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NEWS & BLOG

Human Growth Hormone

20/12/2020

 
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At around the age of 25-30 years old our bodies commonly enter a phase called 'Somatopause'. It is hallmarked by declining levels of human growth hormone (hGH)  in our blood stream which continues to decrease with each passing year.
This decline is part of what drives the aging process. The great news is that there are several simple body 'hacks' you can start to practice that will keep your levels of hGH high and by doing so you'll enjoy lifelong, robust health.
Researches have noticed that this decrease in hGH in the blood stream coincided with the onset of many symptoms of aging, including:
  • Loss of muscle mass and muscle tone
  • Difficulty losing and controlling weight
  • Lowered energy levels
  • Reduced elasticity in the skin, a contributing factor in the formation of wrinkles
  • Loss of sex drive and an increase in related disorders, including erectile dysfunction
  • Loss of bone mass and the beginning of age related joint problems
  • Decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system​ ​​

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Persistent & Reoccurring Sciatica

28/1/2019

 
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  • What is Sciatica? The term 'sciatica' describes a set of symptoms including pain and altered sensation in the area of the leg(s) and back where the nerves making up the collective 'sciatic nerve' supply. 
  • Sciatica often indicates an underlying condition of the spine that needs to be addressed for long-term resolution.
  • An effective approach to treating this condition.
  • Simple proactive & preventive steps you can take now.

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Fibromyalgia - Literally Means 'Muscle Pain' - But Why Do Your Muscles Hurt?!

4/12/2018

 
Fibromyalgia is one of those diagnoses that has  a huge catalogue of symptoms. If the thought of where on earth do you start to turn this condition around overwhelms you, you may consider starting with the mechanics of your body first with the treatment I offer.
​

My colleagues and I have collectively seen many patients with Fibromyalgia with fantastic results. Although we cannot always expect super fast results, however in most cases I do anticipate you will notice a positive difference in your pain levels and make breathing easier and fuller over just the first two weeks.

This is Kirsty's experience of her first visit with me...

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Waking Up with Pins & Needles?

22/2/2018

 
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Have you been waking up with pins and needles in your hands?
​Here's how to stop it and find out if postural issues could be causing your symptoms.

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How to stay young

19/10/2017

 

Bernard tells us how he's still climbing 6a's at 70.

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Every once in a while a truly inspiring person walks through the door. It's an honour to introduce you to Bernard. His great passion is Alpine climbing the Alps, Scotland and Wales with his brother and nephews. Cycling and rock climbing play a big part of his life,  age plays not part on his mind,  he fully intends to complete a forfeit from a bet he lost which consists of doing press ups in a glacial stream...

Bernard got in touch with me to sort his back and neck out when his body was stopping him getting on with his active lifestyle. Restriction in his neck began to affect his climbing, he described having difficulty looking up at mountain peaks, feeling like he would loose balance.


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Horse Riding & Shoulder Pain.

10/9/2017

 
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Good riding posture can become uncomfortable and difficult to maintain when your spine off balance.

Horse riders tend to spot their own postural imbalance a mile off as their horse responds to the subtle shift in weight coming from their body. Having good body awareness makes tracking your progress, through functional improvement throughout a care program, really easy.
If your shoulder and back muscles are having to work hard to keep you upright in the saddle, something is wrong.
This often leads to intense aching in the mid-back, shoulders and low back.

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Helping Mountain Biker's Back Pain.

9/8/2017

 
Rider: Alex Evans



I see a lot of sporty and active people in my practice so the question I hear a lot is... 
 'Can I keep riding my bike?'
The answer is usually yes, however it very much depends on the condition of your body. The method of body correction I use is so effective that in most cases, this is made possible by carefully scheduling appointments into your work and training routines.

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Aerobic Exercise Improves Memory & Brain Function

20/2/2017

 
Mountain Biking with Basque MTB
The brain is described as being 'plastic', it is an adaptable organ that can be moulded by input in much the same way a muscle can be by lifting weights. The classic saying is 'Use it or lose it' is very true. Studies have shown that a particular region of the brain that actually grows with exercise is the hippocampus thanks to a chemical called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The hippocampus is the area of the brain that is essential for memory, spacial memory and navigation and has a role in conflict avoidance decision making.
BDNF has received a lot of attention in the literature with regards to exercise and brain function and it's neuroprotective (protection from degeneration of brain cells- associated with cognitive decline and dementia) effects. The beneficial knock on effects of BDNF are massive for longevity and quality of life...

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Posture: An overlooked cause of Migraines & Headaches.

12/2/2017

 
Posture: An overlooked cause of migraine and headache.
Looking down at a laptop causes muscular tension in the back of the neck & can lead to tension headaches.
Extensive research has been done to classify and treat all types of headache and migraine. Current understanding and consensus is that migraine is a neurological disorder influenced by genetics and the environment. The underlying causes of which include chronic inflammation, emotional stressing, changes in brain chemical levels (neurotransmitters) and posture.

Migraines in particular can build gradually over several hours, for many people they include varied physical symptoms of the nervous system; numbness and weakness in the face and body, head pain and aura (seeing colours and shapes). Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision and sensitivity to light are all brainstem symptoms. The brainstem forms the connection between the brain and spinal cord, it controls many of our vital functions and when under stress (physical and chemical) can produce the symptoms above.

Functional brain imaging is one of the incredible investigative techniques been used to visualise a 'roadmap' of a migraine attack as it happens. This 'roadmap' points to the brainstem, meninges (coverings of the brain and spinal cord) and the cranial nerve that supplies sensation and movement of facial muscles;  known as the trigeminal durovascular nerve pathway (trigeminal = a cranial nerve responsible for sensation and muscles in the face, duro = a layer of the meninges/coverings of the brain and spinal cord, durovascular = blood vessels of the meninges). 

This is really exciting to us ABC practitioners because our ground work for fixing people's bodies is releasing tension on the meninges and thus the brainstem. I've had many clients in practice report immediate headache pain relief even before I have finished their treatment.

If you haven't seen it yet watch Dr Jeff Aberle's film explaining how meningeal adhesions alter body function.

poor posture causes headaches

Ideal posture is where your head is in perfect balance over your neck, the center of your ear is directly over the center of your shoulder. This requires minimal effort from neck muscles. Forward head posture, also known as anterior head carriage - when someone's head is stuck forwards of their shoulders - requires constant neck muscle effort (like taut guy wires of a leaning tent) to keep the head upright. No wonder tension headaches are the most common type of headache disorder (according to the World Health Organisation). Tension headaches are those many people describe as their 'usual headaches' and say the frequency of them is 'no more than anyone else gets'. They become part of that person's life they happen so often!
​

This absolutely doesn't have to be the case.

The key is to start to make healthy changes in your lifestyle that will affect the 'roadmap' of head pain that the researchers found. The biggest things I have learned from clients with migraines and headaches, including myself, is the importance of posture, nutrition, water intake and emotional and hormonal stress. You have to put in the time and effort to break some habits and make new ones and the reward will potentially be drug free and you can get on with your life.
I help people with the physical stress of headaches, for people who need nutritional advice and testing I recommend speaking to Jane Collison and for emotional stress, Ben Oakley. Click their names for a links to their websites.
I'd love to hear what's worked for your migraines and headaches, please share your experience here or send me an email if you would like me to treat your head pain.

​Sarah :o)

5 ways to stop back ache at work.

19/10/2016

 
Poor posture in a busy office
Are you prolonging your back pain with a poor office setup?
A friend texted me last week because he was suffering with back ache and radiating leg pain - sciatica. Being miles away my initial advice was to make sure his sitting posture wasn't aggravating the problem.

​I replied with...
"Sitting is one of the worst things for your nerves and discs in your back, you've got to perch rather than sit. Especially no sitting on the sofa or anything that tilts backwards - this flares the discs open at the back, aggravates the heck out of it and stretches the nerves." ​
You can appreciate how allowing your spine to slump into a C-shape will stretch the intervertebral discs, ligaments of the spine and spinal cord running though the vertebral canal. Years of this physically stressful posture can eventually lead to back ache, leg pain and sciatica. 
I notice our local Post Office have an ideal set up for their team with sit/stand desks. Unfortunately one of the ladies there her set up was obviously causing her discomfort as she cursed the chair for her low back ache. She was on a regular chair designed for a low desk with her feet half resting on a bin which meant she had to lean forwards to use the computer which would have been putting undue stress on her whole spine. 

If you're lucky enough to have mindful employers who have equip you with a standing desk it is vital that you have it set up correctly. I will describe how.

3 desk postures that can cause back pain

  1. Your chair tilts backwards (common for most furniture) this makes your pelvis tip backwards too and forces your low back into a slumped curve
  2. You look down at your computer/laptop screen. This puts your neck into a forwards posture, in doing so the muscles of your shoulders and back of your neck have to work extra hard to hold the weight of your head.
  3. You lean forwards on your desk. Again, the muscles in the back of your neck, shoulders and the two columns of muscle parallel to your spine have to work really hard to the point of fatigue - classically after you've been sitting for an hour or so.
Desk posture that causes back pain
Sound familiar? These postures are easy to put right...

Change your office set up - stop back ache.

  1. Tilt your office chair forwards slightly so that your hips are higher than your knees, your feet should be flat on the floor. If your chair won't tilt use a wedge cushion - the angle of which will be specific to you.
  2. Lift your computer/laptop screen so that you have to look slightly up at it - this is one of the biggest steps to reducing neck and back tension at work according to the feedback I have had from clients.
  3. Bring your keyboard closer so that you don't have to stretch to it, or anything else on your desk that you frequently use.
  4. Get up & move every 1/2 hour to reset the discs in your spine. Stand up, march on the spot, stretch up to the ceiling and take a walk.
  5. Position yourself straight on with your desk and computer/work and your desk so that you don't have to twist or repeatedly turn your body to speak to your colleagues/clients.
Try all of these initial suggestions, if you're still getting back ache and/or sciatica get in touch here.
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    Author

    Sarah Bedford

    Recent Posts

    Are you getting persistent or reoccurring sciatica?

    Fibromyalgia - Why do your muscles hurt?!

    Beginner's Guide to Getting Fit.

    Human Growth Hormone 101

    Waking up with pins & needles?

    4 Minute Daily Workout

    How to Stay Young

    Horse Rider's Shoulder & Low Back Pain & Fractured Ribs.

    Fixing Mountain Biker's Backs

    Aerobic Exercise Improves Memory & Brain Function

    Posture: An overlooked cause of migraines & headaches.

    5 Ways to stop back ache at work.

    Turmeric root for osteoarthritis and pain relief.

    How to tell if your baby needs chiropractic.

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