4 Small Changes for a Happy and Healthy New Year

As a Chiropractor, I help people improve their health all year round.

And improving our health is always a hot topic in the new year, whether you’re stoked for joining the gym, quitting smoking or taking part in dry January. But for some, these big changes are too much and they end up slipping back into old habits by late January.

Your health is a product of lots of little things (diet, activity, mindset, genetics etc) that slowly add together, so don’t set yourself unattainable goals that won’t be sustainable.

Here are a few, small ways to improve your health that are easy to stick to in the long term.

1. Be more active

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Pick something you enjoy! Exercise shouldn’t be a chore and now there is so much choice (yoga, boot camps, lifting weights, running, brisk walks with the dog – the list is endless!), you can find something that you’ll look forward to doing.

Don’t go from barely doing any exercise to going to the gym 5 times a week, especially if you don’t want to injure yourself. Think reasonably, doing two sessions a week works well to start with and then gradually increase this over time.

Keeping active in any way (not just pilates!) is a great way to prevent back pain or migraines, as well as a great stress buster.

2. Take a breath

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This could be formal, such as a guided, breathing meditation or practising mindfulness during stressful times.

Or less formally, “take a breather” by going on walks on your lunch break to escape the busy office or a stroll around the neighbourhood if you’re at home.

By making these routine, although they feel small at the time, they will add up to fight stress in the long term

3. Laugh more often

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Laughter, especially with others, is a great, natural way to quash anxiety and calm ourselves. This is because it shuts down the release of stress hormones and boots the production of feel-good chemicals, such as dopamine.  It also gives you an immune boost, by activating our “killer cells” which natural attack diseases.

Scientists have even shown that laughter causes a change in the way your brain cells communicate with each which in turn improves recall and memory.

4. Eat Sensibly

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Yes, you may have overdone it at Christmas, but don’t go over the top and restrict yourself from all the foods you love completely. Gradually phasing dietary changes will stop you from getting unwelcome cravings.

My personal goal for this year is to reduce my sugar and carb intake and cut meat from my diet 2 days a week. I know I couldn’t go full vegetarian or carb free as the cravings would be too much, so (fingers crossed!) this will work for me and perhaps you too?

Let me know your goals of 2018. And if you’re looking to improve your health, Chiropractic care may be the help you need. Get in touch to see if I can assist you to succeed.

Katie Scorer

Chiropractor & Owner of Symmetry Chiropractic

Five Festive Tips to Avoid an Emergency Christmas Visit to the Chiropractor

The countdown to Christmas has begun! We’re now all looking forward to the big day, whether we’re spending it with friends, family or a quiet day in watching the television.

I am going to be closed between Christmas and the New Year so you should avoid getting into any predicaments. Be sure to schedule your new year appointment to start the year off well, but in the meantime, have a read of my five festive tips so you won’t need an emergency appointment before then.

1. Shop Well

If you’re not online shopping this year, the weight of all those bags could cause you problems. Avoid walking at a slow, dawdling pace and carry your shopping in both hands, as not to pull the body to one side, engaging your core at the same time. If the weight gets too much, if possible, nip back to the car to unload.

2. Wrap your presents with better posture

Don’t spend hours crouching on the floor, place your presents on a table. That way you’ll avoid being bent over for too long. Do remember to take regular breaks as well!

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3. Eat well and keep hydrated

Christmas is the time for indulgence. But indulgence doesn’t always have to be unhealthy! There are some traditional Christmas foods that provide heaps of nutrition for our bodies.

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A baked salmon contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids which help keep your brain, joints and heart healthy. I’m also a recent convert to Brussel sprouts, although roasted not boiled and seasoned well. Jamie Oliver has a great recipe if you’ve never tried them this way.

You’ll also want to keep hydrated, why not switch the alcohol for some tasty non-alcoholic options, such as non-alcoholic beer from brew dog or this alcohol free gin.

4. Don’t sit in front of the TV or in the car too long

As told in my last blog, we know that sitting for too long is bad for us. This doesn’t just apply to the office, but our personal lives too.

Keep that metabolism boosted (it will help you burn off those mince pies!) and those joints from getting strained by moving as much as you can. Go for a Boxing day walk, get up every advert break. and make sure that you take regular breaks on long car journeys.

5. Relax!

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I know that Christmas isn’t always the most relaxing of periods for some, but hopefully, you’ll find a way to gets some R&R. If you’re lucky enough to have some time off work, make the most of it by ensuring you’re getting a good night sleep and maybe even doing some of the things you enjoy but never have the time for. And most importantly – avoid perfectionism! Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect, live in the moment and try not to worry if the pigs in blankets got a little burnt or your uncle feigned a smile at your present.

Whatever you’re doing, have a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.

Katie Scorer

Chiropractor & Owner of Symmetry Chiropractic

8 Ways to Sit Less at Work

Are you sitting down reading this? You may want to stand up.

Did you know, the average office worker sits for about 10 hours a day?! On top of the 8 hours at work, our lives revolve around sitting down, such as eating or browsing the web. And even if you exercise before or after work, it, unfortunately, doesn’t compensate for the effects of sitting the rest of the day.

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But what’s the big problem? Prolonged sitting is thought to be extremely bad for us, possibly even worse than smoking, and is associated with higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and depression, as well as muscle and joint problems.

But why? After half an hour of sitting, our metabolism slows down 90 percent. Your fat from your arteries isn’t moved to your muscles where it can be used for energy and your muscles in your lower body are switched off. Your spinal discs are also slowly squashed when sitting and after just 20-30 minutes, the water gets pushed into the surrounding tissues. After two hours, your good cholesterol drops 20 percent. Just getting up for five minutes is going to get things going again.

The most recent advice from the British Journal of Sports Medicine is that we should stand at work for at least 2 HOURS, but build up to 4. That can seem like quite a feat so here are my top tips to help you achieve that:

1. Stand during phone calls

actor adult beard business calling communication corporate fashion fine-looking handsome internet looking man mobile mobile phone on the phone outdoors outfit pensive person smartphone suit technology telecommunication tie wearIf you take a lot of calls this is an easy way to ensure you slide the ratio of sitting to standing in the healthier direction.

2. Move your printer

If possible, put your printer somewhere out of reach of your sitting position or even across the room. And if you have to print a number of things, spread it out across the day rather than doing it all at once.

3. Drink lots

Keeping yourself well hydrated (stay away from too much coffee!) means that you’ll have to get up more to make yourself those drinks AND when nature calls.

4. Change up lunch

Walk somewhere to get lunch, or if you prefer bringing your own, go for a walk rather than eating it at your desk. It’ll also give your mind a well-needed break.

5. Buy a standing desk

beverage black coffee business chart coding coffee cookies cup data desk desserts entrepreneur food google analytics job keyboard laptop macbook marketing office person programming report statistics stats stock sweets technology work work area working workspaceTake a leaf out of my book and buy a standing desk. This makes it far easier to get those hours of standing in, especially when you’re busy with work. I bought my sit/stand desk from IKEA and they’re very reasonable. 

6. Set a pop-up notification to remind you when 20-30 minutes has passed

If you have a fit bit or an Apple watch you can set it to remind you to move about. But if you don’t’ have one of those, there are plenty of apps that encourage you to stand more regularly. 

7. Hold standing or walking meetings

Woman in Black Suit Jacket Facing Man in Blue Denim Dress Shirt Same StandingIf you’ve got some sayso at work, encourage everyone to do standing or walking meetings. They’re normally more efficient too! And even if you’re not the boss and have to talk something over with a colleague, go for a walk with them instead.

8. Walk over to a colleague’s desk instead of sending an e-mail

A simple one to do and will only take a moment. It also helps build stronger relationships and avoid the dreaded misread tone that text alone can bring.

Want to know some more tips about back pain? Read my other blog here.

Let me know how you get on,

Katie

Chiropractor & Owner of Symmetry Chiropractic

10 things you’re doing that could be giving you back pain

Aches and pains are often causing by little things that build up tension, and irritation in your body. If you’re doing any of these, it’s time to change it up.

1. Keeping your wallet in your back pocket

Siting for extended periods on your wallet can tilt your pelvis or even trap the sciatic nerve.

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2. Sleeping on your stomach

Front sleepers tend to overarch their backs when getting some shut-eye. This jams up their lower back joints which if held for long periods can irritate them.

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3. Not bending from the hips

Lifting badly puts A LOT more force throughout our spinal tissues. If done repetitively or lifting too much in one go can injure your back.

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4. Bad shoes

Wearing heels too much or shoes without any support (such as ballet flats) transfers a lot of pressure from the feet, up the legs and into the spine.

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5. Sitting for longer than 30 minutes

30 minutes is the golden time when the tissues in your back start to suffer under the load. Make sure to stand up and move around this often, even if just for a few seconds.

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6. High stress levels

Long periods of stress cause our bodies to be chemically irritable and can cause inflammation in the joints, muscles and nerves in our spine.

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7. Not enough exercise

Exercising keeps your body generally strong and flexible and your improves circulation. This raises your pain threshold.

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8. You don’t have a great diet

A bad diet can lead to poor circulation to the spine. This means the nutrients can’t get there as easily and waste can’t be removed which can lead to irritation of the tissues and inflammation.

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9. Heavy handbag

Carrying a heavy handbag on one side for long periods of time puts unequal weight through your back. This adds up!

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10. Your mattress is old

Mattresses have an expiration date. Most need replacing after 8-10 years (sometimes sooner!) otherwise you risk not supporting your body well through those 8 hours of slumber.

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If you’re struggling with your back, give me a call to discuss it on 0115 7788 179.

Katie Scorer

Doctor of Chiropractic

Kids Back to School? 4 Ways to Treat Yourself

It’s the end of the summer holidays and the kids are going back to school. Maybe they’re going for the first time (like my one of nephews), or maybe it’s a year of big exams, but for most parents, it’s back to more of a routine. Maybe this year, you can put a little “me time” into that routine?

Being a little selfish every now and then is something parents should relish, after all, most of your time and effort is normally spent on others! And it’s even easier to focus on now you’re not having to rack your brains of activities to keep the kids occupied all day.

Here are a few ways to treat yourself:

1. Do some exercise

You probably worry about your kid’s health enough – what about yours? Exercise is one of the best ways to look after yourself. It could be a sociable event, like an exercise class with friends, or getting a little bit of peace and quiet on a run. Whatever your choice, do something you enjoy so you’re likely to do it more often and reap the health rewards.

2. Spend some money on yourself

It could be something small like a new pair of socks (because I get my patients to take their shoes off for a session, I know that everyone gets holes in their socks now and then) or maybe a little more extravagant such as a day at Eden Hall Day Spa. Whatever it is, spending a little money on you and you only is a good thing to do once in a while.

3. Have a massage

Chiropractic care can help keep your joints and muscles working well, but what if those tired muscles need a little extra TLC? A massage from either Adjust Massage in Lady Bay or Lucy Smith Sports Massage in Southwell could help release those tight shoulders or even help you recover from your runs quicker.

4. Set aside some quiet time

As suggested earlier with a run, some quiet time can be good for your mind. Most parents brains are going a mile a minute, and giving it a break can work wonders. It could be just 10 minutes a day of mindfulness or meditation, or a break from the real world with a good book.

If now’s the time to look after yourself with Chiropractic, give me a call or send me a message to arrange a session.

Katie Scorer

Doctor of Chiropractic

Katie’s Top Running Tips

To become a better runner, just running more is not enough

In Nottingham and Nottinghamshire there’s of great races take part in, with the upcoming Robin Hood Marathon & Half Marathon in September being one of them.

Here are my top tips to increase your speed and prevent injury:

 

 

DO…

Wear the right shoe for you. Those trainers that have no spring in them any more and are falling to bits inside? Bin them. Even better, go get properly checked and fitted by a Podiatrist or a running shop. I recommend a biomechanics check with the knowledgable Phil from Hyde Barker Health in Southwell.

Warm up dynamically. For those not in the know, this means no static stretching before a run. Stretching and holding your foot so your heel hits your rear may look good, but actually makes you more likely to injure yourself.  Loosen those hips with a few lunges instead. To make sure you stretch in every direction, like you’re the hands of a clock – go to 12, 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 o’clock a few times around before you set off. 

Get that “short leg” checked. Most of us have a slightly longer leg than the other. In every day life, it doesn’t cause you too many problems, but when we put a lot more pressure through the body when we run, and if significant enough the imbalance can cause us problems. As a chiropractor I can assess it – it’s all about Symmetry after all!

DON’T…

JUST run. Not doing any other exercise might meant that your body is too weak to run and you’re more likely to be slow or injured. Try some weight lifting 1-2 a week or some plyometrics (posh word for lots of jumping and hopping).

Stomp your heel down. This transfers a lot of force up through the body and you’re probably taking too long steps if you do this. Try to quicken the pace you run to 180 steps per minute. Use Jogtunes for some music that’ll help you keep up the pace. 

Increase by more than 10% each week. This is a good rule to stick to so you’re not over doing it! Otherwise you’re more likely to tire out those muscles, joints ad tendons and end up seeing me!

 

If you need more help, or want to look at your technique, give me a Call on 0115 7788 179 or email me at [email protected]