What’s Your Philosophy for Health?

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A conversation that has been coming up lately in the practice is that there are different ways to approach your health. From my perspective, there are three ways:

  • Reactive: Managing symptoms. Responding to health challenges as they arise using appropriate interventions, therapies, professionals, and coping mechanisms.
  • Prevention: Developing habits and using therapies and professional services, to support good health and prevent disease from occurring.
  • Wellness: An active, lifelong process of becoming aware of choices, and making decisions towards a more balanced and fulfilling life. Wellness differs from prevention.  Wellness activities focus on maximizing the body’s performance and taking an active approach to health.

When it comes to your health, I can tell you with a great deal of certainty that prevention always works better than reacting, and that wellness is even more rewarding. The reactive approach typically costs more, and it takes longer for healing to occur when there is a crisis.  However, your approach to your health is just that – YOUR approach. My job is to facilitate knowledge, provide you with care, and support you in your choices.

What’s your perspective?

Do you want to react to problems in your body, prevent them from occurring, or pursue exceptional health?  Obviously there is some overlap here. We can consistently behave in ways to prevent illness and optimize our bodies function, and still experience a health crisis that requires more serious intervention. However, what’s the dominant approach you are taking? Does it match the personal philosophy you have?

Once you start thinking about it, you’ll realize your attitude might also be evident in other areas of your life.

Are you being reactive in your relationships? With your finances? With your home? With your career? With your children? Or are you taking preventive measures to ensure they ‘perform’ the way you would like them to? Better yet, are you taking steps to enjoy them in a more fulfilling way? Any form of stress will negatively affect your health. If there are stressors in your life they will continue to challenge you until you take some steps to either accept them, or resolve them.

Hopefully, in thinking about this, you discover that your behaviour is in alignment with your intentions. If there are any incongruencies in what you think, and the actions you are taking – it’s time to change!

RYH Episode 11: 8 Ways To Support Your Baby’s Brain

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Last week we talked about how to keep stimulating and challenging YOUR grown up brain, but what about your baby? In this week’s show I share ways you can support your child’s natural development and have some fun doing it!

Read this blog post about baby brain development

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

3 Tips For Dads

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Dads offer unique perspective to parenting and their own set of skills and nurturing, but many dads I speak with aren’t sure their place in responding to the needs of a newborn, or what specially they can do as a father. Most men I speak with can easily relate to being with their children in the toddler or school age years, but aren’t sure what to do with a baby.

To all the dads out there: Know that you make a difference, that you’re not alone in feeling this way, and consider these 3 tips: 

Take the time to do something for YOU

Play a sport, hang out with buddies, just be a guy. I know some of you might be rolling your eyes, when I taught classes I saw them. But truly, this is something I stress for both women and men.

If you don’t make your emotional and mental health a priority life with a newborn, especially the first baby, can become overwhelming. Every parent can give more to their children when they have some time out – even if it’s just an hour a week. Something is better than nothing and you might be surprised by how rejuvenating it can be.

Spend time with the newborn – get involved 

Infants need their momma, especially if being breasted, and infants know their momma better. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need their dad. If you’re having trouble connecting, or want to increase your time with the baby, try these simple things:

  • Skin to skin contact
  • Within the first few weeks of newborn life, men’s hormones start to slightly shift. Testosterone drops a little, and oxytocin increases. In women it is important for childbirth, bonding and breastfeeding. In men it helps develop fatherly nurturing behaviour. Oxytocin is the ‘love and nurturing hormone’ and it plays huge role in social bonding. The good news is your body has everything it needs inside! Hormones are amazing and purposeful. You can expand your confidence as a dad, by being with your baby. The more you hang out with your baby the more oxytocin will be produced and the more like ‘dad’ you will feel.  
  • Ask your partner how you can get involved! Ask them for guidance in tasks.

Move your body

Make sure to engage in activities that help you feel strong, relaxed and whole. New parents tend to be sedentary – they’re tired and spent – but your body needs to move! You don’t need a gym membership, a trainer or even any weights. You can use your own body as weight and try HIIT training in your home. It’s quick and effective and you can find workouts everywhere! Just do a quick search for an app or on YouTube.  

There are so many benefits of exercise that can help combat the challenges of new dad life, lowering your stress, building up your immune system, and improved overall health.

Episode 10: Learn Something New!

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Your brain is the most amazing and important muscle in your body and has the same requirements as other muscles to stay strong and healthy – to keep building it you need to challenge it! In this week’s show I discuss ways you can easily and consistently strengthen your brain, and have fun doing it!

You can read the blog post with more details here

You can read the blog post about 5 Ways To Strengthen Your Baby’s Brain here

How Are You Adapting?

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During one of my recent travels, when my flight was changed, then cancelled, and I pulled an all-nighter at the airport, I thought about how important it is to stay flexible. Ha! Yes, as a Chiropractor I mean that in more ways than one!

Being adaptable, going with the flow, taking life as it comes is not just for the spiritually aware or those with some metaphysical practice. Learning to handle stress with more ease is a good practice for all of us! For my tips on living with a happy heart and dealing with stress read these blog posts.

What I want to remind you of in THIS post is this simple fact: YOUR body is always adapting.

Our bodies are amazing machines, with an incredible innate wisdom inside that helps us constantly adapt to the changing demands placed on us.

