wellness

Managing Your Wellbeing During the Covid-19 Pandemic

April 2, 2020 by Jon Crooker

Many of us are feeling stressed and anxious right now, and that is to be expected. Our daily lives have changed beyond recognition. We are struggling with self-isolating, home-schooling, loss of income, and the fear of catching the virus, or our loved ones catching it. Stress and anxiety can have an impact on us, both physically and mentally. While we all handle a crisis differently, we’ve laid out some tips to help during these uncertain times.

Take a break from social media and the news

Right now, social media is filled with news and articles related to Covid-19. Updates from pages and articles shared by friends and family. The news is the same. Reading and watching too much can feed into your anxiety. Try to limit your consumption to one or two hours per day. Avoid looking at too much in the evening as it may make it hard for you to sleep, impacting your overall well-being.

Work out a schedule

Whether it’s an hour-by-hour schedule or a much looser one, a schedule will help keep some routine in your day. Try not to let morning and evening routines slip too much. Ever-changing bedtimes can have a dramatic effect on the way we feel. Take the opportunity to schedule items you never had time for before, such as an hour to read… just not the news!

Stay connected

Make time to stay connected with friends and family. Reconnect with old friends. Start a virtual book club, run an online quiz, or host a virtual talent evening.

Get some exercise!

Exercise helps our endorphins – the feel-good hormone – kick in, which helps lower stress and anxiety levels. Go for a daily walk and get some fresh air (just remember to keep six feet away from the next person), or exercise in your living room. There are so many great fitness apps out there, and many local gyms offer online classes.

Stretch each day

There are many benefits to stretching, but one is that it helps release stress from your body. When we get stressed, our muscles tighten, and we end up in pain, often in our neck, shoulders, and back. Stretching will relax your muscles and, just like exercise, will release endorphins into your bloodstream. Many streaming services are offering yoga and stretching videos. If you would like to start a stretching regimen, feel free to reach out to us, and we can see if there is one that would be better suited for your conditions.

Meditate… or just simply breath

Mediation has many wonderful benefits and can really help in calming the mind and relaxing the body. There are lots of guided meditations available online, and some fantastic apps such as Headspace. Even just taking a minute to deep breath every hour can help reduce your stress levels.

Start a new hobby or do those odd jobs

Many of us have hobbies or projects that we’ve been meaning to start but just haven’t. Now is a perfect time. Not only will it keep you busy, but it will also keep your mind busy and focused. Plus, many of us have a long list of odd jobs that we’ve been meaning to do. From spring yard work to re-organizing the pantry!

Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

It’s OK to ask for help. If you’re feeling sad, anxious, or lonely, call someone, even if you have already spoken to them that day and tell them how you are feeling. Dr. Crooker is available for telemedicine sessions for existing patients. We can take time to review your conditions and go over any stretches or exercises that could help your symptoms. Unfortunately, we haven’t figured out a way to adjust over the internet. We are also open for emergency patients. If you are in pain, please do give us a call. If warranted, we can set up an appointment in the office, or if you think you could benefit from a conversation, we can set up a video chat with Dr. Crooker

Live Healthier in 2019

February 6, 2019 by Jon Crooker

Are you one of the 75% of people that have already broken their New Year’s resolutions? If you are, don’t despair, we still have eleven months of the year to go and it’s never too late to make a fresh start. If one or more of your resolutions was too be healthier in 2019 then read on for some ideas to help get you back on the road to a healthier you.

You are what you eat

Eating healthy can be a challenge. Planning your snacks and meals in advance is an easy way to ensure you eat healthy and don’t make bad food choices out of hunger or lack of healthy options. Sit down for half an hour each week and plan out your week based on your schedule. You’ll find you’ll be reaching for junk food less often, spend less time wandering around the grocery store, and throw away less food.

Exercise smartly

If you know you aren’t a morning person, then don’t resolve to go to the gym before work. You just won’t be able to stick to it. The same goes for the type of exercise you plan to undertake. If you don’t like lifting weights on your own, you are going to struggle to keep going to the gym. Find a gym buddy or join a strength training class. Make it easy for yourself to exercise and stick to it.

If time is an issue, think about how you can incorporate more exercise in to your day. It could be that you take a walk during your lunch break or a family walk in the evening, catching up together. Or it could be something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Look after your body

Make time to stretch. There’s a multitude of benefits to be gained from taking the time to stretch, not least it helps to prevent injuries and keeps those aches and pains at bay. Visit a chiropractor for a wellness check-up. Even though you may not be in pain, getting a check-over is well worth it and can help spot any potential issues before they arise.

Take time for your mental well being

Being healthy isn’t just about looking after yourself physically. Find time to look after your mental well being. Whether that’s treating yourself to a massage or taking time to sit and read…. Or even just be, your mind and soul will thank you for it.

Get more sleep

Not only does lack of sleep make you feel sluggish, it impacts your health. Lack of sleep is linked to an increase in anxiety, high blood pressure (which is a cause of heart disease), weight gain and diabetes. Those zzzz’s are important.

Live healthier in 2019, your body, mind and soul will thank you for it!

Why Text Neck is Such a Problem

June 5, 2018 by Jon Crooker

Text neck is a relatively new term, coined from the bent over position we find ourselves in while texting and the resulting pain it causes. The neck is a wonderful thing. It supports the weight of the head which on average is about 10 pounds.

However, that’s with the head in the position it should be, straight on top of the shoulders when standing. When the neck bends forwards and downwards, the law of gravity increases the weight of your head. A study published in the journal ‘Surgical Technology International’ showed that if you leaned forward by just 15 degrees the head weight feels more like 27 pounds.

A 45-degree angle and the head weight feels like 49 pounds, and with a 60 degree angle forward – common when texting or browsing the web on your smart device – and your head feels like 60 pounds! That means your neck is having to cope with an extra 50 pounds of weight – that’s a 500% increase. No wonder our necks are suffering!

Why is text neck so bad?

It’s true, looking down isn’t a new thing. We’ve been looking down to read for years. However, never before have we looked down for such long periods as we do since we could text, email and surf the web from our smart devices. In fact, according to a study from IDC, 79% of respondents had their phone on or near them for all but up to 2 hours of their waking day.

Preventing text neck

We aren’t asking you to give up your phone, but we are asking you to make some simple changes:

Keep your phone at eye level. The more you can avoid looking down and increasing the angle of your neck (which as we know increases the weight of the head) the less you’ll strain your neck
Take frequent breaks. Prolonged neck flexion is much worse than short bouts
Practice good posture. Stand up straight with your shoulder blades pulled back
Keep healthy. Stretch your back and neck regularly.

The neck is one of the most common areas of complaint we treat at Bryn Mawr Wellness. If you are feeling any sort of discomfort, then please book an appointment so we can assess what’s going on. We can then use the appropriate technique to get you back up to full health. We’ll also show you a range of stretches to help you keep that way.

Six Tips for Healthy Eating This Memorial Day

May 22, 2018 by Jon Crooker

With Memorial Day approaching, it’s time to fire up the grill and get ready to celebrate the official start of summer and the long awaited BBQ season. Sticking to a healthy diet can be especially challenging this time of year as you head out to backyard BBQs, tailgates, and parties galore. We offer you six tips to help you stay on track while still enjoying your Memorial Day celebrations.

Bring something healthy

People love it when you offer to bring something to a BBQ. If you’re worried there won’t be anything healthy at the party, bring it yourself! The hosts will be happy you helped, and you’ll be confident there will be something healthy for you to eat.

Choose where you want to indulge

Before you go, choose where you want to indulge. If desserts are your thing, go easy on the apps and enjoy a delicious dessert at the end of the night. If you know you’ll want a cold beer (or two), make that your indulgence and stick to healthy food options. Find a healthy balance and enjoy yourself while staying on track.

Be mindful of munching

Be careful of grazing over the course of the party. If you start munching on chips and dips, you may have a full dinner’s worth of food before you even eat dinner. If you want something to munch on before the meal is served, make 1 plate of food and enjoy it, then you don’t have to keep going back for more.

Swap processed foods for something fresh

Grab some veggies for dipping instead of chips. Use a few pieces of lettuce as the bun for your burger instead of an actual bun. Go for the green salad instead of the pasta salad. Enjoy some fresh fruit instead of indulging at the dessert table. Check out your options before you start eating and see where you can make some healthy swaps.

Fill your plate with healthy options

Make one plate of food for dinner and fill it with healthy protein, lots of veggies, and some sweet fruit for dessert. Leaving just a little room on your plate for something you want to indulge in allows you to have some without overdoing it.

Choose your drinks wisely

Water is always a great option. But, let’s be serious, a backyard BBQ typically calls for a few drinks. So, if you’re going to have a drink, go into it with a plan. Choose how many you will have before you get there, pace yourself, and drink water in between to stay hydrated. Watch out for cocktail mixers, juices and sodas, as they add extra sugar and empty calories to your drinks. As always, moderation is important. Enjoy!

Should Six Year Olds Wear Orthotics?

March 18, 2015 by Jon Crooker

Many people – both men and women – are unaware of the benefits of orthotic support. We wear high heels all day and schlep home in flat shoes with no support. Or we spend the summers in flat flip-flops with virtually no support. Most people don’t realize how much damage their shoes are doing on not only the legs but also their hips and pelvises.

The arches of the feet are generally done developing around age six. Many chiropractors recommend beginning to use stabilizing orthotics as early as six, as they provide a symmetrical foundation that allows bones to model and mold correctly. Ideally, medical professionals recommend that once you begin utilizing stabilizing orthotics, you continue to wear them for the rest of your life.

Many exercises can be performed to build arches in flat feet.

The increased amount of time that most people spend standing and walking on hard surfaces has increased the need for the use of orthotic support. Orthotics absorb some of the shock generated from running and walking on these hard surfaces. Wearing orthotics at least 80 percent of the time will provide the body with a balanced foundation.

Stabilizing orthotic inserts can be purchased over the counter at most drugstores, but many chiropractors recommend investing in custom made stabilizing orthotics. Over the counter orthotics often over-correct the problem and are not effective in correcting posture. Additionally, over the counter inserts aren’t as durable as custom inserts. Chiropractors spend time with patients, using 16 precise measurements based on digital images and foot impressions. This allows for improved balance and over time, can properly correct each person’s specific condition.