My personal health story by Dr. Joelle Johnson

Dr. Joelle Johnson is a chiropractor at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness

My story.....

So this is a very hard story to finally write, its been over 20 years in the making and I hope I am finally ready to share my story. We all have a story of what led them in their lives and the lessons learnt (and are still learning).I became a chiropractor in 1999 and I hope that my story has helped me become the best chiropractor that I can be.
March 17th, 1991 changed my life forever..... I have always been a very avid skier and at 19 I was a former racer, a ski instructor, ski coach and in college- specifically in pre-Medicine (funny how your path can meander).
        I was loving the wonderful day skiing with my team- high speed skiing chasing the line between control and out of control skiing 'high' .When on a run I was skiing there fast and I hit some 'chatter' and lost a ski, I remember the feeling as I saw my ski fly off and I knew i was going down and wiping out HARD. It was hard, I fell onto my stomach, spun around several times and  flew into the trees hitting on the side of my right femur onto a poplar tree sideways and tumbling down a steep embankment and finally landing in a pile of stacked trees on the ground. As this was not my first wipe out you do the usual, take a deep breath and try to stand up to shake it off, lick your ego and finish the run. WRONG as I tried to get up my upper body moved and my upper thigh but my knee and lower limb stayed...well a few things went through my head and I was lucky someone saw me go into the tress and I yelled for help as I realised I broke my right femur, in several places. It took a while for the ski Patrol to get there and I slowly saw my thigh swelling to over twice the size. When the patrol finally arrived I was starting to go into shock and I remember them taking an hour or two to get me out of there, cutting several trees down with a chainsaw to get me on a backboard( apparently I landed in the pile of trees straddling another poplar tree).
         I remember asking them to be really careful to not cut my leg with the chainsaw-now its funny to think of but at the time I was serious!. The patrol was amazing, they had to obviously get me out of there alive, into a toboggan and off to the ambulance. It took over 4.5 hours to get me into the hospital in Red Deer from the ski hill which is generally a 15-20 min drive.
           Now the hard part starts... the injury and complications. I had almost every possible complication from a femur possible, except I survived. I finally got in to the hospital and my injuries were assessed it was late into the evening so surgery was planned for the following morning.I remember them telling me the femur was broken so badly my right leg was over 7 inches shorter than the good leg, to stop the quads from spasming and crushing my bone shards they had to put me in traction by drilling a metal pin into my tibia and hanging a weight over the bed to traction the leg.  That was a feeling I will never forget as they drilled into my shin and tapped in the metal bar to anchor it, it might sound horrible but it felt so much better in that traction device.
They neglected to tell me I had also broken my pelvis as well (that fracture was what we call a stable fracture and non life threatening). Did I mention at that time I thought I was invincible and did not wear a helmet? Hence some head trauma, stitches and a nasty concussion, not to mention and cervical trauma and soft tissue damage.
      Very early the next morning several hours after being admitted I felt that an elephant was standing and jumping on my chest, I couldn't breath, move or get any air and I thought I was dying. I was rushed into ICU and placed onto a ventilator for 3 weeks hanging on to life still in the traction device, metal bar in leg with it hanging in the air, weight on the end of the bed. I had thrown several fat/lipid emboli and it was very unsure if I would survive the night or coming weeks. I remember some things from this time- I hated the ventilator and I tried to pull it out many times and had to be restrained-literally my hands tied were tied to the bed rails. I couldn't move because of the pain, every bump, nudge or movement on the bed caused the leg and traction device to bounce and move shifting the bones in my leg. I couldn't cry out because of the ventilator and I couldn't move because of the restraints. It was the hardest thing I have EVER had to go through, imprisoned in a bed by my injury in a drug fog.
      I had many close calls with added infections, respiratory distress, respiratory infections and pulmonary emboli added to the mix. Almost 4 weeks later I was stable enough and  able to do surgery and placed a rod down my entire femur, 4 screws and a few plates as well. To add insult to the injury I had a few more pulmonary emboli and stayed in the ICU a few days longer. In total I was in the hospital/ICU for 6 weeks. I was not able to weight bear on my leg for 3 months and was confined to a wheelchair, then I moved up to a walker and crutches for 9 months and then to a walking cane for another 6 months. I had many many hours of rehab to learn how to walk again, in the pool and on land.It was humbling to learn how to walk , the nervous system and my muscles were not connecting and I found it very difficult to put one foot in front of the other.
I was on many pain medications for the leg, pelvis, and spinal pain as well as injections and medications daily to prevent blood clotting. The pain I still remember vividly-chronic, relenting. I was told there was no way out of the chronic pain except with medication- but that wasn't working. At age 22 I could barely get out of bed with the pelvic, low back, and leg pain. A friend at university told me to try chiropractic care and in 3 weeks my life had changed, the pain had almost gone, I could sleep and I could stop taking pain medications.....WOW. This was a complete miracle in my life, from looking at my future of doom, pain and misery to a bright new beginning. I couldn't believe it and I applied to chiropractic school and was accepted! During school I learnt many many things but the best lesson I have ever learnt is my journey through my major trauma and injury, the power of healing through the chronic pain.Praise God for this injury, I know it sounds strange but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I would not want anyone to go through the pain that I went through but I am glad it happened to me.....
 But our story was not over....I have had to struggle for many years to keep my spine stable and I was told 1. I would never walk with out a limp, if you see me that is not the case. 2. I would never have children due to the trauma, well we have 3 very busy boys, which leads to the next part of the story.
As I stated the Canadian Ski Patrol helped me immensely with my accident and when I moved back home to practise I joined the patrol and have volunteered helping other injured skiers/boarders for s the past 14 years. I was excited when our boys began to ski as we could spend quality time skiing together. One night our oldest Logan  wanted to come and ski with my while I patrolled that evening. He is a smart, handsome and amazing 7 year old and that evening not more than 20 feet away he fell on some rough terrain and broke his left femur right there in front of me. I was in complete  shock, being the mom, the first aider on the scene and a mom was overwhelming not to mention the flashbacks of my life all a the same time. I knew in my heart how severe this fracture was but wanted to deny my diagnosis of the injury. I called my fellow patrol in, and I want into an almost robot like mode, being the mom and doctor all in one taking care of our precious child. When the fellow patrol got there I told them the injury but tried to talk them out of it- denial mode. As you may know this is a very serious and life threatening injury and we needed to backboard him and transport him down the hill to the ambulance.Another flashback for me, the long bumpy painful ride down the hill with unset broken bones and the bumpy gravel road ride to the city.My poor angel Logan, I wanted to stop it all and let it be me again, I felt like we were in a whirling vortex, my mind was spinning between being a mom and being a doctor. I thought I was in a complete disorganised state of mind but I was told afterwards that I was as cool as a cucumber, never panicked took care of Logan's needs, feelings, called for the ambulance, called Dad to meet us and get help at home and worked the scene.It is amazing how your motherly instinct kicks in when its warranted.
Logan needed to be put onto the backboard and since we had limited people at the scene I needed to help roll him, when we did I felt and heard his femur break in my hands, now I adjust the nervous system and spine for a living as a chiropractor and that feeling and noise coming from your baby boy was horrible to experience. After the fast but painful ride down the hill in the toboggan with me skiing alongside Logan talking to him all the way down we loaded him into the waiting ambulance. While assessing Logan's vitals he remained completely normal, no fluctuations in heart rate, respiration and blood pressure, no signs of shock whatsoever. I hope that me being there with him and staying in control cause him to remain stable.Logan had surgery on his femur with 4 screws and a Spica cast for 12 weeks. The cast was from his ankle to his armpits in a reclined bent knee position, he was in a reclining wheelchair for the next 3 months, then crutches for 4 weeks afterwards.
 Logan showed such strong character and strength in this ordeal and I am so proud of him. I hope that my journey helped for his to be that much easier, as I knew how to deal with the many issues he had to face in the small daily tasks as well as the large ones.

Logan has finally wrote his story and here it is in his own words:
I got this scar from....

One Wednesday, Feb 16, 2012 I was out skiing with my mum at Canyon Ski resort near Red Deer. She was ski patrolling and skiing with me. I had asked mum if we could ski the Lemon Drop. She said "okay". When we got to the lemon drop my mum skied around it. Then I went down and then my left leg hit an ice chunk and I wiped out and all of the pressure was on my left leg.
About 2 seconds later I was yelling and screaming because I had broke my left femur! My mum had skied to me super fast! She asked "what hurts?" and I said "my thigh!" She called the rest of te ski patrollers to come down and she told them to bring a toboggan to bring me down. After they got there they took my skis off and made me roll over onto the toboggan. Then, they wrapped me up in blankets. After, a ski patroller took me down on the toboggan. A ski patrol called an ambulance to bring me to the hospital. After about 10-15 min the ambulance came. They put me on a stretcher and in the ambulance.
After I was in, my mum climbed in. They cut off my coat and pants and looked at my left leg. It was not bleeding but the femur was broken!
When my mum and I got to the hospital the paramedics rolled me off the ambulance and I don't remember anything else until I was on a hospital bed with my left leg wrapped up in bandages. I can't remember anything until the nurses rolled me in for surgery. I fell asleep, the surgery took 6 hours.
After it was finished I had a body cast from my ankle to my stomach! A nurse rolled me into a big room that was divided with curtains. he nurse rolled me into a divided part of the curtains. Did I mention that my mum was beside me the whole time? Anyway the nurse rolled me into one of the small parts of the room. After a day or 2 I got rolled into a different room. It was so cool. It had a big TV and lots of space. A day later my family and some of my friends got me get well cards balloons and gifts. Lots of people came to the hospital to visit me. A day later my dad got me a wheelchair, crutches, and a walker. After he got them I got on the wheelchair and my mum rolled me out of the hospital and into te family van.
Logan Johnson age 7

Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located at 142 Erickson Drive 403-347-3261
www.family1stchiro.ca

One year later Logan and Joelle Ziplined in Jamaica to celebrate

Baby's Heart Beat

 
This blog brought to you by Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261.
www.family1stchiro.ca
 

 

The circulatory (or blood) system, along with the heart, is the first part of that tiny body to be functional (around 5 weeks gestation) and as your baby's heart starts to form, you may even be able to see it beating on an early ultrasound. Typically this cannot be heard with even a Doppler until the 9-10th week of pregnancy at the earliest, sometimes not until the 12-14th weeks of pregnancy. A baby's heart beat, often called fetal heart tones (FHT), is very rapid, much faster than an adult's. In fact it starts out near 180 beats per minute (BPM) and around 12 weeks gestation settles into the normal range of 120-160 BPM for the remainder of the pregnancy

How to protect yourself during the flu season

How to Protect Yourself During the Flu Season

Avoiding a serious case of influenza is not about vaccination but more about maintaining a healthy, well functioning immune system. By following these simple guidelines, you can help keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with or, if you do get sick with the flu, you are better prepared to move through it without complications and soon return to good health. 

·         Optimize Your Gut Flora. This may be the single most important strategy you can implement as the bacteria in your gut have enormous control of your immune response. The best way to improve your beneficial bacteria ratio is avoid apply avoid sugars as they will feed the pathogenic bacteria. Processed foods and most grains should be limited and replaced with healthy fats like coconut oil, avocados, olives, olive oil, butter, eggs and nuts. Use a probiotic especially if you have used antibiotics. 

·         Optimize your vitamin D levels. Optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds.  

·         Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar impairs the quality of your immune response almost immediately, and as you likely know, a healthy immune system is one of the most important keys to fighting off viruses and other illness. It also can decimate your beneficial bacteria and feed the pathogenic yeast and viruses. Be aware that sugar (typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup) is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice. If you are healthy than sugar can be consumed but the LAST thing you should be eating when you are sick is sugar. Avoid it like poison while you are sick.

·         Get Plenty of Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. 

·         Have Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness

·         Get Regular Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. Be sure to stay hydrated – drink plenty of fluids, especially water. 

·         Take a High Quality Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response. 

·         Wash Your Hands. Washing your handswill decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Use a simple chemical-free soap. 

·         Tried and True Hygiene Measures. In addition to washing your hands regularly, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. If possible, avoid close contact with those, who are sick and, if you are sick, avoid close contact with those who are well. 

·         Use Natural Antibiotics. Examples include oil of oregano and garlic. These work like broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your body. And unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance. 

·         See your chiropractor and get adjusted. Adjustments help boost the nervous system which in turn strengthens the immune system.

For more information and questions please call us at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261.
www.family1stchiro.ca

5 tips to take care of yourself

Take Care of yourself….How? 5 tips anyone can do.

You've heard people say, "You need to take care of yourself." And somehow that is supposed to fix everything?

When you are a massage therapist, your work is to help people take care of themselves. Massage therapists encourage people to take care of themselves, too. The question is HOW?

When taking care of one's self, here is a few key points:

1. Get adequate sleep - most people need between 6-9 hours of sleep per nite. People try to function on 3-4 hours of sleep, but this inhibits tissue repair and depletes the immune system among other things.

2. Stay active - take a walk instead of a drive to the mail box, or park further away from stores an walk a few dozen extra steps. Build in activites that get you out in the sun for 15-30 minutes minimum per day. Both vitamin D and exercise help to improve your mood.

3. Take your vitamins/nutrients- whether in food, bodily soaking, liquid or powder/pill form, when you are stressed your electrolytes and other essencial nutrients get used. For example, go rock climbing in a gym for an hour or two with no breakfast....you will be ravenous by the time you are done because of all the calories/nutrients you consume in that one short hour or so.

4. Eat appropriately for your daily activities -massaging is a high calorie drain nearly the same as rock climbing or other exercise. For everyone, and especially therapists, eat a good breakfast high in un-greasy protein to diminish your sugar cravings, set aside time to eat a good lunch and you will be prepared for a light dinner (so you don't feel like gorging right before bed).

5. Take time to smell the roses - when you are stressed, the body is acting like it is running from a tiger (or some animal that is trying to eat you). Your body is in fight or flight mode....

This is the equivalent to running a marathon all day every day - your body will begin to give out after a while of running full out all the time.

When stuck in fight or flight, the mind is reviewing the situation and looking for escape as if you were faced with a tiger chasing/cornering you. This is the 'racing mind' when you try to sleep. Its a fabulous function if you were to actually be faced with a tiger, because you wouldn't want to be caught napping by the hungry tiger (you probably wouldn't wake up too happy when the tiger takes a leg). But when its a test, a bill, or a paper due, its an imaginary tiger and won't actually kill you, but your body still reacts the same...

Do what you can to resolve the situation, set a timeline or accomplish what can be done today and make a ToDo list for what is waiting on tomorrow. Once everything that can be done is...

Smelling flowers and enjoying scenery, relaxed conversation, massage, down-time will help reduce that stress or take you out of fight or flight.

So schedule your massage and Take Care of yourself.
All of our staff and practitoners at Family First Chiropractic and wellness are here to help you through your journey, please call us a 403-347-3261 to book an appointment today.

 

CranioSacral Therapy and Birth

You may have planned and hoped for a natural vaginal delivery but what happens if complications arise during birth? These complications during labour may result in your baby being delivered by:

·         Caesarean-section (c-section).

·         With the help of vacuum pump or suction.

·         With the help of Forceps

Interventions, when necessary, often save lives. In my experience with CranioSacral Therapy - it helps to eliminate, or minimise, complications that arise as a result of these types of deliveries.

With CranioSacral Therapy, I work on the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect a person's brain and spinal cord, extending from the bones of the skull (which make up the cranium) down to the tailbone area (or sacrum).

The role of this system in the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord is so vital that an imbalance or dysfunction in it can cause sensory, motor and/or neurological disabilities

A CranioSacral Therapist uses a touch generally no heavier than the weight of a nickel. Skilled practitioners can monitor this rhythm at key body points to pinpoint the source of an obstruction or stress. Once a source has been determined, they can assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body self-correct.

I have noticed that most babies (and mums too!) often need assistance following the effects of a difficult labour. One of the reasons for this is that in the ideal birth situation, nature has designed a baby's skull to be compressed as it travels through the birth canal during a vaginal birth.

Babies born by c-section miss out on this vital compression (which helps balance the cranial bones) through the birth canal. Babies born with the use of forceps or vacuum often experience undue stress on the head and face and strain patterns can often develop in their bodies. The euphoria of your baby's safe arrival can mask the stress that your baby has experienced. But soon problems can arise.

With Craniosacral Therapy I use specific, gentle touch techniques to assess, resolve and eliminate the restrictions that cause these problems. The light pressure creates deep change - releasing restrictions in the baby's tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This intervention encourages the infant's body toward a natural alignment.

With Craniosacral Therapy I use specific, gentle touch techniques to assess, resolve and eliminate the restrictions that cause these problems. The light pressure creates deep change - releasing restrictions in the baby's tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This intervention encourages the infant's body toward a natural alignment.

During the treatment the baby often naturally needs to cuddle, feed or cry as balance is restored and emotion is released in the body. Mums and Dads often feel a sense of relaxation as the baby's Craniosacral system returns to optimum function.

I have found that treatment with Craniosacral therapy benefits all babies following birth - but it is highly recommended for babies who have had birth complications - including Caesarean Sections.If you have any questions please call Jeannette Raskin at 403-347-3261 at Family Furst Chiropractic and Wellness, located at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer

Natural birth...what you need to know

·         Babies born naturally are usually born when they are ready. Elective caesareans typically take place a week or two before the expected due date. However, many babies if left to be born naturally are born at 41 or 42 weeks. If there was any miscalculation, a baby removed surgically could be at risk for prematurity and encounter respiratory problems as a result of under-developed lungs.          

·         Babies born by vaginal birth have considerable lower risk of respiratory problems. The compression of the baby’s thorax expels the amniotic fluid during the birth process and helps to prepare the lungs to breathe air. There is a high risk of respiratory distress syndrome in babies born by cesarean and a high risk of asthma.·          

·         The passage through the birth canal stimulates the baby’s cardiovascular system, which boosts blood circulation and primes the baby for birth. There is evidence that this process also has long term benefits for the baby’s co-ordination. Cranial osteopaths are reported to be able to determine whether a baby was born vaginally or by caesarean.·          

·         Babies born vaginally receive protective bacteria as they pass through the birth canal. These bacteria colonise in the intestine and are crucial for developing a balanced immune system, from childhood right through to adulthood.          

·         During a natural, vaginal birth babies benefit from hormonal surges in catecholamines during labor, which results in them being more alert and able to connect with their mothers at birth.          

·         Similarly, endorphins, nature’s ‘feel-good hormones, which are secreted during an unmedicated childbirth have been found in the placenta and umbilical cord. These hormones may help the baby adjust to life outside the womb as well as make the birth passage more comfortable for baby.          

·         Babies born by vaginal birth exhibit more interest in pre-breastfeeding behaviours such as sucking and massaging the mother's breasts. They are also reported to nurse for longer periods within the first 90 minutes after birth, which has many benefits for both the mother and the baby.

·         A European study in 2008 found that babies born vaginally had a 20% lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes than babies born surgically.          

·         The process of labor is reported to enable babies born vaginally to cope with stress better than those born dramatically by cesarean. Cesarean birth triggers a dramatic stress response which could set up a child to always over-respond to stress.

·         If the vaginal birth was drug-free, the baby will not experience any side-effects of medication administered during the process.         

·         Skin-to-skin contact between the mother and baby can occur easily after a natural birth. This has many physiological benefits to the baby including optimal brain development as well as better attachment and breastfeeding success.          

·         Newborns are less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit if delivered vaginally.

Most babies born after 36 weeks are able to display all the following responses and reflexes. Babies born prematurely can have immature reflexes, sometimes contributing to them spending time in the Intensive Care Nursery. 

The normal reflexes and responses of a newborn baby can include: 

Rooting reflex
Sucking and swallowing
Gag reflex
'Startle' or Moro reflex
Crawling reflex
Grasping reflex
Walking and stepping

Side Effect from Smoking

Side effects from smoking:

Cigarettes cause wrinkles: Why the wrinkly face? Smoking hampers the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking supple and healthy.

Thinner hair

As if the wrinkly skin wasn’t enough, smoking hurts your hair too. Experts think the toxic chemicals in smoke can damage the DNA in hair follicles and generate cell-damaging free radicals as well.  The end result? Smokers have thinner hair that tends to go gray sooner than nonsmokers. That is, if they have any hair at all. Dementia and neurologic diseases
People who smoke a pack a day have almost two and a half times the risk of stroke as non-smokers. The best current research suggesting that smoking makes little difference in the risk for Alzheimer's, and if it does, the risk for dementia is slightly higher in smokers. Certainly, smoking can affect blood vessels in the brain as it does in the heart, increasing the risk for dementia from small or major strokes.

Female infertility and pregnancy
Studies have now linked cigarette smoking to many reproductive problems. Women who smoke pose a greater danger not only to their own reproductive health but, if they smoke during pregnancy, to their unborn child. Some of these risks include the following:
Greater risk for infertility in women. Greater risk for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage.
Greater risk for stillbirth, prematurity, and low-birth weight. Smoking reduces folate levels, a B vitamin that is important for preventing birth defects.
Women who smoke may pass genetic mutations that increase cancer risks to their unborn babies.

Effects on bones and joints
Smoking has many negative effects on bones and joints: Smoking impairs formation of new bone and women who smoke are at high risk for osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal women who smoke have 17% greater risk for hip fracture at age 60, a 41% greater risk at 70, and a 108% greater risk at age 90.
Smokers are more apt to develop degenerative disorders and injuries in the spine.
Smokers have more trouble recovering from spinal surgery.
Smokers whose jobs involve lifting heavy objects are more likely to develop low back pain than non-smokers.
In women, smoking may also pose a small increased risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Behavioural and Social Problems

Children of smoking mothers are more likely to have more motor control problems, perception impairments, attention disabilities, and social problems than children of non-smoking mothers. Some reasons for these associations have been suggested:

Women who breast feed and smoke pass nicotine by-products to their babies, which may contribute to these problems.

Women smokers tend to be less educated than women non-smokers, which may cause increased stress at home.

Smoking mothers and their children may share certain inherited psychologic factors, such as depression, which cause addictive and behavioural problems that are unrelated to smoking itself.