseases and the intensity of chiropractic care. “Intensive” chiropractic care (i.e. more than seven visits per year, for more than one year, according to categories defined in the study) increased resistance to common childhood diseases.

Proper Spinal Care is Essential to Your Child’s Health.    

Now more than ever before, parents are searching for proactive lifestyle habits that will nurture their child’s health. Your child may not be sick, but their spine may be developing with spinal subluxations. Consider chiropractic as a natural, safe, preventive strategy to support healthy growth and development.

Disclaimer: Chiropractic care supports overall health and healing, but is not a cure or treatment for tonsillitis or disease in children.

Balanced?

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Recently I was sitting on the patio of my local café, reading, planning my day. When it was time to get started on the responsibilities I had, I joked with an acquaintance how reluctant I was to get to working, that it was so lovely sitting on the patio! His comment was brilliant:

“Give yourself a break. Enjoy the day. Whatever you have to do will all work out in the end, and if it hasn’t worked out yet – it’s not the end!”

I encourage you to balance time in your life for movement, healthy eating, nurturing relationships, getting enough rest, and playing.  You need all of these things in your life because you are a whole person, and because being healthy requires attention to all these areas.

We all have work responsibilities, family obligations and personal objectives. The key to healthy living is in balancing all of them every week, sometimes every day, and giving ourselves permission to do so.

Are the different facets of your life balanced? 

Sure, there are times when some of our responsibilities dominate, when we must focus specifically on doing the best we can to manage everything.

Some days, weeks, months are more balanced than others. I think it’s important to look at the larger picture of our lives when reflecting on this topic.  When raising young children, juggling work or changes in career, helping aging parents, moving or renovating a property, life can become a little overwhelming, and sometimes very unbalanced. I can say this from personal experience, and from working with people for so many years.

Even during these stressful times we can always become aware, and try to make small changes if that’s all we can make. Do the best you can – a little will always be better than none at all.

If things are seem to be a little unbalanced in your life ask yourself…

Is it a temporary situation given the stage of life you are in, or a constant challenge?

What can you do differently? 

Do you need to shift your priorities? 

How can you make a change, and what do you need to get started?

Where can you create more time in your life to support these other wishes you have?

Change can only happen if you choose to do so. Think about these questions, then act!

Think Clearly

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20243d3tlnz1n3sChiropractic strengthens your body in so many ways, but could there be anything more powerful than being able to strengthen your brain?

 

 

In a recent study, 30 subjects received 4 weeks of chiropractic adjustments compared to 10 control subjects. The brain activity was measured by a computer generated and scored test called Microcog. This program tested attention control, memory, calculation, and general brain functioning. 

All 30 subjects demonstrated significant improvements in all areas of brain function while the control group displayed no changes.

Restoring healthy joint function does more than relieve your back pain, neck pain, headaches, joint pain, or whatever symptom brings people initially into the practice.  It’s the same reason people consistently tell me how once getting adjusted their digestion is better, their breathing improves, they are sleeping better, and feeling calmer.

Consistent chiropractic care supports your health because it restores the connection between the vital intelligence that runs your entire body – the one between your brain and the rest of your body!

When this internal power is turned on your body will function and feel the way it was designed to.

It’s that simple.

Chiropractic is the largest and most established profession within the new wellness industry.

Not just for the sick, wounded and stressed, Chiropractic care can help you thrive physically and mentally.

If you still haven’t had a spinal assessment, it’s time.

If you have tried Chiropractic but haven’t found a Doctor who is right for you, keep looking.

If you’d like more information about our approach, get in touch. We’d love to show you how you can regain your health and transform your body.

 

 

Summer Safety!

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ID-10026481Summer is my favorite season. My sons and I enjoy the time outdoors and the variety of warm weather activities – like many of you too! Some tips to keep in mind to protect your family this summer…

Enjoy the Sun!

Natural sunlight is essential for good health. Time in the sun is a question of balance.  Daily moderate exposure enables the body to produce vitamin D and make melanin (our body’s natural sunscreen).  Overexposure causes damage to the skin, accelerates aging, suppresses the immune system, and can lead to cancers.  Children are much more sensitive than adults so take precautions…and be mindful of the toxic chemicals in many sunscreens that can be worse for the body than sun exposure!  Choose natural products when using them, but even easier is to use hats, and cover the skin with clothing when possible.  Seek out the shade and balance time out in the sun with breaks and indoor play as well.  This also helps prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration.

Bites and Stings 

Although they should always be treated immediately,  stings from a bee or wasp are not usually dangerous unless the victim suffers from an allergy.  Apply a paste of baking soda and water to a bee sting to relieve pain; make a compress from a pad of cotton soaked in lemon juice and apply to a wasp sting. *Multiple stings, or stings to the eyes, ears or mouth should be treated in the hospital.*

Mosquitos

Prevent insect bites by diluting a few drops of essential oils of eucalyptus or citronella in half a mug of water, gently apply to exposed areas avoiding the eyes and mouth.  Cider vinegar can be used the same way.  Arnica (homeopathic) is useful for any bites that cause swelling, bruising or pain.  Witch hazel is also quite effective.

Cuts & Bruises 

If there is extensive bleeding, or any other unusual symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or a head of injury, head to the hospital for emergency treatment. A clean cloth soaked in witch hazel is good for bruises as is a cold compress and some TLC!  Arnica cream is also useful for soreness.

First Aid Remedies:

These are the basic items in my first aid kit! Keep the following on hand in your car, purse or within easy reach for most emergencies…

Arnica 30c homeopathic remedy– for bumps, bruises, blows, cuts, broken skin, burns, scalds, nosebleeds, stings, sprains, fractures, muscular aches and pains, (or in fact virtually any injury to the body)

Aconite 30c homeopathic remedy –for fear, anxiety, restlessness, sudden illness, intense pain, shock.  Give it to any child who has been hurt or traumatized in any way.

Chamomilla 30c homeopathic remedy – for teething, insomnia, earaches, digestive troubles, anytime you need to relax!

Band-aids, gauze, wet-wipes.

Bach Rescue Remedy – a flower remedy designed for shock and trauma.  Very relaxing and soothing.

Calendula cream – great salve for cuts, stings, burns, scrapes and scratches, any skin irritation.

Tea tree oil, Eucalyptus oil – essential oils known for their antibacterial and anti-septic properties. Must be diluted or mixed with a natural oil or salve before being applied to the skin.