All posts by Dr. Brad
Managing Stress Part 2
“Stress Is Inescapable – Part Two Of Managing Stress From Our Burlington Clinic”
Dr Hans Seyle ( endocrinologist & stress expert ) says that stress is inescapable.
“ No one can live without experiencing some degree of stress all the time.
Crossing a busy intersection, exposure to a draft, or even sheer joy are enough to activate the body’s stress mechanism to some extent.
Stress is not even necessarily bad for you; it is also the spice of life for any emotion, any activity causes stress.
But of course, your system must be prepared to take it.
The same stress which makes one person sick can be an invigorating experience for another.”
So what happens when you face stress?
First, your body prepares itself for confrontation.
Messages of fight or flight are sent from your brain to your endocrine ( hormonal ) system.
If the stress stops, you revert to normal.
Secondly, if the stress continues, you go into a stage of resistance.
Your body adapts by putting up barricades.
You tense your muscles, raise your fever & struggle to prevail.
You either run from or fight the threat.
Third, if the stress still continues, you may pass into the stage of stress exhaustion.
Your body cannot stay continually in the fight or flight state, so your system falls prey to anxiety, ill-health & chronic dis-ease ( disharmony).
Understand that this bodily response to stress is not exclusive to adults.
It can happen to anyone at any age including children.
This is why parents must be able to identify the conditions & symptoms of stress in their children & then know what the appropriate measures are to protect their health.
Part 3 ( next week ) will begin to show you what you need to do & will cover the first of the 4 major components in effective stress management.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Newborn Head Movement
“This Is Very Important Information From Our Burlington Clinic For Any Parent To Read If Their Newborn Has Difficulty Turning Their Head To One Or Both Sides”
If you have noticed this to be the case, it is most likely due to a spinal strain ( having ruled out more serious complications ) which usually occurs during the birth process.
Because the baby’s head & neck are used as a lever to assist it through the birth canal, this can often times strain the spinal joints in the neck resulting in neck stiffness & crooked posture.
Understand that all the twisting & pulling associated with the birth process can result in up to 60 lbs of force on a neck that has yet to see one day of life outside of the womb!
[flashvideo file=http://lifechiropractic.s3.amazonaws.com/15.11.2011.baby.head.movement.brad-2.mp4 image=https://lifechiropracticcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/baby.head_.movement.jpg width=500 height=299 /]Ask yourself how you would feel as an adult if someone pulled on your head & twisted it & your neck with 60 lbs of force? [ FYI – manual chiropractic adjustments employ 3 -5 lbs of force applied in a specifically controlled direction. ]
If the birth process itself was difficult or complicated, ie. prolonged labour, a forceps delivery, a vacuum assisted delivery or the baby presented in the wrong position, then the chances of your baby suffering birth trauma to the neck are even greater.
Other things that you may have also noticed ; your baby has difficulty holding their head in the upright position, they always hold their head turned or tilted to the same side, & you may even notice that they prefer to breast-feed from the same side only.
As a parent, you should not ignore these signs & symptoms as they are indicative of a definite spinal problem in the neck region. And in most cases, these injuries will not heal on their own & if left unattended they will set the stage for bad posture later in childhood & even degenerative spinal disease.
Early intervention is the key to preventing these things from happening and this is where chiropractic care can be of a huge benefit.
Gentle chiropractic treatments will help to heal the injured soft-tissues & correct the alignment of the delicate spinal joints.
This will ensure that as your baby grows, they will have good spinal flexibility & good posture both of which are essential for their overall health & well-being.
If you do have these or any other concerns about your child, you can call our office for more information on what we can do to help or you can always schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation.
Our phone # is 905 335 5433 & we have office hours on Mon,Wed,Thurs & most Sat mornings.
And, we have over 25 years experience helping children.
We would welcome the opportunity to help you & your family. Please call today.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Managing Stress Part 1
“Tips On How To Effectively Manage Stress For You And Your Family From Our Burlington Clinic”
This is an 8 part series on Stress Management
Here’s PART 1
Let’s start with a definition…..
