CranioSacral and Infant Sleeping Problems

 

Infants need lots of sleep. When a baby rubs his eyes that is a sure sign that they are sleepy. Always finish feeding, burping and diaper change before settling baby to sleep. Swaddling your infant provides security and helps him/her fall to sleep but check that they are not too hot. Some infants like to stay close to mom for the first few weeks but it pays to establish a good routine of putting baby into the crib to sleep when you both feel ready.

Some infants may still have difficulty getting to sleep despite mom and dad doing all of the above. Many of these children would have had a difficult birth and go on to develop problems with both feeding and sleeping before I first see them.

When I treat these children I check for any areas of tightness in their body. As these release the baby sighs and relaxes. If the birth has been distressing, we take time to check the effect this has had on the infant, mom (and dad too) if needed. This helps with the bonding process which in turn helps baby to feel more secure and mom to feel more competent. It is common for baby to sleep for a long time after a CranioSacral treatment.  Many parents report that they have had their first night sleep following this CranioSacral treatment.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy for Moms and Babies

 

I see many women come to me for CranioSacral Therapy while they are pregnant. Some women come to me to relieve pain or discomfort they experience; while others come just to support their bonding with baby and for wellness. All are good reasons for treatment. CranioSacral therapy can help relieve or decrease your pain as your body is transitioning and preparing for the baby. It can also help you decrease stress and increase bonding with your baby.

What do you do after baby is born though? I always encourage moms to bring in their babies after they are born as soon as they are able. The birth process can often be quite traumatic and even when it is not baby does have to transition to being out of the womb. Baby’s body needs to learn how to digest, deal with outside stimulation, and a host of other things we no longer think about. CranioSacral Therapy can help that transition.  Moms often can use therapy as well to help them recover from giving birth.

How does that look? Well I would recommend a half an hour for your baby and that will give me enough time to check their whole CranioSacral system and help correct problems they may have. I do encourage mom to book in as well, even if it is just for half an hour to help her transition after birth. I have had moms get treated with baby in a car seat beside the table and I have treated moms while they are holding their baby.  We work with whatever the situation requires.  It is beautiful to see and mother and baby leave the treatment room calmer and more content than when they came in.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Anxious? Stressed?

 

Anxious? Stressed? How can you help yourself to relax, reset and renew?

 With light of recent events most people are anxious, stressed wired and tired. Many people are looking for ways to cope with the new stressors in society. This has also shown up in our children. Many parents are reporting higher anxiety, stress and poor coping skills.

Here are a few ways you can help alleviate anxiety and feel better so you can focus and reset.

1.      Breathe! A simple way to relax your mind and brain is to focus on breathing. An easy exercise is box breathing. You will breath in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breath out for 4 counts and hold for 4 counts. With children do counts of 3.

2.      Meditate, there are many apps such as CALM that will help teach and guide you to slow your mind down and reset

3.      Sleep. Are you sleeping well? 8-9 hours a night? Have you set up good sleeping hygiene with a cool, dark room with no phones or EMF devices in it? Do you have a regular sleeping schedule?

4.      Eating well. Are you eating on the run or taking time to eat and enjoy and chew your food with no distractions? Are you chewing your food for proper digestion? Taking a digestive enzyme, digestive bitters or lemon water after a few bites of your meal with greatly enhance your absorption of key nutrients such as iron, magnesium and zinc which are often depleted in many children and adults. Eat whole foods and refrain from packaged chemical ingredients. JUST EAT REAL FOOD! Avoid sugar and processed foods.

5.      Water intake. Many people are not consuming enough water, out bodes need 3-4 liters per day for healthy cells. Low water intake will make you tired, sore, foggy brained and constipated.

6.      Bowel movements. Are you regular? Meaning 2-3 bowel movements per day within 8 hours after a meal? Refer to the Bristol poop chart to see if your bowel movements are healthy. Many people are depleted in magnesium and other key nutrients and probiotics that affect bowel movements and gut health.

