Headaches – how can physiotherapy help?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Headaches are one of those things that most people suffer from at some point in their life. I know I’m someone who does.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1596″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Do you ever find  yourself thinking about how much you have on your plate at the moment? How many bills have suddenly popped up and need paying? That work project that you’ve left to the last minute and know full well you will regret that decision? Adding up all the time you’re about to spend at your desk and feeling that headache start?[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1905″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]It’s not just you. Around half to three-quarters of adults have had a headache in the past year. That is MASSIVE. And it has been suggested that a large proportion of those suffering from headahces are not seeking any treatment.

I find it hugely frustrating the number of people that don’t know that physiotherapy can help for some types of headaches. Even just among people that I know, so many of them go with “I have a headache, let me take some pain killers and wait for it to go away”. Quite often these headaches are related to stress, posture and injuries – which means physiotherapy can help.

If you think about the last stressful day you had at work or home when you felt a headache starting, chances are that your posture had started to look like this:[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1907″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]When you start to sit in this position it changes the way all your muscles have to work, putting extra pressure on them in funny positions and they start to hurt. This causes muscles to tighten, joints to stiffen and pain to increase, commonly resulting in headaches.

Now I’m definitely not saying that all headaches are caused by this, – there’s a big proportion that aren’t, BUT a large number are affected by stress and posture and can absolutely be helped by physio treatment and a bit of assistance to work out what you need to do including positioning, exercises, regular movement and hands on therapy.

So ditch that irksome ache and take a physio break!!

Megan x

Need advice about your work station set up? Contact us on (08) 9583 5165 for a comprehensive ergonomic assessment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

You say cocoa – I say cacao?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1912″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]What’s the deal with cacao? Has half the world got their ‘a’s and ‘o’s mixed up? Or is it a case of you say tom-ay-to, I say tom-ah-to; you say cah-kayo, I say co-co? Certainly in the powdered form they look the same. And they smell and taste pretty darn similar too. So why does everyone rave about the health benefits of cacao but no one has much to say about good old fashioned cocoa? What’s the difference? And what are the health benefits of cacao?[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1916″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]So to get back to basics, cacao and cocoa are derived from the same plant, specifically the Theobroma cacao tree which is native to South America (pictured above) which produces cacao pods full of cacao beans.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1914″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?

The difference lies in the method of processing. Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing (yes just like the best quality olive oils!) unroasted cacao beans which removes the cacao ‘butter’ without subjecting them to extreme temperatures and processing. They are considered to be ‘raw’ and a ‘superfood’ due to their high nutritional content. Cocoa on the other hand is produced by roasting the beans at very high temperatures (thus they are not ‘raw’) which changes their molecular structure and apparently reduces the nutritional content. Cold pressed lamb anyone?

What are the health benefits of cacao?

According to a great paleohacks blog the health benefits of cacao include:

  • High levels of anti-oxidants which protect your cells against oxidative damage from free radicals (rad!!)
  • Mood and cognitive performance boosting
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Protects your heart
  • Regulates insulin levels
  • Rich in nutrients

I don’t know about you but I’m sold!! Of course therein lies the catch! Gram for gram, raw organic cacao powder will inevitably cost more than your standard box of Cadbury Bournville cocoa powder! However, market competition has seen prices of ‘health foods’ reduce of late, so you can actually find a reasonably priced 500g bag of cacao in most supermarkets for around $12. Well worth it for the health benefits and that extra richness of flavour in my opinion.

Looking for chocolatey inspiration? Here are 3 super simple recipes perfect for spring that will have you ingesting all those fabulous nutrients on a daily basis!

Michelle x[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1919″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Peanut Butter Bliss Balls

Is it politically incorrect to love peanuts these days? Well I’m sorry (I really am, you are missing out!) but if you can’t eat peanuts this recipe is definitely not for you! But if you are like me and consider a handful of delicious salty peanuts to be one of life’s great guilty pleasures, then these yummy bliss balls are up your alley!

Ingredients:

  • 110g medjoul dates
  • 20g unsalted peanuts
  • 20g 100% peanut butter
  • 7g raw organic cacao powder
  • 2 generous pinches of good quality sea salt (or to taste)
  • dessicated coconut for rolling

Note all measures are approximate and can be changed to suit your taste (ie. it’s not like baking where if you don’t measure properly your cake won’t rise) so don’t be afraid to make them your own!

Method:

  1. Process peanuts into small pieces/chunks and set aside
  2. Process dates, peanut butter and salt until it forms a thick paste (you may have to break it up in a bowl and re-process a few times depending on the power of your food processor).
  3. Add the peanuts and process briefly until combined.
  4. Roll into balls and coat in dessicated coconut.
  5. Bliss!!

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1920″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie

Looking for a way to have chocolate for breakfast without, well, eating chocolate? This smoothie for one is full of superfood goodness and tastes too good to be true (except it is true!)

Ingredients:

  • Handful of kale (minus the tough stalks)
  • Half a frozen banana
  • Handful of frozen blueberries (affordable bags available at your local supermarket)
  • 1/4 of an avocado
  • Tablespoon of chia seeds
  • Generous tablespoon of raw organic cacao powder
  • 1 cup of coconut water

Method:

Blend in a good blender (or even better in your Magic Bullet so you can enjoy straight from the blending cup!) and enjoy!![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1923″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Simple Hot Chocolate

There is still enough chill in the evenings to enjoy snuggling up with a mug of this decadent hot choccie and a good book! Yes dates have sugar in them. However, they have a lot more nutritional value than plain old white processed sugar! Too simple for anything more than the one liner below!

Heat 1 cup of your milk of choice on the stove top or in the microwave, blend with 2 medjoul dates and a generous tablespoon of cacao powder until smooth, frothy and divine![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Women’s AFL

Womens AFL

With the AFL season just around the corner, football hype is starting to ignite again. However, in comparison to previous years, there is something new and exciting happening in the world of AFL; this year marks the inaugural year of the Women’s AFL. Women’s football has been steadily on the rise for the past 10+ years and was bolstered when brought to the public’s attention in 2013 with the first Women’s exhibition match between Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons. The teams were made up of players from all over Australia and the game was held at Etihad Stadium prior to the E J Whitten Legends match. Over the next 3 years they continued to hold exhibition matches with the final match between the two exhibition sides televised at the end of 2015.

In 2016 it was announced that there would be a AFLW competition in 2017 comprising of 8 teams (Melbourne Demons, Western Bulldogs, Carlton Blues, Collingwood Magpies, GWS Giants, Brisbane Lions, Adelaide Crows and Fremantle Dockers). The competition began on Feb 3rd with old foes Collingwood and Carlton opening the competition. The game exceeded all expectations both on and off the field; it was a hard hitting, fierce contest with Carlton running out winners after gun forward Darcy Vesico kicked 4 goals. Outside the ground spectators had to be informed by AFL chief Gill McLaughlin that the ground was full to capacity and was in fact a lock out! Television ratings were impressive as well and that trend continued over the weekend.

It is a seven round competition held in conjunction with the NAB cup. Some games have been played as the opener to a JLT cup match whilst others are stand alone matches at local footy grounds. Channel 7 has committed to televising one Saturday night game per week with Fox also televising all of the matches. The final will be played between the top 2 sides at the end of the seven round season and will coincide with round 1 of the mens AFL competition. All games are free (apart from those held as the precursor to a mens match) and I encourage anyone who is interested to get down and watch the girls battle it out (you may be surprised at the intensity/ferocity that the girls show out there as well as their skill and passion for the game).

I myself will be helping out at the Collingwood vs Fremantle match at Bendigo Bank Stadium on the 4th March (in Collingwood colours – which as a Carlton fan is going to be very painful to do!)

This competition just adds to a multitude of women’s sport that is taking off in Australia, in the past few years we have seen the success of the women’s BBL, Netball Australia has become the first female professional sport in Australia (not including tennis), the women’s soccer team got deep into the finals at the World Cup (which succeeded all expectations) and our women were dominate at the 2016 Olympics winning 5 gold medals out of the total 8 won for Australia and who can forget the memorable Melbourne Cup win for Michelle Payne.

Women’s sport is on the rise in Australia and I can’t wait to see what else we achieve in the coming years!

Madi