Here are my 6 favourite daily stretches

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All of the stretches also include a strengthening component giving you a mini workout while you're stretching.

From top left to bottom right moving clockwise:

1. Pectorals stretch | Interlock your fingers behind your back. Pull your hands down towards the ground and squeeze your shoulder blades together. To squeeze your shoulder blades together, imagine that there is a pencil along your spine that you are trying to hold in place. Hold this for 5 slow seconds.

This is a great stretch for your pectorals. It also helps to lower your shoulders and strengthen the stabilizer muscles in your middle back.

2. Back bend | Interlock your fingers and bring your arms directly over your head. Look up to the ceiling and then to the wall behind you if possible. Plant your feet to the ground.  Let your arms follow so that you are arching backwards. You should feel a stretch at the front of your hips and feel yourself arching backwards. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, arch back a little bit more. Try to complete 5 deep breaths and come back up back to a standing position.

This is a great stretch because it helps to stretch your hip flexors, strengthen your core and decompress your spine.

3. Camel pose | Kneel on the floor, preferably on a mat. Let your shins lie flat on the mat while your upper legs are perpendicular to the mat. Start by placing your hands on the back of your hips and look backwards as you arch back. If you can see the wall behind you, take your hands and hold onto your heels. As you look back you should feel a stretch at the front on your hips and shoulders. Hold this for 5 slow breaths. Ensure that you come out of this posture as slowly as you went into it.  

This will help to decompress the spine, stretch the hip flexors and stretch the pectorals.

4. Calf stretch | While standing keep both legs straight. Move the leg that you are stretching directly in front of you. Place the heel on the ground and point the toes up to the ceiling [ankle dorsiflexion]. Slowly bend forward towards the ground ensuring to bend from the hips while keeping your back flat. You should feel a nice stretch in your calf muscle. Hold this for 10 breaths and come up slowly.

By holding up your foot instead of using a step you are activating the muscles at the front of your leg which allows for a deeper stretch of the calf.

5. Tree pose | Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bring your heel up to the front crease of the opposite hip. Lengthen your core and imagine that you have a string attached to your head that is pulling you back. Slowly try and push your bent knee backwards so that it is inline with the front of your hips. Hold this position for 10 slow seconds.

This pose is a great hip opener, helps with balance and stability and improving posture.

6. Quad stretch | Stand with your feet next to each other, use both hands to bring your heel back to your buttocks. Hold this stretch for 10 slow seconds.

This will help to stretch your quadricep muscles and stretch your pectorals.

Ranked: Bay Street's Most Painful Professions

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baystreetpainindex

Bay Street stands as the benchmark address for Canada's finance, banking and business backbone. But what toll do thousands of trades, transactions and deals have on C-Suite executives and the support staff working long hours to make them happen?

Toronto Chiropractor Dr. Liza Egbogah has been treating 'A' list C-Suite clients from her financial core practice for over six years. In that time she's determined that pain and profession go hand and hand, that there's a direct correlation between what you do and the type and severity of pain you are likely to experience. Armed with six years of patient data, Dr. Egbogah created the Bay Street Pain Index, the first ranking of type, location and severity of pain brought on by the high stress professions of Bay Street.

In the case of Administrative Staff such as Executive Assistants and Office Managers there is a very real physical correlation. They top the Bay Street Pain Index Score of (37).

The Bay Street Pain Index:

Profession (in order of most painful)        Key Areas of Pain             Bay Street Pain Index Score
(Out of a possible 50)

1) Admin. Staff                                             Shoulders, arms, headaches         37

(Office Managers, EAs etc.)

2) Hospitality Industry
(Restaurateurs, Hotel, Chefs)                       Feet, neck                                      33

3) Lawyers                                                    Neck, mid-back                              31

4) IT Professionals                                        Mid back, neck, shoulders             29

5) Analysts                                                    Neck, upper/lower back               28

6) Senior Executives
(CEOs, CMOs, CFOs)                                    Glutes, lower back                         26

7) Bankers                                                     Neck                                              20

(Execs, Traders, Investment)

So, why do Admin. Staff top the index? 

"Have you ever had a tough and demanding boss? Admin. Staff on Bay Street working at law firms, banks and brokerages probably have five," said Dr. Liza Egbogah Founder of the[fix], a boutique comprehensive chiropractic and massage clinic in downtown Toronto. "Anecdotally, patients have confided that there may be a few bad bosses on Bay Street that are literally making a painful workplace for their staff."

Key Findings of the Bay Street Pain Index:

A) Administrative work is the most painful profession on Bay Street!

Coming in at a pain index score of 37 (out of a possible 50,) Admin. Staff seem to be bearing the brunt of Bay Street pain. Hospitality industry workers (33) and Lawyers are (31) are distantly behind.

Admin Staff experience regular headaches and shoulder pain more than any other Bay Street Profession, this is likely due to demanding bosses.

B) Bankers experience the least physical pain on Bay Street

Surprisingly, bankers come out on top with the least amount of consistent, work related pain. With the lowest score by far of all seven professions (20) Bankers may be dancing all the way to the bank.

Though many pain points are ranked at 1 (legs, arms, headaches, etc.) Bankers experience significant pain in the neck and mid/lower back.

C) If you can't be a Banker, be a Senior Executive

Though they experience significant pain in the glutes and lower back, at (26), Senior Executives place as the second least painful profession on Bay Street. Senior Executives experience significantly less pain than Lawyers (31) and Hospitality Industry Workers (33).

"Its remarkable that we've seen hundreds of patients of different ages and levels of fitness, but they tend to have predicable and chronic pain based on their professions," added Dr. Egbogah. "The good news is that most Bay Street professionals from support staff to CEOs have extended medical care benefits so they can deal with these chronic pain issues as they appear."

Dr. Egbogah adds that many of these chronic issues can be directly combatted with simple stretches and exercises but assigning 'homework' meets with mixed results. "Many of our patients would benefit from these stretches but they never seem to find the time to add them to already busy schedules."

Cosmetic Myofascial Release: A Case Study

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from left to right: `1. before treatment 2. after second treatment 3. after third treatment

from left to right: `1. before treatment 2. after second treatment 3. after third treatment

 

This beautiful patient came in with a history of back pain that had altered her posture. These postural alterations resulted in changes to her physical appearance that she was not happy with. After 3 treatments combining the tummy tuck and anti-gravity proprietary protocols she looks 5-10 lbs slimmer, an inch taller and several years younger than when she first came in. Her back pain is also significantly reduced and for the first time in years  she has been able to sleep through the night.

Flatten your stomach | the tummy tuck

When your pelvis is tilted forward due to tight hip flexors, this can make your stomach stick out giving you the appearance of a protruding abdomen. Normalizing your pelvic tilt will cause your stomach to be flatter and look more toned. This treatment can also help to reduce bloating and appearance of abdominal fat rolls.

Look taller and younger | the anti-gravity

Firstly, when you slouch you appear significantly shorter and older than your actual height and age. By improving your posture with a tailored treatment protocol you can look taller and younger, achieving up to an extra 2 inches in height.

The University of Louisville conducted a research study, where 60 people were asked to rate the appearance of two women in a series of pictures - in some they were slumping, in others they were standing up straight. Study participants consistently rated the women who were standing up straight to be younger and more attractive.

So not only will you look better with Cosmetic Myofascial release but your body will also feel and function better.

 

Daytime YR: My 5 posture fixes for a flatter stomach

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1. Elongate your core by standing up as straight as possible. This will give you the appearance of a longer torso and a flatter stomach. This is also a great way to decompress your spine and engage your core. Imagine a string attached to your head pulling you up.

2. Suck in your stomach. Not only will this move instantly make your stomach look flatter,  but you will also be giving your abs a workout. Your deep core muscles are activated by sucking in your stomach and the longer you suck in, the more toned your core will be. Just remember not to hold your breath while you are sucking in your stomach.

3. Tilt your pelvis back. Tight hip flexor muscles caused by too much sitting can cause your stomach to stick out. This is because when these muscles are contracted they tilt your pelvis forward. In order to flatten your stomach, you want to to tilt your pelvis back. To practice this, lie on the floor and put your hand behind the small of your back. Tilt your pelvis back so that you are squishing your hand into the ground. Hold this for 5 seconds. This is a pelvic tilt. After you have done this lying on the ground, try doing it standing. This little exercise will help bring in your stomach and engage core and pelvic muscles.

4. Back bends. Bending backwards is a great way to stretch tight hip flexors that may be causing your stomach to protrude. Your core muscles really have to engage to prevent you from falling backwards while doing a back bend. This is a great exercise to do every time you get up from sitting. When you are first starting out place your hands behind your hips for added support. As you feel more comfortable with this exercise you can bring your arms overhead while you bend backwards.

5. Side bends. In yoga, this is considered one of the best waist trimming postures. It stretches and tones your abdominal muscles, while at the same time giving your some serious flattening. This great exercise can be done throughout the day.

In addition to the 5 posture fixes, I would recommend regular cardiovascular exercise to help burn belly fat and to decrease bloating. And of course you want to watch what you eat ;)

The video segment should be up in a couple of weeks so you can see how these moves are done!

Chiropractic at the Oscars, Hollywood's Best Kept Beauty Secret

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TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - February 09, 2016) -  Many people go to a Chiropractor for back pain and to treat various injuries but Hollywood has a secret: chiropractic treatment can also help you look better. By improving your posture with a series of adjustments, muscle releases and exercises you can appear taller, more attractive and have a flatter stomach. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio and Gisele Bundchen see a Chiropractor regularly to feel and look their best.

"I leave my chiropractor's office feeling fresh and rejuvenated and back in line the way I should be," said Katherine Kelly Lang, The Bold and the Beautiful.

As a doctor specializing in cosmetic chiropractic, Dr. Liza Egbogah has been treating an enviable roster of celebrities from her downtown Toronto clinic for almost 8 years. Following the success of her mini treatments at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, Dr. Egbogah will be providing her signature express red carpet treatment for celebrities and media attending this years Oscars. Dr. Liza will be stationed in a beautiful gifting suite at The London West Hollywood offering the 'Neck + Shoulder fix' which consists of muscle work to release tight neck and shoulder muscles followed by some manual stretching. This treatment will leave Hollywood feeling and looking better by increasing the circulation to the face and lowering shoulders giving a longer, leaner, more youthful appearance. 

So this year when you see your favorite celebrity glowing on the red carpet you will have to wonder if they got their chiropractic fix.

Dr. Liza Egbogah is one of North America's leading Chiropractic doctors and clinic director of the|fix|, downtown Toronto's boutique comprehensive chiropractic and massage clinic. She is a sought after health and wellness expert and has provided expert opinions for numerous television programs, newspapers, magazines, radio shows, the Ontario government, workplaces, athletes andproductions.

 

My top 6 foods for workout recovery

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In case you missed todays show, I recommended some great workout recovery foods. Here they are:

Apples | The skin is high in quercetin which is a flavonoid with potent antioxidant action. This means that by eating an apple your body will be able to recover from the stress of your workout quicker.

Pineapple | High in bromelain, this enzyme has be shown to be anti-inflammatory and can even reduce the pain from osteoarthris.

Sardines | They can be quite tasty when cooked right and this little fish provides one of the highest sources of Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids can help you avoid or reduce chronic inflammation.

Sweet potatoes | Potatoes get a bad rap but sweet potatoes are high in a power house anti-oxidant called carotenoids. These reduce cell damage that can be caused by your workouts thereby aiding in recovery.

Ginger  | This is the superstar of anti-inflammatory foods. It contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. Some studies have shown ginger to be as potent as NSAIDS [Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs] minus all the side effects.

Walnuts | This nut stands out for its high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, it has the highest Omega-3s out of all nuts. Studies have shown that walnuts reduce stress to your body during intense workouts therefore speeding up muscle recovery.

Don't let an injury get in the way of your 2016 fitness goals

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With the start of the New Year, a common resolution is to get active. If you want your fitness regime to continue through the year, you need to stay injury free. Here are some steps you can take to decrease your risk of injury.

 

1.     Warm up before starting your workout. This can be done with some light cardio and/or dynamic stretching.  Examples: walking on the treadmill, jumping jacks, slow jog, arm and hip swings.

 

2.     Stretch after your workout.  Leave a good 10-15 minutes after your workout to stretch all the muscles that you have worked out. This will help speed up recovery, prepare you for your next workout, prevent injury and best of all it just feels good.

 

3.     Eat foods that help promote recovery and that are anti-inflammatory. Watermelon has been shown to lower muscle soreness while ginger and pineapple have significant anti-inflammatory properties.

 

4.     See a Chiropractor for a comprehensive assessment prior to starting your workout regime. By looking at your gait, assessing your movement patterns and evaluating your posture, a chiropractic doctor can make appropriate recommendations for you to prevent injuries. For example, many knee injuries can be avoided by wearing custom fit orthotics. If you sit at a desk all day, you may want to avoid heavy chest work to avoid shoulder injuries.

 

 

Tips to eliminate the stress this holiday season

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As the holiday season quickly approaches and with all the parties, year-end deadlines and family time this period can be very stressful for many people. This stress has a negative impact on your mind and body potentially leading to headaches, neck, shoulder and back pain.

So what can you to relieve tension and decrease stress during the busy holiday season? 

1. Stop and breathe- you may not even realize that you are not breathing enough during the day. Not breathing enough has been associated with anxiety and depression and overall joint pain.

2. Exercise - your mind and body will thank you. Any form of cardiovascular exercise will get the blood pumping and endorphins up so not only will you feel better but you will be better equipped to cope with holiday stress. As an added bonus you can help burn off those calories from all the holiday treats. 

3. Stretch- stretching your chest, neck, shoulder and leg muscles throughout the day will have your muscles feeling better and can help prevent headaches, neck and back pain.

4. Treat yourself - take an hour out of the busy holiday season to get a massage or see a chiropractor. This is an extremely effective way to reduce stress. Plus you can buy gift certificates for everyone on your shopping list taking away the stress of present shopping.

Body Friendly Fashion Tips

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Fashion can be painful but it doesn’t have to be. Picking clothes and accessories that not only look good but feel good can help prevent injury and painful conditions. Here are some of the common fashion pain culprits and tips to wear these pieces safely.

TINY TOPS AND JACKETS

If tops and jackets are too small you can injure yourself putting them on and taking them off. While you are wearing these tops that don’t fit you can also limit how much you can move your shoulders possibly leading to injury. 

Tips: Wear clothes that feel comfortable and that you can move in. Stretch your pectoral muscles throughout the day by clasping your hands behind your back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold this stretch for at least 10 seconds. If you can’t do this stretch in what you’re wearing then you need to put on a different top.

HIGH HEELS

Wearing high heels is a common source of foot, ankle, knee, hip and back pain for many women. Don’t fret, not all high heels are created equally and you can still gain some height while sparing your body.  

Tips: Rocker soles, wedges and platforms can give you some added height while minimizing discomfort. Wearing custom orthotics in your heels under 3 inches high can help provide some needed shock absorption and support.  When you go shoe shopping don’t be afraid to jump, run and squat in your heels before you buy them. If you are able to do these movements in the heels then there is a good chance your body approves.

WAIST CINCHERS 

Who doesn’t love outfits that make your waist look tiny? Some corsets, wide belts, blazers and high-waisted bottoms can cinch your waist dramatically. Unfortunately the pressure that some of these garments place on the abdominal area can slow digestion, decrease your ability to breath deeply, limit blood circulation and promote back pain.  

 Tips: Clothing with lycra/elastin is a good idea to minimize the impact on your body.  Wearing clothes and accessories that are stretchy means that you can still get the desired look while giving your body room to move.  Corsets don’t stretch and should generally be avoided. If you have to wear them limit the time spent in the corsets.

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Dr. Liza Egbogah is a Chiropractic doctor and clinic director of the|fix|, downtown Toronto’s boutique comprehensive chiropractic and massage clinic. She is a sought after health and wellness expert and has provided expert opinions for numerous television programs, newspapers, magazines, radio shows, the Ontario government, workplaces, athletes and productions.