Spinal Fusion can be a necessary procedure when pain is debilitating.  A loss of movement is sometimes better than a loss of function.  Here we look at what the procedure involves and what to do post surgery to maximise your functionality.

You’re sitting at your desk, the sun is shining and before you know it, you’ve spent the last 15 minutes looking out the window like a longing puppy dog, wanting, aching and itching to be out in the sunshine.  That is until your manager rocks up behind you and asks if that submission is being close to finished.  Being glued to our iPads or mobile phone screens can be as much distraction as we need (and not all of it bad) but are we choosing the right distractions to push us on to achieving what we desire?

So what are the advantages of stuffing your face?  Are there any?  Feasting is actually one of the most culturally common practices all over the world.  Religious festivals across multiple denominations culminate in their celebration of the shared table and meal, particularly after partaking in fasts or periods of restricted eating.

What can I celebrate at this time that fits the perception of the culture for Christmas? – Gratitude.  So at this time, it is a poignantly pure moment of reflection.  Identifying the things in my daily life that I am thankful for, the actions that I receive from others that I am particularly grateful for and the brilliance of my own opportunity to live life and feel it in all its glory.  This is my personal reflection on what Christmas means to me.

Smoothies. They're worth loving for a multitude of reasons. They're quick, they're easy, they're nutritional and portable. There's so many products out there that are promoting the 'bullet' or the 'whizzer' that are aimed at this ever growing fast paced power packed punchy protein laden pocket of pizazz.  Give me a good ol' Breville anyday.  But the smoothie market is part of a growing population and I've been experimenting with my own value of nutritional smoothies and have found some good balanced combinations.

I always consider this time of year to be the time when you can relax off a little, kick back your gruelling regime and shake things up for the easy time frame.  Maybe it has something to do with creating time to indulge in the glorious summer weather and beach lifestyle that we have here in this climate, but the end of the year also feels like the right time to indulge in a bit of 'reward'. 

The Lymphatic System is a vitally important system that is directly linked to health and immune function in the body and thus is a primary area to address with managing any condition that involves pain.  Swelling is directly linked to lymph fluid and the lymphatic system and this component alone is why the lymph system is vital to understand and target when dealing with pain and chronic conditions.  

We are all individuals and we all have a sense of our own unique make up and particularities.  This transfers to our physical being and even our 'personality' of how we go about our daily lives.  There are different types that are geared towards different ways of being active, being productive and being at their best.

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioural rhythms that are governed by the amount of light and particularly melatonin in the body.  They determine when we eat, we sleep, hormone secretion, how we activate ourselves during the day, even recovery from a big night out or a heavy work day.  These rhythms are consistent for everyone, regardless of age, gender or body type.  

 I go on about fascia all the time.  It seems I am always talking about it and extolling its virtues and explaining the reasons behind why sitting at the desk makes your upper back feel like rocks and mortar.  The reason is because it is so important!  To make it easier for you to understand the fascial system, I thought I'd bring together all the stuff that I have on it and also try to explain it in simplistic terms and why it is vital to ensuring reduction of pain in the body.