Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN, Author at Family Health Advocacy

Stressed to the MAX!

July 22, 2020January 25, 2017 by Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Hippocrates in 460-377 BC was aware of ‘stress’. So why has it taken so long for ‘stress’ and mental health issues to finally receive some acknowledgement in OUR time? Walter Cannon in 1929 confirmed that the stress response is part of a unified body-mind system to take flight or fight. Canadian scientist Hans Selye spent 40 years of his career extending Cannon’s concepts and has since made stress a major concept in psychology and medicine today.

Lately, everyone seems to be getting on this ‘hot’ topic. The media, talk shows, books, research, the Occupational Health & Safety Act, Worker’s Safety and Insurance Board, and the list goes on, finally want to talk about stress and mental health issues. What took them so long?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Mental Health as, ‘The state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.’

The Canadian Mental Health Association defines Stress as ‘the body’s response to a real or perceived threat. That response is meant to get people ready for some kind of action to get them out of danger. But most of the threats people face today aren’t something that they can fight or run away from. These threats are usually problems that people have to work through. Stress is a reaction to a situation—it isn’t about the actual situation.’

Here are my thoughts about stress and mental health issues:

They are REAL. They EXIST.

Very few understand the IMPACT stress and mental health issues have to one’s life, unless you’ve been there, or know someone that’s been there. For those of you who are still sitting on the fence as to whether or not you think this is truly an illness, I would say, ‘it’s time to wake up’. This illness is affecting 1 out of 4 people daily! People lose their relationships, their jobs, their motivation to live, their clarity, their understanding of self AND finding all that again, takes time, patience and plenty of love and support. It’s a long and up hill battle to get your life back, and to eventually find out that your life will never be the same because, THIS stress, mental health issue, changes you, forever.

Have a heart.

If you feel a friend or a loved one is not their self, take the take to listen and extend a helping hand. Suggest natural therapies such as homeopathy, naturopathy, counseling, chiropractic and other modalities to assist them back to health, to work, and to their life again. Slowly, with understanding and guidance, those experiencing stress and mental health issues, will make a recovery to a place of wellness. Until then, direct them to organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association or Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, or a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker or other professional that has an expertise in the field. Together, we can make a difference in someone’s life with compassion and genuine interest by acknowledging and honoring the stress they are going through with support and direction to expert care.

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Blog by Guest Author:

Lucie M.H. Fournier RN, COHN(C), BA (Psych)
Founder/Workplace Health Strategist
With over 30 years of experience in disability management, and a return on investment on average of 1:7, Fournier disAbility & Health provides customized and results oriented services in Absenteeism Management including Attendance, Sick Time/Short, Long Term Disability, and WSIB claims for employers across Ontario.
Expertise in 5 distinct niches of disAbility management include:
1. Complex claims management resolution
2. Mental health claim return to work & accommodations
3. Advanced level training for internal claims manager to make a significant impact on the health of the employee and wealth of the organization
4. Transitional Leadership when moving to & from a 3rd party disAbility Management company
5. Sensitive claims & disAbility management of professional staff, such as HR, health team, and/or executives such as supervisors, managers, directors
Find Lucie at www.FournierHealth.com and https://www.facebook.com/fournierhealth/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciemhfournier

Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Jo-Anne Richardson has almost a decade of experience managing a chiropractic office and educating patients on how chiropractic can allow your body to express optimal health. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and holds a Degree in Communications. She loves to experiment with raw vegan recipes, loves to salsa dance, travel and learn new holistic health information to share tips with everyone who visits the office.

Put Your Phone Down & Go Outside!!

July 22, 2020January 24, 2017 by Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

How many times have you checked your phone today? Email? Facebook? Instagram? Snapchat? Linked In? Text Messages? Many of us just simply do not make it a priority to get unplugged and spend time outside. Of course, in the northern hemisphere, the climate has a great deal to do with this. If we don’t play an outdoor sport, or actively enjoy outdoor activities, we may spend the whole winter on the couch!

Alternatively, during the heat of the summer, many of us stay indoors for the air conditioning!!! This gives us way too much inside, without the opportunity to get fresh air and movement! It also gives us a great deal more access to screen time.

When is the last time you unplugged and went outside to ENJOY being outside? Not just running to your car because you’re late for work?

There are many studies showing that many of us are addicted to our devices. We are compulsively checking notifications, bells, chimes and rings. We are tuned in to hear our device from miles away, even if we never let it out of our sight!

This problem is compounded for our children. The time that they spend with a device is time that they are not interacting with you or other humans.

Technology & The Effects On Children

At a young age, children look to their parents for reassurance and direction. This is where they need to receive feedback on right and wrong, as well as connecting with you while developing normal attachments.

When young children play games on a screen, win a game or get an answer correct, there is no one there to offer reassurance, so they lack an opportunity for confidence building by connecting with you.

The same is true when the kids are playing without a device. They look to their parents for reassurance. If you are not unplugged and busy on your phone, you miss an opportunity for eye contact, a smile or something to let them know you are paying attention to them. Click here to read, “Is Today’s Technology Destroying Your Health?”

What Is The Answer?

Get unplugged!! Find a few hobbies that your whole family likes to do, and do them often! Play board games, go hiking, skiing, or skating. Learn to dance, go swimming or learn a new healthy recipe to make together. Put your favourite devices in another room. Turn off the TV and maybe put on some music instead if you are at home. For a great family recipe, click here for our Chocolate Bread/Cake Recipe.

It’s so easy to surf the channels for something to watch, browse YouTube, hit Netflix or scroll through your social media feeds and relax. But don’t forget to actually find some ways to spend time with your family and grow together. Try learning a new skill, enjoying a new hobby or connecting more frequently with your loved ones. Click here to discover 50 Fun Things to Do Outside With Kids as a Family.

Additionally, it is really important for you to turn your devices off at least an hour before bed to wind down naturally. Many of us work on a computer during the day, on top of having our device attached to us. The artificial light so close to our faces in the evening can wreak havoc on our circadian rhythm. Evenings are a time to enjoy more dull light, to let our bodies know that it’s time to slow down and ease into sleep. With having around the clock access to artificial light sources, it can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. For more information, click here to read, “Ten Tricks To Get The Best Sleep EVER!”

So have fun developing some new hobbies with your family, and put your phone down every once in awhile!!!

Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Chiropractic Heals Nothing!

July 22, 2020January 23, 2017 by Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

In the mainstream world, chiropractic is thought of as healing the back and neck pain. However, in reality, chiropractic doesn’t heal anything!! What it actually does is remove the interference (subluxation) in your central nervous system, which allows YOUR BODY to restore health through its innate healing abilities. All on its own!!

Your body functions because your brain says it must. Your brain controls every aspect of your body with messages that are sent through your central nervous system which is encased by the bones of your spine. If any of the bones in your spine become out of alignment, they put pressure on your nervous system.

Misalignments, also referred to as a subluxation, can happen from hunching over at your computer desk, continually looking down at your phone, or repetitive use injuries. They can also happen due to stress, traumas and toxins.

When your spinal bones put pressure on your nervous system, the nerves are unable to properly send all of the messages from your brain to the rest of your body to allow your body to function and heal at 100%.

This is why it is critically important to have your spine checked regularly by a Doctor of Chiropractic. They can identify areas in your spine that have shifted out of alignment, and adjust them back into alignment.

Once your bones are trained to stay back in alignment, the interference to your nervous system are removed. Your brain can now regain the ability to communicate at 100% with the rest of your body. Thus, allowing function and healing to return.

This philosophy is true of healing back pain and any other health condition experienced. For example, if you had a subluxation (misalignment) at the area of your spine that allows the messages from your brain to get to your stomach, your stomach would be unable to function at 100%. You may experience various digestive issues and discomfort. By removing the interference to the nerves that direct the function and healing of your stomach, health is able to return. For further help with gut help, click here to read, “6 Easy Ways to Improve Your Gut Health”.

What Your Body Wants!

Your body wants to be at 100% health all of the time. Give it the opportunity to create healing by removing the interference. These interference’s are generally subluxations in your spine. However, they can also be emotional stress and toxins you are exposed to.

To support your healing, it is important to feed yourself with care, try:

Focus on eating as many colourful fruits and vegetables as you can. Expose yourself to a vast quantity of phytonutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. Click here to read, “Are You Eating Enough Colour?”
Drink lots of water and reduce your consumption of caffeinated or sugary drinks. Click here to read, “Sugar And Cancer – How One Affects The Other”.
Remove harsh chemicals from your daily life. They may be lurking in all of your cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, personal hygiene products and cosmetics. You can clean 99% of your house with baking soda and vinegar! Also, there are toxin free shampoo, conditioners, deodorants, shaving creams, make up and more all available at your local health food store. Click here to read, “What chemicals are you putting on your face?” and click here to read, “Are you poisoning your family?”

Have your spine checked to remove the interference’s from your nervous system so that you can express optimal health! Click here to find a chiropractor in your area.

Remember, the very first subluxation happens at birth, so be sure to have your little ones checked too.

Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Are You Still Consuming Dairy Products? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Be!

July 22, 2020January 16, 2017 by Jo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Are you a big fan of dairy milk? Did you know that humans are the only species that drink milk past infancy? Also, we are the only species to drink the milk of another animal – that grows to be 1500 pounds!!

If you are still drinking cow’s milk, it’s time to ask yourself two question. Firstly, are you a calf? Secondly, are you aiming to grow to 1500 pounds?

Dairy milk is specifically designed to nourish a baby cow. It contains all of the nutrients necessary to grow a calf into a healthy, 1500 pound adult cow. The same is true for human breast milk. It is perfectly designed to nourish a developing infant.

Dairy milk contains proteins that are much larger than those in human breast milk. As such, it is very difficult for humans to break it down effectively. Because of this, our body identifies dairy milk as an invader in our system. So in response, our bodies go into defensive mode. Dairy sensitivities and allergies can then develop which can wreak havoc on your immune system long term.

Common Dairy Misconception: But If I Don’t Drink Milk, Where Will I Get My Calcium?

The dairy industry has done an excellent job marketing milk to “protect your bones”. Assigning it as the go-to substance to fulfill your daily requirements for calcium. Studies have reported higher contents of calcium circulating in the blood stream after drinking milk. However, what these studies fail to illustrate is the source of where the calcium came from.

Milk creates a very acidic residue inside the body. In order to maintain a healthy pH internally, it must be buffered immediately by an alkaline balance. Your body’s response to this acidic effect (caused by ingesting milk) is to release calcium stored inside your bones. This will buffer the acidic levels and bring them back to a safe reading.

So, yes. After drinking milk, there is more calcium in your bloodstream. However, this is only because your body had to release it from its own storage inside your bones. For more information on bone health, click here to read, “Calcium without Vitamin K2 is a Heart Breaker”.

So Where Will I Get My Calcium?

Where do cows get their calcium? Greens! It is much easier for your body to break down and assimilate nutrients from fruit and vegetables. Especially compared to breaking down dense, heavy foods like meat and dairy products. Include the following in your diet for great sources of calcium that your body can easily use.

For some great ‘green’ recipes, click here to read, “Happy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes”.

Important Tip:

Focus on magnesium if you are worried about your bone health and calcium levels. The majority of adults are deficient in magnesium. As a result, serious health issues may develop. Having excessive amounts of calcium in the body, while having a deficiency in magnesium, can lead to the following according to Dr. Mercola:

Heart disease
Problems with your heart muscle spasming
Sudden heart attack

Be sure you are getting enough magnesium. Eat your green leafy veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, and avocados.

Stressed to the MAX!

Put Your Phone Down & Go Outside!!

When is the last time you unplugged and went outside to ENJOY being outside? Not just running to your car because you’re late for work?

Technology & The Effects On Children

What Is The Answer?

Chiropractic Heals Nothing!

When your spinal bones put pressure on your nervous system, the nerves are unable to properly send all of the messages from your brain to the rest of your body to allow your body to function and heal at 100%.

What Your Body Wants!

Common Dairy Misconception: But If I Don’t Drink Milk, Where Will I Get My Calcium?

So Where Will I Get My Calcium?

Important Tip:

Further Reading

References: