Archive

Spring Into Wellness

May 3, 2017 12:13 pm Leave a Comment

In celebration of Spring & Summer weather, Dr. Noble & Dr. Fera are offering to your loved ones, family and friends a specific Chiropractic and Neurological examination at our expense, a $127 value!!

We have reserved a limited number of appointments, so please book now.

” It’s not how you’re feeling, but how your healing! “

 

 

 

Seniors with Arthritis Need Only 45 Active Minutes Weekly: Study

April 24, 2017 12:30 pm Leave a Comment

Older adults who suffer from arthritis need to keep moving to be functionally independent. But in an examination of a goal that is daunting for most of this aging population, a new Northwestern Medicine study found that performing even a third of the recommended activity is beneficial.

Federal guidelines suggest achieving 150 minutes of moderate activity per week to prevent premature death and serious illness. However, only one in 10 older American adults with arthritis in their knees meet these guidelines. Northwestern Medicine researchers wanted to determine a less overwhelming activity goal to get this population up and moving, and 45 minutes per week was that magic number.

Approximately one third of participants improved or had high function after two years. But those participants who achieved this minimum of 45 minutes of moderate activity, such as brisk walking, per week were 80 per cent more likely to improve or sustain high future function over two years compared with those doing less. This finding was true for both men and woman.

“Even a little activity is better than none,” said first author Dorthy Dunlop, professor of rheumatology and preventative medicine at Northwester University Feinbern School of Medicine. “For those older people suffering from arthritis who are minimally active, a 45 minute minimum might feel more realistic.”

A rare examination of the type and intensity of physical activity older adults need to remain functional, the study was published online in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

Only one in 10 older adults with arthritis in their knees meet the federal guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. “The federal guidelines are very important because the more you do, the better you’ll feel and the greater the health benefits you’ll receive.” Dunlop said. “But even achieving this less rigorous goal will promote the ability to function and may be a feasible starting point for older adults dealing with discomfort in their joints.”

Using sophisticated movement-monitoring accelorometers, the researchers measured the physical activity of 1,600 adults from the nationwide research study, Osteoarthritis Initiative, who had pain, aching or stiffness in their hips, knees or feet.

“We found the most effective type of activity to maintain or improve your function two years later was moderate activity, and it did not need to be done in sessions lasting 10 minutes or more, as recommended by federal guidelines,” Dunlop said.

The research was supported in part by the U.S NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease.

 

Source: www.canadianchiropractor.ca (April 2017, Canadian Chiropractor pg. 11 “Research” – Newswise.

Running Tips: 3 Essential Quad Stretches

April 17, 2017 2:33 pm Leave a Comment

Should you stretch before you run? The answer to that question used to be a simple “yes,” but health experts have recently questioned the effectiveness. Some research urges avoiding stretching altogether before exercise, while others who recommend it argue that you should only stretch for short spurts of time.

“The overall benefits of stretching are indisputable,” says the University of Rochester Medical Center, “and they’re still in popular use among professional coaches and physical therapists.” Stretching helps increase the range of motion around a joint and also loosens up the stiffness in the muscles. Muscles that are warmed up before something stressful like exercise are better able to withstand exertion.

We spoke to Dr. Alice Holland, a physical therapist from Side Strong Physical Therapy, for her take on stretching, and a few essential quad exercises.

Treating runners for nearly eight years at the Portland-based clinic where she is director, Holland says that anatomy knowledge and form are essential for you to get the most out of your run. Running involves your quadriceps or “quads,” which is the group of muscles at the front of your thigh, attached at the top of the kneecap.

“When the leg strikes the ground, the quads control the deceleration,” Holland explains. “Without them, you’d basically fall.”

But can a stretch ever tear or damage your muscle?

“There shouldn’t be any tearing damage in a stretch — no injury,” says Holland. Stretching merely involves fibers gliding over one another. What’s important is knowing when to stop: “You’ve stretched enough when you don’t feel any tightness as you take your first few steps.” It helps to warm up a bit before you stretch your muscles; simply walking for five or 10 minutes will do. Also, avoid bouncing when you stretch.

The stretches you need

New Physician Guideline Touts Non-Drug Treatment For Low Back Pain

April 12, 2017 10:03 pm Leave a Comment

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued a clinical practice guideline for the management of low back pain, recommending non-pharmacological approaches as first line treatment.

The guidelines were based on the ACP clinical guidelines committee’s systematic reviews on noninvasive pharmacological treatments for low back pain published until April 2015.

