1. Don’t Let Present Wrapping Ruin Your Back This Christmas.

 

Theres’ a lot of things to love about Christmas, buying presents is one of them but endless hours of wrapping presents can be really tough on your back, neck and shoulders. In today’s video I’m going to share 5 simple tips to take the back ache out of Christmas wrapping. 

First of all, don’t do it sitting on the floor, set yourself up at the table or if you prefer to stand,  the ironing board can be a great height for wrapping presents.

Second plan ahead, I know this is easier send than done but we’ve all been caught out with night before Christmas marathon wrapping sessions that turn a pleasant pastime into an endurance event that challenges the best of us.

Third,  take regular breaks.  Regardless of how good your posture is, take a break at least every 30 minutes to get up and move a little. 30 -60 seconds is all takes, gently move your body.

Fourth, consider getting your presents wrapped at the store – many retailers do this as a complimentary service and most shopping centres have cost effective options that can completely remove all the pain from present wrapping

And 5th and final – if you’re ungifted in the Christmas wrapping skills like I am, use gift bags instead. 

Christmas is WAY to busy to be adding extra stress to your  back.  These 5 tips will might save you some pain this festive season.

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic and if you’d like help with your back this christmas, we’d love to help. Over the past 20 years we’ve helped more than 8000 patients kiss goodby to the back and neck pain and we’d love to help you too.  You can make an apt by calling Mackenzie on 96461414.  

See you soon. 

 

2. Christmas travel

 

The busyness, stress and extra travel over the festive season can be a nightmare on your spine and is often cause of unnecessary back and neck pain.  In todays video I’m going to share 3 simple tips to take the pain out of Christmas travel.

If your travel involves a sleep over then don’t forget to pack your pillow! The spare pillow at your aunties house is often 20 years old, out of shape and completely lacking any support.  Don’t risk the pain in the neck, take your own pillow.

Second. Check ahead and see where you’ll be sleeping.  Sleeping on the couch might have been great when your were 13 but it’s a recipe for disaster for most adults.  If there’s a not proper bed where your staying then consider taking your own.  There’s now loads of blow up or travel mattress that are spine friendly. If that doesn’t work then perhaps booking an AIRBnB where you can get a proper bed is good investment.

Third and finally – Don’t hurry!  Regular breaks are not only important to minimise fatigue but they also give you an opportunity to get out of the car and move.  Prolonged sitting and a lack of movement is a recipe for disaster. 

Stay well and keep these 3 tips in mind when you’re traveling this festive season. 

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic and if you’d like help with your back this Christmas, we’d love to help. Over the past 20 years we’ve helped more than 8000 patients kiss goodby to the back and neck pain and we’d love to help you too.  You can make an apt by calling Mackenzie on 96461414.  

See you soon.

 

3. Christmas can be incredibly stressful 

 

Hey folks, if your Christmas is anything like mine then it probably get’s pretty stressful so…here’s 3 Christmas jokes to cheer you up.

Who is Santa’s favourite singer?   Elf-is Presley 

How do snowmen get around at Christmas time? They ride an icicle!

What do reindeer hang on their Christmas trees? Horn-aments!

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic, don’t forget to have some fun this Christmas.

See you soon. 

 

4. Surviving the office Christmas party

It’s Christmas time and you know what that means…the office Christmas party is just around the corner.  In todays video I’m sharing 5 simple tips so you don’t wreck your health at this years get together.

First, don’t go hungry.  Heading to the office or family Xmas party hungry is a recipe for disaster and will no doubt result in your eating WAY TOO MUCH of all the things that LOOK amazing but aren’t good for you.

Second.  Passing out drunk at the Christmas party is NOT going to earn you new friends or a large Christmas bonus, so…be sure to alternate alcohol and water throughout the evening.

Third…one of my favourite rules for not overeating at parties is ONLY eat what you like… just because someone offers it to you, doesn’t mean you have to say yes.

On to tip number 4…Now despite what people tell you, I actually think it’s a great idea to hit the dance floor.  As a professional BAD dancer myself I can tell you that it’s won me WAY more friends than enemies and on top of that it keeps my body moving and will burn a few calories to make space for a bit of Christmas cake I plan on eating later in the night. 

Fifth and final tip for surviving the office Christmas party is be sure to load up on B vitamins and zinc before a hand.  A study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine showed that upping these 2 before a big night out resulted in less severe hangovers.

There it is folks…5 tips for not ruining your health (or reputation) at this years Christmas party.  If you know of someone who needs to hear this message please tag them below. 

I’m Angus from Life Chiropractic in Port Melbourne.

Say well.  See you soon. 

5. Lifting at Christmas Time.

Buying gifts, shopping for loved ones and heading away for a quick Xmas break can be some of the great pleasures at Christmas time.  But wrecking your back from incorrect lifting or packing is anything BUT a pleasure. 

Here’s 4 tips to take the pain out of Christmas lifting. 

First of all you’re NOT a “pack mule”, there’s no competition for who can carry the most groceries , gifts or suitcases to the car. 

Second…get a trolley, supermarkets, airports and most shopping centres have free and easily accessible trollies.  Please use them.  If you can’t find a trolley then shopping baskets can help but…that leads me onto tip 3.

If you’re using a shopping basket be sure to balance the load, you can do this by swapping hands regularly or having a basket if each hand…but don’t forget rule 1 – you’re not a pack mule. 

Fourth…if needed, take multiple trips.  The few minutes you might save from overloading yourself ARE NOT worth the potential back pain that could come.

I know some of these might sound basic but Christmas is one of the busiest time for chiropractors around the world because of silly mistakes like these

Keep these in mind next time you’re at the supermarket or shopping centre and if you know of someone who needs to hear this message please tag them below. 

I’m Angus from Life Chiropractic in Port Melbourne.

Say well.  See you soon.

 

6. Christmas angels

 

Christmas can be super tough on your neck and upper back, work is busier, stress is higher and it’s not unusual to end up with increased neck, shoulder pain and often headaches.  A lot of this pain comes from bad posture.  In todays video I’m going to share with you one of my favourite Christmas themed posture exercises …it’s called a Christmas angel 

Show the Xmas Angel.  Example is below 

https://youtu.be/1UU4VvklQ44

Christmas is WAY to busy to be adding extra stress to your  neck and back, these xmas angels might just save you some pain this festive season.

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic and if you’d like help with your back this Christmas, we’d love to help. Over the past 20 years we’ve helped more than 8000 patients kiss goodby to the back and neck pain and we’d love to help you too.  You can make an apt by calling Mackenzie on 96461414.  

See you soon. 

7. 7 health tips to surviving the silly season. 

Christmas is here folks and as the song says… ’tis the season to be JOLLY Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la) …, but for many it’s the season to be stressed, overwhelmed, lonely and often in pain.   So let’s do something about that… in todays video I’m sharing 7 tips to you survive the silly season.

1. Planning is key, do NOT leave everything until the last moment.  With the ease of online shopping there’s no reason to be rushing around for those last minute gifts.  Now’s the time to sit down, plan out your shopping lists and decide what events you’ll say yes to, and what you’ll say NO to.

2. It’s OK to say NO.  Between work parties, family parties and end of year break ups your calendar can very quickly fill.  This year decide in advance how many Christmas functions you’ll get too. 

3. Don’t sacrifice sleep.  Not getting enough sleep this time of year is like telling yourself that you’re too busy to put fuel in your car, it’s not rocket science to know where this will end up.     Getting 7-8 hours of sleep will be your super power through the festive season.  

4. Limit your alcohol intake to a couple of days a week and if you are drinking at parties then alternate water between drinks.  A few glasses of bubbly is fun but it’s rarely worth hangover and lost productivity the next day. 

5. The festive season busyness often means our exercises routines get completely thrown out the door but rather than stopping altogether can you switch up your gym classes for some online classes that you can do from home, increase incidental exercise by walking the dog, try parking the car a little further from work or the shopping centre. 

6. Don’t be on your own.  If you’re single or living away from family, don’t let this be an excuse to be alone this Christmas.  Take things into you own hands and host Christmas at your place, invite over friends who are in a similar situation or search out a Christmas day function for singles in your local area and say YES to invitations that you get from friends and colleagues.  

7. And finally with the increasing commercialisation of Christmas it’s easy to lose sight of what this time of year is really all about… family, connection and an opportunity to stop and  grateful for what you have. 

There it is folks…7 tips to help you survive the silly season this year.  If you know of someone who needs to hear this message please tag them below. 

I’m Angus from Life Chiropractic in Port Melbourne.

Say well this Christmas.  See you soon. 

8. 3 Christmas traditions you probably didn’t know about.

Many family’s have their own whacky Christmas traditions but if you think things are strange at your house then check out these 3 bizarre Christmas traditions from around the world.  

The Pooper from Catalonia

Yep you heard that right…I saw this one first hand when traveling in Spain a few years ago. “El Caganer” (pronounced el car ya nay), roughly meaning ‘the pooper’  and it’s a figurine of a pants-less peasant taking a poop that appears nativity scenes alongside Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Legend states that when people placed this statuette in the nativity scene, they would have a good harvest the next year.

The Yule lads, Iceland

Icelandic kids don’t just get one Santa Claus, they get 13 pranksters who steal from or harass the kids in the fortnight before Christmas. Each of these pranksters has his own personality and name – including Doorway-Sniffer, Spoon-Licker, Sausage-Swiper and the ominously named Window-Peeper. Each takes turns visiting children who leave shoes in their bedroom window, dropping off pressies for the good kids and rotting potatoes for the bad ones.

And perhaps my favourite, Kentucky Fried Christmas, Japan.

Perhaps on of the the greatest Christmas marketing triumphs ever pulled off. Christmas isn’t huge in Japan but a ridiculously successful KFC ad campaign during the 1970s established the tradition of families tucking in to buckets of fried chicken on December 25. In fact, holiday-themed dirty bird has become so popular around Japan that restaurant reservations and specially packaged delivery orders are placed months in advance.

So there you have it…maybe things aren’t so strange at your house.  Let me know down in the comments below what your favourite Christmas traditions are. 

I’m Angus from Life Chiropractic in Port Melbourne.

Say well.  See you soon. 

9.  Christmas Movie Quiz

This video is about engagement) – getting people to comment and share.  This post could do equally as well as a Instagram Carousel.  

So you think you’re all about the Christmas movie… score yourself below how many of these Christmas movies have you seen.

1. Love actually…my all time favourite.
2. Home alone 
3. Elf
4. Die Hard…yes this IS a Christmas movie. 
5. Meet me In St Louis
6. Miracle on 34th Street 
7. It’s a wonderful life 
8. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation 
9. The Muppets Christmas Carol 
10. Gremlins
11. The Polar Express 

If you scored 9 and above…take a bow, you really do love your Xmas movies

6 and above…good work, you’re definitely a fan of the Xmas movie.

Below 6… have a look in the mirror, you could be the Xmas grinch.

Ok…so how did you go?  Put your score in the comments below.

If you’ve got a friend or family member that fancies themselves as a Xmas expert, tag ’em below.

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic, don’t forget to have some fun this Christmas.

See you soon.

10. More JOKES…

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed and stress this festive season.. here’s some Christmas joy to cheer you up.

Why would you invite a mushroom to a Christmas party?
He’s a fun guy to be with.

Why did no one bid for Rudolph and Blitzen on eBay?
Because they were two deer.

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Arthur
Arthur who?
Arthur any mince pies left?

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic, don’t forget to have some fun this Christmas.

See you soon.

 

11. Christmas Quiz

This video is about engagement) – getting people to comment and share.  This post could do equally as well as a Instagram Carousel.

This video is for all you of you LOVE Christmas time… let’s put your Christmas general knowledge to the test! again. 

1. What are you meant to do if you find yourself under the mistletoe? Answer:  Kiss
2. In the movie Home Alone, where are the McCallisters going on vacation when they leave Kevin behind?Answer: Paris
3. Which fairy tale was the first gingerbread houses inspired by? Answer: Hansel and Gretel
4. How do you say ” Merry Christmas” in Spanish? Answer: Feliz Navidad
5. What was the first company that used Santa Claus in advertising? Answer: Coca-Cola
6. In the song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ what was the gift given on the seventh day?Answer: Seven swans a-swimming
7. In which Christmas movie does Tom Hanks play 6 of the characters? Answer: The Polar Express – The Polar Express. He plays Hero Boy, Father, Conductor, Hobo, Scrooge and Santa Claus.
8. What is the top Selling Christmas Album of all time? Answer: Elvis Presley’s “Elvis’ Christmas Album”as having sold 10 million copies.
9. What’s the highest grossing Christmas moving off all time? Answer: Home Alone ($285million)
10. According to tradition when should you take your Christmas decorations down? Answer: Jan 5th

If you scored 8 and above…check your birth certificate to see if you were born at the North Pole?

6 and above…solid going.  You’ve clearly got a thing for the big guy in red!

6 and below… ouch. Do you even have a heart!

Put your scores in the comments below.

If you’ve got a friend or family member that fancies themselves as a Xmas expert, tag ’em below.

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic, don’t forget to have some fun this Christmas.

See you soon.

 

12. Taking care of your back this Christmas.

 

Christmas is not only a time of great joy and celebration but it can also be a time a of great stress physically and emotionally.  In fact it’s one of the busiest times of the year at our practice. In this video I’m sharing 6 simple tips to help you experience more Christmas cheer and less Christmas ouch this festive season.

1. Be mindful decorating the Christmas tree.  Decorating the Christmas tree often requires the dexterity of Circe de Sole performer and the balance of a gymnast.  Don’t overestimate your abilities and if you need get up high, use a step ladder not the kitchen chairs.
2. Minimise those marathon wrapping sessions, be sure to plan ahead, we’ve all been caught out with the night before wrapping sessions that turn a pleasant pastime into an endurance event. Consider getting your presents wrapped at the store or my favourite strategy is to use gift bags instead.
3. Christmas often involves travel and if you’re heading away for the night then don’t forget to pack your pillow! The spare pillow at your aunties house is often 20 years old, out of shape and completely lacking any support.  Don’t risk the pain in the neck, take your own pillow.
4. I know Christmas time is busier than usual but please don’t forget about YOU.  Prioritising good sleep, movement, plenty of fluids and good food is more important now than ever.
5. Stress is a great predictor of back pain and my favourite strategy for dealing with stress is to use the 10/10/10 rule.  I ask myself will I still care about this in 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 months.  More often than not the answer is no.  This new perspective helps me not sweat the small stuff. 
6. And finally be mindful of trying the kids new toys.  I’ve had more than one dad over the years injure himself on the kids new trampoline or scooters.  

Christmas is WAY too busy to be adding extra stress to your  back, These 6 tips might save you some pain this festive season.

I’m Angus from Life chiropractic and if you’d like help with your back this Christmas, we’d love to help. Over the past 20 years we’ve helped more than 8000 patients kiss goodby to the back and neck pain and we’d love to help you too.  You can make an apt by calling Mackenzie on 96461414.  

See you soon.