Summer Lifestyle August 2009

We like to take this opportunity to keep you informed about events that have been taking place within Back2Health, however for more information about specific events you can contact any of the sites mentioned or the events page on the website or for general chiropractic enquiries, the reception teams at all the sites will be happy to help you.

Back2Health Southsea are celebrating the onset of the Football Season with a an invitation to book into the clinic for a 'Free Chirocheck'.  A chirocheck enables anyone suffering with a suspected sports injury or pain in their neck, shoulder, back, hips, knees and feet, the opportunity to meet with a chiropractor and see if chiropractic can help them.

Meanwhile, please feel free to forward this Newsletter to friends, family and colleagues and we hope you have an enjoyable summer and remain fit and well.

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Activate your Summer

As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, everyone wants to get out and make the most of the sunshine. Summer is a time for having fun in the sun, but it is also the perfect opportunity for you to improve your health by getting involved in a variety of exciting outdoor activities.

Activate your summer by taking up an outdoor sport. Get your friends and family together and fuel your summer with a variety of activities to keep fit and healthy.

Eat Healthy, Keep Hydrated and Exercise to Enjoy an Active Summer.

It is important to eat nourishing and balanced meals during the summer, especially when taking part in high-energy sports such as tennis, rounders or cricket. Here are a few handy hints about summer food for sporting activities:

Eat plenty of wholegrain breads and cereals, fruit and vegetables as well as moderate amounts of milk, yoghurt and cheese, lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and pulses. Try to make fruit smoothies as a cool, refreshing way to stay healthy and get re-hydrated at the same time.

Some superfoods that you should consider eating during your healthy active summer include almonds, broccoli, red beans, sweet potatoes, salmon, blueberries and apples.

Ensure that you are eating enough food for the level and duration of your activity. If you eat too little then you will not be able to keep up your exercise levels, so for a long game of cricket make sure you eat a substantial portion of food and keep drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Make sure that you time meals around the sport activity. This is just as important as what you eat if you want to maintain your energy levels throughout the activity.

     Exercising Safely in Hot Weather

·   Recognise the dangers of playing in the heat, check the weather forecast.

·    Respond quickly if heat-related injuries occur.

·    Drink plenty of water.

·   Ensure that children drink a cup of fluid, preferably water, every 20 minutes, plus more after playing.

  Wear light coloured, breathable clothing and brimmed hats.

    Wear sun-cream.

    Take regular breaks during your activity.

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Avoid Summer Accidents

To prevent injuries, do warm up exercises to minimize the chance of muscle strain or other soft tissue injury during sports. Follow this with warm down exercises after the activity.

Always be prepared for sport-related injuries during outdoor activities. Beware of spraining or straining muscles when playing sports.

Always take a first aid kit with you when you are going outdoors to exercise or play sport and make sure you include ice packs to soothe any sprain, strain or bruise as ice will reduce the pain and swelling.

Warm Up and Warm Down Exercises

The general warm up should include joint rotations.

Begin with your toes and work your way up, or vice versa, as this will facilitate joint motion in order to exercise.

Perform slow circular movements, both clockwise and anti-clockwise, until you think the joint moves smoothly.

Following this, you should do five minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging or skipping, which will increase your cardiovascular output and boost blood flow.

By increasing the blood flow in the muscles, you will notice improved muscle performance and flexibility, which reduces the chance of injury.