Many of you have touched base, eager to learn, about the exciting news we mentioned in our previous newsletter. If you haven’t guessed it, here it is. We have moved!
Although, it was very emotional and difficult to leave our prior clinic space, which was exceptional, our team knows that the new facility offers additional benefits for wellness & rehabilitation.
We have the same Fit for Life team, same contact information and same eagerness to assist you with your health needs. Our new facility is focused on exclusively providing wellness and rehabilitation services including: physiotherapy, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and naturopathic to name a few. Of course, we will continue to collaborate with family physicians, pharmacists and medical specialists in order to be comprehensive and effective with our care plans.
Along with a clean, modern and functional feel, we have a larger rehabilitation area, additional treatment rooms and some new equipment to showcase. Our new location is located at 3865 Major Mackenzie Drive, Units 101 & 102, just a few minutes south of our prior location. We are one block west of Major Mackenzie and Weston Road at the corner of Jutland Street/Major Mackenzie. Parking can be found at the back of the building. Please look for the Fit for Life Wellness & Rehab sign.
We will be offering online booking & reminders emails/text messages. The online booking feature will be live once we open post COVID-19. You can access this feature from our website at fitforlifewellnessclinic.com or direct at fitforlifewellness@janeapp.com.
We cannot wait to open our doors again post COVID-19. Again, this opening date all depends on how successful our societal physical distancing is going, along with our regulated health college recommendations on when clinics can reopen as health providers.
As always, if you needs anything from me or any of our team members, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email. Take a look at the pictures of the new clinic and enjoy! We cannot wait to have you! Thank you for your loyalty and patience during this time.
Stay Fit for Life, Dr. Luciano Di Loreto & Associates
Fit for Life Wellness Phone: 905.303.6223 or 647.873.4490
Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy eating pattern. Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits may lower your risk of heart disease
Vegetables and fruits have important nutrients such as:
fibre
vitamins
minerals
Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your meals and snacks. Try making half of your plate vegetables and fruits.
Choose different textures, colours and shapes to fit your taste. From apples to zucchini, choose plenty of vegetables and fruits.
Try a variety of vegetables and fruits such as:
pears
apples
berries
broccoli
peaches
cabbage
leafy greens
Fruit juice and fruit juice concentrates are high in sugars. Replace juice with water. Choose whole or cut vegetables and fruits instead of juice.
Choosing and preparing healthy vegetables and fruits
Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables and fruits can all be healthy options.
Frozen and canned vegetables and fruits:
take little time to prepare
are a healthy and convenient option
are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables and fruits
Frozen vegetables and fruits
Choose frozen vegetables and fruits without:
added sugars
added seasonings
breading or rich sauces
You can add frozen vegetables and fruits to soup or chili.
Canned vegetables and fruits
Choose canned vegetables with little to no added sodium.
Drain and rinse canned vegetables to lower the sodium content.
Choose canned fruit with little to no added sugars.
Use the food labels to help you compare canned vegetables and fruits.
The % daily value helps you see if a food has a little or a lot of a nutrient.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit can be a part of healthy eating but it can stick to your teeth and cause cavities. If you choose dried fruit, eat it with meals.
baking
roasting
steaming
stir-frying
Enhance the flavour by adding:
olive oil
lemon juice
flavoured vinegar
fresh or dried herbs or spices
Snack ideas
Vegetables and fruits make quick and healthy snacks. There are lots to choose from and many healthy ways to prepare them.
Vegetable snacking tips
Keep cut up fresh vegetables in the fridge for a quick and healthy snack. Try:
broccoli
cauliflower
carrot sticks
celery sticks
cucumber slices
Fruit snacking tips
Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter as an easy snack to grab.
Add fruit to whole grain cereals or lower fat yogurt. Try:
bananas
mangoes
frozen berries
canned peaches packed in water
Freeze seedless grapes on a tray and enjoy them as a snack.
How to eat more vegetables
Here are some easy ways to eat more vegetables:
Add canned pumpkin or squash purée to any soup to make it extra rich and creamy.
Wash, chop and refrigerate or freeze extra vegetables when preparing meals so you have extra for meals the next day.
Use pre-bagged vegetables that can be quickly tossed in a salad, stir-fry or casserole. Try:
baby carrots
green beans
leafy greens
Serve raw vegetables with your meals. Try:
cucumber
cherry or grape tomatoes
red, yellow or green peppers
Try new recipes that call for different types of leafy greens such as:
kale
spinach
bok choy
Swiss chard
mixed salad greens
How to eat more fruits
Fruits are a delicious addition to your day. Here are some easy ways to eat more fruit:
For dessert, choose:
oranges
fruit salad, with little to no added sugars
Add fresh fruits to salads. Try adding sliced:
pears
peaches
strawberries
Add frozen fruits to baking.
Wash, cut and refrigerate extra fruit so you can have some on hand for meals and snacks.
Going to the chiropractor can help relieve pain and prevent injuries, but being active is also a great way to help keep your spine healthy. Just going for a brisk 10 minute walk each day is enough to help improve your health and prevent conditions of the spine, joints and supporting structures of the body. But there are also a few other recreational activities that you can incorporate into your daily routine to prevent back pain and reduce stress.
Here are a few suggestions and why you may benefit from them:
Yoga and Pilates:
Yoga and Pilates are forms of exercise that typically focus on moving the body while focusing on breathing and body awareness. The poses are purposeful and usually work a few areas of the body at once, including the back and leg muscles to build a stronger foundation for other movements. Also, the poses often focus on balance which can be important to prevent falls and injuries as we age. Compared to higher impact activities that cause added strain to the body, Yoga and Pilates are known to be ‘safe’ for healthy and even injured individuals. Yet, with most practices being keenly aware of your body is important and adapting movement to your skill level. However, regular practice has been shown to decrease back pain1. The great thing about Yoga and Pilates is that there are several types of classes catered to your specific skill and comfort level.
Aquafitness
Aquafitness is a dynamic, low impact activity that usually involves the entire body in movement, including the abdominals, gluteal, and leg muscles. Since the movements are done in water, the water adds extra resistance to strengthen muscles but also minimizes impact on your joints. Aquafitness has been shown to be an effective management tool for those suffering from certain MSK injuries allowing them to keep active. Notably, people suffering from low back pain2 may particularly benefit from aquafitness or gently swimming in water. Contact your local community centre or gym to see if aquafitness is part of their regular programming.
Tai Chi
This Chinese martial art focuses on meditative, deep breathing combined with methodical practice of slow movement enhancing mobility and balance among those who practice the art. Tai Chi is known to have major health benefits – even for those with back pain. Tai Chi can improve pain and function, while decreasing likelihood of chronic pain. It is a safe and effective activity for those experiencing long-term back pain symptoms3.
Other activities you may want to consider are low-impact cardiovascular exercises such as walking or striding on the elliptical machine. There are always alternatives to staying active, even when you experience pain. Some of these can even help relieve the pain.
If you’re looking for ways to stay active and relieve pain, meet with our team to discuss more options.
Participating in sports is a great way to stay active and in some sports, a level of physical contact is required. However, this physical contact can sometimes result in injury. Although we hope that you are able to play safely, concussions are a common traumatic brain injury that can occur in high-contact sports. This injury can be serious, and it’s important to know what steps you should take in the event that you suspect that you or someone you know has suffered a concussion.
Here are five things Dr. Luciano Di Loreto (Chiropractor) would like you to know about concussions:
A concussion may be caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck, or impact elsewhere on the body that transmits force to the head.1
There are multiple ways to get a concussion such as from falling, or a car or bike accident. When it comes to physical activity, concussions have a greater risk of occurring in sports that involve body contact, collisions, and/or moving at high speeds.2
A concussion can be difficult to diagnose because clinical symptoms and signs can change and may evolve over time. The diagnosis of a concussion is based on the assessment of a range of symptoms (i.e., headache, difficulty concentrating, feeling like being in a fog, or emotional lability), signs (i.e., loss of consciousness or balance disturbance), cognitive impairment (i.e., confusion or slowed reaction times) and neurobehavioural changes, such as irritability.2
Recovery: When properly managed, 80–90% of concussions resolve in a short period of about 7–10 days, although the recovery time frame may be longer in children and adolescents.1
The most important factor in concussion management is physical and cognitive rest until the symptoms resolve. From there, a step-by-step guideline is followed that slowly increases physical and cognitive exertion before returning to one’s regular active lifestyle.1
Many chiropractors with first responder training commonly work with other healthcare professionals to support sports teams. Part of their role is to manage cases of suspected concussions and refer for additional medical attention as needed. Dr. Luciano Di Loreto (Chiropractor) & Associates can also help to co-manage the recovery and return to play of athletes.
If at any point you believe someone may have a concussion, contact medical staff immediately to assess the situation. Concussions should never be taken as a light injury and must be attended to. For more information on athlete-related concussions, take a look at our blog post on Returning to Sports after a Concussion.
Source: CCA Blog
References
McCrory P, Meeuwisse WH, Aubry M, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport—the 4th international conference on concussion in sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Br J Sports Med. 2013; 47(5): 250-8. doi: 1136/bjsports-2013-092313.
