Why you should wave goodbye to Wheat!

wheat-foodsThere are many nutritionists out there preaching about the health benefits of removing wheat from your diet, why is this? For as long as we can remember wheat has been a staple for humanity; why all of a sudden has wheat gained such a bad reputation? Here are the facts!

Modern day wheat is not the same as your grandparents ate. Scientists have developed new hybrid strains of wheat to create hardier wheat fields and fluffier pastries. These strains of wheat contain entirely new forms of gluten, not found in original plants. Our bodies were never made to process this modified wheat and now that scientist have found a way to liquefy gluten, it’s found in everything from processed meats to shampoo, it is very hard to decrease our gluten exposure.

This is creating a real danger to our health, and in some cases even causing chronic illness. One common disease caused by wheat irritants is celiac disease When the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten causing bowel damage. Even if you don’t suffer from an autoimmune disease such as this wheat can still affect your health, it has been linked to over 55 diseases! How so?

Well, when any part of your body is injured the immune system’s response is inflammation. The proteins found in wheat trigger this response in the gut. Inflammation in the gut messes up that system of border control. It loosens the junctions between cells in the gut wall so too much stuff can pass through. This is often described as making the gut leaky (hence the popular name of leaky gut) the larger, undigested food molecules, toxins, yeast and forms of waste can now flow freely through the blood stream. When your immune system cannot fight off all the foreign organisms running through the blood stream they absorb into the tissues of the body and cause inflammation. This can cause the symptoms of poor health that we all know of as; headaches, itchy skin, IBS, mood swings, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue and brain fog. the list goes on.

So what’s the solution? The best solution would be to give up grains all together and stick to eating wholefoods (fruits, nuts, seeds and lots of veg) and use organically made/grown products.

Upper and Mid back extension

cat-stretchStart by kneelingB down and sit on your heels. Breathe in and bring your arms up to touch your hands over your head and stretch them up as far as you can without lifting your body. Breath out as you start to separate your hands and lower your arms back to your torso.B Slide your hands over your thighsB onto the floor in front of you supporting your weight as your torso moves forward. Rest your forehead on the floor if possible.B Breathe deeply as you hold this stretch for 30 seconds.

Low Back Pain

lower-back-painOne of the most common reasons for time lost at work is low back pain! We count on our spines to support our bodies- support or posture and support our movements as well as protect our most vital body systems (the nervous system). Our spines are built strong and resilient so we tend to forget that it needs to be taken care of until we feel pain. Think of your body as a machine and your spineB is the mechanical parts that make the machine move and function. Just like any machine the mechanical systemB (spine and nervous system)B needs to be maintained to function correctly.

Work, sport and other physical activities, diet and our emotional wellbeing become recurring behaviours that cause a form of stress to our spine. Factors such as,too much sitting, not enough exercise or movement, eating unhealthy foods, lifting incorrectly or lifting too much in one go are common factors of stressB in the workplace. This stress can cause the spinal joints to stiffen up in parts, causing other parts of the spine to move more to compensate. ThisB eventually leads to over useB and sprains the flexible joints. These recurring “mini-traumas” can lead to people hurting themselves by doing trivial things, like bending down to pick up a pen. Although a small and simple task, when you have over utilised your spine without keeping it maintainedB it becomes the “last straw” and ends in pain & altered body movement or function.

Most low back pain sufferersB feel the pain come and go, however when the pain has subsided it does not mean that the problem is resolved. Even the smallest of daily tasks we do can put stress on the spine, and since we are doing these things constantly there is a build up of spinal stress. This is why it is more than likely to return and become worse the next time, if left untreated!

Your body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism controlled by the nervous system. Stress on the spine can put pressure on your nervous system and alter the bodies own healing abilities. Chiropractic works to correct the spinal joints and relieve the stress on the nervous system improving the mind/body communications. Chiropractic can also help to correct posture and ease muscle tension giving you the opportunity to move freely.

Lower back pain can also be accompanied by a verity of symptoms. if you have or have had any of the following then it is time you see a Chiropractor!

  • Leg pain with numbness, tingling or weakness
  • Back or leg pain when coughing or sneezing
  • Difficulty standing up after sitting for any period of time
  • Morning stiffness
  • Pain after extended walking
  • Pain in hip, buttock, thigh, knee or foot

Don’t suffer with lower back pain. Move freely, be able to work productively and live life to the fullestB by maintaining your spinal health with Chiropractic care!

 
 

Gentle Hamstring Stretch

gentle-hamstring-stertchStand in front of a chair or bench.B Balance one legB on the chair/bench. Keep yourB leg straight do not bend the knee,B (for extra support try holding onto a doorway or wall) Point toes upward and hold stretch for 30 seconds. You should feel the stretch in your hamstring straight away. For a deeper stretch, keep your back straight and lean forward at the hips. Hold the deeper stretch for only 10 seconds then swap sides doing the light stretch first for 30 seconds and then leaning forward for a deeper stretch for 10.