Consider this:

  1. When you eat, your body adapts by extracting nutrients and using them, and getting rid of the ones that are not necessary by creating waste. If you eat something poisonous to your body, you also adapts and your body gets rid of it as quickly as possible!
  2. When you exercise, your body adapts by increasing the blood flow to your heart, and by increasing your breathing rate to bring more oxygen to your lungs.
  3. When you cut yourself, your body adapts by forming a clot and then growing new tissue.
  4. When you are exposed to bacteria and viruses, your body adapts by mounting an immune response. You sneeze, cough, have a runny noses, vomit, or perspire to get the toxins out, and a fever develops to raise your core temperature so that the bacteria cannot survive.

Where does chiropractic fit it? It helps your body adapt better! A body that is mechanically balanced with joints that are moving properly will better adapt to the physical demands of sports, hobbies, household chores or work responsibilities. A body with a strong, straight spine will adapt to the forces of slips, falls, motor vehicle collisions or repetitive strains with greater ease, resulting in less injury. A body that is neurologically balanced (with a spinal cord free of irritation) will adapt better to stress, be calmer and happier, digest easier, sleep well, have balanced hormones, breathe easier, and exhibit a stronger immune response.

It’s for theses reasons so many people choose regular Chiropractic care, because they know their bodies are stronger in every possible way! Life is not static, and neither is your body. Change is constant, how are you adapting?

Episode 9: Go Jump In A Lake! Cold Water Immersion & The Benefits For Your Health

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When cold showers were first mentioned to me as a supportive health practice, my first reaction was “NO WAY!”. Maybe you’re feeling the same way just hearing the suggestion of it!  Now I’m converted, and in addition to jumping in Georgian Bay whenever I can, cold showers have become a healthy habit I regularly practice. In this week’s show I discuss 4 reasons to give this a try, and why it might just be easier than you think.

Read more in this blog post

Summer Fun Tips!

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My favourite season is summer! I love the sunshine, relaxed schedule, outdoor living and so many sports and hobbies. Here’s a few ideas to help deal with the parts of summer that can occasionally make it a little less fun…

Sun Safety  

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).  However, 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 taking some precautions is wise. Use hats, and cover the skin with clothing when possible. Seek out the shade and balance time out in the sun with breaks indoors. This also helps prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration.  If you are choosing to use sunscreen, be mindful of the toxic chemicals in many sunscreens that can be worse for the body than sun exposure!  Check out  for a list you can shop with.

Bites and Stings 

Stings from a bee or wasp are not usually dangerous unless you suffer from an allergy, but they should always be treated immediately nonetheless.  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 

Avoid bug repellents that contain DEET which is effective for repelling insects but also extremely hazardous to your health. Instead, prevent insect bites by diluting a few drops (or combination of) any of the following essential oils: eucalyptus, citronella, peppermint, rosemary, clove, citronella or lemongrass in half a mug of water, gently apply to exposed areas avoiding the eyes and mouth.  Experiment and find a scent that you like, place in a spray bottle and keep on hand for easy access when enjoying the outdoors. Cider vinegar can be used the same way and the smell evaporates as soon as it dries.

Cuts & Bruises  

So common in childhood, but also with active grown-ups, or random accidents! If there is extensive bleeding, or any other unusual symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or a head of injury, take your child to the hospital for emergency treatment. Carefully clean the area and than apply a clean cloth soaked in witch hazel or a cold compress and some TLC!  Arnica cream is also useful for soreness.

First Aid Remedies

Check out this post to find out what I keep in our summer adventure first aid kit!

Episode 8: What Should You Eat?

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With so many ideas about nutrition, and constantly changing information and research, food choices are something that many people struggle with. In this week’s show I share the one nutritional idea that all Doctors and Nutritionists can consistently agree on, and 3 things you can do today to start making healthy food a priority for your family.

Read this blog post about choosing healthy food

Read this blog post about clean eating

Stretch Yourself

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I recommend stretching to every person in this practice, it’s a dialogue I have almost daily…but I must confess, I’m guilty of not stretching enough! When I was doing my TV show, Good Living, Good Health, we recorded an episode all about stretching with a great panel of guests including a Trainer, a Physiotherapist, and a Pilates/Yoga Instructor. We had a great conversation!

Here are some of the highlights: Our lifestyle habits and daily stressors will inevitably create tightness, aches and pains, and can even predispose people to spinal subluxations and other joint injuries. Adequate muscle flexibility is just as important as muscle strength for performance in athletics and life in general.

Most people know this! However, many people complain they don’t have time to exercise, let alone improve flexibility. What are some practical strategies?

Think “intermittent and often”. I’ve now started stretching briefly while brushing my teeth! What else to do during those 2 minutes? I’ve also started stretching in the evenings while we are often relaxing and watching a movie or television. I listen to tons of audio training and podcasts, so now rather than just sitting still I find myself moving and doing some simple stretches. You can always find small moments to stretch if you are aware it is something you should do! So consider this a reminder.

Healthy movement involves: (1) proper joint alignment (this is where Chiropractic comes in) and (2) muscles that are capable of expanding and stretching to their full capacity; muscles which are full of oxygen and given the opportunity to move through their full range of motion.

Doing a few simple stretches intermittently and often can make a tremendous difference in your overall mobility as well as help you hold your adjustments and build a healthier spine. Including stretching as part of your healthy lifestyle will improve your sports performance, help with daily lifestyle tasks, and prevent injuries! If you need ideas ask me for a copy of the spinal stretches or borrow one of the many books in the practice.

Episode 7: Does Your Baby Need Tummy Time? Is Crawling Important? YES!

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In this episode Dr Melissa Longo discusses the basics of infant spine development, why babies need to crawl before they walk, the importance of tummy time for healthy development and what you can do as a parent to ensure your child’s development is on track.

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