Meet Dr. Lara :: Chiropractor + Acupuncturist

I would like to introduce you to Dr. Lara, our latest addition to The Health Loft.  Dr. Lara is a chiropractor and acupuncturist, with a sub-speciality in women's issues.  As many of you know, I am expecting my first baby in November, and Dr. Lara will be taking over my patients while I am off.  She will also be here when I return, and I think she will be a fantastic asset to our team.

Dr. Lara will also taking appointments next week while I am on vacation.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet her!  You can book online with her by clicking here.

Here is a little background on Dr. Lara:



Dr. Lara Smythe has an Honors Bachelor of Art degree in Kinesiology and graduated with distinction from the University of Western Ontario.  She then become a Chiropractor and studied at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.

Since completing her program,  Dr. Smythe has attended specialized workshops and seminars to expand her skill set.   She has completed training in Acupuncture from McMaster University and has gone one to study advanced acupuncture techniques focusing on women’s health.

She is also ‘Webster Certified’ to provide specific treatment to women during and after pregnancy.  Dr. Smythe is a member of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association which has provided her with the skills to treat infants and young children.

Dr. Smythe has an extensive background in Gymnastic and Dance.  Some of her accomplishments include winning the Ontario Provincial Gymnastics Championships and making it to the top 12 as a dancer on CTV’s hit television show “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”.  Dr.  Smythe continues to judge and teach dance all across Canada and she enjoys educating her students about dancer wellness and injury prevention.


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Be Healthy.

Dr. Stephanie

Real Athletes Love EBOOST

Many of you know that I discovered EBOOST when I was training for my figure competition when I lived in New York City.  It helped with my recovery, endurance, immune system, and focus.   It also helped immensely with my hate-on for plain water.

So many of my patients who are athletes take EBOOST too, and can really notice a difference in their performance, both during the workout, and in its recovery.

Check out this video below: Owen is a huge celebrity trainer, and as you can see, he is seriously intense!  I love it.  His new All-In-One System: The Rack is going to be sold across North America very soon:







Love how he takes his EBOOST straight up!

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You can pick up EBOOST at the following locations in Toronto:

The Health Loft by Dr. Stephanie  [thats me!]
GotStyle
RaSunSpa
CYKL
Lileo

It is coming soon to a few other fabulous fitness boutiques in Toronto so stay tuned!


"Powder to the People" - EBOOST

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Be Healthy.

Dr. Stephanie

Meet Julie : Registered Massage Therapist

I want to introduce you to Julie, our newest addition to The Health Loft!


Julie is an experienced RMT, who has built up a loyal following over her years as a therapist through dedication, different techniques, and her wonderful bedside manner.


Here is a little background on her:


Julie moved from her hometown of Peterborough Ont. to Toronto in 2003 to pursue Massage Therapy at Sutherland-Chan. 


Upon graduating in 2005, she immered herself in a variety of setings in the downtown core providing excellent client care and building a solid return client base. 


Julie takes special interest in providing myofascial release therapy and craniosacral therapy in all her treatments as these osteopathic techniques go the distance to assisting clients healing. She strives to assist clients in leading better, healthier lives. 


Over the last few years, Julie has taken a strong interest in Eastern Medicine and Acupuncture and completed a year and a half of study at SSC Acupucture Program. She is currently taking time to focus on her career before going back to complete her studies there. Post graduation courses to date include: Craniosacral Therpay level 1(Sutherland Chan 2007), Foundations of TCM (SSC 2009), Reike Theray level 1 (2009) Thai Massage Therapy level 1 (TMT 2010). 


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Julie is currently available on Mondays 12pm-7pm.  She will be increasing her hours through the summer, and expect to have her fully integrated here by the end August.  You can call the office [647.346.2281] to book in with here, or click this text to use our online booking system.

Running Shoe List : Spring/Summer 2010

Here is Dr. Stephanie's 2nd instalment of the best running shoes on the market for Spring/Summer 2010.

In order to make sense of this list, you will need to know

• if you need mild, moderate or maximum motion
• if you pronate or supinate
• if you have high arches, or dropped arches

These questions are easily answered by visiting your Chiropractor Doctor.  We have a special interest in foot mechanics, because your feet form the foundation from which our bodies work from.  Chiropractors have the capability to determine whether or not your feet are working properly, and whether or not you might be a good candidate for orthotics.  You can read more about the feet and orthotic therapy here.

Shoes highlighted in GREEN indicate the best critically reviewed shoes in the trade magazines.
*Recommended for Heavy Runners

Maximum Motion Control [Best Long Term Stability]

Asics Gel 1150* and GT 2150*
Adidas Adifusion MC
Brooks Beast Men*
Brooks Ariel Women*
Brooks Trance 9*
New Balance 587*
New Balance 859
New Balance 1123* and 1012*
New Balance Ladies 850
Nike Air Structure Triax 13+
Mizuno Wave Inspire 5
Mizuno Wave Renegade 4
Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS*
Saucony ProGrid Omni 8

Moderate Neutral Control [Very Good Stability / Most Runners]

Adidas Adistar Salvation
Adidas Response Control
Asics Gel DS Trainer XI
Asics Gel Evolution 4
Asics Gel Kayano 16
Aviv Isis Women
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10
Etonic Stabile Pro V
New Balance 749 and 769*
New Balance 993 and 1225*
Nike Air Perseus 3
Nike Air Zoom Precept
Nike Equalon +4
Mizuno Wave Nexus 4
Reebok Premier Road Plus KFS V1
Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 10
Saucony ProGrid Stabil CS

Mild Motion Control [Basic Stability / Lower Cost / Teens]

Adidas Response Trail
Brooks Addiction 8
Brooks Ghost 2
Brooks Infinity 2
Brooks Switch 3
Nike Air Shox FSM
New Balance 850
Mizuno Alchemy 9
Reebok Premier Phoenix
Saucony ProGrid Guide 3

High-Arched Efficient Runners [Extra Cushioning & Support / >2% of Runners]

Asics Gel Cumulus 10
Brooks Dyad 5
Brooks Glycerin 8
New Balance 758, 883, 903, 1064
Nike Air Maxx 180
Nike Air Pegasus +26
Nike Air Structure Triax
Reebok Premier Aero Lite
Saucony ProGrid Echelon

Massage Mondays: Meet Erin!

By Erin Byck, RMT


I would like to start this entry by thanking Dr. Stephanie for allowing me to use this forum to introduce myself and talk a bit about what I do.  My name is Erin, and what I do is Massage Therapy.




I have been practicing for 2 years and I have to tell you, I absolutely love it! 


I became interested in massage therapy several years ago when I was experiencing terrible neck and upper back pain.  To keep a long story short, I found a great massage therapist who really helped me. Having never had a massage before, she was very supportive and really explained the process to me. I decided to give her treatment plan a shot (even though I was not totally convinced), to my amazement within 3 massage therapy sessions my neck and back pain had significantly subsided, and I have been hooked ever since. It was this experience that propelled me into the massage therapy program.  


Three years later I graduated and promptly moved to beautiful Vancouver where I practiced full-time along side a great chiropractor.

My time in Van was amazing, it was the beginning of my career and from day one I began to learn from all the people that came into my treatment room.  Runners, moms to be, grandparents, athletes, professionals, people of all ages (I could go on!).  Every person had a specific reason for seeking massage and that is why I love what I do.  


I could talk all day about the benefits of massage and tell you countless success stories, however in the interest of expediency I will just say that I love Massage because, as a treatment, it can help with so many specific ailments and injuries or it can simply just help melt away your stress and brighten your day.

As much as I loved Vancouver - Ontario is where all my loved ones call home and so now I am here in the big city and very excited to start my new journey .  I have been lucky enough to be brought into Dr. Stephanie's clinic to offer my services and hopefully help as many people as I can feel their best!

I am available Tuesday through Friday from 12pm - 7pm and Saturdays from 10am - 4pm.  


I am very easy going and would be happy to accommodate other appointment times if needed.  On your first visit you will need to fill out a health history form (so arrive a little early!). At this time we can have a quick chat about what issues (if any) you would like to address with massage therapy; and of course talk about any questions or concerns you may have.

As I have said, I am new to Toronto and I am very quickly learning that there many massage therapists in this city.  To help myself stand out a little I am offering first time clients 50% off of a 60 minute massage treatment for the entire month of May.  It may seem a little crazy to discount my service that much, but I love what I do (I know I know, you get it) and I am optimistic that if you give me a try we can work together to help you feel your best!




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You can book Erin by calling the office : 647 346 2281 or you can book online by clicking this link.

What is a Subluxation, Doc?

I get this question a lot with new patients, and it is an excellent one.

Let's start with some basic anatomy of your spine. The 'backbone' if you will of this post [heh heh, couldn't resist].




Ok, so this is a normal segment of your spine.  There are many components here that are important in prevention and wellness:

• the disc  [the red bit]
• the nerves [the yellow bit]
• the bones [the beige bits]

The spine literally lets you do everything - yoga, spinning, run, lift weights, whatever you can imagine - your spine is involved in making it happen.  

It is also extremely important because it protects your spinal cord.  Your spinal cord is the highway of nerves coming to and from your brain to direct your body to do, well, just about everything.

In the same way your skull protects your brain, your spine protects your spinal cord. 

With natural wear and tear, or a specific incident [a car accident, a sports injury, pregnancy, etc], this is what a your spine can look like:


This is what chiropractors call a "Subluxation".  It is the interference of communication

• between 2 [or more] joints
• between the nerve [from the spinal cord] and muscles, joints, organs, etc
• between the disc and the bones of the spine

So, it is extremely important to keep your back healthy, flexible, and happy.

Let's take a look at where the nerves in your back go to [you can click on it to see a larger view]:



The bony structure on the left is your spine from the side. I know, I know... it looks like a giant caterpillar.

This is a great chart for explaining where in the body the nerves coming from your back are going.

Having low back pain and a hard time digesting certain foods?

Looking at the chart, it makes perfect sense that the lumbar nerves would be involved in BOTH the back pain, and the indigestion/intestinal troubles.

So. What does this all mean?

It means you need to take care of your spine.  And it's joints.  And the muscles that help it move.

 This is where I come in.

With my method, I use Chiropractic, Acupuncture, and a variety of different techniques that are aimed at making the spine flexible, bendy, and healthy.  Having a healthy spine allows you to live a better life, because you can do all the things you want and need to, and not *think* about it.  Your spine will just know how to react to your needs when it has been treated well.

The amazing thing about your spine is it will also just know how to incorporate the treatments so that it will begin to heal itself.  Pretty impressive, if you ask me.

Be Healthy.
Dr S
xo

CRAVE Toronto Guide Books [and shameless self promotion]

I want to take a minute to introduce you to The CRAVE Toronto Guide books.  If you have had the fortunate circumstance of travelling and being equipped with one of these city guides, you can appreciate how they will instantly clue you in to the hottest things in the city [NOT touristy tourist standards] like great little boutiques and services that only the people who live in that city would know about.

CRAVE city guides started back in 2001 when one busy girlfriend running her own business realized she had little to no time to see her other busy and important girlfriends running their own businesses!  Hence, the CRAVE guides were born.  They were an instant hit, and now strive to showcase successful female entrepreneurs in cities all over the world.

Crave Toronto launched on this past Wednesday, and I am fortunate enough to be included in a long list of successful 'entrepreneuresses' in the city.  I can tell you [or anyone who will listen] that I love what I do, and helping others reach higher levels of health and well-being are what drive me.  To be included in a project like this really solidifies this.

So, with the launch, a few of the 'entrepreneuresses'  were interviewed in The Toronto Star yesterday, and [Warning! Here is the shameless self promotion bit], I thought I would share:

The CRAVE Toronto guide book is $20, and features 130 female-operated businesses.  You can pick up them up in my office, or visit this link for a full list of places to pick it up throughout Toronto.


Be Healthy.

Dr. Stephanie