Stress is the sum of all the biological reactions to any adverse stimulus [ physical, mental/emotional , chemical ], internal or external that tends to disturb an organisms HOMEOSTASIS. Homeostasis is the stability of normal physiological states of an organism.
Why do we need to learn how to manage stress for ourselves & our children?
Because medical research is now suggesting that up to 80% of all illnesses are stress related!
Here are the most common stress-related conditions/symptoms that I see in my practice: insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches, spinal pain ( neck, lower back ), muscle tension, eating disorders, bowel problems ( constipation ), suppressed immune function, skin disorders ( eczema, psoriasis ), hormone imbalances, high blood pressure, fatigue, addictions & substance abuse, & stomach disorders ( indigestion, heartburn, ulcers ).
If you have even one of these, then you are most likely not managing your stress effectively.
Part 2 – next week – will explain how stress effects the human body.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Child Constipation
“Here Is Some Very Helpful Information For You If Your Child Is Suffering From Constipation From Our Burlington Clinic”
Constipation is typically characterized by infrequent bowel movements and/or difficult and hard bowel movements.
You need to understand that if your bowels are working properly, you should be having a bowel movement within an hour after each andamp; every major meal.
[flashvideo file=http://lifechiropractic.s3.amazonaws.com/08.11.2011.constipation.brad-1.mp4 image=https://lifechiropracticcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/constipation.jpg width=500 height=299 /]Now, it is generally accepted within the medical community that 1 bowel movement per day is sufficient, but if your child is having only 1 to 3 bowel movements per week or even less, then there is a definite constipation problem.
And this would not be good for anyone’s health – adult or child – as waste material is toxic and needs to be eliminated from the body in a timely fashion.
Constipation is caused by several different things such as improper diet, drugs and medications, spinal misalignments and more serious complications such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ) and Crohn’s disease.
Here we will discuss the spinal cause of constipation as this is my area of expertise.
However, as with any type of health problem, it is very important to rule out the potentially dangerous causes before commencing any type of treatment.
So, you are probably wondering how chiropractic care can help someone who is suffering with constipation.
And aside from poor immune function andamp; poor posture, constipation is one of the main reasons that parents bring their newborns and young children to the chiropractor.
You need to know that spinal misalignments in the lower back area can irritate the nerves that go directly into the large intestine ( bowel ).
If you check the right hand column of the website for the Chart of Effects of Spinal Misalignments, you will see that it is the nerve associated with the L1 vertebra specifically.
This vertebra can become misaligned in several different ways – during the birth process, from falling on the tush which happens frequently as toddlers are learning to stand and walk – but irrespective of how it happens, when the L1 vertebra compresses the nerve, constipation is a very common side-effect.
So, the chiropractic approach to helping constipation involves gentle treatments aimed at restoring proper nerve supply so that the bowels can function properly.
If you would like more information on how chiropractic can help constipation, please call our office or you can always schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation.
Our phone # is 905 335 LIFE ( 5433 ) and please remember that we are here to help in any way that we can.
Artificial Sweetners Impact On Your Health
“Here’s What Our Burlington Clinic Has To Say About Artificial Sweeteners And How They Impact Your Health And Your Children’s Health”
All artificial sweeteners are toxic! ie. sweet’n’low, saccharin, splenda, sucralose.
ASPARTAME is a potent neurotoxin & accounts for 75% of all reported adverse reactions to food additives.
It has actually caused seizures & death.
Here are some of the 90 different health issues currently linked to aspartame:
Headaches, migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, irritability, fatigue, racing heart beat, insomnia, visual disturbances, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, ringing in ears, vertigo, memory loss & joint pain.
Research has found that aspartame can cause brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia & diabetes.
Also known as : Nutra-sweet, Equal & Spoonful.
Now you understand why ALL aspartame containing products carry a warning.
So, take home no artificial sweeteners period! “Diet” or “Sugar-Free” on the label means artificial sweeteners 99% of the time!
It is so much safer & healthier to use raw cane sugar, cocoa & if you do not want to use either one of these, you can use a natural & safe sweetener called Stevia.
