The average Australian office worker sits for just under 16 HOURS PER DAY.

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If this is you, your more likely to suffer;

• higher rates of obesity – obese people sit for 2.5 hours more per day
• metabolic syndrome
• reduced metal capacity and brain fatigue
• cardiovascular disease (double the risk)
• diabetes (insulin effectiveness drops 24%)
• DVT (can lead to stroke)
• bowel cancer (double this risk)
• disc problems and TIME OFF WORK
• more sick days
• back pain
• poor posture and spinal alignment

thats why for as part of spinal health week may 20th-26th life chiropractic port melbourne is offering

These 45 minute presentations will teach your staff to simple strategies to not only decrease the amount of time spent sitting, but improve their posture while at work and home.

Dr Kirby, Dr Tony and Dr Angus are super excited to be able to offer these at no charge to our valued clients.

email dr kirby at kirby@portmelbournechiropractic.com to enquire and book your today.

Postural fitness is one of the new buzz words of healthy lifestyle thinking – and for good reason

Over 2 million Australians experience back problems every year and postural fitness in one of the most powerful ways to address preventative health.

Postural fitness means optimal spinal alignment. It gives you greater strength and endurance, better coordination and balance. It helps you lead an optimal healthy lifestyle, reduce muscular fatigue and improve your postural endurance.

As part of spinal health weeks lets get back to our best campaign, life chiropractic port melbourne are encouraging the community of port melbourne to improve their posture.

Next week, we will release daily videos to with simple strategies to help you improve your posture to “get back to your best”!

An active spine is a healthy spine which leads to a healthier life! Why not use spinal health week to make an appointment with our clinic to assess your postural fitness and discuss how becoming more active will improve your wellbeing?

Call 96461414 or email at info@portmelbournechiropractic.com now!

In our last newsletter we began talking about why people do what they do (click here to read that newsletter), in particular why do inconsistent, self defeating or self destructive behaviours ever persist in our lives?  This is a topic that I have spent literally thousands of hours researching over the past 15 years.  When you understand the drives behind human behaviour you have ability to have a great influence over your life and perhaps also over live’s of the people you care for.  Imagine for instance if you where able to effortlessly create the habits for consistent exercise, a healthy diet or following through on all your commitments.

Last wee I introduced you to author Tom Morris’s simple framework called the 3 I’s that brings great light upon why we do what we do.  We spoke about the impact of ignorance (the first of the I’s) and this week we’ll explore the impact that indifference has on our behaviour.

2. Indifference

Ignorance has often been described as “I don’t know” and indifference as “I don’t care”.  Indifference exists everywhere around us. Social scientists are continually baffled about why people make bad decisions even when they clearly understand the negative impact of them. Personally I am yet to meet a smoker who doesn’t know the habit is slowly killing them, yet even with this information they still don’t stop.

In his book Tom says that when a goal or commitment isn’t rooted in our heart then indifference is often the by product. I think what Tom is talking about here is that for change to happen you must have a “big enough why”

Unfortunately without a big enough why the how is irrelevant.

Over the years I have had many clients who haven’t been able to give up smoking until… they became pregnant and then the process was instant and often painless.  Their smoking no longer became about only their health it was also about the health of their unborn child – the why changed!

Becoming conscious about the real impact of our behaviours not only on our lives but also on the lives of those around us can be tremendous fuel for great change.

This week take some time to investigate the real costs of your behaviours – not just on you but also on the people you love.  Here are some questions to direct you:

How are my poor health (or any other) behaviours impacting my relationships?

How are my poor health behaviours impacting my work?

How are my poor health behaviours impacting my life enjoyment?

For this process to have an impact it requires honesty and self responsibility.  Being prepared to look at the real impact of our behaviours though is a powerful step towards creating change.

For some of us though we are aware of and deeply want to change our inconsistent and self defeating behaviours yet they still persist.  So if it’s not ignorance or indifference what else could possibly be at the source of the problems in my life? In our next newsletter we will dive deep into the final of the 3 I’s – inertia.

I have been thinking a lot recently about why we do what do.

• Why can some people manage their weight and others not?
• Why is it that some people seem happy all the time and live in a constant cycle of struggle?
• How come some couples seem to stay passionately in love and other drift apart?

If you were to ask yourself these questions honestly then I bet you could come up with at least a few good reasons. However knowing the answer is not the whole picture.

It seems intriguing to me that if we know the things we should be doing then why aren’t we doing them?  I am reading a book at the moment that provides some great insight to this exact question. The book is  written by Tom Morris, a guy who has a PhD from Yale in philosophy and religion (yep he’s clever).  Tom says there are only three possible causes for persistent inconsistencies in our lives.

Over the next few weeks we are going to spend some time diving into Tom’s simple framework (called the 3 I’s) that explains a little of why we do what we do.  Let me share the first “I”:

1. Ignorance:

We don’t know there is a problem – it might be obvious to everyone else but hasn’t occurred to us yet. Tom gives the example of taking your car to the mechanic, “something’s wrong, I’m not sure what, but it’s making a strange noise”

Ignorance can also show in other ways i.e. we can sometimes know that we have a problem, know what the problem is but be utterly ignorant as to how to bring our actions into harmony to accomplish the desired outcome.

“I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know” Cicero
So what is the solution I hear you asking.
Information and expertise are often the solution for ignorance.  Track down people who have had success in the area where you are having challenges and take advice – Dr Tony, Dr Kirby and myself could be great resources on anything to do with health.  Read a book, search the internet or even ask for advice from a trusted friend.

information brings power and often creates wonderful lasting change when ignorance is the issue.

For many of us however ignorance is not the issue.  We know we should be eating differently, exercising, taking time to rest etc but for some reason we just don’t seem to be following through.  If that’s the case then perhaps it’s an issue with the 2nd  of the 3 I’s – indifference.

In our next newsletter we spend some time talking about the impact of indifference and how to move forward.

Until next time remember nothing is bigger than life

Dr A.

Are you expecting? Is you sister, friend or cousin?

Chiropractic care for pregnant mums is safe, gentle and effective.

Why would a expecting mum need to see a chiropractor?
The increase in weight and changing body shape can cause shifts in her centre of gravity, resulting in postural compensations and changes leading to subluxations.
During pregnancy the hormonal changes that allow the pelvis to change shape for the growing baby can lead to increased joint instability and pain!
Often mums are referred to us for pelvic or coccyx pain, sciatica, low back, mid and neck pain. Other symptoms like indigestion can benefit from chiropractic.

Want an easier birth and healthier baby too?  
- Having your pelvis in the correct alignment allows for optimum room for your baby to grow and develop in utero.
- Incorrect pelvic alignment or subluxations can affect the positioning of your baby (Webster – a special chiropractic technique was developed to aid in encouraging breech babys to turn !!)
- recent studies show having a proper functioning spine and pelvis may lead to a more straightforward labour, with less pain and trauma for mum and child! 
- Chiropractic care has been shown to decrease the total labour time by up to 39%!!!!*

If you know a pregnant mum why not buy her a voucher for a spinal and health check by one of our specialist chiropractors for her baby shower gift?! She AND her baby will thank you! 

Have you ever wondered what those blue foam tubes were lying around the gym?
Foam rollers are inexpensive, super versatile and quite simply one of our favourite and must have wellness tools. In fact if you aren’t already using one, you’re missing out!
Here are three reasons why you should join Dr Kirby at our foam roller class on Wednesday 23rd January at 7pm:

1. Foam rollers are remarkably simple to use and almost infinite in their range of application.  Because they are lightweight and economical, you can exercise almost anywhere in any position.  Whether standing, sitting, kneeling or even lying in bed, you can use foam rollers anywhere to build strength and flexibility.
2.Release tight and painful muscles. Foam roller techniques can release the pain caused by adhesion in and around the the muscles of the body.  These myofascial release (self massage) techniques will aid in the healing process.  Its like having your own private masseuse.
3.Improve your posture.   The simple movements performed on the foam roller will challenge, enhance and strengthen your entire postural network of muscles and joints. You will generate greater body awareness, you will challenge, stabilise and strengthen joints and postural muscles.

By exercising and massaging with the foam roller, you will create a much healthier, happier posture, you will re educate and strengthen your muscles and even improve your endurance.  Our clients even frequently relate a greater sense of relaxation and circulation.  Foam roller exercise are quick and easy – the perfect tool for the busy lifestyle.

Dr Kirby is running a introductory foam roller workshop at the office on Wednesday 23rd of Jan at 7pm.  The class is free but spaces are limited.  Please call the office on 9646 1414 to book your spot.