7.      Move your body. Start with a 10 min walk or some form of exercise, put it in your calendar and make it an appointment and build to 30 min per day. Chiropractic care can help you to move your body and help you feel better physically and emotionally. Many patients state they feel emotionally better after an adjustment.

Dr. Joelle Johnson BSc, DC, FICPA is currently talking her certification in childhood and adolescent neurodevelopment and is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. T4R2C3 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca

 

Headaches and Migraines

Migraines are the third most common disease in the world, currently ranked 7th as the most disabling disease. 

Anything from bright screens, loud music or lack of food and water can all be triggers for one of these uncomfortable aches. They are so common that most people just accept them as a part of their life and pop a painkiller so that they can carry on with their day, rather than trying to find and address the cause.

 Just because they are common does not mean they are normal. 

Frequent or not, head or neck pain caused by migraines and tension headaches are not something to live with and endure. No one should feel miserable and irritable, desperately trying to find something to make them go away. Many headaches are caused by damaged structures around the neck like joints, ligaments, muscles and cervical discs, all of which have complex nerve endings. Our highly qualified and experienced chiropractors are trained to find, examine and correct the musculoskeletal problems that lead to headaches. They have several specific techniques which can help improve the function of the neck and make headaches and pain killers a thing of the past.

If you like to discuss your headaches in further detail. Contact Dr. Elton Clemence at the clinic at www.family1stchiro.ca or call us at 403-347-3261 for consultation and to set up a time to have your spine and nervous system checked.

Returning To A Normal Life

 

For many of us, the past few months have been spent in the comfort of our homes. Away from work, friends and family, at a much slower pace than before. But, with restrictions beginning to tentatively lift, some people may be feeling a little anxious about returning to normal life.

Lockdown has been difficult on our bodies, both physically and mentally. That's why at Family First Chiropractic, are doing everything possible to support people who are struggling. This is the time to focus on our health and come out of lockdown fitter than before. Here are some tips on how to navigate through this season of change:

Maintain new-found good habits

We all had the opportunity to break the cycle, adopt new habits, behaviors, learn a new skill or take up a hobby during lockdown. As we start to return to normal, life will get busy again. Then again taking care of your health is usually the bottom of the priority list. Lets try to maintain some of the positive habits from lockdown, whether that's exercising or cooking healthy meals at home, keep your health priority, and you will reap the rewards in the long-term. 

Listening to and honoring your body

Prioritize what's best for your body. Embrace rest days and gentle movement. Keep going on walks, take breaks from work to stretch for 10 minutes and try to end most nights with a gentle yoga flow. It's important to listen to your body and give it what it needs. Your body will thank you for it, especially when the world returns to its usual hustle and bustle. 

Meeting family and friends

Meeting loved ones we haven’t seen for weeks, except virtually, is likely to be the first thing many of us will want to do. Make the most of this opportunity to spend more time than ever with friends and family, and value it. Continue to love, appreciate and embrace the great outdoors, meet up for walks and bike rides.

Getting life back on track

Getting our lives back on track after lockdown will be both exciting and daunting for many of us. While we will find ourselves needing to embrace new ways of living and working, it’s important to stay positive and view the lifting of lockdown as one step on the road back to how we wish to live.

Remember, for you to be your best self with your family, friends and work during a time like this, you need to take care of number one. It's difficult to embrace lockdown restrictions being lifted if you are tired, in pain or unable to focus. 

At Family First our aim is to make a meaningful and lasting impact on your health and quality of life by relieving you of pain and enabling you to live your life to it’s fullest. We believe in natural healing and the body's ability to heal itself. By gently realigning your spine over time and thereby reconnecting and maintaining the integrity of your nervous system, healing takes place. 

Our goal is to get you feeling and moving better as quickly as possible, by fixing whatever is causing your pain, so that you can get back to doing the things you want or need to do.

Relieve pain. Live life to the full. 

Dr. Elton Clemence is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer AB. www.family1stchiro.ca 403-3473261 to book an appointment.

Heat vs. Ice

 

Heat vs. ice: which works best for treating injuries?

