While many children have some difficulty with math, some may experience dyscalculia, which makes understanding numbers and mathematical concepts an ongoing struggle that is often stressful and anxiety provoking. Aside from causing issues with solving traditional math problems, dyscalculia can also affect a child’s ability to manage their time or follow a calendar. Children with dyscalculia often require extra support in the classroom, which is something not all schools can provide. Taking advantage of programs that provide additional support outside of school can help children with dyscalculia grow their brains capacity for learning, which in turn can lead to improvements in the ability to understand math.

Skin ages and becomes loose and less elastic as we grow older due to a reduction in fibroblast cells, which build the collagen proteins that keep our cells connected tightly. Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, is a safe and chemical-free way to trigger new collagen production. A hand-controlled device with tiny, shallow needles punctures the outer layer of the skin at 1000 times per second to create mild damage that will stimulate your body to produce new collagen and elastin. This process can be used all over the body, not just on the face, to treat wrinkles, stretch marks, scars, and more!

Q: My hands and feet often feel cold. Can acupuncture help with this? A: This issue is quite prevalent in both males and females. Acupuncture can treat this by improving blood circulation. The traditional Chinese medical theory explains this by balancing the yin and the yang within one’s body. You can see the difference with one treatment, and multiple treatments will work to solve the root of the problem and maintain the improved circulation.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is commonly seen in sports such as soccer, rugby, and skiing. Although many individuals initially recover well, the ongoing instability often prevents return to sports and leads to further knee injury, and the risk of developing future osteoarthritis becomes increased. Bracing is rarely sufficient. Surgical reconstruction performed early, within 3-6 weeks, helps to minimize the risk of further injury. ACL surgery should be treated as an urgent matter: assessment, diagnosis, and surgery can usually be completed within a few weeks. The athlete, elite, or weekend-warrior can then start early rehabilitation to maximize the benefits of the knee reconstruction.

Q: What is athlete’s foot? A: Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungal infection of the skin and usually appears in between the toes or in the arch area of the foot. Common signs and symptoms are redness, itchiness, and burning. Walking in wet public areas and wearing damp, dirty socks and shoes are common ways to get athlete’s foot. There are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can treat the problem, though creams, ointments, or gels tend to be more effective than powders or sprays are. To truly eliminate the fungus, you should continue with the medication for an additional two weeks after the symptoms have disappeared.

What will your retirement look like? Will you say good-bye completely? Will you transition out gradually? Will you try something new? There are many choices and no right answer. The path you choose will be your own. This time of transition from career to more “me” time can bring with it many mixed emotions. The excitement of not having to answer to an alarm clock, the sadness of a loss of identity, or the fear of not having enough to do can be very real. Many activities are calling your name. What path will you take? What story will you write?

All the Christmas trimmings have been put away for another year; the turkey has had its last stand and everyone eating chocolate like it was going out of style. We now have a brief period to catch our breath before we embrace the Tax Season. Take a few of those moments to consider your RRSP/TFSA. Typically, we have more time to talk with you from now until the last week of February. We can review what you have done in the past and see if we should add to those investments or look at others. And, as you will appreciate, the more time we have for that the better.

If you’re trying to quit smoking once and for all, you’ve likely used a variety of products, from patches to gum to pills. The addictive qualities of cigarettes make smoking a tough habit to break, but there are safe and alternative measures you can take to remove this addiction from your life. Laser acupuncture is a non-invasive option that focuses on the three aspects of addiction: physical, using laser/electronic stimulation of acupressure points on your upper body; psychological, providing materials, tips, and one-on-one coaching; and detoxification, helping to eliminate cigarette toxins from your body.

Believe it or not, disease in our pets is related to weight gain as often as it is to weight loss. Diabetes, back degeneration, torn ligaments, heart problems, and skin problems all can be related to excess body condition. Pet owners utilize tricks to get animals to lose weight, but the real trick many times is to convince pet owners that they can love their pet with exercise and affection that isn’t food-related! Make games out of feeding, with toys that contain low-calorie food. Have your pet checked for metabolic disease. It is important to address body condition!

For most people, HEALTH is our greatest possession. But we often don’t realize how important our health is until we lose it. The effects of poor posture and trauma accumulate over the years. Muscles, joints, ligaments, and nerves are damaged, often without symptoms. What starts out as stiffness in the neck or back is replaced with severe, debilitating pain, which prevents us from living our lives. What’s the ROOT CAUSE? How BAD is it? What can I do about it? These questions need to be answered if you want to deal with this health problem. Your chiropractor can help you. Schedule an examination today to kickstart your LIFE again!

Experiencing pain is normal, although also unpleasant. Think of pain as an alarm system, alerting you to dangers that affect your body. When pain becomes persistent, it can be problematic. There may be some ongoing inflammatory reactions in the tissues that cause the persisting pain. The tissues may have healed but are not yet healthy; muscles may remain weak and underused, there may be motor control issues with the core muscles. Your physiotherapist can be part of the team of health professionals that help you design a unique treatment program that addresses your pain issues and physical impairments.