Spring has sprung (although it seems someone needs to remind Mother Nature!) and with the new season comes several new things at Lifewise. Our Spring Schedule is now set and classes start April 11th. Dennis, Paul and Julia are excited to have you join them for one of their classes – be it yoga, tai chi, or fit and healthy. I am also excited to announce the addition of a new chiropractor to the team: Dr. Suzanne Crix. She will be available for treatments on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to start, but is hoping to expand her hours as the practice grows. As always, Mark or Megan will be happy to help you book appointments and answer questions about our classes, workshops, and services.
Yours In Health,
Dr. Karen Baker
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Welcome! Dr. Suzanne Crix
We are excited to announce the arrival of a new member of the Lifewise team: Dr. Suzanne Crix who will be joining us April 1st, 2011. Wecome Dr. Crix!
Dr. Crix received her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree in 1996 from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College after completing a diploma in Athletic Therapy and an honours degree in Life Sciences from Queen’s University. She practiced chiropractic in Australia for 2 years before returning home to Leaside to start her own practice and raise a family.
She encourages her patients to ask questions because educated patients are the healthiest patients. She believes that good health comes from within through healthy lifestyle choices. Her philosophy on health drives everything she does from the services she provides her practice members to the continuing education she pursues. Dr. Suzanne has studied and trained with some of the world’s most advanced chiropractors, clinicians and authorities on spinal health and healing strategies.
We are excited to announce the arrival of a new member of the Lifewise team: Dr. Suzanne Crix who will be joining us April 1st, 2011. Wecome Dr. Crix!
Dr. Crix received her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree in 1996 from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College after completing a diploma in Athletic Therapy and an honours degree in Life Sciences from Queen’s University. She practiced chiropractic in Australia for 2 years before returning home to Leaside to start her own practice and raise a family.
She encourages her patients to ask questions because educated patients are the healthiest patients. She believes that good health comes from within through healthy lifestyle choices. Her philosophy on health drives everything she does from the services she provides her practice members to the continuing education she pursues. Dr. Suzanne has studied and trained with some of the world’s most advanced chiropractors, clinicians and authorities on spinal health and healing strategies.
Am I too stiff for yoga?
Dennis Newhook, Iyengar Yoga Teacher
One of the most common things people say to me when they hear I am a yoga teacher is "oh, I'm too stiff for yoga!"
As an Iyengar yoga teacher, such a statement sounds like a response based upon a misleading image of yoga often presented by Hollywood and the fitness industry (e.g. product advertisements featuring contortionists; celebrities seeking eternal youth and longer legs through yoga; scantily-clothed individuals sweating it out in mirror-lined rooms while instructors shout directions through a loudspeaker; instructional yoga DVDs promising everything from fewer wrinkles to buns of steel, many of which are made by last year's aerobics instructors turned yogis overnight still pushing their fitness mantra of "no pain, no gain”). It's an intimidating image indeed!
While yoga can certainly be integrated into a fitness program and applied within a variety of settings, Iyengar yoga classrooms will look nothing like the images of yoga presented in mainstream media.
Iyengar yoga teaches students in a systematic order, honouring bodily limitations or injuries. Postures are often modified to meet the needs of students. Props, such as chairs, blocks, or straps, enable students to work safely.
To address the question in the title of this article: NO, you aren't too stiff for yoga. On the contrary, the stiffer you are, the more you stand to benefit from a practice that teaches you to restore motion to stiff joints and length to shortened muscles.
While students definitely notice their stiffness during class, they also notice that yoga helps with increased co-ordination, awareness, balance, strength, and confidence. Flexibility will surely improve, but it really is a by-product of practice, not the goal, and in no way a barrier.
Dennis Newhook, Iyengar Yoga Teacher
One of the most common things people say to me when they hear I am a yoga teacher is "oh, I'm too stiff for yoga!"
