When you have a cut or bruise on your leg, it usually heals itself quickly - How Amazing!
However, if we are not careful, it can fester, become infected and give us pain.
Pain is our body’s signal to us that it needs help. With a cut leg the course of action is obvious. But what about tiny, invisible wounds that we can’t see, which are happening inside our bodies all the time?
What do YOU do when a subtle message of pain appears?
Too many of us reach for the nearest chemical ‘pain reliever’, when we could be doing something better to support our health and healing. Sadly, because most people do not trust or know how to embrace “Self-Care”, there are internal wounds festering and contributing to the ill health of millions of people around the world. And the vast majority of them will become customers (and victims) of the pharmaceutical industry.
Our bodies are being damaged inside, invisible and mercilessly, by toxic chemical reactions. Toxic chemical additives and hazardous wastes in our air, water and food supplies will continue to pervade our living and working environments. These toxins are returning to us in everything we eat, drink and breathe. Thankfully much of the internal damage they do heals automatically, like that cut on our leg. However when our body is not adequately nourished it can’t neutralise and expel these poisons fast enough. They build up in our body, and so does the invisible damage they do. Toxic build up can severely damage our immune system and lead to disease.
A body that is toxic is like a cut with dirt in it. It is contaminated and may not heal properly. It needs to be cleaned and given the nutrients it needs to detoxify and rebuild and heal itself. Many of us have already recognised the fact of life and have altered our lifestyles to avoid as many chemicals as possible. Some of us have also recognised this fact of health and are being more careful about nutrients that can help our body detox – and rebuild our immune system.
Come hear more on the in’s and out’s of “Self-Care” – and take charge of your health! Click Below for more info:
How many times have you said to yourself or heard someone say: “My joints hurt when it gets cold or damp”?
There is a popular belief that weather affects arthritis. But is there any proof of this?
It’s been unusually cold in Perth this Winter, and patients have asked this question numerous times. Let me shed some light on this…
Arthritis can occur as a result of injury, when cartilage is damaged. This is known as traumatic arthritis. It can also occur as a result of “wear and tear” over time. This is the most common form of arthritis, and is called osteoarthritis, aka degenerative arthritis. There are also other diseases in which the body’s immune system forms antibodies which attack the cartilage in joints. The most well-known of these types of arthritis is called rheumatoid arthritis. This shouldn’t be confused with the term “rheumatism”, which has taken on the meaning of any aches or pains related to aging, or weather.
So what about the effects of weather? Some studies have demonstrated a worsening of arthritis symptoms with low barometric pressure and high humidity. There is a theory that low pressure systems, usually associated with damp or rainy conditions, could cause joints to swell. The swelling causes stiffness of the joints, as well as pain. High humidity may have an effect through other mechanisms.
Key: Keep the Muscles Warm and Loose
We know that arthritis symptoms can be worse when the muscles around the joint aren’t strong or supple enough. Cold weather stiffens muscles, so this may also worsen arthritis symptoms. I believe this is the key here. The muscles really need to be kept warm and loose.
Each person is different in how weather can affect them. Some people say they can predict rain based on their arthritis, and others say that they feel worse during or after a storm. This simply shows that the correlation between weather and arthritis is poorly understood.
There’s no actual evidence that weather actually causes damage to joints, and there’ s no more arthritis in the population in rainy, damp climates than there is in dry, sunny climates!
So keeping all this in mind, here are a few tips to deal with arthritis:
Keep joints warm. Dress warmly in cold weather, scarves and gloves are effective; and stretch once warmed up for cold-weather activity.
If you feel your arthritis symptoms worsen in specific weather, try to avoid heavy activity at those times. Even if nobody can prove that arthritis and weather are related, if you feel that it does affect you, then listen to your body and act accordingly.
T’was a Superfood Christmas, and all through the house,
The decorations complete, even tea towels with Mickey Mouse.
Some snacks before dinner, cinnamon coated walnuts with care.
Saving the dark chocolate for dessert, with almonds to spare.
There was spinach and roasted pumpkin salad,
Garlic & Lemon dressing made it more superfood valid.
Took the bottle of red wine out of the gift wrap,
Steamed the broccoli, peas and beans – no time for a nap.
Tarts with cranberries and cherries adorned the Christmas platter,
Saving the blueberries for the morning, for pancake batter.
That was my version of the traditional Christmas poem that I’m sure you’ve heard more than a few times before. Just because it was Christmas, it was not a reason to overindulge. The superfoods were in abundance in our home.
