Our clinic now has a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner! We welcome Yonghao (Luke) Yu, R.Ac/R.TCMP, to our clinic. Luke also offers Acupuncture, Acu-pressure Massage, and Air Cupping.
Meet Yonghao (Luke):
Born in China, Yonghao (Luke) moved to Canada at 15 years old. Following his passion for traditional Chinese philosophies, Luke studied at the Ontario College of TCM and finally became an Acupuncturist in 2019. He later pursued further studies in herbology in TCM from 2021-22.
In Luke’s first four years of his career, he was recognized for excellent acupuncture techniques, clear therapeutic results in a variety of diseases (pain, gynecological, digestive, etc.), lifestyle recommendations, and dietary consultations based on TCM theory.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was originated in ancient China and has a history of over two thousand years.
Influenced by ancient Chinese philosophy, culture, and sci
ence and technology, Chinese medicine uses the theory of Yin and Yang and the theory of Wu Xing to explain the mechanism of balancing the function of the body.
Theory of Yin and Yang
The direct meanings of yin & yang in Chinese are positive & brightness vs negative & darkness.
Chinese philosophy uses yin and yang to represent a wider range of opposite forces that are complementary & contradictory that cannot exist without each other. Together, the yin & yang make up the life energy, called “Qi”.
Qi is a type of energy that flows through the body through invisible sets of pathways called meridians. The theory of Yin & Yang is fundamental to the practice of TCM, where the most basic level of TCM treatment is to seek the balance of yin & yang in each person.
Theory of Wu Xing
The theory of Wu Xing, the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) interprets the relationship and the constant movements and cycles between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment.
The chart outlines how the natural changes within the body and the environment affect your health.
Your core extends from the diaphragm to the pelvis, forming a muscular 360-degree band around the body. These 29 pairs of muscles in the lower back, abdomen, hips and pelvis stabilize the spine, keep us upright, power our arms and legs, and can even help regulate breathing and bladder function.
Signs of Weak Core Muscles
Common signs of weakness or decreased control of your core muscles can lead to dysfunction in your movement and, ultimately, affect your quality of life. Here are a few common symptoms of poor core stability:
- Poor posture
- Low back pain
- Bad Balance
- Difficulty standing for long periods
What can you do to strengthen your Core?
Some regular, simple exercises can help to add strength to your core, and help decrease pain and weakness. Walking, squats, planks, and even consciously working on better posture when you are sitting can all help.
Of course, be sure to discuss your plans with your doctor or health care practitioner before you undertake anything new to be sure you aren't doing anything that could hurt more than help!
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of each foot and connects the heel bone to the toes (plantar fascia).
Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or when you stand up after sitting.
Most people who have plantar fasciitis recover in several months with conservative treatment, such as icing the painful area, stretching, and modifying or avoiding activities that cause pain.
If the pain doesn't subside with these activities, orthotic inserts or shockwave therapy are treatments we can offer to help resolve the pain in your feet.
Contact the clinic today to see how we can help you get moving again :)
“The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.” ―Andrew Bernstein
To show up as your best self and not feel stressed out about your boss, kids, traffic, etc. it would be beneficial to incorporate stress management into your daily routine. If your stress level is already high at the start of your day, anything added to your plate is just going to continue to enhance your stress. However, if you incorporate stress management into your day, when the unexpected happens, because it will happen, you will be better equipped to manage it.
Stress Management Techniques
* Practice deep breathing – it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which sends a signal to your brain to tell the anxious part that you’re safe and don’t need to use the fight, flight, or freeze response.
* Move your body – in nature if possible! Exercise is a great stress reliever.
* Guided Meditation – practicing guided meditation is a healthy distraction away from life’s stressors and helps you to be present at the moment.
* No screens before bed – I know, you’ve heard this before! But screens before bed keeps your brain stimulated and delays REM sleep.
Stress is stored within our bodies and can lead to long-term health problems if not dealt with. We can feel stress in the body show up through low back pain, stomach pain, neck/shoulder tension, fatigue, and/or numbness. This is why it is important to incorporate stress management techniques into our daily routines.
How can we help?
The staff at Norfolk Chiropractic Wellness Centre can help you manage stress through our variety of practitioners!
*Our Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken, has a Tranquil Minds program that offers stress and anxiety management. As well as acupuncture to help alleviate anxiety.
*Our Chiropractors perform adjustments which can release tension held in the muscles, which relaxes the body and increases the circulation of blood flow.
*Massage Therapy can lower stress levels and feelings of anxiety. If you experience depression, or anxiety, or are just overloaded with extra stress, massage therapy can be an effective part of treatment.
*Osteopathy can help to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems to relieve symptoms of prolonged stress.
If you feel that you’re experiencing chronic stress and it’s showing up in your body, you’re not alone! Our practitioners would love to help you find relief and live a happier, healthier life. Call the clinic today to book your appointment. New patients are always welcomed. 519-827-0040
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. Some people call it degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis. It occurs most frequently in the hands, hips, and knees. With OA, the cartilage within a joint begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change.
What are the signs and symptoms of OA?
- Pain or aching
- Stiffness
- Decreased range of motion (or flexibility)
- Swelling
How can we help?
Chiropractic treatment may be able to address the cause of osteoarthritis. A joint may be damaged over time because it's out of alignment, or because of the way you sit, stand, or walk. Chiropractic care can fix those issues, which may keep your arthritis from getting worse.
Contact the office today to see how we can help you!
Jumper's knee is an overuse injury (when repeated movements injure a part of the body). It happens when frequent jumping, running, and changing direction damages the patellar tendon. It's also called patellar tendonitis.
Common symptoms of jumper's knee include:
- pain below the kneecap, especially during sports, climbing stairs, and bending the knee
- a swollen knee joint
- knee stiffness
Treatment for jumper's knee includes:
- rest and take a break from sports
- ice
- taping or wearing a knee support or strap just under the patella
- sitting with the leg raised
- ibuprofen to help with pain and swelling
- massage therapy
- strengthening and stretching muscles
- shockwave therapy
Contact the clinic today to see how we can help with your sore knees:
The foods we consume have strong healing properties. Some of which our Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken touches on in her book, Create Calm. Certain foods can make anxiety worse rather than help to make it better:
- Sugar can worsen anxiety as it causes blood sugar to go up and then crash leaving you with jitteriness, lightheadedness, and uncomfortable feelings.
- Alcohol is another, it depletes glycogen, which is sugar stored in the liver, that is used to keep blood sugar balanced.
- Caffeine wakes up your adrenal glands and sends out adrenaline. It makes your heart rush, your body jittery, and your bowels move.
Some foods can help to ease anxiety symptoms as well! These foods include:
- Eggs contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps create serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, sleep, memory & behaviour.
- Pumpkin seeds are high in potassium which helps reduce symptoms of stress & anxiety.
- Dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium. Getting enough magnesium in your diet may reduce symptoms of stress & anxiety.
- Brazil nuts are high in selenium. Selenium may improve mood by reducing inflammation, which is often heightened when someone has a mood disorder such as anxiety.
Helpful Tip: Focus on what you can add to your diet rather than what to eliminate. Focus on what you can add to a snack/meal to make it more nutritious. Ex. Adding veggie toppings to your burger to get additional nutrients. Or when eating veggies as a snack add in some hummus or cheese for protein.
February is known as the month of love. It is typically spent showing love to those around us, our partners, children, colleagues, classmates, etc. But what about you? What if we change the narrative this year and include ourselves in who we shower with love? Self-love is about total self-acceptance, learning to love yourself and nurturing a deep appreciation for who you are. Here are a few tips to help you with that!
Keep a success journal
List your accomplishments every day and review them at the end of the week. This could be done in a notebook or the notes app on your phone. When your default self-talk is negative, this repetitive activity helps to support positive self-talk by building new neural pathways.
Do something nice for yourself regularly
Show yourself how you want to be loved and how much you appreciate who you are. This could include investing in yourself with a fancy gym membership, treating yourself to a night out, or having a self-care treatment, like a relaxing massage or a soothing bath. Whatever your fancy is, do something to love yourself regularly because you deserve it!
Forgive yourself for your mistakes
Forgive yourself just as you would with a friend. Beating yourself up for something you did in the past is not productive. Instead, show yourself compassion and forgiveness. You sit with your inner voice all day every day, try to make it something positive.
Understand that failures, mistakes, and setbacks offer valuable lessons. They provide you with an opportunity to reflect on what went wrong and what changes can be made going forward. There is no need to beat yourself up over them. Find the lesson within and use it to grow.
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be the only day on the calendar that we show our deep appreciation for ourselves and others. Make loving yourself a daily habit for your continued well-being, happiness, and success!
When we flip our calendars over to a new year, it brings the idea that we need to reset our lives with new intentions and a new way of being for the new year ahead. Why do we want to start the new year off by adding pressure to our already stressful lives? Particularly if it is a hard goal to achieve. While we do have the ability to change and grow, the term “New Year, New Me” forgets an important aspect – self-acceptance.
A common route people go down with new year’s resolutions is they beat themselves up because they don’t accept themselves and where they’re at. It takes time and effort to reshape habits. It’s unrealistic to think we can change qualities we don’t like within ourselves overnight, just because the calendar reads January 1st.
When we begin to embrace our real, imperfect, beautiful selves as we are now, a powerful thing happens! We begin to let go of the negative view we hold of ourselves, and we begin to believe that we are enough. This helps us move into a place where we can keep moving towards a goal even if we fail, it gives us the strength to celebrate our successes along the way.
We are capable of making improvements within our lives without self-hate, self-doubt, or the fear of not being enough. We just need to have more self-acceptance. Be gentle with yourself this year, give yourself grace, and celebrate the wins along the way!
The staff at Norfolk Chiropractic Wellness Centre wishes you a safe and healthy year and we look forward to seeing you throughout 2023!
While the holidays can be a joyous time, they can also be a stressful time. Here is our guide on how to survive this holiday season.
1. Set realistic expectations
It can feel like you are being pulled in every direction during the holiday season and you don't want to disappoint anyone. But it is important to not overbook your schedule, or you may risk feeling drained and not enjoying any of the gatherings you attend. Set realistic expectations of what you and your family can manage and don't overpack your schedule.
2. Say "no" when needed
If you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious know that it is okay to say "no" and take a step back. Evaluate what you and your family are capable of attending. Maybe you celebrate Christmas day with your in-laws this year and switch sides of the family next year. Focus on what is realistic, not what is ideal.
3. Create a budget
The holidays tend to bring on additional spendings, such as gifts, travel, and entertainment. The average household spends $1400 between those three categories. Setting a budget this holiday season can help you avoid overextending yourself financially and relieve stress. Gifts do not need to be expensive to be special. If travelling to see loved ones is not in the budget, perhaps catching up on a phone call is an alternative. Instead of going out with friends, you could stay in and play board games at the house. These alternatives still allow you to connect with those you care about, without having to spend $100+ on a night out.
4. Set boundaries
Old patterns will naturally start to appear around the holidays, especially when you are with relatives or under stress. It is okay to set boundaries with relatives and express that there are topics you do not wish to discuss. If your boundaries are not being respected or things are not going well for you or a member of your family, have an exit strategy in place. It is important all members of the family feel supported.
5. Stick to a routine
We must remember to care for our bodies during these busy times. Ensuring we prioritize rest, as a lack of sleep can leave you feeling stressed, and tired, increasing your risk of colds, depression, and car accidents. And while it is okay to indulge in some holiday treats and drinks, try to also incorporate some nutritious foods and water during these times. These tips will help you feel less irritable and have more energy.
The staff at Norfolk Chiropractic Wellness Centre wish you a safe and happy holiday season!
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Born in China, Yonghao (Luke) moved to Canada at 15 years old. Following his passion for traditional Chinese philosophies, Luke studied at the Ontario College of TCM and finally became an Acupuncturist in 2019. He later pursued further studies in herbology in TCM from 2021-22.
The theory of Wu Xing, the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) interprets the relationship and the constant movements and cycles between the physiology and pathology of the human body and the natural environment.
Your core extends from the diaphragm to the pelvis, forming a muscular 360-degree band around the body. These 29 pairs of muscles in the lower back, abdomen, hips and pelvis stabilize the spine, keep us upright, power our arms and legs, and can even help regulate breathing and bladder function.
What can you do to strengthen your Core?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of each foot and connects the heel bone to the toes (plantar fascia).
To show up as your best self and not feel stressed out about your boss, kids, traffic, etc. it would be beneficial to incorporate stress management into your daily routine. If your stress level is already high at the start of your day, anything added to your plate is just going to continue to enhance your stress. However, if you incorporate stress management into your day, when the unexpected happens, because it will happen, you will be better equipped to manage it.
What is it?
What is it?
The foods we consume have strong healing properties. Some of which our Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken touches on in her book, Create Calm. Certain foods can make anxiety worse rather than help to make it better:
February is known as the month of love. It is typically spent showing love to those around us, our partners, children, colleagues, classmates, etc. But what about you? What if we change the narrative this year and include ourselves in who we shower with love? Self-love is about total self-acceptance, learning to love yourself and nurturing a deep appreciation for who you are. Here are a few tips to help you with that!
When we flip our calendars over to a new year, it brings the idea that we need to reset our lives with new intentions and a new way of being for the new year ahead. Why do we want to start the new year off by adding pressure to our already stressful lives? Particularly if it is a hard goal to achieve. While we do have the ability to change and grow, the term “New Year, New Me” forgets an important aspect – self-acceptance.
