Lifestyle | Sports Specialist Rehab Centre

Jul 22 0

Keto Coffee and Almond Milk

Posted by ssrcadmin

There are many misconceptions about smoothies. You throw in some fruit, pick a milk base and off you go. But do you really know how much sugar you’re drinking?

Here is my rendition of a smoothie, that’s low in sugar, I drink daily to help curb cravings and keep me full on a busy day between patients.

Keto Coffee

Depending on my mood that day I either add the coffee or just use the base of unsweetened almond milk.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups of unsweetened almond milk ( I increase by ½ cup of almond milk if i remove the coffee that day)

½ cup fresh brewed coffee

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp MCT Oil ( Medium chain triglycerides)

1 tbsp powdered peanut butter

half of a scoop of whey protein powder (chocolate or vanilla works well)

1 tbsp of marine collagen

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

* Please note that you have to slowly introduce MCT oil into the diet as it can cause gastrointestinal disturbances. I would recommend starting with 1 tsp and see how your body reacts and gradually increase.

*I usually make this the night before and store in a mason jar in the fridge, allowing the chia seeds to gel and flavors to heighten.

I’ll include the recipe I use if I’m feeling particularly adventurous that week and make my own almond milk.

Fresh Almond Milk

I’m sure you have noticed when reading a carton of alternative milk products there can be a long list of ingredients- added thickeners, sweeteners and flavourings.

Homemade nut milks are very easy to make and so unbelievably fresh!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw almonds

4 cups of water

1- 2 tsp of vanilla extract

1-2 tsp of cinnamon or cocoa powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place almonds in a glass bowl and add 3 cups of filtered water, cover with a kitchen towel and refrigerate overnight.

Drain and rinse well, discard soaking liquid

Place nuts in a high-speed blender with 4 cups of fresh water. For a slight sweetness you can add dates, vanilla extract or cocoa powder to flavor the milk.

Strain using a nut milk bag you can find these at bulk barn. Over a glass bowl gently squeeze. Refrigerate and drink within 2 to 3 days.

*The discarded almonds I refrigerate and use as almond flour.

Jun 23 0

Keto Bombs!

Posted by ssrcadmin

Check out this recipe from our registered massage therapist Lesley Andress for a healthy and tasty keto treat!

-½ cup a nut butter (eg. cashew butter)

-¼ cup of ground cocoa

-¼ cup of melted coconut oil

-1 tbsp (or less) of erythritol or xylitol

-⅛ tsp of salt (optional)

-add hemp hearts, chia seed, ground coconut and pumpkin seeds (optional)

Pour the blend into mini cupcake paper cups on a flat tray and place in the freezer for 1 hour then enjoy!

Jun 10 0

Hurt versus Harm

Posted by ssrcadmin

One question I hear from many of our patients at The Sports Specialist Rehab Centre is “Should physical activity be painful?”. Generally, the answer is “No”.

Physical activity can be loosely defined as a voluntary activity performed by an individual for a specific purpose that leads to movement and force generated from the body. This can include exercise, sports or rehab. The forces generated during physical activity can place stress upon the muscle tissue, joints and supportive tissue. As such, it is common and sometimes expected that during physical activity, there can be some discomfort (i.e. “hurt”). For example, if I am playing tennis, I would expect some minimal discomfort in my wrist, elbow and possibly shoulder. That said, this “hurt” does not necessarily translate to damage of body tissue. However, if a physical activity is ever painful (i.e. “harm”) while being performed, generally, that is not a good sign. This may indicate that you are damaging tissue as opposed to just engaging it. As such, should a physical activity ever become painful, please stop the activity immediately! The age old adage of “no pain, no gain” is not a fruitful one. The pain generated while performing an activity could represent significant trauma to an area and could have long term and far reaching implications.

Everyone’s definition of pain is completely subjective. So you, the individual, become the best judge at deciding when an activity becomes harmful, and not just a bit hurtful. If you should have any questions or questions regarding when an activity is hurtful versus. harmful, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our therapists who would be more than happy to explain!

Be active but be safe!

