Massage for circulation

Massage for Circulation

Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in. The squeezing and pulling also flushes lactic acid from the muscles and improves the circulation of the lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste away from muscles and internal organs.

Written by Michaelle de Ruiter R.M.T. Michalle practices at Family First Chiropractic located at 142 Erickson Drive in Red Deer. 403-347-3261.

http://www.family1stchiro.ca/

Are you balanced?

Dr. Stephen Kelly

Contraction. Relaxation. This is the basic mechanism of muscular action. Problems develop when there's too much of one or the other. In most cases, too much contraction/ spasm is the culprit.
Persistent muscular contraction in the lower back or neck, for example, leads to a cascade of negative effects. Toxic metabolic end-products - including lactic acid - accumulate. These small molecules irritate local nerve endings and cause ongoing or intensified pain. Muscle spasm results which narrows local blood vessels. Too little blood reaching the area deprives tissues of oxygen and other important nutrients. Cellular damage results with further build-up of noxious metabolites.
Chiropractic treatment encourages a return to normal muscle balance by restoring normal spinal alignment. Spasmodic muscles are enabled to relax by relieving the underlying problem/ irritation. Blood vessels can now supply appropriate amounts of oxygen and nutrients. Metabolic waste is removed. Vitality is restored and pain resolves. Spinal muscles and spinal joints return to operating in a natural rhythm. Written by Dr. Stephen Kelly. Dr Kelly practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness located at 142 Erickson drive in Red Deer, Alberta. 403-347-3261
http://www.family1stchiro.ca/

Weight loss and massage

Weight Loss Massage

Michaelle de Ruiter R.M.T

When a body massage improves your circulation, nutrients in your body are also supplied to your muscles in a more efficient manner. This is why a post work out body massage is often recommended by many weight loss experts. After strenuous exercise your muscles become in need of oxygen and essential nutrients in order to recover and grow. Well-maintained muscles are able to help you burn calories even if you are at rest. A massage can also boost the flexibility and range of motion of your muscles, enabling them to burn more calories when you work out. A massage can directly help with weight loss by breaking up the fats located in your subcutaneous tissues.

Michaelle de Ruiter works at Family First Chiropractic as a massage therapist in Red Deer, call 403-347-3261 to book today. Located at 142 Erickson Dr.

http://www.family1stchiro.ca/

A baby's mishapen head is not just aesthetics

Baby's Mishapen Head is Not Just Aesthetics

This blog was forwarded to you by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer, Alberta, 403-347-3261 http://www.family1stchiro.ca/
written by Dr Jennifer Barham-FloreaniB.App.Clin.Sci, B.Chiropractic

Dated: 02 November,2011

Have you noticed that your baby or infant has a flat spot on their head? That the overall head shape seems uneven? It may be worth a little more attention…

Sometimes parents of young children ask if there is anything we (chiropractors) can do regarding their child’s head shape. Intricately understanding the nervous system and the impact a misshapen head can have on the function and the brain and nerve feedback chiropractors remind parents there are other issues at hand and not just the visual appearance of the child’s head.

It is important to appreciate that a misshapen head is not merely a cosmetic issue; it is most likely a brain stem issue. If your child’s head looks uneven or you notice flat areas, this may indicate restrictions between the skull and the soft layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. A healthy brain requires good movement of the skull and spine; when this movement is impaired, brain and nerve function are also impaired.¹

Sometimes children have nerve and spinal distress that results in their head being tilted to one side so that one ear sits higher than the other (refer to picture below). At other times a child’s head may be rotated or turned more to one side, so that they display a preference for having their head turned this way.

There is a myth that an odd-shaped child’s head is of no concern and will ‘right itself’ with time, however, anomalies of shape may be one of the first indications that your child is susceptible to developmental delay.^1,2

How would a child’s skull and spine get out of shape?

1) Lack of Alignment of the Mothers Pelvis

Literature shows that misalignments of the spine and skull may be caused during pregnancy due to a mother’s pelvic distortion (misalignment of the bones of the pelvis) or the position of the baby within the uterus. Previous accidents (e.g. motor vehicle, cycling), falls (e.g. off horses, down stairs) or poor postures may have allowed the joints in the mother’s pelvis to move into awkard positions. When the joints of a mother’s pelvis do not sit correctly, the layers of muscles, ligaments and other connective tissue that surround a growing baby are pulled out of shape, creating an uneven tightening of the uterus and limiting how a baby moves within the pelvis. As a baby grows bigger their movement may become signi?cantly inhibited as the tissues become more restrictive.

As a baby grows bigger this restriction of movement creates more distress for the developing spine and nervous system.

2) Birth Trauma

Spine and nerve distress can arise from restricted or abnormal positioning in the uterus and also from the journey through the birth canal or during the delivery process itself.

According to Gutmann,³ a researcher who examined the effects of the birth process, “the trauma from the birth process remains an under-publicized and therefore signi?cantly under-treated problem.”

There are many factors that can cause birth trauma, including false labour, a long or very short labour, failure of the mother’s cervix to dilate, the use of drugs to increase contraction intensity, the use of vacuum extraction or forceps, caesarean section delivery, cord around the baby’s neck and foetal distress.

While nerve irritation can be caused with assisted deliveries, even straightforward vaginal births can create vertebral subluxations if the baby’s head and neck are not tucked under fully to allow for even distribution of the forces associated with labour contractions.

3) Other Physical Traumas

A newborn’s spine is extremely vulnerable and poor handling by adults or older siblings may be another cause for vertebral subluxation. In fact, subluxations occur throughout life, particularly as we learn how to walk, ride and climb. Other physical causes for subluxations include accidents during contact sports, activities such as skate-boarding and sur?ng, sustained postures with electronic
equipment and poor posture in general.

It is best—whether your child’s head is odd-shaped or not and whether their head sits unevenly or not—to have their skeletal system checked as early as possible by a chiropractor or osteopath. A chiropractor’s focus is not aesthetics; their aim is to help increase the neurological function of your child.

“If young bodies are in bad shape, what about the brains that are attached to them?”
—Jane Healey PhD

Warmly,
Dr Jennifer Barham-Floreani
B.App.Clin.Sci, B.Chiropractic

Drink water after a massage!

Drinking water after a massage  is often recommended by massage therapists and other health care practitioners, for a variety of reasons. In fact, drinking water in general is a good idea, as the body benefits from proper hydration, and consuming water will help the kidneys and other organs process the various substances which move through the human body on a regular basis. Drinking water before a massage is also highly recommended, as it will make it easier for the massage therapist to perform deep work by hydrating the muscles so that they are easier to manipulate. Water after a massage helps the body flush out any accumulated materials in the muscles which were released during the massage. Especially in the case of deep tissue massage, massage stimulates circulation in the body while expressing water, salt, and other minerals from the muscles, and circulation is designed to carry away waste materials generated by cells. By providing the body with plenty of water, massage clients can help sweep away these waste materials; otherwise, they might build up, causing muscle aches and soreness after a massage.

Most importantly, people should drink water after a massage because massage can be dehydrating. The manipulation of the muscles depletes them of water, and also moves the fluid in the interstitial spaces between the muscles around. By drinking water, people can rehydrate their muscles, reducing the potential for pain and soreness in the days following a massage. For the same reason, people drink water after exercise and other forms of exertion, because when the muscles are worked, they lose water and electrolytes.
Chelsea Brausen R.M.T. is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer.
 403-347-3261
http://www.family1stchiro.ca/

How massage helps with your health

Health Benefits of Massage by Michaelle de Ruiter RMT

• Helps Fight Infection—Massage increases the activity of white blood cells that target and destroy infectious agents. With regular massage, the immune system is strengthened rather than stimulated and it becomes more robust.
• Modulates Immune Function—Massage strengthens the immune system, restoring balance. Massage increases antibody production in immune deficiency and reduces autoantibody production in autoimmune disease.
• Benefits Autoimmune Diseases—Besides reducing autoantibody production, massage reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are responsible for inflammation and pain.
• Reduces Pain in Arthritis---Besides reducing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, massage increases production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, effectively reducing inflammation and pain.
• Reduces Depression—Massage increases the production of both endorphins and serotonin. Increased levels of these biochemicals effectively reduce symptoms of depression and contribute to wellbeing.
• Improved Circulation—By stimulating blood flow to the body’s organs, massage improves circulation. With improved circulation, red blood cells are better able to transport nutrients to the body’s other cells.
• Stimulation of the Lymphatic System—The lymphatic system is comprised of the thymus gland, tonsils, spleen, adenoids, lymph nodes and lymph fluid as well as lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic vessels carry clear lymph fluid that circulates throughout the body, removing waste products, degenerated cells, and accumulations of fats and proteins. Lymph vessels lie beneath the surface of the skin and are stimulated by massage. This results in improved lymphatic circulations.

http://www.family1stchiro.ca/index.php?p=51258

Michaelle de Ruiter, Chelsea Brausen and Jeannette Rraskin CST  are massage therapists at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer, Alberta 403-347-3261 to book an appointment

Are your kids carrying too much?

My children carry back packs to school, how does this affect their backs?

Dr Joelle Johnson

Most children carry backpacks to school.  A rule is for the child to only carry a maximum of 10% of their body weight (an 80 pound child should only carry a MAXIMUM of 8 pounds).  Look in your child’s pack and see if there are items that are not necessary to carry daily to reduce the weight.  The way your child carries the pack is also very important, both shoulders straps need to be used to balance the weight across the shoulders and back properly.  If there is a waist strap this should be utilized to maintain a proper center of gravity. There has been a higher incidence of back and neck pain due to backpack use in school children and teens.  The added stress to the spine can result in subluxation and put stress on the nervous system.
Dr Joelle Johnson is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer, 403-347-3261http://www.family1stchiro.ca/index.php?p=50985

How is your circulation?

Michaelle de Ruiter RMT

Massage for Circulation by Michaelle de Ruiter R.M.T.

Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in. The squeezing and pulling also flushes lactic acid from the muscles and improves the circulation of the lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste away from muscles and internal organs.

Michaelle de Ruiter practices massage therapy at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer, Albert 403.347.3261

http://www.family1stchiro.ca/index.php?p=51258

Headaches are a pain in the neck!

Many people seek Chiropractic care for headaches and are tired of taking drugs for them. The side effects of some drugs can be hard on other parts of your body. Chiropracitic care is a conservative painless, drugless tratment of a problematic nerve and muscular system. Beneficial results are acheived with the adjustments to the spine,specifically the neck. Seek Chiropractic care to get to the cause of the problem, Dr Joelle Johnson is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261
http://www.family1stchiro.ca/index.php?p=50985