As an Iyengar yoga teacher, such a statement sounds like a response based upon a misleading image of yoga often presented by Hollywood and the fitness industry (e.g. product advertisements featuring contortionists; celebrities seeking eternal youth and longer legs through yoga; scantily-clothed individuals sweating it out in mirror-lined rooms while instructors shout directions through a loudspeaker; instructional yoga DVDs promising everything from fewer wrinkles to buns of steel, many of which are made by last year's aerobics instructors turned yogis overnight still pushing their fitness mantra of "no pain, no gain”). It's an intimidating image indeed!
While yoga can certainly be integrated into a fitness program and applied within a variety of settings, Iyengar yoga classrooms will look nothing like the images of yoga presented in mainstream media.
Iyengar yoga teaches students in a systematic order, honouring bodily limitations or injuries. Postures are often modified to meet the needs of students. Props, such as chairs, blocks, or straps, enable students to work safely.
To address the question in the title of this article: NO, you aren't too stiff for yoga. On the contrary, the stiffer you are, the more you stand to benefit from a practice that teaches you to restore motion to stiff joints and length to shortened muscles.
While students definitely notice their stiffness during class, they also notice that yoga helps with increased co-ordination, awareness, balance, strength, and confidence. Flexibility will surely improve, but it really is a by-product of practice, not the goal, and in no way a barrier.
How green are your feet?
Dr Karen Baker, BSc, DC
According to a series of reports on climate change, published by WHO, the health risks of global warming are becoming a growing concern. Currently, these health risks are greatest in the poorest countries that contribute least to greenhouse gas emissions. Industrialized countries (Canada being one of the worst culprits) contribute most to the problems through their use of transport, energy, water, their dietary choices, and waste management.)
As climate patterns change, droughts and flooding will become more common; both interfere with growing seasons especially in countries already prone to such disasters. Disease such as malaria, diarrhoea and malnutrition already take 3 million lives annually. These diseases are highly sensitive to climatic changes making them important global health concerns.
Reducing the impact of human activities is essential to the health of our planet and its inhabitants. Although 55 % of our carbon footprint is related to services provided to us, or on our behalf, there is a lot we can do as individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You will find that these actions can be beneficial to your health as well as your environment. Here are a few things you can do to offset your carbon footprint and reap some health benefits:
Go for a run instead of driving to the gym
Car pool to school or to work
Take the train instead of the plane
Walk, cycle or take public transport
By decreasing our dependence on motorized vehicles we will reduce road accidents and lower air pollution (implicated in heart and lung disease). The health benefits of increasing physical activity are many. By walking or cycling to our destination whenever we can we help ourselves avoid obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others.
Decrease meat consumption - try one meat-free day / week.
Food production is major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing consumption of meat and dairy products will lower CO2 and methane emissions. Consuming only one food serving (75g) of meat daily can reduce your carbon footprint while giving you the nutrition you require. An imbalanced diet, too high in animal fats is a major player in many of Western Society’s current health problems.
Buy local & choose organic
On average the food in your supermarket travels 1,500 miles from the field to the store. Buying local produce would reduce your carbon footprint by reducing food miles. Organic products are not grown with petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides – the health implications of ingesting these chemicals is a growing concern.
Dr Karen Baker, BSc, DC
According to a series of reports on climate change, published by WHO, the health risks of global warming are becoming a growing concern. Currently, these health risks are greatest in the poorest countries that contribute least to greenhouse gas emissions. Industrialized countries (Canada being one of the worst culprits) contribute most to the problems through their use of transport, energy, water, their dietary choices, and waste management.)
As climate patterns change, droughts and flooding will become more common; both interfere with growing seasons especially in countries already prone to such disasters. Disease such as malaria, diarrhoea and malnutrition already take 3 million lives annually. These diseases are highly sensitive to climatic changes making them important global health concerns.
Reducing the impact of human activities is essential to the health of our planet and its inhabitants. Although 55 % of our carbon footprint is related to services provided to us, or on our behalf, there is a lot we can do as individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You will find that these actions can be beneficial to your health as well as your environment. Here are a few things you can do to offset your carbon footprint and reap some health benefits:
Go for a run instead of driving to the gym
Car pool to school or to work
Take the train instead of the plane
Walk, cycle or take public transport
By decreasing our dependence on motorized vehicles we will reduce road accidents and lower air pollution (implicated in heart and lung disease). The health benefits of increasing physical activity are many. By walking or cycling to our destination whenever we can we help ourselves avoid obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others.
Decrease meat consumption - try one meat-free day / week.
Food production is major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing consumption of meat and dairy products will lower CO2 and methane emissions. Consuming only one food serving (75g) of meat daily can reduce your carbon footprint while giving you the nutrition you require. An imbalanced diet, too high in animal fats is a major player in many of Western Society’s current health problems.
Buy local & choose organic
On average the food in your supermarket travels 1,500 miles from the field to the store. Buying local produce would reduce your carbon footprint by reducing food miles. Organic products are not grown with petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides – the health implications of ingesting these chemicals is a growing concern.
I can’t meditate!
Paul Lara, Tai Chi Instructor
Have you ever felt like this? Of course you have – me too.
Most of us have brains that bounce all over the place; this can be both a blessing and a curse – a quick switching attention span allows us to process a lot of information coming our way, but can also hamper our productivity and increase stress levels.
Meditation is an effective way of dealing with mental overload – it can help us become less reactive and more productive. However, the idea of calmly sitting in meditation for hours may seem impractical and out of reach for most; what we need is to be reasonable in our approach as a novice.
I think many people limit meditation to a categorical ideal. We want too much too soon. Images of serene monks in distant lands where birds are singing and all is not necessarily what has to be like for you. We don’t have to rely on incense, fluffy pillows or dogma. This isn’t about emptying our thoughts or becoming like the Buddha.
Meditation is a life practice - for your stress, for your relationships, for your moment. Think of it as a tool, not a teleport service. Day by day we learn to sharpen our skills and incorporate them into our life.
Make it simple. Focus on the basics.
Start off by aligning your posture and work towards balancing the physical body using the breath. The balance between tension and relaxation is how we begin. Simple.
Setting aside just 5 minutes of your day is a great way to establish your practice. But it’s important to make it routine so that your biological rhythms (as well as your habits) become consistent.
Meditation can look and feel many different ways. It’s a technique that can help you feel more centered, grounded and adaptable.
Practices such as QiGong, Martial Arts, Reiki or Zazen, all incorporate meditative practices and teach you how to deal with life’s stressors one moment at a time. Any of these techniques can be a great way to start to incorporate meditation into your everyday life. Meditation should be practical.
Paul Lara, Tai Chi Instructor
Have you ever felt like this? Of course you have – me too.
Most of us have brains that bounce all over the place; this can be both a blessing and a curse – a quick switching attention span allows us to process a lot of information coming our way, but can also hamper our productivity and increase stress levels.
Meditation is an effective way of dealing with mental overload – it can help us become less reactive and more productive. However, the idea of calmly sitting in meditation for hours may seem impractical and out of reach for most; what we need is to be reasonable in our approach as a novice.
I think many people limit meditation to a categorical ideal. We want too much too soon. Images of serene monks in distant lands where birds are singing and all is not necessarily what has to be like for you. We don’t have to rely on incense, fluffy pillows or dogma. This isn’t about emptying our thoughts or becoming like the Buddha.
Meditation is a life practice - for your stress, for your relationships, for your moment. Think of it as a tool, not a teleport service. Day by day we learn to sharpen our skills and incorporate them into our life.
Make it simple. Focus on the basics.
Start off by aligning your posture and work towards balancing the physical body using the breath. The balance between tension and relaxation is how we begin. Simple.
Setting aside just 5 minutes of your day is a great way to establish your practice. But it’s important to make it routine so that your biological rhythms (as well as your habits) become consistent.
Meditation can look and feel many different ways. It’s a technique that can help you feel more centered, grounded and adaptable.
Practices such as QiGong, Martial Arts, Reiki or Zazen, all incorporate meditative practices and teach you how to deal with life’s stressors one moment at a time. Any of these techniques can be a great way to start to incorporate meditation into your everyday life. Meditation should be practical.
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