12 Days of Christmas Tips and Tricks – Quarantine Edition.
This holiday season is going to look a little different this year and we wanted to help you stay healthy in mind, body and spirit . We have compiled the best tips and tricks from our very own Practitioners & Staff.
Day 1 : One Minute Plank Goal . Holidays often mean lots of delicious snacks and treats, However, it is important to keep your fitness in mind during the holidays! . “Been working on my fitness plan for the past few weeks to remaining feeling happy and healthy throughout the holidays. My first goal is to hit a one minute plank.”- Olivia D. – Front Desk
Day 2: Double up on layers . “Many back injuries happen every year when snow falls and people are required to shovel their sidewalks. Make sure to dress warmly, where good shoes, and try to get on it early so ice levels don’t get too thick along the pavement!” – Dr Lucas Tisshaw – Chiro
Day 3: McGill Big 3 – Bird Dog, Side Bridge, McGill Crunch . Low back pain is common all year round, here are some great tips to keep your body in the best shape over the holidays! . ” Great for abdominal and core stabilization. Recommended by Dr. Stuart McGill the leading expert in low back pain.” – Dr. Harrison Wagner – Chiro
DAY 4: Vancouver Parks To Visit “I really enjoy the outdoors, and with the restrictions, I had to rediscover some of the local areas to go and breathe some fresh air and get my Nature fix. My favourite four parks to visit in and around Vancouver during the Holidays are : 1.Pacific Spirit 2.Stanley park/seawall 3.Jericho beach 4.Queen Elizabeth Park. If you go to Queen Elizabeth park, try to find the Love Lock sculptures, it will warm your heart, guaranteed!” – Corinne Cote – RMT
Day 5: Our fearless leader believes that a balanced diet is instrumental in living a balanced life. “During the Holidays , we tend to eat foods high in fat and sugar so it is important to remember to eat those greens.” – Dr. Farrah Jiwa – Owner/Chiropractor
Day 6: Meditation & Deep Breathing Exercises . The holidays can be stressful for anyone , It is important to slow down and take care of your mind as well as your body. . “Every morning I try to do several breathing exercises to get ready for my day” -Rachel Cheung – Kinesiologist
Day 7: Movement is super important for overall wellness, and there are so many ways to get active year-round. Lori likes to motivate herself by training for destination races. She’s travelled to Hawaii and San Francisco to participate in marathons. Her favourite part about running is the determination muscle she gets to flex and the challenge that comes with it.
Day 8: Our Physiotherapist Robert suggests 6-8 8-ounce glasses of water per person per day. Try keeping a water bottle near you, or jazz up your water with lemon slices to make your water more interesting.
Hydration is especially important after treatments like massages and acupuncture as they help fluids and other things flow through your body more readily. – Robert Truong – Physiotherapist
Day 9: These days, connection is more important than ever. Alice at the front desk recommends we get creative; gamifying a zoom call like playing trivia or bingo, making handmade cards for friends and loved ones, sending snapchats of fun moments in your day and being present to engage with those in your bubble.
With her family this year they’ll be doing a car delivery gift exchange to keep the tradition going while staying in accordance with BC guidelines.
Have fun seeing what you can come up with!
Day 10: Even just 10 minutes of activity can get your energy flowing and blood pumping. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a great way to get in a solid and efficient workout at home.
Our Kinesiologist Rachel recommends doing 10-jumping jacks, 10-burpees, and 10-steam engines (touching opposite knees and elbows while standing).
Don’t have workout gear on? Go for a walk outside. It’s a low-pressure way to enjoy the crisp December air and get some activity in.
-Rachel Cheung – Kinesiologist
Day 11: Consider spending 11 minutes with pets to improve your mental health. Here are: Alice’s cat Tigger, Olivia’s cats Benny and Jewels, and Yasaman’s cat Oreo.
“Pets are a significant source of love and play a powerful therapeutic role in our lives. Research has found that pet ownership can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and social isolation! (Brooks et al., 2018).” – Veera
Day 12: Our Acupuncturist Shawn made a fabulous point: acupuncture can help with a variety of symptoms, ranging from back and neck pain to arthritis and allergies.
The 12 organ-related meridians of the body are examined and targeted according to your specific needs.
Shawn uses the bladder meridian for Musculo-skeletal issues as it covers the entire posterior part of the body from head to toe. For energy balance issues, he uses the liver and spleen because most stress-related symptoms can be attributed to interactions between the liver and the spleen. There are 2 more meridians that aren’t organ related for a grand total of 14!
Come on in to get a better idea of how our acupuncturists Shawn and Yasaman can help get your Qi more balanced.
– Sungwoon Shawn Tjen – Acupuncture
Yasaman Safarzadeh – Acupuncture
