The small health changes that can have a big benefit →

The small health changes that can have a big benefit

ON MAY 8, 2018 BY TARYN DAVIES

 

 

 

 

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Being healthier doesn’t require a drastic lifestyle change, in fact, there are plenty of small habits you can adopt that will provide a big benefit to your overall health and wellbeing.

If you want to make your life a little healthier, these are the small changes that can make a big difference.

Table of Contents

STAND, SIT AND WALK TALL

It’s important that you consider your posture on a daily basis, slouching not only looks bad because it leads to a bulging stomach and round shoulders, but it can also have affect on your spine and breathing. When you slouch you put unnecessary pressure on the spring, and this reduce how efficient your breathing is.

It’s important that you sit, stand and walk tall, lengthening through the crown of your head, you’ll not only benefit the body but you’ll appear slimmer and taller too.

TAKE A BREAK FROM TECHNOLOGY

It’s not just our phones that we need to take regular breaks from, it’s pretty much all technology as they can cause electrical sensitivity which leaves to headaches, fatigue, sleeplessness and dizziness.

Electrical sensitivity can interfere with your body’s natural rhythm, so it’s important that you take breaks from it. Things that you might be surprised to learn can affect them include using the hairdryer for more than ten minutes, having a digital clock by the bed and sitting for too long and too close to the computer screen.

EAT YOUR FOOD PROPERLY

It’s important that we take time to chew our food properly, a minimum of 30 times for each mouthful is recommended. Chewing helps to helps to stimulate the enzymes that are needed to ensure proper digestion. Chewing this many times also guarantees that the food you’re eating is mixed with saliva and isn’t swallowed with too much gas.

If you don’t break down your food properly, it can lead to many different gut problems, things like gas and bloating.

START THE DAY WITH HOT WATER AND LEMON

You’ve definitely heard this one before, but it’s a good one that should definitely be introduced into your daily routine. Lemons are great for helping to support your digestion, which is a great way to start the day. The fruit can wear down enamel, so it could be best to drink it through a straw, but the fact they help with fat digestion can help your body to absorb certain nutrients better too.

 

 

MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT WITH YOUR SLEEP

Getting enough sleep is imperative for good health, plus it makes you feel and look better too. Not only that but quality sleep can also boost your metabolism and memory, reduce the feelings of stress, and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you need an extra hand getting some better sleep, a magnesium supplement could help. If you’re deficient in magnesium it could help with your quality of sleep as it can relax your muscles and nerves.

SNACK ON NUTS

Instead of reaching for crisps or chocolate when hunger strikes, keep almonds handy because they’re a great healthier snack option. Not only are the packed with protein, but they also have linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid, are an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, copper and phosphorus.

TAKE A WALK ON LUNCH

As well as getting you to stretch your legs, going for a walk on lunch, for around 15 minutes should be enough to get the vitamin D you need from sun exposure. Ensuring you get enough vitamin D is important as it can help with symptoms associated with mild depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Plus, it also helps with the absorption of calcium, which is vital for good bone health, as well as helping to boost your immunity too.

MAKE SEX A REGULAR OCCURRENCE

Having sex regularly can make you a happier and more confident person, all thanks to the love hormone, oxytocin, that is released during sexual activity.

FAKE YOUR BURGER

Want to cut back on the amount of starchy carbohydrates you eat? Look for fun alternatives to try and make sure you’re not missing out on the foods you love. Portobello mushrooms make great alternatives for burger buns, or to replace the burger itself. Use sturdy greens like romaine lettuce in place of tortilla wraps when having fajitas, and swap out rice for grated cauliflower. These are all great ways of ensuring that you eat plenty of vegetables through the day too.

INTRODUCE A PROBIOTIC

A healthy gut can make a big difference to your overall health, and unless you’re eating plenty of foods to support your gut the best thing you can do is take a quality probiotic. These probiotics help to balance the good and bad levels of bacteria in our gut, and help to ensure that we absorb the nutrients we need and work to fight the bad bacteria.

ADD IN SOME MORE GREENS

We’ve been stressed since we were young the importance of eating our greens, and it still reigns true. If you’re eating plenty of spinach, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts and more, you could try adding in some greens from the sea as well. Try adding in some Chlorella or Spirulina powder into smoothies for an extra dose of vitamin C to help boost your immune system.

BRUSH YOUR BODY

Dry brush your body on a regular basis to help stimulate the circulation, as well aiding lymphatic drainage. Spend five minutes dry brushing your body before you hop in the shower or bath, and always brush towards your heart.

BOOST YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS

Eat more purple foods like plums, red cabbage, aubergine, blueberries, beetroot etc because they’re an excellent source of anthocyanins which are a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants are essential for fighting the free radical damage that we come into contact with on a daily basis, so eating these foods will help to fight the signs of ageing from the inside.

Benefits of Post Pregnancy Massage for Moms

Massage therapy is in high demand in today’s times for the varied benefits it offers to the individual. Post natal massage which is one of its kinds helps the new mum to maintain her cool and energy and effectively deal with the stress and chaos of bringing up a new born at home. It enables her to get some me-time and be reenergized to meet the demands of her new born baby. Following benefits will highlight the important role it plays in the switch to motherhood.

 

Decrease in Stress Levels

All body parts welcome the soothing touch of masseur after undergoing nine months of a changed lifestyle that culminates in the birth of your much awaited child. Many mums also experience post natal blues as they undergo hormonal changes and adjust to the new responsibilities. Muscle relaxation, hike in circulation levels, relieving stress and tension are some of the immediate benefits felt due to the massage therapy.

Relaxation and reduction of stress hormones consequently helps in increasing milk production leading to enhanced breast feeding.

Pain Reliever

Aches and pains in the body after pregnancy are normal. Additional responsibilities of caring for your child along with breast feeding can cause aches in the back, shoulder or arm. Massage is a holistic technique that helps to relieve pain without the need for medication.

Hormone Regulator

Post natal hormone imbalances are regulated in a gentle manner through massage. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is greatly reduced through massage. Massage naturally decreases depression related hormones like serotonin and dopamine and enables the new mum to face the new challenges of motherhood with élan.

Reduction in Swelling

During pregnancy there is a rise in the quantity of the body fluids which have to be balanced later on. Massage enables the excess fluids to be effectively drained out of the body through better lymphatic drainage.

Restful Sleep

Fatigue vanishes, the body is relaxed and the new mum can get restful sleep with massage therapy. Getting sound sleep is number one priority for recovery of the new mum in view of the round-the-clock caring she does for her new baby.

All in all, post pregnancy massages are a must for moms!

Physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy: What's the difference? →

Physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy: What's the difference?

Updated 16 March 2017 at 5:10 pm

First posted 16 March 2017 at 4:58 pm

Not sure what makes physiotherapists different from chiropractors or osteopaths? You're not alone.

If you've ever had a sore back, neck or knee, there's a good chance you sought some kind of treatment for it — most likely from a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath.

The distinction between the three can be extremely confusing at the best of times.

Without knowing too much, it can seem these allied health professionals practise much the same thing: non-invasive, drug-free, manual techniques, which aim to improve physical health and wellbeing.

But scratch the surface and you'll find claims and counter-claims about which method is most likely to work for you.

So who and what do you believe? We take a closer look at each profession to find what they do and how their approach differs.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists specialise in the diagnosis, management and prevention of movement disorders.

The aim of physiotherapy is to rehabilitate and improve a person's ability to move and function, and physios use their expertise in anatomy and physiology to assess and treat people with a range of health conditions.

While physios are mostly known for their treatment of sporting injuries and neck and back pain, they also work with premature babies, people recovering from stroke, those with brain or spinal cord damage, and people with conditions like Parkinson's disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and cystic fibrosis.

What you can expect in a standard physio consultation

A 'typical' physio session may involve:

  • Assessing and diagnosing the patient's condition and needs
  • Working with the patient to set and attain goals
  • Developing a treatment or prevention plan that will take into account lifestyle, activities and general health
  • Prescribing exercise and physical aides if required

Source: Australian Physiotherapy Association

Physios use a combination of manual therapy, movement training and physical and electro-physical agents. According to the Australian Physiotherapy Association, a physio "helps repair damage, reduce stiffness and pain, increase mobility and improve quality of life".

Physiotherapy is an evidence-based clinical health science, and practitioners are required to use treatments only if their effectiveness has been demonstrated in scientific research. But as Dr Andrew Leaver, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney, points out, evidence-based practice is "not a black and white proposition".

"True evidence-based practice is using the best available evidence that you have, and the best available evidence for any intervention is sometimes not that good," Dr Leaver said.

"We don't have robust clinical trials that prove the efficacy of every single thing that we do, but neither does any profession — a lot of medicine is not backed up by robust randomised controlled trials."

Dr Leaver says physios use the best available evidence, apply "clinical reasoning and wisdom" and take into account the patient's individual needs.

As part of physiotherapy, a practitioner will often prescribe a personal exercise program tailored to meet your body's specific needs.

There is no charge to visit a physiotherapist in a public hospital (a GP's referral is needed for outpatient visits) but waiting lists can be as long as several months, the number of visits may be limited, and there are fewer services in rural areas.

For private physios, no referral is needed. An initial consultation is likely to cost about $80.

In Australia, physiotherapists must complete at the very minimum a bachelor degree (usually four years) in physiotherapy, however many practicing physios have a masters or professional doctorate.

All physiotherapists must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency.

Chiropractic

Chiropractors' core focus is the diagnosis, correction and prevention of disorders of the musculoskeletal system (spine, pelvis, muscles, ligaments and joints).

Chiropractic is nearly always associated with spinal and neck manipulations, but it involves a combination of hands-on care, physical therapy modalities (ultrasounds) and exercise.

Despite chiropractic's surging popularity, its proven benefit is fairly limited. The only really strong, often-cited evidence is for lower back pain — and a review of spinal manipulation found that it could alleviate back pain, but that it was no more effective than other common therapies, such as exercise therapy.

When it comes to back pain, however, Dr Leaver says this same critique could be levelled at physiotherapy and osteopathy, given the same mobilisation and manipulation techniques are employed across all three disciplines.

"We draw from the same pool of evidence ... and you can oversimply things but equating a single intervention (such as spinal manipulation) with the name of one profession," Dr Leaver said.

Background Briefing: Crack a baby's back

 

 

 

Chiropractors manipulating the spines of newborns caused an almighty uproar in the profession.

In recent times, the chiropractic profession has come under fire for promoting and practising unsubstantiated therapies that have not been subjected to rigorous scientific testing.

While some chiropractors claim to "treat" non-musculoskeletal conditions, such as infantile colic, bed wetting, asthma, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, period pain, ear infections and high blood pressure, there is no evidence to support these claims. 

Critics argue these claims have the potential to be dangerously misleading.

The notion that spinal adjustment can improve or rectify a host of health conditions is based on a belief held by some chiropractors that misalignments (or "subluxations") in the spine can impair nervous system function, leading to all kinds of human ailments.

By locating and "correcting" these misalignments, some chiropractors believe they can unblock so-called nerve flow and eliminate disease, infection and childhood illness.

This premise does not fit within current scientific understanding of disease (or how to eradicate it).

It is important to note, however, that many chiropractors reject this approach.

"The more evidence-based chiropractors are really limiting their scope of practice to muscular-skeletal conditions and specialising in the spine," Dr Leaver said.

The chiropractic profession has also attracted criticism for the promotion of anti-vaccination views, and just last year, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners discouraged its Fellows from referring to chiropractors.

Chiros work in private practice and do not require a referral. Expect to pay $100 on average for an initial consultation and between $60 and $80 for subsequent consultations.

A chiropractic degree takes five years to complete, and practitioners are regulated by the Chiropractic Board of Australia, which is part of the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency.

Osteopathy

Osteopaths work on the premise that posture, injury, or negative lifestyle patterns compromise anatomical structure and lead to poor health. As practitioners, they look at the relationship between the structure of the body and the way in functions.

According to Osteopathy Australia, practitioners "focus on how the skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, circulation, connective tissue and internal organs function as a holistic unit".

For example, if you see an osteo for a sore knee, they may also take a look at your ankle, pelvis and back. The practitioner might also ask about your medical history, as well as factors that don't appear to be directly related to your current injury.

Like physios and chiros, osteos diagnose and treat injury using non-invasive, manual techniques; orthopaedic and neurological testing, soft tissue manipulation, massage, stretching muscle groups and spinal adjustments. They may also recommend exercises and dietary modifications.

War against natural medicine

 

 

Why do doctors and scientists, who have the backing of the most profitable industry in the world — the pharmaceutical industry — target poorly-funded "alternative medicine" courses?

Similar to chiropractic, osteopathy's proven benefit is fairly limited; there is scarce high-quality research investigating the effectiveness of its "holistic" approach.

There is some evidence for its treatment of lower back pain, typically through spinal manipulation and manual techniques, but the benefits appear to be modest.

"With back pain, one of the things to stress is that we don’t have a cure for it — nobody does," Dr Leaver said.

"A good osteopath will work under an evidence-based paradigm and use interventions on the basis of their proven efficacy."

Patients of osteopaths commonly include those with back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches, joint pain, work-related and repetitive strain injuries and sports-related injuries.

Osteopaths work in private practice and do not require a referral. They typically charge $100 for an initial consultation, which is likely to last between 40 and 60 minutes.

An osteopathy degree takes five years to complete, and practitioners must be registered by law with the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency.

Finding the right practitioner

Whether you see a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath, Dr Leaver says the most important thing is that you find a practitioner who "operates under an evidence-based paradigm".

"So physiotherapy is not a treatment — it's the person who provides the treatment. And similarly, chiropractic is not a treatment — it's the person who provides the treatment."

What you want to avoid, he says, is somebody who makes false promises of a cure and takes too much credit for natural recovery.

"You want to see someone who empowers you look after your own body, and to look after yourself, who teaches you good strategies for dealing with day-to-day pain," Dr Leaver said.

"You don't want to be seeing somebody who is holding out a false promise of a cure with lots of interventional treatment — so somebody who does lots of things to you, rather than teaches you to do things for yourself."

Seeking medical advice

It's important to remember that neither physiotherapists, chiropractors nor osteopaths are doctors — and medical advice should always be sought from a qualified medical practitioner.

If you'd like to visit an allied health professional but aren't sure who would be the best fit, it's wise to first consult your GP.