Sports

Expanding Registered Massage Therapy at PNHC

by

We are so excited to let our community know that our massage availability has expanded with the addition of another massage therapist to our team. We now have four massage therapists who are eager to help with your health needs. Our availability in the past for evenings was limited. We are now able to offer more morning, mid day, AND evening openings! Ready to book in with one of our RMTs? Call or text 226-232-7665 to book in, or email us at info.pnhc@gmail.com. Not ready yet but want to learn more about our RMTs? See below for more information. 

Cheryl McReynolds 

Right when her patients walk in the door, Cheryl makes them feel welcome and relaxed. Cheryl started her career working in medical administration in alternative medicine offices, expanded her passions to reflexology, and further pursued training as a registered massage therapist. Her beginnings in her career have made her specifically adept at making patients feel relaxed, safe, and cared for in their treatments. Cheryl has a remarkable way of holding space for her patients and providing just the right amount of therapeutic pressure. She brings additional training to our team in the area of lymphatic drainage. 

A fun fact about Cheryl is that she is a fantastic “sharer”. From deals to treats, she loves to brighten our days with small acts of kindness. 

Joshua Morrison 

Josh brings a great wealth of knowledge to our team with his experience working in teams alongside physiotherapists. He loves trying to solve a problem that has not been solved yet, or has been difficult to correct. Josh allows his knowledge with personal training to align with his skills as a registered massage therapist in order to produce therapeutic outcomes. Of all of our Registered Massage Therapists, he has the deepest pressure. He finds it rewarding to help his patients get back to a place of health and reduced pain. Whether it is on the sports field or in the workplace, he helps his patients achieve a better quality of life.

A fun fact that you may not know about Josh is that he is our clinic “scarer”. If you hear a random “yelp” out of our team, Josh is likely the culprit behind it. 

Amber Stere 

Amber is a familiar face at our clinic as she started her journey as one of PNHC’s medical administrators. She wanted to expand her impact on client care and dove into the world of Registered Massage Therapy. Amber is interested in getting to the root of what is causing a patient’s concerns. She is always looking to solve the puzzle of what is ailing them. She, like much of our team, also finds joy in brightening her patients’ day, and giving them hope for their situations. She absolutely loves helping individuals recovering from musculoskeletal injuries, struggling with acute or chronic pain, and looking to de-stress in life. 

A fun fact about Amber is that she has been known to be randomly, joyfully dancing and singing at our clinic, and has been caught by a patient/team member or two. 

Lorri Zimmerman

Though Lorri is not currently accepting new patients, she brings the perfect therapeutic touch to those she works with. Lorri initially began her career as a reflexologist, and expanded her approach to include registered massage therapy. This therapeutic combination is seen in her treatments, as she often combines the two to help her patients to achieve their health goals. Lorri’s holistic approach to care creates a treatment that helps a patient’s physical and mental/emotional well-being.  Lorri enjoys working with patients who struggle with frequent headaches and migraines, as she understands the struggle first hand. She believes that most of our ailments can be attributed to the stress response, and that by activating the parasympathetic nervous system through massage and reflexology, it can make a huge impact on our health.

A fun fact about Lorri is that she shows a lot of joy around holidays, often bringing fun props and dressing up to brighten spirits around holidays. 

All of our RMTs can work with a wide range of concerns and patient demographics, but also have certain areas they work really well in. Not sure who would be the best fit for your situation? Ask our team and we would be happy to direct you to the right fit for your specific concern!  

How to keep active in the Winter or Cold Weather

by

WinterWinter is not everyone’s favorite season. There are many different winter sports that one can partake in outside, but this is not always everyone’s cup of tea. This article will not include the various sports that you can partake in outside, but rather activities that you can do to keep active if you are not a fan of the season.

  1. Walks: Walking outside can pose a challenge for some, but may provide the necessary activity needed to stay healthy. Always make sure to bundle up with a warm jacket, boots with traction, scarf, hat, mittens, and long johns (or janes). I find that my biggest motivation is walking my dog, and I tell myself it is good for both of us when I am feeling “too cold” for a walk. Self – talk is especially important here. Another option for walking is to go to a mall and do some laps around the mall to get your heart rate elevated. If you feel like the stores may be too much of a temptation, make sure to avoid bringing your wallet and just focus on the element of exercise.
  2. Dancing: With the holidays on the way, it may be easy to dance around the house to your favorite tunes, or get up on the dance floor at a Christmas party. As long as you get moving and get your heart rate going this is what matters.
  3. Stairs: If you really want to increase your heart rate, running or walking up and down the stairs repeatedly can be a good and tiring exercise to incorporate into your day.
  4. Weights: Weight training is not just for people who want to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. When you do weight training/resistance training, it actually puts your body into a fat loss state. This alone can help you to get that physique you may be wanting. Weights do not need to be done in a gym with all of the state of the art gym equipment, but can even be done by grabbing a can of soup and going through some basic exercises such as the classic bicep curl. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere, and it is never too late to start.
  5. Work – out videos: Work out videos provide a great way to get some cardio in and in some cases have a little bit of fun without feeling like you are exercising. A word of caution is to use a video that is at “your level of fitness”. For example, videos such as P90X or Insanity are not appropriate for everyone and you should speak to your health care provider before starting a “work-out routine”.

Have you benefited 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 Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

 

How does Acupuncture Work?

by

acupunctureWhen I recommend acupuncture, one of the most common questions I get is “how does acupuncture work or how will it help?”. Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to aid with so many different health concerns. Over the course of that time, many studies have been conducted to determine how this therapy causes effect, and what it can be used for. The following presents a list of both actions that can take place in the body and the potential conditions or symptoms it can help to alleviate.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture works via many different pathways which cause:

  • Release of endorphins – resulting in decreased pain
  • Relaxation of muscle
  • Stimulation of neuronal activity and brain tissue
  • Secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters
  • Promotes blood flow
  • Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which causes reduced stress

What Can Acupuncture Help with?

Acupuncture can help with many surprising conditions/symptoms including:

  • Pain – joint and muscle
  • Arthritis – including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout
  • Muscle tension
  • Sports injuries
  • Stress
  • Fertility
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Headaches/ Migraines
  • Insomnia
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Coughs and colds
  • Asthma
  • Sinusitis
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • TMJ syndrome
  • Tinnitus
  • Smoking cessation
  • Heartburn
  • Digestive disturbances such as constipation and diarrhea
  • Concerns during pregnancy
  • To ease discomfort and aid during delivery

How Does Dr. Elisha Cook ND Use Acupuncture?

My approach to acupuncture is based more on Chinese medicine than on Western medicine. What I mean by this is that I do not simply put a needle where it hurts, but rather look at the body as a whole and attempt to support the whole system. As I often tell my patients, you are not your disease and you need to be treated as such. This implies that you are a unique individual with unique presentations results in you needing certain points over others. So for example, two individuals come to me looking for acupuncture for fertility. I will not use the exact same points on these two individuals and the points chosen will not be only around the stomach/uterus area. I also do not use solely acupuncture on a patient. In my opinion, it is best to use the acupuncture while allowing diet, lifestyle, botanicals, and supplements to boost deficient areas. However, all of this is determined at the patient’s comfort level and I work with you where you are at (for example if you only want acupuncture, then we only do acupuncture).

If you are interested in trying acupuncture, feel free to contact the clinic by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Have you benefited 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 Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!