Inside The Polished Apple

Backpack Checks today at Elan for Family Days!  Is your bag lightweight? 2 wide shoulder straps; with extra straps at waist or chest & are they used? Does it have lots of pockets? Does it weigh less then 10% of your kid's weight?  Is it packed with heavy items closest to back?  Can your child put it on a table or chair and then put the straps on? This avoids lifting and twisting the bag.  A heavy or improperly used back pack can lead to back, neck or shoulder strain. Please talk to us if you have a concern about your child's health-we love to adjust kids and keep them feeling healthy!  Happy Back to School!  

Thanks to Margaret Kennedy, Registered Acupuncturist with Elan Family Wellness, for these recent reviews. Please ask her how Acupuncture care may support these health concerns or lifestyle changes.  Mental Attitude:  Diabetes and Parkinson’s Risk.  Following a review of patient data concerning over eight million individuals, researchers report that type 2 diabetics have a 32% increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease. The researchers note their “findings may reflect shared genetic predisposition and/or disrupted shared pathogenic pathways with potential clinical and therapeutic implications” Neurology, June 2018  Mediterranean Diet May Protect the Brain!  The Mediterranean diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, healthy fats (such as olive oil), and lean sources of protein such as fish and poultry. In addition to improved heart health, studies show that the Mediterranean diet may also protect against cognitive decline a...

Thank you to Scott Hutchison, Registered Massage Therapist at Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, for this article on the end of summer and recent community contributions!  It's almost over! #summer #gone Back to school is on the mind of most parents by now. Certainly the retailers, but I hope the kids are still lost in the long summer days. Having as much fun as possible in the wonderful weather in western Canada. I want to take a second and thank you all for the great support for Carya on our Patient Day this summer, the 30 lbs of food collected for the Food Pantry Round Up during stampede and the well over 200 books that have gone in and out of our little tiny library. Thank you very much! August 1 st  you will see a little box and some bracelets for sale in the office. Have a look, buy a bracelet. The funds raised are being handled by an amazing young girl facing her own health, the world with grace, dignity and a mission bigger than herself. She needs a bit of...

Thank you to Dr Robert Clarke, Chiropractor at Elan Family Wellness Centre in Bowness, for this article on Heritage Day and our ancestral patterns.  As we work towards improving ourselves and our lives, we often come up against some of our old patterns. Ideally we break through those patterns and emerge as a better version of ourselves. The wisdom gained in this process feeds our natural desire to expand and grow. On other occasions we fall into our old patterns. This can be and often is frustrating. We all have our patterns that we have developed, many things we do automatically, ride a bike, tie a shoe or cook amazing meals, relay on using the patterns that serve us. Just as we have these great patterns, we also have many that don’t sever us. Often we develop strategies to survive during stressful times in our lives. Unfortunately there is a big difference between survival strategies and thriving ones. Not only are there patterns that we develop in our own lives, we also need...

They're not just for kids... although chances are, if you're a parent, this is on the top of your back to school list. Many professionals are also choosing backpacks over briefcases, so whatever your age, let's look at how best to shop and use them! There can be long term health risks with wearing poorly designed backpacks and carrying too much weight. Here are backpack tips from our Chiropractic Association's Pack it Light Wear it Right Campaign: Choose a bag that is lightweight, has a padded back, a waist or hip strap and two wide straps (2”) with lots of pockets. Pack the heaviest items close to your back. Use the pockets as much as possible to distribute the load. Pack it light with only what you (or your child) need in the day. Less then 10% of their body weight for kids in grade 8 or younger; less then 15% of their body weight for older kids and adults. Wear it right by placing the backpack on a waist height surface, and slipping th...