Chiropractor, Beccy Norman
After the bank holiday, the sun is shining and spring is in full swing. This is often the time when we think about blowing away the winter cobwebs away and getting ready for the summer, writes Reading Chiropractor Beccy Norman. This normally applies to our house and “wiping away winter”. However, this is a perfect time to spring clean your health and wellbeing! Over the winter we might have eaten lots of yummy comfort food and sat in watching too much Netflix rather than getting out and moving. This might have left you feeling slow and sluggish now spring has sprung , but we’re here to help!
Here is a 5-point plan to spring clean your health and wellbeing!
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Get those niggles sorted!
It might be a niggle in the low back you’ve been ignoring all winter or those tension headaches that have been getting you down. Either way, you don’t want them impacting on your spring gardening or your summer holidays. Team Reflex is here to help you get rid of those niggles so you can use your body to the fullest over the summer months. Whether this be with chiropractic, osteopathy, massage therapy or K-Laser therapy. Getting things sorted before they start affecting your activites of daily living also means they are generally easier to get on top of and sort from our point of view as well. If you have any issues you’d like to discuss with us before booking a new patient appointment you can always book a complimentary fifteen minute spinal scan with us.
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Get outside
Those long hours at the desk and then coming home in darkness means that most of us are, in all likelihood, seriously 
depleted in our vitamin D levels. Vitamin D Is so important because it contributes to the function of our immune system. Bit D is also an essential nutrient for healthy bones and is vital for many other vital body processes. There has also been research that has showed Vitamin D can help in the prevention of diabetes (Both type 1 and type 2 ) , hypertension and multiple sclerosis. The best way to get Vitamin D is spending time outdoors and soaking up the sunshine! What better is there to spring clean your health and wellbeing than by catching some rays! Having a diet rich in Oily Fish , mushrooms and Eggs can also help. If you drink a dairy free milk alternative check the label to see if this is fortified with vitamin D too. A good quality vitamin D supplement may also be of help. If you are concerned about your Vitamin D levels, your GP will be able to help.
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Move more
Exercise of any type is great. It is so important for so many reasons. This includes improving bone density, mental health and cardiovascular health. We evolved to be able to hunt and gather. Instead we spend most of our day sitting still at our desks or on the sofa. This has a serious negative effect on our body’s. Our joints muscles and nervous system all need daily mechanical stimulation to stay healthy. There is much more you can learn about the benefits of exercise and the best type of exercise to do in our clinic director; Andy Green’s book: One Body, One life – Don’t Screw it Up! If you find that you tend to get various aches and pains particularly back pain, knee pain and shin pain when you’re out walking or running then this may be something we can help with. This could be a case of something not working further up the ‘kinetic chain’ in your body or an issue with your foot biomechanics. This might mean you could benefit from seeing one of our Chiro/Osteo team or Andrew Newson, our foot biomechanics specialist. He will be able to tell you how orthotics work and whether they could benefit fit you.
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Hydrate, hydrate , hydrate
Drinking plenty of water is important whatever the time of year but as the weather hots up this becomes even more vital. Why is water so important? The really simple answer Is that at least two-thirds of our body is made up of water. A lot of people tend to be in a mild-to-moderate state of dehydration. We naturally lose water through the day but this is accelerated by exercise , sweating due to heat and diuretics a.k.a (caffeine and alcohol). Dehydration can affect your sporting performance, give you headaches and exacerbate your musculoskeletal pain. The average person needs around 8 glasses of water a day but for many this will actually be much more. If you take a look in Andy’s book under the hydration section you will find a calculation that will help you figure out how much you specifically mean (and take a look at this blog with a visual guide to hydration and urine colour). But next time your back pain kicks in or your tension headaches come back, before you do anything else make sure you pick up a glass of water first. Oh, and don’t forget fizzy drinks, coffee, tea and juice don’t count!
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De-clutter your mind
We have often talked about how stress can have a huge impact on your physical health as well as your mental health.
When we are in a permanent state of stress , it’s like telling the body we are running away from a tiger all day every day! This will then have an effect on your: endocrine system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system (hormones ) and your gastrointestinal system. Chronic stress reduces blood flow to the GI tract. This can lead to IBS, heartburn and even stomach ulcers. Stress can also have an effect on your fertility and sleep. We hear a lot about mindfulness and meditation these days and how much It can help your mental health. However, all the information out there can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know where to start. Reflex has the solution: BrainTap! This Is a headset that actually changes your brainwave activity. BrainTap has many different programs to choose from including: Stress, Insomnia, Anxiety, ADHD , PTSD and many more. Please chat to any of our team or simply google BrainTap if you’d like to find out more.
Hopefully we have given you some useful tips put a ‘spring’ back in your step and inspire you to spring clean your health and wellbeing. If you ever have any questions, you can always come In and see one of the team for a complimentary spinal check. Phone Reflex on 0118 946 2100. There is also loads of practical information in terms of health in Andy’s new book : One Body One Life – Don’t Screw It Up! You can either order a copy online or pick one up in the clinic.
