'Better Together' Conference 2019

This year's New Zealand Chiropractors' Association conference was held in Christchurch so Hamish, Lynley and I road tripped down. Not only was this my first conference, it was the first ever New Zealand Chiropractors' Association conference with a CA (Chiropractic Assistant) stream. Fourteen CA's from around New Zealand registered and attended.  It was amazing to come together and actively exchange ideas and help each other. I was impressed with the willingness between practices to share information and procedures that work well - it was a true collaboration and really spoke to the overall conference theme of "Better Together".

I particularly enjoyed hearing Vikki Kelly speak about the importance of being online - NOT on our devices but with our brains being switched on. When we are online we genuinely connect - we use eye contact, use someone's name and maybe give them a hug. We aren't just reacting with our automatic responses but instead really validate the humans in our life.

Paul Linnell spoke about the customer service experience and how our role as CAs contributed to the chiropractic experience. Service at TBC is very important to us and we are continually working to improve. I am developing a feedback form that we hope you will find useful to help us to help you.

Another highlight was meeting Deb's new team at Happy Spine. During Deb's time at TBC I had nicknamed her 'Bubbles' as she is always bubbly and good things come in small packages! We had some  fun gifting a bubble wand to Jim and the team at Happy Spine so she could continue to be magic with them.

Our recent theme at TBC is ‘Better Together’ which aligns beautifully with the NZCA conference theme and tone. This morning I saw the quote below on my 6 year old's classroom wall - I think it says it all!

Hugs
Bron

CABG Boy

Well hello everyone.  It's almost the middle of June and you haven't seen me for four to six weeks. They now call me cabbage boy!

I wanted to discuss with you a couple things. The first is the value in noticing changes to your health status. Many of you were probably surprised, as was I, that I had quite a major heart attack. However the wonderful thing, in hindsight, is that I noticed some quite significant changes after playing volleyball, even though the volleyball ball was generally fine, and I called an ambulance.

Based on my history, the ambulance staff determined that I needed to go to hospital. I ended up having a major coronary event in the hospital. Luckily I'd been administered a drug which 'eats' clots which means that the blockage was only transient, didn’t do a lot of damage and I didn't have a cardiac arrest. Therefore I'm still in pretty good shape other than the fact that stenting - just opening up the artery - was not an option. I needed to go to Wellington and have bypass surgery which they call a cabbage: CABG - coronary artery bypass grafting. There you have it. That is what happened.

So how am I now? I am sitting around in my house a lot. I have friends and family and phone calls and visits and people helping with food and cleaning and encouragement, driving me, paying for things and my wonderful staff looking after the office which is no mean feat.

I'm sleeping a lot and doing very light exercise. I go for walks around Richmond now, doing a bit of shopping as I can carry a few small bags with me which is pretty cool. I am improving - I’m feeling a lot better and feeling upbeat.

I’m planning a gradual return to work in a couple of months which will be staged making sure I’m up to scratch and able to perform at my best. I’m fairly confident that that will be the case.

The second thing that I would like to do is thank Hamish, Elise, Bronwyn and Lynley for looking after the office so well. They have been keeping you guys all lined up and tuned up and making sure that you're getting the health outcomes that you desire. I must admit that I'm feeling very relieved and am very relaxed that I can spend the time that is needed to fully recover - which has been a godsend.

I’d also thank those who have sent best wishes, gifts, food or services to help me out. My lawn mower disappeared for about three weeks and I’m not sure whether that was to mow my lawns or to run his own lawn mowing business!  People have just pitched in and it’s been amazing and quite humbling. I’m very, very grateful.

It's really nice to be able to start to do things again, start building my upper body strength again, just getting amongst it! It’s still early days but I will be driving by the time you receive this message, so that’s pretty exciting. Onwards and upwards from there.

So enjoy your winter newsletter,  hugs and much love from me. You will be seeing more and more of me as I feel better able to cope and deal with that.

Take care
Corrian

Hamish Takes Over TBC!

As many of you know, Corrian has had to take a leave of absence so has left the care of his lovely clients with me. I am making my very best effort to take care of everyone while he is away and make sure that those of you normally under his care are all in top shape for him when he comes back.

One question I am being asked is how am I coping with the added workload. The answer: Great! Its been really fun for the most part and we have now settled into a good rhythm at work. With a lot of people out of town chasing the sunshine, we even have a few spaces in the appointment book so don’t hesitate to get yourself booked in for a tune up. We can all generally use one! With Coz out of action I have been visiting other chiropractors in the region to get myself adjusted. This is especially important for me as with the change in season and the added workload, I need my body to be at its best so I can continue to provide chiropractic care to all of you.

I mention the change in season because as we know, as the weather gets colder our immune systems are a little more challenged and many of us, especially those of you with younger children at home, seem to catch colds or bugs a little more frequently than in the warmer months.

There have been several wonderful studies linking chiropractic care to the function of the immune system so whether you are sick or getting over a cold, or have that fateful tickle in the throat,  make sure you get your spine and nervous system adjusted to give your body that much needed boost.

I have been at TBC for over six months now and things could not be going better. I grew up in the Nelson region and absolutely love being back here taking care of the community I have been a part of most of my life. I have recently joined a new volleyball team and have enjoyed the challenges that brings, including playing against my father's volleyball team which Corrian is also a part of (obviously not at the moment). I'm currently acclimatising to the new temperatures out and about and how dark it gets early in the evening. I really feel like I have put the hours in when I leave the house in the dark and get home after dark again. I'm sure many of you feel the same!

Stay safe out there everyone and for those of you who have not been into the practice in the last month or so, get in here! I would love to meet you and get your spine and nervous system checked. One of the few benefits of having a different chiropractor check you is that we may find some different things and really get your body powering on this winter.

In health
Hamish

The New Kid on the Block

I had often wondered where my career path would lead me but had always hoped it would involve the health and well being of others.

Growing up in a household where my Mum dabbled in various health phases from making wholemeal pastry for vege pies, sprouting seeds, dehydrating fruit, to churning ice cream and other unusual concoctions I really did have a colourful beginning. Taste testing was, let’s say, quite an experience! Then there was Dad's vege garden which was a maze of goodness that we all played in.

My mind was always stimulated and I loved the idea of anything alternative. Our bookcase at home is full of health based reading and just recently having moved house the Feng Shui book has come out to play!

Chiropractic and Stress

Since going solo at TBC my stress levels have obviously increased. So let's talk about stress in a bit more detail. There are three main things that affect how your spine and nervous system feel and function.

1. Trauma

The obvious one, trauma, can be large and obvious, such as a car crash, sports injury or having a fall. It could also be the lesser obvious micro-traumas that occur with every day life. These could be as simple as sitting down, running on the road, constant repetitive movements or brushing your hair! Everybody has something that they do that affects their spine. As a chiropractor I spend a large part of my day bent over the table checking all those spines, thus putting increased stress on my lower back as well as my hands, wrists and shoulders during the adjustments. The best way to manage these stressors is to keep the joints moving, the muscles relaxed and the blood flowing. Regular exercise and stretching are the best way to manage these on a day to day basis, however a chiropractic adjustment is a great way to stay on top of those micro-traumas and prevent "the straw” incident from "breaking the camel's back".

2. Emotional Stress

This is a less obvious one but still just as important as trauma. Ever heard the saying, “that person/thing/work is a pain in the neck”? This is very true! Mental stress can affect how your body functions. When stressed, the brain reverts back to its safe space, locking up joints to prevent injury or sending you into that flight/fight mode where you run on adrenaline until you crash. Bringing the body out of this state is difficult as there is no injury to heal. Chiropractic adjustments help relax the adrenaline system and reduce the tension in the body, but mindful practices are what help the adjustments hold and keep spinal dysfunction under control. For some people exercises like yoga or meditation help reduce these stressors, for others it may be getting on a motorbike and blasting down the road (under the speed limit of course). Whatever works for you - having fun and allowing your body to come out of its stressed mode is another essential factor in staying healthy.

3. Toxin overload

Probably the least obvious one is toxin overload. Toxins can be anything from processed foods, smoke, drugs, alcohol or environmental toxins in the air (bacteria and viruses included). These cause your body and brain to go into a stressed state as it works to remove these toxins from the body. The more toxins in the body, the more energy is spent getting rid of them and therefore the less energy you have for healing and thriving. Chiropractic care has strong links to immune, digestive and liver and kidney function. Adjustments can help your body manage these toxins and speed up the removal process. Other things you can do is reduce your intake of these toxins by keeping an eye on your diet and the intake of drugs and alcohol.