We are made from and run on the nutrients that we get from our food.  This includes our immune system (our body’s surveillance team which protects us from invaders). From a nutritional perspective we should remove the foods that suppress our immune system and feed our body’s with the foods that help to keep it strong and healthy. So, we really want to remove the highly processed white foods, such as refined grains and sugars and replace these foods with unprocessed, nutrient rich whole foods, such as:

• Eat lots of colorful vegetables
• Eat good quality protein – pasture raised meats, chicken, pastured eggs, legumes
• Eat good quality fats, omega 3s from oily fish such as salmon and sardines, coconut oil, butter, ghee, nut and seeds

Up to 80% of our immune system lives in our gut – so a healthy digestive system is key to a healthy immune system  Bone broths and fermented foods are great gut health foods – which then support healthy immune!

Check out these links for a Chicken Broth and a Bone Broth.

Reduce stress

Not all stress is bad.  Stress in acute situations is even healthful for our body.  However, chronic stress is a different story.  When we are stressed our body produces hormones for fight and flight and these hormones suppress our immune systems function. In our current environment with COVID-19 our stress levels are certainly high.

When we recognize ourselves reaching our tipping point with stress, such as sweating, feeling frantic, rapid heart beat, etc we need to put in strategies that help us to find calm and peace.  For example, exercise, meditation, breathing exercises – what ever helps your to find your peace.

Sleep

Turn off social media and the news and go to bed! We need to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. This is the time that our immune system really work its magic!

For some great tips on how to get a better nights sleep click here.

Hydration

This is a big one!  Our body cannot function well without proper hydration. Are you hydrated?! Take your body weight and divide it by 30.  This will give you how many liters per day you need to drink.

For some great tips on how to stay hydrated click here.

The post 4 Foundation Keys to Help our Immune System first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SCHOOL BAG

A good school bag should be no more than 10% – 15% of your child’s total weight. Nor should it be too physically big for them. While it might be tempting to buy a bigger bag that they can grow into, large bags are less supportive of your child’s back and can cause problems further on down the track. A good school bag should also have double, adjustable straps, and a lumbar support strap. For more information about choosing the right backpack/school bag click here.

GETTING PLENTY OF SLEEP

The right amount of sleep is so important for developing brains, and getting your child into the right sleeping pattern for school can sometimes be a nightmare. Try getting them into routine a week or more before school starts so the first few school mornings can run that bit smoother. When kids are well rested and have a good sleep routine, they learn and play better. Also if your child is having trouble sleeping, it might be a good idea to get their spine checked.

EATING HEALTHY

The holidays are definitely a time for kids (and adults) to enjoy themselves and it’s perfectly normal for healthy eating habits to become a little relaxed at this time. Much like their sleeping routine, it might be easier to get kids back into healthier eating habits by starting before school starts.

FINDING PROPER SHOES

The right shoes are so important for active kids. Proper arch support, breathable, and durable are key! Getting your kids feet checked by a podiatrist is also important as they can help identify any problem areas before they become a problem!

CHIROPRACTIC

A recent public consultation, run by Safe Care Victoria, showed an overwhelmingly positive response to paediatric chiropractic care, with more than 99% of 22,000 public submissions satisfied with the care and safety provided by chiropractors. To find out more about these results click here.

The post 5 Tips For Back To School Kids first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

SIZE

We understand that in the long run it might be easier to buy a bigger bag than is necessary for your child so they will eventually grow into it. This is not always the best course of action. A larger bag won’t sit properly on your child’s back and could start to put strain in their lower back causing problems further down the track.

WEIGHT

The weight of a school bag shouldn’t be any more than 10-15% of your child’s body weight. This goes hand in hand with getting the correct sized bag. A bag that is too heavy will put strain on your child’s upper and lower back as well as their shoulders and neck. It could also make them off balance, and try to correct that balance by leaning forward, again putting strain on their lower back.

PACKED CORRECTLY

To make sure that the weight of the school bag isn’t too heavy it’s important to pack the school bag correctly. Having heavy items in the bottom or sides of the bag can make the weight uneven on your child’s shoulders. Try to utilise side pockets for smaller items and water bottles as well. Encourage your kids to repack their bag every day, only taking what is necessary and using lockers or desks where available.

