Cape Breton Pride 2019

Pride week in Cape Breton is fast approaching (events start on August 2nd)

As you may already know, Island Chiropractic & Family Wellness is a sponsor for Pride Cape Breton this year and we have been selling our Rainbow Skeleton shirts to raise money for Pride CB. Our staff, family and friends will be at the parade this Saturday wearing our shirts with pride! We hope to see everyone who purchased a shirt sporting their’s at the parade (and anytime you wish!) as well.

Also, we would like to extend a very big thank you to everyone who supported our efforts by purchasing a shirt to help raise money for our local pride society, we are very grateful for the generosity of each and everyone of you.

Island Chiropractic is also hosting a Pride Yoga event on Wednesday, August 7th @ 5pm. The class will be held at Our Lady Of Fatima Church Hall (in the basement). This class will be lead by Jamie Crane and Allyson Lewis. The class will be a restorative style Yoga class with the option for participating on the mat or by using a chair.

This class is open to anyone and everyone who is looking to explore Yoga in a safe, accessible and welcoming environment.

Gratitude is $5 and will be donated to Pride Cape Breton.

We hope to see you all there. Have a safe and happy Pride Week everyone ! ! !

Salmon Tales and Tubes

If you follow us on social media, you may have seen our river tubing post. This was such a great experience I wanted to post some details and some suggestions for those who may be interested in booking one of the trips!

Salmon Tales and Tubes is a program run through Parks Canada - you can find the link here.

As opposed to the other tubing experience in Cape Breton, this tour allowed us to bring our two and four year old. They do provide all the necessary gear, however, we were advised to bring our own lifejackets as they don’t carry the itty bitty ones.

If you are bringing anyone under the age of 5, I would also advise you to bring your own helmet as again, the sizes were too big for those little heads (we put their hats underneath the hemet and it seemed to work). We were advised that the hemet is more for protection against stray golf balls, as part of the river passes nearby the golf course.

Also, we recommend wearing water shoes.

There is a short walk up the river (about 45-minutes) where our guide Kirsten would stop and talk about the Salmon breeding habits and some of the challenges they are facing (did you know that 2019 is the year of the Salmon?). Kirsten also spoke about some of the trees in the area (and the issues they are facing with invasive species) and some of the local animals.

Once we got to our destination and were geared up, we all jumped aboard our tubes and were on our way floating down the river. The kids had an absolute blast.

Due to low water levels, there were some parts of the tour that we had to get off the tube and portage. Since it was such a hot day, we certainly didn’t mind the chance to cool down. I will caution you, you will get wet.

We started the tour at 3pm and everything was wrapped up just before 5:30pm.

If you are looking for something a little different to do and you have little ones, I highly recommend this tour!

The tour runs every Saturday until August 31st, and reservations are highly recommended - you can book it by calling 902-285-2535.

Jill's Homemade Granola

Granola is a favourite food at our house; however, I always struggle with the added sugar content in most commercially bought granolas. Enter the DIY tip of the year from my friend Jill. Jill had posted online that she had made some granola and that’s when I realized that by making my own I could ensure it had all the goodness and none of the stuff I didn’t like (genius!). Here’s Jill’s recipe (with modifications). Also, realize that I usually don’t measure when I cook, so these are approximate amounts, feel free to add more/less according to your preferences.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups raw almonds

• 2 Cups raw cashews

• 2 Cups raw pecans

• 2 Cups raw qalnuts

• 2 Cups raw macadamia nuts

• 1 Cup raw sunflower seeds

• 1 Cup raw pumpkin seeds

• 1 Cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

• 1 Cup quick oats

• 4 Tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 Tablespoons almond oil

• 2 Tablespoons raw/unpasteurized honey

• Dash of cinnamon

• Dash of vanilla

• 2 Tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Chop each nut group into bite sized pieces (you can use a blender on chop settings, but I find something about chopping nuts to be very satisfying)

3. Spread out all nuts and oats on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet

4. Bake nuts for 10 minutes

5. While nuts are baking combine coconut oil, almond oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla and water in a small saucepan and bring to a short boil. Remove from heat and wait for the nuts.

6. Remove nuts from oven and place into a large mixing bowl (they will be hot!) and add oil mixture and combine well.

7. Turn oven off

8. Place mixture back onto baking sheet and put the back into the oven for 10-15 minutes - BUT watch carefully - depending on the heat in your oven, you may need to remove earlier than 15 minutes. They should be a nice golden colour when finished.

Enjoy!

We like to have our granola with full fat yogurt and berries on top. The added fat content from the yogurt keeps you satiated for a long time.

Like this granola recipe? Check out our “Cinnamon Maple Pumpkin Seeds” recipe by clicking HERE

Hacks for Camping with Kids

With summer in full swing, two camping trips under our belt (and hopefully a couple more to come!), we thought we would share some of our favourite hacks for when we camp with our kids.

Packing hacks:

• Mid/Large Tupperware: We usually store our camping essentials, plates, foil, utensils, camp soap, dish cloths etc in a fairly large (but not deep tupperware) year round. When we get back from a trip, we replace what we’ve used and then it’s just a matter of throwing it in the car when it’s time to go!

• Mid/Large Tupperware: We store our dry goods in one of these as well, anything that doesn’t need to be in the cooler will be packed inside one of these. Again a fairly large (but not too deep) is enough for us now. Also, the tupperware can be used for washing your dishes and even filling with water and letting the babies bathe near the campfire.

• Camping for the first time? You can find a comprehensive list here thanks to lovetheoutdoors.com - We try to stay as minimal as possible when camping, so I’ll do a lot of my food prep the night before, which means things like a potato peeler (or pie iron) aren’t necessary to bring, since they are already washed/peeled (and who makes pie while they are camping?). Also, depending on the type of camping you are doing, you probably won’t need luxury items like a 5-gallon shower bag. With kids, we are typically car camping, which means most places have showers, so we would either take the kids for a shower, or bird bath in our tupperware container.

• If you just got a new tent, try assembling it before hand to see how much effort is required. We just got a 6 person “North Face Kaiju” tent and so far so good! It’s very easy to assemble, we love the extra space, and the awning is great!

• If you can find a hammock, bring it! We usually hang the hammock quite low to the ground and this has kept the kids entertained for anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes at a time.

• Head lamps - our entire family has a head lamp - they allow you to have your hands free and the kids think they are really cool.

Cooler Hacks:

• A frozen 2-litre water jug makes a great ice pack and when it thaws, you can use the water to drink.

• We usually bring our metal water bottles and refill while on the go.

• Meal prepping makes cooking much easier. Prepping small tin foil packs that can go right on the grill make life much easier.

• We will usually bring a small soft sided cooler for any drinks, that way the cooler with the food can stay closed.

Traveling Hacks (for people with a 2 and 4 year old):

• I will usually pick up a new colouring/sticker book for the kids to play with on the drive down, which may keep them occupied for anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes at a time.

• We’ve started listening to kids stories on Spotify while driving. This has kept the kids happy and quiet for up to 2 hours at a time.

• Another great trick to keeping them quite on the drive is popcorn! I’ll air pop some non GMO popcorn the night before and pack a couple reusable bags filled with popcorn (and a little butter) and they will happily (and quietly) munch for anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes at a time.

• Despite a long day of activities and missing their regular bedtime, they are usually not that excited to sleep. They aren’t really interested in reading a book, so we will download a kids story on Spotify ahead of time and usually they calm right down and are asleep within 5-10 minutes.

• We will usually try to find a campground either close to a beach or something that has a playground….. for obvious reasons (they rock!)

• If you have packing space tricycles or bikes (and helmets) have been great entertainment at the campsite.

Meal Hacks:

• We have a little portable stove that can be used to heat water and items in a small pan. It’s worthwhile to find out if your campsite has a fire pit with a grill or not - this will play a big part in what type of cooking items you bring along with you (stove, mini-stove, mini BBQ, etc)

• Prep. The day before a camping trip, I like to prep all my veggies (wash and cut), fruits and foil meals. This makes them easy to pack and stack in the cooler and it also makes them easy to grab and go.

• Pulled pork is a great pre-made meal that you can do a day or two before and then just bring in a reusable container. It’s easy to reheat and eat for breakfast, lunch or supper!

• I’ve seen some people suggest you crack all your eggs, whisk them and then put them into a plastic bottle (see picture below). I’m not 100% sold on this idea, we usually keep our eggs in a carton in the cooler, it just seems like they would last a lot longer without being cracked ahead of time. Plus you can let your egg carton smoulder at the campsite to keep the bugs away!

• These look amazing! Egg and cheese bread bowls - I’m trying them on our next trip.

• Our kids love oatmeal, I always put a couple oatmeal cups in our dry goods bin for them

Not sure if camping is something your family could get into? Try an Otentik or equipped camping! Parks Canada had these great accommodations for people who aren’t quite set up for camping! Check them out here. The Otentiks are even heated - so you can usually get one early or late in the season and be comfortable. We’ve rented one early in May and later in September and it was awesome! Unfortunately, Otentik camping is not being offered in 2020 due to Covid-19… but keep them in mind for 2021!!

Worried about ticks? Check out this post on a new TICK Tracker by clicking HERE

The Perfect Summer Dip

During the summer months quick food options always seem a lot more appealing as opposed to spending hours in the kitchen cooking.

The more ways you can find to have less prep for my food in the summer, the more time you get to spend enjoying summer (it is the shortest season in Cape Breton!)

I am a lover of quick and healthy finger foods. This dip takes very little time to make, is full of nutrients & minerals from the fresh herbs and also a good way to put that herb garden to use !!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup raw cashews

• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or cashew milk)

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

• 2.5 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 Tbsp red onion

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Soak cashews in warm water (enough to cover them) for 30 mins - drain water off when ready

2. Add all the ingredients into a food processor or blender - blend for 3 minutes or until smooth

3. Serve with sliced veggies like cucumber, peppers celery, carrot sticks etc. Seed crackers pair well with this dip as well (I like Mary’s Crackers)

4. Enjoy!

**In this recipe the nuts are only soaked for 30 minutes to help soften the nuts which helps with the consistency of the dip. If you want to soak the nuts to break down the phytic acid and neutralize enzymes to help with digestion/absorption I would recommend soaking the nuts in water for 7 hours before you use them with filtered water, along with 1/4 tsp sea salt.**

I hope you get a chance to try this recipe out, if you do, leave a comment and let me know how you liked it!

Digging this dip? Check out our “Simplified Caesar Salad” recipe by clicking HERE

More Omega-3's Please!

Omega-3s…something we hear a lot about that we should consume more of, but why?

Long ago the human species evolved on a diet high in omega-3 rich foods like wild salmon, game meat and different nuts and seeds. This is part of the reason (a large part) why the diseases of our time were basically non-existent during those times. Now a day’s we are consuming approximately 15 to 25 percent more omega-6 than omega-3, compared to when our ancestors consumed a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. A lot of the omega-6 we consume now mainly comes from vegetable oils, these can be highly processed and rancid which can lead to the formation of free radicals in the body causing inflammation and disease.

So how can we incorporate more omega-3 into our diets?

There are many great foods for this, some mentioned above ( wild salmon, wild game meat, etc) but there is one that sticks out in my mind when it comes to getting in more omega-3’s and an all around “superfood” with no preparation needed.

Insert….the walnut!

Eating walnuts (along with a balanced diet) can have a very positive impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Walnuts are not only a great source of omega-3’s, they also contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Walnuts are beneficial to brain health (have you ever noticed they kind of look like a human brain too?) - with mood boosting and cognitive benefits, heart health - improving circulation and has actually been found to reduce the formation arterial build up, they also help with controlling inflammation in within the body and are a great addition to your diet to help with balancing blood sugar (no more afternoon crash!). They are a known to be a calorie dense food, meaning its higher in calories for a smaller serving but you are consuming many essential vitamins, minerals and fats when eating it.

1/4 cup of walnuts (or 1 ounce , approximately 14 halves) eaten between meals or at the same time as a meal can help improve balancing blood sugar. Doing this can also help with overeating at meals or later in the day. Walnuts increase satiety and they are a great food to help curb cravings you may get for sugar or refined carbohydrates.

One last benefit about walnuts aside from the fact that they are a great source of omega-3’s I want to highlight is that, within this small serving of walnuts (mentioned above) you receive approximately 48% of your recommended daily adequate intake of manganese. This essential nutrient is involved in bone development, helps balance calcium levels and also when combined with other minerals such as calcium, zinc and copper - can help reduce bone loss. Combined with other supplements that help the joints (such as glucosamine) manganese can help reduce join inflammation in people with arthritis.

Some tips how to add these nutrient filled nuts into your daily life:

• Always aim to buy raw and/or organic, unsalted nuts

• Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, the oils in nuts when exposed to air can oxidize and become rancid

• Eat them in between meals or with meals (as mentioned above)

  … and last but not least a little bit more “fun” way to enjoy them…

• Walnuts pair great with dark chocolate! I shoot for at least an 80% coco (organic) chocolate, this will up the level of antioxidants and make it more of a treat for you to enjoy!

Add some walnuts to this amazing Granola recipe! Check out it out by clicking HERE!

Everybody Should Be Resistance Training

A coupe of weeks ago for our quick tip Tuesday on Instagram we talked about one of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) physical activity guidelines recommending 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week.  Most people know about the benefits of aerobic activity.  However, quite often resistance training or strength training is overlooked.  CSEP does say “It is… beneficial to add muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups, at least 2 days per week.” This is where resistance training comes in.  

Muscle mass and strength has high predictive value of all cause mortality.  Resistance training helps strengthen bone, muscle, tendon, and ligaments. It improves metabolic and cardiovascular health. Increased muscle mass elevates basal metabolic rate (BMR) as lean muscles require calories to maintain themselves at rest.  In this manner simply having lean muscle can burn fat. 

Being strong improves quality of life and mitigate injuries.  Resistance training can help prevent osteoporosis and falls in older people.  Physical activity improves mental health and mood. Of course increasing muscle mass and strength improves physical attractiveness, self esteem, and body image.  

CSEP recommends “at least 2 days per week”.  I think this is a great minimum and could be achieved in 20 - 30 minutes of intense full body movements that hit major muscle groups.  If you’re just beginning you could start with bodyweight exercises like squats, push ups, pull ups, bridges, planks, crawls or easier modifications of these.  Bodyweight exercises may be enough for some people to reach their goals.  Others may want to progress to lifting heavy things like rocks in the back yard, dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells.  Again I like to focus on compound movements like deadlifts, squats, bench press, overhead press, rows and carries.  Pick two or three exercises and perform three to five sets with three to ten reps.  Theres no hard rules on this except don’t get hurt.  Practice quality of movement, be patient, and progress slowly to allow your body to adapt.  

Keep in mind lean muscle weighs more than fat tissue.  So if strength training is part of a weight loss strategy - you may be improving body composition but the scale may not be going down. In this case consider a different out come measure like waist to hip ratio or waist to height ratio.  Also, you may take a picture of yourself in you bathing suit and compare.  Probably the best gauge of improvement is as Robb Wolf would say, “how do you look, feel, and perform?”

I’ll leave you with a blunt but fitting quote from strength coach Mark Rippetoe - “Strong people are harder to kill than weak people and more useful in general.” 

Simplified Caesar Salad Dressing

Finally, we are having some nice weather to enjoy all the summer things like barbecues and socials with friends and family. So, you know what that means…lots of salads loaded with store bought salad dressing!

Here are some reasons why you should ditch the bottled dressings and spend an extra 5 minutes making your own:

• They are full of artificial flavours

• They contain unnecessary sugars (like high-fructose corn syrup…who needs that on a salad… or ever?)

• Bottled dressings are also made with tons of preservatives to prolong their shelf life … ever wonder why they don’t expire for 2 years?

• These types of dressings are also loaded with trans-fat (the bad kind of fat!)

 All that being said, there are some bottled dressings you can buy with some clean ingredients and lower on the preservative side (these can be pretty pricey for a bottle though). The bigger picture here is that if you are making a dressing from scratch it’s going to 1. Taste better not only because its super fresh but also because you made it yourself (isn’t that always the way!) 2.  You don’t have to have 10 bottles of half used dressing in your fridge for years and years and years…you get the point. If you make your own, you can make as much as you need and there is no waste! 3. You can control the ingredients you put in your dressing, if there are any dietary restrictions or allergies this is the perfect way to know exactly what you are getting!

 The recipe for this salad dressing is a Caesar style dressing, its light, healthy and full of flavour!

 Caesar Salad Dressing:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 clove of Garlic

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon Tamari (or coconut aminos)

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Dijon Mustard (I like to use an organic brand and make sure it is free of canola oil)

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste!

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a food processor, blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender or even a regular blender! If you don’t have any of those, make sure the garlic is minced well and whisk all ingredients together and let stand for a few minutes before using to make sure all the flavours come together.

Enjoy & happy BBQ’ing!

Like this dressing? Check out our “Perfect summer dip” recipe by clicking HERE.

Private Yoga Tune-up

As chiropractors we treat a lot of back pain. Over the years, we have observed that some of our patients enjoy the benefits of a Yoga practice in their lives, but they are frequently bothered by a chronic pain that seems to be worse on Yoga days. There are many benefits to having a strong Yoga practice but, did you know that sometimes Yoga could be the source of your pain? There are certain spinal conditions that could potentially become aggravated with various Yoga poses. We’ve even seen patients who’s recovery was limited because of their Yoga practice.

During a Yoga class do you find yourself wondering if you are correctly holding the pose?

Do you have a home practice or follow an instructor online, but aren’t sure if you are in proper alignment?

Are you intimidated by large classes but would like to try Yoga?

We are excited to announce that Allyson Lewis will now be offering one-on-one private sessions. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned Yogi or beginner, your session with Allyson will cover all concerns or questions that you may have. These classes will focus on proper alignment and breathing techniques during various poses. Your session will also include a specific, personalized routine that will address your needs.

Sessions are 45-minutes in length and are $55. You can add on a consultation with one of the doctors to address any aches and pains that you have as well.

Space is limited, call 902-270-7022 or click HERE to book!

~ Namaste ~

110% Awesome Cookies

Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free 110% AWESOME Cookies!

I’ve been struggling to find a decent recipe for a “healthier” cookie. Usually modifications to recipes in the attempt of making them a little “healthier” don’t turn out very well. But this time I’ve hit the jackpot! These cookies are not only ridiculously delicious, but they are decent in protein, fibre, vitamin E, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and potassium! Needless to say, they did not last long at our house!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Dates

• 1 Cup Ras Cashews

• 1 Large Egg

• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1/4 Cup Almond Flour

• 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda

• 1/4 Tsp Salt

• 1/4 Cup Chopped Almonds

• 1/4 Cup Chopped Macadamia Nuts

• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

• *Optional 1/4 Cup 70% Dark Chocolate Chunks

Instructions

1. Soak cashews and dates in boiling hot water for 5 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F.

3. Chop almonds and macadamia nuts and set aside in medium sized bowl.

4. Remove dates and cashews from water, shake dry and pulse in bender till chopped/mixed well.

5. Add egg, vanilla, coconut flour, baking soda and salt into blender and process until barely chunky.

6. Add mixture into bowl with almonds and macadamia nuts, add coconut flakes mix well.

7. *Optional add in - add dark chocolate chunks to mixture (our little guy does not like chocolate, so I divided the mixture into two and then added chocolate to half).

8. Place table spoon sized portions onto parchment lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Gently pat down, these cookies do not spread at all.

9. Bake fore 11-12 minutes. Removing from oven, letting the cookies stay on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring.

Do you have a bit of a sweet tooth? Check out our “Chocolate Zucchini Blender Muffins” by clicking HERE

Rainbow Skeleton Shirts for PRIDE CB

Rainbow Skeleton Shirts in support of Pride Cape Breton

White, 100% cotton T-shirt with Rainbow Throax on front, blank on the back.

Shirts are $20.00 ($3.00 extra for mail orders)

$5.00 of every sale goes to PRIDE Cape Breton

100% Cotton T-shirt

Kids Sizes

• 2-4 (Width 14 inches) (Length 18 inches)

• 4-6 (Width 16 inches) (Length 20 inches)

• 6-8 (Width 17 inches) (Length 22 inches)

• 10-12 (Width 19) (Length 26 inches)

Adult Sizes

• Small (Width 18 inches) (Length 28 inches)

• Medium (Width 20 inches) (Length 29 inches)

• Large (Width 22 inches) (Length 30 inches)

• X-Large (Width 24) (Length 31 inches)

Come into the office to get yours while supplies last!

Give us a call if you would like to place a mail order. 902-270-7022.

Sweat 'N' Play

Sweat ‘N’ Play

4-week session

9:15am Tuesdays

June 4,11,18,25 $40

or $15 per drop-in

Hey Mom,

We know that these days, “you time” is hard to come by and we know that you know that taking care of your physical health has maybe taken the back seat since becoming a mother. We’ve collaborated with The Play Palace for the ultimate in exercise classes. Come get your sweat on with Dr. Jen while your child gets to play! The exercise class will focus on strength, endurance and mobility and the play portion will focus on fun!

There will be Play Palace staff on hand to keep an eye on your kids while you are keeping an eye on your health! Registration includes a 1-hour class with Dr. Jen and entry for one child (extra children are $5 per class). Registration is $40 for 4-weeks or $15 per drop-in.

Mothers must be at least 6-weeks postpartum. Children aged 6-months or older will be supervised by The Play Palace staff . Young babies welcomed, but will not be supervised by Play Palace staff.

Space is very limited! Please call The Play Palace at 902-217-2688 to register!

Bring a yoga mat if you have one, moms are welcomed to wear their children during the class and then stay and play afterwards. Refreshments are available for purchase after class.

Teaching Tuesdays

We need your help!

We are looking for people who have back pain, but because they lack extended health benefits cannot afford treatment. We will be starting “Teaching Tuesdays” where our clinic sessions will focus on interdisciplinary knowledge sharing. This is a win/win situation, our staff will attend your treatment and continue to grow/share their clinical knowledge and in return, you will receive complimentary care.

Interested participants are asked to email us at info@islandchiro.com and answer the following questions:

• What is your main complaint?

• How long has it been bothering you?

• What makes it better/worse?

Limited availability. Participants are required to meet our inclusion criteria.

Sessions may last up to 1 hour and will be offered on Tuesdays between 2-4pm.

Final Baby Box Update

As of May 17th, 2019 we will no longer be distributing the sleep sacks from the baby box program.

Many of you are already aware, in April, the baby box reward program was changed from a box to a sleep sack. Along with that change, the Baby Box company was only allowing reward distribution on certain dates during allocated times. We understand that many people were coming from long distances to collect the reward and unfortunately were not coming during the allocated time for distribution. Turning people away without their sleep sack was not something we were comfortable with.

We requested that the Baby Box company allow us to distribute the boxes the same way as we had in the past, but because it is a national program compliance was mandatory.

Until May 17th, 2019, you can still complete the online program at www.babyboxuniversity.com and collect your reward code. This week you are welcomed to come into the office (850 Grand Lake Rd) between 9-5pm an collect your reward(while supplies last). If you have completed the course in the past and still have your redemption code, please bring it in anytime during operating hours this week and we will provide you with the sleep sack. After this week, whatever remains will be donated to the Family Resource Centre (714 Alexandra st) (902-562-5616) an you may collect one there.

We are very appreciative and thankful to the Baby Box company for raising awareness and increasing education on safe sleeping practice and we wish them much success on future programming.

Stand up!

Start With Standing Straight 

Modern people are hunched forward on their phones, computers, and behind the steering wheel all day long. This is the cause of a lot of neck and back pain. This posture puts our head forward of our center of gravity causing a strain our neck. It increases curve in your thoracic spine, which may prevent you from breathing properly with your diaphragm further exacerbating pain and stiffness. Evolutionarily this slumped forward posture is a defensive position and triggers the release of stress hormones leading to even more tension. 

By changing your environment and being a little more conscious of your posture you can stand straighter, move better and feel good.

• Your chin and neck should be back with your ears over your shoulders.

• Get someone to take a picture of you from the side and see where your ears are. Your shoulders should be back over your hips.

• Standing in a neutral position your thumbs should be pointing forward, externally rotating the shoulders and opening up your chest.

• Your pelvic floor should be parallel to your diaphragm. You can accomplish this by tilting your pelvis posteriorly and keeping the front of your rib cage tucked down instead of flaring out.   

• Try holding the phone up to look at it instead of looking down at it.

• Take frequent breaks from computer work and sitting. 

• Stand and walk more at work and at home.

• Breath through your nose. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), and activates your diaphragm.

• When you walk lead with your chest not your chin.

• Try corrective exercises that stretch the soft tissue that becomes tight (i.e. chest) from slumping and strengthen the tissue that become weak (i.e. back). This will not be comfortable at first but your brain and body will adapt in time and your joints, soft tissue, and even your organs will thank you down the road. 

Let’s talk about posture! Learn more by clicking HERE.

As always we are here to help. Call us at 902-270-7022 and Live your Life!

Cheating on your sweet tooth

Okay, Easter is over. Let’s get you back on the wagon…….

According to the stats can website, in 2004 it was estimated that on average Canadians consumed 110 grams of sugar daily - that's a whopping 26 teaspoons of sugar!

While fat has typically been blamed for poor dietary choices, sugars are much more problematic than "healthy fats".  What does too much sugar in the diet actually do to the body?

• It overloads and damages your liver. Your liver can only metabolize a limited amount of sugar each day. The effects of too much sugar or fructose can be likened to the effects of alcohol. All the fructose you eat gets shuttled to the only organ that has the transporter for it: your liver. This severely taxes and overloads the organ, leading to potential liver damage.

• It overworks your pancreas. Your pancreas secretes insulin to lower your blood sugar. By constantly consuming a diet high in sugars (and grains) your body becomes “desensitized” to insulin, which will require the pancreas to make more and more of it. Eventually you will become insulin resistant (known as type II diabetic).

• It tricks your body into gaining weight and affects your insulin and leptin signaling. Fructose fools your metabolism by turning off your body's appetite-control system. It fails to stimulate insulin, which in turn fails to suppress ghrelin, or "the hunger hormone," which then fails to stimulate leptin or "the satiety hormone." This causes you to eat more and develop insulin resistance

• It causes metabolic dysfunction. Eating too much sugar causes a barrage of symptoms known as metabolic syndrome. These include weight gain, abdominal obesity, decreased HDL and increased LDL, elevated blood sugar, elevated triglycerides, and high blood pressure.

• It increases your uric acid levels. High uric acid levels are a risk factor for heart and kidney disease. In fact, the connection between fructose, metabolic syndrome, and your uric acid is now so clear that your uric acid level can now be used as a marker for fructose toxicity.

• It changes your brain. Dr. Joseph Mercola talks about “Hedonic Hunger”. It describes the desire for food, even when your body does not require any substance. It’s that feeling you get when your body just “needs a little something”. The more junk food you give your body, the more your brain starts to rely on the pleasure sensations from the junk food (likely due to salt, sugar and fat), much like what happens in the brain with drug addiction.

So where do you start?

• Considering that there is such thing as “Sugar Addiction” realize that it’s going to be difficult for a short while.

• It all starts in the grocery store. Don’t bring the items into the house, and there will be no physical way you can eat the junk food.

• Don’t have enough will power while you are grocery shopping? Get somebody else to shop and make sure they stick to a strict list, or shop online and don’t click on any JF.

• Watch what you are drinking, soda/pop is a HUGE reason why we are consuming so much extra sugar, but beware, sugar is hiding in that macchiato, in that smoothie and in that juice as well.

• Try switching to sparkling water, for some people it’s actually an addiction to the bubbles or in the case of cola, an addiction to the caffeine.

• Switching to a “diet” version of the same item doesn’t count. We need to decondition the brain and get away from “food as a reward”.

• If you absolutely cannot live without chocolate, try a dark chocolate version. Usually around 70% dark cocoa will offer enough sweetness to satisfy, but with a lower sugar payload. Try one square of dark chocolate while you are weaning.

• Many people are in a routine of consuming their junk food while in front of the TV. You may need to avoid the trigger (sitting on the couch watching a show) until you’ve broken free from the addiction (avoid the situation in where you are living to consume your JF).

Have a sweet tooth? Check out our “Homemade Ice Cream” recipe by clicking HERE.

As always, we are here to help. Reach out to us at 902-270-7022 and Live your Life!

Frequent Headaches - how chiropractors can help

Taken from the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors

FREQUENT HEADACHES: HOW CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP

Nearly 90 per cent of women and about 70 per cent of men will get a tension headache during their lifetime, while 37 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men experience them regularly. 

Most believe the only cure for a pounding headache is simply to just grin, bear it and let it pass. The good news is there are ways to both prevent and treat frequent headaches.

What causes a headache? 

A headache is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t quite right. Most of the common causes of the milder variety of headaches stem from something you are either doing or not doing. These include;

• missing meals

• consuming excessive alcohol

• excessive stress

• not getting enough sleep

• poor movement/dyfunction in the body

• tight or tensioned muscles

In rare cases, headaches can be sparked by more serious problems. It’s important to rule  any significant health issues out as early as possible, if your headaches are becoming a major problem.  

How your chiropractor can help

Your chiropractor is an excellent source to deduce the cause of your frequent headaches.  They will perform a thorough examination to determine where your symptoms are coming from.

On the flip side, they can also rule out dysfunction in the body and find out if your headaches are coming from your lifestyle choices (poor diet, alcohol consumption, not enough sleep, etc.).   

If dysfunction is the culprit, your chiropractor may perform a simple spinal adjustment or soft tissue treatments to improve function and help alleviate your headache.  Other treatment options are also available.

Chair Yoga with Jaime

Chair Yoga

This class provides the regular benefits of a Yoga practice, but allows participants to use a chair if they have issues with lower body strength, balance or have not done a practice in awhile.

• 4-week session

• Fridays, 9am

• Located @ Our Lady of Fatima Church

• May 3, 10, 17 & 24

• $20

Please register at 902-270-7022.

Improve your sleep

IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP

Sleep is when the body repairs damage. The quality and amount of sleep you get determines how your body manages inflammation. While the changes are small at first, chronic sleep loss may eventually lead to the development of metabolic syndrome disease (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, etc).

Ideally, adults should get around seven to nine hours of sleep. If you're having trouble achieving this number, try these tips:

• •Dark, dark, dark — Get rid of every source of light in your room when you sleep, such as night lights and your digital clock. The tiniest glimmer of light may block your serotonin/melatonin production, which can disrupt your sleep cycle. You can use blackout shades for your windows. If this is not possible, an eye mask can help.

• Go to bed by 10 p.m. — Try your best to be asleep as early as possible because your body does the majority of its recharging between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Furthermore, your gallbladder removes toxins during this period, and if you're awake during this time, the toxins can go back up into the liver and create health problems down the line.

• Establish a pre-bedtime routine — Cultivate practices that will allow you to fall asleep easier such as practicing meditation or diaphragmatic breathing. Try various methods to help you feel relaxed so you can get to sleep quicker.

• Avoid caffeine — Caffeinated drinks boost your energy, so avoid them in the afternoon, evening period.

• Do not watch television before sleeping — The blue light from a tv or handheld device can stimulate the brain, preventing you from falling asleep at your intended time. Also, if possible remove the TV from your room, your bed should be only for two things, sleeping and the other thing that starts with an “S” (sudukou)….

• Exercise regularly - Getting regular exercise can help boost your health in many ways, such as reducing your risk of chronic diseases, helping you shed excess weight and boosting cognitive function. But did you know that exercising may also help improve sleep quality? Exercise reduces stress which should help with sleep quality and overall health.

Need more help? Give us a call at 902-270-7022 and Live your life today!

Did you know breathing exercises can help with sleep as well? Read more about this HERE

TENS Machine for Labour

What is TENS?

TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. Many people use a TENS machine for a drug-free pain relief option for various issues. A TENS machine may also provide relief from discomfort in the early stages of labour.

How does a TENS machine work?

• We suspect that the electrical pulses interfere with other signals heading to your brain (all sensations are decoded in the brain, so essentially, we “feel” pain in the brain)

• It is believed that the pulses stimulate your body to release natural, feel-good substances called endorphins

• The TENS machine helps you to feel in control of your labour and be less anxious

• It offers a distraction from your contractions

How do I use it?

We have a TENS machine lending program, around the 37-week mark we show our mothers how to place the pads on the back and advise when to start using the TENS machine.

A TENS machine consists of a battery-powered, hand-held controller connected by fine leads to four flat pads. The pads stick to your back. The machine sends small, pulses of electrical current via the leads to the pads on your back. The pulses pass through your skin and into your muscles and tissues. This gives you a gentle tingling or buzzing sensation, which may be stronger or weaker, depending on the setting level.

The controller part of the TENS machine is easy to hold in your hand while you're in labour. But if you don't want to hold it, you can clip it to your clothing.

Unfortunately there are not many studies that are being conducted on how a TENS machine can reduce discomfort during pregnancy. However; anecdotally, Dr. Jen used one in her second labour and delivery and swears by it! “My second labour was completely different, I didn’t even feel like I was in labour thanks to the TENS machine”. Dr. Jen was able to deliver without an epidural and feels that it was because of her TENS machine.

Many of our past patients who’ve used the TENS machine have asked us the same thing, “why don’t more people know about this?”. Even nurses at the CBRM regional have said that more mothers should know about the TENS machine option because it works so nicely.

We don’t want to mislead you, giving birth is a wonderful experience and obviously everyone has a very different experience. While the TENS machine will not completely eliminate all sensation, we have gotten he feedback that it has helped with early labour and got many women to where they felt they needed to be.

Please call us at 902-270-7022 if you have any questions.