Thrills, Spills, Pills 1

Welcome to part 1 of ‘Thrills, Spills and Pills’.  This will include tips covering the 3 different stressors that affect one's health.  We will regularly post more tips to help you achieve better health.

Thrills: Mental and Emotional Stress – relationships, work, finances etc
Spills: Physical Stress – Sitting, sports injuries, training, car accidents etc
Pills: Chemical Stress – Diet, alcohol, cigarettes, pollution, supplements, medication etc

Thrill Tip: Can’t sleep because your mind is too active?  Try getting out of bed and writing down your thoughts.  Spend ten minutes jotting down what you are thinking, how you are feeling and any relevant action steps that you can take over the next few days and weeks.  This will help to still the mind and return you to a calmer state. Sleep should come more easily after this.  It is important to hand write it out, typing it or just thinking it doesn’t seem to have the same effect.

Spill Tip: When working out at the gym a lot of people isolate individual muscles and train until failure e.g. bicep curls with a dumbbell.  This is not a great idea as it can and often does create imbalances with your body. Instead aim for composite movements that incorporate multiple body parts: squats, push ups, pull ups, burpees etc.  I know a couple of awesome personal trainers who can help with this if you need some support.

Pill Tip: The standard western diet has a ratio of 26:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3. This is far from the ideal.  Instead the recommended ratio should be something like 3:1 or even 2:1.  There are two ways to improve this ratio.  The first is to reduce your intake of Omega 6.  The best way to do this is reduce your intake of vegetable oils and the processed foods that contain them.  The second is to increase your intake of Omega 3 essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA.  Eat small wild fish (farmed fish are feed grain and corn which changes their Omega 3 content to Omega 6) and/or supplement with a high quality Omega 3 product. We sell the best available if you’re after it.

Microwaves: Are They Bad For Our Health?

Let’s take a look at whether microwaves are really something to be scared of.  There are 2 main points that I shall be discussing which can affect our health:

1. Does it destroy the nutrients in food
2. Are they dangerous?
 
Cooking food by any method starts to break down vitamins and other nutrients.  There are 3 factors that impact this process: time, contact with water (the most important factor) and intensity of the heat.  So, boiling food actually has the most impact on its nutrient content as they are lost in the water unless you plan to consume the cooking liquid as well.  The advantage of a microwave is that in most instances very little water is added and the cooking time is quite short. (1)
 
To help reduce the cooking time further, cover the food so that it steams as well.  According to the CSIRO, proteins, fats and carbohydrates are not greatly affected by cooking unless they have been slow cooked.  Personally, I am quite a fan of slow cooked lamb and food is to enjoy as well as nourish. (2)
 
Interestingly, cooking increases the lycopene content, which is an antioxidant, in tomatoes, it does reduce the amount of Vitamin C which is also an antioxidant. (3)  Lycopene may be beneficial in helping to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. (4)
 
Whilst eating raw food is great because the nutritional content hasn’t been compromised by cooking, it is harder to digest the nutrients.  Cooking starts to weaken the cell wall and break down proteins making them easier to digest. (5) Eating a variety of cooked and raw vegetables is probably the best way to go and summer is a great time to eat a delicious salad!

In terms of safety, if you are going to use a microwave,

then make sure you use a glass or ceramic container to reduce the likelihood of chemicals leaching out into the food.  Also, if you cover it with cling wrap make sure it doesn’t touch the food for the same reason.  Another common misbelief with microwaves is that its radiation can damage human cells, unlike X-rays which can. Microwave radiation is not energetic enough to break molecular bonds. It is considered non-ionizing radiation. Microwaves can heat water, including water in your body, and this can have biological effects. That’s why microwave ovens are shielded. The best advice is not to use a really old microwave that may not be functioning well. Also, don’t stand directly in front of the microwave when it is operating. Radiation falls off quickly with distance, so stand a metre away and any minimal radiation leakage will be harmless. (6)

1, 5, 6: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/microwaves-and-nutrition/ 
2: http://www.livestrong.com/article/368262-do-microwave-ovens-destroy-food-nutrients/#page=1
3: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0115589?prevSearch=rui+hai+liu&searchHistoryKey=&
4: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/13/3/340.short
 
So, I hope this has shed some light on the issue as I hear a lot of people comment on how bad they are for us but really that is just a misconception.

Avoiding Back Injury Whilst Training

Back pain affects 80 percent of the population. 99 percent of cases are non-life threatening, and may be the result of :
- Muscle strain
- Joint strain 
- Disc strain

Symptoms can range from a mild ache to severe pain, not only in the back but also radiating down either one or both legs. The good news is there's a lot that can be done to help with the management of symptoms and get you back to a normal, pain free lifestyle.

Here are some tips for avoiding back injury while training:

* A strong core is the key to preventing back injuries. Ensure you engage your core muscles i.e. keep them contracted during cardio and resistance training

* Keep a neutral pelvis and lumbar spine at all times

* If you are suffering back pain, stick to exercises involving little to no low back movement and low impact cardio

* Rowing - Keep back straight, bring shoulder blades in and down with every stroke

* Horizontal/seated leg press - is to be avoided as it does not encourage core stabilizers and can cause disc injury

* Keep arm weights below shoulder level - to avoid neck strain. Also, avoid poking your chin out whilst exerting yourself

Pain is not normal; it indicates that there is a problem, pushing through it may cause extra harm. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort during or after training, come and see one of the chiropractic team at Riverside Chiropractic for a full assessment, x-rays can be taking if required and treatment provided.

Is Mineral Water Bad For Us?

Myths

• Leaches calcium out of bones: it was originally thought that the bubbles would leach out calcium as soft drinks in large quantities have been shown to do this.  The good news is that no research shows that carbonated water leaches calcium out of bones.1 The confusion arose as originally it was thought to have something to do with the bubbles.
• Bad for teeth: studies done by immersing teeth in still and mineral water showed very little difference in the erosion of the teeth.2  
• Salt: the amount in it is negligible - avoid chips, biscuits and adding salt to food.  For people that are required to have a salt reduced diet it is a good idea to avoid it but for otherwise healthy people - drink up!

Avoid mineral waters with sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Benefits: 

• It is great for hydration, contains calcium and magnesium which is great for bone and muscle health

1.    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/carbonated-water/bgp-20056174
2.    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11556958

Avoiding Sports Injuries This Winter

Ankle injuries are very common in all sports, and more so in winter. They can be caused by uneven surfaces as well as poor footwear and ground conditions.  The ‘lateral’ or outside ligaments of the ankle are the ones most commonly injured along with the Achilles tendon. Tendons join muscles to bones, and tendon injuries are very common in the shoulders and ankles.

Knee pain would have to be one of the most common injuries after ankle pain. The knees can be injured in most winter sports, such as soccer, basketball, skiing and rugby to name a few. The most common injury we see would be a strain of the medial ligament and the medial cartilage (meniscus) along with associated muscle strains. In simpler terms, a ligament joins bone to bone and cartilage is the 'shock absorber'. Symptoms include pain in the knee and the knee cap, clicking and swelling.

Regular stretching and treatment before and after sports is a simple and effective way to reduce the likelihood of injury and shorten the healing time.  

Why Treat The Whole Spine?

Why do chiropractors adjust (treat) the whole spine even though you may have pain in only one area of your spine?

We see the spine as an integrated whole.  What happens in one area affects another which can cause compensation reactions to occur quite commonly.  For example, someone complaining of low back pain can often have an even more advanced problem in their upper neck.  However it may not be producing symptoms yet.  An absence of symptoms does not mean that everything is fine.  A head misalignment may produce a problem in one's lower back.  By addressing the neck issue despite it having a lack of symptoms, the back pain may resolve and result in a healthier spine.

Whilst chiropractic adjustments are specific and targeted, our focus is on the spine as a whole, not just the area which is causing discomfort.

Let's Get 'Snow Fit'!

The snow season has arrived and good preparation can help you to reduce the risk of injury and get the most out of your holiday.

4 areas to focus on for getting 'snow fit':

1. Boost cardiovascular fitness for improved stamina
2. Strengthen muscles to reduce muscle fatigue and pain
3. Balance training to help prevent falls
4. Injury prevention ie making sure that your joints are aligned properly

A programme should be individually tailored to your fitness level and skill set, our chiros at Riverside Chiropractic can help with this.

Make sure to include interval training in your cardio work outs e.g. walking or running upstairs or up a hill for 30-60 seconds, alternate with a rest period and repeat as many times as you can manage.  Core exercises are a must as they help you to stay balanced and to change direction. 

Always stretch after a work out to reduce pain the following day and to reduce the likelihood of injury.

Don't forget to drink plenty of water whilst you are on the slopes and to pop on some sun screen as well.

Enjoy your time at the snow and if you'd like to make an appointment to become more 'snow fit' please phone 8096 6781 or email us.