Foods that boost your immunity

Staying healthy is not an option but a choice. As coronavirus has created an unhealthy environment in the world, many people have started to think whether there are ways to stay healthy. Daily hygiene such as washing hands, avoiding contact with sick individuals, covering faces with masks can help reduce the risk of such viruses.

However, a healthful boost can improve your immune system than can fight against such infectious diseases. A right intake of a nutritional diet and exercising healthy lifestyle can influence immune strength.

Here is what you should know-

Diet

A strong immune system relies on WBCs that produce antibodies to fight bacteria, viruses and other harmful invaders like COVID-19. Boost your immune system by introducing low-fat, plant-based foods into your diet.People who follow a vegetarian diet have shown higher production of white blood cells as compared to nonvegetarians. The reason being their diet includes a high intake of vitamin-rich foods and low intake of fats.

Maintaining a healthy body weight can also benefit the immune system. Obesity on the other hand affects the body immunity and slows down the process of fighting infections. That’s why dieticians and doctors recommend plant-based diets that are effective for weight loss. Their fibre-rich content helps fill you up faster without adding extra calories. Fiber-rich foods are known to lower BMI, which is linked to an improved immune system.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants

Studies have shown that vegetables, fruits and other plant-based foods are rich in antioxidants that provide rich nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E that boost immunity and help reduce stress.

Beta-Carotene: A powerful antioxidant that reduces body inflammation and boosts immunity by increasing WBCs in the body. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables are high in beta-carotene.

Vitamins C and E: Tehy help destroy free radicals and boost the body’s natural immune response. Red peppers, broccoli, oranges, strawberries, mangoes, lemons,are rich in Vitamin C, while nuts, spinach and seeds are rich in Vitamin E.

Vitamin D: Including Vitamin D rich diet reduces the risk of viral infections, including respiratory tract infections. It also helps in reducing the risks of chronic diseases like tuberculosis, hepatitis, and cardiovascular disease. Fortified cereals and plant-based milks and supplements are rich sources of Vitamin D.

Zinc: A mineral that boosts WBCs in our body and defends against viruses. Nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, beans, and lentils are high source of Zinc.

Sleep

Sleep is one of the best immunity boosters. Lack of proper sleep can result in suppressed immune function and can lead to serious health problems—like heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and obesity.

Try adding fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans to your diet. By including fiber-rich and low-fat foods to your diet can help you with restorative sleep.

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Joints help us move, connect our bones and support most of our body weight. Though our joints can cope with any kind of stress, over time they suffer from wear and tear, which result in joint pains.

Joint pain in knees and hips can be caused by wounds, disease, sprains, tendonitis, arthritis of osteoporosis. There are a number of ways that can help in reducing the pain and prevent it to reoccur. Learn about the ten important techniques of alleviating and preventing joint pains.

Cryotherapy (Cold Compression)

Cold compress is good to reduce any kind of tissue swelling on the joints. A 15-minute ice pack application on the affected area at regular intervals daily helps reduce the pain over time. By performing this at least for 7 – 10 days can relieve from joint pain. Do not place the ice directly on the skin, instead apply it by wrapping it in a towel.

Hydrotherapy (Warm Water Therapy)

Warm water helps in releasing pressure on joints and muscles. It is advised to immerse the affected area in the warm water and keep massaging the area to stimulate blood flow. This therapy helps in alleviating joint pain.

Massage

Massage therapy helps in relieving joint pain faster. It is advised to get it done professionally, but in cases where you cannot visit or emergency scenarios you can always do it at home. Massage the affected area with a topical menthol rub or over the counter pain relief gels to help ease the pain.

Medicine

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will aid in relieving joint pains and stiffness. You can always avoid them but in severe cases, these muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs can help in reducing pain.

Exercise

When choosing an exercise regime, choose one that allows you to move within the limits of your pain and does not worsen the pain further. Start with minor exercises and stretching first. Slowly and gradually as you experience less pain in your joints, increase the intensity of your regime. Exercise helps increase muscle strength and flexibility of joints.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a therapeutic technique that can help relieve pain in the joints. It is advised to see a registered physiotherapist only. They are practitioners and know how to cure you from pain and prevent the chances of it to reoccur.

Alternative medical practices

These practices are acupuncture, yoga therapy or chiropractic therapy which not only enhance joint movement, but also help alleviate pain and prevent it.

Immobilize the affected area

In case of severe joint pain attempt to immobilize the affected area with a help of a brace. This is not advised in all cases, but only if the pain is prolonged and unbearable.

Take rest

Rest and relaxation help in alleviating joint pain. It restores energy and allows your body to naturally repair itself. It is advised, resting in between exercises allows your body to cope with joint stress, and which can prevent the potential joint pain.

If you are suffering from joint pain, it is absolutely vital that you schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist. Prime Physio Plus has a team of registered physical therapists in Ottawa. They’ve the expertise to assess the pain areas in your body and formulate a customised treatment plan to help alleviate your joint pain.

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Keeping yourself fit and healthy is a good way to lead an active lifestyle. Physical activity helps in reducing joint pain and increases movement. Our joints are covered with a soft tissue called the synovial membrane, which produces a fluid that lubricates our bones, allowing us to move effortlessly.

Benefits of doing exercises that boost the longevity of your joints

Increased blood flow

Exercise increases blood circulation in the body including our joints. As a result, the synovial membrane is exposed to a steady supply of nourishing oxygen and nutrients.

Nourishment to the joints

When lifting weights while exercising the joints bear all the pressure and forces to release water molecules out of the cartilage which supplies oxygen and nutrients that provides necessary nourishment to the joints.

Joint wear and tear process is activated

Research shows that joint movement activates the genes associated with the wear and tear of the cartilage. Overdoing exercise can rupture the cartilage. Sufficient exercise is enough to keep your joints healthy.

Cellular waste is removed

Exercise removes damaged cells from the joints and helps in healthy cell generation. Regular fitness keeps the joints active and reduces the chances of joint related pains like arthritis.

Building of muscle mass

Exercise strengthens the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding the joints. When these tissues are strong, they act like a brace to protect the joint and lessen the pressure on weak joints.

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Consistent sleep patterns are good for your heart. On the contrary, an irregular sleep routine can be unhealthy for your heart. Irregular sleep patterns are bad for your health. If you fall asleep early one night and go to bed at 3:00 a.m. the next night, only to fall asleep again the night after, you’re putting yourself at a higher risk of heart attack and heart disease.

According to a research study conducted by Harvard University last year proved that people who had irregular sleeping routines were at a higher risk of heart related diseases. The study conducted on more than 2,000 adults for 6 years focused on their regular sleep time. According to the researchers, the regular sleep time is falling asleep within the same 30-minute window on average every day. For example, if you fell asleep at 11:00 p.m. one night and 11:27 p.m. the next night, you were still within the limits of your regular sleep routine. But even a slightest delay from your regular sleep schedule can be a threat to your health. The participants who had a 90- minute gap between their regular sleep routine over the course of a week, doubled their risk of cardiovascular disease within the next five years.

Inconsistent sleep durations are harmful for your heart. For every one-hour change in how long you sleep every night, there’s a 27% higher chance of developing metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions that increase your risk of heart disease.

Shift workers, smokers and people who suffer from depression tend to have an irregular sleep routine. Inconsistent bedtimes also increases the risk of the following health issues:

Obesity
High blood pressure, or hypertension
Diabetes
Stroke

Keeping a consistent sleep routine can be beneficial for your health, mind and heart.

How to improve your sleep schedule

Ensure that you go to bed around the same time each night. With that in mind, here are a few simple ways to follow a disciplined sleep routine.

Know ycour chronotype: To put it simply, it’s your biological clock that defines your daily routine. But it is not necessary that every person has the same biological clock that runs at the same pace. You have your own chronotype, which helps you determine the best time to do your daily activities, including when to eat, rest, exercise and when you go to bed.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol: There is no surprise that caffeine taken a few hours before sleep can ruin your sleep routine. Avoiding these stimulants is advisable during night. Alcohol on the other hand aids in sleeping, but it’s actually not helpful and instead interferes with regular circadian rhythm.

