There is no right way to sleep. Like most things in life, determining the best sleep position should be done on an individual basis. However, telling your body to learn how to sleep in a different position than you've been doing your entire life can prove to be difficult. The purpose here is to create awareness so that at the very least, the option is there to start the night out in a position more optimal for your body.

The most common (57%) sleeping position is on the side, according to a North-American survey conducted by Tempur-Pedic mattresses. If you snore, or have obstructive sleep apnea, this is the ideal sleeping position for you. Side sleeping prevents the collapse of the tongue and other tissues in the throat, which is what impairs breathing and creates noise. According to Eric Olson, co-director of the Mayo Clinic's Centre for Sleep Medicine, roughly 10% of sleep apnea patients can be cured by changing their sleep position. For those who insist on remaining on their backs, prop the head up to at least 30 degrees. This is also the ideal sleeping position for someone with acid reflux (heartburn) as the height of the pillow adds gravity, which makes it more difficult for the gastric (stomach) contents to flow back up towards the esophagus. Lying on your back without creating this angle can exacerbate other digestive concerns and/or breathing issues as well. 

If you experience shoulder pain, side sleeping on the non-injured side is recommended, ideally with another pillow to support your injured arm. With hip or knee issues, place a small pillow between your knees. Side-sleeping also keeps the muscles and ligaments in your feet and ankles relaxed for those afflicted with plantar fasciitis. If, however, you experience back pain, sleeping on your back is ideal. Filling in the small of your back and the space beneath your knees is critical, either with a small pillow or a towel rolled up. Sleeping on your back is also ideal for those who experience neck pain. Ensure the neck is in a neutral position, with the pillow above your shoulders. If the neck isn't adequately supported, we put ourselves at risk for compressing the nerves in the neck which travel down through the arm. This is occurring when we wake up with feelings of numbness or tingling. 
Sleeping on your stomach is ill-advised if you experience neck pain because there is no way to sleep without turning your head to one side, therefore compressing the joints in the neck. However, if you must sleep on your stomach, use a soft down pillow that is as thick as the space between your neck and shoulders to avoid hunching, and to allow your neck to stay aligned with the rest of your spine. Sleeping on your stomach is also hard on your low back as it exaggerates your spine's natural lordotic curve into hyperlordosis (or swayback). Placing a small pillow underneath your lower abdomen/pelvis will provide some relief if you continue to find yourself sleeping in this position. 

Another factor to consider is your mattress. Just like Goldilocks, you want to strive for a mattress that's not too firm, not too soft, but juust right! Ideally a mattress that does not create pressure points yet conforms to your body. Surrounding yourself with a "pillow fort," as my dear friend Dave Clare calls it, is also a good way to ensure a good night sleep. According to sleep experts, a lack of sleep can lower your pain threshold and cause joint inflammation.

Finally, as my colleagues Dr. Lauren Wedlock, ND and Dr. Lesley Johnston, ND said to me this morning, let's "stop the glorification of waking up early. Getting some zzzz's does not = lazy. A sleep-in may be the most productive thing you do all day!"
So don't be afraid to get a little extra sleep on the weekends - you deserve it. If all you could think while you were reading this was I would care a lot more about sleep technique if only I could fall asleep and/or stay asleep throughout the night, come into Bayview Chiropractic Health Centre today for an appointment with me, Dr. Liz, Naturopathic Doctor.

Click on the photo above to enlarge.

The Wall Street Journal, Health & Wellness, "Find the Perfect Sleep Position," January 15, 2013.

Adapted from Dr. Brad Baldwin
Chiropractor

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a "complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces." It is caused either by a direct blow to the head, or another body region which causes the head/neck to accelerate or decerlate. 90% do not result in loss of consciousness.

In the US, 50% of high school sports-related concussions occur in football. For female athletes, soccer is the most frequent sport associated with concussion.

How much force is required to cause a concussion?

​Using data of over 57,000 impacts, the highest predictive value for concussions is:

- Angular Acceleration (rotational) - > 5,582 rad/s (picture a whiplash in a car accident)

- Linear Acceleration - > 96.1 g (force of gravity)

What are the effects of multiple "Sub-Concussive Hits?"

​The research has shown that football players suffering multiple "low grade" head hits (average 1,177 hits) do not show any deficits during neurocognitive examination. Soccer players have been shown to be free of deficits and are within 100% of normative values during neurocognitive testing.

What happens to my brain when a concussion occurs?

​A concussion should be thought of as a transient deficit in neurological functioning. This means that the symptoms associated with concussions (headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, etc) are temporary, usually resolving in 5-7 days. There is no structural damage to the brain tissue (MRI and CT scans do not show any abnormalities). What occurs is what has been called an ENERGY CRISIS. The injured neurons become unable to produce the required energy for normal function. Coupled with a decreased blood flow to the brain following impact, the brain is unable to supply its own energy, or deliver fuel to create energy!

What should I do if a concussion is suspected?

If an athlete demonstrates any signs or symptoms of a concussion after an impact, they should be immediately removed from play, and should not be allowed back into play until cleared by a health practitioner. When in doubt, sit them out.
There are three reasons to sit an athlete out following a suspected concussion:

1. Delayed Onset of Symptoms - often symptoms are delayed until hours later, therefore it is difficult to know immediately whether or not a concussion has occurred. Better to be conservative.

2. Physical exertion - is known to prolong symptoms and worsen recovery - exercise worsens the energy crisis already occurring, as does elevated body temperature. In fact, cooling the body is neuro-protective.

3. Second Impact Syndrome - is believed to occur when a second concussion occurs before the first concussion has healed. It can result in more serious and even permanent deficits.

What is the recovery time of a concussion, and how do I know when to return an athlete to play?

The good news - usually concussion symptoms are gone within 7-10 days. The bad news - often symptom duration does not match the actual recovery of the affected neurons. In fact, it has been shown that full metabolic recovery takes approximately 30 days. If a second impact occurs before that 30 day period, symptoms may last up to 40 days, meaning full metabolic recovery likely won't occur until 90 days later!
In general, symptom presentation is a poor indicator of recovery. There is a real debate as to when athletes can safely return to sport.

What about the neck? How are concussions important for Chiropractors?
​
Up to 13% of concussed NHL players have also endured a neck injury. In addition, the neck itself may be implicated in the development of a concussion itself. Early studies have demonstrated that when the neck is stabilized and prevented from moving, a normally concussive blow does not result in a concussion. If the neck is permitted to move, that same blow will cause a concussion. Neck stiffness is the single greatest variable shown to decrease the acceleration of the head, and therefore decrease the incidence of concussions. However, neck strength alone is not enough. In the instance of a concussive blow, neck muscle activation typically occurs AFTER in the impact, therefore the protective effect of neck stiffness occurs when an athlete is AWARE the impact is occurring. This is why the athlete delivering the blow usually does not get concussed. Awareness is the most crucial factor for whether or not a concussion will occur.
For example, in soccer, intentional "heading the ball" scenarios demonstrate head accelerations well below concussion threshold ranges (5,582 rad/s) because the athlete is aware of the upcoming impact.

​Baseline Concussion Testing
​
Baseline testing is becoming increasingly important for helping an athlete safely return to play. The purpose of the test is to establish a level of normal neurological functioning before an(other) impact occurs. Once an impact is experienced and a concussion is suspected, the athlete is monitored and cared for by a health care practitioner.

​As symptoms decrease over time, a repeated neuro-cognitive test can be done, and the results compared to the baseline established pre-concussion. This is extremely important, as we know neurological functional recovery lags behind symptom recovery. When an athlete has demonstrated that the brain is functioning normally, he/she may proceed through the necessary physical steps to return to play.

Be sure to see Bayview Chiropractic's ​Baseline Concussion Testing section for more information. Be safe!

In a recent study involving young Danish military men, medical check-ups demonstrated a link between high saturated fat intake and a lower sperm count. Although the effect cannot be considered causal, it does add to the long list of negative health consequences that stem from excessive consumption of saturated fat. Some of these include breast, prostate, and colon cancer, osteoporosis, and coronary artery disease.

