Inside The Polished Apple

The following is from the most recent issue of ICPA's Pathways to Family Wellness magazine (its available in the office!) and I thought the subject matter aligned nicely with our monthly August theme of Seasons. “We are composed of rhythms and exist within the rhythms of nature... Seasonal, circadian, lunar, and tidal patterns don't just form the background to our lives-they are  our lives.” While many of us are rushing through our days and keeping tight to a paper/ computer schedule, summer presents the perfect time to synchronize with the patterns of ebb and flow around us. A few of the suggestions presented in the article: Awareness and Enjoyment of the daily transition of the sun rising and setting, and observing the stars in the sky at night. Witness the temporary moments-such as how the sun filters through your backyard or a fleeting moment of a butterfly passing. The concept of balance as constantly changing and dynamic. Look for the silence in your d...

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...

Spring has arrived and the world instantly feels better to me. Along with the season's arrival, April always make me think of new beginnings with pregnancies and babies everywhere (the human and animal variety!). Our office offers many services for around the prenatal time and we especially love to see new babies getting entrained with Network care and seeing them learn strategies to release tension in their bodies-whether the tension has built up from development, during birth or in their early days. I find that many babies who have had care in-utero and in their early weeks and months tend to self-correct with ease and have balanced and flexible nervous systems. For the babes we don't see, or if parents are wondering what to look for to decide if they should have their baby examined, here are some things to look for that may indicate a more serious need for chiropractic care.  Torticollis or difficulty turning head in either direction Placiocephaly (head flatte...

I am excited to have this article appearing in Calgary's Attachment Parenting Village Newsletter published today.   Babies and young children live primarily in the physical world. She (baby) is learning how to make her body her own and learning how she can be in her body. She is all about exploration-using and developing her senses to understand her world. To explore, she needs to move and develop physically. I would like to share ways that we can help our babies and children to experience more movement and more opportunities for physical growth and development. Opportunities to stretch and move. I believe that infants should spend the majority of their time either in a caregiver's arms/ carried, or in an unrestricted space with room to stretch and move. From a physical viewpoint, being carried gives baby a chance to develop stability muscles as a response to her caregiver's movements; to develop her balance and proprioception. What is our propri...

I have had the opportunity to travel for work two times in the past three weeks. Why would I want to spend this precious time away from both my family and practice? Fortunately, the trips were for two amazing seminars, which I have been asked about by many practice members. Here is the why and what I have learned. In January I travelled to Denver for 4 days for Dr. Donald Epstein's Intermediate and Advanced Care Intensive seminar. This is the advanced technique seminar for Network Spinal Analysis and is offered yearly, although I have not managed to attend since I last attended in Como, Italy. We have a lot of information to cover as Dr Epstein is constantly refining the work, and we get both lecture and hands-on practice time. As part of his new Reorganizational Healing model, we are learning new ways to work at different depths in the body to refine both the Respiratory and Somatopsychic (healing) waves. It's pretty amazing to see how the work is constantly changing...