How your body is designed to move

After a long hiatus of 25 years, I stepped back onto the ice and this time with my kids as it was the school holidays. My kids found it easy, however, initially, my movements felt clumsy and uncertain, a stark contrast to what I remembered from years ago. But as time passed, something remarkable happened. Just like riding a bike, my body started to remember. My strides became smoother, and my confidence grew. This journey back into ice skating turned out to be more than just revisiting an old hobby; it became a reflection on health and recovery.

As a chiropractor, I often see clients who are tentative about movement, especially when dealing with back pain. The fear of pain can be paralysing, causing many to shy away from activities they once loved. My ice skating experience reminded me of a vital lesson that I share with my clients: like my time on the ice, recovery and readjustment are processes. The body has an incredible memory and capacity for healing, but it requires patience and the right guidance.

Just as I needed time to find my balance and rhythm on skates, individuals experiencing back pain need time to heal and adjust through chiropractic care. With each adjustment, we're not just alleviating pain; we're helping the body remember how to move without discomfort. We're retraining muscles, joints & nerves, reinforcing the body's natural ability to maintain balance and health.

Chiropractic isn't just about making pain disappear—it's about restoring function and joy. The joy that comes from being able to move freely, without pain; the joy of rediscovering activities you love, whether it's ice skating, playing with your kids, or simply walking without discomfort. Every step, every glide on the ice, reinforced my belief in the body’s ability to adapt and recover.

Let this story be a reminder to all of us: don’t let fear of pain keep you from the activities you love. With the right care and a bit of time, your body can accomplish amazing things. Rediscover the joy of movement with us at Riverside Chiropractic. Whether it’s your first step back to an old hobby or a step towards pain-free living, we're here to guide you on your journey to health and vitality.

New Year Less Stress

Bottom Line:

Did you know that recent studies indicate that over 54% of people are stressed by the amount of stress in their lives? That’s a lot of stress! Stress in our shoulders. Stress in our neck. It’s no secret that muscle tension in those areas can contribute to headaches and neck and back pain. What you may not know, however, is that chronic stress can decrease your energy levels, increasing you’re the likelihood that you’ll experience irritability, illness, and even depression. Hold on – there’s good news on the other side of that coin! There are, in fact, some very simple ways that you can begin to dramatically lower your stress levels and boost your energy levels. Keep reading...

Why it Matters:

The first and best way to improve your overall health and happiness is motion. We know we are built to move. We know we’re not meant to be sedentary creatures, and improving our spinal motion, or segmental motion, is one the ways that Chiropractic adjustments can specifically help you move and feel better. How? Studies have shown that Chiropractic care can significantly reduce that nagging muscle tension in the shoulders, positively impacting your pain and stress levels and your range of motion. Researchers observed: 

·A bilateral reduction in cervical muscle tension following a Chiropractic adjustment.

· Metabolic changes in the brain and skeletal muscles, as well as reductions in subjective pain, muscle tension following a Chiropractic adjustment.

Next Steps:

Get active. Get adjusted. And, if you know someone who gets predictably sick or stressed every year around the holidays, show them you care and share this research with them. You may just be able to help them have a happier and healthier holiday season!

Science Source: Glucose Metabolic Changes in the Brain and Muscles of Patients with Nonspecific Neck Pain Treated by Spinal Manipulation Therapy, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 2017. Article ID 4345703, Central Motor Excitability Changes After Spinal Manipulation: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Volume 25. Number 1. January 2002

Stress in America Survey. American Psychological Association. 2010

Healthier Food Choices: Chocolate Spread

It's not always easier making the right food choices. This video is to help you still enjoy your food in a healthy way.

The Essential Nutrient - Movement

You need to exercise to be healthy, it’s not just about being at the right BMI or body fat percentage. Our bodies have evolved significantly since cave man/woman days but we’re still designed to be moving most of the time not sitting down. In the past, if humans didn’t move, they wouldn’t find or catch food and even worse, they might’ve been eaten.

Apart from the many health benefits of exercise such as reduced cholesterol and sugar levels, mood improvement, our muscles, joints and ligaments are meant to move, not be set in the same seated position. This damages them and tightens them up because we aren’t lubricating them and building muscular strength to support them.

We need movement everyday and it doesn’t have to be daily heavy exertion, although this is great for our heart and lungs. Sneaking in extra amounts of activity during your day is a great way to get in more movement, even standing up more is beneficial as we’re more likely to fidget around and it’s harder work than sitting down. Even popping outside for a 10 minute walk several times a day is great and it helps to improve circulation and boost your mood.

If being in pain is affecting how you well or much you can move please make a booking so we can help you be active again!

Fueling your body right with water

Your body is designed to be healthy and this certainly requires correct hydration as our bodies are 75% water. Lots of drinks contain water but they actually cause you to lose water, think tea, coffee, coke and alcohol

Just a short list of what water does in your body:

·         Keeps a normal temperature

·         Lubricates and cushions joints – if you experience back and/or joint pain, try increasing your water intake

·         Protects your spinal cord

·         Waste removal: urination, bowel movements, perspiration

·         Moistens tissues in eyes, nose and mouth

Signs of dehydration:

·         Loss of fatigue and stamina

·         Headaches

·         Constipation

·         Dry mouth

·         Dizziness

Per day, men need 2.5 litres and women 2 litres, 1-3 year old: 1 Litre (can include milk), 5 to 8 years old: 5 glasses (1 litre) 9 to 12 years old: 7 glasses (1.5 litres) 13 years old and over: 8 to 10 glasses (2 litres) of water.

Tips to Drink More Water

• Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.

• Freeze some freezer safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.

• Choose water over sugary drinks.

• Opt for water when eating out. You’ll save money and reduce calories.

• Serve water during meals.

• Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water. This can help improve the taste.

• Make sure your kids are getting enough water too. I was shocked when my son told me he had an empty water bottle all day and thought he’d just wait till he got home EMOJI shocked

Sources:

CDC

https://www.nhsinform.scot/

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/drinking-water-and-your-health

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hydration-tips-for-children#:~:text=The%20recommended%20daily%20intake%20of,to%2010%20glasses%20(2%20litres)

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Choose-Water-for-Healthy-Hydration.aspx

How Digestion Works

Bottom Line:

Our modern diet and lifestyle have been linked to a variety of digestive issues. The overall health of your digestive system is closely tied to the food you eat, the exercise you get, and your overall stress levels.

Your digestive system is a group of organs that take the food you eat and turn it into energy and nutrients for your body. The digestive system interacts with your nervous systems, immune system, endocrine system, and others to help regulate its function.

Why it Matters:

Perhaps what’s most interesting about digestion is that it actually starts in your brain! Your hypothalamus coordinates your appetite and how much food you eat. For example, if you are tired or are stressed out, the chemicals in your brain may influence you to eat more than usual in an attempt to find balance. We call this, you guessed it, “cravings.”

- Your digestive system is a complex network of organs, systems, tissues, and nerves controlled by your brain.

- Turning the food you eat into fuel for your body is the primary job of your digestive system.

- You can get rid of your food cravings by getting regular exercise and reducing your overall stress.

Next Steps:

Understanding that cravings are caused by a variety of physiological factors, and not just willpower, is the first step to controlling them. The next step is making a decision on which factors you want to impact this week - maybe it’s beginning a new exercise routine or finding ways to reduce daily stress in your life. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are able to take control of your cravings by making a few smart decisions with your lifestyle!

Science Source:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Your Digestive System & How it Works. 2018

Mayo Clinic. See How Your Digestive System Works. 2018

The 3 Things Needed for Good Health

We know these things, but we don’t always do them.

Your health is like a fire - it needs fuel, air and spark. If there is not enough of any of these, your health will decline.

We all need the same 3 things. Consistent effort in the three areas over time will produce health.

Fuel

Your food intake, what’s your diet like?

The foods you choose to consume will either help or hurt your health!

The good news is science has shown irrefutably what foods people should eat and what foods they should avoid. The ‘bad’ news is that it can take years for the signs of poor food choices to rear its ugly head – it will take some time of eating donuts before you become diabetic.

Air

How you move, how often you move, how intensely you move.

Everyone wants the benefits of exercise but you need to prioritise the time to do it.

You don’t need to run a marathon, a daily walk will do but there are definitely more health benefits associated with raising your heart beat above what a walk will do for you and doing resistance exercise. Too little or too much exercise is bad for us.

Spark

Within this domain is how you manage your stress, relationships, parenting responsibilities, communication, frustrating work situations, disappointments, failures, successes and the ordinary everyday tasks.

Your chiropractor can help guide you with these areas through chiropractic care, advice or referring you to the right specialist to help you out. To make a booking to discuss this further

What is Health?

Many people think of health as the absence of disease –  the absence of pain, illness or an active diagnosis such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or cancer. It’s the opposite: disease is the absence of health just like darkness is the absence of light.

If a person is overweight, they’re more likely to develop a major illness (1) but being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy either.

If someone gets diagnosed with cancer, the medical or allopathic model is to ‘fight’ the disease, ‘kill’ the cancer. Sounds good, right? But what caused the cancer? What made those cells in become cancerous? Doesn’t it make sense to also engage in strategies to become healthier? Better yet, employ those strategies to prevent a disease?

Human physiology usually doesn’t make mistakes – when there is high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, heart attack, autoimmune disease, cancer – whatever – there’s a reason for it, it’s not a mistake, the body isn’t making an error. Only 10% of cancers are genetic (1) and your lifestyle can switch on or off certain genes. It's not known exactly why autoimmune diseases develop, although most people who have an autoimmune disease have a genetic predisposition. An environmental factor such as an infection, stress, medication, diet or even ultraviolet radiation then triggers the symptoms of the autoimmune disease. (2)

The body is merely adapting to its environment; your body’s environment is determined by your lifestyle choices.

The reason for a condition – a ‘dis-ease’ – is a lack of health: an overwhelming influence from behaviours (stress, lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle), and/or environmental input (poor diet, toxicity) that mess around with how our bodies are supposed to work, thereby causing cell function to deteriorate along with ‘health’.  

Having a fever is not a sign that you’re ‘sick’; it’s a sign that your body is engaging in a healthy, appropriate response to an infection. Taking paracetamol or anti-inflammatories to reduce a fever is actually counterproductive to your body’s immune response. Your body is heating up to kill the invader.

How do we define health?

Let’s start with optimal cell function. The human body has 100 trillion cells. Each and every one of them has requirements in order to function optimally eg nutrients & water, science has shown us this.

Therefore, our bodies have requirements to function optimally, to be healthy.

To be healthy, one must provide the elements necessary for the cells, organs, and organ systems within the body to function optimally.

Things such as sufficient and quality sleep, an abundance of the correct dietary nutrients, water and regular movement, to name but a few. How are you going with creating the right environment for your body? Your chiropractor can help guide you along your journey.

 1. Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity | Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity | CDC

2.  The Genetics of Cancer - NCI

3.  Overview of autoimmune diseases | healthdirect