Safety Archives - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

Plattsville Natural Health Clinic is Re-opening!

May 29, 2020 by elisha

We are taking Chiropractic, Pedorthic and Naturopathic Appointments!

We are excited to announce that on Monday June 1, 2020 we will be reopening, and so we are booking appointments for our chiropractic, pedorthic and naturopathic services (massage is on hold for now)! The clinic and its operations will not look the same as it did before, and with that, we would like to update our patients and future patients on the systems we have in place in order to maximize everyone’s safety.

What We Are Doing

Hand Hygiene

Hand sanitizer is readily available throughout the clinic and included at Hand Sanitizing Stations.
As per standard public health policies, all healthcare providers are required to wash their hands between patients, and so, we will continue to do so.
The clinic will have signs posted regarding proper hand hygiene and proper use of masks.
Signs will be posted encouraging individuals to wash their hands upon arrival to the clinic.
Staff will be making it known to patients to wash their hands upon arrival .

Screening

A contact record will be kept daily on all individuals that enter the clinic – you are not required to participate in this, but we will be tracking who comes into the clinic for public health concerns.
You will receive a reminder regarding your appointment, which will include screening for risk of COVID-19.
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be screened for risk of COVID-19 as well.
Each practitioner and staff member is screened prior to the start of each of their shifts.

Social Distancing

You will receive a Phone Call or Text when you are safe to enter the clinic for your appointment.
We will be attempting to group patient visits differently to limit your time at the clinic, and limit all practitioners being exposed to one another and their respective patients if possible.
A barrier has been installed at the front desk.
If there is a need for you to wait in the waiting room, the seats have been spaced 6 feet apart.
Patient appointments will be spaced apart to accommodate cleaning/disinfecting and to reduce cross traffic.

Personal Protective Equipment

All practitioners will be wearing surgical/medical masks or face shields.
Masks are mandatory (unless the individual is 2 years or younger).
All practitioners are clothed in clinic specific attire which reduces what they are potentially bringing into the clinic in regards to pathogens.

Cleaning/Disinfecting

The clinic will be cleaned and disinfected 3x per day and/or after each individual use (eg bathroom will be cleaned and disinfected after every individual use).
Each treatment room will be cleaned and disinfected after every patient encounter.

What We Need From You

Please be patient with us. We have never been through a pandemic, and are learning and adapting as we go. We are focused on your utmost safety.
Please be respectful of the fact that we as practitioners are human and may feel it unsafe to treat you as we did in previous capacities and may choose to either not book appointments or revise old methods of treatment.
Please wear a mask to your appointment.
Please be honest with screening as it helps us to guarantee safety.
If you are sick or do not feel well, please give us as much warning as you can and reschedule your appointment.

We want to thank you all again for your patience and encouragement, and we look forward to joining forces with you in achieving your health goals once again!

Tips for Effective and Safe Strength Training

August 25, 2015 by elisha

How you approach strength training or exercise of any form can greatly impact the results you achieve and your safety while performing them. Here are some tips and strategies on how to avoid injury and get optimal results while exercising:

Always warm up and cool down properly. Examples of warming up and cooling down include cardiovascular training for 10 minutes prior, and stretching following exercise.
Use proper form to avoid injuries and maximize gains. If you are not using the proper technique, all of your hard work will be for nought! You can learn good form through a class or one-on-one sessions with a certified exercise professional.
Breathe out when you are lifting or pushing; breathe in as you slowly release the load or weight. Never hold your breath while straining. This action, called the Valsalva maneuver, can temporarily raise your blood pressure and can be risky for people with heart disease. It also puts more stress on the pelvic floor muscles, and can lead to some unfortunate conditions including hernias and organ prolapse.
Don’t lock your joints; always leave a slight bend in your knees and elbows when straightening out your legs and arms.
Don’t be so eager to see results that you risk hurting yourself by exercising too long or choosing too much weight. And remember that it’s important to rest muscles for at least 48 hours between strength training sessions. It might be useful for novice strength trainers to start with a shorter strength training session, and gradually work their way up to longer sessions. This might also include starting with one strength training session per week and gradually working up to 2-3 times per week.
If you’ve been sick, give yourself one or two days off after recovering. If you were ill for a while, you may need to use lighter weights or less resistance when you first resume exercising.
Strength training exercises should not cause pain while you are doing them. If an exercise or movement causes significant pain, stop doing it! When performing an exercise, stick with a range of motion that feels comfortable. Over time, try to gradually extend that range. This being said, if you have experienced a specific injury in the past, it is important to consult a health care provider such as a Naturopathic Doctor so that they can help you modify exercises to fit your body’s needs and strengthen necessary muscle groups.
Listen to your body and cut back if you aren’t able to finish a series of exercises or an exercise session, can’t talk while exercising, feel faint after a session, feel tired during the day, or suffer joint aches and pains after a session.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Source: Harvard Medical School

The Importance of Consulting Your Naturopathic Doctor for Supplement Advice

July 14, 2015 by elisha

As most of you may know, I have been studying in order to obtain my license to practice as a Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario. As a result, I have had the opportunity to become more familiar with the side effects of many of the conventional and natural therapies. Yes, I did say side effects of natural therapies. It may come as a surprise to many, but natural therapies that are available may have some side effects that need to be known. Many individuals treat supplementing with nutraceuticals as if there are no potential ill effects from doing so. Unbeknownst to them, this is much like hearing a clunk in your car, and looking online for the solution, then fixing it yourself. Many steps are missed when this type of approach is made. For example: what is the quality of the part you are putting into the car, what if you put the part in wrong, are there extra parts that need to be changed or altered in order for the new part to function at its best, is the source a credible one for you to receive your information, and the list goes on. That being said, one should not simply look up their symptoms on – line, and supplement accordingly. Much like you would consult a mechanic for repairs to your vehicle, you should do the same in regards to “repairs to your body”. Whether it is a naturopathic doctor or another health care provider, their advice should be sought when it comes to taking supplements or changing doses in general. In addition, when discussing medications or supplements, it is important to be transparent and honest with your various health care providers about all forms of treatment that you are receiving. This mindset when dealing with health care providers ensure medications and supplements do not interact and cause you harm, and also ensures that you receive the most appropriate guidance in regards to your health.

In order to bring some context to the discussion, we will take a look at Aloe Vera Gel. The internet has been useful in discussing the beneficial effect of aloe vera gel on the digestive system and how it can aid in the digestive process, gastritis, irritable bowel disease, etc. However, individuals may not realize that this impact on digestion could also cause other medications to have decreased absorption if taken around the same time. As a result, it is best to seek the advice of health care providers such as a Naturopathic Doctor in order to guarantee that supplements are taken correctly. In addition, many do not realize that aloe vera gel can have an additive effect with medications for diabetes or increased blood sugars. So, if someone was taking diabetic medication and aloe vera gel, they could become quite dizzy or worse, unconsciousness, and lead to a medical emergency. As one can see, it is important to discuss all supplements with your Naturopathic Doctor or health care provider. A Naturopathic Doctor has had at least 8 years of training, which can provide a great deal of information, much beyond that of a google search.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.