Newsletters

keeping you up to date

Otago Family Chiropractor

Quarterly Newsletter August 2025

23 September 2025

How do we maximise longevity and health span?

Lets get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
 
 

This year I decided to put my money where my mouth was. I started running. I ran as a kid but never really enjoyed it. But with this years theme on health span I thought I would make it a priority and commit to regular running. As my mother-in-law says, “I love everything about running, except running!” Running has not been an easy transition and there have been plenty of times I have questioned why I am doing it and that it would be easier to stop. However pushing through, findings people who I can go out an run with has really helped get me to a point where I have now made running a part of my lifestyle not just a chore. And I hate to say it but I even think I am starting to enjoy it…

 

What I have found I am starting to really enjoy is the slight discomfort that comes with pushing myself. Going that little bit faster or longer, taking the steeper hill. And that discomfort is paying off. I am able to carry Fred in a backpack for longer distances, I am finding I have more energy during practice with you all. I am running around with Paddy and Fred at the end of the day instead of flopping down in a hot mess.

 

So I employ you - What is something that may feel uncomfortable but is good for your health span? What is something you can start doing regularly that will make you that little bit better every day? it could be running, walking, starting a new hobby, get out of your comfort zone because if there is one thing I’m learning on this deep dive into health. It is that discomfort is the new comfort!
 

Chiropractic

Consistent chiropractic care has been a game-changer for many people looking to stay active and healthy as they age—not through dramatic overhauls, but through small, steady changes that build over time. Whether it's keeping up with kids, enjoying long walks, or just getting through the day without nagging pain, regular adjustments can help keep the body moving the way it was meant to. Personally, many patients find that routine care not only eases back or neck discomfort but also helps them feel more balanced, sleep better, and stay motivated to stay active. It’s not about quick fixes — it’s about creating a rhythm that supports long-term well-being.

 

What makes this approach powerful is its focus on consistency. Just like brushing your teeth or stretching every morning, chiropractic care becomes part of a bigger picture of health—encouraging better posture, movement, and awareness of how your body feels. Over time, those small adjustments can mean fewer injuries, less stiffness, and more confidence in your physical abilities. While chiropractic care isn’t a magic bullet for longevity, it can be a meaningful part of living a longer, more active life—one adjustment at a time. 

Many of you have spoken about how Chiropractic has been the catalyst to making changes and improvements to other aspects of your life.
 

Move Well

“Remember what is was like to run like a kid… heart racing, deep breathing and the desire to never STOP!'“

 

Running, especially when practiced consistently and mindfully, has been strongly linked to improved health span and even increased longevity. Numerous studies show that regular runners experience lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological disorders, along with a significantly reduced risk of premature death. A 2014 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that even five to ten minutes of slow running per day can lower mortality risk by up to 30%. Beyond physical health, running also supports mental resilience, reduces stress, and boosts mood through the release of endorphins and other feel-good neurochemicals.

 

In Born to Run, author Christopher McDougall explores the idea that humans are biologically designed to run long distances, a theory supported by evolutionary biology. The book highlights the Tarahumara people of Mexico, known for their incredible endurance and low incidence of chronic disease. Their secret isn't just genetic—it’s a culture of joyful, low-intensity, high-frequency running, often done barefoot or in minimal footwear. McDougall's narrative emphasizes running as a natural, sustainable, and deeply human activity, not just a sport. This perspective reframes running as a tool not just for fitness, but for longevity—promoting joint health, muscular endurance, cardiovascular function, and even a more connected and joyful life. When approached with care and consistency, running can be a lifelong practice that keeps both body and spirit young.
 

Think Well

 

One of the most powerful habits for preserving mental longevity and cognitive function as we age is lifelong learning—continually challenging the brain through new experiences, skills, or knowledge. Whether it’s learning a language, playing a musical instrument, taking up painting, or simply reading regularly, mental stimulation strengthens neural pathways and encourages neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself. Research published in Neurology and other peer-reviewed journals shows that people who engage in cognitively demanding activities throughout life tend to have better memory, slower cognitive decline, and a lower risk of dementia later on.

Even small, consistent habits like doing puzzles, writing by hand, or attending lectures can keep the brain sharp. The key is novelty and challenge—activities that require focus, problem-solving, and memory work better than passive ones like watching TV. Learning stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the survival of existing neurons and the growth of new ones. More than just preserving memory, these habits help maintain decision-making skills, creativity, and emotional regulation well into older age. In essence, just like physical exercise strengthens the body, regular mental effort keeps the brain agile and resilient across the decades.

trying something new may seem uncomfortable to begin with but quickly becomes normal and even sort after.
 

Sleep Well

 

Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining and extending health span—the portion of life spent in good health. During sleep, the body repairs tissues, consolidates memory, regulates hormones, and clears waste from the brain, including beta-amyloid plaques linked to cognitive decline. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions, all of which can shorten health span. Consistently getting high-quality sleep supports immune function, mental clarity, and emotional resilience, making it a cornerstone of long-term well-being.

 

To improve sleep, one effective strategy is to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock. This means not having the sleep in on the weekend (yes we know, blasphemy), also not snoozing that alarm. Rather try getting out of bed as soon as it goes off and starting the day. With it coming into summer and mornings getting lighter we are sure you will find more motivation to get out of bed in the morning!

 

Another powerful method is reducing exposure to blue light from screens at least an hour before bed—this helps melatonin production and signals to the brain that it's time to wind down. Prioritising these habits can lead to more restorative sleep and better overall health. Ways to this is set all your devices to a night schedule, swap out bright white lights to dim warm ones where applicable and use lamps or low wall lights in the evening.
 

Eat Well

One big change to our diets we have made this year is the reduction (not elimination) of simple carbohydrate.  

Simple carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary snacks, sweetened beverages, and refined grains, are quickly digested and cause rapid spikes in blood glucose levels. Over time, frequent consumption of these foods can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation, and increased fat storage—key risk factors for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. These conditions not only reduce quality of life but can also significantly shorten health span. Furthermore, diets high in simple sugars may contribute to cognitive decline and accelerate aging at the cellular level by promoting oxidative stress and glycation, a process that damages proteins and tissues. Limiting simple carbohydrates and choosing complex, fiber-rich alternatives can help support metabolic health and extend healthy years of life.

 

With Spring coming Chad is back in the garden ready to start growing veg for summer. He is still collecting a lot of winter greens like silverbeet, kale, along with beetroot and spring onions. Here is a really nice fresh salad that make you feel like its summer while using winter veg.

Beet & Almond Salad

1 Beetroot Boiled and diced

1/2 beet root finely sliced into matchsticks (or grated)

3-6 Leaves of silverbeet sliced

3-6 leaves of kale

trimmed and sliced

handful of Rocket or Mizuna

1/2 red onion Thinly sliced

2 spring onions thinly sliced

1/2 cup of roasted or tamari almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup of red wine vinegar

1/2 cup Olive oil

 

Wild greens like miner lettuce, nasturtium, chickweed to garnish

Salt and peper to taste

 

Prep

Add cranberries and vinegar to a bowl and soak for at least 1 hour. You will put this mixture into the salad

If you haven’t boiled your beet do this now.