PROPER CARRYING

It is important to make sure that you get a school bag that is double strapped and that your child is wearing it with both straps on their shoulders. This distributes the weight in the bag evenly. The straps should also be pulled tight so the bag isn’t dragging down too low, below the waist. No matter how good the bag is, your child needs to carry it correctly!

MOULDED FRAME/LUMBAR SUPPORT

Look for a school bag that has a moulded frame and even lumbar support straps. These help to keep the bag sitting comfortably and close to the back, with the weight distributed on the hips and waist and not the shoulders. This will help support your child’s back.

STAMP OF AUTHORITY

If you’re still unsure which backpack to buy for your child, look for a bag endorsed by an Australian professional organisation, such as the Australian Physiotherapy Association or the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia.

THE STATS

• 1 in 3 children suffer from back or neck pain, often attributed to carrying heavy school bags
• The recommended weight of a school is roughly 10-15% of the child’s body weight
• Chiropractors recommend all kids get their spine checked once every school holidays. This is a good time from to help support growing spines

The post Choosing the Correct School Bag first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Currently 15% of the Australia population are ages 65 and over, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that this will increase to 22% by 2056.

An increase in the age of the population puts additional strain on the government to provide care for older Australians. Chiropractors are ideally placed to assist in the healthcare of Australians as they age and help improve their quality of life.

The more prepared you are to meet your older self, the more you can be Ready For Life

According to the World Health Organisation, musculoskeletal conditions that reduce mobility, are the second largest cause of disability worldwide. Imporving posture, maintaining an active lifestyle and keeping your spinal health in check can help you continue to do the things you love and always be Ready For Life!

Chiro Can Help

One way to help you be Ready For Life and improve your spinal health is to seek chiropractic care. Chiropractors can also be seen as a preventative healthcare option by offering advice and assistance in making appropriate lifestyle choices and therefor reducing the risk of spinal health issues arsing in the first place.

Chiropractic care is not a one size fits all healthcare option. At Yarra Hills Chiropractic we carefully assess each patient individually and tailor their care accordingly. By using specific, hands on, spinal adjustments chiropractors offer a drug-free, non-surgical approach to spinal healthcare.

The post Are You Ready For Life? first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 56% of all Australians are not sufficiently physically active. This can have negative impact on your spinal health.

Most physical activity can have great positive effects on the spine including the stretching, strengthening and repairing of muscles that help support your back.

Regular exercise can also reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, build stinger bones, increase your energy, improve sleep patterns and so much more.

If the gym or sports field isn’t for you then walking is another great way to keep active. Some benefits of brisk walking include increasing your heart and lung fitness, muscle strength and endurance, and it contributes to a naturally upright posture.

Need a little extra help to get you walking to a healthier life? The Just Start Walking app is just what your need. This free app was developed by the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) to encourage Australians to get outside and the get walking! The app allows you to not only map your walk, but track the distance, time and steps taken.

The app also displays your walking history, so you can see your improvements, features local walking events nears you and lets you share your walk with friends on social media.

Download the Just Start Walking app at spinalhealthweek.com.au/active to take the first steps towards a healthier spine and be Ready For Life!

Don’t forget to ask us about the right kinds of exercises and stretches for you and how Chiropractic can help to develop stronger neuromuscular links, improve skills and get your body ready for exercise.

The post Keeping Active first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting or lying down. When your posture is poor this can increase pressure on your spine and contribute to tension, soreness, headaches, back pain and fatigue.

Australian adults, on average, spend an estimated five hours per day sitting, with a quarter of the population sitting for more than eight hours per day, including the 67% that play video games recreationally. This time sitting and hunching over a desk or on the couch can add pressure to the spine.

A healthy posture is all about healthy movement, by both your spine and your body. It does take discipline to correct poor posture, but there’s no doubt the benefits are well worth the effort.

The Straighten Up app, developed by the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) is designed to help everyday Australians like you maintain and improve your spinal health. Use the app to set yourself reminders and receive notifications about sitting right, stretching, improving posture and even staying hydrated.

Download the FREE app at spinalhealthweek.com.au/posture and get your posture Ready For Life today!

Ask your Chiropractor about what we can do to help improve your posture

The post Improve Your Posture first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Are you struggling with your health – fatigue, digestive issues, weight, hormonal imbalance, sleep disturbance, or just don’t feel 100%?

Lyndal Harris can help!

Lyndal is a Functional Nutritionist, trained by the Nutritional Therapy Association. She sees symptoms (such as digestive, fatigue, mood, skin, hormonal, etc.) as the body’s warning signs of underlying dysfunction.  By working foundationally, she addresses the underlying dysfunction and symptoms.

Lyndals RESTART program combines education, support and sugar detox into a comprehensive 5 week program.

Education – this centers on the foundations of Digestion, Blood Sugar and Healthy Fats. Lyndal educates you on the physiology of your body and how foods really work for you. This includes education on what to eat, what to avoid and gives the understanding of why.  Each participant also receives a shopping list of foods and a RESTART cookbook to make your food transition easier.

Support – this includes 5 small group sessions run by Lyndal. These sessions help to guide you through the RESTART program, as well as providing a support group of people going through the program with you. Lyndal is also available via email throughout the 5 weeks, and there is also a facebook page you can join for more support and extra recipes!

Sugar Detox – this is a transition to a whole food diet.  All refined foods, sugars, high glycemic and inflammatory foods are removed from the diet for a period of 3 weeks. This is not a short term diet, as you can choose to stay on it long term, or slowly reintroduce food back into your diet. Lyndal teaches you the best way of reintroducing food and how to work out if they are the right foods for you.

Lyndal has seen amazing fast tracked results for people doing this program – significant weight loss, blood glucose levels have stabilised, moods have improved, blood pressure has stabalised, digestive issues have resolved, body and joint aches and pains are reduced, hormonal issues improve and participants just feel better!

Find out more about Lyndal Harris and Functional Nutrition.

The post Restart Your Health first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

One of the most common issues for cricketers, especially bowlers, is lower back injuries. Repetitive, fast paced and enormous workload, such as bowling, can over time misalign your pelvis. This is especially true among kids and teenagers whose spines are yet to mature (this occurs in girls between 12-15 years of age, and in boys between 18-21). Misalignment of the pelvis can make it appear as though you have one leg shorter than the other, this is often misdiagnosed and orthotics are used incorrectly. It can also create unnecessary strain on the lower back, causing problems later in life.

Lumbar stress fractures are a common issue in adult cricketers, especially ones who have not treated an underlying pelvis problem. Merv Hughes is a classic example of lower back pain in a cricketer. He is famous for his stretching and warm up exercises during the game, unfortunately these problems slowed his bowl as well as his cricket career.

And it’s not just the pelvis that can cause problems. All along the chain of movement for a bowler, from the foot up to the neck, there is strain put on muscles and joints. Uneven or concrete cricket pitches can cause injury in the feet, ankles and knees. Incorrect shoulder movement when throwing the ball or even batting, due to a misaligned thoracic region can cause problems such as shoulder dislocation, frozen shoulder, even muscle or ligament tears.

So how can Chiropractic help?

Correcting issues as they occur will help prevent future injury. For example, correcting pelvic misalignment at an early stage will take pressure off the lumbar region, helping to prevent stress fractures from occurring later in life.

Seeing a Chiropractor when these issues occur is smart. Seeing a Chiropractor before they become issues is inspired!

There are 3 things that regular Chiropractic does that can help

1. Manage Pain – regular Chiropractic can help you manage pain symptoms, as your spine is aligned your body is better able to deal with injury.
2. Promotes Healing – a well aligned spine and properly functioning nervous system helps to promote your body’s natural healing, speeding up recovering time.
3. Prevention – prevention is key in Chiropractic. By having a properly aligned spine, as well as fully functioning nervous system and properly mobile joints you are less likely to be injured with your movements.

In countries all over the world Chiropractors are a vital part of the medical entourage for national cricket teams. Chiropractic is encouraged to help keep players fit and healthy, and to help lengthen their careers.

The post How Chiropractic Can Keep You Playing Cricket For Longer first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Staying hydrated is so important! Water maintains the health and integrity of our cells, lubricates joints, helps to eliminate metabolic waste, aids in digestions, moisturizes the skin, improves oxygen delivery and much, much more. For children the proper intake of water should be between 1 and 1.6lts (or 4 to 6 glasses) of water per day. For adult women it should be roughly 2ltrs (or 8 glasses) and for men about 2.6lts (or 10 glasses) of water per day.

Dehydration

Some symptoms of dehydration include:

• Thirst
• Lethargy/slow responses
• Mood changes and irritability
• Dry and cracked lips
• Weakness/tiredness
• Confusion and anxiety
• Headaches

With severe symptoms including:

• Cramps or muscle spasms
• Joint pain
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Migraines

Reaching for pharmaceuticals such as Panadol or Antacids is only going to mask the problem. Instead reach for a glass of water! After all, symptoms are just our body telling us that there is an imbalance, and masking symptoms does not address the root cause.

7 EASY TIPS ON HOW TO DRINK MORE WATER

1. SET GOALS – if you’re not naturally a water drinker or find it hard to drink more than a glass or two, set yourself some goals to reach and watch your water intake increase!
2. KEEP A BOTTLE OF WATER WITH YOU – with water always at hand it’s easy to reach your goals. Make a mark on the bottle for 250 or 500 mls and make that your target. Then refill your bottle and try to hit it again
3. KEEP A GLASS BY YOUR BED – This one may seem odd, but how often to do wake up in the middle of the night feeling parched? With a glass of water right there you can easily hydrate and get back to dreaming!
4. ADD SOME FLAVOUR! – Now by this we don’t mean add some cordial or tea. Instead add some fruit! Slices of lemon or lime, apple, orange, etc are a great way to add flavour to your water without the artificial sugar
5. CHOOSE SODA OR MINERAL WATER OVER SOFT DRINKS – I know this is hard. I myself struggled with getting used to soda and mineral water, but by adding lemon slices or other fruits I really felt like I wasn’t missing out on anything by not having soft drink! And I wasn’t left still feeling thirsty the way I did with sugary sodas.
6. EAT RIGHT – a sneaky way to increase your water intake is to eat food high in H2O! The body can get approx. 20% of its total water requirements from food alone. Fruits like watermelon and grapefruit, as well as zucchini and cucumber are great ways to hydrate while you eat!
7. TRY AN APP – there are actually some great apps out there to help you increase your water intake! Some apps are just set to remind you to drink water, others are paired with ‘smart’ water bottles that measure your intake.

The post 7 Easy Tips on How to Drink More Water first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

And it’s not just the lower back pain or crick in the neck from lying on the couch at an odd angle for hours on end. Nor is it just the headache and dry eyes from lack of sleep, because just one more episode! While these concerns are the constant crux of the regular couch potato, it is the long term affects the sitting for extended periods of time that has experts worried.

In today’s age of streaming television and movies on demand, it’s now easier than ever find an excuse to sit down, switch on, and tune out. But what’s the harm in a little binge watching? According to experts, a lot. Studies have shown that extended periods of sitting can increase our risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer. And it’s not just the couch that could be killing us. It’s the often very sedentary lifestyle we lead that’s causing us harm as well. We sit for up to hours some days in traffic, on public transport, at work, and then come home to the couch to sit some more.

While we don’t expect you to Flinstones your car to get your body moving, small changes can make a huge difference. Research has shown the standing up and moving around after 30 minutes of sitting can greatly reduce the risk of major health problems. So get up from your desk and grab a glass of water or a coffee, pace your office while fielding calls, even better, look into getting a standing desk.

As for binge watching, stand up and walk around the couch after each episode, or pause the movie and go to the bathroom or get a snack halfway though. Whatever you do, get off the couch!

The post Is Binge Watching Bad For Your Health? first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.