Superfoods contribute to a healthy body and mind. Our Christmas Eve menu consisted of almonds and walnuts as snacks. The sparkling shiraz was the start of the red wine health benefits, and red wine to accompany the meal.
A mixture of different berries: blueberries, cherries and cranberries gave us many health benefits. Broccoli, spinach and pumpkin were packed with superfood benefits and of course, a bit of dark chocolate and sweet potato pie for dessert.
Christmas morning started with an early swim at the beach, to get our exercise to start the day. Then we came back and had pancakes for breakfast. The pancake batter was wheat-free and dairy-free with blueberry superfood benefits.
Wishing you a very healthy start to the new year – all the best to you and yours for a fabulous 2010!
As an American living in Australia, I have seen the American holiday creep into Australia over the years. Now more than ever, there are decorations, costumes, party favours, candy/lollies to get into the Halloween spirit. I must admit that it was one of my favourite holidays as a child. I cherish those memories and really enjoyed celebrating the holiday with other fellow Americans when my daughter was little. The American Women’s Club of Perth was so influential in facilitating the American holidays, as well as an excellent way to mingle with other Americans living in Perth. This year I will be celebrating with some American friends, but not necessarily traditionally. I had some Halloween decorations to use on a pumpkin cake recipe that I modified to call my own. Celebrating with the superfood-pumpkin we will have Pumpkin Spice Cake and Pumpkin Spinach Salad.
Pumpkin Spice Cake (serves 8-10)
Ingredients:
125g butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
180g peeled pumpkin, steamed and mashed
2 cups sifted plain flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1-1/2teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup buttermilk
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180C. I used a fan forced oven.
Cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat till fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
Slowly beat in the pumpkin.
Sift all the dry ingredients together, then add some buttermilk, alternating until all mixed in.
Pour the cake batter into the Tupperware Kugelhopf and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Remember, every oven is different so time will vary. Test with cake tester or knife. It should spring back when pressed lightly.
Cool cake in tin on a rack for 5 minutes -this allows for air to circulate around the base of the tin too. Turn onto rack gently to cool completely.
Decorate as desired. I frosted and decorated with Halloween sprinkles. It can be used anytime of year, just sprinkle with icing sugar.
Have a Happy Halloween! Try the cake recipe even if it’s not for Halloween. It’s great all year round, let me know how it turns out:-)
If you want a less stressful and more balanced life, then addressing BOTH externally-imposed and self-imposed pressures are essential. There are times when you can’t change stressful circumstances such as a demanding workload or an annoying co-worker, but you CAN minimise the negative effects of stress by counteracting attitudes that perpetuate stress and limit attention to self-care.
Key To Preventing And Counteracting Burnout
Self-care strengthens your resiliency, which can reduce susceptibility to burnout. Self-care is not just making healthy lifestyle choices. It also includes self-compassion, having healthy boundaries, being aware of your needs, and staying true to your values. Self-neglect takes a toll on your health, relationships, and your effectiveness. Therefore preventing burnout and understanding how stress plays a role is essential.
Simply recognising the importance of taking better care of yourself is not enough. You also need to address the psychological obstacles that limit attention to self-care and foster stress. For example, putting pressure on yourself to always perform with excellence at work while being critical of your mistakes can cause you to become overextended and overlook your needs. This may stem from being judged harshly and having unrealistically high expectations of you.
Self-care practices like meditation or tai chi are great, but won’t stop self-criticism or perfectionism; nor will it address attitudes that foster burnout and undermine self-care such as defining yourself by the good you do for others, an exaggerated sense of responsibility, and difficulty tolerating discord.
Stress Is Unavoidable – Burnout Is
You can take courses on time management and attend seminars on stress management techniques and still suffer from burnout. These strategies are often helpful, but will not lead to lasting changes if you do not address personality traits that foster stress. Much of the literature on burnout focuses more on external pressures than on self- imposed stress. While external pressures such as a demanding workload, juggling personal and professional life, unclear job responsibilities do contribute to stress and burnout, so do beliefs and personality traits. Worries about uncertainty and lack of control can drive to burnout. Even authors who write about personality characteristics that cause stress tend to emphasize overt and extreme behaviors such as the type A personality- overly driven, highly competitive, aggressive and obsessed with work. There are many burnout prone people, however with personalities who do not fit this profile. The most prominent personality characteristics that contribute to burnout are exaggerated responsibility, self-judgement and self-definition.
