Tips for Avoiding Stress and Strain While Working at Your Computer Did you know that working at a computer for long periods of time can cause strain to your body? Spending significant amounts of time on the computer is normal in today’s world, though. Working adults and school children use computers for extended periods every day, and they may be putting their health at risk by engaging in some unhealthy habits. This is serious: A report published in 2015 in the Annals of Internal Medicine found an association between sitting for long periods and a greater risk for deleterious health outcomes — even for those who engaged in regular exercise! Thankfully, it is possible to develop healthier habits that reduce the risk of spinal stress and strain. Here are some practical tips you can start right away to help incorporate healthy habits at work. Set Correct Chair Height While sitting at the computer, your forearms should be positioned at a right angle to the upper arms, which should hang comfortably at the side of your body. Adjust your chair height to ensure this 90-degree angle, but also consider the angle of your wrists — they should be kept straight while Read more…
The Benefits of Acupuncture During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is such an extraordinary experience, but it can come with some quirks. The mom-to-be’s bodygoes through a series of physiological, anatomical, metabolic and psychological changes – the body is constantly adapting. It is not uncommon to experience some discomforts. Acupuncture can help! Acupuncture During Pregnancy Many moms-to-be sing the praise of acupuncture. In fact, scientific research reports acupuncture can help ease many of the common aches and discomforts of pregnancy. Acupuncture can have a beneficial role in complementary pregnancy follow-up and care. What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a form of therapy, healing art, that originated in China thousands of years ago. Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the premise of Yin and Yang, two opposing and complementary forces in the body. The body’s vital energy is called Qi (pronounced “Chee”) in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Qi flows through meridians (meridians are like channels) through our body. During an acupuncture treatment, hair-thin needles are inserted through th e skin at specific points along the meridian to correct imbalances and restore a good flow of Qi. In more modern theories, acupuncture is found beneficial by activating specific nerves and releasing trigger points. This, in turn, triggers the release of several brain Read more…
Pregnant? Experiencing Back Pain? Give this a Read!
Common Spinal Disc Problems You May Suffer From
Do you suffer from sharp pains every time you bend? Back pain of this nature is often the result of a herniated disc or “pinched” nerve: both caused by preventable spinal disc problems. Common Spinal Disc Problems Our spinal discs are filled with fluid. The discs’ job is to provide spinal flexibility and shock-absorption, every time you move. However, when stress locks the spine in the wrong position, discs lose their flexibility and become dry, leading to the development of tiny rips. Disc herniation is the result of a disc’s fluid leaking through these rips. As a result: 1. The disc becomes thin and vertebrae start rubbing together. 2. The fluid presses onto the nerve, and pain ensues (often referred to as a “pinched nerve”) Common causes of disc herniation and pinched nerves include: • Body position (like constantly leaning on elbows, or habitually crossing legs) • Poor posture • Injury When a pinched nerve is caused by a minor injury from lifting something heavy or twisting the wrong way, pain will likely only last for a few days before healing. However, if the pain and symptoms last longer than a few days, or seem to worsen, that could be Read more…
Back to School “Back” Tips
Children now a days seem to be carrying more in their backpacks than ever before. Overloading and incorrectly carrying backpacks can cause a variety of problems. This can often causes kids to experience back pain due to pore posture. This results in distortion of the spine and putting it out of alignment. Some of the symptoms are muscle strain, headaches, neck, back and arm pain. Back Safety Tips! When shopping for backpacks look for lighter ones made from vinyl or canvas. Make sure that the straps are thick, padded and adjustable along with a hip/waist strap. The backpack should not be too tight around the arms/under the armpits, and that the size is proportionate to your child’s body. When fully packed, backpacks should not weigh more than 5-15% of your child’s body weight (less percent the younger they are/more percent the older they are). The heaviest items in the bag should be the closest ones to the body. Make sure they are only packing what they need for the day. When putting on a backpack, (you may need to help younger children) make sure the pack is on a flat surface at waist height. Make sure that when putting the bag Read more…
Is it Time for a New Mattress? Do you wake up feeling tired, stiff and sore? Is your mattress lumpy, bumpy, mushy, or hard? Do you sleep better at hotels than at home? Is your mattress 7-10 years old? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it might be time to replace your mattress. Considering that we spend about one third of our lives in bed and that sleep is essential to good health, it makes sense to invest in a right mattress that improves your sleep and supports your overall health and wellness. There are three main factors to consider when purchasing a new mattress: support, comfort, and durability. Do Your Homework and Decide Where to Shop When it comes to buying a new mattress, the options are endless. There are many reputable, good quality brands to consider. The internet makes it easy and convenient to do some research before you start shipping. Consumer Reports suggests that mattress specialty stores offer lots of variety and are often less crowded than department stores. The salespeople are often more attentive and can be more willing to bargain. Specialty mattresses usually have a set price, but you can save at Read more…
Chiropractic Care and Women
In honour of International Women’s Day, we at Sante Chiropractic and Wellness decided to devote this blog to women and Chiropractic. In todays world we like to promote equality between women and men in all aspects of our lives. There are a few things that will remain different between both genders, specifically when it has to do with our bodies. Ladies Only Women have the incredible capacity to get pregnant and give birth, something men cannot do. Yes, it is true science is evolving and there may come a day when we re-visit this idea but for the purpose of this blog we will keep it to how a womans body naturally was designed for pregnancy. Pregnancy is a wonderful thing and does not necessarily need to be painful or difficult. Many pregnant women have benefited from chiropractic care during their entire 40 week gestation period. It can help as the body goes through changes and help on the day of the delivery. A recent study showed that women receiving chiropractic care during their pregnancy have a 24% shorter labor time for a first pregnancy and 39% shorter for a second or third one. Also, the studied revealed the need for analgesics during Read more…
Is Sitting too Much Really that Bad? “Sitting is the new smoking!” at least that is what people are saying these days. Sounds a little bit extreme for some, but did you know that sitting can actually cause more than physical dysfunction and can also be systemic? Harvard University recently published an article stating that too much sitting is linked to heart disease, diabetes and premature death. The 2015 Inaugural Active Working Summit presented findings on the increase risk of lung, uterine and colon cancer with longer hours seated. More than half of the average person’s waking hours are spent sitting, watching television, working at a computer or commuting. Studies have also shown that brain function slows when the body is sedentary for too long. This is explained by the decrease in blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Sitting and Weight Gain If one spends a significant amount of time in a sedentary position throughout the day, they may find that weight gain becomes an issue. As the body slows down while in a resting and seated position, our metabolism slowly slows down as well. Calories are burned at a far lower rate when most of the muscles are Read more…
Arthrosis or Arthritis – What’s the Difference?
Arthrosis or Arthritis, these words look alike however they have two different meanings. Many people are not sure what the differences are. Some professionals don’t even bother explaining the difference anymore, resulting in even more confusion. I will try to give some clarity between these two words, so in the future you’ll know how and when to use them. Let’s start by a little bit of etymology (word origins) The word arthritis comes from arthri- (joint) and –tis for inflammation. On the other hand the word arthrosis comes from arthr- (joint) and –osis for abnormal. This doesn’t help explain the difference but sometimes it’s helpful to know where words come from. Two words same meaning Arthrosis is also known as Osteoarthritis. Both words are used interchangeably to describe the exact same condition. To help you remember try thinking of “O” for Arthrosis and Osteoarthritis. So what is the difference Arthritis is not a specific condition; it is actually a regrouping of multiple conditions affecting the joints including arthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout and many others diseases you’ve probably never heard of. Some arthritic disorders can even affect the skin like psoriatic arthritis. So what is the big deal if Read more…
The Impact of a Concussion
In the past decade they has been an increased awareness towards cerebral concussion