The new guideline is designed for all clinicians and adult patients with acute, sub-acute and chronic low back pain. In the guideline, the ACP recommends that patients with acute, sub-acute and chronic low back pain should first seek non-drug treatments to relieve their pain.

For acute and sub-acute low back pain, the guideline recommends superficial heat, massage therapy, acupuncture or spinal manipulation (adjustment).

For chronic low back pain patients, non-drug treatment options should include exercise, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, electromyography biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, operant therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, or spinal manipulation.

Clinicians should only consider pharmacological treatment for chronic low back pain if patients have responded inadequately to non-drug therapies.

“Clinicians and patients should consider pharmacological treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as first-line therapy, or Tramadol or duloxetine as second-line therapy,” the guideline recommends. Opioids should only be considered an option for patients who have failed “the above treatments and only if the potential benefits outweigh the risks for the individual patients and after a discussion of the known risks and realistic benefits,” it added.

The American Chiropractic Association welcomed new guidelines from the ACP citing a “growing body of research” that points to the effectiveness of non-drug treatments for low back pain.

“The chiropractic profession has long advocated for doctors and patients to use a more conservative approach to treating low back pain,” said ACA president Dr. David Herd. “These new guidelines by the American College of Physicians support a growing body of research as well as increasing recognition in the healthcare community regarding the value and effectiveness of non-drug approaches, such as spinal manipulation, for acute and chronic low back pain.”

– April 2017, Canadian Chiropractor (Pg. 11) www.canadianchiropractor.ca

Plant and Rake – Without the Ache!!

April 3, 2017 9:52 pm Leave a Comment

Gardening is a great way to stay active and have fun in the sun. But many Ontarians sustain injuries that could easily have been prevented with a little know-how.

Stretch Before You Start

To plan and rake without the ache, do each of these stretches five times. Don’t bounce, jerk or strain. Stretches should be gentle and should not cause pain.

Overall Conditioning:

Take a walk, even on the spot. Ten to 15 minutes should do it. Don’t forget to life your knees and gently swing your arms.

Your Sides:

1. Extend one arm over your head
2. Bend left from the waist
3. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat to the right

Your Thighs:

1. Lean against a tree
2. Bend your right knee and grasp your ankle with your left hand

1. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with your left knee

Your Hamstrings:

1. Stand
2. Reach your hands to the sky
3. Then, bending at the waist, reach toward your toes
4. Hold for 15 seconds

Your Wrists:

1. Hold one arm out in front of you, palm down
2. Bend your wrist until the fingers point to the ground
3. Use your opposite hand to hold this position
4. Place your hands in “prayer” position, and press your palms together
5. Keep your arm straight and place your palm in the “stop” position
6. Use your opposite hand to hold this position

Your Shoulders:

1. Let your arms hang loose
2. Rotate your shoulders forward. Then rotate back

Your Arms & Shoulders:

1. Hug yourself snugly
2. Slowly rotate at the waist as far as is comfortable to the left, then right

Your Back:

1. In a seated position, bend from the hips, keeping your head down
2. Reach for the ground

Bend Your Knees to Lift With Ease

Get close to the load. Before lifting something heavy, position yourself close to the object. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, head up, with your feet and body pointing in the same direction.

Knees bent, back straight – Check the weight of what you’re lifting. Use your leg and arm muscles to smoothly and slowly lift the load.

Make sure you’re in sync – Keep the load close to your body. Pivot with your feet – don’t twist your body while carrying the load.

Easy does it – Bend your knees and slowly lower the load to its intended place.

Don’t forget – Do not lift heavy objects above your waist and avoid heavy lifting immediately after prolonged bending or kneeling.

Many hands make light work – Get some help with the heavy and awkward loads. Stand on something solid and slowly lift the load, keeping it close to your body, and pass the load to your helper.

 

If you experience back pain that lasts more than two or three days, call your chiropractor for an evaluation.

Presented by the Ontario Chiropractic Association.

 

Lifestyles of the Healthy, Whole and Conscious: An Eight-Part Program

March 29, 2017 9:46 pm Leave a Comment

1) Become Conscious

Full consciousness involves being aware of all our experiences, not just mental, but emotional and physical.

2) Access The Psychosomatic Network

“The more conscious we are, the more we can ‘listen in’ on the conversation going on at autonomic or subconscious levels of the body mind,” says Candace Pert. “Only then can we enter into the conversation , to enhance the effectiveness of the autonomic system, where health and disease are determined minute by minute.” Through visualization and other techniques, that conversation  can be redirected, resulting in changes that can improve your health.

