Dennis Newhook RMT, CYT
For many people, my self included, the holiday season involves some form of travel. Regardless of the mode of transportation, we are often required to sit for long hours in less than desirable seating. This combined with the usual stressors of travel (long line-ups, flight delays, winter driving conditions) can leave us exhausted and susceptible to back pain, headaches, and digestive upset. The following tips can help make travelling more enjoyable and allow you to keep your focus on enjoying the season:
• Consider bringing your own pillow to relatives’ homes, especially if you suffer from chronic neck pain.
• Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing for those long flights or car rides. Be certain to stand up and stretch at least once per hour.
• Eat lightly while travelling, and stay well hydrated. Many airlines recommend drinking 8 ounces of fluids for every hour in the air. Not only will it keep you hydrated, but getting up to use the washroom will give you a chance to stretch! Avoid dehydrating alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
• Applying moisturizer before a long plane ride can go a long way in helping prevent dehydration.
• If you regularly experience air sickness, request a window seat above the wing and sip water throughout the flight.
• To cut down on the spread of colds, try wiping down your arm rests, monitor, and food try with a soapy paper towel from the washroom.
• Try getting outdoors when you arrive at your destination; exposure to sunlight will help your body’s clock to adjust to a new time zone.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Healthy Living during the Holidays
Peter Wilansky-Traynor CHNP, PTS
During the holiday season healthy eating appears to go out the window. We tend to indulge a little too much (…or a lot). We eat those office chocolates with abandon, take that second (or maybe third) helping, and will likely have one-too-many yuletide cocktails – we all do it! The problem is most people don’t think about just how detrimental these behaviours can be to our health. Do yourself a favour this year and try following these healthy tips over the holiday season. Your body will thank you!
Before going to a party or family function, try eating a small portion of something healthy before you leave home. At the party, try filling up on vegetables and healthier choices before heading to tasty sugar laden foods.
Avoid skipping meals. Starving yourself before a get-together increases the odds that you'll overeat once you get there.
If the holiday party is at your house, try sending the leftovers (especially the desserts) home with your guests.
Stay hydrated. Many of the beverages we drink actually dehydrate our bodies (i.e. alcohol, coffee, and mulled wine). Be sure to drink at least 2 – 3 litres of water per day to keep your body working efficiently.
Take your kids on winter outings. Ice skating and tobogganing are fun choices that also burns calories. Spending the day trekking a sled up the hill is a great workout.
During the holiday season healthy eating appears to go out the window. We tend to indulge a little too much (…or a lot). We eat those office chocolates with abandon, take that second (or maybe third) helping, and will likely have one-too-many yuletide cocktails – we all do it! The problem is most people don’t think about just how detrimental these behaviours can be to our health. Do yourself a favour this year and try following these healthy tips over the holiday season. Your body will thank you!
Before going to a party or family function, try eating a small portion of something healthy before you leave home. At the party, try filling up on vegetables and healthier choices before heading to tasty sugar laden foods.
Avoid skipping meals. Starving yourself before a get-together increases the odds that you'll overeat once you get there.
If the holiday party is at your house, try sending the leftovers (especially the desserts) home with your guests.
Stay hydrated. Many of the beverages we drink actually dehydrate our bodies (i.e. alcohol, coffee, and mulled wine). Be sure to drink at least 2 – 3 litres of water per day to keep your body working efficiently.
Take your kids on winter outings. Ice skating and tobogganing are fun choices that also burns calories. Spending the day trekking a sled up the hill is a great workout.
What’s the Scoop on Probiotics?
Karen Baker BSc, DC
There seems to be a lot of media chatter recently about “good bacteria” and probiotics. Many of my patient’s have been asking me: what’s the inside scoop?
Well, probiotics are species of health promoting bacteria that we require for proper digestion of food and for immune defense against illness promoting bacteria, viruses and fungi. The term “probiotic” derives from Latin and Greek, meaning “for life”. The World Health Organization has defined probiotics as: live “micro-organisms” which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. In fact, to have optimal health we need to be home to over 100 trillion of these health-promoting bacteria! That’s 10 times the amount of cells you have in your entire body!
Having the proper probiotic bacteria in your digestive system is essential for your health and wellbeing, and being deficient can lead to severe health problems. Intestinal microflora (probiotics) promote balanced gastrointestinal function and are essential for many metabolic requirements such as synthesizing vitamins and short chain fatty acids and digesting fiber and proteins. Probiotic bactieria are also important for immune function. They directly protect from infection by competing with the unhealthy bacteria, viruses and fungi we are exposed to every day.
Research shows that we now consume one-millionth of the healthy probiotic bacteria that we did before pesticides, herbicides and industrial farming. Much of our healthy bacteria are destroyed by eating sugars, grains, and by consuming alcohol, antibiotics, and other prescription drugs. The North American diet is dangerously deficient in probiotic bacteria. This deficiency is implicated as a causal factor in alarming numbers of preventable illnesses from infancy to old age.
There seems to be a lot of media chatter recently about “good bacteria” and probiotics. Many of my patient’s have been asking me: what’s the inside scoop?
Well, probiotics are species of health promoting bacteria that we require for proper digestion of food and for immune defense against illness promoting bacteria, viruses and fungi. The term “probiotic” derives from Latin and Greek, meaning “for life”. The World Health Organization has defined probiotics as: live “micro-organisms” which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. In fact, to have optimal health we need to be home to over 100 trillion of these health-promoting bacteria! That’s 10 times the amount of cells you have in your entire body!
Having the proper probiotic bacteria in your digestive system is essential for your health and wellbeing, and being deficient can lead to severe health problems. Intestinal microflora (probiotics) promote balanced gastrointestinal function and are essential for many metabolic requirements such as synthesizing vitamins and short chain fatty acids and digesting fiber and proteins. Probiotic bactieria are also important for immune function. They directly protect from infection by competing with the unhealthy bacteria, viruses and fungi we are exposed to every day.
Research shows that we now consume one-millionth of the healthy probiotic bacteria that we did before pesticides, herbicides and industrial farming. Much of our healthy bacteria are destroyed by eating sugars, grains, and by consuming alcohol, antibiotics, and other prescription drugs. The North American diet is dangerously deficient in probiotic bacteria. This deficiency is implicated as a causal factor in alarming numbers of preventable illnesses from infancy to old age.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Improving Circulation with Yoga
Dennis Newhook RMT, CYT
Immunity depends on the healthy circulation of blood and the constant movement of lymphatic fluid. Our blood, pumped by the heart, carries a host of protective chemicals and cells which aid in fighting foreign substances. Lymphatic fluid, unlike blood, is "pump-less" and so it must rely on the action of muscles, joint movement, and gravity to make its way through the body. Carried in lymphatic fluid are specialized cells called lymphocytes, the main warriors of our immune system. Taking a little time everyday to stretch, be active, and rest (especially with the legs elevated above heart level!) can greatly improve the circulation of these vital fluids. In addition to improving overall circulation, taking a few minutes each day to mindfully stretch and observe the breath gives you an opportunity to pick up on the subtle warning signs that precede a full blown cold or illness. Knowing when you need to slow down and get more quality rest goes a long way in preventing an immune breakdown.
Immunity depends on the healthy circulation of blood and the constant movement of lymphatic fluid. Our blood, pumped by the heart, carries a host of protective chemicals and cells which aid in fighting foreign substances. Lymphatic fluid, unlike blood, is "pump-less" and so it must rely on the action of muscles, joint movement, and gravity to make its way through the body. Carried in lymphatic fluid are specialized cells called lymphocytes, the main warriors of our immune system. Taking a little time everyday to stretch, be active, and rest (especially with the legs elevated above heart level!) can greatly improve the circulation of these vital fluids. In addition to improving overall circulation, taking a few minutes each day to mindfully stretch and observe the breath gives you an opportunity to pick up on the subtle warning signs that precede a full blown cold or illness. Knowing when you need to slow down and get more quality rest goes a long way in preventing an immune breakdown.
Strengthen Your Immune System
Karen Baker BSc, DC
At this time of year, everyone seems to be getting sick! So, we’ve chosen ‘improving immunity’ as our focus for this month’s issue. Whether we are overloaded at work, getting inadequate sleep, or having trouble adjusting to the weather changes, it doesn’t seem to take much to succumb to a simple viral infection. Our natural defenses are being challenged daily by toxins and chemicals in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the products that are absorbed through the skin (such as shampoos and cosmetics). Antibiotics and antibacterial cleansers, meant to protect us, can also kill benign and beneficial bacteria, eroding our natural protection against more dangerous bacteria, viruses and fungi, and contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Strengthening our immune system is our best defense against colds, flu, allergies, asthma, and even diseases such as cancer. Some simple steps to boosting immunity include: eating lots of fresh nutritious food (organic, raw, whole, grass-fed), taking a good quality probiotic, increasing water intake, avoiding smoking and excess alcohol, keeping phone handsets and keyboards clean and washing hands frequently.
Refraining from using “anti-bacterial” cleaners, and if you are not immune compromised, don’t be afraid of a cold. The more practice our bodies get fighting infections (rather than depending on vaccines or antibiotics), the stronger our immune systems become.
There is also a growing body of scientific research to support the contention that chiropractic adjustments may have a beneficial effect on the functioning of both the nervous and the immune system (A. Cohn, JVSR, 09/30/08, pp 1-5). Studies have even shown chiropractic adjustments reducing the need for medications and hospitalization for asthmatics and quadrupling CD-4 immune cell counts in HIV positive patients. So give your immune system a boost, and get adjusted regularly.
At this time of year, everyone seems to be getting sick! So, we’ve chosen ‘improving immunity’ as our focus for this month’s issue. Whether we are overloaded at work, getting inadequate sleep, or having trouble adjusting to the weather changes, it doesn’t seem to take much to succumb to a simple viral infection. Our natural defenses are being challenged daily by toxins and chemicals in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the products that are absorbed through the skin (such as shampoos and cosmetics). Antibiotics and antibacterial cleansers, meant to protect us, can also kill benign and beneficial bacteria, eroding our natural protection against more dangerous bacteria, viruses and fungi, and contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Strengthening our immune system is our best defense against colds, flu, allergies, asthma, and even diseases such as cancer. Some simple steps to boosting immunity include: eating lots of fresh nutritious food (organic, raw, whole, grass-fed), taking a good quality probiotic, increasing water intake, avoiding smoking and excess alcohol, keeping phone handsets and keyboards clean and washing hands frequently.
Refraining from using “anti-bacterial” cleaners, and if you are not immune compromised, don’t be afraid of a cold. The more practice our bodies get fighting infections (rather than depending on vaccines or antibiotics), the stronger our immune systems become.
There is also a growing body of scientific research to support the contention that chiropractic adjustments may have a beneficial effect on the functioning of both the nervous and the immune system (A. Cohn, JVSR, 09/30/08, pp 1-5). Studies have even shown chiropractic adjustments reducing the need for medications and hospitalization for asthmatics and quadrupling CD-4 immune cell counts in HIV positive patients. So give your immune system a boost, and get adjusted regularly.
The Power of Positive Thinking
Peter Wilansky-Traynor CHNP, PTS
Our thoughts are intimately connected to our health and well being. When times are tough, it is easy to be consumed with negative and depressive thoughts. Fearful thoughts and emotional stress make our physical body feel sluggish, heavier, and tighter. This body tension is physiologically stressful, in turn suppressing our immunity, opening the door to illness. Bacteria, viruses and parasites wait patiently for an opportunity to invade our bodies and make themselves at home, when resistance is low.
We need to be aware when we think negatively that we lower our defences, and increase our chance of becoming ill or diseased. Especially true in these economically turbulent times, we need to take control of our thoughts. Becoming conscious of persistent negativity and turning our minds in a more positive direction takes constant vigilance.
Cultivate your energy, or life force, by taking time for yourself everyday. Try the practice of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or Meditation, all thought to increase your positive vibrations, keeping your mindset positive. Remember the law of attraction: like attracts like. So draw positive experiences into your life, including good health, starting with thinking positively!
Our thoughts are intimately connected to our health and well being. When times are tough, it is easy to be consumed with negative and depressive thoughts. Fearful thoughts and emotional stress make our physical body feel sluggish, heavier, and tighter. This body tension is physiologically stressful, in turn suppressing our immunity, opening the door to illness. Bacteria, viruses and parasites wait patiently for an opportunity to invade our bodies and make themselves at home, when resistance is low.
We need to be aware when we think negatively that we lower our defences, and increase our chance of becoming ill or diseased. Especially true in these economically turbulent times, we need to take control of our thoughts. Becoming conscious of persistent negativity and turning our minds in a more positive direction takes constant vigilance.
Cultivate your energy, or life force, by taking time for yourself everyday. Try the practice of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or Meditation, all thought to increase your positive vibrations, keeping your mindset positive. Remember the law of attraction: like attracts like. So draw positive experiences into your life, including good health, starting with thinking positively!
Welcome
I am very pleased to present the first issue of our Lifewise Health & Wellness Bulletin. At Lifewise we strive to provide valuable service to our patients and the community. Our purpose is to help you achieve improved health and a well balanced lifestyle. We have put together this monthly newsletter, to keep you up to date on all that’s happening at the office, and to share with you some helpful health related tips. We hope you will find it a worthwhile read.
Yours In Health,
Dr. Karen Baker
Yours In Health,
Dr. Karen Baker
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