 

To Serve

Assemble all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly to ensure the vinegar and oil combine and coat everything.

Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy with grilled meats or protein.
 
 
 

Updates and Other News

 

Tick tock baby watch.

 

Dr’s Chad and Aidan are expecting their second child somewhere towards the end of the year - Fred was a late comer so we are taking the expected due date with a grain of sand with this one. Dr Aidan will be finishing up at the end of October to start her maternity leave.

New Chiropractor on the block

We are excited to announce that we will have Dr Liv Tutty starting with us at the beginning of November!

 

Dr Liv will be taking over the Balclutha practice while Dr Aidan is on Maternity leave. Dr Liv will be opening up full days for Tuesday & Thursday in Balclutha along with working the alternative days in our Dunedin practice.

Dr Liv has a particular interest in pregnancy and natal care and we can’t wait to have her as part of the OFC family

Dunedin Marathon

 

Good luck to all who have entered the Dunedin Marathon in September. It is great to see so many of you embracing the uncomfortable and moving your amazing bodies whether is be the walk or the full 40km.

 

Unfortunately we will be in Auckland that weekend otherwise Dr Chad would have been attending.

Telford Market

 

The telford market will be held the 30th November 2025. We will have a stall there to check our Clutha communities spines and ensure you lot are on your way to a long happy health-span.

Its set to be a great day so be sure to stop in and say “Hi”

 

 

We will also be at the Edgar Christmas markets in Dunedin on the 23rd November  2025.
 

Fred’s Busy Life

 

There are a few of you who are invested in our wee mans journey through life and we are so grateful to have you as part of it!

 

Here are a few snippets of what he has been up to over the past few months - we had a lovely time in Canada with family too.
Read More

Quarterly Newsletter Feb 2025

23 September 2025

It’s that time of year ago! “New Year, New Me.”

 

February already and we’ve had a month to start our new year resolutions, which I know you’ve all made and are sticking to right! Well this year instead of having a year resolution I've decided to made a life resolution. As in I am making a resolution for the rest of my life. This all started as we were flying back to Canada for Christmas. 14 hours over the pacific leaves you a lot of time to catch up on movies and TV shows. one show I stumbled on was “Limitless” by Chris Hemsworth. If you haven’t watched it I highly recommend you do. A quick synopsis is Chris was looking at what he could change in his life and habits to enable him to live not just a long but healthy life.

 

Since becoming a Dad I have been reflecting on my habits and my life. I am constantly critiquing what I am doing and what I can do to ensure I can be healthy for as long as possible and what habits I can then pass on to Fred and any subsequent children. Limitless was the catalysts I needed to make this year the first year of the rest of my life I will invest in my health like I invest in my money.

And so join me this year as we work to make the theme of all the newsletters this year, ways you and your family can also improve your health span not just your life span more on this in the Chiropractic section.

 

-Dr Chad
 

Let’s be honest we all want quick results with minimal effort right. Well the truth of the matter is that just doesn’t happen when it comes to our health. But we do have good news for you when it comes to exercise. You don’t have to be in the gym every day for 6 hours a day blowing the ringer out to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and be healthy.

Another common theme you will hear us repeat is consistency. For long term health benefits you need long term consistency. Performing exercise daily is the gold standard but even 3x a week will improve your future health. With so many types of exercise what should you be doing if you want to improve your health span? This quarter we will talk about resistance training. This can be done in various ways, the most common being with resistant bands but you can use small weights or your own body weight to create the same effects.

Resistance training has been shown to increase your strength and flexibility, improve balance and lower risks of falls. And for ladies it is one of the best forms of exercise for maintaining bone density and reducing osteoporosis risks.

 

There are lots of ways you can perform resistance training we won’t give you specific exercises here but some places you can find more information on what types of exercises to do are:

  • Personal Trainer

  • Therapists - Physio or massage

  • Steady as she goes

  • Chiropractor

  • Youtube

  • Pools/Swimming

 

Reistence training doesn’t have to to full blown exhaustion either. Here are some cool figures if you perform a routine for just 30 minutes a day 3x a week.

 

Muscle Strength & Endurance

Studies suggest that within 4-6 weeks, you can start seeing increases in muscle strength and endurance, with up to a 25-30% improvement in strength.

 

Bone Density

Improvements are often seen over several months -typically 3-6 months for noticeable change.

 

Metabolism & Insulin Sensitivity

Studies have shown that insulin sensitivity can improve by 10-20% after 6-12 weeks of consistent training.

 

Mental Health & Mood

Improvements can begin after just a few weeks, with studies showing 20-30% reductions in depressive symptoms after consistent training over 8-12 weeks.

 
 

Move Well

It is said you need to hear something 7 times before you remember it long term. Well keep eye out this year as I am sure we will repeat a few Move well tips from previous quarters. This quarters topic will be all about resistance training.

Let’s be honest we all want quick results with minimal effort right. Well the truth of the matter is that just doesn’t happen when it comes to our health. But we do have good news for you when it comes to exercise. You don’t have to be in the gym every day for 6 hours a day blowing the ringer out to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and be healthy.

Another common theme you will hear us repeat is consistency. For long term health benefits you need long term consistency. Performing exercise daily is the gold standard but even 3x a week will improve your future health. With so many types of exercise what should you be doing if you want to improve your health span? This quarter we will talk about resistance training. This can be done in various ways, the most common being with resistant bands but you can use small weights or your own body weight to create the same effects.

Resistance training has been shown to increase your strength and flexibility, improve balance and lower risks of falls. And for ladies it is one of the best forms of exercise for maintaining bone density and reducing osteoporosis risks.

 

There are lots of ways you can perform resistance training we won’t give you specific exercises here but some places you can find more information on what types of exercises to do are:

  • Personal Trainer

  • Therapists - Physio or massage

  • Steady as she goes

  • Chiropractor

  • Youtube

  • Pools/Swimming

 

Resistance training doesn’t have to be full blown exhaustion either. Here are some cool figures if you perform a routine for just 30 minutes a day 3x a week.

 

Muscle Strength & Endurance

Studies suggest that within 4-6 weeks, you can start seeing increases in muscle strength and endurance, with up to a 25-30% improvement in strength.

 

Bone Density

Improvements are often seen over several months -typically 3-6 months for noticeable change.

 

Metabolism & Insulin Sensitivity

Studies have shown that insulin sensitivity can improve by 10-20% after 6-12 weeks of consistent training.

 

Mental Health & Mood

Improvements can begin after just a few weeks, with studies showing 20-30% reductions in depressive symptoms after consistent training over 8-12 weeks.