Perfectionism
Late at night Jacqui lies in bed restlessly, unable to sleep. Two weeks into her new job, she is feeling nervous day and night. She is obsessed with trying to make sure that nothing goes wrong and that no one sees her make a mistake. She has to prove to everyone, including herself, that she is worthwhile. Jacqui believes that she is a failure if anything goes wrong. She needs to realise how never being appreciated growing up causes her to think that self worth comes from perfection.
If you are a perfectionist you push yourself, get overscheduled, promise too many things to too many people, or take on too much work. You judge yourself harshly when you fall short of your expectations or when you make mistakes. You probably would not treat someone you care about in the harsh manner that you treat yourself. You learn to measure your worth by your performance and equate excelling with deserving attention or praise if your parents rewarded you primarily for excelling.
The pursuit of excellence is different from a relentless need to be the best. When you seek perfection and are unable to measure up to your ideal, your self esteem decreases. Developing realistic standards and self- compassion go a long way to counteract stress that leads to burnout.
When you make mistakes, notice how you feel about yourself. Take notice of the ways that you talk to yourself when you fall short of your ideal. You may not recognise that your standards for yourself are excessive. Pay attention during the day to the ways you tell yourself how you did not do something well enough or how you could have done things better. Has anyone else ever spoken to you in this way? You may have internalised the ways that your parents spoke to you. Now picture someone else talking to you the way you speak to yourself. Chances are you would not tolerate them talking to you in this same manner.
Remember, you can’t always control the circumstances that may cause stress, but you can control how well you take care of yourself. Taking proper care of your body, mind and soul can keep you in optimum health and wellness.
Part of my transition included a book I had read earlier this year called, “How Would Love Respond?” by Kurek Ashley. I had the book for a couple of months and got so busy toward the end of the year that I hadn’t taken the time to intentionally pick it up. The journey of life has a lot of unknowns, and the messages in this book couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Now that I have read it, I realised that it wasn’t “too late” it was actually perfect timing. My mind and heart were more ready to absorb what was in the book whereas months before, I might have missed a few things. I believe in reading books more than once, especially ones that have impact. I regularly skip through it now and see what messages may apply at the given time.
I’d like to share some points of this with you and encourage you to read this and see how it applies or can apply to your own life. Part of overall wellness includes a balance of information stimulating the brain cells.
One of the first pages of the book before it starts reads, “Your mind is like a parachute. It works much better when it’s open!” – How true this statement is, and that is where we can change our life so much. Things like social, family or religious conditioning can cause our minds to not be “free”. The first step in creating change is awareness. Awareness is the key. From here, we can make changes in our lives. There are several examples of his personal journey, and the fact of the matter is, “we all have a story.” We got here today by the life experiences we have had thus far. There are no accidents. We have choices on which perception to believe – choosing to look at it from a positive view or a negative view. We have that power to choose, whether you believe this or not. By learning how to access this power, there are ways to open the mind and keep it open. Keeping it open is even more important, because old patterns and old behaviours can creep up and get in the way.
“Life Doesn’t Turn Out The Way It Should” – Kurek Ashley shares his amazing story in detail of his life-changing experience. We have them in different times, different forms, different places with different people – SEE’s (Significant Emotional Events) that literally change your life. I’ll leave Kurek’s personal story described in Chapter 1 for the reading in the book – don’t want to spoil any of the details, but the messages and summary is this:
“Trust in the fact that there are no accidents and that there is something in this book that you’re searching for in your life. And even if you don’t yet know what it is you’re searching for or maybe you didn’t even know that you are searching, have faith that it will be revealed to you, and that’s why you chose this book.”
Usually, circumstances and events don’t appear or reveal themselves for what they truly are until later. Knowing what questions and thoughts to form around those events can make the biggest difference in the evolution of your life. That has always been the case with me. Trusting the process of life is a very big challenge for us all. The points in this book set the stage for the beginning of the last 6 months of my transition.
Today I write from a place of more personal sharing. I am in the middle of a major transition in my life. I have been practicing chiropractic for 11 years now and it has been rewarding both professionally and personally in so many ways. Recently, I have felt the need for a change to the current form that it is in. I recognised within myself that while I love what I do, and do what I love, there are other things that I want to do as well. I also recognised the signs in myself alerting me to needing a change – to develop other aspects of myself. Rather than ignoring them, I chose to explore the signs. Covering them up can result in crises such as illness, accidents, even death. How many times do you hear of people getting news of heart attacks, strokes or cancer or a major sporting injury or car accident? It’s all over the news, and with these tragedies there are usually underlying “wake up calls” to give us a hint to realise what is really important. I really don’t want to wait until that happens in order to make changes in my life. Life is a gift – something we should not take for granted. I am so grateful for all of the people and experiences in my own life – they have all been significant and with purpose.