3) Tap Into Your Dreams

Get into a daily habit of recalling and transcribing your dreams, because they are direct messages from your bodymind giving you valuable information about whats going on physiologically as well as emotionally. It’s a way to eavesdrop on the conversation going on between psyche and soma. If necessary, use that information to intervene and make proper changes in your behavior and physiology.

4) Get In Touch With Your Body

Getting a massage or a chiropractic adjustment or taking a walk or giving a hug are ways of acknowledging the skin, the spinal cord, and the organs – all of which are entry points into the psychosomatic network

5) Reduce Stress

Meditation, in all its forms, is the most effective method of reducing stress because it allows us, even without conscious awareness, to release emotions that subvert a healthy mind-body flow of biochemicals. Another stress-buster is play – a cheap, easy, and effective way to instantly reduce stress and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.

6) Exercise

The value of exercise has less to do with building muscles or burning calories than with getting your heart to pump faster and more efficiently and thereby increase blood flow to nourish and cleanse your brain and all your organs. Of course, exercising hard enough to break a sweat can also result in mood improvement because endorphin’s are released. Yoga and other exercise programs that incorporate conscious breathing, relaxation, and body awareness are particularly health-enhancing.

7) Eat Wisely

Eating, because of its survival value, is a highly emotional event. So listen to the wisdom of your body, advises Pert.Eating when we’re not really hungry and using food to bury unpleasant emotions results in nervous eating and depression eating. However, turning into your emotions as information about your digestive process can help develop your ability to know what your body needs in the way of nourishment ad wen, Finally, avoid processed sugar completely. “I consider sugar to be a drug.” says Pert. “Relying on an artificial form of glucose sugar to give us  quick pick-me-up is analogous to, if not as dangerous as, shooting heroin.”

8) Avoid Substance Abuse

All drugs – alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and others – can alter the natural flow of your body’s own feel-good mood-regulating peptides. Biochemically, drugs are harmful. They can all be abused, which can contribute to sub-optimal health in one form or another, including chronic depression.

Fit in 15!

March 21, 2017 5:01 pm Leave a Comment

 

Fit-in 15 is designed to give you simple choices that will put you on the path to fitting fitness activities into your lifestyle – starting with just 15 minutes day.

The Fit-in 15 program was developed by Canada’s Doctors of Chiropractic, experts in muscle and joint function, and champions of healthy living. They recognize that it can be hard to find time in a busy day to focus on physical activity. That’s why they created Fit-in 15, an easy and manageable way to start the habit. Once Fit-in 15 becomes a regular part of your day, you may find yourself fitting in more.

My Fit-in 15

Build your own 15 minutes from a menu of simple no-cost activities that target strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. Click here

 

 

Taken from www.chiropractic.ca

 

Evaluation and Treatment for Childhood Obesity and Naturopathic Medicine

March 8, 2017 10:43 pm Leave a Comment

Despite our best efforts, childhood obesity is still a growing concern. Statistics Canada reports that 31.5 % of 5 to 17 year olds are becoming increasingly overweight or obese and the numbers are expected to continue to rise. Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term health consequences. Overweight and obese children are now being diagnosed with a range of health problems that are usually seen only in adults, like hypertension (high blood pressure), Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Being overweight and obese in childhood can also have a significant impact on a child’s psychological development and can negatively impact self-esteem and self-confidence.

Top 3 Culprits to Screen For

1. Processed foods, frozen dinners, chips, boxed goods, candy bars, hot dogs, deli meat – highly addictive because they are high in fat, sugar and salt which stimulate the pleasure and reward center of the brain, just as opiates and drugs do
2. Casein (a protein naturally found in dairy products) – casein contains opiates, and as it is digested, it breaks apart to release tiny opiate molecules called casomorphins which stimulates over consumption of food.
3. Caffeine-found in sodas – caffeine blocks a chemical responsible for calming the brain which in turn causes the  release of stress hormones. This leads to insulin resistance activating fat storage.

Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity can be brought on by numerous factors. Assessing common risks should be an important part of screening and need to be evaluated at all doctors visits.

Dietary Habits

Poor food choices including high fat, high sugar and processed foods are partly to blame for the rising trend in childhood Type 2 diabetes. Keeping a daily log of a child’s meals and snacks is helpful.

Physical Inactivity

Children who fail to engage in regular physical activity are at a greater risk of becoming obese. Many children ignore exercise in favour of watching television, surfing the internet or playing video games.

Sleep

A number of studies have examined the link between reduced sleep in children and an increased risk of obesity. Reduced sleep sets up a vicious cycle that leads to fatigue, reduced physical activity and increased appetite. Researchers found that lack of sleep affects the levels of ghrelin and leptin in the body, both of which regulate hunger, appetite and cortisol – a factor in insulin resistance and higher BMI. It’s difficult to enforce a strict bed time but it’s important to be consistent. Maintaining close to the same hours of sleep every night is a healthy habit to enforce for life.

 

Simple Strategies to Decrease Sodium

February 22, 2017 9:07 pm Leave a Comment

 

Sodium is an essential nutrient found in many foods. Our bodies need only a small amount of

sodium to be healthy and too much can lead to high blood pressure- a major risk factor for

stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Nutrient recommendations state that individuals aged 14

and over should consume no more than 2300 mg sodium per day. A sodium intake above 2300

mg per day is likely to pose a health risk. The following tips can help you reduce your daily

sodium intake:

• Reading the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods can help you identify the amount of

sodium per serving. Compare labels and chose products lowest in sodium and don’t

forget to check the number of servings per container.

•  When shopping, look for foods that contain less than 360mg of sodium per serving

and for products with a sodium content of less than 15% Daily Value (DV). Buy

lower sodium foods to prepare healthier meals at home.

• Know what common foods are higher in sodium such as canned/packaged items,

convenience items, processed meats, cheese, jarred foods preserved in salt, and salted

snack foods and try to minimize how much and how often you consume them.

• Choose fresh and frozen poultry that hasn’t been injected with a sodium solution.

Check the fine print on the packaging for terms like broth, saline or sodium

solution as well as pick unseasoned meats.

• When choosing condiments such as dips, dressings, sauces, salsas and others, look

for a reduced or a lower-sodium version.

• Try to eat more fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit; when buying, canned vegetables

purchase those labeled with “no added salt.”

• Don’t forget to drain and rinse canned beans and vegetables as it can decrease the sodium

content by up to 40%.

• Taste your food before adding salt. If you think it needs a boost of flavor, add

freshly ground black pepper or a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime and test it again

before adding salt.

• Use herbs, onions, spices, citrus juices and vinegars in place of some or all the salt to add

flavour to different foods.

• Reduce the amount of salt you add while cooking, baking, or at the table. Prepare

your own meals often, using little or no salt.

• If you don’t like the taste of lower sodium foods try combining them in equal parts with a

regular version of the same food. You will get less salt and probably won’t notice much

difference in taste.

• When eating at a restaurant, ask for nutrient information for the menu items and

select meals lower in sodium.

• Control your portion sizes. When you cut calories, you usually cut the sodium too.

By making healthier choices when grocery shopping, cooking at home and eating out, you can

help lower the amount of sodium you and your family eats while lowering the risk of health

conditions linked to high sodium intakes.

 

Written by Hilary Rock BSc, Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

Resources: Eat Right Ontario, Health Canada, Heart and Stroke, American Heart Association

Omega-3: The Fat You Need

February 13, 2017 8:45 pm Leave a Comment

Omega-3: The Fat You Need
Written by Evita Basilio BSc Nutrition

Reviewed by Andrea Miller MHSc, RD

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid which cannot be naturally produced by the body and must be obtained through our diets. Foods high in Omega-3 include fish, vegetable oils, nuts (especially walnuts), flax seeds, flaxseed oil, and leafy vegetables.

How Omega-3s work
Omega-3 fatty acids are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes. They provide the starting point for making hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. They also bind to receptors in cells that regulate genetic function. Likely due to these effects, omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.

Types of Omega-3s
Omega-3s are divided into three types: EPA and DHA – primarily found in some fish, including salmon, trout and sardines; and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds. ALA is an essential fat so it must be consumed in the diet. Our bodies can make EPA and DHA from ALA, but this is very limited. Therefore, it is important to include foods rich in DHA and EPA in your diet.

The optimal intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) has been estimated to be 0.8-1.1 g/day for children and adults.

Age in Years	Aim for an ALA intake of grams (g)/day
Men 19 and older	1.6
Women 19 and older	1.1
Pregnant Women 19 and older	1.4
Breastfeeding Women 19 and older	1.3

Source: Dietitians of Canada
*Your doctor may also recommend more omega-3 fats if you have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for more information.

For a list of food sources of Omega-3 fats, visit Dietitians of Canada