 
 

Think Well

This is a bit of curve ball this quarter. Many times we think of meditation and mindfulness when we hear healthy mindset. But in the quest to live healthier for longer lets talk about cognitive function. How well our brain actually ages.

This brings us to the nordic tradition of sauna’s. It has become increasingly popular over recent years for people to undergo sauna sessions. And there is plenty of evidence to support that we should all be regularly visiting the hot house.

Here are some statistics to show how regular sauna sessions can benefit your long term health:

Improved Cognitive Function and Reduced Cognitive Decline

frequent sauna use (4–7 times a week) was associated with 66% lower risk of developing dementia and a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to those who used saunas once a week or less.

Reduced cardiovascular disease risk: 50% lower risk for those who use saunas 4-7 times per week.

Reduced stroke risk: 40% lower risk in regular sauna users.

Increased longevity: Sauna use 4-7 times a week was linked to a 40% reduced risk of premature death.

 

How does this work? Well sauna exposure leads to the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which play a crucial role in protecting cells, including brain cells, from stress and damage. These proteins help prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain (such as amyloid-beta plaques), which is a key factor in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

 

So how do you keep up regular sauna sessions?

  • You could buy your own, if finances allow.

  • Visit Well + Being

  • Your local Gym (most gyms now have saunas)

  • Oranga Sauna - a local portable sauna that travels around Dunedin.

 

“Should I be using a wood fired or infrared sauna?”

Although manufacturer of each will market saying their type is superior to the other there is no significant data to suggest one is better than the other. So it is really up to your preference to what you use. An infrared sauna will provide an internal heat and can be used at lower temperature. While a fire/electric sauna will produce a hotter external heat.

 

So if mental function and longevity are really something you want to improve if you  have a family risk of dementia/alzheimers then start using your local sauna regularly and start to feel the benefits.

 

*On a side note about cold therapy. It produces a similar effect to the body with shock proteins. However there is conflicting data regarding the length of time and effectiveness it has compared to sauna use.
 

Sleep Well

“What if we didn’t think of sleep as something we had to do and something we WANT to do! think of it as your best performance enhancing drug.” - Peter Attia, MD and longevity expert

We often hear people saying that they struggle to sleep, they wake up feeling exhausted and that they can never catch up. Well what if (like Peter suggests) we change the narrative from sleep being something we have to do, to something we want to do. Make sleep like a muscle that we train and we improve.

 

Please don’t think we are understating how hard it can be for some of you to get restful sleep. We do know that reframing the outlook can help to create different and better change. In this section we will offer not only some strategies to improve your sleep but also things to avoid that can lead to a poor nights sleep. In our quest towards longevity and high health spans like all the other aspects in this newsletter sleep is something we can always work on and improve.

 

Here are Peter Attia’s top 7 strategies for a better nights sleep are:

  1. Sleep Consistency:

    • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day: Having a consistent sleep schedule helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which is crucial for falling asleep and waking up naturally.

  2. Get Sufficient Sleep (7-9 hours):

    • Prioritise getting enough sleep for your age group. Adults typically need 7-9 hours per night, while teenagers and children need more.

  3. Create a Sleep-Inducing Environment:

    • Cool, Dark, Quiet Room: The optimal temperature for sleep is around 18°C, and your bedroom should be as dark as possible. This can be achieved with blackout curtains and avoiding any light exposure (including blue light) close to bedtime.

    • Avoid Distractions: Keep your bedroom free from distractions such as electronic devices. The blue light emitted by phones and screens can significantly impact sleep quality.

  4. Don’t Eat Too Close to Bedtime:

    • Having large meals or heavy, spicy foods right before sleep can disrupt your digestion and make it harder to fall asleep. Ideally, finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.

  5. Exercise Regularly, But Not Too Late:

    • Regular exercise can improve sleep, but it’s important to avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime, as it can increase your heart rate and make it more difficult to wind down.

  6. Mind Your Caffeine and Alcohol Intake:

    • Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours and can significantly impair your ability to fall asleep. Aim to cut caffeine off by the early afternoon.

    • Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it disrupts the later stages of sleep (REM sleep), reducing overall sleep quality.

  7. Use Your Bed for Sleep Only:

    • Don’t use your bed for activities like watching TV, working, or eating. This helps create a strong association between your bed and sleep.

 

And his 7 things to avoid if you have poor sleep:

  1. Sleeping In on Weekends (Social Jetlag):

    • Many people try to catch up on sleep by sleeping in on weekends, but this can throw off your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep patterns for the entire week. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule even on the weekends.

  2. Naps Later in the Day:

    • While naps can be beneficial, napping too late in the day (especially after 3 pm) can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. If you need to nap, keep it short (20-30 minutes).

  3. Using Sleep Aids:

    • Sleep medications, including over-the-counter and prescription options, should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. They don’t improve the quality of sleep, and they can have negative long-term consequences.

  4. Excessive Screen Time (Blue Light Exposure):

    • Avoid looking at screens (phones, tablets, computers) at least an hour before bed. The blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy.

  5. Using Alcohol as a Sleep Aid:

    • While alcohol can initially make you drowsy, it disrupts the latter stages of sleep (especially REM sleep), which is essential for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.

  6. Stimulants Other Than Caffeine:

    • Things like nicotine or certain medications that act as stimulants can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Avoiding these, particularly in the evening, is crucial.

  7. Chronic Sleep Deprivation:

    • A lot of people think they can function well on 5-6 hours of sleep a night, but chronic sleep deprivation leads to impairments in cognitive function, mood, immune system health, and overall physical performance.

 

And again remember that sleep is like our fitness and the rest of our health. It needs to be trained and continuously worked on to improve.
 

Eat Well

More veg, less meat. Now before I lose a lot of you hard core southerners who love a good steak or mutton I am not saying you have to stop eating meat all together but New Zealanders have a high prevalence to bowel cancer and more research is showing the link between high meat diets and bowel cancer. Research from ‘Zoe’ the founders of the largest in-depth nutrition study has found that eating 30 plants a week will greatly improve your gut microbiome and lower your risk of metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. Here’s the beauty of the study they also found out that plants doesn’t just mean fruits and vegetables; spices, nuts, seeds, grains and herbs all count too! So I thought what better way to get more veggies into a dish than this classic southern state dish called a ‘Succotash’ It uses all the best its from the summer garden and can be completely vegetarian/vegan or have meat in it. But the meat is more of a flavour enhancer than the main star of the show.

1x Onion

3x Garlic Cloves

1x Green Capsicum

2-3x Stems of Celery

2x Corn Cobs

(Or 1 1/2 cups of Frzn)

1x Half Butternut Pumpkin

2x Medium Zucchini

1x Handful of green beans

1x Handful of cherry tomatoes

1x stock cube

1x tsp of each -Oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, chilli

 

If using

4-6x rashers of bacon

200g pork belly

 

half a cup of water

salt & peper

Fresh herbs

Get yourself a big fry pan or cast iron dish. Put it on medium high. Dice your onion, garlic, capsicum and celery and start frying it off - If using bacon and pork belly, dice it up and start cooking it off now.