I feel so fortunate to have been able to pursue my dreams from a young age and carry them out. The path was definitely different to the way I had planned it in my mind early on as a university student! It has been more than interesting and has made invaluable contributions to every bit of my personal growth and development along the way. The path now is going in a different direction, and I am excited and looking forward to seeing what is in store. I have learned from the past that while there are dreams and goals we have, it is the path to get us there that is not what we expect. I expect my dreams to be realised, and trust in the timing and the journey that will unfold.
A way I have been describing this to my current patients in my practice is: “instead of having a mid life crisis – I am choosing to make it a productive mid life transition”. We all have choices, but most of the time it is the mind that gets in the way. By being proactive in reflecting, meditating, having quiet time to actually step out of the “busy-ness” of life – we are able to listen and observe the signs and be more true to ourselves by stepping off the treadmill of life.
During pregnancy, there are incredible changes occurring in a woman’s body and the creation of delicate new life within. The significance of pregnancy cannot be over stated. Chiropractic care during pregnancy is focused on caring for both mother and unborn baby.
Studies have shown women who have consistent chiropractic care throughout their pregnancies have shorter and less painful labours, with fewer complications and fewer interventions.
I can speak from experience not only as a chiropractor, but 12 years ago as a pregnant patient myself. I am fortunate to have experienced the health benefits from chiropractic care personally, and passed on to my child as well.
Why is Chiropractic care important during pregnancy?
The nervous system is like the “electricity” for the body. It supplies this “electricity” to every body system including the reproductive system. Therefore, keeping the spine aligned helps the entire body work more effectively. This is true throughout all stages of life, and very important throughout pregnancy for a woman. Chiropractic care is also a drugless way to manage symptoms of pregnancy, such as back pain. A common misconception is that back pain during pregnancy is “normal”. Back pain is not normal, it is only common.
A few aspects of pregnancy that may lead to spinal misalignments:
Rapid increase/decrease in weight
Postural changes
Stress
Changes in sleep patterns & positions
Altered appetite and eating habits
Loosening of body ligaments to allow for growth and labour
Flat feet/pronation due to weight gain/loose ligaments
Emotional changes (hormonal shifts/new family stress)
Not only does what you eat and drink during pregnancy affect the unborn baby, but the way you sleep, sit, stand, walk, drive and handle stress will affect the baby too. Your baby needs your nervous system to be functioning optimally in order to develop correctly.
Is chiropractic care safe during pregnancy?
The answer is Yes! There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. General wellness of women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is a routine treatment.
Chiropractors that have been trained to work with pregnant women may use tables that adapt to suit a pregnant woman’s body, and will use special techniques that avoid unneeded pressure on the abdomen. Exercises and stretches that are safe to use during pregnancy are recommended by chiropractors to compliment any adjustments made to your spine.
Why should I have chiropractic care during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, there are several anatomical and physiological changes that occur to the woman’s body. The following changes could result in a misaligned spine or joint:
Protruding abdomen and increased back curve (lumbar lordosis)
Pelvic changes
Postural adaptations
Establishing pelvic balance and alignment is another reason to obtain chiropractic care during pregnancy. When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. When the pelvis or lumbar spine is misaligned, there are also increased chances of developing back pain, groin pain or sciatica.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy?
Chiropractic care during pregnancy can include a variety of health benefits for women who are pregnant. Potential benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy include:
Maintaining a healthier pregnancy
Controlling symptoms of nausea
Reducing the time of labour and delivery
Relieving back pain, neck pain or joint pain
Preventing a potential caesarean section
What about chiropractic care and breech deliveries?
The late Larry Webster, D.C., Founder of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association, developed a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment which enables chiropractors to establish balance in the pregnant woman’s pelvis and reduce undue stress to her uterus and supporting ligaments. This balanced state in the pelvis makes it easier for a breech baby to turn naturally. The technique is known as the Webster Technique.
Post-natal:
After your pregnancy, chiropractic can help to ensure that the loosened ligaments and joints to get back into their proper places. A spinal check-up is recommended for mother and baby to assist in enabling optimal nervous system function.
Which one, you may ask….in fact, many of my chiropractic patients ask me all the time which is best. Well, questions like this always depends on the individual and their personal needs. Both Yoga and Pilates work in supporting your body, mainly the muscular system. Core muscle strength is one of the Health Benefits of Yoga and Pilates.
A little background from a chiropractic perspective:
The muscles of the abdomen, the back and the buttocks all support the spine. These are the core muscles. If these core muscles are weak, they often contribute to the root of back pain, especially lower back pain.
Muscles are the spine’s main support system. Strengthening the muscles that support the spine with exercises can assist in preventing, reducing and even eliminating back pain.
Strong abdominal muscles (primarily the deep abs) are as important as strong back muscles for supporting the lower back and preventing lower back pain. Strong quadriceps (front of thigh muscles) are important to prevent back injuries when lifting. Proper lifting techniques involve using your legs. If your legs are weak, you may end up using your back, which can lead to injury.
Shortened muscles can throw the spine out of alignment and cause back pain. Stretching exercises lengthen shortened muscles and help to relieve back pain. Tight back muscles, tight buttocks muscles, and even tight hamstrings (back of thigh muscles) or quadriceps (front of thigh muscles), can affect the alignment of the spine. Stretching the back with stretching exercises also increases mobility of the joints of the spine.
Flexible and strong muscles help maintain proper posture and prevent back strains and sprains.
Here are the basic differences to help give a better understanding between Yoga and Pilates.
Yoga
Yoga is aimed to unite the mind, the body, and the spirit. Yoga’s view is that the mind and the body are one, and that if it is given the right tools and taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and heal itself. Yoga therefore is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body’s posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. Benefits include feeling more fit, more energetic, balanced and peaceful. Your own body’s weight is used for resistance from one posture into another. There are several different Yoga styles. It boils down to personal preference and individual needs.
One example and a common one is Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa Yoga makes use of modified yoga poses that are designed to enhance healing, flexibility and strength of joints. The poses also intend to promote the feeling of well-being and strength. The emphasis of this branch of Yoga practice is on coordinating breath and movement. Practices may also include meditation, reflection, study and other classic elements.
Pilates
Pilates is aimed at reaching similar goals with a series of controlled movements. The major difference is that the Pilates technique has a full complement of mat work, as well as incorporates work on the Pilates machines. The emphasis of the exercises is to strengthen the abdominals, improve posture, stabilise and lengthen the spine, improve balance and overall strength.
Pilates works the whole body, emphasizing control, precision and concentration in both the mind and the body. The focus is on quality not quantity, so movements are not performed rapidly or repeated excessively. The abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks (“powerhouse”) serve as the centre of all movement, allowing the rest of the body to move freely. This focus on core stabilization makes one stronger from the inside out and is critical for advancement. The low impact nature of Pilates makes it ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation. The balance between strength and flexibility creates a healthy, vigorous and symmetrical workout for all muscle groups resulting in a leaner, more balanced, and stronger body.
Are you still left with a question of which of these two fitness techniques is right for you? Here’s an answer for you: do them both! You don’t necessarily have to choose. The nature of the techniques makes it easy for them to complement each other. Get the stretch from Yoga and keep it from Pilates. Strengthen your abdominals and watch your poses improve. Join the breathing techniques of Pilates and meditative aspect of Yoga into your daily routine and see the stress of your everyday life begin to dissipate. Both techniques are time-proven and established, and with the help of an experienced instructor, you will surely reach the goals you set up for yourself!
Chiropractic is an art, science and philosophy focusing on a nervous system free from interference to allow the body to reach it’s optimum potential, naturally.
Chiropractic is a main passion and interest in my life. Not only is it my profession, but a way to connect the mind and body; a lifestyle - a natural way to allow your body to heal itself, and so much more. It is about looking at the entire body. Our bodies act as a whole unit - from Above, Down, Inside, Out! I love serving the community and being pro-active in making a difference…both individually and collectively as a whole.
As an American living in Australia, I have seen the American holiday creep into Australia over the years. Now more than ever, there are decorations, costumes, party favours, candy/lollies to get into the Halloween spirit. I must admit that it was one of my favourite holidays as a child. I cherish those memories and really enjoyed celebrating the holiday with other fellow Americans when my daughter was little. The American Women’s Club of Perth was so influential in facilitating the American holidays, as well as an excellent way to mingle with other Americans living in Perth. This year I will be celebrating with some American friends, but not necessarily traditionally. I had some Halloween decorations to use on a pumpkin cake recipe that I modified to call my own. Celebrating with the 
Pour the cake batter into the Tupperware Kugelhopf and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Remember, every oven is different so time will vary. Test with cake tester or knife. It should spring back when pressed lightly.
