Tips To Rake Without The Ache

Many of you have probably experienced pain or discomfort after a long day of raking leaves and bending over to pack them into bags. 🍂

It can be a very strenuous activity and can put a lot of stress on your back. However, it’s a task that cannot be ignored. 😒

When you do start raking those leaves, be mindful of your back. ⚠

👉 Take frequent breaks and do gentle stretches

👉 If you feel a sharp pain in your back, stop for the day

👉 Make sure you warm-up before you begin

👉 When lifting bags of leaves make sure you are lifting correctly keeping a neutral spine and carry smaller, manageable loads

If you are experiencing any discomfort, contact our office to see one of our experienced team members. ✅

📞 519-662-4441

📧 info.nhwc@bellnet.ca

💻 www.nhwc.ca

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Time To Re-set Your Diet After Thanksgiving

With so many indulgences in such a short amount of time, it's easy to overdo it over the holidays. 🍽

Still, there’s no reason to panic. Own your indulgence. Hit restart. ⌚

Here are some expert tips to get your health and wellness plan back on track.

Don't Beat Yourself Up 😟

While it's important to reflect on how certain foods make you feel so you can go on to make healthier choices, you should never dwell on negative feelings. Instead, look to the day as a new beginning and a new chance to lay the groundwork with a post-holiday plan.

Drink Plenty of Water 💧

Not only will filling up on water help you digest all the extra food you ate, but it will help boost your energy and feel better. Drink plenty of water as soon as you can and keep drinking it throughout the day. If you are feeling some indigestion, you may also want to sip on some unsweetened ginger tea. 🍵

Start Your Day With Exercise 🏃‍♀️

Get a workout in early in the day to feel better and use up those extra calories you ingested the day before. You shouldn't use exercise to punish yourself; rather, see it as a way to boost your mood and energy.

Go Back to Eating Healthy 🥦

You may be tempted to restrict your calories the next day to make up for everything you ate the day before, but that will just leave you feeling unsatisfied and may trigger more overindulgence. Go back to eating healthy right away and load up on fruit and veggies. 🍎

Be Creative With Your Leftovers 🥗

Eat your leftover turkey breast on top of a salad or paired with some steamed green beans and brown rice. Just skip the leftover mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. 🍗

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9 Tips For A Healthy Thanksgiving

 

With a little know-how, you can satisfy your desire for traditional favourites and still enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast. After all, being stuffed is a good idea only if you are a turkey!

1. GET ACTIVE - create a calorie deficit by exercising to burn off extra calories before you ever indulge in your favorite foods.

2. EAT BREAKFAST - eating a small meal in the morning can give you more control over your appetite so you won’t be starving when you arrive at the gathering.

3. LIGHTEN UP - make your recipes healthier with less fat, sugar, and calories.

4. POLICE YOUR PORTIONS - before you fill your plate, survey the buffet table and decide what you’re going to choose. Then select reasonable-sized portions of foods you cannot live without.

5. SKIP THE SECONDS - leftovers are much better the next day, and if you limit yourself to one plate, you are less likely to overeat and have more room for a delectable dessert.

6. SLOWLY SAVOUR - Eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, and tasting each mouthful is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied with one plate full of food.

7. GO EASY ON ALCOHOL - don’t forget those alcohol calories that can add up quickly.

8. BE REALISTIC - The holiday season is a time for celebration. With busy schedules and so many extra temptations, this is a good time to strive for weight maintenance instead of weight loss.

9. FOCUS ON FAMILY - Thanksgiving is not just about the delicious bounty of food. It’s a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends. The main event should be spending quality time together, not just what is on the buffet.

#thanksgiving #feast #healthyeating #family #longweekend #fall #newhamburgwellness #happythankgiving

Common Back Pain Myths

By Dr. John A. Papa, DC, FCCPOR(C)

80% of all Canadians will suffer from at least one significant episode of back pain in their lives.  Below are some of the common myths surrounding back pain and what modern science has to say about them.

 

Myth 1:  If you’ve injured a disc (i.e., herniation, rupture), you must have surgery.

Truth:  Surgery to relieve back pain should only be used as a last resort.  Even if specific testing reveals a damaged disc, recovery often results without surgery.  An injured disc in the back may become inflamed and put pressure on nerves and surrounding pain sensitive structures.  Non-surgical treatment aims at minimizing pain and discomfort from joint irritation and muscle spasm, and prescribing specific exercises to help with recovery.

 

Myth 2:  Most back pain is caused by injuries or heavy lifting.

Truth:  Injuries caused by heavy lifting do not account for all back pain.  In up to 85% of cases, individuals can’t recall a specific incident that brought on their back pain.  Back pain can result from a single exposure to a bending or twisting incident, or it can be caused by small cumulative loads placed on the spine over time.  Scientific research also links the following risk factors to back pain: smoking, being overweight, poor posture, poor physical fitness, and stressful life events.

 

Myth 3:  X-ray images, CT and MRI scans can always identify the cause of pain.

Truth:  Even the best imaging tests cannot identify a muscle spasm or ligament sprain that may be the cause of pain.  Imaging is usually reserved for special cases such as those suffering trauma in a fall or accident, surgical candidates, unresolved cases of severe chronic back pain, and suspicion of underlying tumor, infection or other serious disease.

 

Myth 4:  If your back hurts, you should take it easy until the pain goes away.  Bed rest is the mainstay of therapy.

Truth:  Clinical data indicates that individuals who remain active do better than those who try bed rest.  Remaining active means continuing with daily activities as tolerated and easing back into a regular routine.  Activities may have to be modified while recovery occurs, but movement is important for recovery provided it does not put the individual at risk for further injury.

 

Myth 5:  Diagnosing back pain is simple and straightforward.

Truth:  The causes of back pain can be complex and difficult to diagnose.  There are many biological tissues that can generate pain in the back.  These may include muscles, ligaments, bones, nerves, and joints.  Quite often it is a combination of several or all of these structures that can manifest into back pain, and potentially radiating pain into the buttock or leg regions.  Sometimes stress and depression can also contribute to back pain.  A licensed health practitioner who deals with back pain is best trained to diagnose the source(s) of your problem and prescribe appropriate therapy when required.  For more information, visit www.nhwc.ca.

 

This article is a basic summary for educational purposes only.  It is not intended, and should not be considered, as a replacement for consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a duly licensed health practitioner.