Westlake Chiropractic & Sports Injury Centre

22/06/2013

Check this out, life-saving advice. Anyone could could do this easily.

Sarver Heart Center's newest video makes it easy to learn Continuous Chest Compression CPR. Every three days, more Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest than…

19/04/2013

I absolutely love sharing my knowledge and skills to help athletes and dancers. This week, I delivered 3 seminars to the extremely talented dancers of CAPA.

19/04/2013

03/04/2013

Join us for a hike!

Saturday - April 6 @ 9 AM
Meet us at The Hub restaurant in Scarborough (behind Jawitz real-estate on Main Rd).

It going to be a beautiful hike, a pretty easy walk, about 3 hours starting from the lovely village of Scarborough to Klein Plass Dam.
From the dam we will get a lovely view all the way across to Devil's Peak and Table Mountain in the distance.

If you wish to have brunch/lunch after the hike, try The Hub they serve delicious food. They usually close at 1:30 PM but they could stay open longer if you call Kyall, Natasha & The Hub team: 082 678 7771

Additional parking space at SAFARINOW HQ building in Scarborough. On Main Road & Watsonia Lane

You can RSVP or just show up: flovanleuven@gmail.com or 082 398 6131
Hope to see you Saturday,
Dr. Bruce Harris & Florence

03/04/2013

3 Ways to Alkalize Your Body Today:

Acidity has been linked to pain, excess weight and many other health issues. Fortunately, making your body more alkaline (the opposite of acidic) is easy.
Here are 3 ways to alkalize your body for more energy and vitality:

1. Start your day with a large glass of water with the juice of a whole, freshly-squeezed lemon. While lemons may seem acidic, they have the opposite effect on your body as it metabolizes them.

2. Eat a large green salad tossed in lemon juice and olive oil. Greens are among the best sources of alkaline minerals, like calcium.

3. Go meat-free for a day… or longer if you like. During the metabolism of meat, there is an acid residue left behind.

27/03/2013

Chiropractic adjustment for live crayfish (very different from the Louisiana crayfish, the South African ones are bigger, they are also known as langouste or rock lobsters)

25/03/2013

How to prepare for the world’s most beautiful marathon?
Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town

1.Understand that before starting any marathon training, a visit to your doctor is extremely important. Training is extremely exhausting and difficult and if you are not physically in good shape, or if you have any physical injuries it can have serious consequences.
2.Stretch daily as it will help strengthen your back and hamstrings. It is important also for your stomach muscles to be firm and strong. You may find you need extra sleep during training, sleep is very important as it refreshes the body
3.Be comfortable running a distance of about 3 and 6 miles, and training at least 3 days a week for about 15 miles or more.
4.Do long runs on weekends knowing that it is acceptable to run slower than faster. The important thing is that you cover the distance no matter how long it takes. Take walking breaks, and stop often to drink water.
5.Have a proper diet. Nutrition is critical when training for a marathon. Carbohydrates will provide glycogen and protein will help repair muscle tissue: 65% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates. 10% should come from protein, 20-25% of your total calories should come from unsaturated fats. Vitamins are highly recommended and will give you adequate supplies of the minerals your body needs. Take multi-vitamins daily as a supplement. Also, keep in mind you need plenty of calcium and iron.

15/03/2013

Are you ready for the right computer posture for today's work?

14/03/2013

Is summer still here in Cape Town?
I am still feeling hot, am I the only one?
Today’s temperature 32 C (90F)

I have been drinking a lot more water today, we need to remember that good hydration is essential to good health.
Let me share with you 6 Tips to stay hydrated:

1. Start each day with a glass of water (no ice). Drink it down before you have coffee, tea or juice. It will help replace fluids lost overnight and get your hydration efforts off to a good start. Also fill a water bottle you can take with you in the car, or keep with you and refill during the workday.

2. Eat two or three servings of fruits and vegetables at every meal. They are brimming with water and include the minerals that help your body absorb and use it properly. Keep in mind that most processed foods (including sugars, flours, salty snacks and processed meats) result in a lowering of the body’s water table. Eating a lot of meat puts pressure on your kidneys and tends to increase your body’s need for water.

3. Establish regular water breaks, if possible. Tailor your drinking to meet your needs. For instance, drink an extra glass of water if you worked out or didn’t squeeze enough fruits and vegetables into your day.

4. Substitute sparkling water for soda and fruit juice. While it’s true that all beverages count toward your daily tally, the sugar in regular soda and fruit juice, as well as the chemicals in diet versions, can trigger a host of unwanted reactions in the body, including blood-sugar spikes.

5. Install water filters in your home and use a pitcher-type filter at the office. Resort to bottled water when you must, but beware of the drawbacks: It’s expensive and environmentally wasteful, the plastic contains harmful chemicals that can leach into the water, and there are no guarantees that bottled water is any better for you than the water flowing from the tap, especially in Cape Town, we have very good tap water.

6. Cook with high-quality sea salt. A good, unrefined sea salt is rich in trace minerals, which are key to cell health and hydration. Bonus: Sea salt, Himalayan Salts are also lower in sodium than table salt.

Let’s enjoy this weather and stay hydrate.
Dr. Bruce Harris

11/03/2013

It was an absolute joy to watch the 35,000 cyclists of the Cape Argus Cycle Tour passing us by at profound speed despite the heat and wind of the day. What a beautiful race with so many friendly faces.

27/02/2013

Common cycling problems, how to prevent them and how to treat them.

When I arrived in South Africa last year, I was surprised to see so many cyclists going by our home in Scarborough. I soon found out they were training for a race. The Cape Argus Cycle Race with as many as 35 000 cyclists taking part, is the world's largest individually timed cycle race. (109 km = 68 miles)

The cyclists are back; they are training hard, getting around the mountainous track. Even the most famous Virgin, Sir Richard Branson, will be participating in the 2013 Cape Argus Cycle Race. In the last month, I have seen an increase of patients with cycling injuries or problems related to their overtraining and an imbalance of dynamic core stabilization. I want to share a few tips and if those don’t solve your problems, give me a call 021 702 4324.

Common cycling injuries may cause lower back pain, numb toes, burning feet, as well as damage to the hands, shoulders or knees. Cyclists, especially those training regularly, may be renowned for their supreme cardiovascular fitness but when it comes to flexibility, they have some challenges. It’s not surprising when you consider what riding a bike entails, a repetitive action performed through a limited range of motion, which means that the legs are neither fully extended nor fully flexed. Joints are never taken through their full range of motion.

If you have aches in your neck, back, arms, or knees, you may have to reevaluate your position on the bike. If your seat is at the wrong height, your knees can pay the price. Knee pain is common among cyclists and can sometimes be alleviated by adjusting your seat height and position. The majority of cyclists that came to my centre in the last two weeks had knee pains, I treated them, thought them some good stretches and insist that they get in the pool and no need for overtraining.

STRETCH: muscles don't like to be worked out before they're warm, and the same goes for stretching so remember don't stretch cold. Make sure your muscles are warm before you stretch, a tip: give yourself a quick self-massage and walk around before stretching. Do a full stretch after a ride, I recommend these stretches for this website:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/runningworkouts/tp/BestCyclingStretches.htm

Cycling can improve your physical and mental health. It's a great way to get out and enjoy the world around you and The Cape Argus Cycle Race is a beautiful race. I want you to enjoy it, stop by Westlake Chiropractic & Sports Injury Centre if you need my help, otherwise I will see you “fly by” on Main Road in Scarborough on March 10!

Dr. Bruce Harris

21/02/2013

Tip from Dr. Harris:
Something to avoid when you use your cell phone.