Nutrition & Lifestyle
- Have you ever thought about visiting a Chropractor but didn't know what they do?
- Warning signs of an unhealthy spine
- Balancing Act – everything in moderation!
- Obese on the Increase!
- Be more active
Have you ever thought about visiting a Chropractor but didn't know what they do?
Well read on as we answer some frequent question about the professon...
What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effect of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and on general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal manipulation or adjustment. It is regulated by the Chiropractors Act 1994.
What do Chiropractors treat?
By restoring normal function to the musculoskeletal system chiropractors can play a major part in relieving disorders and any accompanying pain or discomfort arising from accidents, stress, lack of exercise, poor posture, illness and everyday wear and tear.
What is the difference between chiropractic and osteopathic treatment?
There are more similarities than differences. Chiropractors use specific manipulation of a joint or vertebra as well as soft tissue massage and ultrasound. Osteopaths often use more general manipulation and massage of the whole body.
How can chiropractic treatment benefit you?
• Alleviate discomfort
• Help to reduce and manage pain
• Avoid recurrence through patient empowerment
• Promote good health and wellbeing
Why should I use Chiropractic treatment?
The latest evidence for treatment of back pain, including the UK Back Pain Exercise and Manipulation trial and European guidelines for the management of acute non-specific low back pain, recommends a model of care that includes spinal manipulation.
Will the treatment hurt?
Chiropractic treatment is usually painless unless an area is inflamed, in which case treatment will be modified. You may experience some temporary reaction to treatment, such as a slight increase in discomfort, or tiredness for a day or so.
How many times do I need to visit?
This will depend on your particular condition, how severe it is, how long you have had the condition, your response to treatment and how much of your chiropractor’s advice you follow.
How much will it cost me?
The cost of treatment varies throughout the country. The majority of Health Insurers now cover the cost of treatment, but you should check first.
Do I need to contact my GP?
Not unless you wish to. Many GP’s recommend chiropractic care to their patients. With your permission your chiropractor may send a report to your GP. This is because your GP holds all your medical records. It is in your interest for these to be kept up to date.
For more information about seeing a Chiropractor please visit: www.chiro4health.co.uk
Warning signs of an unhealthy spine
1. Your heels wear out unevenly.
Can be due to uneven leg length or stress along the length of the spine.
2. You can’t take a satisfying deep breath.
Breathing, health, spinal health is all interrelated.
3. You can’t twist or turn your head or hips or other joints a lot.
Reduced range of motion.
4. You are often fatigued.
An unbalanced spine drains your energy.
5. You have poor concentration.
Misalignments affect brain health.
6. You have low resistance to disease.
Misalignments affect your endocrine system which plays an important role in your resistance to disease and your ability to fight infection.
7. Your foot flares out when walking.
Look at your feet as you walk (no cheating now) – Do they both point forward, or does one foot appear to flare outward or inward? Foot flare may be a sign of a problem in the lower spine or hips.
8. You have poor posture.
Stand on two bathroom scales. The weight distribution should be about the same over each foot. If it is not then this is a good sign that your spine, hips or head are off-centre
9. You have headaches, back aches, sore or tender spots in muscles or joints.
Common sign of misalignments.
10. You have a constant stressful feeling and tension especially in muscles and joints.
Muscles are affected by misalignments.
11. You feel stiffness in your back and neck.
Stiffness may be a sign of misalignment damage.
12. You don’t feel right; you are in general poor health.
Misalignments can affect your overall health.
For more information about the spine please visit: www.chiro4health.co.uk
Balancing Act – everything in moderation!
Eating healthily doesn’t mean cutting out all sweet and fatty foods, but ensuring that you eat plenty of fruit andvegetables, oats and wholemeal bread and pasta. Small regular meals are the key to keeping hunger at bay by stimulating the metabolism (which turns food into energy) and are also more easily digested than a large plateful.
Fats – You may be surprised that fats are an essential component of a healthy diet, but only the good fats, that are found in oily fish, nuts, olive oil and avocados, which all have benefits of lowering cholesterol and protecting your joints. Try and avoid saturated fats including those found in dairy products – especially cheeses and fatty meats and if you can’t do without cheese, go for the reduced fat varieties.
Protein – When you reduce your portion sizes, you will need to increase your protein intake, to keep your metabolism high and maintain your muscle mass. Try and get protein from lean meats, fish, seeds and nuts, rather than from high fat cheeses and meats.
Carbohydrates – The best carbohydrates to eat are found in oats, wholemeal pasta, rice and bread and fruit and vegetables. These are called complex carbohydrates and they encourage the digestive system to work efficiently to produce energy for your normal daily tasks, or, for added training and exercise.
