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Do You Suffer From Sitting Fatigue?

sittingDid you know that workplace stretching can improve flexibility and stop sitting fatigue in it’s tracks? Daily workplace stretching reduces pain, increases your circulation and strengthens your muscles.  So, if you are stuck behind a desk for any length of time, try incorporating these quick and easy stretches and exercises into your daily work schedule to stop the fatigue that is caused by too much sitting.

Stretches for Legs and Feet:

  • Stand in front of your desk; raise your heels off the floor and slowly lower them back down to the floor. This  stretch will help strengthen and lengthen your calf muscles.
  • Rotate your ankles in both directions for five seconds. Do three sets of five reps in each direction.
  • While sitting in your chair, lift your foot about 8 – 10 centimeters off of the floor; keeping your knee bent at a 90 degree angle and hold the position for as long as you are comfortable. Then, bring your knee up – giving your knee a big hug by pulling it toward your chest and hold for a few moments to feel the stretch. Alternate sides. This stretch will help keep your hips flexible, and will help to alleviate back pain.
  •  While sitting in your chair, extend your leg until it is level with your hip. Hold for 10-30 seconds then relax. Alternate sides. Leg extensions will help strengthen your core and help increase circulation.
  • To get relief from tight hamstring muscles, push your chair away from your desk and place one leg up on the edge of the desk. Flex your foot (toes pointed to the ceiling) and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and grasp your toes or knees and hold for several seconds. Repeat 3-5 times.
  • Seated knee raises target the quadriceps (or upper leg) muscles. Sit in your chair with your feet flat and your back straight against the back of the chair. Using leg strength only, extend your right leg straight. Hold your leg straight for 5 seconds and then lower your foot back down so it’s flat on the floor. Alternate your legs for 5 to 8 repetitions on each side.

Stretches for Arms and Hands:

  • Pump both of your arms over your head for 20 – 30 seconds. This is a great way to improve your circulation and increase your heart rate.
  • Raise your shoulder to your ear; hold and then relax. Repeat, alternating shoulders. Shoulder raises are a great way to release tension.
  • Stretch your arm out in front with  your palm facing the ceiling; and with your other hand, grab your fingers and lightly pull them down to stretch your forearm.  This wrist stretch helps to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
  • To relax tense hand muscles, start by making a fist, then spreading and wiggling your fingers on each hand for about 30 seconds, several times a day.

Stretches for your Core:

  • Sit straight in your chair and place your left arm behind your left hip, then twist to the left and hold.  Alternate sides, and then try crossing your legs and alternate twists toward the back of the chair.
  • Sit on the edge of your chair, stretch your arms out in front of you; keeping your back straight and contract your abdominal muscles.  This is a great abdominal stretch. Repeat 4 to 5 times.
  • Try the seated bicycle pedal. Sit in your chair, scooting down to the edge of the seat and support your upper body on the chair’s armrests. Then pretend you’re riding a bicycle, bringing each knee near the chest, keeping the abdominal muscles contracted.

Stability/Exercise Ball:

One of the best and easiest  changes you can make to your work station is to incorporate a stability ball.

  • Exercise or stability balls will forces proper spine alignment.
  • A stability ball causes to you to change your position often to balance, which will improve your balance, as well as strengthen your core muscles.
  • Sitting on a stability ball will keep the blood flowing and will increase your circulation and give you more energy throughout the day.
Remember that active sitting will strengthen your abdominal and back muscles, improve your balance, and increases core stability.
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Are Your Vitamins Working?

multivitamin-tabletsVitamins can be a hot topic. Some folks are pro vitamins while others feel they are a waste of money. One of the questions people always ask, is how do I know if my vitamins are working?

To really know if your vitamins are making a difference to your health, you would need to complete blood work before you started your regime of vitamins and then follow up several weeks later and compare the results.

But there are  a few things you can do right now.

First, is your body absorbing the vitamin?   Take this home test to find out.  Fill a glass with a cup of vinegar, drop your vitamin into the glass and wait for 30 minutes. If your vitamin has dissolved that’s a good indication that your stomach acids would work the same and the vitamin would be absorbed  easily into your body.  If the vitamin is still whole and sitting at the bottom of the glass, you might want to consider switching vitamin brands.

Second, vitamins don’t last forever, so remember to keep them in a dark, cool, dry place and keep an eye on the expiration date.

Thirdly, never take a new vitamin supplement without talking to your doctor or health care practitioner first. Here are some questions you should be asking:

  • How would this supplement help me, and how much should I take?
  • What does the research say about its benefits & what are the side effects?
  • Can I take it along with my other medications?
  • What are the best brands of this supplement in terms of quality, and how well they work?

