Category Archives for Chiropractic Tip Of The Week
Treating Strains And Sprains
“What To Do If You Have Suffered A Strain Or Sprain In Burlington?”
This time of year people are generally more active in their yards or playing sports & the chances of spraining or straining an elbow, wrist, knee or ankle ( for example )
dramatically increase. Here are some helpful tips if you have suffered a strain or sprain injury:
remember the acronym RICE –
R for rest, I for ice, C for compression & E for elevation.
In other words, rest the injured area, wrap it in ice for 10 – 12 minutes twice an hour & elevate the inured body part if you can so as to not let the swelling pool.
Next, get to your family chiropractor right away to have the injury assessed.
Often times there will also be structural misalignment of the injured joint & this must also be corrected for the joint to heal quickly & properly. Life Chiropractic Centre also offers COLD LASER THERAPY ( low level laser therapy ) which is excellent to help these types of injuries heal quickly & properly.
For more information on COLD LASER THERAPY, please search for the posting included on this web-site.
Or you can call 905 335 (LIFE ) 5433 to schedule an appointment for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTAION.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Health And Microwaves
“Microwave Use And Your Health Tip From Our Burlington Clinic”
To MICROWAVE or not to microwave?
Do your own easy experiment at home to answer this question for yourself.
By 2 identical, small potted plants or flowers.
Water them at the same time & with the same amount of water.
Make sure they get the same sunlight , temperature etc.
In other words, make sure the growing conditions are identical, except for the water.
One plant water only with purified water; spring water or reverse osmosis water for example.
The other, use the same water as above except microwave it for 1 minute, let it cool and then water the plant. Do this for 2 or 3 months and observe any differences between the 2 plants.
Then you can decide if microwaving your food is a good idea or not.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Fruits And Vegetables
“When To Eat Your Fruits And Vegetables”
Most everyone knows that fruit & vegetables are an integral part of a healthy diet.
But, if you make the effort to eat them you need to know how & when to realize the full nutritional benefit.
First of all, fruit should only be eaten by itself on its own between meals & on an empty stomach.
Combining fruit with anything else will only set up a fermenting furnace in your stomach causing gas, bloating & poor absorption of nutrients.
This includes cereal & yogurt.
In fact, some researchers tell us that mixing fruit with yogurt will destroy the beneficial bacteria that are found in yogurt.
Your vegetables should be lightly steamed or grilled.
They do not need to be covered with oil or butter, just lightly seasoned with your favourite salad spices.
Remember that sea salt is far healthier for you than table salt.
Salad – before or after your meal?
Typically, in north America we have our salad before our meal.
Europeans on the other hand have their salad afterwards.
Why?
Because the digestive aid provided by lettuce is best on top of your food, not in front of it or on the bottom of it.
I agree that salad is best consumed after a meal.
And, don’t calorie it up with dressing.
This negates the whole point of salad!
Lightly dressed, use lemon juice as an alternative & season with your favourite salad spices.
Click Here For A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad
How To Start Exercising
“So You Want To Start Exercising And You Don’t Know Where Or How To Begin?”
Here are some helpful tips for you to get you started on the right path.
You do not need an expensive gym membership &/or expensive fashionable work-out gear either.
The only thing you would really need is a good pair of walking or running shoes and some loose,comfortable clothing because walking is the safest place to start exercising.
3 times per week for ½ hour & then gradually increase your time so you are eventually walking 1 hr at a time.
Next, you will want to increase your pace. You can easily monitor this by using a pedometer & counting the number of steps. Find your comfortable base-line & then increase by 100 steps per hour each week until you reach a pace that is brisk, almost a speed walk.
Once you have achieved this level, then start to incorporate some arm movement.
Swing your arms as you stride and you can carry a 2 or 3 pound arm weight in each hand & either swing, or do some bicep curls or side arm raises or combine all, again coordinating with your stride.
It is best to walk on grass or natural surface such as a trail or the track around a high-school football field.
This is much easier on the joints of your lower back & legs than pavement or concrete.
Once the cold & snow arrive, either invest in a treadmill or get a gym membership for a few months.
Common Cold Facts
“Our Burlington Clinic Provides Some Interesting Facts About
the Common Cold”
Did you know that it is perfectly normal & healthy to have 2 colds per year?
Our bodies will cleanse itself as it prepares for the warm weather germs in the spring and again in the fall as it prepares for the cold weather germs.
This is normal and there is nothing you can do about it.
Just accept the fact that this means you are healthy.
Cold remedies just do not work so don’t waste your dollars.
There is tons of research out there that proves this time and time again.
The reality is this … a cold takes a couple days to ramp up, is with you for 3-4 days and another couple days to wind down. Nothing will expedite this process.
Now, if you have frequent colds or are the type to catch everything that is going around, then you have a problem.
The problem usually is an immune system that is too weak to keep you otherwise healthy.
Chiropractic is an excellent way to supercharge your immune system.
No invasive drugs or chemicals.
All natural.
Give it a try.
