Most spontaneous acute low back flare-ups (non-traumatic) happen within a couple of hours of awakening. This is because the muscles and oints have been cold and unused for 6-8 hours.

To avoid a problem, stretch in bed before arising. Try your knee to chest, knee to opposite shoulder, both knees to chest. Hold for count of 10.

Subluxations can develop as early as childhood.  It can take years to repair damages that you received as a child. So if children are checked early, further damage can be avoided and health maintained.  Think of how many falls, bumps and stumbles children receive.  Each can cause a subluxation that if not managed will only grow worse.  A study by Nilsson in Denmark reports that children under chiropractic care are healthier than other children, miss less school, are more attentive and have less need for drugs. Children with conditions such as earaches, colic, bed wetting, scoliosis, “growing pains”, torticollis, and asthma respond wonderfully to chiropractic care.

Most kids stop growing at approximately 18 yrs of age. The time to make changes in their spine most effectively is before that time period.Much like a plant that is growing, supporting it is easier when young.

We heal much faster as young people which is why braces on teeth and fractures mend faster when applied to youth compared to senoirs.

The other advantage of treating younger people is that the problem hasn't been there as long, so it has done less damage and is often reversible. As the spine gets older arthritic changes and scar tissue formation is not uncommon, making healing delayed or incomplete. This is why chiropractic care in a young patient is often accomplished completely pain free.

Spinal problems show genetic pre-disposition or inherited qualities, so early detection and chiropractic care  is often the best solution, rather then waiting for your child(ren)'s body to show signs and symptoms. I have delivered chiropractic care to children as young as 1 day and in doing so, have managed to maximize the spines stability and decrease the chance of nerve interference.

As children grow and develop, it is important to have them checked by a chiropractor frequently. Children go through falls, accidents, and an over abundance of computer and video game sitting. The overuse of the computers and video games has lead to a decrease in exercise and has increased repetative strain injuries and fatigue of back musclles and joints in children.

The solution to keeping your child(ren) healthy, is to include in their healthcare, regular spinal check-ups to determine if a weakness or imbalance is present. It is important to do this before your child(ren) get any symptoms.

"Please do not wait until your child(ren) have your problems by keeping them at home' Why not bring them with you to your next chiropractic appointment?

I feel so strongly about this, that I am willing to provide a complimentary chiropractic check-up for children of current patients until Sept 1,2011.

Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, Call the office now to schedule an appointment.

Did you know that 80% of Canadians suffer from back pain in their lifetime requiring them to seek out professional help.

To decrease the stress on the back when carrying a heavy bag, here are some tips.

- choose a light weight bag

- choose a bag with multiple pockets ( this helps distribute the weight )

- shoulder pads should be wide, adjustable and padded (Remember that the straps of the bag along with the weight of it can dig into muscles at the top of the shoulder, cutting of nerve circulation. )

-  use both shoulder straps ( if there is only one strap, cross over the shoulder so the bag is on the opposite side of the strap )

- alternate shoulders to distribute the weight

1.  Exercise Daily

2.  Eat Healthy

3.  Maintain good posture

4.  Stretch your spine before and after sports

5.  Don't overload your backpack or shoulder bag

6.  Stetch your legs and back after long periods of sitting

7.  Never cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder

8.  Sleep on your side or back, never your stomach

9.  Invest in a good pillow, mattress and chairs

10. Have regular spinal check-ups

A new spine requires an assessment and regular check-ups to maintain balance.

Maintaining balance early in life will aid in preventing the occurrence of degenerative changes.

Spinal adjustments support the nervous system, which governs immunity, behavior, and physical development.

Adjustments for babies are modified according to their size and weight.

Children and babies respond rapidly to chiropractic care and often enjoy the treatment process.

Children under the age of 5 receive complimentary treatments.

Chiropractic care will support your Child's growth, development and well-being.

DID YOU KNOW?...

• The word Chiropractic is derived from Greek and means "treatment by hand".
• Chiropractic was pioneered by Canadian born D.D. Palmer in 1895.
• Chiropractic is now the largest drugless, direct contact health care profession using a noninvasive approach to restoring health.

• The philosophy of Chiropractic, as taught at CMCC, holds that the human body has restorative processes to maintain its natural state of health. The role of the Chiropractor is to assist the individual's natural curative processes, through the use of manual adjustments and related therapies (such as the use of mobilization, massage, heat fight, ultrasound, electrotherapy, specialized exercise programs, muscle testing, nutrition and lifestyle counselling and general fitness) The science of chiropractic is especially concerned with the relationship between structure (primarily the musculoskeletal system) and function (primarily the nervous system).
• Chiropractors comprise the third largest group of health care professionals in Canada - after medical doctors and dentists -and Chiropractic is one of only five professions which have the right to diagnose in Ontario. (The others are dentistry, psychology, optometry, and medicine).
• Patient care provided by Chiropractors has been included within the Workers' Compensation Act since 1937, and the OHIP Plan since 1970.
• Over 10 million treatments are administered annually to Canadians by the Chiropractic profession.
• 8 out of 10 Canadians will experience low-back pain at some time in their lives. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chiropractic management of low-back pain has been repeatedly demonstrated by scientific studies. (See "A Study to Examine the Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain" by Mange & Associates).

DID YOU KNOW?...

• The word Chiropractic is derived from Greek and means "treatment by hand".
• Chiropractic was pioneered by Canadian born D.D. Palmer in 1895.
• Chiropractic is now the largest drugless, direct contact health care profession using a noninvasive approach to restoring health.

• The philosophy of Chiropractic, as taught at CMCC, holds that the human body has restorative processes to maintain its natural state of health. The role of the Chiropractor is to assist the individual's natural curative processes, through the use of manual adjustments and related therapies (such as the use of mobilization, massage, heat fight, ultrasound, electrotherapy, specialized exercise programs, muscle testing, nutrition and lifestyle counselling and general fitness) The science of chiropractic is especially concerned with the relationship between structure (primarily the musculoskeletal system) and function (primarily the nervous system).
• Chiropractors comprise the third largest group of health care professionals in Canada - after medical doctors and dentists -and Chiropractic is one of only five professions which have the right to diagnose in Ontario. (The others are dentistry, psychology, optometry, and medicine).
• Patient care provided by Chiropractors has been included within the Workers' Compensation Act since 1937, and the OHIP Plan since 1970.
• Over 10 million treatments are administered annually to Canadians by the Chiropractic profession.
• 8 out of 10 Canadians will experience low-back pain at some time in their lives. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chiropractic management of low-back pain has been repeatedly demonstrated by scientific studies. (See "A Study to Examine the Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain" by Mange & Associates).

Tired of Feeling tired? February Blah's? Feeling low energy and fatigue? Join the masses.

Dorlands Dictionary- the authority medical dictionary describes health as " the state of balance between the physical, the emotional and spirtual and not merely the absent of symptoms and disease."

Exercise, any form of physical contact will increase blood flow, relax muscles and loosen tight joints. Get some sunshine even if it is via a window. There is a reason in nature that plants grow towards the sun, a pet will find the one spot on the carpet where the sun is shining through and lay there. The sun offers vitamin D, infrared and heat, all beneficial to aid the body in healing.

Getting Chiropractic Adjustments will unblock blocked spinal segments and allow normal nerve flow to  re-innervate (excite) fatigued muscles and joints.

Sitting for prolonged periods tightens muscles, locks up joints and decreases circulation. To counter this, adjusting fixated joints increases flow and relaxes tight muscles.

Other factors in low energy and fatigue maybe nutritional (i.e low iron & B12 levels). Emotional stress creates fatigue and lathargia.

For emotional calm or to treat depression or anxiety, meditation, yoga and exercise are all methods which have shown good results.

Summing up physical, emotional or spirtual imbalance can throw off the bodies energy resulting in fatigue. Improving your energy comes from finding the source and chaging the bodies reactions.

For more information on How chiropractic care can help increase your energy level, talk to your chiropractor or book an appointment with one of the Roots to Health chiropractors today.

We are here to help!

Just as our older cars don't run well or sound as quiet as a new one, so your body and spine show fatigue and wear. If you do not look after your car, it will break down as to with your body and spine. This is why chiropractic support, having children examined from birth and keeping them well are suggested. We do not advocate waiting until your blind to see the eye doctor, nor should you wait until you can not move to see a chiropractor.

Our spines were designed to be walking, hiking, swimming and climbing etc.not sitting at a computer or car. If we must sit for our jobs, it is essential we do exercise to keep our muscles and joints mobile. The key is movement---- "Use it or Lose it"

I heard if you go to a chiropractor it helps but you have to keep going back. It is true but only if you want to keep control of the problem.

Maintenance is to keep something functioning in spite of the effects of the things which deteriorate it.

We are constantly straining and fatiguing our joints and muscles doing actions and assuming positions which our bodies are not able to properly compensate for.

Spinal adjustments are gentle techniques performed by the chiropractor to decrease the pressure between joints and re-balance the body. They are not permanent, any more than exercise is to maintain tone.

So you don't need chiropractic treatment all your life – only as long as you want to stay healthy.

Contray to what many people will tell you, the problem of stress is not in your head, but rather it may stem from your nervous system. Take a little quiz below and evaluate if you have experienced these symptoms in the past.

1. Headaches
2. Fatigue
3. Digestive problems
4. Pain
5. Irritability
6. Sleep deprivation

If you have experienced one or more of these symptoms, your body may be exibiting signes of stress. The above six symptoms are the most common of the major nervous system stressors.

The human body is designed to exhibit warning signals in the form of symptoms when problems arise. Such symptoms can be mild, as in the case of a headache; or strong, as in the case of seizures. Treating your symptoms according to the degree in which you are experiencing them may not be the best choices.

Your body is designed to behave as a balanced system. Symptoms become evident only when the body is unable to re-balance itself and compensate safely. Thus, the body is already in a state of imbalance or is ill once these symptoms appear. Furthermore, individuals tend to be suspectible to illness when the nervous system is not balanced. Stress, fatigu,depression and trauma are all factors which affect the nervous system. This may lead to a weakened immune system.

To alleviate the constant emotional bombardment in our fast-paced hectic society, it is important to schedule some activities that allow us to escape away from it all. This could be either a physical distraction such as sports participation or taking a vacation; or an emotional one, such as meditation. Calming the mind and/or body will have an effect on the nervous system. A sense of humor is also an excellent tool for stress relief.

The symptoms of stress are most evident in the already weakened areas of the body. This why different people have different responses to stress, and why the symptoms differ in severity. The key is to strengthen and balance in the already weakened areas of the body. This should lessen the impact  of everyday stresses in our lives. Stress is naturally occurring element in our lives; however its amplification is in our control.

Listen carefully to your body if you are observing signs of stress. Control the problem before your symptoms become severe. If your car exhibited signs of a problem, you would quickly bring it to a service centre before the problem worsened. In a similar way, listen to your body and prevent signs and symptoms from escalating. Remember that you  will probably replace your car within ten years, but your body needs to last a life time. Treat your body well and ensure a good quality lifetime.