Athletes are always looking to get into “the zone” – a balance of attention, concentration, and confidence. Quick thinking is crucial to making decisions that can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Neurofeedback is a tool that allows for identifying the areas of an athlete’s brain that are responsible for mental flexibility, task switching, and rapid decision-making. This allows an athlete to control how their brain reacts to stress, which in turn can help achieve peak performance. Neurofeedback training can help an athlete increase their cognitive abilities, while reducing the white noise of distractions around them.

Input from the vestibular system (located in your inner ear and brain) is essential for equilibrium, and dizziness can occur when this system is impaired. Vestibular disorders can be caused by trauma to the head (whiplash), degeneration of the system itself, ear infections, ototoxicity (high dosage of certain drugs), acoustic neuroma, poor blood supply, or trauma induced by pressure to the ear. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of your dizziness and is highly individual. Working with a physiotherapist who is certified in vestibular rehabilitation can help you sort the cause and best treatment for your dizziness so that you can reduce and hopefully eliminate this very disturbing symptom.

Excess weight can be due to a variety of underlying causes, such as hormonal imbalance, emotional eating, liver dysfunction, and malabsorption. Weight management programs require a tailored approach to help clients successfully lose weight. Laser acupuncture uses a non-invasive cold laser to stimulate various acupressure points on your body. Stimulating these points causes your body to release endorphins, which can help with suppressing your appetite, controlling hunger cravings, speeding up your metabolism, and enhancing your current diet and exercise program, all of which can help lead to weight loss and successful weight management.

Chiropractic care is beneficial for people of all ages, but it can be particularly helpful for our growing senior population. As we get older, we may experience chronic pain and losses in our mobility, which can dramatically affect everyday activities and quality of life. Chronic spinal misalignment and modern sedentary lifestyle is often the root cause of chronic neck and back pain. Chiropractic is a gentle way of improving joint function and reducing pain. Through regular visits for chiropractic adjustments and with a custom-designed program of stretching exercises that can be done at home, seniors are able to maximize health in those retirement years.

make sure your back is healthy! It’s very important to make sure your neck and back (your spine) are fit enough to handle the rigours of movement that a new exercise regime brings. At the centre of spinal health is movement, and alignment is key to proper health and movement. A misaligned spine cannot function well. So what happens when you embark on a new exercise regime with an unhealthy or dysfunctional spine? Potential damage to the joints, nerves, muscles, cartilage, and ligaments. A thorough chiropractic examination would be a safe and recommended starting point to any new exercise regime.

Q: I have issues with depression and anxiety. Can acupuncture help with this?
A: Stress can result in several symptoms, such as insomnia, constant worry, weakened digestive system, and others. Acupuncture treatment can adjust and balance our meridians to reduce emotional and physical stress. During treatment, the patient will feel more relaxed and joyful, and some will fall asleep. They will also sleep more soundly when they go home. After a few treatments, they will feel stronger and can better resist the stress.

All behaviour serves a purpose, and substance abuse is no exception. The calming effects of alcohol may provide feelings similar to those of love and connection. Cocaine use makes people feel elated and full of energy – attractive feelings for someone who feels “numb”. If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance abuse problem, remember: the opposite of addiction is connection. Do your best to build community around those who are suffering. Seek a counsellor who can identify healthier ways of coping and support those transitioning out of problematic use. Help is out there – please reach out!

A ballet dancer who has near perfect turn-out is the envy of the class. Turn-out is important not only for the esthetics of ballet, but also safety. Turn-out (or external rotation of the leg) should come solely from the hips. The trouble is many dancers wiggle their feet out further, squeeze their thighs, or drop their arches to make it look like they have more turn-out than they do. Unfortunately, this creates alignment problems and muscle tightness, which puts them at risk for injury, especially if they are working on jumps or pointe work. Working with a physiotherapist to do a full-body assessment can help you prevent injury and improve your form.

If it is over 4°C outside, ticks can attach to your pet. Not only do they feed on your pet’s blood, but they also carry diseases. Many of these manifest in immune mediated diseases, which as a group are difficult and expensive to manage. Prevention against tick bites is the current push in the veterinary community, but it must be done with care, as some of the drugs can have effects on the brain. It’s important to discuss the nuances of using tick-killing products or set up an appointment with one of our veterinarians: Dr. Andersen, Dr. Weetman or our new Mandarin-capable Dr. Lin.

Total knee replacement is the most definitive treatment for advanced osteoarthritis. This procedure is typically done in a hospital setting, with 3-5 days of hospital stay. In recent years, it has become clear that healthy individuals can be discharged from the hospital on the day of their surgery, to safely and conveniently recover at home. Having surgery done at a medical centre provides a welcome alternative to hospitals. This can help reduce complications associated with hospitalization, and for many patients, the convenience and comfort of being at home with family is much preferred over the rustle and bustle of a busy surgical ward.

You may have noticed ads on TV that say paying fees for financial products and services could be eating as much as 30% into your retirement. Often, fees charged are based on the product and are not necessarily determined by your advisor. While you could opt for less expensive products, you may have to forfeit the benefits of the expert advice your advisor can provide. Your advisor is there to guide you through important decisions and acts as a sounding board and a counsellor. Be sure to consider whether lowering the cost outweighs receiving beneficial advice when making your decision.