Fourthly, you may also want to know whether your vitamins are natural or synthetic.

Look for products that contain the words “100 percent plant-based” or “100 percent animal-based” on the product’s label. Manufactures are allowed to use the term “natural” if at least 10 percent of the product comes from natural food sources.

If the product’s label does not contain a list of natural food sources, then the product is synthetic. Look for food sources such as yeast, fish, vegetable and citrus.

A synthetic salt is added to supplements to increase the stability of the vitamin or mineral. Look for these terms on the label: acetate, bitartrate, chloride, gluconate, hydrochloride, nitrate and succinate.

Here is list of common synthetic vitamins:

  • Vitamin A: Acetate and Palmitate
  • Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Thiamine Mononitrate, Thiamine Hydrochloride
  • Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin
  • Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
  • Vitamin B12: Cobalamin
  • Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid
  • Vitamin D: Irradiated Ergosteral, Calciferol
  • Vitamin E: dl-alpha tocopherol, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate or succinate

If you are getting the recommended amount of nutrients by eating a variety of fruit, vegetables, cereals, dairy, and protein, there might be no additional benefit from taking a vitamin.  Remember that unless your health-care provider  or doctor tells you that you need more than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of a particular nutrient, you probably shouldn’t exceed that limit.

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Physiotherapy Can Help Your Back Pain

Lower-Back-Pain-Treatment-NewmarketAccording to the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, four out of five Canadians experience at least one episode of low back pain at some point in their life.

Physiotherapists focus on exercise, mechanics and posture, through customized treatments that work to increase your flexibility, strength, and endurance. Physiotherapists are effective in  helping to reduce acute and chronic pain.  There are three main types of back pain.

Localized pain is felt in the lower back and is restricted to a particular area on the body.

Radiating pain occurs when there is pain in the back and pain down the leg or foot, and is a sign that the nerve or nerve root is under pressure from either an injury or inflammation.

Referred pain is felt not only at the injured site, but also on different body areas, which is due to the fact that nerve signals from several areas of the body share the same nerve pathway leading to the spinal cord and brain.

Physiotherapists are skilled in manual therapy using precise hands-on techniques to relieve stiffness and improve movement of the joints and muscles. They incorporate movement exercises (Active physical therapy)that help restore motion and decrease radiating or referred pain; as well as progressive strengthening exercises that focus on increasing muscle strength, and function, while helping to increase core stability and endurance.

The physiotherapist may also use Passive physical therapy (modalities) including heat, ultrasound, eToims, Shockwave therapy, spinal decompression, class IV K-Laser therapy and trigger point dry needling, also referred to as intramuscular stimulation (IMS).

Health Link BC offers some helpful information on the different types of exercises you should try, depending on your symptoms:

Exercises to try if your back pain is eased by standing or lying down:

 Alternate arm and leg / Backward bend / Hip flexor stretch / Press-up / Relax and rest

Exercises to try if your back pain is eased by sitting down:

 Double knee-to-chest / Piriformis stretch / Single knee-to-chest

Exercises to try when no position eases your back pain:

Cat-camel / Curl-ups /Front plank /Hamstring stretch / Pelvic tilt / Walking

As with any medical advise, please contact your health care practitioner before starting any treatment or exercise regime.

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How To Have A Better Nights Sleep

sleepSleep plays an important role in your physical and mental health, so keeping a consist sleep schedule is important to your body’s circadian rhythm.

Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, and other important bodily functions.  Even a few hours difference or delay from your regular bed time once or twice a week can  be disruptive and cause various sleep disorders, such as insomnia.   Try these tips to ensure a good nights sleep.

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day – A consistent schedule will set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep.

Eliminate sleeping in – The more your sleep schedule differs, the more your internal clock is disrupted.

Napping –  Naps should be kept to 20 to 30 minutes in length.  If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night, eliminate naps altogether.

Temperature of the room – The optimum temperature is a slightly cool room (around 18° or 20° C).  To mask noise, try using earplugs or some type of white noise machine.

Pillow type – Make sure the pillow has the correct support for you and the type of sleeper you are: side/back/stomach.

Spend time outdoors – During the day, spend as much time as you can outside, and get as much natural light as possible. For those dark days of winter, try a light therapy box. This modality simulates sunshine and can be useful when there’s limited daylight.  (Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep cycle).

During the night –  limit your exposure to the “blue light” emitted by electronics within 2 hours of your bedtime.   Try using devices with smaller screens, and turn the brightness level down.

Regular exercise – Studies show that people who exercise on a regular basis sleep better. Remember to finish workouts at least 4 hours before your bedtime.

Massage – Insomnia is associated with a lack of serotonin, and a massage will help to increases serotonin levels.

Healthy eating – Be mindful of what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime. Avoid alcohol and caffeine several hours before bed, and avoid drinking any liquids 2 hours before your bedtime to eliminate frequent bathroom trips during the night. Also, the bigger the meal and the later you eat can can keep you up. Try to eat the evening meal no later than 7:00pm and avoid heavy, rich foods.  Fatty or spicy foods  can cause indigestion and other stomach issues.

“Sleep is the best meditation” – Dalai Lama
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Curious About Acupuncture But Afraid Of Needles?

needlesWritten By Sara Calabro founder of AcuTake.

Curious about acupuncture but afraid of needles? Here are some things your acupuncturist wants you to know!

Most people, when they hear about the benefits of acupuncture, find themselves thinking, “That would be so good for me!” Less stress, more energy, better sleep and digestion… Who doesn’t want that?

But for many people, there’s one thing that holds them back from enjoying the benefits of acupuncture: Fear of needles.

There’s a spectrum of needle fears, ranging from downright needle phobic to being moderately concerned about the whole voluntarily-being-stuck-with-needles thing. Regardless, fear of needles is the number-one reason people choose to forego acupuncture.

5 things to remember if you’re scared of getting acupuncture

Acupuncturists get asked about the tool they wield all the time. Here’s what they tell people who say they’d love to try acupuncture but haven’t because they’re scared of needles.

They’re nothing like the needles you know.

“Needle apprehension is very common and natural, considering that we have been conditioned to associate needles with pain—think dentists, blood draws, and IVs,” says acupuncturist Kathryn Peak. “But acupuncture needles are hair-thin and nothing like the needles we are accustomed to in a medical setting.”

“Acupuncture is the most gentle form of needling possible,” adds acupuncturist David Bonilla. “If acupuncture was anything like getting a shot, I wouldn’t be in business!”

Most people who have never had acupuncture do not realize how thin acupuncture needles are. They bend when you touch them. For an up-close look at an acupuncture needle, check out this article.

You’re in control.

People commonly assume that they cannot move once the acupuncture needles are in place. That they need to lie there stiff as a board lest they endure excruciating pain or damage their insides. Understandably, this leads to a lot of anxiety and out-of-control feelings.

But it’s not true. A good acupuncturist will go at whatever pace you’re comfortable with. If you want to start with only a few needles and not keep them in very long, tell your acupuncturist that. If you want to pull out a needle that’s bothering you, go for it. If you get push back on this, find a new acupuncturist.

“I tell my patients that we can go as slow as they want so that they feel like they are part of the experience,” says acupuncturist Po-Hong Yu. “Acupuncture is not about something happening to you. You have a voice.”

One thing you can ask for is that your acupuncturist avoid acupuncture points in your arms.

Acupuncturist Kerry Jenni, a self-described needle phobe who realized after becoming an acupuncturist that acupuncture needles are nothing like the ones she’s scared of, says that keeping her arms free during her early days of receiving acupuncture was helpful.

“Moving during acupuncture is a weird sensation,” says Jenni. “With your arms free, you can be more in control.”

Acupuncturist Christina Morris makes sure that her fearful patients remain at ease once the needles are in. “I leave the patient with a pager so that they can alert me if they’re feeling overwhelmed when I’m outside the room.”

It’s not all about needles.

“If the needles really freak you out, there are other modalities that acupuncturists can use,” says acupuncturist Paola Acuna.

Acupuncturists are trained in several healing techniques, and only one of them uses needles. There’s acupressure, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, ear seeds, qigong, herbs, among others. None of these things involve needles.

So, what do you say? Maybe 2016 is the year you overcome your fears and try acupuncture. Here are 16 reasons to go for it.

For the complete article  by Sara Calabro click here.

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Dehydration – How Much Water Should I Drink?

imageThe answer to this question is not simple. Your water needs depend on factors, such as overall health, size and weight, activity level, time of year and where you live.

Your body depends on water, and water accounts for about 60 percent of your body’s weight. Water is necessary for carrying nutrients to your cells, flushing bacteria and toxins from your system, and preventing dehydration.

Our body loses water throughout the day, through urine, breathing, perspiring and sweating. A typical adult will lose anywhere from 2 to 3 liters a day depending on lifestyle. This means you need to replace the water at the same rate and level as what is lost in order to prevent dehydration. When the total water content goes below a certain level, dehydration starts, and thirst kicks in.

In general, you should drink 2 to 4 liters of water a day, depending on your lifestyle. Replenishing water can be done by consuming water, beverages and foods that contain water.

You don’t need to just drink water to reach your fluid needs. What you eat will provide a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake.

There are times that you will need to increase the amount of water you drink:

  • When you exercise or participate in an activity that makes you sweat.
  • When the weather becomes hot or humid, or indoor air is heated, such as hot yoga which will cause your skin to lose moisture rapidly.
  • If you become ill or have an ongoing health condition. If you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body will lose additional fluids.
  • Some medications have side effects including dry mouth or the medication acts like a diuretic and requires that you increase your fluid intake.

Try to keep yourself hydrated with water as a first choice and keep beverages such as juice, coffee, tea or soda to a minimum.  Water should make up the major portion of your daily fluid intake.

Remember to:

  • Drink a glass of water/ beverage with each meal
  • Drink water before, during and after exercise
  • Carry a water bottle with you and drink small amounts of water throughout the day. Drinking large amounts of water at one time isn’t good for you!

If you drink enough fluids so that you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow your fluid intake is probably adequate.  If you are not sure if you are dehydrated, please contact your health care practitioner or doctor.

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Acupuncture Can Make 2016 Your Healthiest Year Yet

S.miska-acupuncture2Written by Stefanie Miska

As we come out on the other side of the holiday season, many of us have resolved to begin fresh by letting go of habits that no longer serve us or by adding ones that do.

Whether it be to spend more time physically moving the body, joining a new sports team, to begin meditating or sitting in stillness for five minutes each morning; this is a time where each of us reflects back on the past year and focuses on how we can improve and move forward in this coming twelve months.

Here are a few ways acupuncture can help:

Reduce stress – Often the holidays and returning to work afterwards can be stressful. Acupuncture has been proven to lower stress and help the body get out of the perpetual sympathetic (fight or flight) state. Many people report a Zen like experience during and after an acupuncture treatment, by attending regularly you can help prolong this feeling.

Aid digestion – Are you feeling bloated, distended, and gassy? Perhaps you over ate at Christmas dinner or over indulged on all the rum and egg nog? Acupuncture can help regulate the digestive organs by reducing bloating and moving any stagnation causing pain or distention.

Strengthen immune system – We are still in cold and flu season; whether you have been lucky enough to avoid this year’s bout or have been fighting off a lingering sore throat, acupuncture will help build the body’s natural resistance to disease. Acupuncture and Chinese medicinal herbs can benefit you whether it be the acute stage of a debilitating flu or you are feeling tired and run down since you were last sick.

Decrease pain – Do you suffer from chronic pain or have you been putting in extra hours at the gym this week? Acupuncture improves circulation and the release of pain relieving endorphins, which can benefit long term issues in addition to tight and sore muscles from sudden overuse. Often when we have pain we seek treatment locally to relieve the obvious tension, acupuncture will help relieve the localized discomfort, and in addition, by observing the body as a holistic being, your TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioner will address the root of the problem.

By incorporating regular acupuncture treatments into your new year’s resolution you will also see the benefits of more energy and better sleep.

Diversified Health is happy to welcome Stefanie Miska, a registered practitioner of Acupuncture & TCM (meaning she incorporates acupuncture, cupping, and herbal medicine into her treatments) to the clinic. She looks forward to helping you make 2016 your best year yet!

Call 250 382 0018 to book an appointment on Wednesday or Sunday with Stefanie. Here’s to you!

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A New Type of Goal for 2016

imageIt’s that time off year again, time to set goals for the new year.  This year why not try setting a new type of goal; a creative goal.

Set a goal on something that you already know how to do.

Let’s choose running as your goal.  You can set a goal to complete the task faster, (shave 5 minutes off your run time) add a new component to the goal, (start running with hand weights) or mix it up – incorporate something new like Nordic pole walking as your cool down routine.

Set a goal that you may or may not reach

If you choose goals that have no effort to them, ( I love to read… so my goal is to read 2 more books per year) it really isn’t a goal.    Think of the goal as a new found knowledge or ability that will lead to new experiences.

For example, I have always wanted to learn basic first aid, emergency first aid, CPR, Occupational First aid classes 1 to 3. You might love the basic first aid and continue on, or decide that these type of courses are not for you.  Either path you choose you have increased your ability, knowledge and experience.

Setting a goal that you want

Use your imagination for this goal, and think outside your comfort zone and ability. and choose a goal that you have never done before.

It could be learning to surf, para sail, baking a perfect cream puff.  This type of goal is something you have never done before and may not be very good at… but the satisfaction from trying will last a lifetime.

There is always time to work on relationships, health, time management,  and financial goals.   This year, why not try something new and set a new type of goal for yourself; you might be surprised where it takes you!

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