The study group, comprised of 701 twenty-year old Danish men, was divided into 4 subgroups according to their reported caloric energy consumption coming from saturated fat intake. The study compared how much sperm each group of men produced. Researchers found that the group of men who consumed the highest amount of saturated fat had a 38% lower concentration of sperm, and 41% lower sperm counts in their semen. Any measure over 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen is defined as normal by the World Health Organization (WHO). The men in the present study who consumed less than 11.2% of their energy in the form of saturated fat had an average sperm concentration of 50 million per millilitre of semen, and a total sperm count of roughly 163 million. The sample from the group of men whose dietary energy consisted of greater than 15% saturated fat contained 5 million fewer sperm per millilitre of semen, and 35 million fewer sperm in total. 

High amounts of saturated fat are found in foods that contain animal fat such as dairy products (e.g. sour cream, various cheeses (particularly those from a cow), table cream) and fatty meats (ground beef, hot dogs, bacon). These are also foods that cause inflammation, another culprit of chronic disease. Choosing foods high in omega-3s can help slow this process. A helpful acronym for remembering which fish are higher in omega-3 fatty acids is SMASH (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring). Walnuts, beans, and whole soy foods also contain high amounts of these disease-preventing healthy fats. Furthermore, choosing lower-fat dairy and/or dairy alternatives is an easy way to reduce your daily intake of saturated fat. Dairy products that come from a goat or sheep, such as goat or feta cheese and Greek yoghurt, tend to be easier for the body to process than those from a cow. Leaner meats such as turkey and chicken are also healthy choices. Trimming off any visible fat from all meats can also help lower the amount of saturated fat, as well as broiling or grilling your meat and allowing the fat to drain off.
Oils added to your food that tend to be lower on the saturated fat spectrum include sesame oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, and soybean oil. However, be cautious to only use olive oil when cooking at low to medium heats, or simply add the olive oil to your food after cooking. When we cook with olive oil at high heat, it reaches its smoke point and therefore loses its health benefits. In fact, it becomes damaging through its generation of free radicals, another cause of chronic disease. Consider an oil with a higher smoke point such as grape seed oil. Coconut oil is also a healthy alternative to olive oil with its high smoke point; however, it is higher in saturated fat so should be used sparingly, especially to preserve that sperm count!

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
The Globe and Mail

The Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (OICC) is both a treatment clinic and an integrative oncology research centre. It provides multi-disciplinary complementary medicine and whole-person care for people with cancer. It is the first integrative oncology and research centre in Eastern Canada of its kind. Dugald Seely, ND, MSc, FABNO leads the OICC's clinical practice and visionary research agenda. Dr. Seely is the executive director and founder of the OICC, and he also serves as the Director of Research and Clinical Epidemiology in Toronto at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. "Providing complementary therapies in an evidence-based manner, supporting conventional medicine, is both desired by patients and is much needed in the cancer community," says Dr. Seely. Many "cancer patients embrace complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments during their cancer journey and this proportion is growing. A common concern among oncologists is the potential for complementary medicine to interfere with conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The OICC is committed to working with patients, their families, and their health-care providers to develop a complementary, non-interfering therapeutic program to optimize overall wellness," adds Seely.

Sitting hunched over at a computer all day? Constantly getting told "shoulders back" or "sit up straight?" Here's a simple and easy way to get you one step closer to good posture. The next time you walk through a doorway, take an extra 15 seconds to stretch out your pectoral muscles on each side of your chest. Assume the position of the man standing below, and slightly turn your body away from the bent arm. Repeat on the other side. This can be done in any doorway whether you are at work, at home, or even at your favourite new restaurant. If anyone looks at you strangely, just think how much better your posture will be than theirs!

A tight chest is a big culprit in bad posture - the tighter it gets, the more our shoulders round forward. This is because the smaller postural muscles in our backs have difficulty competing with the bigger, tighter pectoral muscles in our chest. Poor posture develops gradually, so you may notice symptoms such as low back pain or neck tightness before your shoulders actually begin to hunch over. So strengthen those back and core muscles (e.g. plank hold, side plank, back extensions), stretch your chest (in a doorframe, massaging with a foam roller), and become aware of what proper posture should actually look like throughout each day (see bottom image). As the chest becomes more flexible and the back muscles become stronger, your shoulders will naturally pull back. Don't forget - with your shoulders should come your head. A naturally retracted neck will help improve posture greatly, so avoid the tendency to let your chin hang forward over your chest. Training your head to sit further back on your shoulders will also improve chronic neck pain.

How many of you can tick off all eight boxes below? Even if you can't today, use this checklist to keep track of postural improvements in the future. 

Come see us today at Bayview Chiropractic Health Centre to find out how we can help you improve your posture, and reduce pain and discomfort caused by chronic muscle imbalances.

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). 2004. Optimum Performance Training for the Health and Fitness Professional. NASM: Calabasas, CA.

Muscles, testing and functions / Florence Peterson Kendall...[et al.] 5th ed.

Try your hand at this delicious fudge for your next holiday party this season. Borrowed from Joyous Health, this healthy recipe is unprocessed and full of vitamins and antioxidants!  

Raw Cacao Antioxidant Fudge (as pictured)

In a recent article by Alex Hutchinson in The Globe and Mail, the topic in question was what burns more calories - longer workouts at a moderate intensity or shorter workouts at maximal intensity?

Although both methods benefit the cardiovascular system, prevent muscle and bone loss, and of course burn calories, only one forces your body to continue burning calories even after you have finished your workout. At the very beginning of any workout, your body relies on its anaerobic system, which does not use oxygen for energy production. This means that you are burning more energy than your oxygen consumption provides. However, unless we push our bodies to continue to exercise at an intensity that is too high for oxygen to be present, they will quickly switch to using our aerobic system. This system relies on oxygen for energy production, which means the body cannot reach and then surpass the lactate threshold. It is only once the body is deprived of adequate oxygen that the lactate threshold is surpassed, at which point our bodies can burn extra calories both during and after a workout. Essentially, we are want to encourage our bodies to reach a state of metabolic damage so that they must burn extra calories in the repairing process.

The lactate threshold not only applies to cardiovascular workouts, but also to weight workouts. The key is reaching maximal exhaustion in whatever physical activity you put your body through - that is when we feel "the burn," therefore that is when we expend the most calories.

Avoid injury by giving your body the breaks it needs. However, when you are at the gym lifting weights, or out for a run, be sure to push yourself. Reach exhaustion often. That is when you will see the most gains. Don't ever think that you don't have time for a decent workout - the effort you put into it is what really counts.

Here are a few anaerobic workout ideas for maximal calorie-burn:
Hockey
Boxing
Ramp tests (choose a high yet maintainable intensity, and increase the incline on the treadmill every 3 minutes until complete burnout; can also be done on a cycle trainer)
Intervals (alternate between running (e.g. for 2 minutes) at intense speeds with walking / jogging (e.g. for 1 minute) at lower speeds
Pull-ups / chest press / curls / clean-and-jerks to complete exhaustion
Pyramid exercises (e.g. 10 medicine ball slams & 10 push-ups, 9 medicine ball slams & 9 push-ups...down to 1 of each)

Mental illness affects one in every five youth, currently the most disabling group of disorders in the world. Whether it's for anxiety, depression, ADHD, or schizophrenia, many medical professionals turn to prescribing psychotropic drugs to children very early in their treatment plan. There is emerging research showing the impact of complimenting traditional treatments with nutrition, exercise, diet, and vitamins. These interventions have far fewer side effects, and they minimize the likelihood of liver damage and pharmacological dependence in adulthood. Although psychotropic drugs can provide symptom relief, it is often accompanied by negative behavioural changes, dizziness, weight gain, and/or increased risk of addiction and suicide. If you could prevent this from happening in our children, wouldn't you?

Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD PhD has pioneered over 40 years of clinical practice and research in the concept of Orthomolecular Medicine (OM). OM "aims to restore the optimum environment of the body by correcting imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry, using substances natural to the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids." 
An example of Orthomolecular Medicine is the Feingold diet for the management of ADHD. The Feingold diet involves eliminating foods that contain artificial colours and flavours, as well as salicylate-containing foods such as apricots, teas, and berries. Approximately 70% of the children Dr. Feingold worked with showed major improvements, and about 50% of those children did not need any other intervention to keep their symptoms at bay. Furthermore, those that required the use of both stimulant medication and diet required a lower dose than expected in almost all cases.

The International Schizophrenia Foundation (ISF) has promoted vitamin and nutrient intervention for over 40 years to reduce the symptoms of mental illness, as well as the side-effects from psychotropic drugs. The ISF launched its newest education network, Mindful to provide parents of children afflicted by mental illness with information about nutrition, diet and lifestyle. Mindful also connects them with practitioners who use orthomolecular medicine techniques in their practice. 

For more information on Mindful, click here. 

We were lucky to have a few mild days in October, and in November so far. Once the upcoming winter days arrive with a vengeance, nothing says warm and cozy better than a big bowl of hearty homemade soup. Particularly one with curry powder to increase circulation, and garlic and onions to help fight off colds and flus. 
This recipe, borrowed from Holistic Nutritionist and Health Expert Joy McCarthy's Joyous Health, is simply delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 head green cabbage
1 Tbsp (15 mL) coconut oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 in (0.5 cm) cubes
2 Tbsp (30 mL) curry powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups (500 mL) cooked or canned organic chickpeas
5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable broth (Make sure your broth does NOT contain MSG).
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut milk or almond milk
Squirt of fresh lime
Fresh cilantro, chopped, as garnish but use as much as you wish. Joy and I are both cilantro fanatics! You can use parsley if you don’t like cilantro.

Remove any ragged outer leaves from cabbage, then core and slice into pencil-thin ribbons. Put oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot and warm over medium heat. Add sweet potato cubes, cover with lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 7 minutes.

Uncover; stir in curry powder, garlic, onion, and chickpeas; and cook another 2 minutes. Pour broth over vegetables and stir in salt. Bring to simmer and stir in cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage softens, about 2 minutes. Remove soup from heat, let cool slightly otherwise milk will curdle — then stir in coconut or almond milk, and ladle into serving bowls. Toss in a large handful of cilantro and squirt with fresh lime juice. Serves 8.

www.joyoushealth.ca

An estimated 500,000 Canadians are plagued by Alzheimer's disease or dementia, roughly 50,000 of them under the age of 60. The projected incidence of Alzheimer's disease by 2015 in Toronto alone is 44,269 people. What if there was a way to slow the progression of this disease by a simple edition to one's daily diet?  

Dr. Mary Newport, M.D., who runs a neonatology ward in Tampa Florida, tried her hand at improving her husband Steve's Alzheimer's symptoms by adding a tablespoon of coconut oil to his daily diet. Dr. Newport classifies Alzheimer's disease as diabetes of the brain. She explains that over time, the Alzheimer's brain becomes less sensitive to insulin. This insensitivity prevents these brain cells from accepting glucose (their primary fuel), causing them to eventually die. 

Ketones are an alternative fuel that do not require insulin to be taken up, and are therefore easily accepted by brain cells. Ketones are metabolized in the liver after the consumption of medium-chain triglycerides, which are found in coconut oil.
 
The clock test, where patients are asked to draw a clock, is commonly used to assess cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Two weeks after Dr. Newport had been giving Steve coconut oil daily, remarkable improvements were seen in his clock drawing when compared to his baseline drawing. Three weeks later, the difference was uncanny. Dr. Newport also reported both physical and emotional improvements in Steve's behaviour. Many family members of those afflicted with this devastating disease have written to Dr. Newport since the publication of her book 'Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was A Cure?', sharing their positive experiences following their implementation of this same dietary treatment. 

Coconut oil has also shown improvements in Parkinson's disease, ALS, Autism, Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, and Dementia. It has natural antibiotic and antiviral properties, and it raises our good cholesterol, known as HDL. HDL can also be increased by regular exercise and consumption of fish oil. 
It is very important to use pure coconut oil, and that it is free from hydrogenated oils of any kind.

Take the next 5 minutes to hear more about Steve Newport's miraculous story: