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Getting Rid of Back Pain For Ever!

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12 POINTERS FOR A HEALTHIER BACK

1) DAILY LOOSENING EXERCISES. These should be done morning and evening and before any physical activity. (you can see me doing them on my home page)

2) TAKE GREAT CARE WHEN LIFTING. Get help whenever you can; maybe wear a support belt; don’t twist you spine; always bend your knees.

3) AVOID LONG SITTING. Continual sitting is one of the worst things not only for your back but your health in general. Stand up regularly whether you are at your desk or travelling.

4) BE AWARE OF YOUR POSTURE.Think tall and wide whether you are sitting or standing.

5) DON’T DELAY YOUR TREATMENT. The sooner you visit your Osteopath the quicker you will get better.

6) TAKE EXTRA CARE IF STRESSED OR TIRED. These will make you more vulnerable to strain.

7) BE AWARE OF YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL BAGS. Their weight and position (not too low) can cause problems. More children are suffering with back pains but they respond very well to Osteopathic treatment.

8) OSTEOARTHRITIS IS EASILY KEPT AT BAY. All you need is some regular Osteopathic treatments throughout the year. Your age doesn’t prevent you being helped.

9) WHIPLASH INJURIES SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED. Even if they seem trivial you should always get yourself checked over by your Osteopath.

10) BE CAUTIOUSWITH DECORATING (work at eye level), GARDENING ( kneel), MOVING FURNITURE (get help), LIFTING CHILDREN (crouch down to lift them) & SUITCASES (pack them downstairs).

11) SLIPPED DISCS AND SCIATICA ARE TREATABLE. Leg and arm pains often come from strain of the spine and are easily treated. Occasionally they are caused by disc problems but these are actually quite rare but they still do respond to treatment but a bit more slowly.

12) EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE SPINAL CHECK UPS. (Like you do for your teeth, car, boiler and heart).

If you follow these 12 pointers I can virtually guarantee you will either avoid back problems all together or if you do unfortunately get one it will pass quickly.

Please get in touch for any further advice.

AN EXAMPLE TO US ALL!!

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I can across this amazing story that I felt I had to share:-

 

This 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home yesterday. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;

I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”

She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”

And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.
5. Expect less, & enjoy every moment.

NATUROPATHIC ADVICE FOR WINTER COUGHS & COLDS

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7 Tips to encourage your immune system:

1. Rest more

2. Drink more water and hot lemon & honey

3. Get more fresh air

4. Try to keep active if possible

5. Eat less [the less you eat the more you will heal] Fruit & veg are best healing foods.

6. Take vitamin C +Zinc

7. Use Manuka honey, garlic pearls & Echinacea

Please try to avoid visiting your doctor for coughs and colds because they are a sign that your body is a bit run down, stressed or tired.

Your body has a wonderful mechanism for healing, your immune system. If you encourage it, it will take care of you.

Antibiotics over-ride the immune system and are only needed for severe infections, plus they don’t affect viruses.

IF YOU ARE NOT RECOVERING AS QUICKLY AS YOU WOULD LIKE PLEASE CALL ME FOR SOME MORE ADVICE

20 TOP TIPS FOR MENTAL WELL-BEING

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20 TOP TIPS FOR MENTAL WELL-BEING: REMEMBER “A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE IS ESSENTIAL”

1. Get 7-8 hrs sleep each night.

2. Begin your day with thoughts appreciation and eagerness.

3. Make feeling happy & believing in positive outcomes your goals.

4. Try to relax/meditate for 20 mins each day.

5. Use deep breathing to allow yourself to be cool, calm & collected.

6. Go for a walk to clear your mind.

7. Use physical exertion to quell any aggression or depression.

8. Take charge of your thoughts because they are creating your life.

9. Use affirmations to get you on track e.g. “Today is a great day”.

10.Eat & drink regularly.

11.Plan your outcomes with thoughts & visualisation.

12.Avoid reality as much as possible & create your own. Dream big!

13.Loving yourself is the key to everything.

14.Avoid listening/watching the news.

15.Get into the positive mode/vibration to attract what you want.

16.Use music to get you in the right mood.

17.Learn to be your own therapist. “Ask yourself questions”.

18.End the day with gratitude.

19.Get things out the ‘back of your mind’ & ‘off your chest’ by writing a therapeutic diary. Dig deep if you have to.

20. Believe in yourself & acknowledge a higher power.

I HAD A DREAM…….!

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I HAD A DREAM…….!

The other night I had this really weird dream in which the price of medicines became so high that the health service could only afford those drugs needed for dire emergencies. Doctors surgeries and Pharmacies began closing down all over the country as they had nothing to offer people and panic ensued throughout the land. The government proclaimed a state of emergency and the Cobra committee was called into action.

“What can we do”? proclaimed David Cameron. “Well at least we won’t have to worry any more about all the illnesses caused by the use of drugs” retorted the Health minister “and we can pay nurses what they’re worth and afford some more of those life saving technologies” said the chancellor of the exchequer.

“What about all those people who rely on their medicines” asked the leader of the opposition. What are they going to do?

This question had parliament sitting all night and in the morning David Cameron spoke to the people to announced these emergency measures.

” Due to this current crisis in our health service I am today announcing the follow measures. Firstly every citizen will be encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and to help you do this we so we will set up health education classes in every town and city. All organic produce will be halved in price and sugary foods and fizzy drinks will be immediately severely taxed. There will be reward schemes for people who lose weight and maintain it for a year. All gymnasiums and exercise classes will be free. McDonalds, KFC and Burger King and other such establishments will be closed down with immediate effect.

The levies on alcohol and tobacco will be tripled and the age of allowance will rise to 26.

Motor cars will be banned from all inner cities, only bicycles and essential deliveries will be allowed.

Children will be escorted to school on foot by special wardens. Extra funds will be diverted to school dinners and every child will be provided with a whole food lunch. Nutritional studies will be a compulsory subject on the school syllabus and children will do PE every day.

The stand up for your health campaign will be enhanced and every school and employer will provide an hourly alarm so that those who sit a lot will be able to stand up, have a stretch and get a glass of water.

All towns and cities will be provided with relaxation classes, yoga and swimming pools and counsellors will be provided free to counsel and coach people under stress. Sports psychologist will also be available to everyone to teach them how to use their minds to create better health. All alternative medical practitioners will be included in the NHS.

Two years went passed with this regime and something amazing began to happen. The drugs weren’t missed at all. In fact the number of people suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes went down by a third. The number of people dying each year also declined as people were living longer than ever. However the number of old people’s homes dramatically declined as they weren’t needed because the elderly remained fit and well and remarkably the number of people suffering from Alzheimers and Parkinson’s also showed a dramatic reduction. People were taking care of their own health and the results were incredible. All the health statistics were reversed and Britain went from being the worst to being the best.

The level of happiness in society was the highest ever recorded even higher than in 1966 when England won the World Cup!

At that moment my alarm went off and I woke up and realised it was all a dream and I still had to get back to trying to persuade people that the Natural Path to health was the best one.

If you’d like any help to get well without the use of medication please get in touch.

10 SIMPLE MENTAL WELL-BEING TIPS

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· Have 8 hours sleep each night

· Start the day with some motivating prayers, poems, pictures or music

· At some time during the day go for a walk

· Avoid strong tea or coffee & alcohol

· Eat plenty of fruit & veg, fish & wholegrains

· Take probiotics, vitamin B complex, magnesium & fish oils

· Learn about being Mindful

· Learn about Journaling as a means to expressing upsets, fears & frustrations

· Practice Forgiveness, Understanding & Acceptance

· Believe in yourself; take 100% charge of your life & be grateful

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF?

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As more and more evidence is uncovered regarding the connection between our adverse childhood experiences and our attitudes to life, and then the illnesses we experience as adults. I thought I’d share with you some ideas I have about getting yourself mentally fit, as opposed to physically fit, which is relatively easy to do.

Both our mentality towards life and the experiences we have as children have been directly linked to the chronic illnesses we experience as adults. Heart disease, cancer, strokes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, MS, Lupus, Migraine, aches & pains and even obesity, to name just a few, are conditions more commonly found in people who have had Adverse Childhood Experiences. People who are generally more optimistic and have high levels of self-esteem & confidence are less likely to experience those chronic diseases. However, if they do, they will tend to recover more quickly from them.

So how do you get yourself mentally fit? Well I think the first step is to create more of an awareness of who you are today and how you tick.

Do you get anxious, fearful, angry or sad? How often? What are the causes? What was your childhood like? This is a start.

For a more comprehensive insight into yourself you might like to reflect on some of these questions.

· How happy are you? How happy do you make those around you?

· How loving are you? How lovable are you?

· How critical are you? How much criticism have you experienced?

· Do you like company? Are you uncomfortable alone?

· How expressive are you? How much affection were you shown as a child?

· Can you be violent or aggressive? Did you experience violence or abuse as a child?

· How good a listener are you? How stubborn are you?

· How forgiving are you? How much do you hold grudges?

· Have you been through a divorce as a child or adult?

· Have you been through bereavement as a child or adult?

Answering some or all of these questions might give you some insights that will enable you to do some self-evaluation which is the first step to change. Remember most of our attitudes and behaviours are learned and can be unlearned if you visit the mind gym.

For more information on how you can gain access to the mind gym or any aspects of Stress Management please get in touch.

020 8954 2254 or via email at [email protected]

Why Doctors make backs worse!

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Ever since I was a small boy and I won a prize at my Sunday school for the ‘Boy who shows most consideration for others’ I have come to realize my passion in life is to be of service to others. 
My parents nurtured this passion by encouraging me into Osteopathy and since then I have dedicated my professional life to the prevention and eradication of chronic pain in the back & legs, neck & shoulders, hips & knees and from Migraine headaches. 
The way I do this is by creating a conscious awareness of the mind-body connection so that I can uncover the mental and physical triggers of chronic pain. These come in the form of physical strain and an upset mind.
The first step to preventing chronic pain in the spine or joints is to rapidly treat acute pain and this is where Doctors are a great hindrance. In stead of recognizing that they know little (in most cases) about the treatment and recovery of acute pain they, in their well meaning wisdom, by their recommendations, actually hinder the recovery process. i all cases acute pain is easy to treat, and in the ‘hands’ of a qualified expert (an Osteopath or Chiropractor) it will recover within a week or two. 
As I mentioned speed is of essence for that complete recovery so prescribing pain killers, injections, physiotherapy, scans and X-rays (unless a major fall has occurred) only delay recovery and encourage chronic (recurring) pain to arise. This delay also promotes the illusion that the back can repair itself without help. The mechanical ‘natural healing process’ is unfortunately incomplete due to the sedentary lifestyle of most people today. and although the pains may have gone away on their own, once you have had a bout of back pain you are 50% more likely to have an exacerbation! 
If you are super fit i.e do yoga, swim & walk you probably wouldn’t get strained in the first place!!
 
So if you want a thorough & rapid recovery from acute pain find yourself and Osteopath or Chiropractor or call me on 020 8954 2254
NB In my view physiotherapy is best suited to rehabilitation after an operation or serious injury  or sports injuries but not so relevant for spinal problems.

Did you know that in China people used to pay their doctor only when they were well?!

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How good would that be? Only pay me when you are well! I’d be happy for that but you’d have to follow my advice!

One of the things I feel passionate about is preventing a back problem as opposed to treating it. As they say prevention is better than cure and it’s cheaper too, so why wait until you have back pain when you can take steps to prevent it from recurring/occurring. Do you wait until your car breaks down before you get it serviced? No! The same goes for your C/H boiler and your teeth ( no we neglect them too!).
Once you have had a back problem, and there is an 80% chance that you will, you are 50% more likely to have a recurrence, however there are things you can do to significantly prevent that from happening.
Firstly lead a more active life; secondly take care with any lifting and thirdly have your back MOT’d by your Osteopath. ( Please contact me if you don’t have an Osteopath!).
Occasional back check overs infrequently throughout the year will nip in the bud any problems that might be brewing, which you probably wont know about, and maintain your flexibility so recurrences are less likely. It is far easier to keep you well than treat you when you’re in pain so if you have had a problem and you think your ok now, it’s better to let your Osteopath tell you that because he can tell how you really are.
Truth to tell everyone should have their back checked over throughout their life. Children are not exempt from back problems, with their heavy school bags and in some cases excessive sporting activities. Both can contribute to back problems as well as, and don’t get me started, their sedentary life in front of their Play Stations!
Many problems in adulthood can be traced back to the falls or accidents of childhood and don’t forget the whiplash of the fairground.
As I said infrequent MOTs are the answer and ultimately what I’d recommend, as a lifetime guide, is one check over every five years from the age of ten. Then a yearly check up from 25 until 40, every six months till 60 and then every three months thereafter. Hopefully that will go some way to prevent the colossal cost to industry from absenteeism due to back pain and reduce some of the wear and tear that then develops into Osteoarthritis. Unfortunately people will continue to injure themselves but if they maintain these check overs the problems will last less time and be less painful. It is also very important to get treated ASAP after any injury as the quicker you get treated the quicker you will recovery.
If you are or have been a back sufferer and would like to discuss having treatment please call me on 020 8954 2254.

10 STRESS MANAGEMENT TIPS

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1. Start the day reading a list of all the good things in your life and all the good things about you.

2. Listen to uplifting music.

3. Go for a walk to clear your mind and practice deep breathing.

4. Eat regularly and have lots of fruit, veg & oily fish. Take Probiotics, B complex & magnesium.

5. Drink less coffee & alcohol and more water.

6. Do a daily Mindful Meditation.

7. Avoid watching or listening to the news.

8. End the day writing a diary to get things off your chest.

9. Continue the diary with gratitude for all the good things.

10. Get 7-8 hours’ sleep a night.