Happy New Year my fellow health nuts!
Later in 2014 I was featured on CTV Morning Live to discuss simple things you can do in the morning to improve energy, ease stress and improve digestion. For many of us, our new years resolutions included at least one of these. The simple morning steps I highlight are easy to incorporate and will set you off on the right path in 2015! For those who missed it, here it is.
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen
Namaste Nova. Photo cred: Tamara Cox
Happy June my fellow health nuts!
I am feeling very grateful this week as I was lucky to bring in this month at a Yoga Retreat, put on by the wonderful Michelle of yogabeyondthebody.com. We gathered at Namaste Nova, about 45 minutes outside of Halifax, and what a beautiful and peaceful place! Check it out if you are interested in doing a wellness retreat. They are known for Body Talk, a holistic therapy working with animals, and also offer weekly yoga classes in their yurt...yes a yurt!
I see many patients who are always on the go, who suffer from insomnia, who hold tension somewhere in their body, and so on, so I tend to always stress the importance of the mind-body connection. It is inevitable that our bodies will suffer in some way if we continue to live in the "fight or flight" portion of your nervous system, instead of the "rest and digest" portion. For that reason one of my "at home remedies" I suggest to patients is of course yoga. What a wonderful holistic form of medicine.
I sometimes forget how good yoga makes me feel – physically, mentally and spiritually. That is exactly what I felt after my yoga retreat. As Michelle taught us, there are different forms of yoga - not only moving our body, but using mantras or working through exercises to better understand ourselves. Since it does such good things for me, I wanted to remind you of some of the many benefits of practicing yoga. Whether you are young or old, male or female, flexible or not, it has similar benefits for everyone.
Meditation – One of the best ways to calm your mind, reflect and bring your body into parasympathetic mode (“rest and digest”) is through meditation. It can simply be conscious breathing. Like most, my mind tends to wander, so bringing my attention back to my breathe is helpful. This is especially helpful after a busy and stressful day. Stress can create tension in our bodies, and breathing helps us relieve that tension. I suggest taking time for 10 deep breaths during the day, at yoga, or when lying in bed at night. Meditation and breathing is such a simple tool, yet so powerful.
Flexibility – Sitting at a desk all day, exercising in one position (eg. biking), and stress are all reasons why our bodies may be in contracture. This can lead to poor posture and injuries. Improving flexibility by stretching will lengthen muscles, relieve tension (both physically and mentally), and reduce the likelihood of injuries. So whether you can do the wheel, or a simple hamstring stretch, your body will benefit. You'd be surprised what a slow moving Yin class can bring up and release...I know I was!
Balance – Back in my ballet days, balance came much easier to me. However, over the years of sitting in classes and getting sucked into reality TV, I wobble slightly more than I would like. Yoga is a great way to increase balance with several poses such as tree or half moon. Balance becomes even more important as you age, to prevents falls and more harmful injuries.
There are many more mental and spiritual benefits of yoga that you can explore and will come to love.
For whatever your reason, step on that mat and thank yourself for practising. I believe you will be better for it!
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen
I am excited to announce that I will be working at Sound Chiropractic & Health Science Centres two days a week starting this week! They are located at Larry Uteck in Bedford, a very convenient and up and coming area in between Halifax and Bedford. I will be there Wednesdays and Fridays. If you, or anyone you know in the area, would benefit from seeing a Naturopathic Doctor, come see me or send them my way! For more information on the clinic visit my Contact page or www.soundchiropractic.ca
In health and happiness,
Dr. Karen
Happy New Year! I hope 2014 is starting off well for everyone.
Does health and wellness happen to be one of your New Years resolutions? If so, why not kick start the New Year with a weekend packed full of informative health, fitness and lifestyle information.
I am excited to announce that our team at Symmetry Wellness Centre/Sound Chiropractic will have a booth at the OptiMYz Live Health Expo here in Halifax January 11-12th at the Cunard Centre! That is this weekend! A weekend pass is only $10, and children under age 18 get in for free. I’d say thats a bargain! Come join us at the Expo for your chance to win gift certificates and prizes, get free exercise classes and brief visits with our massage team, chiropractic team and me!
Check out their website for more information. Tickets are sold at the door (but if you ask me, you may be able to get your hands on a 2 for 1 ticket :) )