You will be pleasantly surprised.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Getting A Flatter Tummy
“What You Really Need To Know If You Want To Flatten That Tummy”
A lot of people think sit-ups are the key to keeping a flat tummy & a slim & trim waist line.
Only partially true. Think about this … it would take 250,000 sit-ups to lose 1lb off your waist-line !!
So there has got to be an easier way & there is.
There are 2 things you need to address to keep a firm tummy.
1—diet. Stay away from any foods that are creamy, contain flour of any kind & all dairy products.
If these are part of your regular diet you are just fighting a losing battle.
2 – exercise. Yes, sit-ups are a must but be sure that you do them properly & you know how to exercise the lower abdominals, upper abdominals & the side abdominals.
But even more important is the cardio.
Make sure you do it.
Bike riding &/or brisk walking will go a long way to firming up that tummy more than you know.
3 times per week for 45 to 60 min.
Not only will you look better but you will feel better mentally & physically.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Watch Your Pasta Intake
“Pasta Health Advise From Our Burlington Clinic Experts”
Many people think that eating pasta frequently is good for you, but you should consider the following.
White and whole wheat pasta both contain gluten; a protein that is not all that friendly to the human body.
Also, these have a high glycemic index which means that they are easily converted into sugar.
Sugar then causes your pancreas to secrete insulin and too much insulin in the body can cause a multitude of health problems.
So here are a couple of healthy pasta-eating tips…
Cook your pasta al dente – the harder it is, the lower the glycemic index.
Foods that have a low glycemic index are healthier foods & better for you.
Choose gluten-free pasta or rice pasta.
These are much healthier for you.
Pasta is best when eaten as a lunch dish or before athletic activity.
This way you will burn off the calories that it provides.
Having a large amount of pasta for your dinner-time meal will just cause weight gain, bold sugar issues & stress on your heart.
Think light & eat right – smaller portions more frequently throughout the day will work much better for you.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad
Chiropractic And Gardening
“How Burlington Chiropractic Care And Help You Survive The Gardening Season This Spring”
Gardening season is now upon us & this can be a source of pleasure for some but not for others.
If you do not approach your yard & garden maintenance activities with some logic & common sense, you could suffer.
And typically what will suffer is your lower back.
So, here are a few helpful tips….
Stretch your back before & after doing your gardening & yardwork.
Ease into it. Remember that these activities are stressful on the back.
Do not do it all at once—pace yourself.
Pick 2 or 3 things that you need to do & rotate through them every 30 min. to change up the stresses on your back.
Sit when you can; either on a pillow or a small stool.
Do not stand stooped forward or to either side for extended periods ( such as hoeing or raking ), this is very bad for the back.
Keep your garden tools sharp to minimize the effort you need to put forth to cut or dig.
If back pain persists &/or you develop leg pains, call a chiropractor right away.
These are signs that there is a structural issue with your spine & we will be able to help.
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Chiropractic For Golfers
“Burlington Golfers’ Secret To Improving Your Golf Game”
Want to take a couple of strokes off your golf game this year?
Spring is upon us & the golf season is again in full swing.
Have you ever asked yourself why most players on the PGA tour & the LPGA tour get regular chiropractic adjustments?
By keeping your lower spine aligned & your pelvis balanced & symmetrical will allow you to swing the club smoothly.
You will then swing with less effort & more power due to improved spinal flexibility. You will have a better follow-through as your hips will rotate better.
Your stamina & durability will improve allowing you to finish stronger.
And of course by taking good care of your spine on a regular basis will help ward off those nagging aches & pains that can catch up to you during the season.
If chiropractic is good enough for the pro’s, it is good enough for you too.
We’d love to help improve your game!
Click Here To Book A Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Brad At The 2501 Guelph Line Clinic
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Tip
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – Here Is Some Good Advise From Our Burlington Clinic Experts
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, typically causes pain,burning, numbness & tingling in the wrists, hands & fingers.
It is important to understand that CTS has 2 origins.
One is from a pinched nerve in the lower part of the neck.
Because these nerves go right down to your finger tips, they will result in CTS symptoms when they are pinched.
Anyone who works with their hands or sits at a computer or desk for extended periods is very prone to getting pinched nerves in the neck.
Chiropractic care is very effective in relieving these pinched nerves.
The 2nd origin is if 1 or more of the small bones in your wrist is misaligned.
This will irritate the nerves in the carpal tunnel resulting in those uncomfortable symptoms.
Again, anyone who works with their hands or spends a lot of time on the computer will be prone to structural problems in the wrist.
What you can do at home is freeze solid a styrofoam cup full of water.
Peel about ¼” off the rim all the way around so this much ice is sticking out.
Place your sore wrist on a towel on a table, sit on a chair & with your other hand rub the ice on the top & bottom of your wrist – 5 min each side.
Or have someone do it for you.
Place the cup back in the freezer & you can keep using it this way.
This will help reduce the painful inflammation but it is always a good idea to have your wrist examined by a chiropractor for any structural issues.