Its finally here! The day your children have been waiting for to run wild and gather all the candy! Here are a few tips to keep you safe and healthy this Halloween!
Road Safety
The traffic may be busier at Halloween, so make sure you cross the roads carefully.
Put down any electronic devices and keep your heads up and walk (don’t run) across the street.
Teach your children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the road in front of them.
Always walk on pavements or paths. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings possible.
Make sure you or another responsible adult supervise children under the age of 12. If your kids are older mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar, well-lit areas.
Costume Safety
Always decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers. If possible, choose light colors.
Encourage your children to use face paint or make up instead of masks, which can obstruct their vision and place them at risk of injuries.
Buy your children glow sticks or give them a flashlight to carry while they’re out trick or treating These will help them to see more clearly in the dark and be seen by drivers.
Drive slowly and be aware that there is likely to be children out during the evening at Halloween. Also bear in mind that children can get overly excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully.
Remove any distractions inside your car so that you can fully focus on the road and your surroundings.
The most common trick-or-treating hours are between 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for children during that time.
Freeze It
Give yourself one day of picking out your favorites and then transition.
Place all the Halloween candy your family collects in the freezer to remove some of the temptations.
Instead of mindlessly eating, make you and your family work harder for it and enjoy it as a little treat instead of a full meal.
Halloween is only the beginning of the holiday season, and soon it will be Thanksgiving and Christmas, which can have an impact on your health and well being. Seeking chiropractic care regularly will allow you to correct any joint restrictions that may be contributing to your pain and learning general health tips to improve your overall health. Furthermore, chiropractic care will aid in maintaining a healthy immune system, which is important as cold and flu season approaches!
Schedule an appointment with Aline Alaska Chiropractic today for a healthier Halloween, and maybe even a few costume ideas. You’ll feel so good, it may scare you!
It’s that season once more, when pumpkins dominate the scene! You can spot them in stores and adorning front porches. As they’re sculpted into eerie faces and illuminated during the night, pumpkins can take on an intimidating aura. Yet, beneath their spooky facade, pumpkins are actually one of the most nutrient-packed fruits available, offering a plethora of health benefits.
The seeds of this versatile fruit alone are brimming with protein, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, making them a nutritional powerhouse. But it’s that vibrant orange hue, a rarity among fruits and vegetables, that truly sets pumpkins apart. This distinctive color is courtesy of the copious amounts of beta carotene contained within. Beta carotene, once ingested, is transformed by your body into Vitamin A, a nutrient essential for heart health, a robust immune system, and especially for maintaining optimal eye health. The process behind this conversion is nothing short of remarkable.
When you consume foods rich in beta carotene, such as pumpkins, carrots, or sweet potatoes, they journey through your digestive tract and eventually reach your small intestines. Here, a specific enzyme works its magic, splitting beta carotene into two retinal molecules, which are the building blocks of Vitamin A. The actual quantity of Vitamin A produced depends on several factors, including your overall health and the presence of dietary fats in your intestines (as some fat is required for the conversion process). But one of the most intriguing aspects is that your body determines how much Vitamin A it requires at any given moment. If there’s no immediate need for Vitamin A, your body won’t convert the beta carotene. It’s a marvel of nature!
This incredible process, however, relies on a harmonious symphony of prerequisites. Firstly, you must include beta carotene-rich foods in your diet. Then, the specific enzymes need to be present to break down the beta carotene, and your overall health must be conducive to the process. Yet, when all these factors align, your body ensures the production of Vitamin A meets its precise needs. It’s a testament to the incredible wisdom of the human body.
Your body is continually engaged in the intricate dance of self-renewal, often unbeknownst to you. The conversion of beta carotene into Vitamin A is just one of countless processes unfolding within your body every second. Astonishingly, researchers estimate that a mind-boggling 37 thousand billion chemical reactions take place in your body every single second! The sheer magnitude of these ongoing processes is truly astounding.
The conductor orchestrating this grand symphony is your brain and nervous system. To be the best version of yourself, all these reactions must operate optimally. And for that to happen, you need your nervous system to be at its best as well.
This is where your family chiropractor can play a pivotal role by maintaining the alignment of your spine, ensuring it doesn’t disrupt the function of your nervous system. Regular visits to your family chiropractor can help you be the best version of yourself. So, why not treat yourself to some pumpkin soon? It’s not just a delicious seasonal treat; it’s a testament to the amazing capabilities of your body and the importance of caring for it.
“My back hurts!” is something my 5 year old says more than he actually means. Turns out when your dad is a chiropractor you become very in tune with your spine from a very young age. It could also be all of the trees he climbs in and out of, but who could say. 🙂
Back pain is a common ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. It can be caused by various factors such as poor posture, muscle strain, injury, or underlying medical conditions. While there are several treatment options available, chiropractic care has gained popularity as a non-invasive and holistic approach to alleviate back pain.
Holistic Approach to Back Pain
Chiropractic care takes a holistic approach to back pain by focusing on the spine’s alignment and the body’s musculoskeletal system as a whole. Misalignments in the spine, known as subluxations, can cause pain and affect the body’s overall health. By identifying and correcting these subluxations through spinal adjustments, we aim to restore proper function and alleviate back pain.
Spinal Adjustments and Alignment
Spinal adjustments are the cornerstone of chiropractic care for back pain. During a chiropractic session, Dr. Best uses controlled force to manipulate the spine’s vertebrae, bringing them back into proper alignment. By doing so, pressure on the surrounding nerves and tissues is relieved, promoting natural healing and reducing pain.
Muscle Relaxation and Rehabilitation
In addition to adjustments, Dr. Best does more than just crack backs. Active Release Technique breaks up the scar tissue and helps the muscles to stop pulling your bones out of alignment. That hand in hand with massage targets muscle tension and promoting blood flow to the affected area and can help relieve back pain and improve flexibility.
Personalized Treatment Plans
Chiropractic care recognizes that every individual is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to back pain treatment. Dr. Best performs a thorough examination to assess the underlying causes of back pain and develop personalized treatment plans. These plans may include a combination of spinal adjustments, exercises, lifestyle modifications, and ergonomic advice tailored to each patient’s specific needs. This individualized approach enhances the effectiveness of chiropractic care in addressing the root causes of back pain.
One significant advantage of chiropractic care is that it offers a non-invasive and drug-free alternative to managing back pain. While medications and invasive procedures may be necessary in some cases, chiropractic care focuses on natural healing and encourages the body’s own restorative abilities. By avoiding pharmaceutical interventions, patients can reduce the risk of potential side effects and complications associated with medication usage.
Complementary Approach
Chiropractic care can be used as a complementary treatment alongside conventional medical interventions for back pain. Chiropractors often work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals, such as physical therapists or orthopedic specialists, to provide comprehensive care. This integrative approach ensures that patients receive a well-rounded treatment plan that addresses both the symptoms and underlying causes of their back pain.
Chiropractic care offers a holistic and personalized approach to managing and relieving back pain. Through spinal adjustments, muscle relaxation techniques, and personalized treatment plans, chiropractors aim to restore proper spinal alignment and alleviate pain without resorting to invasive procedures or medications. As with any healthcare decision, it is important to consult with a qualified chiropractor or healthcare professional to determine the most suitable treatment approach for individual needs. If you are experiencing back pain, chiropractic care may provide an effective and natural solution worth considering.
When we think of stretching, we associate it more with workouts and sports. The truth is stretching is important not just before any strenuous physical activity or playing a sport, but also in your daily routine even for people with non-athletic backgrounds. It is in fact a natural process for body. Without stretching our body parts will grow stiff and their movement will become difficult with time.
Stretching is at times also our natural instinct. While sleeping soundly we stretch our legs instinctively and while waking up in the morning, sometimes we feel like stretching our arms. But of course, for the rest of the body and particularly important muscles, we need some kind of stretching. We probably do not notice, but due to our sedentary lifestyle, our muscles over the time bear the brunt of our incorrect postures and become immobile.
For example if we are constantly sitting throughout the day, out hamstring muscles get stiff. If the hamstring muscles are stiff, we won’t be able to straighten our legs properly and even stand properly.
The adequate stretching of calf muscles is important for the movement in legs. Our joints, calves, hips, shoulders, neck all need movement and mobility. Stretching keeps the muscles strong and flexible and decreases injury risk in joints and muscles. Stretching also helps improve the posture and overall well being.
According to American College of Sports Medicine, stretching each of the major muscle groups at least two times a week for 60 seconds per exercise is important for muscle mobility
The most crucial areas that require stretching are:
Calves
Hamstrings
Hip flexors in the pelvis
Quadriceps in the front of the thigh
Kinds of stretching
Static Stretching
When you hold your stretches for 15-20 seconds without moving, they are called static stretches. They are done to loosen the muscles post exercise. A review article published in January 2020 by the Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, said that pre-exercise static stretching reduced an individual’s overall muscular strength and maximal performance. That’s why a dynamic stretch is recommended before exercise in place of static stretching.
Dynamic stretching
Dynamic stretching means when you move a joint or muscles through its full range of motion. This helps in getting your cold muscles get ready for exercise. Dynamic stretching can be done before or after exercise and is a more recommended form of stretching.
When to stretch
Before exercise/physical activity: Warm-ups are always advised before an exercise not without a reason. The cold muscles are prone to injury or underperformance if not warmed up with stretches. That’s why you will notice that football or cricket players do stretching exercises before any match or practice. To warm up muscles before any strenuous activity, it is advised to do stretching. It leads to better performance and prevents injury.
After exercise: Your muscles may become sore due to strenuous physical activity or sport. Stretching is required also to relax the muscles and release tension. The soreness or any kind of tightness can be fixed with the right kind of stretching exercises.
After sitting: Sitting for prolonged hours can make your hamstring muscles stiff. When you sit all the time without moving any muscles, they get stiff and as a result the blood flow to the muscles is restricted. In order to overcome the harmful effects of sitting, it is important to do some hamstring stretches that improves mobility around the area. Stretching improves blood flow in the muscles and helps to straighten the leg and stand properly.
Before bed: While we are working or going about a regular work day, we hardly notice how stress takes a toll on our muscles and make them extremely tight. The stress is stored in the muscles and make it difficult for us to relax and enjoy a good night sleep. This is one of the reasons why insomnia is rising among highly stressed working professionals. Stretching aids in relaxing the tired muscles and helps one to sleep better.
After getting up: Yes, certain stretches are also important when you get up early in the morning. Especially for arthritis patients who find their muscles sore and inactive in the morning, they can do ankle circles, neck circles and other such stretches recommended to them by their physiotherapist. In general also, considering your muscles remain inactive during the process of sleeping, stretching them after waking up makes them active.
Helps to correct body posture: The incorrect body posture leads to many kinds of chronic pains like back pain and neck pain. Over the times stress accumulates in the muscles and when we do not release it, it leads to chronic pains. Muscles get stiff if not worked upon and then a sudden physical activity can lead to soreness, pain or injury. Stretching helps to improve your body posture and makes your muscles flexible and active.
Decreases risk of injury: It happens sometimes, that after a certain age or due to a health condition, people may lose their balance and fall. If you are doing daily stretching, the risk of injury is less. Also, when you do a physical exercise or participate in a sports without proper stretching exercises, your risk of getting an injury or sprain is more. By doing daily stretching, the risk of getting joint and muscle injury comes down as your body becomes more flexible and muscles get strengthened.
Makes your body flexible: Your muscles will not get flexible by doing stretches for a few days or weeks. It may makes months before your body acquired this flexibility. Stretching over a period of time makes your muscles strong and flexible. It helps your joints move through full range of motion.
Improves performance in physical activity: Your joints open up when you do dynamic stretching before any physical activity or sports. Not only it reduces the risk of injury, but your performance also improves as your muscles now have a full range of motion and can push you to literally put your best foot forward.
Don’ts to remember before you start with stretching
While you may feel overenthusiastic while starting to stretch, it is advisable to be mindful of your boundaries and respect them. Don’t overstretch beyond your comfort point and if you experience any kind of pain, just stop.
Do not stretch while you have cold muscles and straight from an inactive position. Take a light walk or do a little bit of jogging before you do any of the stretches. If you do stretching without a light warm-up, there are chances of getting injury.
Do not be tempted to stretch in the area which is vulnerable or has experienced an injury in the past. It is best to take your trainer’s advice if you feel certain kind of stretches will do more harm than benefit.
If you have any acute pain, it is best to seek advice instead of worsening your condition by stretching areas that are tricky.
