In our hectic everyday lives, convenience has become the name of the game. Grabbing a quick meal deal, settling for a ready-meal, and snacks over-loaded with sugar and salt are all far too easy (and tempting!) and what should be an occasional treat has become the norm. So this month we want to challenge you to make a change to your eating habits. The easiest way to do this is to avoid processed foods. Here are our suggestions for a successful month of healthy eating.
Read the ingredients label 5 or more ingredients that are unfamiliar or unpronounceable? Then back to the shelf you go!
Increase your consumption of whole foods, especially vegetables and fruits
No more counting calories, fat grams, or carbs when your only concern is selecting whole foods that are more the product of nature than “the product of industry.”
Buy your bread from a local bakery If you check the ingredients on most superstore breads you’ll find 40 different items on the list, including white flour and sugar. Why would there be so many on the list if it only takes a handful of ingredients (like whole-wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt) to make bread?
Go for the Whole-Grain option When selecting foods like pastas, cereals, rice, and crackers always go for whole-grain; and don’t just believe the health claims on the outside of the box. Read the ingredient label to make sure the product is truly made with only 100% whole grains – not a combination of whole grains and refined grains which is unfortunately how a lot of so-called “whole grain” products are made.
Avoid store-bought products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is “a reliable marker for a food product that has been highly processed” and food “that has some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients” should be avoided where possible.
Don’t order from the kids’ menu Avoid the kids’ menu’s pre-made chicken nuggets, deep-fried French fries, pasta made with white flour, and so on. Instead try assembling some sort of side-item plate with a baked potato and whatever vegetables your kid will eat and/or try sharing some of your meal.
Amongst other things, chiropractors frequently also treat the hips, knees and feet…
In an average lifetime, our feet carry us an equivalent of five times around the Earth. In addition to this, the feet must take the strain of supporting the body’s weight even when just standing still. Given how often we use our feet, and the demands we make upon them on a day to day basis, it’s important to look after them properly.
Each foot is made up of a total of 26 bones, and damage to any one of them, or related muscles, ligaments or cartilage can result in problems with the foot that may need attention from a trained professional in order to prevent longer term damage.
Follow these tips for keeping your feet in good condition:
1. You should inspect and feel your feet daily for cracks, corns and ulcers
2. Toenails should be cut straight across, not too close to the skin
3. Take extra care when walking barefoot
4. A well fitting shoe should not require a long and painful breaking in period
5. Pay good attention to your feet; changes and/or pain in the feet and ankles could indicate a more serious foot ailment or circulatory problem, so if in doubt, check with your chiropractor.
Birth is one of the most traumatic experiences a baby can go through. It is not often known, for example, that the baby’s cranial bones move and overlap affording the flexibility required during delivery. Even after a successful delivery, a baby’s spine is still at risk.
However, there are some precautions you can take as a parent to minimize this risk both to your baby and to yourselves. Here are the healthiest positions for you to care for your baby.
Holding baby: your baby should be held close to you with the back of your baby’s head supported with your index finger behind the ear.
Bathing baby: your baby’s head should be supported using your thumb and forefinger while your free hand is used for bathing and supporting your baby in the tub.
Parent/child interaction: throwing your child up and down can actually cause spinal problems due to a lack of support as your child is being bent forward and backwards.
Picking children up: when lifting your child, you should be on your haunches, lift your child while holding them under both arms, and avoid carrying them on one hip. Preferably, your child should be carried in front of you with one leg either side of you.
Papoose type slings and carriers: unfortunately contraptions that allow your child to sit before it is naturally able to can cause major spinal problems. Most of the holding devices keep your baby’s spine in the ‘c’ shape curve it’s born with and do not allow the normal curves in the neck and lower back to develop.
Dressing the child: clothing that has a tight collar can put a strain on your child’s spine in the neck and the area between the shoulder blades. Buttons and zips should be used as much as possible.
Feeding: if breast feeding, you should hold the baby at the level of the breast whilst supporting your arm on a pillow, to reduce spinal problems in yourself. You should place the baby so that it faces your breast so that rotation of your baby’s neck is minimized.
Crawling: crawling should be actively encouraged, as a lack of sufficient crawling is responsible for weak spinal architecture.
Emotional stress can also affect your baby. Domestic disharmony and maternal distress is very quickly picked up by the infant and translated into irritability, crying and unsettled behaviour. The negative effect on muscle tone, sleeping and feeding patterns is a major contributor to spinal subluxations.
As parents, bonding should be encouraged immediately for you both. Holding the infant close to your body, maintaining sustained eye contact, smiling and making soothing sounds are all important.
Steer clear of muscle strain while carrying out garden duties this autumn…
Getting out in the fresh air to do some gardening can be a real joy. However, if you’re not used to all the extra exercise and physical movement that donning a rake or trowel will bring, you could end up doing your body more harm than good.
Digging, mowing and stooping place considerable stress on the ligaments and joints in the lower lumbar spine and cause them to become inflamed and tender. This in turn triggers a protective muscle spasm, which gives rise to the deeper, duller, achy type of pain that occurs over the following few days.
Taking extra care of your muscles and joints, especially when undertaking a form of exercise that you are not used to, is very important. Follow these ten top tips for warding off garden aches and pains:
1. Gently stretch your muscles and ligaments for a few minutes before and after gardening; but don’t bend down to touch your toes — this can cause damage
2. Wear light, but warm clothes & make sure your lower back is always covered
3. Kneel on one leg rather than bending your back repeatedly
4. Use long handled tools to prune tall plants
5. Use only a small spade/fork for digging and keep your back gently hollowed
6. Do not always work to one side only; ensure that you change your position regularly
7. Don’t do the same work for long periods; try and vary your tasks
8. Keep your back straight when carrying
9. Have a warm bath or shower after you’re finished
10. Do not sit for too long in your favourite armchair after carrying out work in the garden; instead stand up regularly and walk around for a minute or two.
In the UK, back pain is one of the most common reasons people miss work, and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. With something so common, it has easy for people to get confused about back pain and misconceptions to arise! We know that the easiest way to tackle back pain is to keep moving, but sometimes these myths and misconceptions can stop people from doing exercise or seeking proper treatment.
One of the most common myths about back pain is that people think it’s not going to happen to them. In fact 4 out of 5 of us will be affected by back pain at some point in our lives! Here are the top myths about back pain debunked:
MYTH: Exercise will cause or worsen back pain
Staying bed bound with back pain can be one of the worst things you can do! Without exercise muscles become weakened, deconditioned and stiff. To reduce back pain you should rest, calm the pain, followed by gentle exercise.
MYTH: If you see a spine specialist you will end up getting surgery
Spinal surgery is only recommended in about 1% of cases. In most cases the treatments recommended will be non-surgical, such as exercise, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.
MYTH: Back pain is a normal part of aging
Some people believe that back pain is a typical part of getting older but it shouldn’t be a normal part of your day. We all get aches and pains as we age, however with all the options to ease back pain available today you shouldn’t suffer in silence.
Some patients will have received a little love note from us saying we miss you and want to love your back (do you see what we did there?). We are therefore running a special promotion this Valentine’s season – book in with a Chiropractor for a reassessment (usually £39) for the cost of a normal treatment visit (£32), giving you a saving of £7!
And we’re feeling generous so if you don’t need the offer, please share the love with your friends and family members who haven’t been to see us before, and they will receive £5 off a new patient appointment.
Please find the terms and conditions for this offer below:
To use the voucher, our regular patients need to attend their appointment before the 31st March 2017; new patients need to have booked and paid for their appointment before the 31st March 2017
The voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other vouchers, gift cards or loyalty stamps
The voucher is only valid for patients aged 16 and over
The voucher is limited to one use per person, but there is no limit on how many people can use the voucher – let’s share the love!
The clinic will be closed for Staff training from 12 noon on Wednesday 1st March 2017.
It is with great sadness that our long standing Hygiene Technician Lyn, who has kept us clean and shiny for many years, will be retiring at the end of March 2017.
We will be looking for a new team member – please contact reception for details.
Also after his spectacular return five years ago, we say goodbye to Rob again as he sensibly takes a position in Cardiff to be nearer his family. He will be leaving us on Thursday 2nd of March and we wish him well. His patients will be continually cared for by Alex, Sophie and Andrew.
Do you think your back pain gets worse in winter?
Did you know… Those who suffer with chronic back pain might notice it gets worse during autumn and winter.
In fact… Although there’s not much scientific evidence that shows a link between chronic pain and humidity, temperature changes & wind speed, weather changes can affect those who suffer with joint pain conditions, especially arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Did you know… The most commonly accepted reasoning is that with colder temperatures comes lower air pressure, that can cause joint tissues to expand—further worsening joints already prone to swelling and tenderness
If cold weather worsens your pain, you can prevent it yourself and combat it with these three simple steps:
Heat therapy
Including heat therapy in your daily routine can help to reduce stiffness and boost healing through increased blood circulation. Try applying a warm towel or a heating pad to your painful area for about 20 minutes for temporary pain relief. You can also go for over-the-counter heat wraps
Water Therapy
If you like swimming, try to visit heated indoor pool with hot baths, Jacuzzis and saunas a few times a week for almost instant relief from your pain
Stay active
As tempting as it is to just stay on the sofa during winter evenings, it is crucial to keep your spine mobile and stay active. If your pain is too severe to go to the gym, try long walks with hiking poles or Pilates at home
