 Most of us would be aware that as a society, we are moving less. With the rise in computer/desk-based work, plus the movement restrictions of the last couple of years, majority of working or studying people would struggle to reach 10,000 steps per day. While the ‘10,000 steps’ number started as just a marketing tool, keeping active and mobile is important for muscular, joint and brain health. Our muscles thrive on blood flow. When we are at rest (sitting, lying, sleeping) our muscles only use 20% of the heart’s output of blood, or about 1-4ml/minute. During exercise, this can increase to 80% of cardiac output, or 50-100ml/minute. This increased blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and allows cellular waste products to be flushed more effectively. Muscle contraction from movement is also required to push blood from our hands and feet back towards the heart. In our arms and legs, the veins returning blood to the heart have a one way ‘valve’ that is assisted by muscle contraction, best done by walking or running. When you are moving sufficiently, this can help prevent puffiness and swelling in hands and feet (excluding underlying conditions). Muscles can also feel tight and stiff from long periods of inactivity, most likely from minimal blood flow and sustained contractions to hold seated postures. If our muscles are tight and restricted, this can create restriction in our joints as well. Muscles are like a spring pulling on the bones either side of a joint to pull the joint into position. If muscles are stiff or not functioning well, this can put different pressures on the joint, causing pain, inflammation, or restrictions in joint movement. Joints can also become restricted after prolonged times in a single position, like sitting at a desk or long drives. Also, our joints and muscles are constantly providing feedback to our brains about where our body is and what’s happening. If this feedback becomes a bit distorted by a joint or muscle that isn’t functioning correctly, this can make changes in how our brain perceives body position and what movements our brain deems ‘safe’. There have been several studies done investigating the link between mobility and brain health. Mobility for these studies is measured in the speed you can walk, your balance (especially on one foot) and how easily you can move from sitting to standing. As chiropractors, we also assess mobility with range of movement tests, like how far can your turn your head side to side (and is it even on both sides) and how far can you side bend your body. The studies have been showing that decreases in measured mobility are linked to decreases in brain volume and brain processing speeds. While these studies are usually conducted on older age groups (65+), we can extrapolate out that keeping mobile can help keep your brain healthier than if you are more sedentary. This month we are asking you to check your mobility! Follow along with this video and see how you go. Did you notice any unevenness or pain in your neck or back movements? Was it hard to balance or get up off the chair? You may not be moving to your optimal potential, and this can create issues with your joints, muscles and brain function. If you have any concerns or questions about your mobility, you can make an appointment to talk with one of our chiropractors.
References -Mobility measures and brain function- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5081060/ - Skeletal mm blood flow https://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Flow/BF015
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 So a few things first…
Fact: Gratitude is good for your brain. Fact: We like talking about gratitude. Fun fact: Kids can teach us a LOT about gratitude, and not just being thankful it’s Feb and they go back to school. As a practitioner I often talk about how kids just seem to do some things really well; they instinctively know how to belly breathe, they ask why (constantly) and they are absolutely delighted when the smallest thing goes right (Hey dad, this booger looks just like an octopus!). They will also work especially hard towards a goal – like getting Thomas to the station every time wees go in the potty (more on this in a minute). They also (sometimes infuriatingly) get so absorbed in a task that they have no idea what else is going on around them. Another fascinating thing about kids is how adults communicate effectively with each other, compared to with kids. i.e. “what did you do at school today” (*crickets*) vs “what was your favourite thing today? (20 minute story about monkey bar competitions). Seeing these traits and interacting with this also helps to shape our view on gratitude and that is something that I would like to share with you, how kids help shape my view on gratitude. Being grateful for the small things. There is nothing more delightful than a child getting SUPER excited because they get to have the last slice of mango or because they can have bubbles in the bath or because Granny is coming around. The simplest of things can evoke the strongest of emotions and it’s so beautiful to see. This is also the reason why all parents get frustrated at their parents for over-spoiling their grandkids with noisy toys and chocolates; because seeing a child happy makes everyone else’s brain produce more happy hormones… except the parent who will hear ‘Row, Row, Row your boat,’ 400 times in the car trip home. But yes, delightful, children are genuinely happy at the smallest of wins, something we should definitely be doing more of! Reward yourself. I am a HUGE fan of this. Because what’s the point in working hard if you don’t reward yourself? Why would you run a race if not but for the free t-shirt and beer at the end (Tough Mudder we love you). The first time we went through toilet training the best way to get it done (haha) was to put a sticker of a train on a chart and when we had enough stickers (to create a lasting brain pattern), Thomas got home to the station. The reason this works so well is because we work a butt-load better (last pun, I swear) when we know there’s a REASON to work better. Worked hard for that promotion at work? Get yourself a jetski! Got up at 6am every morning for a workout for a month? Treat yourself to a day at the beach. Eaten all those pesky vegetables? Ice cream! Treat yourself for putting in the hard yards. Be in the moment. This one is probably the hardest for us but the easiest for them. There is nothing more fascinating or infuriating than a child playing with their cars, oblivious to that fact that you’re 20 minutes late for school, haven’t packed their lunch and have no idea when you’re going to fit in a quick trip to the shops or what’s for dinner. Ask about favourite things. Another dinner time ritual my family has, usually somewhere after “please, please, please eat SOMETHING green,” is playing Favourite Thing. It started as a conversational tool (thanks Bluey!) but has evolved into a lesson in gratitude, for all parties involved. We ask what each person’s favourite thing was today and spend a moment saying how lucky we are to have that food/toy/experience. We even do this at the extended family dinner table and it’s always interesting to see how others are entertained by the idea. So whether you are just super grateful that it’s February and the kids are going back to school, or whether new starts and new years are your thing, gratitude can be a very powerful tool that helps us be in the moment, be appreciative and be happier with what we have. And watching little ones do the most random of things is an easy way to get there! |
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May 2022
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