12 Top Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products | health care products victoria

12 Top Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products | health care products victoria

The average personal care product contains about 12 chemicals: from shampoo and lotion to sunscreen and mouthwash. If you think there’s no cause for concern, think again, more than one-third of all personal-care products contain at least one ingredient linked to cancer, and less than 20 percent of the chemicals in personal-care products have been tested for safety.

12 Top Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products:

12 Top Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products | health care products victoria
12 Top Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products

Prefixes – Ethyl, Methyl, Butyl or Propyl
What It Is: Parabens
Health Risks: Endocrine disrupters that mimic estrogen; linked to weight gain and breast cancer
Found In: Lotions and shampoos

Fragrance – DEHP, DHP, DBP 5, Dibutyl Phthalate
What It Is: Phthalates
Health Risks: Sperm damage, infertility
Found In: Nail polish, shampoo, deodorant, lotion

Dyes – Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5 & 6, Red 33
What It Is: Coal tar
Health Risks: Carcinogenic
Found In: Hair color, medicated shampoos

Triclosan, Chloro, Phenol, Irgasan
What It Is: Triclosan
Health Risks: Endocrine and thyroid disrupter; promotes antibiotic-resistant bacteria; bioaccumulates in the body
Found In: Antibacterial soap, shampoo, facial cleanser, toothpaste, deodorant

3-(4-methylbenzylidene)-camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), octyl-dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA), bexophenome-3 (Bp-3), homosalate (HMS)
What It Is: Sunscreen chemicals
Health Risks: Estrogenic activity; enhances the potential for pesticides to penetrate the skin
Found In: Sunscreens

Polyethylene glycol (PEG, PPG, Cocoate), propylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyethoxyethylene, polyethoxyethylene mineral oil
What It Is: Petroleum byproducts
Health Risks: Carcinogen; liver and kidney effects
Found In: Lotions

Petrolatum
What It Is: Derivative of petroleum
Health Risks: Endocrine disrupter; carcinogen
Found In: Lotions

Lead acetate, thimerosal, mercurius solubilis, mercurius sublimates, mercurius corrosives, mercuric chloride
What It Is: Lead and mercury
Health Risks: Found in higher levels in women with breast cancer; neurotoxin
Found In: Hair color, wound treatments, artificial tears

Isobutene
What It Is: Propellant made from petroleum processing
Health Risks: Carcinogen
Found In: Moisturizer, shaving cream, foot spray, breath freshener

Placenta
What It Is: Placenta, placental enzymes, placental extract
Health Risks: Filled with hormones that upset your own balance and increase estrogen
Found In: Skin and hair conditioner

Hydroquinone
What It Is: Hydroquinone
Health Risks: Can cause a skin disease called ochronosis
Found In: Skin whitener

Nano zinc oxide <100mm
What It Is: Nanoparticles
Health Risks: The safety of nanoparticles has not been tested, but they can cross the blood/brain barrier and move along nerves.
Found In: Sunscreens, lotions

Many manufacturers list ingredients on product packaging and on their websites. Check the labels on your personal care products; if you see any of these 12 chemicals, it might be wise to limit the use of the product or to find a “organic” alternative.

Article highlights from Kelly Lerner and Alli Kingfisher; from Natural Home & Garden Magazine

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Jumpers Knee Treatment

Jumpers knee treatment Jumpers knee treatment is just one of many knee injury treatments offered at Diversified Health. Anyone can be a victim of a knee injury; whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior or  just doing your day-to-day activities. The knee joint is unique in that it carries body weight at the same time as it provides flexibility and mobility and this construction predisposes the joint to risk of injury from sudden movement and repeated wear and tear.

What can cause knee injuries:

• Ligament Sprains – Overstretching  ligaments are bands of strong tissue that stabilize the knee joint together.

• Cartilage Tears – Pressure from twisting and turning during weight-bearing exercise

• Tendon Strains – This is an overuse injury commonly caused by repeated jumping or “jumpers knee”

• Footwear –ill fitting footwear can affect the way you walk and can place stress on the muscles and tendons around the knee joint.

