Quarterly Email - May 2023

Pregnancy Seminar

Yes it looks like a very questionable image. In reality the Dr.’s are practicing a technique called Rebozo. Where by the partner of a pregnant mumma supports her belly with a scarf and is able to gently rock the belly to help relieve pressure.

On April the second both Chad and Aidan attended a pregnancy seminar so they can come back and provide further support and information to our community. They learnt lots of handy tips to help prepare mothers for labour along with their pregnancy journey. After all their saying is, “It’s easier to grow healthy children than to fix broken adults.” So why not start at the very beginning of a child’s life before they have even become earth side.

Winter is Coming…

The nights are getting darker, the air is getting crisper and fires are crackling to keep us cozy. With winter also comes those not so lovely coughs and colds. So what can you do to ensure your family are healthy this winter?

We have 5 key things to ensure your body is at its healthiest and able to ward off the sniffles.

1. Move Well - movement and exercise helps to improve our cardiovascular system. Making our bodies more efficient at removing waste from our bodies so they don’t build up and create an unhealthy environment for sickness to fester. We know its harder to stay active in these colder months but even doing 30 minutes of brisk walking a day can have huge benefits for your health. 
2. Eat Well - When it gets colder we often begin reaching for more heart warming and rich foods. Soups and stews are fantastic, cakes and cookies are not.  Yes ensuring you are getting plenty of whole unprocessed foods into your diet will help your body have all the nutrition and energy it needs to fight off any colds/flus this season. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are our favourite fresh veggies to munch on over winter, they have more vitamin C in them than oranges! 
3. Sleep Well - 80% of your body’s healing occurs while you are getting a restful nights sleep. It may be harder to get up in the mornings while it is dark but the darker evenings are great to build a proper bed time routine to ensure a restorative nights sleep.  Start by switching off from electronic devices 2 hours before you plan on going to sleep. Begin a reading habit or quite gentle chores like folding washing. If possible start dimming the lights around the house. Chad and Aidan use wall lights to help mimic the sun on the horizon and get the brain ready for sleep. 
4. Think Well - Seasonal depression is a very real thing. Our mental health has a huge impact on the rest of our health including our immune system. Yoga, mindfulness and breath work are all great activities to help your state of mind. Chad personally enjoys journalling in the mornings to set up his week and clear his mind. Aidan on the other hand braves the shock factor with polar plunges - she says, “They are quite invigorating.” We will take your word for it Aidan. 
5. Chiropractic - Yes of course Chiropractic. Ensuring your spine and NERVOUS SYSTEM are functioning properly means your immune system will be better able to handle any incoming colds/flu. Research has shown that chiropractic adjustments affect your neuro-immuno-endocrine pathways. To put simply, when your chiropractor adjusts you, it changes the way your nervous system works which then has an impact on the way your immune response works. 

References
 
Kawli T, He F & Tan M-W. 2010;3(11-12):721-31. 2. Buckingham JC, et al. 1996;54(1):285-98. 3. Elenkov IJ, et al. 2000;52(4):595-638. 4. 
 
HerkenhamM & Kigar SL. 2017;79(Pt A):49-57. 5. Kipnis J. Scientific American 2018;319(2):28-35. 6. Kox M, et al. 2014;111(20):7379-84. 7.
 
Pearce BD, Biron CA& Miller AH. Academic Press 2001:469-513. 8. Sanders VM & Kohm AP. 2002;52:17-41. 9. 
 
Uthaikhup S et al. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2012;55(3):667-72. 10. Haavik H & Murphy B. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2012;22(5):768-76. 11. 
 
Treleaven J. Man Ther 2008;13(1):2-11. 12. Daligadu J, et al.JMPT2013;36(8):527-37. 13. 
 
Haavik H & Murphy B. 2012;22(5):768-76. 14. Haavik H, et al. 2017 doi: 10.1016/j. jmpt.2016.10.002 15. 
 
Taylor HH & MurphyB. JMPT 2008;31(2):115-26. 16. Colombi A & Testa M. Medicina 2019;55(8):448. 17. Kovanur-Sampath K, et al. 2017;29:120-31.

Back Pack Checks

One of Dr. Chad’s greatest annoyances is seeing kids (teenagers especially) walking around with massive back packs that hang down to their knees causing them to hunch forward and round their developing spines. And adults don’t think you are out of the woods! We see you too. Below is a quick 4 step check you can do to assess your children and your own back packs and ensure you are wearing them properly.  If you are still unsure or would like to have your family’s bags/posture checked by one of the Chiropractors send through an email and Michelle will schedule you a time.

Deskercise!

Sedentary jobs have increased 83% since the 1950’s. Today more than ever we are doing a job our bodies are not designed for… STAYING STILL.

How do we minimise the ill effects sitting has on our body and on our spine? Through Deskercise!!! Here are 3 tips you can incorporate into your daily work routine:

Take frequent breaks. Stand up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. This can help improve circulation and prevent stiffness in your joints. Consider using a standing desk or an adjustable desk that allows you to switch between sitting and standing.

Include stretching and exercises in your day. Simple movements like shoulder rolls, neck stretches, and leg extensions can help loosen up your muscles and prevent tightness. Additionally, you can use resistance bands or small weights to do arm and shoulder exercises while sitting.

Take a walk. Walking not only adds movement but also helps improve mental clarity and focus. Do this during your lunch break or before/after work - 20 minutes is all you need to reinvigorate the body and start the health benefits. Also avoid the elevator and take the stairs if you can.

What’s New with Research?

Chiropractic Adjustments and Improved Sensorimotor Integration

Well that title was a mouthful. What does it all mean?

Over the past two decades there has been more and more evidence suggesting that positive neural plastic changes occur within the brain following a chiropractic adjustment.

A collaborate study done by chiropractors and non chiropractic researchers set out to find out how exactly this works. They took a group of patients with subclinical pain (people who experience pain some days but not other days) and analysed where and what happens in the brain following a chiropractic adjustment. The results showed that even after a single session with the chiropractor, a persons brain is able to more accurately interpret sensory information and then send the appropriate motor control response through their body.

This study helps to shed light on why low level pain patients find relief after a chiropractic adjustment; As sensorimotor integration within the brain has the greatest occurrence in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

References:

Lelic, D., Niazi, I. K., Holt, K., Jochumsen, M., Dremstrup, K., Yielder, P., ... & Haavik, H. (2016). Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: a brain source localization study. Neural plasticity, 2016.