Toys for Adjustment Day - Wed 15th December

Giving something back to the community makes us feel good, and in this case makes a massive difference to a lot of children in the Brighton area.

Toys for Adjustment Day - instead of paying for your adjustments on this day, bring along a toy (or a few toys), and we'll give them to the Salvation Army - they'll be distributed to local children who otherwise wouldn't get very much this Christmas.

Such a great cause, and such an easy way to help.

Do you have any toys the kids have grown out of? Obviously good quality ones please, and preferably around the value of an adjustment.

If you don't have an appointment but would like to drop something in as a donation anyway - you'd be very welcome!

Here's the United Chiropractic Association PDF which explains a bit more.

How to Manage Back Pain in Pregnancy

You don’t have to put up with back pain before and after childbirth, but unfortunately many people do. About a third of pregnant women suffer with back pain during pregnancy, it even has its own initials: PGLBP (pregnancy related low back pain).

Painkillers are of course an option, but a lot of pregnant women choose to limit the toxins they put in their body and look for natural approaches instead.

What hurts?

Most back pain comes from the muscles and joints in your back, which are letting you know they’re under abnormal strain and generally unhappy. As your posture changes and you gain weight (in a very beautiful way!) your back will have more stress that it’s accustomed to. 

As you become less mobile in the later stages this will affect it too, since movement is an essential ingredient to keeping your body in good working order. Also around this time the hormone relaxin, which helps the pelvic bones move during childbirth, can affect other joints in the body causing misalignment and pain.

If you are planning on conceiving, this is of course the best time to start looking after yourself. When you’re in good shape, your muscles are toned and strong, and your posture is well aligned before you get pregnant, you’re more likely to have a comfortable pregnancy.

Natural Pain Relief

Ice is a great natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory. A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea-towel will do the trick, or you can get a gel pack for about a fiver which you can use repeatedly (without fear of accidentally eating the multi-defrosted peas!).  Put it on for 10 minutes, then back in the freezer and repeat half an hour later.

Putting a pillow between your knees when you sleep can make you more comfortable

Exercise makes a massive difference, by maintaining mobility, strengthening your muscles and also the natural endorphins you get from it. There are lots of classes for mums-to-be, including yoga and water-based ones. If you’re a fan of the gym you can still carry on training by modifying your exercises, even up until the late stages. Ask your gym if they have a personal trainer who specialises in exercise during and after pregnancy.

A fantastic simple exercise which helps immediately is the Cat. 

• On all fours, inhale as you arch your back down towards the floor, raising your hips and your head.
• Now exhale as you arch your back upwards, allowing your head to drop down and tucking your tailbone under.
• Do this 10 times, nice and slowly and gently. 

There are very effective natural therapies including chiropractic, which help to get your joints and muscles working properly again, and correct your posture. They are safe at any stage of pregnancy and a popular choice of care among many health-minded women. 

Alexander Technique is also excellent for learning how to minimise the stress on your body, whether you are sitting, standing or even lying down.

When we see pregnant women in our clinic, something we often notice is a small difference in leg length. This is very common and many people don’t even notice they have it, but it can exaggerate the physical stresses of pregnancy. A small insert in the shoe can make all the difference here.

A Final Note

When your baby has arrived, you can save yourself a lot of discomfort and pain by learning good postural habits from the start. Don’t start carrying your child on the same side all the time or it will throw your back out and be a hard habit to break later. The same goes for your handbag.

If you get any severe pain during pregnancy you should see your GP. 

The take-home message here though is that although some discomfort is common, you can feel in control and make this time as enjoyable as possible!

How to wake up without a cricked neck

I get asked all the time: "What's the best sleeping position?"

Lying down.

No, seriously..  It's not so much the position you lie in as how you put your head and your pillow.

But firstly, try not to sleep on your front.  Wanna see why?  Turn your head to one side as far as you can, then tip it backwards.  Now stay in that position for several hours and see if your neck hurts.

(Disclaimer: don't actually do that)

Let's have a bit of spinal anatomy - don't worry it'll only take a second!

Normal spine shape from the back and from the left

Your spine has a certain shape: straight from the back, and curved from the side.  Basically you want to keep it in this position as much as you can.  Otherwise it puts stress on your spine, even when you're lying down, and interferes with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which flows around your brain and spinal cord (important stuff).

KEY POINT: The pillow should support your neck, not prop up your head at an awkward angle

If you're lying on your side:

• Turn the pillow 45°, so it's lower in front of you than behind you
• Stuff it under your neck, so it's touching your shoulders 
• Only use one pillow, unless you have particularly broad shoulders

If you're on your back:

• Stuff or roll the pillow under your neck, so it's touching your shoulders
• Still just one pillow
• In other words, avoid having your head flexed forward

Simple stuff really, but most good advice is just logic you may not have thought of before.

Obviously we all move about and change position quite a few times when we're asleep; but you do what you can. Just get into the habit of remembering those points, and sleeping will no longer be a pain in the neck!

Something about life I learned on the treadmill

If you ever use a treadmill to keep fit... try this out:

When you've been going for a few minutes, walking or running, change your position on it so you're slightly further back on the machine.   DISCLAIMER: Be safe, don't fall off and blame me!

What happens? You might notice it becomes more tiring. You're not actually moving any faster, and the incline is the same; but it feels like more of an effort.

Now go right to the front, so your waist is practically touching the bar... suddenly it's a LOT easier, right? Again you're doing the same amount of work, the only difference is how your mind perceives it.

When you feel like you're chasing all the time, it's hard work!  But when you're right at the front, you feel in charge.  You're in the driving seat.  And it's easier.

There's something called internal locus of control, which is basically the sense that what happens to you is down to your own behaviour and choices, rather than life just happening to you. People with a higher internal locus of control tend to be more successful, less stressed, deal with situations better and take positive action steps. They also experience better pain control.

If we're talking about back pain or other health issues, then we can take this premise and apply it to active recovery. The very fact that you're reading this blog probably means you're the type of person who takes an active role in your health. Taking the time to go and see your chiropractor, keeping your appointments and making simple changes to your lifestyle, means you're already half way there!

If you feel like your current state of health is running your life, then take just one step today to get back in charge; it'll be more significant than you think.

Now, I don't know about you, but all I have to do is apply this to the paperwork in my office...

How to Avoid Painful Relapses

Because the sun has arrived, everyone's out in the garden or doing sport, or just enjoying the sunshine. Which means this is the time of year when it's quite common to have painful relapses which threaten to spoil your summer!

Well, we figured we'd help you out and put a class on especially focussed on how to keep the good results you've worked hard for, and what to do to STAY pain free. If you've recently had a set-back then this could really help you avoid another one.

It's FREE, held here at Align in Southwick, and open to anyone (even if you're not a current Practice Member).

Tuesday 29th June 7.30 - 8.30pm

Let us know if you'd like to attend, so we have an idea of numbers. You can either email us or call us on 01273 870010.

We're going to be an Art Gallery!

Align will be an art gallery for the first two weekends of June, as part of Adur Art Festival. Five different local artists will be exhibiting; Si Uwins (digital art & sculpture, he also made our large wooden spine outside!), Sue Johnston (wood cuts), Carol Attwood (prints & drawings), Margaret Murray and Mandeep Birdy (paintings).

Come along and see for yourself. We’ll be doing free posture checks too for anyone who wants one. Tea & cake on the forecourt, weather permitting!

Si Uwins

Spring!!

It's been sunny for at least 2 days in a row!
This must surely signal the start of summer... right? Not so fast, I hear you say.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS?

However, the bright weather has put a smile on people's faces, and all of a sudden the scent of optimism is in the air! 

To me this is really the best time for new starts; forget New Years' with it's darkness and cold, now we've got summer to look forward to and an excuse to get out and about. And it's so important that we do (I say, sitting in the clinic on a bright day, typing). The benefits of getting outside can't be underestimated. Firstly we get to fill our lungs with some much-needed fresh air, not that recycled air-conditioned stuff.

The closer to a natural environment we live in, the healthier our bodies are. This goes for food, activity, surroundings, you name it.  If this sounds intriguing to you, then check out Primal Blueprint, you'll love it. 

Then we have Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin". It not only lifts our mood and helps fight depression, it also helps with calcium absorption, making our bones stronger - important for all of us, but especially elderly people who are more prone to fractures if they fall. Vitamin D activates killer T cells in our body, which fight off infection and make our immune systems strong.


So the message is get out and enjoy the sunshine! It'll do you more good than you think, and you can relax knowing you've taken a really significant health step today.

Australia's Top Nutrition Expert Coming to Southwick!

This might interest you if you love food, maybe want to lose weight, and wonder what those food manufacturers actually do to the stuff you put on your table.

Cyndi O’Meara, Australia’s no.1 nutritionist and best-selling author, will be speaking at Southwick Christian Community Church on Friday 12th March, 2-4pm.

Defying conventional advice, she disagrees with low-fat diets and calorie-counting.  She insists that butter is better, coffee isn’t so bad and chocolate is good for you.  She’s an inspiring and exciting public speaker who empowers you to make health choices which are good for both you and your taste buds.  

She shows compelling evidence that manufactured food is a major factor in many diseases, and how making simple changes, eating real natural food, can greatly enhance the quality and length of our lives.

Tickets are £10 (or £7 if you are 65+) and available from Align.

Call us on 01273 870010 or email us: ca@align.org.uk

Free Back Care Workshop (for ANYONE!)

As a Chiropractor in Brighton, I often get asked by my practice members what they can do to keep their back strong. Some people want to get into sports again, others want to lose weight and feel good about themselves, and some just don't want another painful relapse!

Well, we're starting FREE Back Care Workshops at Impulse Leisure Lancing, where you can learn from myself and a professional fitness instructor how to build a strong back.

Anyone can come along, it's free, you just have to register.

Tuesday 16th Feb, 8-9pm.
Email Impulse so they have an idea of numbers, as it's likely to be quite popular!

The great thing about a group context is that people can fire questions at us that you may not have thought of, about real-life situations. We can show you precisely how to do certain movements, and tell you realistically what you can expect.

If you're not already a member of the Leisure Centre or of Align, then of course you'll have the chance to sign up if you want to. But as well as the obvious promotional benefits for us, this is about adding value by giving away priceless information and advice that could make an enormous difference to your quality of life.

You can see details on Impulse Leisure's site by clicking on their logo.

FREE Consultation, for Headache Sufferers

I just want to mention this special limited-time offer we're running at the moment, for people with chronic headaches.

We will give you a free Initial Consultation, including x-rays if you need them, which is normally £95. The reason is that not enough people know that Chiropractic can help headaches, and I want to give them the opportunity to find out how much better their quality of life can be without them.
So many people (often you ladies), put up with it and take for granted that it just has to be this way.

Chronic pain can grind you down and really affect your ability to enjoy life.

Even severe headache and migraine sufferers are welcome, don't write yourself off! Often though it's an annoying low level discomfort you think you have to put up with, or just take another pill (have a look at my post How many headaches per week is normal?).

No matter how long you've been suffering (could be years), come to Align and find out if Chiropractic can help you. You might be surprised by the results :-)

This trial finishes on 25th February 2010.
Offer code: BL01
To contact us call 01273 870010,
or email ca@align.org.uk.

Brighton & Hove - FREE Back Care Workshop!

Brighton & Hove - FREE Back Care Workshop!

Health class goes with a bang!

Not literally.

Last night the first of our free Health Classes at Align was a great success. They're going to be a regular thing, to help people learn about how the body really works and simple perceptions that make it easy and exciting to enjoy being healthy.

If it's to work as a wellness tool it has to steer clear of the traditional "This is what you have to do" model, and reach people on an emotional level. It has to be empowering and positive, giving hope and changing outlooks.

Being well is about changing your paradigm of health.

We talked about the role of your nervous system and the body's self-healing abilities, how social interaction and purpose is crucial for a healthy body and mind, and scientific studies which show that even severe heart disease may be reversible just using diet & lifestyle changes.

It's about giving people the responsibility for their own health, in a way that excites them.

If you want to get an idea, have a look at the slideshow here. Obviously it's not the same without the narration (and the animation's missing) but it gives you an idea.

These free classes are available to anyone, just contact us to reserve your place. The next one is on Thursday 4th February 2010, at 7.30pm.

Look forward to seeing you there!

A pain in the neck

Cervical spondylosis is a condition in the neck where the discs between the vertebrae wear out. It's attributed to age, but from a chiropractic perspective I often find that there's a mechanical cause, and that the shape of the curve in the neck is to blame.

If you look at a side-view neck x-ray of someone with cervical spondylosis, you'll often see that their neck isn't curved the way it's supposed to be. There should be a 32° backward curve between the 2nd and 7th vertebrae, but I've seen many with either a completely straight neck, or even worse one that curves the wrong way!

The reason this is bad is because it changes the centre of gravity, putting the weight of your head (around 5kg) through the little discs instead of the strong weight-bearing joints at the back. This could be the result of a minor car accident or fall, possibly many years ago. The result is that the discs wear out and bone spurs start to grow in response to the extra pressure.

The spondylosis is often the effect of bad mechanics, not the problem itself.

How does a chiropractor deal with this?
Firstly, chiropractic adjustments help those joints to work better, giving you more mobility and less pain. Combining a course of adjustments with simple exercises to help improve the curve in your neck, we've seen some great results. Here are a few testimonials from our practice members if you want to have a look.

Now, everyone is different and people get varying results. But if you've been told that you have cervical spondylosis and that nothing can be done about it - don't give up! If a surgeon has said he can't help you, then all that means is that thankfully you don't need surgery. There is hope, if you want it.

Back in the swing of it!

So I finally got back to the gym this week, after a long Christmas / New Year break consisting of eating, relaxing and making resolutions to get really fit this year.
I was not on peak form! But that's ok, I didn't expect to be. When I have a couple of weeks off or more, I really feel it...

Less energy, start to slouch a bit, gasp in horror as my shoulders start getting smaller and my waistline larger - not good for the self-esteem!

So I make the first session back a sort of "reminder" session. Out goes the training log, it's hardly the time to disappoint myself. I'll do a full body session with light-ish weights (heavy enough to be challenging but much less than usual), stick a few of my favourite exercises in there: squats, clean & press, pullups, and do two working sets of each.
It's amazing how the pump you get from weight-training makes you feel instantly better about yourself! Pure vanity in action, but at least it gets you past the inertia :-)

And all of a sudden I'm motivated to eat properly again, get good sleep, get on with growth and progress - what life's all about really.

New start: done.