New years resolutuions

It is a new year and a new fresh start- what are your New Years resolutions?

New Year resolution ideas

1.      Be more mindful

2.      Do one random act of kindness daily

3.      Read more books- at least 30 min per day

4.      Meditate daily- reduces anxiety

5.      Reduce phone and screen time

6.      Hug your loved ones more- releases oxytocin

7.      Reduce your toxin exposure- reduce sugars and preservative in your food 

8.      Take probiotics – work on healthy gut flora

9.      Get more sleep- 8 hours a night

1.  Move more – at least 30 min per day

Dr. Joelle Johnson is owner and chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and wellness, 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer call 403-347-3261 or www.family1stchiro.ca. We are also on FB, twitter and Instagram!

Gardening Tips for a Healthy Spine

        Summer time in Alberta is a great time to get out and plant flowers, vegetables and fruits in your yard and garden. It is a great experience to get out of the house and enjoy new life, the sunshine and God’s creation. It improves your mood as well as giving you exercise while enjoying the birds chirping and kids playing outside with each other.Before bending down and kneeling to remove debris and till the soil, here are a few tips to help keep your day enjoyable:

Warm up your body- Go for a short walk, do some lunges, arm circles and squats to warm up you muscles

Stretch – Some simple stretching of your legs, back, arms, shoulders and wrists will help to avoid injury or severe muscle stiffness later. Some muscle soreness is normal as you probably have not used all the same muscle groups for other activities during the winter. This will generally subside in a couple of days as your body gets used to this new activity.

Take your time – Going too fast too soon increases the risk of injury so enjoy your time outdoors and pace yourself. Take a few days if you have a large garden or yard. Alternate your tasks between kneeling, standing, digging and planting.

Use the Right Equipment – Use a wheelbarrow to transport smaller loads of dirt or planters. Use a kneeling pad to protect your knees. Use ergonomic tools while working the soil.

Include your children and family and HAVE FUN- Work doesn’t have to be a chore, you can incorporate fun as you weed, pick flowers and water the garden- an old fashioned water fight will be remembered by your kids for a long time!

Visit your Chiropractor and Massage Therapist – Regular chiropractic adjustments and muscle therapy will help to keep your spine aligned and reduce back and joint pain while maintaining flexibility.

Enjoy the fruits of your gardening! There is nothing like healthy fresh fruits and vegetables straight from your own garden.

Happy Gardening!!

Call Dr. Joelle Johnson at Family First Chiropractic & Wellness at 403-347-3261 to book your appointment www.family1stchiro.ca, look for us on FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram for more great information on your health. 

Sleep-Do you get enough?

Sleep-Do you get enough?

Various researchers have found that a habit that most of us take for granted -sleep — may

affect our memory in many ways. Not only does sleep help your memory, but lack of sleep may also hurt your health. A 2010 study from Biological Psychiatry found that chronic insomnia may lead to loss of brain volume. Insomniacs had a smaller volumes of gray matter in three brain areas — and the more serious the insomnia, the greater the loss of volume.
In 2012, a preliminary study from the Washington University School of Medicine found that in mice, poor sleep may be related to brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's. 

The third of our life that we spend sleeping has always been something of a mystery. Now a new wave of studies are finding indications that while we may appear to be in a stupor, our brains are actually hard at work. Most scientists agree that getting a decent night’s rest is a good idea. Chiropractic treatment can help you get that all important sleep. Chiropractic treatments can help with spinal tension/ headaches which can keep us up at night. By helping with all those aches/ pains that cause tossing and turning. Chiropractic adjustments can help you feel better and get more quality  and quantity of sleep.

-Dr. Stephen Kelly

Come and see Dr. Kelly Monday through Saturday at 142 Erickson Drive Red Deer (403)347-3261 or visit our website www.family1stchiro.ca

Kids and Lack of Exercise

Kids and Lack of Exercise

Kids are generally very active from birth as their bodies and minds are rapidly growing and developing. They struggle to learn to crawl then walk then run in the first year of their lives. They love to explore, play and build things in their toddler years as their mind and nervous system develops. When you think about it, it is totally amazing realizing the development and learning abilities of a young child. Vigorous physical activity fuels the development of the body and mind.

Young children in our western society have so much electronic influence that at a very young age, media such as video games, television, handheld electronics and other things take the place of physical activity. Studies have shown that kids of 3-4 years of age get 84% of their recommended physical activity. This number drops dramatically to only 7% for the age group between 5 and 11 years old then drops even lower to only 4% for 12 to 17 year olds. This results in child obesity and health problems for children due to a lack of activity and exercise.

Make a commitment as parents to reduce the screen time of your kids. Find physical activities that your kids enjoy doing or chores that need to get done. This could include a wide range of activities ranging from walking, soccer, bike rides, skateboarding, bowling, swimming, skiing, skating, hockey, dancing, hiking, mountain climbing, baseball, playing at the park, weight training, vacuuming, washing the floor or car and the list goes on. 

Keep your kids active and in shape. Maintaining the proper alignment of their spine is important as well to ensure maximum enjoyment of their physical activities. Call us today to keep your kids on the path to great health.

Dr. Joelle Johnson is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness located at 142 Erickson Drive. 403-347-3261 to book an appointment today.

www.family1stchiro.ca