Child Breathing Problems

“More Canadian Kids Are Experiencing Problems With Their Breathing”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

We are going to continue our discussion on the major health issues currently facing Canadian kids and today we will discuss the huge increase in respiratory/breathing problems.

More kids than ever are on puffers these days and there has got to be a reason why? And this is one reason why I think we are seeing this happen so please read on and see if it makes sense to you.

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A while back we learned how the birth process is particularly stressful to the cervical spine (neck).

Remember the research … 80% of newborn babies have nerve dysfunction after the birthing process due to subluxations (spinal misalignments).

And 95% of babies present with nerve dysfunction and neck strain 5 days after being born due to subluxations.

Almost 48% of kids land on their head at least once during the 1st year of life causing stress to the neck and the average child will experience 2500 falls by the age of 7 years old.

And besides all of this trauma to a child’s neck, remember that the use of modern technology has created a new health epidemic called tech neck.

We also refer to tech neck as forward head posture where the head and neck are held forwards in front of the shoulders and not directly on top of the neck and shoulders which is the norm.

According to the research, this type of posture will decrease lung capacity by up to 30% as we have discussed many times before.

I want you to try this for yourself …. stand up and tilt your head forwards so you are looking down at the floor (simulate tech neck).

Now try and take in a big deep breath.

Remember how this feels.

Now stand with an open, upright and erect (healthy) posture and take in that same deep breath.

You should clearly feel a difference in the amount of air that can penetrate your lungs.

So how can any child or adult for that matter breathe properly if they have tech neck?

And as you know, how the family doc deals with these types of problems is with puffers.

But ask yourself this … do you think puffers will correct the cause of the problem (tech neck)?

If any of your children are having breathing issues, they must have their posture checked by a Certified Posture Expert and this is where I can help you. All you have to do is give me a call to make an appointment for your free initial consultation which includes a detailed posture analysis.

Our phone number here is Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad at The Burlington Clinic

Kids Growing Pains

“Growing Pains in Children”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

Today we are going to learn about children and growing pains.

Growing pains usually affect both legs; the thighs, the calves or around the knees.

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They can happen in kids between 4 and 12 years of age but they are not uncommon in teenagers.

They usually happen in the late afternoon or evening and they can wake up your child in the middle of the night. Some kids will have a lot of pain. Some will have a little. And some will have pain on a regular basis for a few days and some will have pain occasionally.

Growing pains can come and go over the years for no apparent reason.

There is no conclusive evidence linking growing pains to growth spurts.

But this is what your family doc will tell you is causing your child’s growing pains.

Instead, the supposition is they are the result of excessive childhood activities such as running, jumping and climbing.

Really?! Isn’t this just what kids do??

I don’t totally agree with this so I would like to offer you a different cause of growing pains for you to consider that may make more sense to you.

I have seen a lot of kids in my practice over the years and those with growing pains/leg pains all had one thing in common.

They all had postural distortions (spinal misalignments) in posture quadrant 3 – the lumbar spine (lowest 5 vertebrae) and the pelvis.

This is a very common place for everyone to have postural distortions.

And when you have postural distortions here, it will compress on the nerves that go from your back and down into your legs, and this is what will cause leg pains.

The fact is then, that growing pains in children are no different than sciatica (leg pain) in adults.

And it should never hurt to grow.

This is a basic physiological function and the reality is we are growing all the time even as adults.

So, if your kids are suffering from growing pains, I can definitely help!

All you have to do is call our office and schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation.

These also include a detailed postural analysis. And yes we do offer family appointments.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Sit Ups and Belly Fat

“Here’s Some Things You Should Know About Sit Ups and Losing Belly Fat”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here … I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

Today we are going to discuss abdominal crunches or sit-ups and the reason why is because many people – especially those who are just starting an exercise program – think sit-ups are required to lose the belly fat and firm up the tummy muscles.

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Well, nothing could be further from the truth and you need to know why.

First of all, it would take 250,000 sit-ups to lose 1 pound of belly fat. And this is virtually impossible.

Secondly, sit-ups are one of the worst exercises for your lower back and often times cause you to have lower back pain. And too many sit-ups will cause postural distortions in your spine and this is the absolute last thing you want. This also includes sit-ups that incorporate a twist where you try and touch your elbow to the opposite knee. This exercise is also called the bicycle.

So, unless you are a high performance athlete or you are of above-average fitness and you are well experienced in the gym, this is what you need to do to lose the belly fat and firm up your tummy muscles.

And yes, this is a good goal to have because both of these things can seriously affect your health and longevity in a negative way.

The key to a flat and firm tummy always starts in the kitchen! No bread, no pasta and no sugar of any kind (fruit and fruit juice included) should ever enter your diet. Plain and simple!

Your cardio training is a must to elevate your metabolic rate which will access and burn that stored belly fat.

A few months ago we learned about a better way to exercise.

This is your high intensity interval training (HIIT) and you need to do this!

And for those of you who have a gym membership my favorite pieces of equipment for this are the treadmill, the elliptical machine and the spin bike for those of you who are more advanced.

Lastly, do your planks! Regular planks for beginners. Side planks and hard planks for those who are more advanced. And you can YouTube instructional videos on how to do planks safely and effectively.

If you can incorporate these 3 things into your routine on a regular basis, not only will you look better and feel better, but you will significantly reduce the amount of stress on your heart.

You will also lower your insulin levels. Too much insulin in your body has been linked to some of the degenerative diseases.

And you will also strengthen the muscles in posture quadrant 3 which is your lower back and your pelvis.

Remember that posture quadrant 3 is so very important because it is the main stabilizer of your entire posture system.

I hope you have found this helpful and as always, if you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me! Consultations in our office are always free of charge.

These include a detailed postural analysis. Family appointments are also available where we can check you and the kids all at the same time. And the reason we offer these is because spinal problems tend to run in families.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre… helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The Burlington Clinic

Diabetes

“Diabetes And Chiropractic Care”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

I was doing some research on the greatest health risks facing Canadians currently and diabetes made the top of the list.

In fact, the numbers are nothing short of staggering.

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Between 1999 and 2009, diabetes increased by 70% and for the age group 35 to 44 years, the number of cases actually doubled during the same decade.

So, this is what compelled me to share with you what you can do to prevent the onset of diabetes in your family so that you or your kids do not become one of these ugly statistics.

Type 1 diabetes does not have a clear cause. Type 2 diabetes may be caused by genetics and lifestyle factors.

Even though you can effectively manage your blood sugar in most cases with proper exercise and healthy food choices, there is one thing that is continuously overlooked which is certainly worth reviewing again considering the statistics and that is … how sitting is making you sick.

Let us review the consequences that prolonged sitting has on your health. Not only is it terrible for your lower back, but it also stops your joints from moving, it stops your muscles from firing and it slows down your heart rate.

The result of the latter 3 things in particular is that your body’s calorie burning rate drops to 1 calorie per hour.

This is one third of what it would be if you were walking.

Prolonged siting also decreases your insulin sensitivity. What this means is that your insulin does not work as effectively as it should and this significantly increases your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.

So, aside from proper exercise and healthy food choices, here are 3 other things you and your kids absolutely must do to prevent the onset of diabetes.

One is to make sure you take posture breaks from sitting every 20 minutes.

This is highly recommended by the American Posture Institute which is the leading authority on posture. Standing up for 30 seconds every 20 minutes is more than adequate.

Secondly, make sure to sit on a posture disc or an exercise ball so that you continually engage your core muscle activity.

And finally, make sure that your posture system is as healthy as it can be. (And this is where I can help you.)

We have talked about this ad infinitum but remember that your posture system has a direct impact on the function of all your internal organs including your pancreas.

Your pancreas is what produces insulin which is the hormone needed to control your blood sugar.

I hope that you have found this information helpful and as always, if you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please give me a call. Consultations in our office are always free of charge and these include a detailed postural analysis.

We also offer family appointments where we can check you and your kids all at the same time. Our phone number here is Burlington is 905 335 5433 (LIFE) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link right on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Case History

“Chiropractic Care Helps Senior With Her Back And Leg Pain”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

Today I would like to share with you a case history of a 76 year old female who was suffering from back pain and leg pain all the way down to her left foot.

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This had been going on for almost a year. It started for no apparent reason – there was no trauma.

It had never happened before and this lady could not stand, sit, walk or even lie down without discomfort.

She had tried extensive physiotherapy treatments and even a few medications with absolutely no results.

When she finally made it in to see me, I assessed her posture and then sent her for a spinal xray. What I found was a severe posture distortion and 4 decaying spinal discs in her Posture Quadrant 3.

Remember that PQ 3 is your very lower back (lumbar spine) ad pelvis. Remember too that the primary purpose of PQ 3 is to stabilize the entire skeletal system.

So, the posture distortion and subsequent decaying spinal discs were crushing the nerves that went into this lady’s back and down her leg. This is what was causing her back pain and her leg pain. The problem then was not the back pain and the leg pain.

The problem was the postural distortion and decaying spinal discs.

This patient has been under my care for about 8 weeks now. Her recovery has been remarkable. She can sit, stand, walk, hike, drive and sleep with minimal discomfort. And she really is quite very lucky considering how much damage there is in her spine.

The reason I wanted to share this with you is because the take-away for you is two-fold.

First of all, physiotherapy and medication (even though they do have their place) are not the solution for posture distortions and decaying spinal discs. Only specifically applied chiropractic care is.

Secondly, if this patient were receiving chiropractic care once or twice a month throughout her lifetime, chances are she would have never had this problem in the first place.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me.

Remember that consultations are always free of charge in our office and these include a detailed postural analysis. Family appointments are also available so we can check you and all your kids at the same time.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly with any questions by clicking on the link on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Flu Shot Alternatives

“Here’s A Natural Alternative For Fighting Colds And Flu”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert and a Certified Postural Neurologist at Life Chiropractic Centre located in Burlington, Ontario on Guelph Line.

This is the time of year when you are going to get a lot of pressure to have your family vaccinated for the flu. This pressure will come from your family doc, the pharmacist, radio commercials, TV commercials and maybe even your friends and family.

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And if you are concerned about all the junk and toxins that are being injected into your body and your kid’s bodies – and you very well should be – then let me offer you a natural alternative to fighting colds and the flu.

Remember that your immune system is your primary defense against infection.

It has several strategies to protect you against infection; your mucous membranes, your gut (digestive system) and fevers. These weapons are highly effective in warding off intruders as long as they are working properly.

And this is the thing … the best way to keep your immune system working properly is to ensure that your nervous system is communicating precisely with your immune system so that your immune system knows exactly what to do when it is being challenged. Recent studies have shown that there is a direct connection between your nervous system and your immune system.

Maintaining an open, upright and erect posture will allow your nervous system to function at optimal potential and thus your immune system will function at optimal potential as well.

This is where your chiropractic care is so very important. Decades of studies and observation have shown that people who get regular chiropractic care and maintain a healthy posture have significantly stronger immunity that those who do not.

Other things that you can do to support your immune system during cold and flu season are vitamin D3 drops, probiotics, eating more vitamin C enriched foods (oranges, grapefruit, kale, spinach etc.) and of course regular exercise is always a must.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you or your kids may have, please call me.

Consultations in our office are always free of charge and these include a detailed postural analysis.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link right on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The Burlington Clinic

Smart Sitting At School

“Benefits Of Your Kids Sitting On An Exercise Ball In School”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Burlington chiropractor and Certified Posture Expert at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph line.

Today we are going to continue our discussion about smart sitting in school for your kids.

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Not only is it important that your kids have good posture while they are sitting but what they sit on is as equally important.

It has been shown that sitting on an exercise ball instead of a regular school chair allows kids to move around with more comfort while maintaining proper postural patterns.

Sitting on an exercise ball also stimulates greater core activation and trunk stabilization both of which are critical for maintaining an erect, upright and open posture.

In fact, a 2004 study showed that levels of engagement where higher and in seat behaviour was better in kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) when sitting on exercise balls instead of regular school chairs.

So, children who maintain an erect and upright and open posture when sitting in school have a definite advantage over those who do not.

Not only are they more aware and alert and engaged, but proper posture whether seated or standing is considered the most intelligent posture amongst all living things.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me.

Consultations are always free of charge and these include a detailed postural analysis. And we do offer family appointments where we can check you and all the kids at the same time.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

And remember, good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.

Click Here To Book a Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Sitting Smart

“Here Are The Keys For
Sitting Smart At School”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor and Certified Posture Expert at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

As promised, today we are going to learn about smart sitting for you kids especially when they are in school.

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And the reason why you need to teach your kids how to sit smartly is because research tells us that back pain is significantly related to poor academic performance in school.

A study of 270 kids found that children who presented with neck pain, lower back pain or a combination of both had poorer academic performance in school compared to the kids who didn’t.

And lower back pain was the 3rd most common form of pain interfering with not only schoolwork, but leisure activities as well.

So, what is smart sitting exactly? Here are the 5 things that you can teach all your kids to ensure that they sit smartly.

First of all, the head should be pulled back so that the ear is centered directly over the middle of the shoulder.

The shoulders should also be pulled back and not rounded forwards. When you observe your child from the side when they are seated, they should appear upright and straight and not slouched forwards.

Both of their feet should also be firmly planted on the ground. And all reading material including text books and computer screens should be directly in front of your child and at eye level.

By observing these 5 simple posture tips, your child will automatically sit smartly.

And not only is it important to sit smartly, but what you sit on is just as important and this is what we will go over in detail next time.

In the meantime, if you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me.

Consultations in our office are always free of charge and these include a very detailed posture check.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

Never forget that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre… helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book a Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Backpack Safety For School

“Backpack Safety – Here Are
3 Simple Rules”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Burlington, Ontario chiropractor and Certified Posture Expert at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

As promised last time, we are going to discuss backpack safety for your kids or anyone who uses a backpack for that matter.

Here is what you need to know …

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Multiple research studies show that kids who carry backpacks that are too heavy are more likely to have pain in their postural system which is made up of the skeletal system and the muscular system.

Children whose backpacks are too heavy present with a condition called with FHP (forward head posture) which is directly related to disability due to neck pain especially, but also shoulder pain and headaches.

The Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission calculated that carrying a 12 pound backpack to and from school every day for an entire school year puts a cumulative load of 21,600 pounds on a child’s spine. This is equivalent to the weight of 6 mid-sized cars.

So, backpack safety is never something that you should take lightly and this is what you can do to take care of your child’s posture system.

First of all, backpacks should never exceed more than 10% of your child’s body weight. If your child weighs 120 pounds for example, then their backpack should not exceed 12 pounds in weight.

Find out how much your kids weigh!

Load the heaviest items first such as laptops and text books. These should lie closest to your child’s spine.

And make sure they wear it right.

There are 2 straps for a reason!

Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can cause a lateral curve (scoliosis)in your child’s spine.

The backpack should rest in the middle of the back with equal weight distribution over both shoulders and the waist strap should be secured in the front.

By observing these 3 simple rules, you will minimize the negative effect that wearing a backpack will have on your child’s posture system.

Next time you are going to learn about smart sitting in school, but in the meantime if you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your children may have, please give me a call.

Consultations in our office are always free of charge which also includes a free and detailed posture check. Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.

Click Here To Book a Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad

Chiropractic For Pregnancy

“Chiropractic Care Essential During And After Pregnancy”

Dr Brad Ivanchuk here and I am a Burlington chiropractor and Certified Posture Expert at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.

Over the past couple of weeks I have shared some really, really good information with you regarding pregnancy and chiropractic care.

Remember that the mother’s postural presentation during pregnancy, pre-labor and labor as well as lifestyle choices have a significant impact on three things; length of labor, ease of delivery and degree of potential birth trauma to both mother and baby.

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Preparation for labor is greatly enhanced by sitting and standing and squatting with perfect posture in posture quadrant #3 which is your lower back and pelvis. This is why your chiropractic care is so very, very important because nothing else can help you maintain good posture.

Good alignment here will also allow your core muscles to hold your stomach in and support your baby from below like a hammock.

And post-partum chiropractic care is also a must so that your pelvis closes up with proper alignment and your core muscles regain their proper strength and proper tone.

So in conclusion, when you are searching for a chiropractor for pregnancy care make sure that they have experience dealing with pregnant moms.

And you will rarely go wrong if you seek out a principled chiropractor. They should also have adjusting techniques and adjusting tables that will avoid un-needed pressure on your abdomen.

And they should also be able to turn a breech baby just in case.

I do by the way, meet all of these criteria.

If you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me right away.

Consults and posture checks are always free of charge in our office. And we are here on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and most Saturday mornings.

Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.

Next time we are going to have a really good review on backpack safety for kids because improper use of backpacks is one of the major causes of postural collapse in kids.

So please do not miss if you have school-aged children.

Always remember this …. Good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.

Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.

Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad