I'm left handed now!

It only took 40 years but I've gone left handed.

Using a mouse that is, for all else I still use my right hand predominately.The change was amazing and by balancing the body in this one area, it had a ripple effect every where else. My neck and shoulder stress has diminished, the subluxations in this area were significantly less. My overall posture at the computer ( where I've been spending more and more time) has improved and relaxed.

Let me take you back over 18 months now. My desk has always been ergonomically sound, we took great care when setting up the office to look at such issues. A few years ago we had chairs specifically built for us. I can tell if someone has changed chairs with mine and if they have changed the settings :) But longer hours spend typing away, like I am now meant that on top of my daily adjusting patients, my wrists were causing me great concern.

Looking after my patients is my joy, so my only thought was to look outside of the box to a solution. My right hand and my work were one and the same. Then the thought came to me that my left hand was capable, just untrained and it could be put to good use, after all plenty of people had probably made the same changes after injury and illness.

The first month was all about giving my left hand an experience of using the mouse. Yes it felt strange at first. I played solitaire on the computer to help with general mouse movement, while it went a long way to help my control it did little for my scores. Then I progressed to reading my emails and generally using it to surf, with each of these activities I worked mainly in the less busy times of the day. Interval training helped me to lighten the load away from my right hand and not over burden the left at the same time.

Slowly but surely I picked up speed in the second months and by months end I knew I had reached a milestone when I went to use another computer in the office and searched for the mouse with my left hand. Strength and speed have increased with time and I still focus on my posture. My next venture is getting used to my saddle seat at home. But that's another story for another time. For now I balance my load of work with both hands and exercise my wrists and hands along with regular adjustments.

Please note these exercise may not be for everyone, please check with your Chiropractor if they would recommend them specifically you. Remember to take care not to force your hands or wrists and please take your time.

Stretch Out.- We are constantly gripping things with our hands. The pen we write with, the door handle we open the door with, even using the keyboard to strike the keys with is a partial gripping action. While a stress ball feels great at times, again its a gripping action at work. Balancing what the hands do, will mean we should stretch out the whole hand.

• Step 1, place your hands palm side down on a flat surface and relax your wrists. 
• Step 2, gently spread your fingers apart and hold them for a count of 5.
• Step 3. repeat for 3 to 5 times.

Stretch back - Now that your fingers are gently warmed up, try the next stretch to get that extra flexibility going.

• Step 1. from the relaxed position in Stretch out, lift just your fingers off the flat surface. Try to keep the palm of your hand on the flat surface and still. Hold this for a count of 5 or less if this it too much for the first time. Slowly build up to it, there is no use over doing it at the beginning.

• Step 2, repeat for 3 to 5 times.

Make a Fist - After you have exercised in one direction its now time to do the other direction.

• Step 1, from the relaxed position in Stretch out, make a gentle fist with your hands. Again hold for a count of 5 or what ever you are first capable of.

• Step 2, repeat for 3 to 5 times.

Wrist moves - Moving up from the hands, its now time to move those wrists. Gentle! Please be aware that forcing any of these moves is NOT what these exercises are about, you are just after a gentle stretch pressure. If any of these hurts please stop and discuss your difficulties with your Chiropractor.

• Step 1, from the relaxed position, bend one or both your wrists at the same time UP and hold for a count of 5 or as what ever you are capable of. Then rest your whole hand flat.

• Step 2, lift your whole lower arm off the flat surface, keeping as horizontal as possible and bend down at the wrist. Hold for a count of 5. Rest once you have done that.

• Step 3, repeat for 3 to 5 times in both directions. Alternately you can do this exercise with both hands together for light or greater resistance.

We remind you how to fish, not fish for you.

Chiropractic is like the old saying,

“Give someone a fish and they eat for a day.
Teach someone to fish and they eat for a lifetime.”
- Chinese Proverb


With regular Chiropractic care, we remind the body to work as it should, free of subluxations to reach its potential. Enabling  it to respond to its environment and care for its self. If we do it for you and your body, that's a very short term measure of help. Better we teach you the how and you enjoy a healthy and vibrant life.

P.A.I.N

Have you ever wondered what PAIN really is? One definition cites pain as "a feeling of physical suffering caused by injury or illness" another is "An unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder"


I don't know where I heard this one, but it resonates with me.

P- pay

A - attention

I - inside

N - now!

Pain is that feeling that communicates between that which is your intellect and that innate part of yourself. It is the red flag that tells you - HEY listen up. Its the blinking light on your dashboard. By paying attention to the signals of your body you can manage and respond immediately. And having done so, you are able to circumvent the issue of allowing dys-function and dis-ease to occur in the body.


Pain is more than just cause and effect: it is affected by everything else that is going on in the nervous system. Your mood, your past experiences and your expectations can all change the way pain is interpreted at any given time. How is that for confusing?

Chiropractic care through pregnancy

Chiropractic care through pregnancy is not only safe, it is essential. 




We can look at the implications of subluxation from a bio mechanical, hormonal and neurological standpoint. It is easy for all of us to see postural changes through pregnancy-the centre of gravity changes, the weight of the baby places increased pressure on the spine and pelvis, and towards the end of the pregnancy, changes are seen in gait pattern-the "waddle." What we can't see, are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby--all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system.


Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to prepartum health.


Adjustments to newborns contain only ounces of force. But that force is directed into the spine to facilitate health and remove subluxations. We adjust babies as soon after birth as possible, to alleviate subluxations caused by in-utero constraint and the journey down through the birth canal. Even relatively easy deliveries can result in subluxations. That's why every child should be checked, before problems with their health even develop. That's preventive care in the truest sense-preventing subluxations in mothers to prevent subluxations in their babies during childbirth.

Do you know the answer

A simple question on a school health test. Do you know the answer?

Runny nose, fever & cough are

a) signs of a cold;

b) signs your body is fighting a cold;

c) signs of a virus. 

B of course! Your body is responding the way it should. It is designed to raise its internal temperature to make it inhospitable for bacterial and viral infections to live. It produces mucus to capture these and remove them from the body via the runny nose, sneezing and coughing.

Your body knows instinctually what to do in these situations. It wants YOU to pay attention and not over ride these functions, but to support these functions. 

REST - allow your body the down time to heal.

FLUIDS - to produce the mucus that removes these from the body and to maintain normal body functions at the same time.

NUTRITION - to support the bodies energy needs in its NORMAL function of fighting a cold.

An ADJUSTMENT - to allow the body to function at its optimal best in its fight to maintain order.

Thanks Dr Kevin

The Chiropractic Paradigm

A Subluxation creates abnormal function in the body. Which in turn creates abnormal physiology and then Dis-ease follows. Ultimately reducing the quality of life.
An Adjustment improves nerve function, improving physiology. Creating less Dis-ease and raising the quality of life.

Chiropractic is PRO active health care, restoring the unique essence of the body to its potential.

I'm not Happy!

I'm not happy! I don't live in a blissful state of serenity. And.... I'm really ok with that.

I'm content - satisfied with what one is or has as the dictionary describes it. Actually its more than that. Its knowing that life, especially the one that I have led is all about having a range of experiences. Some might say that I've experienced "bad" or "good", it really just depends on your point of reference.

I've come to point when either can be seen in a state of balance, not all that's seen on the surface as good is good and similarly the reverse is also true.

And I'm leaving behind the addiction to want to be only " happy"  because that seems to me as a false way to live, an idealist goal, that too many chase and are disappointed when they don't achieve it. I still strive in all my endeavours, I move forward, knowing that the journey is just as important as the destination.



Dr John Demartini is a mentor of mine and I've come to feel more at peace with all that life has to offer through gaining a different perspective.Thanks John

Introducing solid foods too early to bottle fed babies can increase rate of childhood obesity

Looking into those babies that were bottle fed and when they were introduced to solid foods has led researchers to make the discovery that it can influence and raise the likelihood of later having childhood obesity. The study looked at children who were either breast fed or bottle fed exclusively and if they introduced solid foods before the age of 4 months.

In children who were bottle fed exclusively and had solids introduced before the age of 4 months, the rates of childhood obesity rose more than 6.3 times the average by the time they were 3 years old.

Exclusively breast fed babies did not show the same results. This only reinforces the premise that breastfeeding children and introducing solid foods slowly after 4 to 6 months helps provide for a child's health well beyond their early years.

Source Pediatrics, 2011

What can I eat for lunch today!’.

What’s the in the bag?

Nourishing lunches for children at school

and adults at work and play! This quarter

‘Everyday with Wholefoods’ takes a look at the

humble lunchbox and attempt to answer the ageold

question, ‘What can I eat for lunch today!’.

Lunch is an often overlooked meal and it’s very

easy to be seduced by a quick sandwich. Jude

will give you ideas for wholesome and delicious lunch boxes

including recipes, while also taking a look at what’s in season

during the Autumnal months.

Joining us to look at the nasties that lurk in the common lunchbox and beyond will be

Julie Eady – author of the bestselling book Additive Alert. Julie is a well informed

and inspirational speaker and will give you up to date information on food additives,

their dangers and what you can do to avoid them.

We’ll also have a great range of local producers and retailers on hand for pre and post

seminar shopping!

Event Program
Guest Speakers
Julie Eady – Additive Alert
Additives in food – the alternatives!
Jude Blereau – Whole Food Cooking
Yummy lunches & Autumn menu planning
Booking Details
Saturday 26 February, 2011
Time: 1pm – 4.30pm (Doors open from 12.15pm)
Venue: FJ Clarke Lecture Theatre
P Block, QEII Medical Centre,
Nedlands. Access off Caladenia Ave
(via Monash Ave)
Price: $38.50 incl GST
(seating is unallocated, tiered theatre-style)
Discount available for Thermomix consultants
only – Consultant No. must be supplied with
booking details
Books, local produce and other
merchandise will be on display and sale
from 12.15pm
Enquiries & Bookings
events@wholefoodcooking.com.au
www.wholefoodcooking.

Diabetes patients - wash your hands before testing!

A recent studying into the effects of testing reliability has found that the current policy of only using an alcohol swab on the finger to be tested is NOT enough to remove the residue of foods and in particular fruits from skin surface.

Testing on hands that were washed and then wiped with an alcohol swab gave more accurate results than only swabbing. Blood levels had a spike of nearly double the actual reading when the hands were not washed due to the residue of fruit sugars still left on the hands, therefore patients were inaccurately giving themselves incorrect dosages.


Source Reuters Health

You DO NOT want to belong to this club!!

Number of Americans with Diabetes Rises to Nearly 26 Million

More than a third of adults estimated to have pre diabetes.

In addition, an estimated 79 million U.S. adults have pre diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Pre diabetes raises a person's risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

"These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease to prevent serious complications such as kidney failure and blindness," said Ann Albright, Ph.D, R.D., director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "We know that a structured lifestyle program that includes losing weight and increasing physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes."

You DO NOT want to join this club!

Do something for your health NOW. Do something about your weight and overall health with Nutritional Cleansing.

Exercise plays a greater role in increasing bone density in older men

In an Australian study, it was found that in older men, their level of bone density was greatly helped more by exercise than by the consumption of extra Vit D and Calcium alone. 

Over the 18 months that the study was conducted, those that exercised, had a better bone mineral density reading than those that just took the supplements. While this might be the case I would still recommend that everyone pay close attention to their diet and their levels of supplements to maintain an overall healthy out look.

Nutritional Cleansing unlocks the miracle of the human body

Nutritional Cleansing unlocks the miracle of the human body

Nutritional Cleansing increases the health benefits you’ll receive from the ancient health practice of cleansing. The herbs, vitamins and minerals that aid cleansing do two things:

·         Accelerate the removal of impurities from the body.

·         Nourish the body with vital nutrients to rapidly revive health.

A cleansed and revitalized body is stronger; resists illness better, is more efficient and performs at a higher level than one that is filled with impurities.

 A healthy body is like a finely tuned engine. The problem is if you don’t maintain it and remove the junk that builds up from every day wear and tear, you're likely to stall.

Jennifer Jefferies ND explains that a body struggling with a toxins overload causes an inflammation response in the whole body, and left there long enough you can experience even more serious health issues.

As a Chiropractor I have focused on a healthy lifestyle and supporting that with nutritional cleansing has made the world of difference. Years of dealing with Irritable Bowel syndrome and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome had left my body struggling for air sometimes. The Isagenix nutritional cleansing program has meant that my system works efficiently and effortlessly without stress. 

Breast feeding and strength

Adolescents who were breast-fed as infants have stronger leg muscles and "explosive strength" than those who were not breast-fed, a new study finds.

Both male and female adolescents who were breast-fed did better on a horizontal jump test than those who were not breast-fed, an indication of stronger leg muscles. And those who were breast-fed for a longer period of time had even stronger leg muscles. This was true regardless of the teens' fat mass, height or the amount of muscle present.

The researchers noted previous studies have shown many other benefits for infants and children who have been breast-fed, including increased protection against childhood allergies, skin diseases, obesity and diabetes.

SOURCE: University of Granada

The Easiest Christmas cake you will ever make

Baking for Christmas is one of my favourite things and when I was given this fantastic Christmas cake recipe I just couldn't believe it would work let alone taste any good. Now I know in the US there are a few jokes about giving fruitcake as gifts but Down Under we enjoy a good Christmas cake.

Here is the recipe I know you will enjoy.

1 kg mixed dried fruit diced
1 Can apricot nectar ( about 400ml)
2 Cups Self raising flour

Optional Extra - your choice of something to give the cake a little extra Christmas spirit. We used Apricot Brandy or Rum :)

Instead of a large cake, spoon into muffin cases and bake at 175 C for about 25 to 30 minutes. A large cake would take at least an hour and half to bake. Make sure you line it well as the mixture is very dense.

 Start with One Kilo of Mixed dried fruit.

 Add 400ml of canned Apricot Nectar, plus your own favourite Christmas spirit, that's optional.

 Add 2 cups of Self Raising Flour and mix well. 

 The mixture should be sticky but not too dry, add a little extra juice or Christmas Spirit. 

Spoon into paper cases in a muffin tin and Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a pre heated oven at 175C.

Enjoy!

Chiropractic its simple really

Simply put Chiropractic is NOT a treatment for colic, reflux, headaches/migraines, Irritable bowel syndrome, lower back pain or any such condition. Chiropractic in any sense is about

 locating and removing one of the most severe forms of interference known to healthy body function - a condition that puts pressure on the nerves and related structures, unbalances our body, generates fatigue, lowers our resistance to disease, and weakens the body in general - in short, affects all the elements of our natural healing ability.

This condition is known as a Vertebral Subluxation(s) or spinal nerve interference. And we as Chiropractors are the ones trained to detect and correct these Vertebral Subluxations through a Chirpractic Adjustment.

Here at Hillarys Chiropractic our vision is

To inspire and be influential in the chiropractic lifestyle for individuals and families so that they can experience a life of optimal health and wellness.

That's how simple it is.

Question: If you dropped a brick on your foot, what’s the first thing you must do to start the healing process?

Answer: Get the brick off your foot!

Sounds simple, but it’s true. Your foot WON’T heal until the offending pressure is removed first. And once the brick is removed don’t expect your foot to look or feel normal right away! It’s going to take time to repair all that damage. The same applies to your Chiropractic care.

A misaligned vertebra – a Subluxation, is much like that brick, causing damage, pain and inflammation. Healing can occur when the offending pressure is removed and kept off with regular Chiropractic care through the Adjustment.

BUT that won’t necessarily bring instant relief.  Simply it’s the first step in a timely process. So if you don’t feel great immediately after your adjustment, don’t be discouraged. With time, the damage tissues will heal and you’ll start to feel like new again. For now, be confident the healing process has at least started because the Subluxation – the brick, has been removed.

Healthy teens part 2

In a study looking into the health and well being of teenagers it was found that teens who smoked, exercised less than twice a week and were overweight or obese were over three times more likely to have recurrent headaches.

By simplying having two of the factors most teens would double their chance of having recurrent headache or migrains.

All of these facotrs are avoidable if not able to be managed so that healthly habits are established before long term side affects are pernanently etched into the childs life.

Source :Health Day

Increased chance of breast cancer with HRT

The studies are coming through now that point the finger directly at the increased chance of aggressive forms of breast cancer amongst those women who take HRT – hormone replacement therapy. Recent studies had suggested that only those types of cancers that were more treatable had increased in this group, however not so with the latest study.

This recent study looked at specifically the HRT that was based on estrogen-plus-progestin, or combined hormone therapy, not estrogen-alone therapy. Over all the rates of all cancers have increased with HRT use, so that the only reason why some women are still given HRT is to combat the effects of menopause that haven’t responded to non-hormonal therapy.

 It is strongly recommended that every effort to exhaust all non-hormonal therapies before HRT is contemplated.

Breast Feeding protects your child

"Exclusive breast-feeding helps protect infants against common infections and lessens the frequency and severity of infectious episodes not only in developing countries but also in communities with adequate vaccination coverage and health care standards," 

SOURCE: Archives of Disease in Childhood