Heat vs. Ice … It may sound like the title of an upcoming blockbuster movie, but it’s a question most active people have mulled over during their life after they’ve sustained an injury. Like most dilemmas, there isn’t really an easy answer to this question. Whether to treat an injury with a hot pad or an ice pack depends largely on the situation.
 

Ice

How cooling an injury works

Applying ice or a cold pack works by reducing blood flow and pain sensation to a particular area. Cooling an injured area, especially a tendon or joint, can reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain.

When is it best to apply ice to my injury?

Ice is meant to calm down damaged surface tissues that are inflamed, red, hot and swollen. Think of icing as a way to simply dull the pain, and reduce inflammation, nothing more or nothing less. Ice therapy is most beneficial in the first 24-72 hours of sustaining an injury.

After you’ve sustained your injury, you should aim to apply ice to the inflamed area as soon as possible.

Use cold therapy for short periods of time, several times a day.

It’s important not to treat an area with ice for too long. Ten to fifteen minutes is fine, but no more than 20 minutes of cold therapy should be used at a time.

Also, don’t cool an area to the point where you are shivering. If you are already shivering, you should discontinue applying ice until you warm up. The brain interprets an excess of cold as a threat and when the brain thinks there’s something wrong going on it may actually amp up your area of pain as a defense mechanism.
 

How to apply cooling therapy

Before you apply ice or a cooling pack to the injured area, always make sure there is some sort of barrier between the ice and your skin. Whether it be a Ziploc bag or a washcloth, it’s imperative that the barrier exists. Applying ice directly on the skin can cause damage to the skin and tissues. 

Heat

How applying heat to an injury works

Heat therapy works by improving circulation and blood flow to a particular area. Heating an affected area can soothe discomfort, increase muscle flexibility and help heal damaged tissue.

When is it best to apply heat to my injury?

Heat therapy is most effective for sore muscles, chronic pain and repetitive stress injuries. A comfortable, not scalding, heat can take the edge off symptoms like muscle aching and stiffness.  Heat can be most beneficial 36-72 hours after the injury is sustained.

How to apply heat therapy

When applying heat therapy to a small, afflicted area you could use small heated gel packs or a hot water bottle.

There are certain cases where heat therapy should not be used. If the area is bruised or swollen, it may be better to use an ice pack. Heat therapy also shouldn’t be applied to an area with an open wound.

Heat therapy, unlike cold therapy, is most beneficial when used for long periods of time.

Minor stiffness can benefit with only 15 to 20 minutes of heat therapy. Moderate to severe pain can benefit from longer sessions of heat therapy lasting between 30 minutes and two hours.

Headaches and The Role Your Diet Plays

Migraines are one of the top disabilities in young adults across the globe. 14 per cent of the population suffers from migraines and like most aches and pains, we often tend to reach for quick fixes. Although things like pain meds, peppermint oil and manual therapies may help in the moment, it’s always better to tackle the source of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. Rather than asking how you can get rid of pain, try asking why you’re experiencing it instead.

Growing up, I believed headaches were normal as myself and everyone in my immediate family experienced them regularly. Now, as a chiropractor, I’ve realized that while some of us identify as “headache people," there are many lucky enough to rarely, if ever, experience headaches. The best explanation I’ve heard around this has been coined the “bucket theory." Imagine that within our brain we all have a bucket. When your bucket overflows, you experience a migraine and “headache people” tend to have particularly small buckets. So, what makes the bucket overflow? Can I increase the size of my bucket? First off, stimulus and inflammation contribute to “bucket overflow," and therefore, a migraine. Overstimulation can be caused by weather, pressure changes, stress, food or environmental intolerances, bright lights and noise, hormonal imbalances and musculoskeletal stressors. While we may not have control over things like the weather, or how bright the fluorescents in our workplace are, there are some things we can control. What many of us fail to realize is just how much of an influence the things we put into our bodies has on our wellbeing. When I ask a headache sufferer what their diet is like, the reaction I get is often shock for being asked that by their chiropractor. This is always one of the questions I ask because the food we eat influences our hormones, our pH, our mood, our energy and yes, our “buckets." 

To begin, we need to identify potential foods or environmental factors that could be overflowing your “bucket." By identifying and eliminating potential contributors, you can free up space in your “bucket," meaning you will be less sensitive to stimuli that can bring on a headache. The easiest way to do this is by tracking both your food and your headaches. Yes, this may be a tedious task, but it can be extremely helpful in identifying habits that you may not be aware of. I’ve had multiple patients identify their headache triggers with this step alone. When considering environmental factors, try noting down where you are when you begin to experience your headache symptoms. Remember to note details such as recently used cleaning and beauty products, chemical sprays and lighting at your workplace. When I was a teenager, I remember trying out a new shampoo with a distinct smell. I noticed I was experiencing nausea and headaches following showers. It was tracking this pattern that allowed me to identify that the shampoo was the culprit. 

When it comes to diet, most of us are creatures of habit and tend to eat similarly most days of the week. However, if you’re experiencing consistent headaches and you’ve not noticed any patterns with environment tracking, it’s a good idea to track food next. I typically suggest seven straight days of tracking all food and beverages along with headache symptoms. If you are a female suffering from headaches, be sure to also track your menstrual cycle. For many women, headaches coincide with menstruation due to low levels of progesterone and estrogen.
Once you have tracked a full seven days of food and symptoms, it is time to start identifying patterns. For many migraine sufferers, the most common dietary culprits are amines, additives and chemicals. Dietary amines are a result of the breakdown of proteins in food and are found in many processed meats, aged cheeses, fermented foods and beverages like beer and wine and dried or very ripe fruits. It is thought that “headache people” lack the enzymes required to properly break down specific amines, so eliminating these foods for four weeks is often recommended. Now for some light at the end of the tunnel—the word amine is a category involving histamine, tyramine and a few others. That said, when you reach the reintroducing phase (after four weeks of elimination), I suggest researching which specific amines are present in the foods you find yourself reacting to and this will help you determine a more specific grouping to avoid instead of avoiding all amines.

 When it comes to chemicals and additives in food, we tend to be more familiar with these offenders because they’ve already been given a bad reputation. It’s not a coincidence that many headache sufferers also experience digestive issues, irritable bowels and skin irritations or rashes. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame, high sodium and nitrites are some of the more prominent triggers that would be good to avoid if you experience any of the above symptoms. MSG is not only found in restaurants and fast-food joints, but is a common additive to many sauces, canned veggies and soups you likely have in your fridge or pantry. Aspartame in diet soda is another common trigger I see. Nitrites are most commonly found in processed meats like bacon and deli items.

Now that you have an idea of the common headache triggers, it’s time to begin tracking your food, identifying your problem ingredients and eliminating your triggers. Stay tuned for next month’s blog, “Five steps to identify and eliminate headache triggers.”

Supportive Maintenance - Chiropractic Treatment Works

Supportive Maintenance - Chiropractic treatment works!

A paper presented at the European Chiropractors' Union (ECU) convention underscores the advantages of regular chiropractic care. They looked at how chiropractic maintenance care (MC) could prevent new episodes of nonspecific low back pain or minimize its impact.

The multi-center, randomized clinical trial was conducted in Sweden, with patients provided with either treatment at regular intervals, regardless of symptoms (MC), or symptomatic treatment whereby patients were treated only when consulting for pain. The MC group was provided with chiropractic care at one to three month intervals.

This is an altogether familiar scenario, in that most patients only go for chiropractic care when they are in pain or when something is bothering them. Unfortunately, by the time a patient recognizes their pain, the problem may have been there for some time and damage has been done.  If only they would visit their chiropractor periodically, regardless of symptoms, a point the study’s results make glaringly clear:

"The MC group consisted of 163 subjects who reported 19.3 fewer days with bothersome LBP over the 12 month follow-up compared to the 154 subjects in the control group. The MC group had an average of 7 visits during the study, compared to 5 visits in the control group."

Let's Do the Math

So, here's the math for the average patient. Two extra visits to your chiropractor each year will result in almost 20 extra days without back pain. For me, that works out to about $4 per pain-free day ... I'll take it!

While monthly chiropractic care can be very beneficial, it is clear that most people should be seeing their doctor of chiropractic at least every two months or so. We all need to understand a little regular scheduling could significantly improve our quality of life. Imagine how many days of pain could be eliminated if everyone enjoyed chiropractic at least every two months.

For my whole career I have emphasized regular treatments and not chase pain. Don’t wait for small problems to become big ones. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is supported by these types of studies.

To schedule your first appointment or a maintenance treatment, please contact Family First Chiropractic and Wellness.

Dr. Stephen Kelly is a Chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness with over 18 years of experience,located in Red Deer, AB.

Call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment.

Common Myths About Chiropractic Treatment.

 Common Myths About Chiropractic Treatment:

Many Canadians have questions about the role that chiropractors play in the healthcare team, and what benefits chiropractic care has on their health. We will go through some common myths in this regard.

1. Once you see a chiropractor you have to keep going back This is false. When seeking care from a chiropractor, we will perform an assessment including a history and physical examination to determine the cause of the pain or dysfunction. From these observations, a diagnosis will be made and the treatment plan developed in collaboration with the patient – according to their needs and goals. The treatment plan will recommend a number of initial visits to remedy the patient’s symptoms/ pain and scheduled re-evaluations as necessary.. Depending on the patient and the condition, the recommended course of care may vary. Ultimately, the decision to continue care is yours. As a patient, if you have questions or concerns about care, you should feel comfortable to ask the chiropractor for more information on the recommendations made and address any concerns. The care plan should be part of a shared decision-making between the patient and practitioner.

2. Chiropractors are not ‘real’ doctors

Chiropractors are regulated in all 10 Canadian provinces, and are designated to use the title “doctor” similar to physicians, optometrists and dentists after completing the extensive Doctor of Chiropractic degree program. Those professions who are recognized to use the “doctor” title have extensive training in their area of expertise that allows them to be diagnosticians – to provide a diagnosis.

3. A medical doctor must refer you to a chiropractor In all provinces in Canada, chiropractors are primary contact providers, which means you can access them directly. Due to the extensive training of chiropractors as diagnosticians, chiropractors will perform a comprehensive assessment to help determine a diagnosis or clinical impressions. Depending on the outcome, the chiropractor can discuss a course of care or refer to another healthcare professional, as needed.

4. There is no evidence to support the effectiveness of chiropractic care Chiropractic treatment is at times questioned on its effectiveness. Yet, the chiropractic profession and others have invested significant resources to build a robust body of evidence studying the impact of manual therapies on musculoskeletal conditions. Spinal and joint manipulation has been shown to be effective treatment for acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, like back pain. In fact, spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is recommended as first line intervention for back pain in numerous clinical practice guidelines including the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force,, the American College of Physicians and American Pain Society, as well as Britain’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Utilizing chiropractic treatment as opposed to medications like opioids for pain can be beneficial.

5. Chiropractors can only treat back pain Chiropractors are musculoskeletal experts and are trained in assessing, diagnosing, treating and preventing biomechanical disorders that originate from the muscular, skeletal and nervous system. In addition to the evidence that supports chiropractic care in managing musculoskeletal complaints of the spine, there is also evidence that it supports chiropractic management of the extremities, headaches and even TMJ pain. Chiropractors are also able to provide lifestyle counselling about nutrition, fitness and ergonomics among others that may be useful in managing or preventing a variety of health conditions. The health of your musculoskeletal system doesn’t just start with a healthy spine, you need to be fully aware of your health to maintain a well-rounded healthy lifestyle!

6. Adjustments are painful

In general, adjustments or joint manipulations do not hurt. In fact, many patients report immediate pain relief after chiropractic treatment.. Patients may be nervous about the ‘cracking’ or popping sound that may occur during an adjustment. The sound results from the release of gas from the joint – this is a normal part of the adjustment and is perfectly safe.

Asking questions about your health and treatment options is very important. You are a partner in your care and your participation is critical to helping us provide the best care to meet your health goals.

If someone you know needs chiropractic care for pain relief or just to function better, pass this along to them.

Don’t put things off until they worsen. Take care of your body now and discover how chiropractic can help you.

Dr. Stephen Kelly

Family First Chiropractic 403-347-3261

Pediatric Posture Epidemic Part 3 of 3

Pediatric Posture Epidemic Part 3 of 3

Welcome to part 3 of 3 of my posture series.

Now that you have heard all about our decline in posture we need to make some changes. I challenge you to try some of this re-education. You will feel better.

We have a decline in healthy posture at the speed of technology. Children and adults are showing poorer posture.

50.5% of school-age children have poor posture! Over 50%! We have an epidemic!

Poor posture decreases balance, coordination, self-confidence, and results in a poor cognitive and emotional state. Posture distortion is unfortunately the new normal, and we need to reverse this in the ‘digital age.’

Tech neck posture at a 60-degree angle causes 60 pounds of force to the neck and upper back! Tech neck causes digital dementia

I strongly recommend no tech under two and school-age children a maximum of 1 hour per day.

We discussed posture rehabilitation in part 2 of the blog series and you can see it here

Posture re-education:

1.    Take frequent posture breaks – extend your head backward and arms back behind you. For every hour you are on a device you need to take a 30-sec posture break

2.    More movement: sit on an unstable surface such as sitting with a wobble seat or posture seat, ball chairs

3.    Do digital detoxes: decrease tech time; monitor your screen time. Make 3 hours a day tech-free such as 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour before bed, and 1 hour at dinner time with your family.

Devices and technology are part of our world, and we need to watch how we interact with them. Poor posture and technology overuse affect our mood, sleep, increases our anxiety, and cause us stress.

As adults, we developed our posture before technology; our children have always had the technology, so it is up to us to teach them how to uses it correctly and to monitor them on time and correct habits.

Dr. Joelle Johnson practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

Pediatric Posture Epidemic Part 2 of 3

Pediatric Posture Epidemic Part 2 of 3

Welcome back to Part 2 of 3 of the pediatric posture epidemic. Now more than ever we need to move. We have a decline in healthy posture at the speed of technology. Children and adults are showing poorer posture. This posture is the forward head tilt with an increased mid-back curve called a hyperkyphosis.

Most hyperkyphosis posture is postural; however, some are structural. When your trunk flexes forward you have poor balance; this imbalance decreases your ability to regulate movement properly. You will have a slower gait and a wider stance causing poor coordination and balance. I strongly recommend no tech under two and school-age children a maximum of 1 hour per day. Our children are developing their nervous system and spines with technology and are the first generation to have this from birth. Previous generations have developed their posture and nervous system before technology. We need children to spend at least 2 hours a day physically playing, which activates their vestibular and nervous system.

Posture Rehabilitation Exercises:

1. Stand Straight with your back against the wall with your heels buttocks, shoulder blades, and head against the wall. Have your head in a neutral position, not tipped up or down. Press you head straight into the wall hold for 10 seconds and five reps per day

2. Posture Angels: Stand with your back against the wall with your heels, buttocks, shoulder blades, and head against the wall. Have your head in a neutral position, not tipped up or down. Move your arms from your sides, to over your head without taking them off the wall. Do 10 per day.

3. The 'Titanic': Stand straight extend your arms behind you contracting your shoulder blades, extend your hear up and back looking at the ceiling, hold for 30 seconds. Do this for every 45 min to an hour that you are as a computer or device

4. Superman Extensions: Lay on your stomach, raise your head, raise your arms in front and raise your legs at the same time, hold for 30 sec 5 reps per day

5. Backward Ball Stretch: Lay backward over a gym ball with arms up over the head, hold and breathe into it.

Here is the link to the Blog 1 LINK TO PART ONE:

https://www.family1stchiro.ca/index.php?p=229172

Dr. Joelle Johnson practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer. www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

Castor Oil Benefits

Castor oil is a pale yellow liquid extracted from castor seed Ricinus Communis. This wonderful oil is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant used for many centuries for its therapeutic and medicinal benefits. It is not recommended to use these packs while pregnant, discuss this with your care provider before use when pregnant.

Castor oil can be used as a pack on the abdomen and helps with many issues and ailments such as :

·        Constipation

·        Gall bladder and liver inflammation

·        Gastrointestinal issues

·        Abdominal inflammation

·        Menstrual disorders 

·        Arthritis

·        Nerve inflammation

·        Sore muscles

How to Do a Castor Oil Pack

You will need the following

1.     Hexane free castor oil – organic if possible

2.     unbleached and dye-free wool or cotton flannel or organic material

3.      A large piece of cotton flannel  or plastic wrap like Saran Wrap (not optimal)

4.     glass container with lid –use a quart-size mason jar for storing the oil-soaked flannel between uses

5.     old clothes, towels, and sheets – castor oil does stain

6.     Heat pack/wheat bag/rice pack or heating pad

How to Use a Castor Oil Pack

1.     Cut a large piece of cotton flannel and fold into thirds to make three layers. This should cover the entire area you are wanting to treat such as your abdomen

2.     Thoroughly soak (but not completely saturate) the flannel in castor oil. I save the jar since this is where I keep the flannel between uses, it may take some time for the oil to soak into the flannel

3.     Carefully remove and unfold the castor oil-soaked cloth.

4.     While lying on an old towel or sheet, place the cloth on the desired body part.

5.     Cover with the wrap around pack or saran wrap and place the heating pack on top of this. Less optimally, a plastic grocery bag can be used to prevent any oil from getting on the heating pad. A hot water bottle, electric heating pad can be used, but hot water bottles and rice packs may need to be reheated several times.

6.     Lie on back with feet elevated (I typically lie on the floor and rest my feet on the couch) and relax for 30-60 minutes.

7.     After the desired time, remove the pack and return the flannel to the glass container. Store in the fridge.

8.     Use a natural soap or a mix of baking soda and water to remove any castor oil left on the skin.

9.     Relax and rest. Make sure to drink enough water and stay hydrated after doing this to support detox.

Dr. Joelle Johnson from Family First Chiropractic and wellness is located at 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer, Alberta . www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261

How active and sedentary should my preschool child be? How much sleep is recommended?

Guidelines from the WHO – World health organization for preschool children

Children 0-1 year of age

Exercise – at least 30 min

Screen time – NONE

Sleep time – 0-3 months 14-17 hours 4-11 months 12-16 hours a  day

 

Children ages 1-2

Exercise – at least 180 min – 3 hours at least

Screen time – NO MORE THAN 60 min- I strongly recommend NO TECH BEFORE TWO years of age

Sleep time: 11-14 hours

Children ages  3-4 

Exercise: at least 180 min – 3 hours at least  and 60 min of moderate to vigorous

Screen time : NO MORE THAN  60 min

Sleep time : 0-13  hours

Early childhood (under 5 years of age) is a period of rapid physical and cognitive development and a time during which a child’s habits are formed Lifestyle behaviors developed in early life can influence physical activity levels and patterns throughout the life. Sedentary behaviors, whether riding motorized transport rather than walking or cycling, sitting at a desk in school, watching TV or playing inactive screen-based games
are increasingly prevalent and associated with poor health outcomes Sleep time is also know to influence health outcomes and short sleep duration is associated with overweight and obesity in childhood as well as mental health issues amongst adolescents. Chronic insufficient sleep up to 7 years of age has been associated with increased adiposity in later childhood and adolescence.

There are recommendations to limit the exposure to screens in young children in a number of countries such as Australia, Canada, United States and New Zealand Sleep is essential for cognitive, physical and psycho social development in young children.

Dr. Joelle Johnson B.Sc. , D.C. practices at Family First Chiropractic and wellness and focuses her practice on pediatric care, prenatal and postnatal care. She is located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca