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Sitting, Sleeping and Standing by Neil Thomas DC

The way you are Sitting, Sleeping and Standing could be Causing you Chronic Pain and Recurrent Injury.

The way we sit, sleep and stand can greatly influence our spinal health. Everything we do day to day can result in excess stress to our body’s, leading to or maintaining spinal dysfunction. It is very common to hear patients say that their back ‘went’ or they experienced excruciating pain after getting up from their sofa or chair, or that their back pain is aggravated by sitting. Many patients may say that standing helps but when they sit their pain gets much worse; of course, the opposite can also be true.

The rules are referred to as SSS (Sitting, Sleeping, and Standing) and they need to be followed exactly during treatment and beyond so that improvement is not hindered. These three rules will be explained to you and demonstrated at your first visit so that you will leave feeling confident when following the recommendations. During treatment, following these three rules is the only thing that you need to do to make sure that you are keeping the stress on your body to a minimum and are improving as expected. Many people are stuck in bad habits when it comes to the way they sit, sleep and stand and sometimes it can be difficult to break these habits; it is, therefore, important to address these barriers to recovery. [Read more…] about Sitting, Sleeping and Standing by Neil Thomas DC

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Autumn Harvest

Leaves are turning gold, the air is feeling crisp, and our thoughts are turning to bonfires, pumpkins and Halloween. For astronomy fans, Autumn also means it’s time for the Harvest Moon. This is the name given to the first full moon that takes place closest to the Autumn equinox. The name Harvest Moon comes from when farmers would need to start gathering in crops to prepare for the winter months. They used the bright moonlight to extend the working day. This year, it will take place 24 September 2018

So what’s in season this Autumn?

Fruit: Apples, Blackberries, Damsons, Elderberries, Pears, Plums, Quince and Sloes

Vegetables: Beetroot, Carrot, Celeriac, Mushrooms, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Marrow, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Rocket, Sorrel, Squashes, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes and Watercress

Not only does it make economic sense to eat seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables that are more readily available, but it has health benefits too, because foods in season contain the nutrients and trace elements that our bodies need at particular times of the year. For example, butternut squash and apples are packed with vitamin C, which boosts our resistance to winter colds. [Read more…] about Autumn Harvest

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Walking Fit

 Whether it is a walk in the park, or hike in the hills, enjoy the health benefits of walking and make every step count!

So, whatever the weather, get yourself and your family outdoors to enjoy our beautiful countryside. Not only is walking simple and free, it is also one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight (if needed) and become healthier. Walking is ideal for all age groups and all levels of fitness, what a great way to spend some healthy familytime!

According to the NHS, “Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers.”

 It is recommended by the NHS that you start slowly and try to build your walking regime gradually. To get the best health benefits from walking, it needs to be of moderate-intensity activity. In other words, it needs to be faster than a stroll.

Set yourself a goal and try to walk 10,000 steps a day, if you would like to track this and don’t have a smart watch, there are some fun apps available as a free download.  [Read more…] about Walking Fit

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Acupuncture Therapies Explained

At Durham Family Chiropractic, some of our practitioners offer Dry Needling and Western Medical Acupuncture, as part of their wider treatment approach. Here is a simple explanation of the Acupuncture therapies we have to offer:

Acupuncture was originally used as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is a technique that uses fine needles which are inserted into specific points in the body to bring about an energetic response. Western scientists took this idea and carried out research on the specific effects of acupuncture on the body and documented what physical and chemical changes occurred. This forms the basis for Western Medical Acupuncture (WMA). WMA is therefore an evidence-based technique that can be recommended for the treatment of many types of physical and chemical problems in the body.

[Read more…] about Acupuncture Therapies Explained

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Chiropractic Techniques Explained

At Durham Family Chiropractic, our team of chiropractors offer a wide range of chiropractic techniques to people that are looking to improve their health and wellbeing. Here are a couple of our most popular techniques explained.

Diversified technique is the most common method that chiropractors learn while at University and is the technique that you will most likely experience when visiting a chiropractic clinic. Diversified simply means that it is a diverse method of ways to ‘adjust’ almost all of the joints in the body.

 Advanced BioStructural Correction (ABC) is a specialist method of manipulation that approaches the body in a very specific way in order to improve or restore the normal curvatures of the spine and thus restoring normal nerve and joint function. The body is then able to untwist itself over time, at its own pace and restore normal function and stability.

Webster technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacroiliac joint dysfunction. In doing so, the near-biomechanical function of the pelvis is corrected. Webster technique is more commonly used in pregnancy as sacroiliac joint dysfunction may contribute to difficult labour (dystocia) caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction and baby mal-presentation. [Read more…] about Chiropractic Techniques Explained

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Stay Hydrated

You can’t survive without water. It makes up nearly two-thirds of your body and is essential for you to function properly. Water has a wide range of benefits for your body – everything from removing waste products in urine to lubricating your joints. It can even make your skin look good.

Our bodies are made up of about 60% water. It is commonly recommended that we drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water, or fluids a day in order to prevent dehydration. [Read more…] about Stay Hydrated