Uniquely Chiropractic - Victoria

07/04/2023

Great fun idea!
Off tech & into reality! ❤️

30/08/2021

It has now come to a point where many of us can't sit back.
Today, as a collective, many Health Professionals are standing up in solidarity and I proudly join them.

As of 9am Tuesday 1st September;

🔥 We have SHUT DOWN our practice today in SOLIDARITY of those most affected by the lockdowns.

17/08/2021

Hello my lovely 'patients' & friends,

I hope you and your families are going well, and keeping warm through this cooler week.

I’m just touching base with you to remind you that whilst restricted and reduced hours, I'm open and here for you during this extended lockdown.
If you have an appointment, I'll be contacting you personally to discuss your needs for care.
If you’re suffering physically and/or mentally and you feel like you’ll deteriorate without care, please contact me so we can set a time for you.

Otherwise, seeing's we have been given a bit of 'spare time', have you ever considered a No-Dig Garden bed?

For quite a while I've been interested in experimenting with a No-Dig Garden bed. So back in April I decided to try it out! I have to say, It's a wonderfully rewarding thing to do!

Some of the Pro's -
*Highly nutritious soil with great structure and water retention.
*Very little weeding. Saving time, not to mention your back!
*You have your very own produce to eat, right by your door (no need for taking off your ugg boots or entering in a QR code!) .
*Can intersow and interplant.
*The garden bed looks healthy & vibrant and this makes me feel good every time I look at it. Can't put a price on that inner smile. :)

Honestly, I can't recommend giving this No Dig garden a go, highly enough.
It does take a bit of effort to set up initially, but seriously, It's so rewarding for your eyes, nose and palate! :)
It's kinda like making lasagne!
If you want any help with this, I'm happy to let you know the bits I know.

Who knows, the way things are going, growing your own food may well be one of the best decisions you could make for yourself, your family & your friends. xx

I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

In health and wellness always!

Jo x

27/07/2021

To our wonderful 'patients' and friends,

I’m so excited to be sending this email to you.

As I’m sure you’re aware, Lockdown 5.0 ends at 11.59pm tonight. Hooray!!

That means you’ll be able to come in for your appointments as normal, with no restrictions.

If you haven't already a time booked, please feel free to call or text me to schedule your next check up.

For many, these past 12-18 months have been remarkably stressful. Stress, whether physical, chemical &/or emotional, is the leading cause of Vertebral Subluxations.

When you visit, you’ll still need to wear a mask, and scan the QR code as you enter the practice. And of course, our strict infection control measures are all still in place.

Looking forward to seeing you all again soon!

In health & wellness always,

Jo Hayes DC.
B.App.Sc(Clinical)/B.Chiro.Sc

17/07/2021

Hello again my lovely 'patients' & friends.

So here we are again... Take 5!
There's a lot I could say about this interesting time of our lives, but alas, as with 4 times previous, this lockdown will pass.

In the meantime, these are the directives I've received.

During this lockdown, we’re under heavy restrictions..

Regular chiropractic care is not allowed! We’re only able to see you if:
1. you’re in moderate to severe pain that’s significantly affecting your ability to function
2. without an appointment, your condition could significantly deteriorate.
These criteria apply to both physical and mental health.

Of you that have appointments booked for Tuesday 20th July, I'll be in touch Monday Prior.
(See the link at the bottom of the page for further details on Covid rules.)

Always remember, your best & ultimate defense, is Your Own Immune Systems.
It's well worth your while to learn as much as you can about it because in reality, its the only thing you have a bit of control over.
No matter where your health lies, start from where you are & build your immune strength. 💪.
Here is an article that explains a little of how the immune system works.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279364/

Apart from my weekly Chiropractic adjustments, to assist my Immune System, I am a little conscious of how I fuel my body. So today I made my made myself breakfast using mushrooms!
Briefly, mushrooms are a rich source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
The anti-inflammatory effect of mushrooms has been shown to greatly improve the efficiency of the immune system. Research has found that mushrooms help stimulate macrophages, and other immune cells, in the immune system, enhancing its ability to defeat foreign bodies such as Viruses!!
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1160565/

For those interested, here's the recipe for
Garlic Mushrooms. (Not FODMAP friendly)
Serves 4
(I modified quantities for 1.)

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (I use Naturli Vegan butter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 an onion chopped (optional)
1 pound (500 g) Cremini or button mushrooms
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD.
Heat the butter and oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onion until softened (about 3 minutes).
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges.
Stir through thyme, 1 tablespoon of parsley and garlic. Cook for a further 30 seconds, until fragrant.
I placed the garlic mushrooms over a bed of avocado with a side of wilted spinach.

Mushrooms go with many things. Add your favorite protein, be it steak, chicken or even Nepalese beans (a recipe for another time!) 😁

Take care of yourselves and your families. Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

In Health & Wellness always.

Jo. X

,

https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covidsafe-settings

04/06/2021

Just an update...

As you know, the lockdown in Victoria has been extended for another week. We’ll still be open, and can see people who fit the following criteria:

a) you’re in moderate to severe pain that’s significantly affecting your ability to function
b) without an appointment, your condition could significantly deteriorate

These criteria apply to both physical and mental health.

If you’re in pain and need our help, give us a call to discuss your situation.

Keep well.

Jo.

27/05/2021

To our wonderful 'patients' and friends,

Hope this email finds you and your families strong and well.
This is the advice I received regarding the Victorian Government’s decision to impose a 7-day circuit breaker restrictions for the state of Victoria.

The restrictions come into effect tonight from 11:59pm Thursday 27 May 2021 and will remain in place until 11:59pm Thursday 3 June 2021.

As part of the restrictions, only the following allied health services will be permitted:

Allied health services provided by allied health professionals working as authorised workers in hospitals or in residential care facilities providing critical clinical care or as directed by the hospital; or
Allied health workers professionals working in private or public community services, whether clinic-based or home-based, providing essential clinical care where telehealth services are not clinically appropriate; or
Allied health services provided by allied health professionals working in private practice providing care through telehealth and other virtual care options;
Students, medical/nursing/midwifery/allied health on placement providing authorised care in hospitals or in residential care facilities, or through telehealth.

So in summary, care by Chiropractors should only be provided if it is considered ‘essential’ for the next 7 days. Routine care is not permitted.

If you have an appointment booked within the next 7 days, I will call you to discuss your situation.
In the meantime, If you have any questions, feel free to call me.

Remember always, It is your Immune System that you have relative control over.
* Eat a well balanced diet - include plenty of whole foods & in season vegetables. Organic where you can (thoroughly wash conventional fruit & veg).
* Drink room temperature, filtered water - approx. 30ml/kg of body weight per day.
* Walk at least 30mins/day - within your 5km. (:)) Vary the pace every 'so many' steps. Why not add some resistance training to strengthen your muscles and bones. :) (bicep curls with a 400g can of 'coconut milk' for eg.:) )
* Meditate daily. I recommend the App Insight Timer. This has both a timer along with many different guided meditations.
* Take this opportunity to Rest and Recover. Aim for approx. 8 hours a night sleep. To improve the quality of your sleep, minimise drinking fluids &/or eating heavy meals after 8pm and avoid taking digital tech into your bedrooms. (Unless you happen to be doing sleep meditation through Insight Timer).
* Get outside into your gardens or nearby park and;
* Be kind to yourself and each other.
Remember, supplements - Zinc, Vit C and Vit D all help boost & strengthen your immune system.

Take care of yourselves.

Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

In health always,

Jo

08/08/2020

To all my wonderful 'patients' and friends.

The last 4 days or so have been full of emotion and much confusion amongst health care practitioners, as the government enforces further restrictions to care providers.

Please review all of the following information regarding the latest updates for chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care is permitted however, this care is conditional.

2 primary things need to be conveyed, which are;
1- You do not need a GP referral to see your Chiropractor &,
2 - Routine care is not permitted.

This is some of the information I recently received:

"Stage 4 restrictions are aligned to Victoria’s current State of Disaster and are understandably focused on saving and protecting the lives of all Victorians through restricting non-essential movement across the state.

For this reason, in areas where stage 4 restrictions apply, care must only be provided if the absence of, or delay of this care, would result in a significant change/deterioration in the patient/client’s functional independence necessitating escalation of care.

Examples provided by the DHHS of when it is appropriate for care to be provided to a patient include the following:

1. To avoid a requirement for specialist input/review

2. To avoid an increase in care needs and/or alternate accommodation

3. To avoid a hospital admission or emergency department presentation.

For this reason, care should only be provided if it is considered ‘essential’ for the next 6 weeks and where not receiving care is likely to lead to a significant deterioration in the health or wellbeing of the patient. In all other circumstances you must not see a patient for a face-to-face consultation. This is a legal requirement."

Whilst I understand many of you, like myself, receive regular chiropractic care to assist you in staying well, we all must do our best to work within the above parameters.

For all scheduled future appointments, I will be calling ahead of time to determine whether you satisfy the above criteria.

Always remember, I am close by - CALL ME if you feel you need to. You all have my number!

Love to you all and your beautiful families.

Keep well, Keep exercising, Keep eating good quality(organic) food, drink plenty of filtered water and Sleep well...x
& don't forget the immune booster ZINC to boost your T-Cells & walk amongst nature even if it's just your own backyard!

I'll be in touch soon.

Stay Strong.

Jo Hayes DC.

08/08/2020

Here's a great article for all Primary Care giver's.
https://psyche.co/ideas/slow-medicine-like-slow-food-puts-people-ahead-of-profit?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3b10b41850-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_06_02_48&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_411a82e59d-3b10b41850-71627

The physical and mental health of patients are deeply intertwined. GPs are best-placed to help, but they need more time

02/08/2020

We continue to stay open!

Whilst Stage 4 restrictions are rolling out, it's great to know that your chiropractic care remains uneffected. You may travel for essential health care.

Its vitally important that you stay focused on building and maintaining your Immune Systems!

More and more research is telling us, that it is our T cells (T-lymphocytes = white blood cells that mature in the thymus gland) are a big player in our immune response against Viruses.

Zinc is an essential mineral that plays an important part in many biological functions and one of which, is in the involvement in the production of T Cells.

Food Sources of Zinc.
A wide variety of foods contain zinc. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry also provide a high level of zinc. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.

Phytates—which are present in whole-grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods—bind zinc and inhibit its absorption. Thus, the bioavailability of zinc from grains and plant foods is lower than that from animal foods, although many grain- and plant-based foods are still good sources of zinc.

For further information please read the following sources;
1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/ #:~:text=Oysters%20contain%20more%20zinc%20per,products%20%5B2%2C11%5D.

2. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.

19/07/2020

There's that Elephant in the room again! 🤔🐘

HEALTH is an INSIDE-OUT job!

Boost your Immune System's, that's the KEY! ❤️

Whilst following all of the practical advice, let’s not overlook the importance of optimising our own immune system in order to help the body to best manage any form of viral or bacterial attack. 🍊🥕🥬
To learn more go to: Physicians Commitee of Responsible Medicine
⬇️
https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/coronavirus-boosting-immune-system-and-good-news-china

https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/foods-boost-immune-system

https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/incredible-vegan-immune-system

13/07/2020

Food for thought!
Morning Motivation I read this morning, thought I'd pass it on.
Keep well! 💚
____________________________________________

"If we get enough research proving chiropractic, acceptance will follow" .

Actually, there's plenty of chiropractic research. In fact, compared to many sacrosanct procedures used in medicine, chiropractic efficacy is well documented. The question is, what do want chiropractic research to prove?

"Proving" that chiropractic is an effective treatment for a particular health complaint means that you're accepting the premise that chiropractic is a treatment. A drug is a treatment. But an adjustment isn't. (Many chiropractors use it as such, but that's an "off label" use of chiropractic.)

And this isn't merely semantics. Adjusting the patient with the intent of allowing their body to function more normally and whose success or timing is impossible to predict is a far different assignment than whether a chemical concoction can speed up or slow down some bodily function.

The effect of restoring nerve communications between brain and body is fraught with uncertainties that can profoundly affect the outcome and for which screening is difficult or impossible. Among them:

Lifestyle choices – The amount and quality of sleep, hydration habits, diet, exercise frequency and duration and social support can be factors.

Limitations of matter – Whether longstanding disease states will reverse with a restoration of nerve supply is unpredictable.

Emotional health – Largely ignored by traditional medicine which relies on hijacking the bloodstream, if a patient is in a loveless marriage, saddled with burdensome debt or suffering some other emotional stress (which they may not even be aware they have), chiropractic care is likely to be palliative at best.

