family health

When you hear “retirement strategy”, what do you think about?

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retirement strategy

I’ll bet you think about some sort of financial strategy that you either are using, paying attention to, focusing on, or thinking about in order to be able to retire with enough money/financial resources to live out the remainder of your life.

I’ll bet that you, or someone in your family, has spent time, energy, and money, learning about and consulting with people who give advice on retirement strategies.

The concept is always the same: “How do I ensure that the efforts that I make NOW can positively affect me in the future.” 

It’s interesting to me that this seems to be universally important for people. In fact, we have an entire industry focused on this topic. You see books about it, commercials for it, advertising in print, articles online, blogs and even podcasts on the topic of preparing for retirement.

Here’s the thing: when I think of retirement strategy, I think of having ALL of the resources that I’ll need, not just money. In fact, I think that there is one resource that I’ll need when I retire that is more important than money – MY HEALTH! 

What good is having early retirement with sufficient money if you don’t have your health?

I have met hundreds of patients over the years that had the financial resources to live when they retired, but were near bankruptcy when it came to their health. It’s almost like people just assume that health will still be there without effort.  Not true!

If you want to still have your health 10, 20, even 40 years from now, what would you have to do NOW?

What type of INVESTMENT would you need to make NOW? 

What specialist would you need to consult with, hire, and learn from in order to have health in the future?

What would you need to prioritize today in order to have what you want decades from now?  When is a good time to start investing in your health?  At what point would it be too early to stop investing in your health?

As a chiropractor, I can share that getting adjusted regularly lays the foundation for your body to be able to FUNCTION (work properly), DEVELOP (make new healthy cells after stressful times in your life), and HEAL (overcome damage from stressors in your life) as efficiently as possible.

If your body can to that (function, heal and recreate new cells properly) you lay the foundation for the kind of health that you want to have in the future.

Eating well, exercising, thinking positively, growing yourself spiritually, etc are all things that you can do to INVEST in your health. You can do any (or all) of these things starting TODAY!

Or you could do the latter. 

You could be like the person that NEVER saved a penny their whole life, and then ended up in financial crisis. This is the same as the person who never invests into their health, and then loses all of their money trying to recover it in the future.

There is a recent example of a patient that I saw this week. Over the last 10 years, Jerry has started and stopped chiropractic care 6 times. Every time he restarted, he was in crisis and needed extra care to recover back to functional levels.  In that time, because he was inconsistent, his health status has gone up and down like a yo-yo. Not OK! 

If he just stayed consistent, we calculated that he would have had 25% fewer adjustments in that time (saving him about $3,600) and his health would have been consistently better. In that scenario, had he been more consistent, his future health prognosis would have been much higher too.

What’s the bottom line? Just like financial investing, if you want your “health account” to be full in the future, keep consistently investing in your health now.

You, and your family, are worth it.

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Guest Blog by Dr. Ryan French

Dr. Ryan FrenchDr. Ryan French is a family chiropractor practicing in Bolton, Ontario. Together with his team of incredible support staff and associate doctors, he has built the largest family chiropractic practice in the area.  He is a health coach, mentor, teacher, and writer.

He is blessed with an incredible family, including loving wife Suzanne, and 4 beautiful children, Jessica, Jackson, Jordyn and Jacob.

Dr. Ryan received his doctorate from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto.  His other academic accomplishments include a Degree in Kinesiology from McMaster University in Hamilton, a post-doctorate fellowship in pregnancy and pediatric care rendering him the title FICPA (Fellow of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association), certification in The Webster In-Utero Constraint Technique (better known as the breech-turning technique), certification to practice Clinical Acupuncture, and many other courses in nutrition, exercise, and preventive health care.

His hobbies include coaching, hockey, fishing, golf, and never-ending learning!

He offers one-on-one mentoring to other chiropractors to help them grow and achieve more.  If interested in more information, send an email to [email protected].

He can be reached at Inside Out Family Chiropractic, 27 King Street East, Bolton, Ontario. OFFICE PHONE: 905-951-9911.
WEB: www.insideoutchiro.org
EMAIL: [email protected]
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/DrRyanFrench
TWITTER @DrRyanFrench

 

Put A Little Namaste In Your Life

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Namaste in your life yoga

If you are like me, I’ve often been intimidated to go to a public yoga class because of all the yogi terms that I’m not familiar with. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, as I floundered on my mat, attempting to mimic what the teacher was doing.

Instead, I’ve always opted to do yoga in the comfort of my own home. Thankfully, I’ve learned a lot of the “yoga talk” by now and could probably follow along in a public class but I have to admit, the first few times I did yoga, I felt like a fish out of water. There was a whole new vocabulary that I wasn’t familiar with and it made me wonder if others feel the same way. 

Yoga has offered me a new way of life. My online teacher always talks about the healing benefits of yoga, and in the moment, I didn’t really feel like it was doing much for me. But I persevered. After a couple off months of a consistent yoga practice, I started to get what she was talking about. I felt like I was processing my feelings differently, and I was more in tune with my body.

The Sanskrit language is often used in yoga practice to describe the poses or postures that are done. We are going to break down some of the most common terms used, to hopefully make you more comfortable in a yoga class.

Guru: The English language has adopted the use of this Sanskrit word to indicate someone who is an expert in their field of study. For example, he/she is a technology guru.  However, when used in a yoga class, guru refers to a person who is a spiritual mentor or teacher.

Mantra: A mantra is an instrument of the mind, where a sound or phrase is used to enter a state of meditation or intention.

Mudra: During a yoga practice different hand gesture or mudras are used. Two very common mudras are anjali mudra, where the palms are pressed together and are positioned in front of the heart and gyana mudra where the index finger and thumb are touching.

Savasana: This is a yoga pose that is usually performed at the end of the yoga practice. It is also known as the corpse pose, where you are lying flat on your back, legs are extended and palms are at your sides and are facing upwards. This pose is meant to ignite total body relaxation so you can assimilate the benefits of your yoga practice.

Namaste: This is usually said at the end of a yoga practice and it literally means, I bow to you. Much like a prayer is ended with Amen, a yoga class normally ends with Namaste.

Prana: Prana describes the life force in the body.

Pranayama: Yoga utilizes the breath to inspire motion, and pranayama defines the control of the breath. It is a conscious control of breath inhalation, retention, and exhalation.

Now that you are familiar with some common yoga terms, it’s time to put a little Namaste in your life. Roll out your mat and get comfortable with your yoga practice.

How To Throw A Sugar Free Kids Birthday Party

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Sugar Free Kids Birthday Party

What do you get when you mix a group of children with too much cake, junk food, candy and party games? A recipe for overtired, cranky, and overstimulated children.

The excitement of a birthday party can be enough to trigger emotional behaviour in children. The tradition of eating pizza and cake, followed by presents and games just doesn’t make sense anymore.

Children are sensitive to what they eat, and because they don’t have the same emotion regulation that adults have developed, hosting a birthday party for your child could be more than you had bargained for.

Below are some tips to host a kid-friendly party, that considers their health. Trust me, other parents are going to thank you!

The Cake

Food colouring and dyes that are used in cake icing have been linked to hyperactivity and allergic reactions. Ultimately, cake icing is a mixture of sugar, unhealthy fats, and chemicals. The cake itself is not much healthier being high in sugar, gluten and is likely high in fat as well. Opt for a homemade cake that is lower in sugar and fat and free of harmful food dyes. To avoid the traditional cake altogether, there are plenty of ideas on the internet to make a beautiful cake out of fruit. The base is a large watermelon and other fruits are used to decorate the “cake.” 

The Drinks

Avoid high-sugar drinks like pop and juice that can cause children to be on a sugar-high. Create a buffet of chopped strawberries, raspberries, orange slices, lemon slices, and cucumber slices to add to water. Children will be excited to make their own flavoured drinks and they can experiment with different combinations.

The Food

Serving a group of children a meal that they all like can be the largest obstacle of any birthday party. It’s pretty safe to say that most children like pizza and chicken nuggets and French fries. So, rather than buying these highly processed options at the grocery store, make your own at home so you have control of the ingredients. Make individual pizzas on pita bread so each child can select the ingredients they want on their pizza. Homemade chicken fingers and baked French fries are also a fast and convenient solution.

The Goodie Bag

Most parents can agree that the junk that comes home in a goodie bag from a child’s birthday party is ready for the garbage. Candy, chocolates, and little plastic toys do not offer any health benefit for the child. Instead, opt for activities like painting a picture or a craft that children can take home with them in place of a goodie bag. Alternatively, have children decorate a picture frame and take a group photo and print a copy for each child to put in their picture frame.

The Activities

The key to a fun birthday party is to be prepared with more activities than you think you might need to fill the time of the birthday party. Create a dance party and have kids be creative in making a music video. Have a scavenger hunt where children have to work together to find clues and a prize.

Cracking Open The Biggest Myths About Chiropractic

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Cracking open the Myths of Chiropractic

Have you ever heard someone say,

“ohhh I go to the chiropractor, but I don’t let him/her touch my neck.”

Or, “I would never go to a chiropractor, they crack bones!”

Well let me “crack” it open for you and dispel any myths about chiropractic that you may have heard.

First off, let’s define what an adjustment is and what the benefit is to the body.

A chiropractic adjustment is the manual manipulation of the vertebrae of the spine to correct structural alignment and improve the body’s physical function. When the bones of the spine are not in proper alignment (also called a subluxation), pressure on the nervous system can result, leading to health problems, pain, and diminished information flow from the brain to the rest of the body.

Now that we understand what a subluxation is, let’s examine four of the most common myths of chiropractic.

Myth 1: An adjustment to the neck causes stroke

Based on current data, the chances of having a stroke after having a chiropractic adjustment to the neck is 1 in 8 million. However, the benefit of removing subluxations in the neck region is to provide a clear path for the brain to be able to communicate with the rest of the body via the spinal cord. As blockages occur over time, the messages from the brain are not able to travel as efficiently to the rest of the body, so removing these blockages is crucial to maintaining health.

Myth 2: Getting an adjustment hurts.

The most common response of a chiropractic patient is relief and relaxation. Taking the pressure off of the nervous system allows the body to function better and that leads to a feeling of comfort. Occasionally, a patient will report muscle tenderness after an adjustment that can be likened to muscle soreness after a workout.

Myth 3: Once you go to the chiropractor, you will have to be a patient for life.

Once you truly understand the benefits of chiropractic care, you will want to be a patient for life! Most people begin seeing a chiropractor because they are experiencing a particular complaint (ex. back pain, headaches, frequent illness). Once that complaint is under control, it is up to the patient to decide how they want to proceed with their care. It is important to understand that continuing on a maintenance plan will help to diminish the effects of a stressful lifestyle, repetitive movements at work, and can help to boost the immune system, energy levels and overall level of health, while preventing illness and problems in the future.

Myth 4:  Chiropractors Crack Your Bones

Yes, the sound that is made during a chiropractic adjustment does make a cracking noise. But the reality is that your bones are not being cracked, but rather as the joints of the spine are moved back into proper alignment, the fluid around the joints releases a gas, which makes a popping sound. Remember, eggs get cracked, your bones get adjusted!

If you have further questions about chiropractic care, feel free to discuss your questions and concerns with your chiropractor, they are experts in their field.

Have you ever been angry at your kids for ’swooshing’?

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Coconut Oil Pulling

What if you discovered swooshing could keep cavities and plaque away, clean out bacterial infections, as well as reduce fungal overgrowth too….and may even improve their memory, and overall health… ?

Would you let them swoosh now?

“What is swooshing? “ you ask?

Swooshing is my daughter’s word for ‘oil pulling’. Oil what? Do you remember frothing soda pop, chocolate milk, or kool-aid through your teeth as a kid, or continually playing at running water thru your teeth after brushing them as a kid? I would get in trouble for playing with my food or dawdling at the morning bathroom sink. But children instinctively do what is healthy for them, whether we know it or not.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification. It involves the use of pure oils (I use a teaspoon of coconut oil) as an agent for pulling harmful bacteria, fungus, and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums and even throat and sinuses.

The most effective oil pulling is done by swishing the oil around the mouth for approximately 10-15 minutes and then spitting it out into the garbage or toilet. (Coconut oil will plug your sink drains). Do NOT swallow the oil you have been “swooshing!”

The oil mixes with the saliva, turning it into a thin, white liquid. Lipids in the oils begin to pull out toxins from the saliva. As the oil is swished around the mouth, teeth, gums and tongue, the oil continues to absorb toxins, and usually ends up turning thick and viscous and white. Once the oil has reached this consistency, it is spit out before the toxins are reabsorbed. Then brush your teeth and tongue with your favourite natural minty toothpaste.

You will probably have to build your jaw muscles up to 5 minutes, then increase to 10, until you can manage 15 minutes as you walk around the house styling your hair, making coffee etc. This makes for a quiet morning… it also makes the pain receptors in your jaw (12,000 of them) recalibrate and go from snail mail communication in your body to zipline! Pain in the body is reduced and body starts the healing process!

My dental hygienist can’t believe the healthy condition of my family’s mouths. Swooshing removes cavities, plaque and scale over time…reduces candida infections and thrush too.

 Other possible benefits of oil pulling for oral health include:

• Overall strengthening of the teeth and gums and jaws
• Prevention of diseases of the gums and mouth, such as cavities and gingivitis
• Prevention for bad breath
• Potential holistic remedy for bleeding gums
• Prevention of dryness of the lips, mouth and throat
• Possible holistic treatment for TMJ and general soreness in the jaw area
• Migraine headache relief, accelerates healing from concussions
• Correcting hormone imbalances
• Reducing inflammation of arthritis
• May help with gastro-enteritis
• Aids in the reduction of eczema
• May reduce symptoms of bronchitis
• Helps support normal kidney function
• May help reduce sinus congestion
• Some people report improved vision
• Helps reduce insomnia
• Reduced hangover after alcohol consumption
• Aids in reducing pain
• Reduces the symptoms of allergies
• Helps detoxify the body of harmful metals and organisms

So maybe we should rethink yelling at our kids and and join them as we all play with swooshing. 

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Blog by Guest Author:

01Jessy headshotJessy Morrison

Jessy Morison  has tremendous success in helping those to whom doctors have given no hope of recovery at all to Reclaim their Life, Refresh their Mind, Reclaim their Body, and Renew their Spirit.
A Reiki Master Teacher, BodyTalk & EFT Practitioner, Soul Genesis Facilitator, Founding Member of the Ontario BodyTalk Assoc., and Founding Member of The Whole Life Learning Collective, and Transformational Tuesdays, Jessy is also a  contributing author to “The Joy of an Ex”, Women With Vision Magazine, and Another View Magazine.

You can contact her at
[email protected]
705-241-8680
www.jessymorrison.ca

The Diaper Debate: Which side are you on?

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Diaper Debate

We have to admit that becoming a parent comes with its fair share of new responsibilities and parents are presented with a plethora of decisions to make about how they plan to raise their children. Decisions include the birthing process, breastfeeding, introducing solid foods, diaper choices and everything in between.

Today, we will dive into the topic of diapers to help make this decision a little easier for you and your growing family. The average baby has 2500 diaper changes in their first year of life. Yes, you heard me right, TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED diaper changes, making this a huge investment in your child’s first year of life. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of the three most common diaper options.

Disposable Diapers

The most obvious benefit of disposable diapers is the convenience factor. Dirty diapers are disposed of directly into the trash and there is no further thought or mess to consider.

In my opinion, the cons of disposable diapers far outweigh the convenience that they offer.

According to research done by the Real Diaper Association:

•136 kilograms of wood,

• 23 kilograms of petroleum and

• 9 kilograms of chlorine

are required to manufacture enough disposable diapers for one child for one year.

The use of petroleum and chorine products pose a significant risk to children as their delicate skin is in contact with these harmful materials, not to mention the incredible amount of wasted resources and the cost of purchasing these products.

Eco-friendly Disposable Diapers

Eco-friendly disposable diapers also present the issue of filling up our landfills with more waste, but due to their use of more environmentally friendly raw materials, the hazard to the environment and to our babies is less pronounced. Careful research still needs to be done before settling on a company that makes eco-friendly diapers. Just like any product that is labeled “natural” or “eco-friendly,” research and discretion is still required to make an informed decision because labels are often misleading and not entirely true on many products.

Cloth Diapers

The initial investment may seem daunting, but if you spread the cost out over the years that you’ll be purchasing disposable diapers, it ends up being a significant cost savings.

Cloth diapers can also be passed down to younger siblings, making the initial investment more justifiable.

The obvious benefit of cloth diapers is their lower impact on the environment because they aren’t being thrown away.

But the primary benefit of cloth diapers is the fact that they are usually produced with organic fabrics and do not contain harmful chemicals (like the disposable diapers have in their absorbent pads).

The drawback of cloth diapers is the fact that more time has to be invested by parents in the washing and drying of the diapers on a daily basis.

Regardless of how we slice it, there is going to be some form of environmental impact from the use of diapers. Disposable diapers will take years and years to degrade in a landfill and contribute to the amount of waste that is generated each year, while cloth diapers need to be washed and dried regularly, utilizing water and electricity. Your goal should be to choose what feels right to you as a parent, considering your lifestyle, values, and budget.

Embracing Technology: For The Good Of Your Health?

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Embracing Technology

Over 80% of the population experiences significant back or neck pain at some point in their lives. In fact, it is the second highest reason for missed work days right behind the common cold and flu.

With back and neck pain at such epidemic levels, sadly, traditional medicine still has dismal success rates with treating the more difficult cases. Many patients have been through the gauntlet of medical and alternative therapies and have still not found a lasting solution.

If you are in this position, you are definitely not alone. The problem though is not medicine itself. It is the fact that the majority of back and neck pain has a physical cause. It requires the appropriately applied physical solution.

Mechanics of Back Pain

Through injury, and as the spine begins to age, some people begin to lose space between the spinal bones. This creates damaging pressure on the discs, joints, bones, nerves and other associated structures. This pressure creates swelling or “inflammation.”

Research is showing that the presence of this inflammation is the number one predictor of pain. If pressure and inflammation are the major reasons for pain, then the solution must focus on these factors. The logical solution becomes employing effective methods of directly removing the damaging pressure (or cause of inflammation) and directly removing the inflammation itself by enhancing circulation or flushing out of the affected area.

Focus On The Cause

There was no solution that focused on both causes of pain present in difficult back and neck pain patients, so at Spine Advanced, we set out to create it by concentrating on the cause.

This solution would combine Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression to reduce the physical pressure on the damaged structures and Class 4 Laser Therapy to increase circulation, clearing inflammation and reducing pain.

This simultaneous combination of therapies perfectly addresses both major components of back and neck pain systematically. It reduces both pressure and inflammation while stimulating healing. The Spine Specialist Laser Assisted Spinal Restoration (L.A.S.R.) system was born.

Technology is Progress

Technology is greatly enhancing doctors’ capabilities in every field of medicine. This is great news and it bears in mind that doctors must work hard to keep up with advancements to offer the best care available.

For you as a patient, it also means you have many more solutions for your pain than ever before. New treatment technologies are changing the face of healthcare and even evolving in their own spaces. The lasers of 10 years ago are obsolete technology in comparison to those released in the last 3 years. In the tech heavy world we live in it isn’t surprising that advancement moves so fast.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything for your pain look towards embracing new treatment technologies and seek out doctors that offer these advancements. From laser therapy to spinal decompression to the perfect combination of both on The Spine Specialist L.A.S.R. system, technology offers a solution for many patients that thought they just might have to live with their pain. Seek out treatment technology and NO PAIN WILL BE YOUR GAIN.

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Mark Jagger Head ShotBlog by Guest Author: Dr. Mark Jagger, (H) B.A.(Kin),DC
CEO Spine Advanced
Creator of the Spine Specialist

“Dr. Mark Jagger is a leader in medical therapeutic technology innovation.  He is the CEO of Spine Advanced Inc., the manufacturer of the world’s first and only patented treatment device combining automated laser and spinal decompression, The Spine Specialist LASR Treatment Table.  Dr. Jagger is also the active Clinical Director of Spine Advanced Clinical Headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.  He has a passion for achieving the best possible patient outcomes and a special interest in work with difficult spinal conditions previously non-responsive to other therapies.  He is the founder of Laser Enhanced Spinal Decompression (L.E.S.D.), Laser Assisted Spinal Restoration (L.A.S.R.), and Laser Assisted Meniscal Decompression (L.A.M.D.); therapies aimed at enhancing patient results through the unique combination of technologically advanced treatment methods.  He received his Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University in 1998 and his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in 2002.  In addition to his medical device design endeavors, he has been in private practice since 2002 managing multiple clinical facilities and treating thousands of patients per year.”

For more information, visit http://spinespecialistglobal.com/for-patients/ and http://spineadvanced.com.

Join Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spinespecialistglobal

To See A Spine Specialist Treatment Explained:  https://youtu.be/AgyNRrTGdCo

 

Baby Wearing…A Fashion Trend or a Benefit to Your Newborn?

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baby wearing

Baby wearing has long been used by our ancestors and many cultures around the world as a means to care for an infant while maintaining existing responsibilities.

After your baby is born, we need to think of the first 6 to 9 months after birth as the fourth trimester. This fourth trimester is a crucially important time for your baby’s growth and development.

The first nine months were spent in the womb, where the baby is warm, comfortable and is feeling and listening to the rhythms of the mother’s heart, breathing, voice and movement. Once the baby is born, their environment changes drastically, so baby wearing is a means to help the baby adapt to their new reality.

Research shows that skin to skin contact between a baby and its mother promotes brain development, helps the baby adapt to the outside world, promotes milk production in the mother and can help promote healthy weight gain for the infant.

Some of the benefits of baby wearing for the baby are:

  • Close contact with mom or dad promotes development
  • Provides baby with contentment and calmness
  • Creates baby attentiveness and allow for faster learning
  • The sensations and sounds the baby hears and feels while being worn reminds them of the womb experience and balances their environment (Sound of heart beat, sound of breathing, the rhythm of the mother’s walking patterns and voice)

Some of the benefits of baby wearing for mom or dad are:

  • Convenience
  • Baby bonding
  • Allows you to perform tasks while you carry your baby or to care for other children
  • Picks up on needs of baby more easily
  • Easier errands – no need for stroller
  • Easier access for breastfeeding

How to choose the right baby wearing attire

This will likely come down to the preference and comfort for the parent using the attire. Some people will prefer a sling style and others will prefer a more structured support. The style of carrier is less important than following the safety protocols of each individual carrier style.

Baby Wearing Safety Tips

  1. Ensure clear airway. Think of your baby’s airway as a straw that when pinched either slows or restricts completely its effectiveness. When your baby’s chin drops to their chest the airway is being pinched off. Ensure that the baby’s head is positioned in a slightly upward direction to allow for a clear passageway. Also, be sure to provide support to your baby’s neck and back.
  2. Check your baby carrier regularly for wear and tear and to ensure that the it will securely hold the weight of your baby.
  3. Test the baby wearing device using a weight similar to that of your baby before using with your baby. The first time you use the device with your child, use a spotter or do it over a bed or couch to ensure safety.
  4. If you have questions or concerns about baby wearing, speak to your chiropractor, midwife, or other natural health practitioner who is familiar with your family.

With Sources from:

http://www.becomingmamas.com/babywearing/

How many times per day do you shut down your laughter?

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How many times per day do you shut down your laughter?

I’ve heard it said many times in life that “laughter is the best medicine”.

Do you know that it’s impossible to frown, be sad and in the state of stress at the same time as smiling and laughing? Even though this makes perfect sense, how many of us actually take the time to leave our stress behind in favour of the free life-giving, health-promoting joy that is available to us in smiling and laughing in the moments of our daily lives.

While sitting at my desk in front of my computer, contemplating what health subject to write about for this article, my little 6 pound maltese-poodle-chihuahua is barking at me incessantly while the baby is upstairs having a nap.

Like most mothers who see naptime as precious as gold, my initial response is stress… stress that I only have so much time to write this article, stress that her barking will wake the baby up from her much needed nap and I won’t get this done and that I’ll have an overtired cranky baby. If she doesn’t stop barking, mama’s gonna get really mad if she wakes the baby up!!

I decided to get up to see what all the barking was about and my annoyed scowl turned to a smile and my stress turned to laughter as the little yappy barking machine proceeded to play her favourite game of chase around the basement. I take a step in one direction and she runs around the sofa at mach- speed until she almost bumps into me again and then quickly runs the other way in the opposite direction. This game continues until I decide to walk away or until the dog is so tired she collapses, usually it ends because of me. This time I couldn’t help but laugh and smile as I realized that she just wanted to play. My mood changed in an instant.

How many of these free joy-giving moments are we letting pass us by in life in favour of stress?

The stress response in our bodies leads to the release of cortisol, our natural anti-inflammatory made in- house. Too much cortisol leads to the breakdown of our cells and tissues and is not good for our health.

Life insurance companies know that the effect of negative stress in a person’s life destroys health more effectively than almost anything else. What do most people do to deal with stress? Usually dis-engage from life through the use of alcohol, drugs, anti-depressants, overeating, TV, computers, and a multitude of other addictions.

What are you doing to deal with your stress? I challenge you to see the situations in your life from a different perspective. I could’ve continued to get annoyed with the fact that my little loving dog wouldn’t stop barking. Instead I played her game for a while, laughed and smiled, then picked her up and put her on my lap. Now she’s keeping me warm, the baby’s still napping and my article is finished.

I hope you can find something to laugh and smile about today and every day. Don’t believe me? Try it.

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Blog by Guest Author:

Dr. Bernadette VecchioDr Bernadette Vecchio, DC
Dr Bernadette Vecchio is a Chiropractor in Collingwood alongside her husband, Dr David Vecchio. In practice she is passionate about serving families and helping restore their health through Corrective Chiropractic care. Currently on maternity leave, Dr Bernadette is enjoying raising their daughter and getting to know the other new moms in the Collingwood area.

Find Dr. Bernadette and Dr. David at www.innerharmonychiropractic.com and https://www.facebook.com/Inner-Harmony-Family-Chiropractic-790997060930616/

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Here are a few green recipes that are super healthy and very green! (and we promise, no green food colouring!)

Breakfast

Green Pineapple Smoothie Delight

To a high speed blender, add:

2 cups frozen pineapple, diced
2 cups kale or spinach
1 whole orange, with peel removed
1 cored and chopped Granny Smith apple
4 ice cubes
water from a young coconut (or 1 cup water)

Fresh Organic Green Smoothie With Salad, Apple, Cucumber, PineapBlend this up and pour into a tall mug. It will taste somewhat tropical with the pineapple, so maybe add a fancy toothpick umbrella for added fun!

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Lunch

Green Rainbow Salad

Wash a whole head of your favourite greens – romaine, leaf lettuce, spinach or kale.

Tear up your lettuce and add to a large bowl.

Add more greens…
avocado
green grapes
diced cucumber
green pepper
brocoli

healthy fresh vegetable salad and forkThen add your rainbow colours…
red, orange and yellow peppers
cherry tomatoes
shredded purple cabbage
blueberries, and raspberries if you have them.

Green Salad Dressing

Squeeze 3 limes into a bowl
add a drizzle of olive oil
a few shakes of salt
a dash of pepper
10 small stalks of cilantro, chopped

Stir this up and pour over your salad. Enjoy!

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Dinner

Green Broccoli Soup

This is my Mom’s recipe she is sharing with us today. It’s quite delicious, so I hope you enjoy it!

Steam 2 heads of broccoli
Peel, chop and boil 2 medium-large potatoes (enough for 1.5 cups of potato)
Chop 2 onions and sauté in frying pan until translucent/golden

Add all of these to a large crock pot and add;

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tbsp chopped chives (or to taste)
1 tbsp chopped parsley (or to taste)

Top view of a broccoli soup in a white bowl

Use your hand mixer to chop all of your ingredients into a fine, soup-like texture.

Heat in your crock pot on high for 2 hours and enjoy!

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Dessert

Green Fruit Salad

Peel and chop 3 kiwis into bite sized pieces
Core and chop 1 Granny Smith apple
Chop 20 grapes in half
Chop 1/4 honey dew melon
Core and chop 1 green pear
Peel and chop 1 orange

Add all of these to a large bowl and mix. The orange juice will keep the apple and pear pieces from browning and make a lovely, sweet juice to top off your salad bowl. Enjoy!

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!