The main advantage that swimming has over other physical activities is that the buoyancy of the water takes some of the stress off your body. Therefore it’s a great low-impact exercise if you have an injury or condition that doesn’t allow you to participate in more traditional types of exercise. Swimming also allows you to exercise for longer periods of time without additional pressure on joints and muscles.

Swimming provides a great cardiovascular workout as well as a workout for nearly all of your muscles. It helps tone your muscles and builds strength and endurance. It can also improve balance, flexibility, co- ordination, and posture; all of which can help prevent an array of health problems.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
While the physical benefits of swimming may be obvious, there are also hidden benefits such as being good for your mental health. Swimming helps to improve your mood and reduces mental tension and anxiety.

Before you dive into the swimming pool, remember to follow safe swimming behaviour. Make sure the environment you choose to swim in is safe, read the safety signs, speak to lifeguards for safety tips, swim with a partner, and swim within your capabilities.

If swimming laps doesn't appeal there are plenty of exercises you can do in the water without swimming. Pool-based classes such as aqua aerobics are a fun activity for all ages, especially if you prefer exercising in a group.
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Swimming offers many physical and mental health benefits, and is an activity you can participate in your entire life, not to mention being a great way to cool down on a hot summer day!​

Photo from Pinterest 

We are lucky enough to live in Australia, where we are inundated with amazing summer fruits to enjoy this festive season. 
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With a fruit platter looking this amazing its easy to find a healthy balance with all the indulgent temptations we are surrounded with at this time of year. The best part of a fruit platter is that you can choose as many or as few fruits as you want to enjoy or maybe it's an excellent excuse to try some new ones this year. 

Remember that the more colours the better in terms of vital vitamins and minerals.

Headaches can be painful, irritating, and debilitating. Sometimes, you can make it through the day without a problem, but other times you have to crawl into bed and block out the world.

There are many different kinds and causes of headaches, two of the most common are tension headaches and migraines. Both can range from mild to severe, and can be experienced on one or both sides of the head; however there are some differences that can help determine which kind of headache you have.

Tension headaches
Tension headaches are the most common and can make you feel like your head is tight or under pressure; they don’t usually get worse with exertion. The pain may be associated with tenderness of the muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders, and can last for a few hours, or even up to a week.

Migraines
Migraines are usually described as a throbbing sensation, and physical exertion can make the pain worse. The throbbing is believed to be related to blood flow changes in the brain causing irritation and swelling of the blood vessels.
Unlike tension headaches, migraines can cause nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, smell, and sound. Migraines can be with or without aura; a migraine aura can be any of a collection of neurological symptoms such as numbness, speaking difficulties, vision changes, and tingling, which signal the onset of a migraine.

What causes headaches?
Tension or stress is more likely to cause a tension headache, but there are many triggers for migraines. Certain foods, smells, weather changes, hormones, and a lack of sleep can all cause them.

Diagnosis and treatment
There are no migraine-specific tests, but your Chiropractor may run tests to rule out other conditions. It can be helpful to monitor your headache activity by noting your diet, events, symptoms and medication, before and during your headache.

Determining the cause of your headaches or migraines may involve a process of elimination. Sometimes, it can be as simple as cutting out an ingredient from your diet. While there is no overall cure, doctors will often recommend medication or therapeutic intervention.

​If you are suffering from severe, ongoing headaches, or are experiencing head pain with unusual symptoms and a high fever, see your Chiropractor. They can rule out underlying conditions before helping you to manage the pain.

Running is a popular form of exercise for many people who want to keep fit, but it involves repetitive impact on the joints which can cause back pain, especially in the lower back. If you already suffer from lower back pain, running may make it worse, or lead to other types of pain, such as sciatica (leg pain, weakness and numbness).

Muscle strain
One of the more common types of pain from running is a muscular strain, which can appear as a spasm or ache in your lower back. This type of pain doesn’t travel into the legs or buttocks. Resting, heat or cold therapy, and stretching are some self-care measures that may help relieve muscle strain. If the pain is not alleviated by these measures after two to three weeks, there may be a more serious problem.

Disc problems
Sometimes, back pain can be a sign of a spinal problem, such as degenerative disc disease (DDD), or a herniated disc. Your discs are your lower back’s ‘shock absorbers’; over time, running can cause a high level of stress on these, which can make existing or developing back problems worse. DDD occurs when the disc gradually loses that shock absorbing quality due to wear-and-tear, or injury. A herniated disc is one that has begun to bulge or rupture, which puts pressure on the surrounding nerves.

If you notice that you have ongoing lower back pain after a run, whether it’s muscular or structural, check with a health professional to help diagnose any problems and provide the correct treatment. Running injuries should be treated early before they worsen.

After diagnosis and treatment is in place, some preventative measures may help alleviate pain and discomfort in your legs and lower back:
• Warm up before a run
• Stretch your hamstrings
• Wear comfortable and supportive running shoes
• Avoid running on hard surfaces such as concrete
• Incorporate muscle toning, strength training and cross-training

​See your chiropractor for advice and treatment on how to get you back on track and enjoying your run with minimal, or no pain.

Picture from Pinterest

INGREDIENTS 
    Crust 

• 2 C almonds
• 6-8 dates (depends on size) 
• 5 Tbl coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1⁄4 tsp salt 

    Filling 

• 3 C raw cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours 
• 2⁄3 C coconut cream 
• 1⁄3 C fresh lemon juice 
• 1⁄2 C maple syrup, or any other syrup for sweetening 
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Strawberries, sliced (or try raspberries if you prefer)

METHOD 
    Crust 

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until combined. 
2. Line a 8-inch or 9-inch spring-form pan with baking paper.
3. Press mix firmly into the base and refrigerate while preparing the filling. 

    Filling 

1. Drain and rinse the cashews. Place into a blender or processor with the remaining ingredients. 
2. Blend until smooth - this could take a few minutes. 
3. Pour half of the filling into the base. Layer with the berries. Top with the remaining filling. 
4. Freeze at least 3 hours until set. 

When ready to serve, remove from freezer and allow to thaw slightly for about 10-15 mins. 
Slice into small portions – remember, although a healthy version, it is still rich. 
Serve with more fresh berries.

SUGGESTIONS

• Try a different type of berry. 
• Swirl through some berry compote or jam before freezing. ​