Dismissing chiropractic until we can produce better research is merely a grown up version of a professional snipe hunt.

Chiropractic research is deemed as not being robust enough or of high enough quality. Never mind that much pharmacuetical research is tainted by commercial interests and whose efficacy is often a statistical slight of hand. It's a double standard that chiropractic unlikely to overcome.

Far more impressive and a more appropriate measure for chiropractic are case studies. Deep in the patient files of millions, maybe billions of chiropractic patients over the last century, is the proof that something quite significant happens when you permit the body to function more normally by adding a precise energy at opportune times and places along the spine. Combine that with extraordinarily high patient satisfaction and common sense suggests that something's going on. Want "proof?" There's your proof.

But there is a far more serious deception in play here. And that's the notion that research will somehow produce social and professional acceptance.

It won't.

This is like wanting to be accepted by the cool kids in high school. The energy would be better spent by delighting patients, equipping them to explain chiropractic to others and basically relegating medicine to what it does best: heroic lifesaving.

Acceptance isn't the result of some rational formula. And more pounds of research won't manifest it any sooner. Chiropractic doesn't fit their model unless you reduce it to biomechanics and physical medicine.

Let's not.

Truth: Acceptance is overrated. Worse, it equates chiropractic care with medical treatment. They are different, with different intentions, different outcomes and different interventions. Instead of acceptance, equip more patients to appreciate the distinctions offered by chiropractic.

By William Esteb.

23/05/2020

On Thinking.

The Elephant in the Room that's not being addressed, as it should be, is how sick humanity really is!

Come on people, question just a little!
Here's a couple to kick things off;
"If I eat this, will it support my health or promote sickness"?
"If I buy this, where does the money ultimately go, what/who am I supporting?".
And here's a Great Health Tip for you and it won't cost you a thing!!
"Go out in nature! You were born of it, and it is very much a part of you!"
To quote Frank Lloyd Wright
"Stay close to nature, it will never fail you".

In health always.
Jo x

15/05/2020

Hi Everyone,

I trust you & your families are all well and are starting to feel a "loosening of the reigns".

What an interesting time we have all had to be involved in! I don't know about you, but I now know why I chose a career as a Chiropractor and not one of Teaching...I have always had the utmost respect for teachers, but this home schooling deal has taken my admiration up to a whole new level! Having said that, even though the challenges have been great, I have really enjoyed this opportunity of having my little people close and watching each of them manage, adapt and stay grounded, within their own set of challenges.

I do have one BIG GRIPE tho!! POSTURE! more specifically, BAD POSTURE!
My kids are killing me!

You can have the best ergonomic setup in the world, but if you don't consciously pay attention to how you hold yourself, you're burning unnecessary energy and stressing areas of your body that shouldn't be under load. Ultimately the results will be chronic pain and vulnerability to injury.

Take a look at your posture in the mirror. Maybe your chin sticks forward. Your shoulders roll in, while your thumbs rotate toward the centre of your body.
It's your shoulders that take the workload for your upper body, not you hands and arms.
After long periods of sitting, our natural instinct is to drop the shoulders forward, but you ought to do the opposite! Elevate your chest bone (sternum), and let your shoulder blades hang back and down - Think of dropping your shoulder blades into your back pockets. This will give you good posture.
For a few minutes each day, focus on shoulder position, strength and stability. Make a daily habit out of it.

Whilst I know you can only 'lead a horse to water', I live in hope that, instead of rolling their eyes, my little people are listening & developing value, as I endlessly say "sit up straight & be the height you're designed to be "!. :)

Take care of yourselves and your families.

My Hours atm are;
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 1.30pm
Rest assured, the practice is upholding the recommended Best Practice Policies regarding distancing, hygiene and sanitisation.

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

In Health & Wellness always!

Jo. x

13/04/2020

To protect yourself against Acute Respiratory Infections, Vitamin D, as showing in this research article, is essential!

Go get some Sun!! Even if it's in your front or back yard.

For The full article go to:
https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583?fbclid=IwAR1UDnekfZXI2XAquXprbIIhJJgRM-BiU2QfJFrABOHWVC3ivTEoCdbyA8M

Research

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data.

BMJ 2017; 356 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6583 (Published 15 February 2017)Cite this as: BMJ 2017;356:i6583

Adrian R Martineau, professor of respiratory infection and immunity1 2, David A Jolliffe, postdoctoral research fellow1, Richard L Hooper, reader in medical statistics1, Lauren Greenberg, medical statistician1, John F Aloia, professor of medicine3, Peter Bergman, associate professor4, Gal Dubnov-Raz, consultant paediatrician5, Susanna Esposito, professor of paediatrics6, Davaasambuu Ganmaa, assistant professor7, Adit A Ginde, professor of emergency medicine8, Emma C Goodall, assistant professor9, Cameron C Grant, associate professor10, Christopher J Griffiths, professor of primary care1 2 11, Wim Janssens, professor of pneumonology12, Ilkka Laaksi, chief administrative medical officer13, Semira Manaseki-Holland, senior clinical lecturer14, David Mauger, professor of public health sciences and statistics15, David R Murdoch, professor of pathology16, Rachel Neale, associate professor17, Judy R Rees, assistant professor18, Steve Simpson Jr, postdoctoral research fellow19, Iwona Stelmach, professor of paediatric allergy20, Geeta Trilok Kumar, associate professor21, Mitsuyoshi Urashima, professor of molecular epidemiology22, Carlos A Camargo Jr, professor of emergency medicine, medicine, and epidemiology23

Correspondence to: A R Martineau a.martineau@qmul.ac.uk
Accepted 1 December 2016

Abstract;
Objectives: To assess the overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on risk of acute respiratory tract infection, and to identify factors modifying this effect.
Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials.

Data sources: Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number registry from inception to December 2015.

Eligibility criteria for study selection: Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trials of supplementation with vitamin D3 or vitamin D2 of any duration were eligible for inclusion if they had been approved by a research ethics committee and if data on incidence of acute respiratory tract infection were collected prospectively and prespecified as an efficacy outcome.

Results: 25 eligible randomised controlled trials (total 11 321 participants, aged 0 to 95 years) were identified. IPD were obtained for 10 933 (96.6%) participants. Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection among all participants (adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.96; P for heterogeneity

12/04/2020

A PubMed study showing the benifits of spinal 'manipulation' and the enhancment of the cellular mechanisms dealing with pathogens (unwelcome bugs).

The effect of spinal manipulation on the respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes from treated adults was measured by zymosan-stimulated chemiluminescence (CL). Peripheral blood was collected 15 min before and 15 min after treatment (sham manipulation, thoracic spine ma...

16/03/2020

HI Everyone,

Just a quick note on COVID-19.

First and foremost, the most important thing to do here is to stay CALM! It is said that "the worst epidemic known to man is Panic!"

"While coronavirus is of concern, it is important to remember that most people displaying symptoms such as a
fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue, and/or difficulty breathing, are likely suffering with a cold or other respiratory illness – not coronavirus."

One of the best ways to protect yourself alongside this virus, is to boost your immune system's!

Take care of you Body, Brain and Wellness.
Eat Well - Load up on Nutritionally dense whole foods.
Get plenty of Rest
Drink plenty of Water
Keep Moving/exercising
Keep up with your Chiropractic Adjustments.

However, to help protect those around us who are vulnerable, please be respectful and sensible.
if you have recently returned home from an overseas trip -or have been around someone and/or are suffering from symptoms similar to that of flus and colds, please stay home and look after yourself and your families.

If you have any concerns please contact us to determine
if you need to reschedule appointment.

Here is the latest update by the Government Health Dept, on frequently asked questions regarding covid-19;
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions

This information sheet answers common questions about COVID-19 — including what it is, how it spreads, if you should get tested, who is most at risk and if you should attend public gatherings.

14/02/2020

Thinking of bringing weight training into your regime? Here's some research that shows positive outcomes in people at risk of Alzheimer's.

There was a clear difference in terms of brain structure & function.
Those people doing strength exercises had far better cognitive outcomes than otherwise.

"people hopefully have heard that exercise is good for the brain and the body but part of that exercise mix really should be strength training and lifting weights."

A study shows for the first time that strength training slows, and sometimes even halts, degeneration in the parts of the brain vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease.