Wellness Archives - Page 3 of 39

A Few Strategies To Help Overcome Injuries

July 18, 2020 by Mandy

Informing Yourself With Known Best Practices

A lot of people look at modern medicine in a way which ultimately limits their perspective. People tend to think of medical technology as an established wing of understanding which has totally revealed the human body. However, the truth is a bit more complex. Medical technology grows by leaps and bounds which are hard to comprehend.

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Just to expand your perspective, in the 1800s scientists and doctors alike thought that single-celled organisms were very simple; rather like a brick in the wall of a home. Microscopic technology and the discovery of DNA have since dispelled that quaint notion. Modern computational tech in conjunction with medical breakthroughs have facilitated biomedicine.

Prosthetics, nanotechnology, and even vaccines which utilize mRNA are all within the grasp of modern medicine, even if as yet these therapies have not been perfected. What has been found is that the breakthroughs we thought totally revealed the human “machine” only revealed it is exponentially more complex than we thought.

The more we know, the more we realize we need to learn. With that in mind, it’s very important to consider modern orthopedic advice in both procedures, and their recovery. The body is understood well enough that distinct recovery best practices expedite recovery of homeostasis—getting back to normal. We’ll cover a few of these best practices here. Common sense is key, as is consulting with your orthopedic specialist.

Food Is Medicine

One thing you need to keep in mind after complex bone surgery is that your body needs proper nutrition to repair itself. Ask an orthopedic specialist in Ocean (or wherever you happen to be) what the best foods to eat are for swiffer recovery. A balanced diet with increased mineral dosages can be quite effective.

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Try to avoid artificial or “junk” foods, organic options are better, and getting vitamins naturally tends to be more healthy than supplements; though sometimes, especially with trace minerals, supplemental delivery is the best way. Regardless, what you eat and in what quantities can have a big impact on the speed and totality of recovery.

Exercise Is Variable

How much you exercise after you’ve sustained a surgery can depend on a number of things. With some injuries, you need to conduct daily exercises. With some surgeries, you may need to avoid any disturbance until, for example, a cast is removed. Again, exercise is key in recovery, but so is doing it properly; and consultation with your orthopedic surgeon is wise.

That said, inhalation and exhalation provides your blood cells with oxygen, which is key in their functionality. Your DNA contains in it recombinant properties which keep your body from breaking down with entropy. The coding to rebuild your skin after you get a cut exists in your DNA, and it exists in regard to larger healing needs like the repair of bone.

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When you saturate your bloodstream with oxygen, this can have healing properties. Exercise helps do this, and will keep you healthier. Aerobic exercise is best after harsh orthopedic surgery, but you must be careful not to disturb muscle or bone groups that have been worked on by a surgeon.

Ask your doctor what you can do. It may not be much, but whatever exercise you can get will help you recover more quickly. Just remember to take things slow at first.

Sunlight

One vitamin you get not from food, but from the sun, is Vitamin D. For most surgeries, if you can get outside, breathe the clean air, and get some sun, it will help your recovery. Part of the reason for this is your psychology. Healing happens quicker when the mind is properly healthy. Sunlight is associated with strong mental health, so get some as you can.

Recovering Faster

Eating right, exercising regularly, getting sunlight—these things are good to do generally, and they’re fundamental when you’re recovering from complex orthopedic surgery. However, because you’re dealing with bone, nerve, or muscle issues, you need to be careful not to stress yourself unnecessarily. Get consultation from your bone doctor to know your best recovery tactics.

Who can benefit from Pilates?

July 1, 2020 by Mandy

Many people are often surprised to hear that both men and women ranging in ages from teenagers to senior citizens can benefit from Prahran Pilates, regardless of their current level of fitness. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, fit or out of shape, flexible or not, Pilates is one of a handful of exercises which can benefit everyone.

Pilates for both men and women:

If you think Pilates is only for dainty women with ballerinas’ bodies, then think again! While most Prahran Pilates studios tend to be female-dominated, and flooded by a wave of women as soon as the doors to the studio open, Prahran Pilates also holds a myriad of benefits for all the men who rise to the challenge! (Yes, Pilates can be challenging!).

In fact, Pilates itself is a discipline that was created by a man, Joseph Pilates, who came from a background of boxing, self-defence and wrestling. The first people to reap the benefits of Pilates were also men, soldiers from war who were recovering from war derived diseases, and since then, Pilates continues to be a form of supplement training for professional athletes, both male and female, all around the world.

Pilates for all ages:

The ability to modify exercises to meet differing needs, along with the many benefits of the Pilates method, such as increased levels of strength, balance, flexibility, muscle tone, stamina, and well- being, make Pilates an inviting exercise program for teenagers through to senior citizens (after all, Joseph Pilates continued practicing his method well into his eighties).

Keeping fit and mobile is essential, especially for seniors. As we get older, movements which can help with balance, stability, control and overall fitness are ideal to keep us at optimum health.

Pilates for pregnant women:

Pilates Prahran classes are particularly beneficial for women who are pregnant as they are designed to strengthen the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles are stretched to make room for the growing baby. This may weaken the muscles, particularly the deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles.

Prahran Pilates help support pregnant women by strengthening the lower abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and thus building core stability, which takes the stress off the lower back and pelvic floor, and may even help position the baby for delivery.

Pilates for rehabilitation and injuries:

As well as being used to boost strength and flexibility, Pilates is now widely practised as an injury rehabilitation method on a global scale to restore muscular imbalances and help rehabilitate people with injuries.

By strengthening the deepest muscles of the core, optimizing alignment, and creating correct

movement patterns, Pilates classes Prahran can help to strengthen parts of the body which have been injured, whilst also helping to prevent re-aggravation of those injuries and the development of new ones.

Pilates for dancers:

Prahran Pilates classes serve as an excellent form of supplement dance training for dancers, as the small, precise movements are designed to strengthen the body, reduce the possibility of injury, rehabilitate damaged muscles, while strengthening the core and improving flexibility.

Health benefits of Pilates:

Prahran Pilates offers a number of both physical and mental benefits that can completely transform your body and mind. Just to mention a few, you can expect improved flexibility, balance and posture, increased muscle strength and tone, better blood circulation and breathing, improved stabilisation of your spine, better mental clarity, increased body awareness, as well as better concentration, stress management and ability to relax. To hear more about the benefits Pilates Prahran, see our ‘Health Benefits of Pilates’ article.

Pilates can benefit everyone:

One of the best parts of Prahran Pilates is that it can truly benefit everyone. All Pilates exercises can be modified to meet the needs of the individual, which means everyone is welcome, regardless of their fitness level, flexibility, or age. Regardless of if you train with the Pilates equipment, reformer machine or just on the mat, you can always adjust the motion and intensity to your own personal level.

Prenatal Yoga: The Best Yoga Poses for Pregnant Moms

June 18, 2020 by Mandy

Once your pregnant, you begin to notice all of these changes that your body goes through. Things like indigestion and back pain can prove to be a nuisance throughout your entire pregnancy.

Little did you know that yoga can prove to be extremely beneficial for expecting mothers. In this article, we are going to tell you the best yoga poses for pregnant women to work into their daily routine.

Continue reading for these particular yoga poses.

Yoga Poses for Pregnant Women

Yoga is a practice that teaches people how to control their breathing as well as becoming centered and grounded within themselves. Most that engage in the practice find that not only does it work on mental and spiritual strength, but it also aids in strengthening the body as well.

This strength is vital and helpful to women that will need the power to make it through the changes their body is going through pregnancy and have an easy labor.

Ankle to Knee Poses

The fantastic part about doing the ankle to knee pose is that it helps to stretch the hips. Another benefit is that it helps to relieve back pain that comes from carrying your unborn child by opening your back muscles, including the glutes.

Forward Bend

This is another pose we recommend when you’re trying to find relief from back pain. And we must admit it feels pretty good to let your stomach hang without having all of the weight on your back.

When doing the forward bend, focus on your breathing and relaxing into the pose. It’s optional to sway from side to side, but the motion helps to relieve trapped tension in the back.

Wide-Knee Children’s Pose

When performing this pose, focus on relaxing and allowing your body to restore itself. This pose is beneficial because you’re given a chance to rest your belly on the mat and stretch your hip flexors in preparation for labor.

As your belly continues to grow, you’ll likely find this is one of your go-to poses.

Legs on the Wall

If you’ve found that your experiencing swelling in your legs and feet during pregnancy, this pose is for you; this pose will allow you to elevate your feet, reducing the swelling in your legs.

However, as pregnancy continues lying on your back will become uncomfortable; therefore, we recommend lying on a pillow of some sort so that you’re not flat on your back.

Easy Pose

The last pose we are going to talk about should be done at the end of your practice. It helps to open up the back and hips, but the purpose of the pose is to thank your body for what it’s doing.

It’s also an opportunity for you to become one with your body and take the time to feel your baby in the womb. It’s essential that your instructor has a yoga teacher certification to ensure that you and your child remain safe during the practice.

Let’s Practice

When yoga poses for pregnant women are used, you’ll find that it can help make the labor process less intensive. This is because your body has continually been stretched and kept flexible for the journey ahead.

If you’re looking for more advice and articles that are beneficial for an expectant mother, read the other items on our blog.

10 Tips For Flawless Curls: How to Take Care of Curly Hair

May 25, 2020 by Mandy

Curly hair isn’t for the weak and the meek. Every day can feel like an adventure when looking for ways to tame curly hair textures.

Since most people on the planet don’t have to deal with curly tresses, it can be difficult to find a research-based hair regimen that makes sense for maintaining beautiful curls.

But the trick to naturally curly hair is nurturing your hair as it is and not attempting to make it conform to what it should be. Here are 10 tips on how to take care of curly hair and keep your mane looking majestic.

Co-wash Your Hair

Co-washing is a new trend for textured hair that helps your hair strands maintain moisture between washes. It’s a great trick for curly hair that can dry out if washed too often during the week.

Co-washing just means that you apply conditioner to your hair just like you would shampoo. There are specific co-washing formulas available from major brands, or you can simply use your favorite conditioner as a co-washing product.

Shampoo in Sections

Clumping large amounts of curly hair can create a tangled mess in the shower. Avoid rushing through a shampoo and take your time to work through your hair in sections.

Divide your curls into four sections and apply shampoo to each taking care to massage your hair from root to ends. The result is fewer tangles and product residue when you apply your conditioner.

This is important because your conditioner needs to penetrate the full length of your hair strands in order to leave it with a healthy shine. Too many tangles or leftover residue makes it hard for the deep conditioner to work its magic.

Don’t Shampoo Daily

Straight hair can stand up to daily shampoos. Curly hair doesn’t have the same maintenance demands. Too many shampoos throughout the week can mean dry hair strands that get unmanageable with time.

Help your hair hold on to moisture by reducing the number of times you shampoo your hair during the week. If you need a reset, co-washing your hair or finding a good leave-in are both great ways to keep your hair looking great during the week.

Use Cool Water

There is nothing sexy about a cold shower. But your hair will thank you for turning down the heat on shampoo days.

The cold water helps to seal the cuticles of your hair which means more body and shine. If you can’t stand the cool water for the entire shampoo, opt for cold water only during the conditioning treatment to get the best results.

Upgrade Your Towel Dry Experience

Upcycle old t-shirts into hair towels to gently rid your hair of excess water. Heavy towels often strip curly hair of moisture and should be avoided at all costs if they’ve reached their scratchy phase.

A microfiber towel or old t-shirt are two of your best bets when looking for a drying solution that’ll keep your hair healthy. If you have longer hair, hair plopping is a great option to extend your drying overnight. It’s the process of wrapping your hair in an old t-shirt or microfiber towel and sleeping in it.

Use Satin or Silk

Women with textured hair often use a satin or silk bonnet to help lock in moisture while they sleep. The roughness of cotton pillowcases leads to frizz in curly hair which means unpredictable hair in the morning.

If you don’t want to sleep in a bonnet, aim for satin or silk sheets instead. As you toss and turn throughout the night, your hair strands are still protected by the fabric.

Avoid Heat

It’s tempting to try out the latest sleek straight hairstyles. But doing so can lead to permanent damage to your curly texture if you have fine hair.

Flat irons, blow dryers and other heat tools are bad news for curly hair. Remember air-drying is your friend.

If you need to dry your hair quickly, only use blow dryers with a diffuser attachment to minimize the impact of the heat. Dry from tip to root on the lowest heat setting to avoid potential heat damage.

Remember Root to Tip

Comb your curls correctly to prevent breakage. Always start combing at the tips of your hair and gradually work your way up to the roots.

Like with shampooing, you’ll want to detangle your hair in sections to avoid creating more tangles than you started with. Curly girls don’t need to brush unless you are looking to put your hair in a sleek ponytail.

Brushing curly hair confuses the curl pattern and can leave you with a frizzy mess.

Make a Hair Cocktail

Until you find that perfect mix, don’t hesitate to mix up a few hair cocktails to find out what your hair likes most. Sample leave-in conditioning products together on your hair to create a ‘cocktail.’

Think of products with opposite traits like gel and coconut oil for the best results.

Sleep in a Pineapple

Put your hair in a top-knot before going to bed at night. This trick helps maintain your curl pattern overnight while preventing ‘bedhead.’

As long as you’re using the right pillowcases, you’ll wake up to bouncy curls in the morning. Simply take out your ponytail and give your hair a shake to release your curls.

Learning How to Take Care of Curly Hair

Expect the process of learning how to take care of curly hair to take months, if not years to master. There’s no magic bullet that produces perfect curls every day, but there are strategies that can help you avoid damage that leads to frizz and tangles.

Keep your hair in good health to increase your chances of maximum shine and natural volume. Hair treatments for curly hair are all about locking in moisture and letting your curls live their best life.

For more information and lifestyle tips, check out our blog for updates.

Workout Tips for Moms Stuck at Home

May 14, 2020 by Mandy

It’s tough being stuck at home with the kids. Your time isn’t your own anymore, and you barely have time for a shower, let alone a workout. So here are a few tips to help you squeeze a workout in at home.

Short, But Effective

You don’t need to find time to workout for a whole hour. Just grab 10 minutes here and there. Make the time count by doing a targeted workout, and working on one area of your body, instead of all over. For example, if you want to tone up your legs, try doing some quick inner thigh exercises like these ones from the 30 Day Fitness Challenge app.

Go for a Walk

The kids need exercise too, so go for a walk with them. It doesn’t have to be far, but even walking around the block will get you all moving and out of the house.

Distract the Kids

Persuade the kids to play in the garden, and get your workout in at the same time. You should get at least 15-20 minutes to yourself, so make the most of it and complete your workout for the day.

Play with the Kids

Playing games with your kids can be great exercise, and can really get your heart pumping. Run around the garden with them, get on their trampoline, or put some music on and dance around with them. This won’t only be good for you, but your kids will benefit too.

Involve Your Kids

Set a time each day to do some exercises with your kids. Make them fun so your kids will want to join in, and get your workout done at the same time. Star jumps are always popular with the kids. Think of a silly phrase to shout out when you’re all jumping. Squats are another great idea for kids. See who can squat down the lowest, or who can do the most in a minute.

Mini Workouts

Fit in a mini workout whenever you can, even when you’re doing chores. Keep a stool in the kitchen when cooking dinner, and do some step-ups whilst you’re waiting for the food to be ready. When picking your kids toys up to put them away, crawl along the floor on your stomach, as this will be great for your abs. If you have a young kid, lie on your back and lift them up for an airplane ride. Fun for them and a great workout for you.

Those are just some of the ways you can still enjoy a workout whilst taking care of the kids. What workout tips do you have, and what do you find helps you maintain your fitness whilst at home?