Thrills, Spills, Pills 2

Welcome to ‘Thrills, Spills and Pills 2’.  It is an article containing three tips which reflect the three different types of stressors we typically experience in our lives.

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: The 10 Min Practice: this is an exercise to help purge yourself of a negative self-image. If you are constantly beating yourself up, this exercise is great to reset your thinking. Here’s how it works: every morning, before you do anything else, write down every negative thought about yourself that you have. Try to aim for at least 20 things. Really be brutal with yourself. Then turn around each statement and write down the list again, this time writing the opposite of each thought.  This is another one that only seems to work if you hand write it out.

Spill Tip: Ever wanted to increase your low back mobility? Probably the best exercise for this is the full squat. Here’s how to do it: stand with your feet roughly shoulder width apart and with straight arms held out in front (this helps with balance but is not essential). Slowly squat down into a full squat position. Your buttocks should almost be touching the floor and your heels should be flat on the floor. Let your tailbone sink down and under. If you’re having difficulty balancing, use a pole, table, doorframe etc to hang onto and lean back until your heels are flat. Aim for 10 minutes cumulatively per day.

Pill Tip: Ever tried to start the day with a smoothie but found it unfulfilling? Were you hungry only an hour later? Try the following to supercharge your smoothies: ensure that you add plenty of fat and protein. Do this by adding two raw eggs and a whole scoopful of high quality protein powder. You may also wish to add a tablespoon of coconut oil or a some full-fat, pot-set, organic, biodynamic yoghurt. The extra fat and protein from these additions will bring your smoothie to a much more satisfying level.

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.

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.

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.