Excercise and Nutrition
A healthy life style involves conscious choices you make to obtain or maintain optimum health. When you are involved with healthy activities in day to day life that promote the highest degree of wellbeing, this is called “wellness”. Exercise, movement and a healthy diet are activities that are essential to adopt not only as a quick fix to lose weight, but as a life-long habit to be able to enjoy a lenghly and good quality life.
A healthy spine is kept in balance by postural muscles that must be strong and agile to function properly. For many people, sports and exercise are not something they do for their pleasure. But it does not have to be that way. There are enough physical activities one can do that are fun for everyone. The rewards for engaging in an activity you like are tremendous. Ask your chiropractor. He can advise you as to which forms of exercise and movement may be of benefit to you and where they can be done. Proper advice and guidance is a must for any exercise routine.
If being overweight was purely an esthetic problem it would probably not be of much concern... But overweight and obesity can increase the chance of heart problems, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and different types of cancer. It also places more strain on your joints and tendons. Most of us eat too much food or take in too many calories and do not get enough exercise. If we get rid of these bad habits, our health would improve radically. It is not an easy task, but awareness is the first step!
The clue is to ‘stop the habits that are bad for your health and balance by replacing them with healthy diet and exercise’ (as Weight Watchers states).
The word ‘habit’ is crucial. The idea is not to follow a diet to lose weight. Far more importantly, it is about adopting a life style change with or without the help of a dietician. Not only is the amount of food important but also the quality! Be very conscious of what you eat and look out for the ‘hidden calories’ that do not contribute to the quality of your diet.
It goes without saying that a healthy diet and exercise play an important role in your recovery. Because of this, we will encourage you to take the steps necessary to incorporate it in your daily routine.
Core Stability
Core stability is an important concept within chiropractic, physical therapy and rehabilitation health care providers. According to chiropractor Jeroen Postma, "it is important to train the core musculature of back, pelvic girdle and deep stomach muscles and not just to look good." More importantly, he explains, this is essential to enhance proper biomechanics effecting our balance and posture during movement. By maintaining strong core muscles, the spine is stabilized and can work more efficiently, thereby lessening or even preventing back problems.
Chiropractors at Chiropractie Leiden have had years of experience with specific exercise regimens to help you stablize your spine and joints. Many of these exercises can be performed at home and may include the use of Thera Band®, Swiss balls or a cushion for pelvic support such as Back Vitalizer™. In cases where a patient needs a rehabilitation programme, Chiropractie Leiden chiropractors may refer you to a physical therapy centre in your area that can set up a tailored programme for your specific needs. A multidisciplinary approach is sometimes the fastest way to recovery.
Xco Training
Nowadays, most healthclubs have XCO group classes. XCO stands for eXtreme COre training. The aim of core stability training is to effectively recruit the trunk musculature and then learn to control the position of the lumbar spine during dynamic movements. These movements are done with an aluminum tube in hand, containing sand that shifts back and forth during movement. The rebound effect of the sand creates a 'reactive input' to your core and postural muscles which counterbalance the movement to stabilize your spine. If you are recovering from or have a back problem, be sure to inquire with your chiropractor first, if XCO is what you need.
The Healthclub
Chiropractie Leiden would like to encourage all patients to exercise regularly to improve the overall health and wellness. Moreover, physical activity is often a very important aspect of the recovery. For those of you who need the extra guidance and care, we work closely with the personal trainers of two local heathclubs (Vlietlijn in Leiden and Your Life in Voorschoten). They are able to set up specific exercise programmes after consulting your chiropractor about your limitations and fitness goals.