Dr. Paolo De Ciantis

Jun 03 0

6 Steps to A Healthier Day

Posted by ssrcadmin

6 Simple Steps to A Healthier Day:

Sit Less
We’ve all heard that sitting is the new smoking. Try to combat this by taking sitting breaks. Set yourself an alarm: each hour stand up and take a short walk, whether it’s to the bathroom, the water fountain or just a lap around your desk, your body will thank you
Move more
Even little things like taking the stairs instead of an elevator, parking your car farther away, or taking a walk around the block are beneficial for your health. Every thing counts!
Drink more water
Considering our body is made up of approximately 70% water, it’s a pretty important part of our diet. Try substituting at least one pop or sugary drink each day with water. Try carrying a container of water around with you every day so you’ll have easier access at all times.
Eat more fruits + vegetables
Start with substituting one food per day with something fresh. If your usual afternoon snack is something processed, try switching it with an apple or carrots and hummus. Another tip is to portion out your dinner plate so 50% of the contents are vegetables and the rest is split between protein and carbohydrates,
Sleep
Set a bedtime for yourself and stick to it. Allow for 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Even better, try to turn off all screens at least 30 minutes before sleeping so your body can get itself ready without that extra stimulation. Sleeping is so important for both your mind and body.
Be proactive with your pain
Combat your pain before it gets chronic. At the first sign of pain, go see your chiropractor, physiotherapist, athletic therapist, massage therapist or medical doctor. They will be able to give you treatment and active care to work on at home. The goal is to get rid of the pain quickly and teach you ways to manage things on your own. The longer pain has settled in, often, the longer it takes to go away. Don’t procrastinate seeing someone!

May 26 0

Heat vs. Ice!

Posted by ssrcadmin

I get this question too many times a day to even count. So, I thought I would spend some time laying out why I might recommend heat for one person and ice for another.

Both heat and ice are helpful tools in pain management. Although there are many theories as to why they work, the research is incomplete and there is still much that is unknown. One main theory for icing, for example, is that the reduction in temperature reduces the conductive ability of your nerve to relay information back and forth, therefore not allowing the ‘alarm signal’ of pain to be expressed as quickly. It is also understood to be helpful for inflammation as blood flow to the area is decreased. Heat, on the other hand, promotes blood flow to the area, which is helpful for healing. Heat activates certain neurotransmitters which blocks the ability for our body to perceive pain.

WHEN TO USE ICE
You have an acute injury (e.g. ankle sprain), within the first 48 hours
Inflammatory conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis)
Red, hot, swollen tissue

WHEN TO USE HEAT
Acute low back or neck pain
Chronic pain
Muscle stiffness

HOW TO USE ICE
Make sure the ice is covered or wrapped in a wet cloth, and not against your bare skin to protect from frostbite (I’ve done this before. It’s not fun – I promise!)
Use the 20:20:20 rule – 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, 20 minutes on. This can be repeated several times a day

HOW TO USE HEAT
If you have sensory issues, be careful not to burn your skin
Heat can be applied much longer than ice and there’s really no guideline – just make sure you are awake and aware of the sensations you are feeling so as not to become injured

Having said all that, each person and each body is different; what works for one person might not work for someone else. So, if you love ice and find it’s super helpful for your chronic pain – GO FOR IT!

As with everything, there are precautions and contraindications to all forms of therapy. Make sure you speak with a regulated health care professional to make sure that ice and/or heat is safe for you before using it.

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

RESOURCES:
Algafly AA, George KP. The effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and pain tolerance. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2007;41(6):365-369. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.031237.
Nadler SF, Weingand K, Kruse RJ. The Physiologic Basis and Clinical Applications of Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy for the Pain Practitioner. Pain Physician. 2004;7:395-9.
Malanga GA, Yan N, Stark J. Mechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury. Postgraduate Medicine. 2015; Early Online: 1-9.

May 12 0

Garden Safely This Spring!

Posted by ssrcadmin

Spring is here! Time to get those gardens flourishing. Gardening can be very hard work with lots of kneeling, bending, twisting, lifting and carrying. It’s important to ensure we keep our bodies and spines healthy and moving well during this increase in physical activity.

The Ontario Chiropractic Association has an excellent acronym to help us remember how to stay healthy while we’re gardening!

HEALTHY BACKS

H – Have the right tools for the task at hand.

E – Ensure you drink plenty of fluids.

A – Alternative between light and heavy jobs.

L – Lift correctly.

T – Take frequent breaks.

H – Heavy loads should be shared.

Y – Your feet should be protected with thick soled supportive shoes.

B – Before you start, warm-up your muscles.

A – Avoid muscle strain, learn the right techniques.

C – Change positions frequently.

K – Kneel to plant and weed.

S – Spinal check-ups can help keep your back healthy.

If you do injure yourself while gardening, or have questions about specific techniques (lifting, bending, etc…) please go see a regulated health professional for a proper assessment, treatment and advice specific to your body. Enjoy the sun! Looking forward to seeing those May Flowers!

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

Source: http://www.chiropractic.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/Tips-for-a-Healthy-Back-in-the-Garden-Apr17-v2.pdf

Apr 28 0

The DOMS

Posted by ssrcadmin

Why does my body hurt after a workout?
You know that feeling a day or two after a really tough or new workout? The one where everything just hurts? Well that pain has a name! You might be suffering from something called DOMS (aka Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).

What is DOMS?
DOMS is muscle pain that typically begins approximately 12-24 hours after a particularly difficult or new workout. The pain tends to peak between 24-72 hours after the offending exercise routine and can sometimes last up to 1 week!

Why does DOMS happen?
For many years it was believed that a build-up of lactic acid was the cause of this post-workout pain; however, more recently this has been proven untrue. Although there is still some controversy and unknown variables surrounding the exact mechanism of DOMS, the current general consensus is that it is related to the healing of microtears or microscopic damage to your muscle tissues that occur during eccentric contractions. Eccentric contractions are what happen when your muscle is both contracting and lengthening at the same time (for example, when bringing your arm back down in a slow controlled manner during a bicep curl, you are eccentrically contracting your bicep – keeping that contraction while bringing the muscle into a position of length).

How do I make it feel better?
Again, for this, the evidence is conflicting. Mostly, just giving your body some time to heal will help you out. This isn’t to say you should go sit on the couch and wait it out! Out of all of the poor evidence on treatment for DOMS, exercise has been found as one of the most effective methods (MOTION IS LOTION!). Instead of another gruelling workout right off the bat, try some lighter movements like a light jog, some light yoga and stretching for a few days before getting back into it. Things like ice or an Epsom salt bath might help speed things along as well but the evidence is poor on these. Make sure you are always hydrating!

Can I prevent DOMS?
While DOMS may not be entirely prevented unless you just don’t move ever (in that case, you’ll likely end up with worse problems than just some good ol’ DOMS), there are some ways to reduce the severity. When you’re starting a new exercise, make sure you progress slowly into it to give your muscles time to react to their new demands. Some evidence shows a proper warm-up and cool down might also be beneficial in prevention.

What if it isn’t DOMS?
If the pain occurs DURING the workout, if the pain persists beyond 1 week, or it is preventing you from doing your activities of daily living, then it might be something else. Make sure to seek care if things aren’t progressing the way you think they should. Of course, you always need to trust your own body and seek care if something doesn’t feel right.

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

Resources:
Cheung K, Hume PA, Maxwell L. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Treatment Strategies and Performance Factors. Sports Med. 2003; 33 (2): 145-164.
American College of Sports Medicine: https://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-(doms).pdf

Apr 21 0

Dr. Paolo’s Morning Shake

Posted by ssrcadmin

I love to begin each day with a hard workout session! Following that session, I need a high energy, hearty and protein filled shake in order to get may day going! Here is what I found works best for me, try it out if you like:

1. 710 mL (about a pint and a half) of cold water.

2. 1 large banana (or 1 cup of frozen unsweetened mixed berries)

3. 1 tsp of ground unsweetened cocoa pods

4. 1 tsp of ground turmeric

5. 2 cups of ground rolled unsweetened oats

6. 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

7. 2 tbsp of ground flax seed

8. 1 avocado

9. 1/2 scoop of whey protein isolate (I prefer chocolate or vanilla flavoured)

Enjoy!

Apr 14 0

Breathing is Important!

Posted by ssrcadmin

How important is breathing?

The short answer is…. VERY!

I know this sounds like a silly question and silly answer – of course breathing is important, without oxygen our bodies wouldn’t survive. But I’m here to explain why breathing is not only vital to living, but is important for pain management and musculoskeletal health.

The first important piece of information is to know and understand what the diaphragm is. The diaphragm is our main breathing muscle. It sits at the bottom of our rib cage and when our brain tells us to breath in, it gets the diaphragm to contract, pulling it downwards and leading to decreased pressure in our chest cavity. This change in pressure allows air from the outside to flow into our lungs with ease. When we breath out, the diaphragm relaxes, pushing the air back out of the lungs.

https://media1.britannica.com/eb-media/36/92936-004-8881E781.jpg

I assess breathing in almost every patient I have, especially those with low back and neck pain.

In patients with low back pain, there is often a large focus on core stability and core strengthening. What you may not realize, your diaphragm is really the top part of that ‘core’ that we talk about so much. By focusing on your diaphragm while breathing and allowing it to work optimally, you are training your core. There is evidence showing faulty breathing patterns in a significant number of patients with low back pain, compared to their pain free counterparts.

http://ibphysio.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/core-muscles.jpg

In patients with neck pain, there tends to be a lot of ‘chest breathers’. Instead of using their diaphragm to control breathing, these patients often use their accessory breathing muscles in the neck that really only need to be activated when we’re exercising very hard and need to have hard, rapid breathing. So again, by focusing on your diaphragm while breathing and allowing it to work optimally, you are allowing those accessory breathing muscles in the neck to have a break so they can stop taking on another muscle’s job.

http://www.physio-pedia.com/images/e/e7/949_937_muscles-of-respiration.jpg

Finally, breathing plays an important role in pain management. When we are in pain, our sympathetic nervous system turns on (i.e. fight or flight response). This tells our brain that something bad is going on and every sensation becomes amplified. When our sympathetic nervous system is amped up, we tend to use shallow, rapid breaths; this is not the most efficient way to oxygenate our tissues. By taking some time to focus on diaphragmatic breathing, and taking slow, deep breaths, we are actually able to ‘trick’ our brain and tell it that everything is okay, by turning on our parasympathetic nervous system instead (i.e. rest and digest response). This allows for a decrease in sensitivity to painful stimuli which really just means that our brain will tell us we have less pain than we did before.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/42/fb/98/42fb981f07b10cbb16164c8be93600d5.jpg

So in summary, BREATHE! It will help you in more ways than you even knew.

Author: Dr. Allie Dennis

Resources:
Roussel N, Nijs J, Truijen S, Vervecken L, Mottram S, Stassijns G. Altered breathing patterns during lumbopelvic motor control tests in chronic low back pain: a case-control study. European Spine Journal. 2009; 18: 1066-1073
Chaitow L. Breathing pattern disorders, motor control, and low back pain. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. 2004; 7(1): 34-41.
Cagnie B, Danneels L, Cools A, Dickx N, Cambier D. The influence of breathing type, expiration and cervical posture on the performance of cranio-cervical flexion test in healthy subjects. Manual Therapy. 2008; 13(3): 232-238.
Jerath R, Edry JW, Barnes VA, Ferath V. Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Medical Hypotheses. 2006; 67(3): 566-71.

Mar 27 0

Virtual Appointments now available!

Posted by ssrcadmin

We would like to announce that as of today, patients can book virtual appointments online with their Chiropractor, Fascial Stretch Therapist and Physiotherapist! Virtual appointments with your therapist can be used to guide home self-care management of pain, lifestyle recommendations, anxiety relief and rehabilitation activities. The virtual appointment option is particularly useful for certain members of the population who are at greater risk to COVID-19. Keep yourself motivated and on track while at home by booking your virtual appointment today.

All Posts in Category: Lifestyle