 

After 5/10 minutes and the veg has softened add the corn kernels cut off the cob or frozen, the pumpkin and zucchini  diced into 2cm chunks, the beans cut into 2cm lengths, cheery tomatoes, your spices and crumble the bullion cube.

Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper then add half a cup of water and mix everything together. Cover with a lid or aluminium foil if the fry pan is too large turn down to medium and let simmer away for 10 minutes.

 

Uncover give everything a stir again, taste with a teaspoon and cook for another 5-15 minutes until the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness.

 

When ready serve sprinkled with any fresh herbs you have handy - coriander, parsley, basil the list goes on.

 

This dish is great and very versatile as you really use any veggies that are in season. If I have too much silverbeet or cabbage that gets finely sliced and added too.

 

If my counting is correct you will have used a minimum of 15 vegetables alone in this dish to count towards your 30+ a week.
 

Mobile Horse Visits

 

Dr Aidan will be out and about now available for Horse and large animal chiropractic care. Dogs and small animals can be seen in practice by either Aidan or Chad. Aidan is still available to come to site for any animal that is unable to make it to the office.

 

Her February timetable will be:

Feb 4: Waihola - Balclutha

Feb 5: Mosgiel/ Outram

Feb 11: Clinton - Owaka

Feb 12: Palmerston - Waikouaiti

Feb 18: Waihola - Balclutha

Feb 19: Dunedin North & Peninsula

Feb 20: Lawrence - Clydevale

Feb 25: Clinton - Owaka

Feb 26: Middlemarch

Feb 27: Coastal Dunedin

 

Check out our Facebook page for each months times and locations. 

Call to make a booking 
Call Now
Read More

November 2024

23 September 2025

Christmas Already?

Yup coming in hot! In less than 7 weeks and our practice doors will be closing for another year.

In case you have missed Michelle’s very subtle reminder, our closure times for the year will be:

 

Dunedin Closed from

Friday 20th Dec 2024 at 1pm

Reopen Monday 13th Jan 2024 at 9am

 

Balclutha Closed from

Thursday 19th Dec at 6pm

Reopen Tuesday 14th Jan 2024 at 2pm

 

We have jam packed this newsletter full of what we think is great information to keep you busy and healthy over the next 3 months. As for us we will be jet setting off to the cold winter of Canada for Freddie to experience some real snow and see his Northern hemisphere side of the family. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and look forward to what 2025 brings us all. Again thank you for being such a wonderful community for us to be a part of we truly love looking after all your amazing spines and nervous systems.

 

-Dr Chad
 

Chiropractic

Only 6 weeks left until we shut up for Christmas holidays. If we haven’t seen you in a while now is the perfect time to get in touch, don’t leave it until the the 24th and hope for a Christmas miracle.

 

 

You’ve all heard of the 12 days of Christmas… Well here are The 12 Facts of Chiropractic.

 

12 weeks to create sustainable change. Most of the cells in your body are regenerated every 12 weeks (90 days) and you can effectively rewire old patterns in your brain in that time too.

 

11 Organ Systems of the Body. You are an ecosystem of around 75 trillion cells, organised into tissues then organs and then systems. Although each of your 11 organ systems has a unique function, each organ system also depends directly or indirectly on all the others. They are all coordinated and integrated by the nervous system.

 

Cranial Nerve 10 or Vagus Nerve. The vagus nerve places a very important role as a nerve it is the link between your gut brain, heart brain and head brain. If this nerve shows good tone, it is a strong indicator of great health.

 

9 months to grow a new human being in a mother’s womb. Starting from just 2 cells and getting to 75 trillion! Your first 1000 days of life (from conception) set the tone for the rest of it.

 

8 bones in the wrist: scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate.

 

7 years to replace every cell in your body. You are literally a new person to whom you were 7 years before!

 

6 breaths per minute give coherence between your head brain and your heart brain. Breathe in for 6 seconds and out for 6 seconds to achieve this rhythm.

 

5 regions of the spinal column. Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccyx giving you 32 spinal segments. By age 21 your sacral segments and your coccygeal segments are fused, leaving you 24 moveable segments between your head and your pelvis.

 

4 primary motions of the spine. Flexion (forward), extension (backwards), side bending (left/right), rotation (turning on the central axis of the body).

 

3cm Shift. 5kg is the average weight of a human head in ideal alignment. For every 3 cm your head goes forward on your shoulders it doubles the effective weight of your head on your spine. Imagine the pressure that is put on your spine and nervous system!

 

2 thirds (2/3) of a circle is how far a spine in good condition can bend. How far can yours bend?

 

1 spine to rule them all. It is the lifeline of your body and is responsible for sending and receiving messages from your brain to your body AND from your body to your brain.

We hope you enjoyed our bit of fun reinventing the 12 days of Christmas into chiropractic facts. We are so passionate about your health and we hope you are too! Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us at OFC.
 

Move Well

“A walk a day will change your life in 6 months.” - Dr Chad

 

Heeding Chad’s preaching about walking and the fact that summer is a great time to get out and explore our beautiful region. We’ve decided give you our Top 7 walks around Otago for you and your family to explore.

 

Sandfly Bay (Dunedin) - a short walk from the carpark down to the beach but can be much longer if you decide to explore the sand dune tracks. Fairly steep climb and can be a good leg workout. Not Dog Friendly, look out for seals this time of year.

 

Maungatua Track (Dunedin) - a 90 min - 2 hour round trip up a mountain. It is reasonably steep and can be very slippery after rain but the views from the top make it worth it. Be sure to pack water and snacks for this hike. Dog Friendly, moderate fitness is required.

 

Nugget Point (Clutha) - a relatively short walk but who can go past the iconic lighthouse and peaks of nugget point. a relatively easy track that we believe is wheel chair friendly for families that may not be able to join on some of the other walks. Not Dog Friendly

 

McLean Falls (Clutha) - a short 40 minute return walk that will usually take longer while you pose for pictures and admire the ever growing waterfalls along the track. This is a great walk on those hot days as it’s fairly shaded and cool. Dog Friendly

 

Lake Dunstan Trail (Cromwell) - Starting in old town you can walk the beginning of this trail up to Bannockburn it is a fairly easy going track with a few hills. The beginning of it is a shared path so cyclist and pedestrians can all use it. If you wish to do the trail to Clyde you will need to use a bike. A fun and mildly challenging ride we recommend organising a pick up in Clyde if you ride it. What’s Michelle’s favourite part about this walk? plenty of wineries to refresh and hydrate at. The walking section is Dog Friendly

 

Routeburn (Queenstown) - For those that want to do a serious hike you can’t go past the Routeburn. One of the great walks for a reason it has spectacular views and wildlife. A 4 day through hike or as many days as you choose for an in out adventure we recommend packing a tent as the huts get very busy and very expensive over the summer period. Not Dog Friendly

 

Blue Lake (St Bathans) - an easy family friendly track or a more advanced longer trail the blue lakes are such  unique area and landscape. Packed with mining history and the Welsh St Bathans is a must this summer. Both Tracks are Dog Friendly

 

Show us your walks! We’d love to hear and see some of the adventure you enjoy this summer. Feel free to email in picture and information about where you’ve been and we will update it in our next newsletter.

Send your pictures here
 

Think Well

Make Memories for Good Mental Health

With summer approaching it is natural to feel a lift in mood compared to the darker months of winter. It is also a perfect time to remember we are creatures of connection and the importance of our family and friends.

 

Fred has been the perfect catalyst for Aidan and Chad to start scrap booking memories of all the people who love him. And thought we would share this with you all as a great activity to do with kids, family and friends. These are also great as Christmas presents.

The only rule we have about scrapbooking is - THERE ARE NO RULES.

Make it how ever you like, fill it with whatever you like, as long as they are memories.

Chad likes to collect leaves and flowers from the garden and press them onto pages with friend. Aidan likes to collate pictures of good memories taken on a polaroid. The goal is to connect with others and share the love. So what are you waiting for find a scrap book or photo album down at the op shop and start scrapping!
 

Sleep Well

It’s well known that we sleep better in a cooler room. So here are 5 tips you can do this summer to beat the heat and get a good nights rest.

 

  1. Avoid tight fitting and heavy clothing. Think light and loose. Thin cotton, silk and linen pjs are best.  Light sheets and blankets are now the trend, pack up the heavy down duvets till May.

     

  2. Keep a window open. A window or other source to create a cross breeze through the room can be helpful at lowering temperature. Just watch out for mosquitoes coming in!

     

  3. Crank the AC. If you can’t get peace with the bugs and you have air con putting that on at around 20 degrees cool mode will help a lot… watch your power bill.

     

  4. Avoid Alcohol, Caffeine and spicy foods. These three all raise our body temperature as we metabolise them. We aren’t saying avoid them all together but try not to have them within 3 hours of bed time.

     

  5. Have a HOT shower or sauna. That’s right hot, when your environment is warm we sweat to lower our core temperature. A hot shower or sauna 1-2 hours before bed has been proven to improve your sleep by cooling you down.
 

Eat Well

A twist on Potato Salad

Now, is this the healthiest salad I could have given you? No.

But it is one of the yummiest? YES.

Look its not that I don’t love my mums Christmas Potato salad but being so heavily dressed in mayonnaise with still frozen peas and so much onion you’ll scare away a vampire. I’ve decided to bring an updated version I know was a hit when I cooked in Europe.

500g New Season Potatoes

6-9 Rashers of Bacon

3/4 cup Sour Cream

2 tbs Sweet Chilli Sauce

1x handful of Chives

 

Salt & Pepper

 

Optional

2-3 Eggs

Boil the potatoes until fork tender, drain and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile cook the bacon till crispy (I prefer to cook mine in the oven but you cook it however you usually do).

Place potatoes into large mixing bowl, chop bacon and add to bowl along with the sour cream and sweet chilli sauce. Give it a good pinch or two of both salt and pepper and then it’s time to get your hands dirty, mix that beautiful bowl of potatoes up until everything is covered. Chop your chives over - I use scissors for ease but you can cut them on a board. Give it all a mix again and taste. Adjust the sour cream, sweet chilli and salt/pepper to your liking. This keeps will for about 2 days in the fridge so can be whipped up the night before an event.

 

If you can’t have potato salad without eggs hard boil some eggs and cut them up to add once everything has had a good mix so the eggs don’t disintegrate.  
 

What’s happening in Dunners?
 

The Dunedin Santa Parade is on again this year! it looks set to be bigger and better than ever.

Starting at 3pm all information is on their website.
Santa Parade
 

Artisans Christmas Markets

 

This will be held on Sunday 24th November 2024 at the Edgar Centre. 100% local businesses

9am - 5pm

 

With well over 100 stall this will be an exciting day to see what local stall holders have to offer…

Your chiropractors will be there too so pop on down to say “hi”
 

Beachland Races and Fireworks

 

It may have rained this weekend but it hasn’t rained on the parade.

 

The races and fireworks have been rescheduled to the 16th November.

Check their website for start time and flag drop.
 

Balclutha Business

Thats right the Clutha District Christmas Market is on December the 7th 10am-2pm. There will be floats, stalls and fun for the whole family. Registation for a float is open until Friday 8th November. We look forward to seeing you there!!!
 

Balclutha Community Garden

The local community garden of Balclutha are looking for volunteers to regularly help maintain the gardens so they can feed local families.

 

This is a fabulous initiative with Chad and Fred doing something similar every Saturday in Dunedin. Its great to get the kids interested where food comes from.

 

Open 10am-12pm every Saturday. If you’re interested call Micheal on:
0272073661

South Otago Theatrical Society

 

Are hosting shows of the classic

BADJELLY THE WITCH

 

The show is sure to thrill and entertain along with fill a lot of us up with nostalgia.

They have multiple screenings so check out theatretickets for times and seats.

 
Book Here
 

Kids summer sports are getting underway so what better time to get them in and ensuring their spines are healthy so they can continue to enhance and maintain their health this summer.

 

Senior students are gearing up for exams. Reducing postural stress is shown to help the brain process information along with memory recall!

 

“When you adjust the spine, You change the brain.”
 

TELFORD MARKET

Telford market is on December 1st 2024. FREE ENTRY

10am-2pm

Telford Equine Arena, Gray Road off Owaka Highway.
 

It’s a Fred’s life

For those of you who enjoying watching our boy growing up living his best life, here are a few photos from the past 3 months.

 
Read More

August 2024

23 September 2025

“Here we are, over halfway through the year and hopefully through the worst of winter! Speaking of winter I have had a lot of you guys coming in, mentioning how crook you’ve been this year. Now here is my theory and it is just MY theory.

 

We have had the past 4 years with covid lockdowns and restrictions. Even last year there were isolation protocols in place over winter. This is the first winter we are going through without any enforced restrictions, so coughs, colds, and flus are able to spread a lot more easily.

 

Your wonderful immune system is like your muscle system. It needs an amount of stress to build it and keep it heathy. Just like you work out your muscle to keep them strong, your immune system needs pathogens to help keep it active and healthy. It has had a “break” over the past 3/4 years and not had to work as hard as normal.

I have a feeling we will all find next years flu season a lot easier as our immune systems will be back from their “vacation” and ready to protect us.

 

I hope you enjoy what we have install for the newsletter this quarter, we received good feedback about the layout of the last one so we will keep this with the 5 keys to good health.”

-Dr Chad
 

Chiropractic

You heard it here first!

 

There is a lot of talk from various health outlets now regarding Fight/flight, vagus nerve, vagal tone and calming the nervous system. Well we chiropractors have been talking about this for years!

And now you guys get to hear it here first. We are learning that a very particular part of your brain is needed to help activate your prefrontal cortex, vagal tone and calming of the nervous system and this part of your brain is called…. YOUR CEREBELLUM.

 

The cerebellum is the super hero of the brain. This small part at the back base of the brain (orange in the picture) makes up less than 20% of the mass of your whole brain yet it contains over 60% of all the neuron’s in your brain.

More and more research is showing the importance of stimulating the cerebellum to allow proper cortical function. The cerebellum is super important for both our Baby/kids and Elderly populations. The cerebellum is what controls trunkal stability, balance and fine motor skills things needed needed particularly at the beginning and end of our life.

 

So how do you stimulate and supercharge this wonderful organ?

Via the spinocerebellar pathway

 

This is what chiropractic is all about. We adjust your spine and change the brain by stimulating the cerebellum. So in the next few years when the masses start talking about it, you can smile because you heard it hear first and are doing a multitude of wonderful things to help stimulate and promote health cerebellar function.
 

Move Well

Want live longer?

Well not not play some racquet sports…. yes RACQUET SPORTS!

This type of sport has been shown to be increasingly beneficial to both our brains and our health. Two studies done in 2018 and 2022 found a link in people who played regular (weekly) racquet sports had greater life expectancies than those who didn’t.

The coordination required to focus on a small moving target and move our bodies accordingly whether to serve or retaliate majorly impacts cerebellum function, which as we know from above stimulates whole brain function.

Not only that but racquet sports cause a person to under go high intensities of movement with very little impact to their body. Meaning racquet sports get a person heart rate up without putting too much strain on their physical body.

 

So what are you waiting for? When was the last time you had a game of tennis or badminton? have you tried something new like squash or pickleball? Pick up a racquet and start swinging. We can’t wait to celebrate your 100th birthday because of it.
 

Think Well

During the winter months when a lot of us are leaving the house in the dark and coming home in the dark. It is easy for us to get a case of the ‘winter blues’.

A great way to combat this is by getting out into nature and walking.

It doesn’t have to be far but it is best done without a device in your hand. The term for walking in nature is Shinrin-Yoku - using nature as mediation. Studies have shown that nature walking can be effective at lowering stress as it forces us to focus on the beauty of the external world and helps to get out of our heads. Another outdoor activity Dr Chad is especially fond of is gardening. There is bacteria in the soil that releases a chemical that activates dopamine (the happy hormone) within our brain.

Great ways to get out into nature are over the weekend with family and friends or during lunch breaks we have some fabulous walks around the city and the beautiful green spaces. Next time you’re having a 1-1 meeting try making it a walking meeting and go explore a park!
 

Sleep Well

Have you heard of a circadian rhythm? It’s the natural cycle our body goes through during a 24hr period. Your circadian rhythm is responsible for your sleep, hunger, mood and hormone balance.

Different seasons change our circadian rhythm. Research has shown that winter time we need more sleep. This is cued by 2 factors - temperature and light hours. During winter it is imperative we get adequate sleep to allow our bodies to heal and ward off sickness. One major disruptor to our sleep is bright screen lights during the nighttime.

Yes you’ve heard it all before but screen time around bed time disrupts the processes in your brain and stops you falling asleep and falling into deep sleep.

Some ways you can avoid this are:

  • Create a routine of no phones/screens 2 hours before sleep time.

  • Change your devices to full “red” screen to avoid any bright/blue light exposure while using them.

  • Download a phone lock or physically turn off devices to avoid temptations during your bedtime routine.

 

Devices are a part of our lives but they are also having an impact on our health. So if you’re a serial screen user during the night we challenge you to implement a new habit of reducing your screen time and improving your sleep.

 

If you’ve found a technique thats worked for you let us know by email so we can share it to help others.
 

Eat Well

I really love this recipe as its super quick to prepare - takes about 20 minutes start to finish. Can be eaten both warm or cold and makes you feel extra healthy in the cool months, when its so easy to reach for convenience.

Ingredients

1/2 cup tahini paste

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

1 tbs mayonnaise

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp miso paste (optional)

1/2 - 1 cup water

1x packet  noodles

 

1x head of broccoli

1x carrot

2x spring onions

200g - protein

 

Sesame seeds &

Chilli crunch to garnish
 

Method

 

In a bowl whisk the tahini paste, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise (and miso paste if using).

 

Once you have a smooth consistency add half a cup of water and mix until smooth again - you should see the colour of the mixture go lighter. If you want a heavier thicker sauce use it as is, however if you prefer a thinner sauce then add more water to get your desired thickness. I like mine relatively thin almost like maple syrup consistency.

 

Gently blanch your carrot and broccoli till slightly tender. And cook off your protein source*.

Boil your noodles to the packet instructions.

 

Mix the veggies, protein, noodles and sauce together and serve topped with spring onions, sesame seeds and chilli crunch!

 

*I change up the protein source. Sometimes i’ll have chicken, others tofu, others pork it really doesn’t matter what you choose
 

Whats happening around the place

Chiropractic Closure

 

Our Doctors are just about to start their 2 week holiday in Canada. It will be Chad’s first time back since covid and they are both excited for Aidans family to meet Fred.

 

They shall return on August 12 for Dunedin and August 13th for Balclutha.

A reminder that phones will not be checked while away but they still have access to emails for any “urgent” matters.
 

Dunedin Bylaw Changes

 

There are proposed changes to dog bylaws and control. The submissions have now closed by hearing and deliberation are going ahead in September. These Bylaws were around dog access areas such as beaches. There were also proposed changes to how many dogs can be off lead by one person - limiting it to 2 dogs off lead per person. This if put through will affect a lot of dog owners and dog walkers.
 

“RUN FOREST, RUN!”

 

The Dunedin Marathon is coming up on 15th September. If you haven’t registered yet there is still time.

 

There are a few people also talking about the Queenstown Marathon on the 16th November.
 

Of Course the Horse Course

 

We are so proud of Dr Aidan who is now the only chiropractor south of Christchurch to be internationally accredited to provide chiropractic care to both small and large animals.

What this space as over the next few months she will be working to incorporate hours and days to see your beloved pets and work horses (pun intended).

 

*Wee Freddie got an honorary certificate for being there for all the classes.
 
 

Sing your hearts out Balclutha

 

If you’ve been under a rock you may not be aware that Balclutha has won an Encore performance by kiwi band Six60! The concert will be held on Saturday 31st August at

Te pou ō Mata-au

 

Tickets for their arrival are on sale at One Nz and Eccles.co.nz so crack into it!!!!
 

Fathers Day

 

Sunday 1st September is Fathers day. Cheers to all the dad figures in our lives!

 

Dr Chad will be eagerly awaiting a gardening voucher or a tool voucher….
Read More

May 2024

23 September 2025

The nights are getting colder…

Days are getting shorter, it’s definitely feeling like winter is arriving. I still can not believe we are into May already! It seems like every year is going by quicker and quicker. As a new parent I can see how quickly the years can go by as you watch your little one change and grow - Fred is already 5 months =0 where did that time go?

 

Anyways, we have decided to change up our newsletters a bit to try and provide you with more practical info you can use to improve your family’s health. We have decided to break the newsletter up into our 5 keys to good health and promote something in each that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

 

I am also debating whether we should have another “Winter whereabouts” competition with paddy. Let me know by email if you’d like to see this again.

 

-Dr Chad
 

Chiropractic

Feeling good DOES NOT equate to good health.

 

Often times it is believed that if you are not experiencing symptoms then you are healthy. But this is not true!

Symptoms are a results of an underlying issue that has not been addressed or corrected. 

 

If we use the analogy of a fire and a smoke alarm. Addressing only the symptoms is akin to silencing the smoke alarm and ignoring the fire. Our aim at Otago Family Chiropractic is to address the underlying problem (the fire). But to truly get on top of an underlying problem takes CONSISTENCY.

 

Just like when you begin to put out a fire, the smoke alarm stops. When we begin to correct the source of the problem the symptoms reduce. But a fire can smoulder long after the flames are extinguished and if it is not watched and managed it can start again.

 

All too often we see patient come in; Work hard to reduce their symptoms then stop care because they “feel good”, only to come back in a couple of months or so later because it’s flared back up again.

 

Lets make this quarter the time of consistency and put out the fires once and for good! 
 

Sleep Well

Winter time brings a change in day light hours and our bodies crave a different circadian rhythm. A good sleep routine is crucial to ensuring you have the energy to persist through winter and maintain your other healthy habits.

What you may not be aware of is that your sleep routine actually begins when you wake up. Andrew Huberman a PHD professor in neurology explains that in order for our bodies to make the right amount of melatonin for sleep it needs the right amount of cortisone at the right times during the day.

To achieve the optimum levels of cortisone Huberman recommends getting as much natural light into your eyes within the first 40 minutes of waking up. How do we do this if we wake before the sun? He suggests getting out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off (no snoozing) and turn on as many of the brighter lights in your home as you can. Then when the sun does finally come out get outside and bask in it for as long as you can.

 

Huberman also recommends waiting for up to 2 hours before you have your morning coffee from wake up… well I guess there are some thing’s we will have to professionally disagree on!
 

Move Well

Is it just us or does winter seem like the hardest season to stay active?

With shorter day lengths and the temperature dropping its very easy to make the excuse of not exercising today, or tomorrow, or the day after…

Very quickly you’ve broken that great routine and its coming up summer and you realise you haven’t exercised since before June.

While Dr Chad is a great fan of daily walking, “Just 30 minutes a day for 6 months will change your life forever…” We have a few amazing people and places that are here to keep you accountable and moving well over the colder months.

 

For ladies that prefer a more personal 1-1 or small group training who want variety look no further than the amazing Kristen Wingham at BodyKraft located down by baby on the move.

 

If you’re looking for more of a large group inclusive atmosphere that uses some of the latest equipment and technology to get results then head over and see the team at BFT Kensington.
 

Think Well

Isolation and loneliness is one of the biggest negative impactors to mental health and overall health. During winter it can be easier to stay home and curl up on the couch getting lost in a TikTok/YouTube rabbit hole.

Ensuring you have a strong social network really helps to ward off the winter blues. Now is the perfect time to start planning some social catch ups whether it be a mid-winter Christmas, a brisk coffee and walk or supporting the local farmers market with friends.

 

New “Think Well” traditions you could incorporate at home are things like:

- Nightly card games - we love cribbage or rummy cub.

- Bed time stories for the kids or a few hours reading before bed.

- If you’re not a regular eat at the table family, trying to make a day or a time each day to gather at the table and talk over a meal. You can step this up a notch again by eating dinner by candle light which helps the brain to create melatonin and build a cozy atmosphere.

 

A fantastic book that we re-read every winter season is “The little book of Lykke” by Meik Wiking, a Danish professor who has looked into health, habits and what makes us happy as humans.
 

Eat Well

There is nothing quite like a delicious warming soup when it gets chilly to warm the bones and fill the family’s belly’s.

Believe it or not Dr Chad has a culinary background, albeit not as fantastic as some of you real chefs!

Regardless here is his recipe for a Thai pumpkin soup that feeds a crowd or plenty of left overs to freeze.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

1x Medium Crown   Pumpkin

1x Onion

2x Celery Stalks

1x tbs Minced Ginger

1x tbs Minced Garlic

2x tbs Red Thai Curry paste

2x tbs Fish Sauce

1x tbs brown sugar

2x Coconut Milk 400g

1x Cannelloni Beans 400g

1x Bunch of Fresh Coriander

1-2 Lemons

 

Salt & Pepper to season and taste.

Coconut flakes for garnish

 

 

Now I use my hands a lot so instead of tempting fate and loosing a finger while trying to dice and peel my pumpkins I simply throw them in the oven whole and roast them.

Preheat the oven to 200C and place the whole pumpkin on a tray into the oven. Roast 1 hour for every kg your pumpkin weighs. Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. you’ll then have a very soft pumpkin that’s easy to peel of the skin and breaks apart when adding to the soup.

 

To make the soup, dice your onion and celery and begin cooking these off in a large pot on med/high heat. just as the onions are starting to brown a bit add a pinch of salt, the minced garlic and ginger. Stir and cook for another minute or two. Add the Red Thai Curry paste and cook this off for 4-5 minutes to let the flavours open up and the paste to cook out a bit. Add the fish sauce and deglaze if necessary (if you’re vegan or allergic you can make a slurry of miso paste and water to get a similar affect). Add the sugar and stir. Add you pumpkin making sure you’ve peeled and removed the seeds. give it a stir as the pumpkin should be soft enough and it starts to break up. Add the coconut milk and the Cannelloni beans. Turn the heat down to low/medium and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. At this point I use a stick blender to blend everything up, if you don’t have one use a blender, a masher or just leave it chunky rustic style.

Turn off the heat, add your chopped coriander and lemon juice to taste - start with one lemon (if lemons are too pricey the fresh squeezed packets are just as good - not concentrate).

Salt and pepper to taste and if you’re feeling fancy toast up some coconut flakes and throw them over as a garnish.

Eat with bread, rice, what ever you please!

 

Let us know how you got on making it if you do try this over the winter.
 

What’s happening in the community?

May the 4th be with you!

 

Our mates at the American Modular Train Group are hosting their annual model train show on May 4th and 5th down at:

The Taieri Bowling Club

Wickliffe Street, Mosgiel

9:30am - 4pm both days.

Adults - $10

Children under 12 - $1

Family - $20

 

Come dressed as your favourite Star Wars or “Out of this World” Character and enjoy all things Train and Sci-Fi!
 

A horse of course!

 

Dr Aidan is off next week to Christchurch to do some of the practical side of her horse chiropractic course. We look forward to what knowledge she brings back and her being able to help a whole new part of the community. Don’t forget we also see other pets just let Michelle know if Paddy needs to be put in a seperate room when they are booked into the practice.

 

Hey! Did you hear about the pony with a sore throat?….. It was a little horse!!!!!
 

Don’t forget Mother’s Day is fast approaching - 12th May. Say thanks to those amazing mother figures in your life. A nice breakfast, a phone call or flowers.

 

Chad will be getting some from Simply Flowers on Mussleburgh for Aidan this year!
 

 

Pataka Kai Sharing Pantry

 

Milton has just opened a Kai sharing Pantry for the community. What a great idea as fresh veggies are always well received during winter.

Talk with Darz next time your in Balclutha about where  it can be found.
 

ORC Bus Proposal

 

Otago Regional Council are proposing a bus service between Balcutha and Dunedin! For more information on this head over to the ORC website.

 

Also the Clutha District Council longterm Submissions are due so click on the link to have your say!
Clutha Regional Council
 

Phone Ban in School

National has now put in place a ban on phone usage at school. Whatever your political stance we as chiropractors are taking this as a positive. With more advances and use in technology comes new problems with our health.

The constant postural change of looking down at a phone along with the bright blue light used during night hours can lead a lot of us, especially our teens, to experience migraines, postural issues and long term health problems like hypertension. Having specific time away from a device gives our primitive brains a chance to rest and reset amid the constant bombardment of social media apps.

 

A great tip while using your phones is what we call “Phones to face” where you bring the phone up to your face not your face down to your phone. Be careful, the chiropractors will call you out if they catch you with poor phone posture while waiting for your appointment!
 
 

A little bit of Fred

For those of you who like to keep up with wee (or not so wee anymore) Fred and his antics, here are a few photos from the last couple of months. Thank you again to all who have showered him with gifts he is very grateful as are his parents.
Read More

February 2024

23 September 2025

WELCOME TO 2024

I swear that every time I blink it’s a new month! Does anyone else feel the same? I hope you have all been enjoying and making the most of this questionable summer. New years resolutions are in full swing…. Oh yea those things we all promised ourselves on January 1st. Do not fret if these haven’t been upheld, when you fall off the wagon you don’t just give up and walk, you get back on and try again.

 

This year is set to be a ripper! We have a lot happening and look forward to updating you as the months progress. As always go well and live life!

-Dr Chad
 
 

Dawn of the Techno Era

We have been working away at the end of last year with our practice management system to develop an App to allow you to have more control over your health.

 

Our app is totally free and available to download on both Apple and Android devices. Simple search “Otago Chiro” look for our logo and download. From there you will need to register with your email address that we use to communicate with you  and create a password.

 

The app will allow you to:

  • Book and see your schedule of care.

  • Access exercises or x-rays/test results from the chiropractor.

  • Access referral letters and other documents the chiropractors have written.

     

*If you have had x-rays taken before the end of the year please let the chiropractor know as these will have to be updated to view in the app.
 
 

Farewell and Hello!
 

We are sad to say farewell to Dr Quinn who has allowed Dr Aidan to take maternity leave and look after Fred.

But now he will be heading to Canada to work with their brother Dr Ben. (How many Chiropractors are in this family again?)

 

 

 

Dr Aidan will be returning to Balclutha for the regular 2 days a week along with an hour on a Wednesday morning every two weeks in Dunedin to see those of you regulars who don’t enjoy Dr Chad’s “pokey bloom’n thumbs”.

Dr Aidan will be taking on new patients in Balclutha but will NOT be seeing new patients in Dunedin.
 
 
 

How LOW can you go?

Deep Squats!

 

These leg burners are ideal for loosening up your lower back and opening your hip flexors. If you’ve ever watched a child you will notice this is how they bend down to pick things up or play. Their back muscles haven’t fully developed and they must utilise the levers of their pelvis. As we age we become dare I say it - Lazy -  and use our backs more. This coupled with our lifestyles that are more sedentary means our hip flexors knee and ankles contract and “lock up”.

 

Getting back to basics and regularly performing deep squat holds is a great way to improve posture and function within your body.

Perform this without weights holding the deep squat position for a minimum of 30 seconds up to 3 minutes.

If you find you are unable to get down low without you heel lifting up then place a block of 4x2 under your heels to support them until your knees and ankles unlock.

 

Jump over to our social page to watch Dr Chad explaining this in more detail. Like wise ask the Chiropractor’s about it in your next visit.

 

*If you have had ankle, knee or hip surgery or any concerns about these areas please speak to your chiropractor before attempting.
 
 

What’s New in Research?

Heidi Haavik and her team have collaborated a whole plethora of research articles to review just how effective chiropractic care can be for you.

And what did they find?

 

After doing a systemic review of over 20 years worth of research they have found that correcting spinal misalignments or ‘subluxations’ as we call them, actually allows your brain to control your muscles better and improve your strength.
Video of Dr Heidi Haavik explaining Chiropractic

Another fascinating point that came from their literature review was how your spine may become subluxated or misaligned. The most common reason is physical injury like a slip or a knock. Interestingly stress also impacts how your body is able to control and regulate your body with things such as strength and energy. think about how many people are under a high amount of stress currently. When you enter that ‘fight/flight’ response it can cause your spine to misalign and become subluxated.

when you see your chiropractor we check for those area’s of disfunction and correct them helping you to not only be strong but shift the brains mindset from ‘fight/flight’ and into a more relaxed state.

 

Click the spine picture to watch Dr Heidi Haavik explain her research!!!!
Read More

Quarterly Newsletter - November 2023

23 September 2025

Tick Tock Baby Watch


We are on baby watch people! Thank you to all those who have entered the sweep stake and taking a guess for due date, time and sex of our bubba to be. Michelle will be in touch to reschedule those booked for that day (whenever it may be) to either see Dr. Quinn or myself on another day. I would like to pre-thank you all for you patience and cooperation over this time.

- Dr. Chad

Read More

Quarterly Email - August 2023

8 March 2024

Welcome to the final month of winter and what an interesting winter we have had so far, August and it is finally starting for feel like the cold is setting in. Here’s hoping we can manage a few snow ball fights before the daffodils begin to bloom.

This past Quarter has been a buzz with a lot of background things happening. We are very excited for the next 3-6 months with a lot of changes in the pipeline.

Read More

Quarterly Email - May 2023

8 May 2023

It’s month 5 of this year already! Where has the time gone? This year has been a bit of a blur for us so far, what with all those short weeks. We do hope you are all achieving the goals you set at the beginning of the year.

Read More

Quarterly Email - February 2023

8 February 2023

After the past 2 years and all that we’ve had to face as a family, a city, and a nation; We here at OFC have decided that we would make this year ‘The Year of Positive Change!’
 
Already a month back in and we have had some fantastic changes to help you and your family achieve your health goals and make Chiropractic an easy part of your lifestyle.

Read More