• Frequency/intensity of activity – Any change such as jogging or playing tennis on a different surface can affect the knee joint.

Treatments for knee pain:

A health care practitioner at Diversified Health Clinic will assess your knee to determine the source of the problem and to develop an individual treatment program.  Depending upon the type and degree of injury, the program may include practices such as Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic and Physiotherapy.

Treatments can include manual adjustments, and modalities such as cold laser, shockwave therapy, ultrasound, graston technique or neuro-mechanical adjusting tool.

Returning to activity:

At Diversified Health Clinic we can provide a program to help prevent re-injury as you return to normal activities, including stretching exercises to regain flexibility around the joint and strength training to build up the muscle in the Rehab Gym.

Another element of the rehabilitation program is to retrain balance and coordination. A knee injury involves more than just stress and strain to the soft tissue. It also affects the tiny receptors in the muscles, ligaments and tendons that ‘tell’ you where your knee is positioned. These receptors send signals to correct balance and shift weight.

Whether you require a jumpers knee treatment or a sprain/strain treatment, Diversified Health Clinic will provide you with numerous options that will include exercise programs that will help you strengthen your muscles and get you back participating in the activities you love.

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The Problem with Running & Walking in 2012…an Evolutionary Point of View…by a Natural Health Practitioner

The problem with running and walking in 2012…  an evolutionary point of view…by a natural health practitioner

– Written by Nick Milton

For those of you who like to run or who have chosen a sport that involves running, it’s getting to that time of year when you’ll be increasing your activity more and more as the ever elusive spring gets closer to arriving.

From working with various athletes over the years I’ve become accustomed to seeing a wide range of problems in the upper and lower extremities.  When it comes to running, either in sport, or as a hobby in itself, it’s important to remember that some precautionary measures are vitally important, after all, we weren’t evolutionary designed to be walking or running on hard surfaces.

Fundamentally our feet and ankles work at their best walking or running on sand, vegetation and earth.  Hundreds of thousands of years ago we were running barefoot whilst hunting to survive, much as some tribes in Africa still do today.  These surfaces have more shock absorbing qualities and allow for the curves of our feet to mould around whatever we are stepping upon.  This in turn, takes the stress off our joints, their articulations and the muscles and ligaments which support them.  The truth is our bodies have not developed any new strategies to cope with all the hard surfaces which are common place these days, so we need to use our common sense to prevent it becoming a problem.  Even simple standing or walking for your job all day can cause problems in the long run.

The Problem with Running & Walking in 2012…an Evolutionary Point of View…by a Natural Health Practitioner

Photo Credit: paherald.sk.ca

Of course, doing an adequate warm up and being diligent about stretching pre and post activity will all help, but there are a few other things you should bear in mind.

As most healthcare practitioners and the more serious runners out there will tell you, it’s vitally important to have high quality and supportive footwear which can absorb some of the energy created whilst you’re pounding the pavement/concrete/tarmac.  If you are really serious about your sport I also highly recommend investing in custom orthotics which allows your individual foot shape to work at its absolute optimum.  The common misconception about orthotics is that they correct bio-mechanical problems when in fact they merely are designed to adapt to your particular foot shape and gait.  These things need to be assessed by a qualified individual who has access to the newest technology.  Orthotics off the shelf will simple not suffice, they are in fact (in my opinion) not likely to help you at all.

If you would like to prolong your activity in running or any other sport it is also extremely important to have your feet, ankles, knees, hips and spine checked for any bio-mechanical dysfunction.  It’s no different from having your teeth checked or taking your car for a tune up.  Please don’t be fooled by thinking that if there is no pain – then everything is fine, this thinking will increase your chances of injury and will prevent you from reaching your full potential.

The nerves which control the lower limb and its various muscles and joints originate from the lower back,and any pressure on them as they exit the spinal cord (which could be caused by something simple like poor posture) or on their course down through your pelvis and legs can cause a wide range of problems.  It’s highly important to insure this is not the case before embarking on prolonged periods of physical activity, as this will improve your co-ordination, proprioception, strength and reduce fatigue.