Life Chiropractic Centre – helping families build healthy, vibrant, drug-free lives.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Health C0nsultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Antioxidant
“Natures Best Antioxidants”
A recent study conducted at Miguel Hernandez University (Spain) sought to determine which household spice was the best natural antioxidant.
The winner was CLOVES, coming in first place ahead of its other counterparts: oregano, thyme, rosemary & sage. Cloves were chosen as the best natural antioxidant mainly due to its ability to reduce lipid oxidation.
Lipid oxidation is one of the main reasons food deteriorates.
To combat food deterioration, the food industry uses synthetic antioxidants which are usually chemical compounds.
Recently , questions have been raised regarding the potential toxicity and side-effects of these chemical compounds. [ long overdue !!! ]
As a result, there is a growing interest in using natural plant-based products, such as cloves, to control food deterioration rather than chemical compounds.
So here are a couple of tips for you …….
When you are reading your food labels, if you cannot pronounce one or more of the ingredients, don’t buy it.
There is more than likely a chemical additive.
Use cloves or powdered cloves to control your own food preservation especially if you buy organic which everybody should.
Organic food typically contains no preservatives or chemical additives which is why it is much safer for and your children.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Treating Colic
“How To Treat A Colicky Baby Information From Our Burlington Clinic”
Please consider if you are the parent of a colicky baby.
And, if you are unsure if your baby has colic, see if the rule of 3 applies.
The rule of 3 is used to differentiate a diagnosis of colic and these are the 3 things you need to watch for:
- at least 3 hours of inconsolable crying per day,
- at least 3 days per week for
- at least 3 weeks in a row.
If you baby meets these criteria, and in the absence of more serious complications, then he or she is most likely suffering from colic.
And I know from over 25 years of family practice that this can be a horribly stressful situation especially for new parents.
You desperately want your newborn to be happy, healthy & content but you just do not know what to do to stop the crying.
And like many parents, you may have tried everything from car-rides to gripe water which would cause a great deal of concern for any parent.
Colic has been attributed to many different things such as the mother’s diet, the new mother’s anxiety level & spinal misalignments.
I would like to explain more to you about spinal misalignments as this is my area of expertise.
As your child is being born, the vertebrae of the neck & back can often times go out of alignment due to all the compressing, twisting & stretching that takes place during the birth process. Difficult deliveries ( forceps, prolonged labour, vacuum assist, breech, base posterior etc. ) can significantly increase the chances of getting spinal misalignments.
These misalignments can generally cause your baby to be cranky, uncomfortable & a fussy eater but when they affect the nerves to the digestive system specifically, colic or colic-like symptoms are sure to result.
As a parent, you need to know that chiropractic care has helped hundreds & hundreds of colicky babies and there are several research studies and case histories to support its effectiveness.
So, if you are frustrated with a colicky baby of your own, I strongly urge you to read the article found on this website about Chiropractic & Colic.
Or, you can always call to schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation.
Our phone # is 905 335 5433 & we would welcome the opportunity to help you & your family.
Feel free to call us anytime.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Smoothie Nutrition
For All You Health Food And Exercise Junkies, This Is What You Need To Know If You Like To Grab A Smoothie After A Work-Out Or As A Snack.
Tim Horton’s Real Fruit Smoothies
These do not contain any fiber because the fruit flavor is made up fruit puree & juice concentrates. Not whole fruits.
As well, all 3 flavors contain added sugars: glucose-fructose ( high fructose corn syrup ), glucose & molasses.
The culprit – Mixed berry Fruit Smoothie with Yogurt 18 oz. 290 calories! 67g of carbs from 60g of sugar! Only 5g of protein.
McDonalds Real Fruit Smoothies
Sold in 2 flavours with or without yogurt. The fruit is from puree & juice concentrate with cellulose powder added for fibre. All contain
added sugar & artificial flavours.
The culprit – Strawberry Banana with Yogurt 22 oz. 330 calories! 77g of carbs mostly from 70g of sugar! Only 3 g of protein.
Booster Juice
Even though these are made with fresh frozen fruit, they can pack a big calorie punch.