Watch the temperature: Setting your room temperatures cooler at night is the best way to go to sleep at night. By lowering the body temperature before going to bed, you can reach REM sleep faster, which helps your body to recover faster during the night. Comfortable clothing also plays a crucial role for you to fall asleep quickly.

Relax: Before bed, limit your phone usage, which impacts your sleep. Instead take a warm shower before going to bed. A warm bath helps cool down the body faster by improving blood circulation. Reading a book, rather than watching a series, is always better to aid you in falling asleep.

During this COVID-19 outbreak, do whatever you can to stick to a consistent sleep schedule. This will reduce the odds of contracting major health issues, like heart disease or diabetes, while you practice social distancing. Stay safe and stay healthy.

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6 ways to stay physically fit during self-quarantine

During COVID-19 pandemic, people are working from home and engaging in online learning and may not follow their normal exercise regime. To practice social distancing gyms, yoga and CrossFit studios are closed at the moment.Staying home is not one of the fun things to do, but staying safe is the need of the hour. But if you are not doing a lot of physical activity, you may tend to put on weight. In order to keep your weight in healthy range, you need to indulge in physical activities for at least 150-300 minutes per week.

But if you can promise to follow a conscious schedule, it is possible to be in shape by performing daily physical activities at home during self-quarantine.

While working at home, pace while on phone calls and use a standing desk to reply to your emails or performing any other work on your laptop.
Keep a pair of hand weights of home and just perform simple toning exercises while you are talking on the phone or reading an email.
Take movement breaks every 45 minutes throughout the day. These breaks should be utilized for doing stretches or something more rigorous like a set of push-ups or sit ups for at least 10 minutes. Taking a short walk in your backyard can be beneficial too. Taking these little breaks improves your daily productivity. Lastly, end your day by taking a small stroll around the neighbourhood by following the social distancing norms and wearing a mask when you go out.
If you are helping your kid with their lessons at home, remember to give them short recesses in regular intervals throughout the day and take the opportunity to take your break too. Indulge with your kid by putting on some music and dancing, go outside and play catch. These activity breaks will help your kid release their pent-up energies, stay physically healthy and be more focused on their academic work.
If you have a pet, spend some time and go outside with them and take a walk or throw a ball in the backyard. Most of the daily house chores are a part of your physical activity like vacuuming your home, dusting and backyard cleaning work. Making more disciplined and following a routine could be helpful. Try doing lunges when vacuuming or sweeping, wash your car by hand, use a push lawn mower rather than a power mover when cleaning your lawn.
During this lockdown, many online apps are offering free workouts. Amazon Prime has shared various exercises like cardiovascular workouts, strength training, and yoga. If you have weights at home, you can follow an online routine while watching tv or a movie. Or you can find substitutes of these weights like bottles of water, canned food and hardback books. Additionally, you can do body weight exercises such as push-ups, planks, squats, and lunges.

Setting daily physical activity goals can keep you active during this lockdown. It may be frustrating that you can’t do your normal exercise routine at the gym or yoga class, but you can perform new activities at home such as dancing, participating in online cardio classes or yoga. You may just find something that you really enjoy and want to incorporate into your routine even after our days of social distancing are over.

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COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus. The symptoms can range from common cold to more severe problems. It was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan City in China. The normal symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath (in severe cases). The virus can spread from person to person, but maintaining good hygiene can prevent the spread.

How it spreads

The virus can easily spread from person to person through

close contact with an infectious person (including in the 48 hours before they had symptoms)
an infected person’s cough or sneeze
touching objects or surfaces that have droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face

There is no existing immunity for the novel coronavirus. This means that it can spread widely and quickly.

Symptoms

Symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia. While some people may recover faster, others may fall severely ill. People with coronavirus may experience symptoms such as:

fever
respiratory symptoms
coughing
sore throat
shortness of breath

Other symptoms may include runny nose, headache, muscle or joint pains, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of sense of smell, altered sense of taste, loss of appetite and fatigue.

To stop the spread of COVID-19 people with even mild symptoms of respiratory infection are encouraged to get tested.

Who is most at risk

The people who are at higher risk are:

travellers who have recently travelled overseas
those who have been in close contact with an infected person
people in correctional and detention facilities

People who are, or are more likely to be, at higher risk of serious illness are:

people 65 years and older with chronic medical conditions
elderly 70 years and older
people with weak immune systems

At this stage children and babies are equally at higher risk of contracting the disease, but there has so far been no confirmed COVID-19 cases among children. Also, there is limited evidence at this time regarding the risk in pregnant women.

Get yourself tested

If you are sick and think that you have COVID-19 symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.

Tell the doctor about your symptoms, any travel history or any recent contact with someone who’s COVID-19 positive.

You will have to take precautions when you take your treatment. Follow doctor’s instructions carefully. Wear a mask at all times to protect others. Stay away from other people and cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow.

Testing is even more important if you any of the following apply to you:

you have returned from overseas in the past 14 days
you have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient in the past 14 days
you are a health care, aged care or residential care professional with direct patient contact
you have lived in or travelled through a red zone area where there is a higher number of COVID-19 cases.

If your tests indicate serious symptoms, you’ll have to be treated in isolation to prevent the virus spread. If your doctor says you are well enough to go home, it is advised to isolate yourself at home and protect yourself and others

Treating COVID-19

There is no particular treatment for novel coronavirus and no antibiotics work on this kind of virus. But the symptoms are curable by isolation

Some reports suggest certain drugs like hydroxychloroquine can be used to cure COVID-19.

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When gyms are shut and everyone is exercising social distancing, it’s time to setup a DIY gym at home.

People who are hardcore workout fanatics are turning to iving room workouts. You too can make use of online workout apps and start your exercise, muscle strength and yoga sessions while you’re self isolating at home. Are you lacking gym equipment? Stop struggling and let’s help you find ways to workout by effectively substituting the gym equipment.

Stairs

Stairs can be your best cardio session. Start with running up and down the stairs for a minute. How about using them for knee lifts, raised lunges or doing push-ups.

Chairs

Chairs can be used for so many exercises. Tricep dips, raised push-ups, reverse lunges, jumping jacks, step-ups (ask someone to hold the chair for you), leg raises and single-leg squats. Isn’t that cool? Let’s push ourselves to make the most of this lockdown.

Food

How about replacing your dumbbells with packaged bottled water and baked bean tins. Do you know a large bag of potatoes can be perfect for doing front squats.

Books

One heavy book or a pile of two to three books together can be used for squat-press exercises. Use them for abdominal crunches too.

Bed sheets

Tie two ends of the bedsheet to your door handle to create a TRX based workout.

All you need is your creative imagination! Who needs a gym when you have access to furniture? Workout should not stop, make your living room your home workout place.

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Every athlete fears the common “pop” associated with ACL injury. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most important ligaments supporting your knee. ACL injury is commonly observed in sports that include sudden jumping, change in direction, or landing, such as basketball, football, and soccer.

According to the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM), a quarter of a million ACL injuries occur every year in Canada. The good news is, with adequate prevention methods, this injury can be mitigated.

Let’s have a look at ACL injury some ways to prevent it.

What is ACL injury?

Your knee is supported by four rope like structures, also known as ligaments. These ligaments provide stability and strength to the knee joint. ACL is responsible for rotation of the knee and forward movement of the shin bone.

Injury of this ligament is often associated with buckling of knee, a distinct pop, swelling and pain, and inability to stand on the affected leg.

The Best Ways to Prevent ACL Injuries

Although ACL tear can happen anytime and to anyone, certain precautions will help to prevent it. Some techniques to prevent ACL injuries include:

Nourish Your Ligament

Adequate hydration and nutrition will keep your ligaments strong and healthy. Include colourful vegetables and fruits in your diet, as well as nuts, lean protein, and legumes. This will help to provide adequate calcium and proteins required to sustain any form of injury.

Strengthening Exercises

Hamstrings, a group of muscles in the upper part of your leg, play an important role in ACL injuries. Strengthening exercises, such as stability ball hamstring curls, squats and lunges, and deadlifts are some great options to make your hamstrings sturdy.

Lower the Impact

Individuals with a history of knee injury or older adults are at an increased risk of ACL tear. Training exercises, such as pool training, helps to lower the impact of movement on your knee.

Practice Safe Landing Techniques

Improper landing technique is the commonest cause of ACL tear. A good landing technique involves:

Bending the knees
Landing on both feet
Keeping knees at shoulder distance when you land

Focus on Improving Balance

ACL injuries are often associated with a sudden change of direction or faulty landing techniques. Improving balance can prevent abnormal pivots and twists responsible for ACL tear. Improved balance can also improve your reaction time and resilience.

Wear Proper Footwear

Ill-fitting footwear can alter your balance and increase the risk of twists and movements that can cause ACL tear. Wear a proper fitting pair of shoes to prevent any risk of injury.

Consult a Physiotherapist

A physiotherapist will help you to understand any musculoskeletal vulnerabilities. You may be recommended some exercises to improve the strength of those weak parts. They can also help you understand if the range of movement of your joint is normal or any underlying disorder is hampering it. In case the joints are not moving properly, you may be advised therapies and exercise to improve them, which will help to prevent injuries.

Of note, consult a doctor immediately in case of an ACL tear. Anterior cruciate ligament injury treatment includes surgery and physiotherapy.

Know more about ACL injury treatment options in Ottawa.

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Enjoy getting curled in your bed with a heating pad to get relief from this long-standing ordeal of pain? If yes, physiotherapy can come at your rescue.

While pain is a healthy response of your body to any injury, chronic pain may interfere with your daily activities. It can also affect your sleep pattern and work. Incidence of chronic pain, such as back pain and pain associated with arthritis, is commoner than what you may expect. It affects almost 18.9% individuals in Canada.

Physiotherapy may come handy while managing chronic pain. It improves the stability of the joints and flexibility of the muscles. Exercise may seem like sheer torture, but it is one of the best and permanent solutions for chronic pain that is associated with musculoskeletal problems. Let’s understand the role of physiotherapy in chronic pain.

What is Chronic Pain?

Any pain that lasts longer than 3 months is considered as chronic pain. In a majority of the cases, pain is not aggravated due to the progression of the underlying condition. Instead, it is due to succumbing yourself to the vicious cycle. Anyone facing pain tends to avoid anything that triggers pain and prefers to rest. Unfortunately, rest leads to weakness and stiffness, further worsening the condition.

Inability to carry out daily activities also results in a lowered self-esteem. Disturbed sleep and medications may further contribute to low mood.

Role of Physiotherapy in Chronic Pain

Your physiotherapist will work with you to understand your pain, what causes it, and how to manage it. Based on your problem, you will be advised techniques to take control of your pain, such as coping strategies, pain education, pacing activities, relaxation and sleep hygiene. It involves retraining your brain and mind. Benefits of physiotherapy involve:

Enhanced flexibility
Increased strength
Better mood
Improved endurance
Stronger cardiovascular system.

Some of the therapies for relieving chronic pain are:

Strengthening exercises: Here your therapist will use your body weight or resistance bands to strengthen your muscles. Some examples of exercises include squats, lunges, and push-ups. You may be recommended exercises to strengthen your core muscles, such as gluts, belly, and back, as well as other muscles of the body.
Low-impact exercises: These exercises will help to speed up your heart rate while being easy on your joints. Depending on your condition, the physiotherapist will suggest low-impact exercises, such as walking fast or using a stationary bike. These exercises are usually to done before strengthening exercises.
Pain-relieving exercises: The therapist will target affected areas to make them more flexible, which reduces pain and improves movement.
Stretching exercises: You will be trained to stretch your muscles without overexerting them.
Ultrasound and TENS: Ultrasound transmits sound waves to the affected area. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, on the other hand, sends out a low-voltage electric current to the skin overlying the painful area. Both therapies work by blocking pain messages from reaching your brain.
Massage: It helps to improve the blood circulation and thus boosts the functioning of muscles and tissues. Of note, massage should be avoided in the affected area, and thus it’s a good idea to get it done from a therapist.

Know more about balance exercises for elderly

Heat and ice applications are also useful for chronic pain. The heat warms up your muscles and improves their movement, while ice lowers inflammation. Micro-current stimulation, cold laser therapy, and manipulation of bones and joints are also useful.

So, physiotherapy not only helps you to manage a physical complaint of pain, but also helps the body to heal itself.

Find physical therapy clinic in Ottawa.

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You are experiencing some problems with your balance or equilibrium. Do not be afraid of your dizziness. With the help of expert vestibular therapy advice, only you can build up the tolerance in your brain to overcome your dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises help with muscle strength and flexibility, reduced joint stiffness, and increased stamina.

What are the signs that you need vestibular Therapy?

Some of the clear indications for vestibular rehabilitation referrals:

Clients suffering from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
One-sided loss, such as for vestibular neuritis or acoustic neuroma
Dual-sided loss, such as for gentamicin toxicity and related conditions
General situations where the diagnosis is unclear
Post-traumatic vertigo
Multifactorial disequilibrium of the elderly

What are the vestibular rehabilitation exercises?

Vestibular exercises aim to improve the brain’s compensation mechanism for injuries or peculiarities. It results in the normal neural signal flow throughout the body.

Following are the exercise techniques:

Cawthorne-Cooksey Exercises for dizziness

The vestibular rehabilitation therapy includes the following exercises:

Eye and head movement in bed or sitting position

Moving the Eye movements—Up and down, From side to side, finger focusing technique
Head movements—Flexing forwards and backward, moving from side to side
Shrug and circle shoulders
Move forward and pick up objects from the ground
Move side to side and pick up objects from the ground

Eye, head and shoulder movement in the standing position

Changing from a sitting to a standing position with eyes open, then closed
Throwing an object from hand to hand above eye level
Tossing an object from hand to hand under the knee
Changing from a sitting to a standing position, turning around in between

Walking exercises

Walking up and down a slope
Walking up and down steps
Throwing and catch an object
Any game that involves kneeling, stretching and aiming (for example, bowling)

Gaze stabilization rehabilitation therapy

The vestibular rehabilitation therapy improves vision and the capacity to focus on a stationary object while the head is on the move.

Our vestibular physiotherapist will assess your case and say which exercises are suitable for you.

Below are the steps for gaze stabilization vestibular rehabilitation exercises:

Glazing straight ahead and focusing on an English alphabet held at eye level
Practicing focus on the target letter and building up the movement speed while turning your head horizontally.
Doing the exercise for a considerable length of time that brings on mild to moderate symptoms. Building up gradually to repeat three to five times a day.
Progressions with the therapy include placing the target letter on a busy background.

Repositioning procedures (RPs) for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

Repositioning procedures involve a sequence of specific head and upper body movements that may be able to move the crystals, which is the cause of dizziness back to their correct place in the ear.

Brandt-Daroff exercises for vertigo

Some cases of BPPV do not respond well to RPs and are better handled by Brandt-Daroff exercise therapy or vestibular compensation.

The vestibular exercise therapy involves exposure to movements that provoke dizziness symptoms, and teaches your brain not to listen to the signals it is receiving from the ears as much.

Below are the common positions but may include variations for Brandt-Daroff exercises:

Sitting on the edge of the bed and turning the head 45 degrees to one side.
Quickly lying down on your opposite side (to the left if you turned your head to the right, and vice versa) so that the back of your head behind your ear touches the bed.
Holding on to this position for about 30 seconds or until the dizziness symptoms stop.
Returning to the sitting position.

Conclusion

Many times, vestibular rehabilitation therapy is likely to be the only treatment required. Other times, it is a part of other therapies such as presurgery/postsurgery treatment plan. Let’s get in touch to understand more about your specific requirements.

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Foods that boost your immunity

9 Ways to Relieve and Prevent Joint Pain

How exercises can keep your joints healthy

Importance of a consistent sleep schedule