Did I also mention chiropractors don’t just specialize in backs? We recognize and advocate that it’s definitely a huge part i.e. to release pressure from the nervous system for best communication between brain and body.  Please understand that we also have very thorough training in orthopaedic problems and we spend years learning how to release tension from the joints, muscles and nerves of the extremities as well as the spine.  I promise you’d be surprised by how simple and effective our treatments are for these kinds of problems.

Here at Diversified Health we are well trained and superbly equipped to help you with all your health requirements whether that’s rehabilitation after an injury or prevention of it in the first place.  I certainly know which one I prefer!!

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Make the Switch to Natural Running Shoes

No matter your body type, fitness level or experience as a runner, the biggest factors in increasing your running performance and reducing common overuse injuries is learning how to run naturally, and wearing shoes with nearly level profiles.

For the past 30 years running shoes have been designed with thickly cushioned, built-up heels. This type of shoe forces the body to balance itself in an unnatural, backward-leaning position. Your toes are pointing downward, your weight is shifted rearward, and your back is arched back slightly. Basically, you’re body is trying to maintain balance while compensating for the lifted heel.

 If you’ve been running this way for years — and most people have — it’s likely the muscles and other soft tissue in your feet, lower legs and core will need to adapt before completely transitioning to a more natural gait in flat shoes. In particular, you will need to give your Achilles tendons and calf muscles time to adjust to level shoes.

The Achilles tendon acts like a large rubber band that stretches and recoils with every stride. If you’ve been wearing shoes with an elevated heel — including your everyday work and casual shoes — your Achilles tendon along with the calf muscle group is conditioned to a shorter range of motion. When you begin running in a level shoe like a Newton Running shoe, the Achilles tendon and calf muscles needs to stretch to accommodate for the 10-15mm distance that used to be taken up by an elevated heel.

If you abruptly transition from an elevated heel to doing all your mileage in a level shoe, you’re likely to feel some Achilles and calf muscle soreness. Instead, make the transition gradually: run less than a mile at a time just a couple of days per week. Work on your form and build strength in your feet, ankles and lower legs with the following tips:

Make the switch to natural running shoes

Make the switch to natural running shoes

Work on strength and balance:

  • Go flat as often as possible! Ease the transition on your Achilles and calf muscles by walking barefoot as much as possible. Wear flatter shoes even when you’re not running.
  • Do balancing drills. Stand on one foot with a mostly straight leg, lift the other foot off the ground at a 90 degree angle and close your eyes. If you can maintain balance for 30 seconds with your eyes closed on both sides, you may have enough strength be begin transitioning to level shoes. If you lose balance on either side, make this drill part of your daily regime. (Be sure to work on each foot.)
  • Do barefoot heel dips on a staircase. While holding on to a wall or railing, balance yourself with your metatarsal heads on the edge of the stair even with the ball of your foot. Slowly dip your heel below the plane of the stair, feeling the stretch in your Achilles and calf muscles and then slowly raise back up.

Increase the flexibility and range of motion in your feet and lower legs:

  • Do common wall stretches. Lean into a wall with your hands while flexing the lower calf with a flat foot. Do this with both a straight and bent knee and repeat a couple times per day after the muscles are sufficiently warm.
  • Increase the flexibility of your plantar fascia. While sitting in a chair, cross your leg over your knee and firmly push your fingers or a thumb into the center of the sole of your foot. Maintain that pressure and point your toes up and down to stretch the plantar fascia.
  • Focus on running form. Most runners have been overstriding and landing with a heel strike. A common mistake for people who are adjusting is over-striding and landing on the forefoot or toes in front of your body. This still causes too much braking and impact on the feet and lower legs. Try the following instead: march in place and notice how your foot lands relaxed under your body. You are lifting your foot and leg off the ground with your core muscles. Now simply fall forward,  lifting quickly. Shorten and quicken your steps, balancing on one leg at a time as you move forward.
  • Be relentless with running form drills. Accentuate specific aspects of good form drills and train your body to repeat specific movements while you are running. Skipping, bounding, high knees and butt kicks are easy form drills that and don’t take a lot of time. Don’t ignore these once your workout is complete.
  • Watch yourself run. Having a friend video your stride in your traditional shoes, your level shoes and while running barefoot on grass. Notice how your body moves differently in each scenario. Pay close attention to what you do while running barefoot. Are your feet landing under your mass? Are you running with a quick cadence and relatively short strides? Are you running with upright but slightly forward-leaning posture? Are you carrying your arms close to your body at about a 90-degree angle? Adopt this form in your new shoes.

Written by Danny Abshire: Danny Abshire is the author of “Natural Running” and the co-founder of Newton Running, a Boulder, Colo.-based company that makes shoes that promote an efficient midfoot/forefoot running gait. He has been making advanced footwear solutions for runners and triathletes for more than 20 years. For more, go to newtonrunning.com.

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Victoria Clinic Discusses Health Guidelines for Tattooing

Victoria clinic discusses health guidelines for tattooing, starting with the fact that tattoos arose from a rich cultural history dating back 5,000 years.  The purpose of tattooing has varies from culture to culture.  Before you start  any tattoo, wait until you know exactly what you want permanently inked onto your skin; why you want it, where you want it, and exactly what it means to you.

The best way to pick a tattoo artist is to get a recommendation from a friend or acquaintance who’s had a positive experience working with a local artist. Otherwise, consider group review resources like Yelp.

Victoria Clinic Discusses Health Guidelines for Tattooing

Photo Credit: tattooswithmeaning.org

Insist on a consultation with the artist that will be doing your tattoo before the actual tattooing begins.   You want to talk with this person,  to see if you click,  and to discuss  issues such as your art, placement, the amount of time it will take, and the fee.

You need to insist on a viewing the the facility’s sterilization equipment and procedures.  You need to be shown that the tools are completely clean and safe by being shown an autoclave, sterilized needles, fresh latex gloves, and all necessary ink and equipment laid out on a clean work area. The artist should remove all sterilized equipment from its packaging in front of you, if not walk away.

How much it will hurt will depend on placement, size, complexity, and your own personal pain threshold. Tattoos placed over bones and tendons (spine, neck, back of ankle), on body parts with relatively little padding (feet, hands, joints), and anywhere with loads of nerve endings (nipples, fingers, face) will be the most painful.

Victoria clinic discusses health guidelines for tattooing with an informative booklet that covers informed consent, premises, and operation, preparation, and handling of instruments and equipment, pigments (dyes or inks), infection control, waste disposal, personal service workers, and post-tattooing skin care.

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Victoria Public Health Knows That Loneliness Has A Genetic Link To Illness

Victoria public health knows that loneliness has a genetic link to illness and that lonely people are more likely to get sick and die young because it affects their immune systems, according to new research.

Scientist at the University of California looked at the DNA of isolated people and found that chronically lonely people have distinct patterns of genetic activity, almost all of it involving the immune system.

Much like the age old question which came first the chicken or the egg, the study does not show which came first – the loneliness or the physical traits. Study author Steve Cole, a molecular biologist at the University of California said: “This study shows that the biological impact of social isolation reaches down into some of our most basic internal processes – the activity of our genes.”

Victoria Public Health Knows That Loneliness Has A Genetic Link To Illness

Photo Credit: discovermagazine.com

American scientists used a “gene chip” to look at the DNA of isolated people and found that those who described themselves as chronically lonely had weaker immune systems.

Their findings were remarkable – All 22,000 human genes were studied and compared, and 209 stood out in the loneliest people.

“These 200 genes weren’t sort of a random mishmash of genes. They were part of a highly suspicious conspiracy of genes. A big fraction of them seemed to be involved in the basic immune response to tissue damage,” Cole said. (The report has been published in the journal of Genome Biology).

The findings suggest that the loneliest people had unhealthy levels of chronic inflammation, which has been associated with heart and artery disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other ills. Victoria Public Health knows that loneliness has a genetic link to illness, so the first step is to start talking about how you feel and take steps to let people into your lives.

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Our Health Clinic Answers the Question, What is Chronic Back Injury?

Our health clinic answers the question, What is Chronic Back Injury?  A healthy back is straight, moves easily and is free of pain. When there is pain in any area of the back for a very long period of time, this is called chronic back injury, or chronic back pain.

The most common area for chronic back injury is the lower back; also called the lumbar spine.

Back pain is usually defined as either acute or chronic. Doctors may diagnose low back pain as acute if it lasts less than a month and is not caused by serious medical conditions. If the pain persists, it is considered chronic back injury, also called chronic back pain. This constitutes only 1% to 5% of back pain cases.

Our Health Clinic Answers the Question, What is Chronic Back Injury?
Chronic Back pain

Herniated discs are also a common source of back pain. Inside each disc is a jelly-like substance and 80% of the disc is water, which makes it very elastic. A disc does not contain any blood and relies on nearby blood vessels to keep it nourished. A herniated disc occurs when the cartilage between the vertebrae tears. As a result the cartilage and its contents will bulge out from between the vertebrae, often putting pressure on the nerves in the area.

How Common is Chronic Back Pain?

  • Almost 20 million (2 in 3) Canadians will have at least one episode of back pain in their lifetime.
  • 600,000 (1 in 50) Canadians will be disabled by it.
  • Chronic back injury occurs in both men and women.
  • It can affect people of any age, but older people are more likely to have chronic back pain.

Back pain is the most prevalent medical disorder in industrialized societies.

What are the Warning Signs of Chronic Back Injury?

  • If you have pain in the back that lasts for longer than a few days but less than a month this is called acute back injury.
  • If the pain lasts longer than month this is called chronic back injury.
  • The pain can be anywhere in the back. It can be in one area only or spread across a wide area.
  • Your back might be stiff and the muscles swollen. This combination of pain, stiffness and swelling is called inflammation.
  • Some injuries will cause muscles spasms in the back, and pain or weakness in a leg.

Back pain can develop anywhere from the neck to the lower spine. The pain can be localized or spread across a wide area and radiate from a central point. Muscle spasms may occur at the site of the pain. Some people also get pain or weakness in a leg as a result of back injury.

What causes Chronic Back Injury?

  • Many times the cause of chronic back injury is not known.
  • Poor posture is the most common cause of back pain.
  • Injury due to lifting heavy objects is also a frequent cause of back pain.
  • Being overweight and not exercising enough can increase your risk of back injury.
  • If your back is weak you can get back pain when you get upset or feel stressed.
  • Some types of arthritis can cause chronic back pain.

How to avoid Chronic Back Injury;

  • Be kind to your body. After doing heavy work, or doing the same task over and over, stop and rest.
  • Use your back, arms and legs in safe ways to avoid putting stress on joints.
  • When you lift a heavy item keep it as close to your body as possible. Keep your back straight and use your legs to do the lifting.
  • Use helpful devices such as a cart to carry your grocery bags.
  • Maintain a healthy weight to avoid putting extra stress on your joints.
  • Be aware of your posture and be sure to stand and sit straight.
  • Wear proper walking shoes that support your feet and help keep your back and legs straight.
  • Sleep on a firm mattress and support your neck properly with pillows. Do not sleep on your stomach as this can strain your neck.

Receiving regular maintenance treatments from your health practitioner is a great preventative measure; so when our health clinic answers the question, What is Chronic Back Injury? You will already know how to avoid this condition.

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Boot-Camp Workout for Women you can do at Home | rehab victoria bc

Finally a Boot-Camp workout for women you can do at home!

Start by jogging for two to three minutes to warm up, then start with the first exercise in Round 1.  Do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, rest 10 seconds, then continue until you’ve completed each exercise for 30 seconds in the order shown.  Rest for a minute, then do the exercises in Round 2. Rest for another minute, then repeat the entire sequence so you’ve completed two sets of each round.

Boot-Camp Workout for Women you can do at Home | rehab victoria bc

Photo Credit: dli.ro

Round 1:

Squats – With feet hip-width apart, bend your knees to 90 degrees, keeping your chest upright. Return to standing.

Pushups – Place hands wider than shoulder-width apart and lower your chest to the floor.

Bicycle Crunches – Lie on your back, hands clasped behind your neck. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee while straightening your right leg, raised six to eight inches above the floor. Alternate sides.

Jumping Jacks – Raise your arms out to the sides & above your head; at the same time, jump up & spread your feet wide. Reverse & repeat.

Back Extensions – Lie facedown with your arms at your sides and slowly raise your head, shoulders, and chest off the floor.

Round 2:

Walking Lunges – Step forward with your right leg and bend your knees to 90 degrees. Move forward as you alternate legs.

Squat Jumps – Do a squat, then jump as high as you can while throwing your arms up into the air, landing softly right into another squat.

Close-Grip Pushup – Place hands side by side, thumbs touching, and lower your chest to the floor.

Standing High-Knees – Jog in place, quickly alternating bringing your knees up toward your chest.

Mountain Climbers – From a pushup position, quickly alternate bringing your knees toward your chest.

Boot-Camp Workout for Women you can do at Home | rehab victoria bc – This boot camp is designed by trainer Laurel Blackburn from Womens Health Magazine.

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Natural Health Practitioner Recommends Superfoods that Detoxify

The beginning of the new year is when many of us will start a detox program; but if doing a detox is not your thing, our natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and that you can easily add into your daily life.

Natural Health Practitioner Recommends Superfoods that Detoxify

Photo Credit: celynnerasmus.com

Avocados—lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxins.  Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks 30 different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

Beets—contain a unique mixture of natural plant chemicals and minerals that make them an excellent overall body cleansers.

Cranberries—have powerful antibiotic and antiviral substances to help the body cleanse harmful bacteria and viruses from the urinary tract.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil— are loaded with essential fatty acids, that are essential for many cleansing functions and maintaining a healthy immune system. The health of every cell in your body is dependent on getting adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Fresh Garlic—helps cleanse harmful bacteria, and viruses from the body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body.

Lemons— are the perfect liver detoxifiers. Fresh lemon juice contains more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make a substance called glutathione; which reduces the likelihood of negative effects from environmental chemicals. Vitamin C and other antioxidants found in lemons are integral to ward off cancer, fight the effects of pollution and cell damage.

Seaweed—could be the most underrated vegetable in the Western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body so it can be removed. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body.

Diversified Health’s natural health practitioner recommends superfoods that detoxify and can also set up a personalize workout program to fit your health needs.

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Victoria Health Clinic can Diagnsois Tennis Elbow

Victoria Health Clinic can diagnsois Tennis Elbow, but first, what is Tennis Elbow.  Tennis elbow is an inflammation, soreness, or pain on the outside of the upper arm near the elbow.  The medical terminology for this condition is lateral epicondylitis.

Tennis elbow is caused when the muscles in your forearm known as tendons (they are attached to the bone on the outside of your elbow) are used repetitively.   Over time small tears develop in the tendon and this can lead to pain where the tendon is attached to the bone. A good example of this is playing tennis or other racquet sports; although any activity that involves repetitive twisting of the wrist can lead to this condition!

tennis elbow, diversified health clinic,

Photo credit: Tennis Elbow racquetsports.org

The symptoms that are associated with tennis elbow are a weak grasp, elbow pain that gradually worsens and a radiating pain from the elbow down to the wrist when grasping or twisting.

Diversified Health’s treatment plan for tennis elbow is a combination of Shockwave therapy, and Graston Instruments .  The practitioner will also assign specific exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of your forearm.

Patients can assist in the treatment by avoiding the activity that caused the symptoms for several days; apply ice 2 -3 times a day to help with inflammation, as well as taking an anti-inflammatory such as Traumeel.

Be sure to ask your practitioner about any changes you can make to your work environment, technique or sport’s equipment that you are currently using.

Victoria Health Clinic can diagnosis tennis elbow, and provide treatment so please give us a call at 250-382-0018 to find out more information!

 

 

 

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