Variety is the key - Only spend a few days a week restricting yourself to the ‘good food’s listed above and on the other days, eat virtually what you like. Otherwise, your body will hold onto its ‘fat’ stores, as part of its inbuilt system of survival. Also by having variety in what you eat, this will stop you from having cravings for chocolate and fatty foods. You have probably also heard about eating ‘5 a day’, so make your New Years commitment to eating your 5 pieces of fruit or veg a day!
Drink Water – Finally, make sure you keep your body flushed through and well hydrated, by drinking 8 large glasses of water a day, which will also encourage your body to burn more fat. With your body being made up of approximately 80% water, drinking water is essential for good health!
David Hogg
Obese on the Increase!
It’s getting quite alarming when you read the statistics about obesity in the UK. “Over half the UK population is either overweight or obese” and “During the last 25 years, the rate of obesity has quadrupled in the UK”.
But what is obesity and how can we identify if we are obese?
Obesity is measured by Body Mass Index (BMI) scale. This takes into account a person’s weight and height. A person is considered to be obese if they have a BMI of 30 or above, and overweight if their BMI is between 25-30.
Try working out your BMI by following these instructions:
- Work out your height in metres and multiply the figure by itself. For example a person that is 1.6m (1.6 x 1.6 = 2.56) this is known as your height squared.
- Then measure your weight in kilograms
- Now simply divide your weight by your height squared. For example if you measured your weight to be 65Kg you would calculate your BMI like this: 65 ¸ 2.56 = 25.39 this would make this person overweight
So what do we need to do to get in a Normal BMI range of 18.5 - 24.9?
Motivation is essential
Before making any lifestyle change you will need the motivation to succeed, this can be achieved by setting realistic goals, by joining a club, or by making your new lifestyle change with a family member, friend or work colleague.
Make healthier Choices
- Increase the amount of starchy food such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta, and potatoes. Try to choose wholegrain varieties if you can
- Eat five portions of fruit & Vegetables per day
- Aim to have at least two portions of fish a week.
- Reduce your saturated fat and sugar where you can
- Reduce your salt intake – no more than 6g a day
- Drink more water – 6 to 8 glasses a day will help stop you from getting dehydrated.
- Be more active!
Physical activity
Being active can be easy, try finding an activity that will elevate your heart rate to an exertion rate where you are feeling puffed and out of breath. This could be a sport, a hobby, or playing games with your children or grandchildren.
Increase the amount of walking you do each day, go for a walk in the mornings and afternoon.
Lose weight gradually
It is best not to lose weight too fast. If you lose more than a kilogram per week, you may lose muscle tissue rather than fat.
David Hogg
Be more active
Being physically active for 30 minutes a day at a level that makes you feel warm and breathe faster than normal can have a positive impact on your life.
With over half our waking hours spent at work, finding the time and energy to fit a gym session in 3 times a week can be hard to say the least!
The good news is that there are many ways to get your daily dose of activity, and more importantly it could save you time and money! All you need is a little motivation to reap the rewards.
Energise your day with bursts of activity whenever you can, try reducing the time spent sitting can be the first important step in achieving the recommended healthy goal of 30 minutes’ activity a day.
Taking a 10 – 15 minute walk before your lunch, or active travel to and from work or shops, can also make a big difference to energy levels and working efficiency.
You don't always need high-intensity exercise to improve your health and fitness increasing the amount of moderate physical activity (like walking or gardening) has clear health benefits.
I find it easier doing everyday activities that are fun and easy for me to do and that fits into my busy lifestyle. Have a look at some of the daily activities below; choose 2 or 3 of them to introduce your new health lifestyle. Slowly increase how often and how long you do an activity. Start with low intensity and slowly increase the intensity. Don't overdo it when you start out.
Daily Activities
- Take the stairs instead of the lift. Park your car further away from the shops when doing your food shopping
- Mix up your food shopping, instead of walking up and down the isles in a convenient manor. Try getting your first item which is located at the back of the shop and then the next item at the front of the shop and so on, as this is a fun way of integrating exercise with food shopping.
- Walk to your local shops rather than driving Get off the bus one stop early and walk briskly the rest of the way.
- If you have a cordless telephone in you home walk around the house while you’re on the phone.
- Wash your car or the windows in your house as vigorously as you can on a weekly basis
Setting realistic and achievable goals will help you keep with your change of physical activities like "Loosing a few pounds," "being able to do more than before” or “being able to walk to the local shops with out getting out of breathe.
David Hogg
If you would like a Personal Trainer to help you set your goals, see the Instructors profile page which can be found under the Personal Training tab on the left of the screen.