The culprit – Funky Monkey 24oz. 585 calories! 8.8g of fat! 110g of carbs. Even the 12oz size has twice the calories & carbs you would
need for a snack.
Second Cup
Sugar is the 2nd or 3rd ingredient listed for Fruit Chillers & they do not have any protein!
The culprit – Strawberry Fruit Chiller 24oz.
570 calories! 141g of sugar largely from 135g of sugar!
PS a 24.7oz. Coke contains 320 calories & 82g of carbs.
Cultures
Most smoothies contain natural frozen yogurt.
The culprit – Moka 7.6oz.
290 calories & only 1g of fibre!
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Health Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Sinus Congestion
“Here’s How We Treat Sinus Congestion At Our Burlington Clinic”
If you suffer from SINUS CONGESTION whether due to allergies or colds, you should consider the following especially if you are using medications for relief.
As you are probably well aware, sinus medications rarely work.
And they are probably going to make you feel groggy and sleepy at best.
And just FYI, you are not having sinus congestion because you do not have enough sinus decongestant drugs in your diet!
When sinuses become congested due to a cold or allergies, sometimes they get so stuffed and sometimes inflamed that they cannot expel the mucous.
Well, the good news is that there is a treatment called SINUS REFLEX TECHNIQUE which is a manual [ by hand ] treatment to help relieve sinus pressure and sinus congestion especially in the frontal, ethmoidal and maxillary sinuses.
These are the sinuses found across the fore-head and around the nose and cheeks.
The treatment can be performed by most chiropractors and involves a gentle manipulation of the affected sinus tissue and the Eustachian tubes if there is accompanying ear pressure.
This will have the effect of breaking up the congestion & allowing your sinuses to drain which will relieve the pressure and any associated headaches.
I have been doing this for 25 years with my patients, adults and children alike with excellent results.
So, if you or someone you know is suffering from sinus congestion, why don’t you give chiropractic a try.
Consultations are always free of charge and our phone number is 905 335 5433.
Seasonal Allergies
“Information For If Your Child Is Suffering From Seasonal Allergies From Our Burlington Clinic”
Seasonal allergies can affect children at any time during the year but are most common in the spring, winter and fall.
I know that it can be very frustrating and upsetting for parents to see their children struggle with allergies and I also know from talking to parents that many are not too pleased with the usual recommended treatment which is drugs and allergy shots.
They are concerned about the potentially harmful side-effects associated with allergy medication and every parent must do their due diligence whenever anything is injected into their child’s body.
[flashvideo file=http://lifechiropractic.s3.amazonaws.com/18.10.2011.allergies.brad-1.mp4 image=https://lifechiropracticcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/seasonal.allergies.jpg width=500 height=300 /]
What is important for you to understand first and foremost is that watery eyes, runny noses and sneezing are normal allergic responses and do not necessarily mean you’re sick.
Let me explain …. these allergic responses are part of what is referred to as a histamine reaction and this is the way your body expels whatever it is allergic to.
Let’s use ragweed pollen as an example.
Now, when you take an anti-histamine drug which are frequently prescribed in these situations, it may prevent the watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing but then the ragweed pollen will remain inside the body instead of being eliminated from the body.
You can imagine that this would not be good for your child’s health or anyone’s health for that matter and this is why allergy medications just do not make any sense to me.
Here Are Some Allergy Facts You Need To Consider
There are scientific research studies showing that people who use chiropractic on a regular basis have immune systems that respond better when challenged that those who do not use chiropractic.
And did you know that one of the main reasons allergies will ever develop in the first place is due to a sluggish immune system?
Well, you will be glad to know that it has been my clinical experience after 25 years in family practice that most chiropractic patients, children included, do not have sluggish immune systems.
In fact, it is quite the contrary. Kids who get chiropractic care seem to be healthier kids. Less colds, less sickness, less allergies.
And what you will really enjoy as a parent is that all of our treatments are totally natural.
So, if you would like to know more about what we can do to help, why don’t you call us to schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation?
Our phone number is 905 335 5433 & we would welcome the opportunity to help you & your children.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic