The Webster Technique and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is such an exciting time.  Oh the dreams you will dream about this tiny little person!

Chiropractic during pregnancy is usually not at the top of everyones list, what, after the nursery shopping, the rocking chair, and the bajillion strollers to choose from!  However, when we are talking about the health of you and your baby, chiropractic care should be right up there with finding the right OB or midwife, and your prenatal nutrition.

There are a couple of reasons for this.  First, any aches and pains you had before conceiving your baby will likely be amplified when you are pregnant.  If you had a history of a bad back before getting pregnant, it is highly likely (and by highly likely I mean almost definitely) the pregnancy will aggravate your back.  Second and third time pregnancies will also tend to see these aches and pains show up even sooner than during their first pregnancy.  Chiropractic care can get to the source of the aches and pain and correct it.

Secondly, and the main reason for this post, is chiropractic care can ensure that your spine and pelvis remain in as optimal a shape as possible while your baby grows (and kicks and flips, and plays) inside your uterus.

This is incredibly important, and I'll tell you why:

When the spine or pelvis is out of balance, the diameter of a woman's pelvis is decreased. Chiropractors usually refer to this as a "subluxation". This subluxation in turn causes an imbalance to her pelvic muscles and ligaments.  When the pelvic and ligaments are balanced, the uterus enlarges symmetrically.  When the pelvis is subluxated, the uterus can torque and reduce the maximum amount of space for the developing baby!

In some cases, this restricts the baby's movement during pregnancy, and can prevent baby from getting into the best possible position for birth.

So, this is where the Webster technique comes in.  This is a specific chiropractic analysis and technique that reduces the restriction and subluxation in the spine and pelvis and balances out the maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments.  What this does is reduces any torque that ay have developed in the uterus and allows for optimal positioning of the baby in preparation for birth.

Pretty powerful stuff, huh.  The best part is, it is super gentle, safe, and can be done right up until your due date.  Chiropractors report over 85% success rate with this technique's ability to balance pelvic structures and remove constraint to the uterus, which can allow the baby to turn into the vertex position for birth.

To find a chiropractor in your area who is Webster Technique certified, follow this link.



Be Healthy.

Dr. Stephanie

The Naturopathic Approach to Constipation

Constipation is an extremely common problem in naturopathic medicine, and it is experienced by approximately 63 million people in North America. This condition is so common that people often do not acknowledge it as an abnormality!

Constipation means that a person is having fewer than 3 bowel movements in a week, those of which can be hard, dry, and/or painful to pass.  

Conventional medicine and naturopathic medicine view constipation very differently. Conventionally, constipation is not usually viewed as a serious concern until complications occur (such as hemorrhoids or fissures that result in discomfort, rectal prolapse, and fecal impaction).

Naturopathic medicine views digestive and bowel function as one of the most important factors that contributes to optimal wellness. It is more often than not, one of the first conditions addressed when visiting a Naturopathic Doctor. Why? The digestive tract is responsible for not only breaking down the foods that you ingest, but also for the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste and toxins. Therefore, constipation can lead to nutritional deficiencies and toxin accumulation. 

In fact, the digestive tract is one of the most important means of detoxification. Without healthy bowel movements, toxins accumulate and can spread throughout the body. This can impact a wide range of other bodily functions. Everything from cramps to acne an be a result of constipation. 

Understanding the cause of constipation is important as it makes the treatment for constipation clear.  For example, if there is not enough fluid or fibre-rich food in the diet, it becomes difficult for the intestines to move food through the digestive tract. This results in waste moving too slowly through the digestive tract, causing it to become hard and dry, and therefore even more difficult for the muscles of the intestines to contract. 

Other factors that may play a role include:

• Ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement
• Delaying bowel movements
• A change in routine or lifestyle
• Lack of physical activity
• A diet too high in protein
• Illness
• Frequent use or misuse of laxatives
• Certain medications (such as pain, high blood pressure, and depression medications, diuretics, Parkinson's disease treatments) and chemotherapy
• Hormonal imbalance
• Pregnancy
• Digestive tract conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal obstruction, diverticulousis, anal fissures, hemorrhoids, pelvic floor dysfunction (anismus), colon cancer, and in children, Hirschsprung's disease
• Loss of body salts through vomiting or diarrhea 

The conventional medical approach to constipation is by the use of laxatives; which works by artificially increasing the movement of fecal matter along the colon. There are problems associated with the use of laxatives that should be noted. Laxative abuse and chronic use of laxatives is potentially dangerous, as it can lead to the loss of ability for the intestines to contract on their own, irritable bowel syndrome, and renal failure.  

Naturopathic treatment approaches overlap with conventional approaches in the initial stage of treatment (stimulating bowel movements). However, it also places emphasis on long-term treatment, as it focuses on the root cause of constipation that is specific to the individual patient.

Once serious causes are ruled out, constipation is addressed initially by stimulating bowel movements using gentle and safe natural fiber and nutraceutical supplementation. It is then followed by improving regularity, using diet and lifestyle modification that are tailored to the individual. This takes away from the need for external stimulation of the intestines, therefore reducing the risks associated with treatments with laxatives and provides a more effective and sustainable treatment protocol. 

Diet is the main focus, such as increasing fruit and vegetables, fiber, and water intake, avoiding foods with saturated fats, foods that are high in cholesterol, sugars, and animal protein. Lifestyle modifications include appropriate stress management, increasing exercise, and establishing routine. 

Other modalities may also be used alongside diet and lifestyle modifications, including supplementation, herbal medicines, massage therapy, acupuncture, cleansing protocols, and Traditional Chinese Medicine depending on the needs of the patient. 

Dr. Cristina

Dr. Romana Schmidt, Doctor of Chiropractic

Dr. Romana Schmidt is a recently graduated Cum Laude Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. Before that she completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Anatomy from McGill University in Montreal. She has a great passion and life-long interest in the human body and is a proponent of healthy lifestyle with a multi-disciplinary and a holistic, evidenced-based approach for generating health and well-being.

Dr. Romana is an advocate for continuously upgrading her skills and will be completing her Medical Acupuncture Certification at McMaster University this fall. She has also taken additional training in numerous courses including the completion of Graston Technique® Basic Training, KT1/KT2 (Fundamental and Advanced Kinesio Taping), and F.A.P. (Functional Anatomic Palpation Systems) of the Upper Limb. 

In her spare time, Dr. Romana enjoys leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle with good nutrition and exercise such as running, biking and snowboarding and relaxation through drawing and the occasional worldly travel when time permits.

Dr. Romana will be slowly taking over for Dr. Lara through the fall, and while she off on maternity leave from December.  

We are excited to welcome Dr. Romana to our team!

Be Healthy.

Dr. Stephanie

Wobbly Ankles?

Tips to Avoid Developing Chronic Ankle Sprains

Did you know that if you sprain your ankle and it doesn’t heal properly that you have almost a 90% chance of spraining it again?

The truth hurts…. literally!  If you’ve ever experienced an ankle sprain then you know what I’m talking about.  In this article I’d like to outline a little bit about ankle sprains and how to treat them properly to avoid the dreaded recurrent sprain or ‘wobbly ankle syndrome’.

The most common ankle sprain is a lateral ankle sprain.  Usually the toes are slightly down and the sole of the foot turns inwards as the ankle rolls over stretching or tearing the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.  (See the picture to the right)  There are three main ligaments that support our lateral ankle and the one that is most commonly damaged is the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). 

Another important note is that there are degrees of ankle sprains.  A minor sprain is a grade 1 injury where there is some overstretching of the muscles and ligaments.  In a grade 2 sprain some of the fibers are torn and there is bruising and a lot of swelling.  The most severe ankle sprain is a grade 3, which is a complete rupture of one of the supporting ligaments which can leave the ankle unstable. 

So what should you do when you sprain an ankle?  First thing is to get it assessed to see how severe it is.  If it was a traumatic sprain then it is always safe to start with an X-ray to rule out a potential fracture.  If you simply rolled it, stay off of it for the first 24 hours and apply this basic at home first aid. 

1-    Ice the ankle – Apply an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies to the ankle for 10 minutes at a time.  Take it off for 10 minutes then apply the ice again.  Stick to this 10 on -10 off icing protocol for as long as you can stand it in the first 24 hours.  It will help control the pain and limit the amount of swelling in the ankle. 

2-    Elevate the ankle – Blood and fluid tends to pool when we are standing so stay off that ankle completely at the beginning and try to elevate it above the heart

3-    Compression – If you have a tensor bandage at home wrap the ankle, it will also help modulate the swelling in the area

4-    Medication - If the ice isn’t enough to take care of the pain then I would recommend a pain medication with some anti-inflammatory properties like Ibuprofen (Advil).  It reduces pain and helps control the inflammation in the area.  

**My recommendation is to go one step further.  If you really want this ankle to heal quickly get some Acupuncture pronto! Acupuncture helps reduce pain, modulate swelling and restore muscle coordination after an injury.  It has also been proven to speed up the repair of tissue.  

Okay the first 24 hrs are over and you may be feeling better, but this is where the real work begins.  It’s time to get your motion back and start rehabbing this ankle. 

There are 4 main parts to ankle recovery and you need all of them to successfully restore your ankle to its pre-injury state:  

1. Regaining full, pain-free Range of Motion
2. Strength training
1. Isometric
2. Dynamic
3. Proprioception training
4. Activity specific training

1.   Range of Motion Exercises

Don’t start walking on that ankle unless there is no pain and 80% of your ankle’s normal motion is restored.  The best way to start getting your range of motion back is to do the ‘Alphabet Exercise’:

In between your icing session start using your foot to trace out each letter of the alphabet in the air.  This will get your ankle moving in all the necessary directions.  Continue with the basic first aid and the alphabet exercise until the pain is gone and the ankle motion is restored.  It could take a while so be patient!  To speed up this phase of healing visit your practitioner and get some muscle therapy and acupuncture to reset the length of the muscles that were strained when the ankle rolled over.

Now the next part is so incredibly crucial.  We need to retrain this ankle so that you don’t roll it again.  Remember if you stop at this point your chances of rolling your ankle again are pretty high. 

Your practitioner should supervise you through this portion of the rehab which will involve strength and proprioception training. 

2. Strengthening Exercises

Ligaments hold our bones together but the body relies on muscles to provide support for its joints.  Strength training starts with a) Isometric contractions - which means firing the muscles but without moving the actual joint.  The next step is to add some motion – b) Dynamic exercises.   My favourite dynamic exercise incorporates rubber tubing or a theraband.  Using light resistance you strengthen the different supporting muscles in the ankle in every direction.

3.   Proprioception Training

Here is the key – Once you damage the ligaments in your ankle that joint no longer has the ability to tell where it is in space and control its motions – this is called Propreioception and is so important to focus on in the recovery period.   Ligaments not only hold bones together but they also contain little nerve fibers that send signals to your brain to tell you where your ankle is in space.  Without these signals the brain can’t tell when the ankle is being overstretched and about to roll over again.  So that is why it is so common to re-injure your ankle if you don’t retrain and heal the proprioceptors. 

The first exercise I like to give is just standing on one foot.  At first the ankle will feel wobbly but you want to work up to being able to stand on one foot for 2 minutes without any pain or swaying of the ankle.  Next try closing the eyes and try to maintain that same stability.  Proprioception exercises can also be made more challenging by standing on a softer surface like a pillow or grass and can even be done on a wobble board which tilts from side to side.  (See photo to the right)

4.  Activity Specific Training

This section may be different depending on what type of activity you are involved in but always progresses the same way.  After you have established your pain-free full range of motion in your ankle joint and completed your strength and proprioception training you are ready to return to activity.  First begin with in line motions like walking and jogging.  Next progress to forward and backward activities before adding cutting and figure-8 motions which put more force on the lateral side of the ankle.  If you are returning to competitive sport spend adequate time practicing drills in a non-competitive environment before returning to actual competition. 

Braces can also be prescribed and worn throughout the healing process to provide support and stability.

Remember ankle sprains are very common but there is no need for them to keep happening over and over again if they are cared for properly the first time. 

Dr. Lara Lever

Welcome Candice, RMT to our team at The Health Loft

I am thrilled to welcome Candice to our team here at The Health Loft.  Candice brings a wealth of knowledge to her treatments, with extensive training from her travels through Thailand, India, and Asia.  She is trained in Reiki as well as Active Release Therapy (A.R.T.)

Candice is now available Thursdays through Mondays.  Please have a look at her availability by booking with our online booking system, or you can call the clinic (647 346 2281) and reception will be happy to help you find a time and type of massage that is right for you.  Our BookNow button is included in this post - it will take you to our online schedule:

The Detox Package @ The Health Loft

With the gorgeous weather that now seems like it is here to stay - this is a great time of year to think about Detoxifying the body in preparation for summer.  

Detoxing is important because overtime, there is unwanted built up inside the body from the foods we eat, and general stresses we are constantly dealing with. This build up is made by external toxins such as pharmaceutical drugs and pesticides, as well internal toxins that are formed as natural byproducts of daily functioning inside of the body.

The human body has an incredible ability to withstand the toxins it is exposed to, but unfortunately in today’s modern society, the extent of exposure is typically more than what the body can eliminate. These toxins accumulate in our tissues and can disrupt our health. Excess toxins the body have been linked to headaches, joint pain, asthma, mood and mental status changes, allergies, insomnia, ulcers, and constipation – the list goes on.


Detoxing will not only help clean out the body internally, and support liver, kidney function, bit it will also improve skin tone, aid in weight loss, and generally make you feel fantastic.

The Health Loft is now offering a special medically-supervised Detoxification Package. This package provides the necessary tools to aid the body in detoxifying, by formulating an individualized plan to reduce toxin exposure, enhance elimination of toxins, and the necessary tools to optimize your health. 


Included in your package:

• Initial Detoxification Specific Consult: A 1 to 1.5 hour comprehensive visit with The Health Loft’s Naturopathic Doctor – Dr. Cristina Allen, ND. This visit will include a thorough assessment and an individualized treatment plan, which will incorporate diet, lifestyle modifications, and a nutritional and supplement regimen.  
• Necessary nutraceutical and herbal supplementation for healthy detoxification is included in this package.
• One follow-up visit to assess progress and health status.

$300.00

Acupuncture may also be added to the Detoxification Package

• Four individualized acupuncture sessions to aid the detoxification process

$240.00


For more information, please call The Health Loft at 647 346 2281.

UV Radiation :: Toronto, Patios, and Sunblock vs Sunscreen

As I was sitting on a patio this past Sunday, enjoying what felt like one of the first nice days of the summer Toronto's had this year, the table next to me started a conversation about how they had recently heard about record ozone loss above the Arctic this past winter and how it will effect ultraviolet rays here in Toronto. I was advised to wear a lot of sunscreen this summer. 

This inspired me to write an article about how these climate changes affect our health. 

ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is not visible to the human eye. It is named “ultraviolet” because the electromagnetic rays are of higher frequencies than what humans identify as the colour violet.  

It is subdivided into different ranges according to wavelength, including ultraviolet A (UVA) or long wave, ultraviolet B (UVB) or medium wave, and ultraviolet C (UVC) or short wave. 

Sunlight is the greatest source of UV radiation. Other sources, which are man-made, include UV lamps, arc welding, and mercury vapour lamps. 

The sun's emission of UV rays is relevant because the sun emits ultraviolet radiation in the UVA, UVB, and UVC bands, and each band type has different effects on our health. 

Positive effects of skin exposure to the sun are attributed to UVB rays. UVB induces the production of vitamin D, which is responsible for maintenance of bone density, bone growth, and normal functioning of the nervous system.

Vitamin D also regulates immunity, cell proliferation, insulin secretion, and blood pressure. UV exposure has also been suggested to positively benefit cases of rickets, psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and lupus. 

Negative effects of sun exposure are associated with UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays reach the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and too much UVB radiation exposure can cause direct DNA damage, sunburn, premature aging of the skin, and skin cancer. 

UVA reaches the middle layer of the skin (dermis) but is considered to be less harmful than UVB as it does not cause sunburns but can contribute to skin cancer through indirect DNA damage. Both UVA and UVB also destroy vitamin A in skin, which may cause further damage. 

Of the UV rays, UVC is the most dangerous type and is capable of causing mutagenic or carcinogenic effects but is not of concern in the context of sun exposure because it is filtered out by the atmosphere and does not reach the surface of the Earth. 

CLIMATE CHANGE AND OZONE DESTRUCTION

In recent years, climate change has been in the forefront of media (e.g. the movie An Inconvenient Truth). A result of climate change is the formation of ozone-destroying chemical reactions. As our emissions increase (from products such as refrigerators, aerosol spray cans, and fire extinguishers), green house gases trap heat close to the surface of the earth, preventing heat to reach the above stratosphere. This causes the temperature in the stratosphere to be cooler which encourages depletion of the ozone. 

This year, ozone loss in the arctic has reached a record high. 

OZONE DESTRUCTION AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

Naturally, the Earth's ozone layer blocks the majority of UV radiation emitted by the sun by preventing it from penetrating through the atmosphere. Due to the destruction of the ozone layer, more UV radiation is reaching the surface of the earth, thus, increasing our exposure to UV rays. 

PREVENTION

With the destruction of the ozone, it is important to have appropriate protection from sun exposure to prevent the damaging effects of  UV radiation exposure.

Environmental Canada and World Health Organization developed the UV index: a measurement of the intensity of UV radiation from the sun that reaches the surface of different locations on the Earth. Note that intensity is variable, depending on  how high the angle of the sun is in the sky. 

It is important to note the UV Index daily before going outdoors, and implement protection as discussed.

UV INDEX 

• 0-2: UV radiation levels pose no danger to the average person, but it is recommended to wear sunglasses, sunscreen/sunblock if there is snow on the ground as it reflects UV radiation, or if you are particularly fair.
• 3-5: There is some risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Recommendations include  sunglasses and use of SPF 30+ sunscreen/sunblock.
• 6-7: There is a high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Recommendations include sunglasses, use of SPF 30+ sunscreen/sunblock, covering the body with protective clothing, and avoiding sun exposure between 11:00AM to 4PM during the summer.
• 8-10: There is a very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Wear SPF 30+ sunscreen/sunblock, a shirt, sunglasses, and hat. Avoid sun exposure between 11:00AM and 4PM during the summer, and do not stay out in the sun for long periods of time.
• 11+: There is an extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Take all precautions including sunglasses, SPF 30+ sunscreen/sunblock, cover the body with long-sleeve shirt, trousers, and a broad rimmed hat. Do not stay out in the sun for long periods of times, and avoid the sun during peak times. 

Toronto has already reached days with a UV Index of 9 and is expected to have 11+ days this summer! 

As summer approaches, it is important to determine what type (sunscreen or sunblock) and strength (SPF) of protection to use. There are many misconceptions of both. 

SUNSCREEN/SUNBLOCK

Contrary to popular belief, sunscreen and sunblock are not the same thing. There is a very important difference: sunscreen is a product that acts as a filter, allowing a certain range of UV light to be absorbed in the skin, and contains chemicals that absorb and reflect particular UV rays so that they do not reach the skin.  Sunblock contains materials such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide that physically block and reflect UV rays, therefore acting as a wall between the skin and the sun. 

Sunscreen can protect against UVA and UVB rays, using chemicals such as avenobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocrylene. However, the cocktail of chemicals that are used, contain ingredients that are known or suspected carcinogens and/or hormone disrupters. 

The preferred form of protection is sunblock, because it can provide “broad spectrum UV protection” or in other words, blocks both UVA and UVB rays, without the use of carinogenic and hormone disrupting ingredients depending on the mineral used.

Titanium dioxide is one of the two main ingredients in sunblock, but sunblocks containing this mineral should not be applied to children's bodies on a regular basis, as it can cause DNA damage and can be carcinogenic. Zinc oxide is the only FDA approved sunblock for use on children under 6 months of age, as it is considered to be safe and furthermore, has anti-inflammatory properties. 

The only con of using zinc oxide is that the regular form of zinc oxide leaves a strong white residue on the skin which consumers may find unappealing. In order to compensate, zinc oxide sunblock now uses nano-sized particles, which raises the concern of skin absorption and phototoxicity in pregnant women. Recent research shows that nanoparticles can cross the human placenta, possibly exposing the developing fetus to zinc oxide, but the effects of this have not been studied. 

SUN PROTECTION FACTOR (SPF)

SPF is a measure of the effectiveness of sunscreen and sunblock. It represents the amount of UVB exposure required to cause a sunburn when applied to the skin, so the higher the SPF, the more protection it provides against ultraviolet radiation. 

Consumers typically misunderstand SPF, believing that for example, a SPF 15 means that they are able to stay in the sun for 15 hours without getting a sunburn (15 times longer), but this is not true. Although UV radiation exposure is related to time, there are other influential factors, including:

• time of day (in Canada, UV intensity is at its maximum between 12 and 1PM)
• season (spring and summer are most intense), 
• weather conditions (heavy cloud coverage absorb some UV radiation)
• skin type (melanin is the pigment that makes skin darker and absorbs UV radiation, so fairer skin has less melanin and thus less protection)
• amount applied and frequency of re-application of sunblock/sunscreen
• the activities in which one engages (such as swimming)
• the amount of skin absorption. 

It is also important to note that SPF is imperfect as it only considers UVB exposure, but UVA also causes invisible damage which can lead to cancer. 

SO WHAT MEANS OF PROTECTION SHOULD BE IMPLMENTED?

The WHO encourages 10-15 minutes of sun exposure per day to ensure Vitamin D production. If more time is spent in the sun, follow the recommendations according to the UV Index including minimizing exposure. If the UV Index is 3 or higher, sunblock of SPF 30+ which uses zinc oxide, that has not been modified to nanoparticles for use by pregnant women, apply according to skin type and intensity of UV Index, and reapply depending on activities and absorption. 

Dr. Cristina