Archive for diet

Seven achievable New Year’s resolutions

Many of us love to make New Year’s resolutions but how many of these resolutions do we actually keep? Here’s a quick guide to seven healthy resolutions that you can easily keep in 2018.

1. Get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Many of the benefits of regular exercise can be experienced with as little as 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Not only will you decrease your risk of obesity and diabetes, you’ll also experience a reduction in back pain, migraine, and other neuro-musculoskeletal symptoms. Feel like you don’t have time? Try doing a 30 minute swim, a walk or even just some nice gentle stretching while watching TV. You can even do a five minute walk a few times a day around the office to get you up and moving away from your computer.

2. Deep breathing. Believe it or not, many of us often forget to breathe, especially when feeling stressed. This can make us more stressed and can promote illness because breath is fundamental to life. Meditation, going on walks, and taking breaks throughout the day can all aid in stress reduction. Lowering your stress can make your immune system more resilient and decrease chronic pain flare-ups. If you do feel stressed of overwhelmed, just remember to deep breathe and feel the immediate calming effects.

3. Laugh more often. Laughter doesn’t just relieve mental stress; it also fires off a cascade of physical reactions that benefit your health. Studies show that laughing can stimulate the heart, muscles, and lungs— not to mention the flurry of endorphins that are released after a good giggling session. Laughing is a natural way to anti-age, so laugh your way to being young again.

4. Eat your greens. Vegetables like broccoli and kale, which are rich in calcium, can help to decrease your risk of osteoarthritis. Spinach, lentils, and beans are high in magnesium, a vitamin shown to benefit patients with back pain. Wherever possible, try to buy spray free vegetables or even grow your own and save money.

5. Quit smoking. Cigarette smoking increases your risk of spinal conditions and arthritis. Smoking cessation has been linked to an improvement in spinal pain. As a bonus, new research shows that smokers who attempt to quit in January are more successful because of the extra motivation the New Year provides. If part of your New Year’s resolution is to save money, imagine how much you would save by quitting smoking. You could use that money to take yourself on a fantastic holiday at the end of the year.

6. Lose weight. Carrying extra weight increase the load on your spine and joints, making you more susceptible to sciatica, disc herniation, and osteoarthritis. The key to losing weight is patience. Don’t just jump on the latest fad diet in the hope of rapid weight loss. You may lose the weight initially but then it can easily pile back on once you return to your normal eating habits. Perhaps a better resolution to losing weight is changing to a healthy diet. Making a lifestyle change to a healthier way of eating provides for more sustainable weight loss.

7. See a chiropractor. The spine plays an important role in your overall health by ensuring that your nervous system is functioning smoothly. As spinal specialists, chiropractors relieve pain from spinal conditions and assist in improving your overall health. Research has shown that chiropractic adjustments reduce the stress hormone cortisol and boost the presence of infection-fighting antibodies in the body.

For more advice contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 6676 2270.

Christmas Survival Tips

Another year has flown by and Christmas is upon us again. As much as we love the holiday season it can take its toll on our bodies, in particular our spine and nervous systems.

Whether it is overindulging in a bit too much Christmas cheer, or dragging heavy pressies around the shops while stressing if you have everything organised in time for Christmas day, our bodies are under a lot of pressure over the busy Christmas period.
To help you survive the silly season here are some simple Christmas and New Year survival health tips.

• Keep moving! Go for a walk or do some of your daily stretching exercises and make it a regular part of your holiday period. With the warmer weather upon us it’s even a great time for a swim to get those muscles really moving without putting too much strain on your body.

• Leave Santa and his reindeer some fresh fruit and water with lemon, not chocolate or beer. We’re pretty sure he’ll have enough of those things on Christmas day. As much as possible, reduce chemical stressors that affect Santa’s vital spine and nervous system.

• Remember to maintain good posture and use correct lifting techniques when carrying heavy gifts at the shops or at home. Even a whole bunch of small gifts can become quite a big weight for the body to carry, so take special care of your back.

• If doing things you don’t normally do, like a spring clean, renovation or gardening, remember to take it easy and listen to your body for any warning signs such as any stiffness or pain. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong so stop what you are doing and rest until your body recovers. It’s better to not finish that gardening project or spring clean, or ask someone else to help you, rather than end up flat on your back on Christmas day.

• Just because it’s Christmas does not mean you have to eat the whole pavlova or the whole cheesecake. Remember everything in moderation, and try to keep to a normal everyday routine. According to ‘Nutrition Australia’ we put on an average of 0.8-1.5kg over the xmas period. It could take weeks just to shed those kilos again and they put extra strain on your spine.

• Make an alcohol deal with yourself! Don’t have any more than you would have had normally if it wasn’t Christmas. Alcohol only dehydrates you and has vast negative effects on your health and wellbeing. If you do decide to drink, try to substitute every second glass with a glass of water to keep yourself well hydrated, which is particularly important in summer given that our bodies lose so much water trying to keep ourselves cool in the hot weather.

• Anxiety, depression and stress are very common during the festive season. Take some time out for either yourself or your immediate family. Whether it is a hobby, a nice dinner at home or a quiet getaway. Also, playing your favourite music, meditation and yoga can all help to ease stress. Stress has a direct impact on your nervous system and on your spine so take it easy.

• Get enough sleep. Plan for some early nights in as the silly season can cause havoc with our sleeping routines. If you do feel a little tired during the day, try to catch a 10 – 15 minute catnap if possible to give you that extra bit of energy until you can get your sleeping patterns back on track.

Lane Chiropractic Pottsville has you covered over Christmas and will be open every day over the Christmas break, except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. We accept HICAPS for immediate claims on health funds, and remember you have until December 31 to claim for this year’s health rebates on most health funds so it’s a great time to use the benefit before you lose it. We also accept the GP referral program. For an appointment call us on 6676 2270. Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday to everyone.