It’s time to face the facts: Most Canadian kids are not getting the required amount of daily physical activity. Obesity rates are climbing and traditionally adult disease such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, are rapidly becoming commonplace among young adults and children.

According to Active Healthy Kids Canada, a research group formed to promote physical fitness, less than half of Canadian kids under five are getting regular physical activity as part of their daily routines. They also found that only 36 per cent of children between two and three and 44 per cent between four and five regularly engage in unorganized sport and physical activity each week.

With summer rapidly approaching, parents and children alike need to take advantage of the warm weather and start creating a culture of physical activity at home. This can be structured activity such as baseball teams or cheerleading squads, or unstructured activities like a family mountain bike rides or even a neighborhood game of hide and seek.

The solution to this problem begins by shutting off the TV and video games and exposing kids to healthy activities such as sport and play early on, so that they will carry these habits with them into adulthood. Parents must play an active role in this by encouraging (and in some cases financing) healthy childhood activities and also by limiting/restricting unhealthy habits and sedentary lifestyles.

The difference between success and failure this year, is the same as the difference between motivation and inspiration: Motivation gets you started. Inspiration is what keeps you going.

Get INSPIRED to start living the life you deserve to live! The Advanced Nutrition Workshop on Jan 13 will give you the tools you need to radically transform your health and your life!

On Wednesday, January 13 @ 6pm we will be teaching The Maximized Living Nutrition Program for Weight Loss:

* Learn how to lose weight safely, without restrictive fad diets,
* Eat healthy, nutritious foods that are simple to prepare.
* Learn how to control insulin and leptin levels naturally without pills.
* Lose weight permanently by changing your body type

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 @ 6pm
1431 Corydon Ave.
Reserve your seat today! Call 477-5433.

As we slide into the month of December, many people have already begun a “mental vacation” and tend to get irresponsible and careless with their health. Instead of using the time to relax, reconnect with family and be thankful for the previous year, some will take the exact opposite approach.

They will say: What’s the harm in a couple months of over-eating, sugar, egg-nog, not exercising, missing adjustments and sleep loss? I’ll just make up for it in January with my New Year’s Resolution, after all: it’s the holiday season!

Of course, they forget the average resolution lasts only 4.5 days…

Big deal or no big deal? Well, by living this way every holiday season for 20 years until age 40, you will have spent 40 months (3.3 years) doing serious, possibly irreparable damage to your body!

Unfortunately, what most people don’t realize is that this may be the single most important time of the year to be focused on your health!

So what do you do? The best defense is a good offense: Instead of depriving yourself of all the fun, you must do MORE for your health, NOT LESS! For example:

* If you typically exercise four days per week, exercise five days per week!

* If you get adjusted twice per month, visit your chiropractor three or four times during the month of December!

* If you typically “pig out” once a week, hold off and do it every two weeks!

* If you usually function on 6-8 hours of nightly sleep, give yourself 8-10 hours instead.

While you may not be able to pull this off 100%, you will find that at least you won’t fall off the wagon from your existing plan!

Happy holidays!

- Dr. Chris Chatzoglou, D.C.

PS. Here are some extra health-saving tips from Dr. BJ Hardick in London, ON, author of Maximized Living Nutrition Plans:

Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise, weight training, and yoga can reduce the level of stress hormones in your body, allowing you to cope more easily. It is also a great way to make a little time for you.

Avoid sugar
Sugar increases symptoms of irritability and anxiety in many people and weakens the immune system. It has also been found to diminish infection fighting white blood cell count for up to six hours after consumption. The holidays are the time for sweet treats, but try not to overdo it.

Drink enough water
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of headache, fatigue, joint pain and stiffness. Alcoholic beverages are dehydrating, so increase your intake of fresh, plain water.

Make a list and check it twice
A hectic schedule means that being organized and planning ahead is more important than ever. If you are laying in bed at night worrying about all the things you have to do, get up and make a “to do” list. It will help to clear your mind and get you back to sleep.

Get enough sleep
Being well rested will allow you to have the energy to cope with the day’s stresses. Be sure to get at least 7 to 8 hours a night. You’ll find you have more energy and are able to get even more done in a shorter amount of time.

Chiropractic Adjustments
The worst cause of subluxation this time of year may not be physical stress, but psycho-emotional stress which can take an even greater toll on your alignment, and therefore your nerve system. Weekly adjustments this time of year will keep you going and maintain your brain-body connection at 100%.

Laughter is the best therapy
It may be a cliche, but it’s a cliche that is actually true. People who laugh on a daily basis rate the stress in their life as lower and enjoy better health. Rent a movie if you have to … do what it takes!

When the Halloween decorations come down, the holiday decorations go up. The festive spirit is in the air as malls prepare for the rush of shoppers, students enthusiastically rehearse school plays, relatives finalize their vacation plans and office parties get into full swing.

This can be an exciting time for families and at the same time, they can be one of the most stressful times of the year. This is typically the time of year when healthy activities are put on the back burner, gym memberships are conveniently misplaced and parents and children alike start consuming a diet composed mainly of sugar and gingerbread.

Is it any wonder that families typically feel run down and ill during this time of year? I believe it has a lot to do with this extra holiday stress.

Of course, who wants to be a health nut during the holidays? Personally, I have had more than my fair share of dirty looks from grandma when I’ve skipped the mashed potatoes and dessert. Because of this, I’m okay with cheating a bit over the holidays so long as extra precautions are taken to reduce the effects of this holiday stress.

Here are some simple tips to keep you family healthy and happy during the holidays:

1. Get outside! Taking the family pet for a walk together or simply taking the kids for a stroll around the block is a good opportunity to get some much needed fresh air and exercise.

2. Supplement! Omega 3 fatty acids (also known as fish oils) are a great way to replenish some much needed vitamin D that we would otherwise obtain from the sun. Vitamin D is a powerful immune booster and will add some support to an already stressed out immune system.

3. Visit you chiropractor! Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to boost the immune system and can be a great stress buster. Don’t forget the kids too. Extra adjustments for everyone with visiting relatives!

These simple steps can help eliminate some of the effects of holiday stress this winter.