Dr Geoff Alley D.C

The first official week of Summer has been and gone here in New Zealand. One of the common quotes throughout Winter from all the gyms is that "Summer bodies are made in Winter." True true. But as a Chiropractor,I'll take that quote further,and say that "Elderly bodies are made in their youth." Too often I see middle aged and elderly people hobbling in with degenerative issues and complete lack of any muscle tone. This could easily have been resolved when they were 'ten foot tall and bulletproof' in their younger years. Instead,they embark on an intensive Health and Fitness regime that is too much for their ailing body,and so they either quit or plod along at a leisurely pace that has minimal positive effects. It just becomes "too hard" and with a total lack of 'muscle memory' sometimes it seems impossible. A young body that is subjected to processed foods,late nights,boozy parties and zero exercise will not last too long until it even

With Summer fast approaching here in New Zealand,it is important to recognise the very important health benefits of Vitamin D. Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D has made headlines in recent years for its possible health benefits. According to some reports, a deficiency of this vitamin is implicated in numerous serious health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, dem entia, Alzheimer’s and more. When your vitamin D level is optimised, you may be able to reduce your risk for certain conditions as well as: -Improve Immune function -Build strong bones and teeth -Absorb Calcium According to the Vitamin D Council, exposing your bare skin to sunlight and taking vitamin D supplements are the two primary ways to get the vitamin D your body needs. Although it’s difficult to get the optimal amount of Vitamin D from your diet, this vitamin can be found in healthy foods such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, egg yolks, and cheese. E

I'm currently in Bangkok,Thailand preparing the Philippine National 7s rugby team ( The Volcanoes) for the 2nd leg of the Asian 7s series which starts tomorrow. We had our jersey presentation on Wednesday night,where each player was given their jersey with a clear understanding that the jersey was merely on loan for this tournament only,and that during the next camp in preparation for the next tournament,they'd have to earn it back. We've spoken through the week about leaving  the jersey in a better place...through hard work,discipline,morals and standards. By being professional in everything we do and creating a culture of excellence. In life,we should follow suit,and NEVER take anything for granted. In this classic photo,the great JJ Watt of the Houston Texans in the NFL spells it out quite clearly... "SUCCESS ISN'T OWNED,IT'S LEASED..AND RENT IS DUE EVERY DAY" Keep working hard everyone,and have an AWESOME weekend ;)

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her – her husband had cheated on her and she was devastated. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see.’ ‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied. Her grandmother brought her closer and asked her to

At the beginning of this year,I suffered terrible inflammatory arthritis. I was in debilitating pain and popping anti-inflammatory meds by the packet. At the National 7s Championships I hobbled around like a real crock. I just thought that all my rugby injuries were finally catching up with me. My ankles and knees were shot. Blueberries  are one of nature’s perfect anti-inflammatory foods. #Inflammation.It’s implicated in a range of health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. You may not even know you’re living with it. What is it? It’s inflammation, and in its chronic form, it can wreak havoc on the body. What Is Inflammation? Inflammation has been defined as “A localised reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a result of infection, irritation, or injury. Inflammation can be external or internal.” According to nutritionist and dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, MD, temporary inflammation is our

#MediaRelease Chiropractors are poised to play a vital part in the country’s primary health care system, according to the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA). In its submission to the Government’s New Zealand Health Strategy Update, the NZCA says that chiropractors are well placed to deliver high quality, evidence-based, natural and non-surgical care to manage neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Dr Hayden Thomas, chiropractor and spokesperson for the NZCA explains: `A key premise of chiropractic care is to promote health and wellbeing. As such the chiropractic profession is ideally placed to support New Zealanders to “live well, get well and stay well” also a key objective of the New Zealand Government’s Health Strategy Update. `Neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) disorders (problems with nerves, muscles and skeletal structure of the body, primarily of the spine) place a heavy burden on the New Zealand health service and have become increasingly costly. This cost goes well beyond th

Apple(Pear) and Blueberry crumble. I got a sweet tooth after dinner tonight so I set about making this for the family. I substituted a few ingredients as we didn't have everything,and then topped it off with some whipped Coconut cream. Ingredients- 3 large Granny Smith apples ( I used Pears) 1 1/2 cups of Blueberries (frozen organic) Zest and juice of one lime ( I used lemon) 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Topping- 50 grams coconut oil 3/4 cup Almond meal 1/2 cup raw almonds Zest of one lime(lemon) 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts. Method- Preheat over to 180 deg Celsius on fan bake Cut the apples(pears) in to generous chunks and combine with the blueberries,lime zest and juice and vanilla essence. Spoon in to an over proof dish. For the topping,rub the almond meal and coconut oil together to make a crumble-like consistency. (I used a fork and just mashed it like a banana ). Roughly chop the almonds and macadamia nuts and add in with the rest of th

I had one of those mornings this morning. Feeling flat,tired and generally out of sorts. I put it down to my 'cheat' day yesterday. Being a Sunday I ate what I wanted and had a day off exercise. I paid for it. While the cheat days are a vital part of tricking your body and changing up your metabolism,it can certainly affect your moods in more ways than you can imagine. So when it came time to hit the gym today,a part of me wanted to opt out,and I tried all sorts of excuses to just go and put my feet up! But as I say to my patients who are seeking health and exercise advice.."The hardest part about exercising is actually getting your shoes on and getting out the door!!" But it does go to show just how easy it is to "get off the wagon" and lose sight of our Health and Wellness goals...and the longer we stay off track and off focus,the harder it is to claw it back. It wasn’t that long ago that many of us resolved to make changes in our lives. What happened? C

‪ Yesterday I had some Acupuncture on my elbow that I injured several weeks ago in the gym. I hadn't been able to fully rest it as I use my hands and arms all day in clinic,plus I'm not the best patient myself..so continued going to the gym as well! Enough was enough though when I struggled to adjust my patients correctly and the pain became too much. I'm thankful that I have James in the room across from me,so he put me on his table and inserted 4 needles in to the acupressure points then used electro-stimulation of the needles. Today it feels about 90% better already,I'm a very happy chappy :) Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese healing which balances the body,mind and spirit.Very fine sterile needles are inserted into the body at carefully selected points to stimulate the body's own healing processes. These points lie on pairs of channels that cover the body and through which "qi" (pronounced "chee") flows. Traditional Ch

Ask a daily runner why she runs and you’re likely to hear, “It makes me feel good.” Those of us who aren’t fond of exercise of any type might find this really hard to understand. How can something that makes you sweat and pant actually make you feel good? Can Exercise Affect Your Mood? Simple answer – absolutely. Let’s go back to our running example – some might say they run when they feel stressed out. Others might say they run after an argument with a spouse. Why do they say this? Because they feel different after a run. They may feel stronger, calmer or happier; many runners report that they experience a “runner’s high” that helps them to push past physical pain and limitations. It’s a known fact that exercise releases certain chemicals in the brain, including endorphins and dopamine, which affect mood. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain killers – in fact endorphins are more powerful than morphine. They help an athlete to stay in the game and push past their pain after an inju

‪#‎Chiropractic‬ is a ‪#‎Holistic‬ Healthcare profession. While our main focus and expertise is on the spine and optimal function of the nervous system,we also provide advice on lifestyle,diet and exercise which all play a major part in ones overall health. I am a huge believer in the fact that you are what you eat and that we should all "let food be thy medicine." Did you know that your kitchen cupboards are chock-full of good stuff that works as natural remedies for many common ailments? What we eat has a huge impact on our health, and this has never been more apparent than in today’s world. We know that some foods are good and that others don’t nourish our bodies as well. Chinese medicine experts, Yuan Wang and Warren Sheir and writer Mika Ono co-author the book Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life. They share research about some items that you probably have lying around your kitchen that might help keep you healthy.

When it comes to your health, ask yourself this question: “Am I proactive or reactive?” Being reactive means taking action only when you’re in pain. Being proactive means doing what it takes to maintain good health. Being reactive means getting up off the couch because your family member or friend told you so. Being proactive means getting up off the couch and being active because you want to and you know it is good for you! Being reactive means grabbing the quickest source of sugary sweets to combat a stressful moment. Being proactive means eating healthy food (including healthy fats) when you’re hungry and when you need it most to properly maintain healthy stress levels. Reactive = Symptoms Being reactive can often be tied to symptoms. When you experience pain, this symptom tells you that something’s wrong and needs to be corrected. Correcting the cause of the symptom takes a level of commitment and sacrifice. It takes being proactive. No matter where you are on the reactive/proac

We did it!! Unbeaten through the tournament and finished off with a 24-7 win over Malaysia in the Gold Medal match. Couldn't be prouder!!

Happy Monday from Manila in the Philippines,where I am preparing for a 3 day 7s Rugby coaching course as a staff Coach for IRANZ,for promising Filipino rugby players on Tuesday. Then I'll be taking the JML NZ Warriors (IRANZ) 10s side in to the Manila 10s tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Busy busy. Life is good

New research into the effects of chiropractic care suggests that it may have an important role to play in maximising sporting performance and aid recovery from a range of conditions where muscle function has been compromised. The New Zealand College of Chiropractic’s Centre for Chiropractic Research has recently published a study in the journal Experimental Brain Research1 which demonstrates that following a full spine chiropractic adjustment session there was an increase in the subjects’ ability to contract one of their leg muscles. The study shows an increase in muscle electrical activity readings of almost 60% and a 16% increase in absolute force measures. There was also a 45% increase in the ‘drive’ from the brain to the muscle (the degree to which the brain can activate that particular muscle) and a small, but significant, shift in the H reflex curve (a neurophysiological measure of spinal cord excitability). Dr Heidi Haavik, chiropractor and Director of Research a

I had an interesting time this morning when I was able to see two quite different patients one after the other. My first patient was 'Lynne' who is a 1947 baby (aged 67). She was one of my first ever patients when I began in clinic way back in May 2000. I've seen her through her journey to the top of Mount Everest,the jungles of South America and countless other adventures all around the world and I've also seen her through some tough times including the death of her husband. 'Lynne' stays very fit and active and has done all her life. She is a regular "wellness" patient and sees me once a month for her 'Warrant of Fitness' to correct any spinal dysfunction,enabling her to maintain her optimal health. 'She is very conscious of what she eats,and even at 67 she cuts a quite striking,slender figure. This morning she me told all about her 5 days canoeing on the Wanganui River just last week. And she is off again in a few months,this time to A

This is hilarious to watch,but oh so true. The massive influence that the multi-BILLION dollar pharmaceutical companies have over our 'Health' (read- SICKness) is beyond a joke! *Every day in the USA alone,Pharmaceutical companies spend $10 million ...every DAY,on ADVERTISING their prescription drugs*. They are bombarding you and telling you that you cannot lead a healthy life without having to take one or more of their drugs. This is insane. *Every year in the USA alone,over 110,000 people DIE as a result of an adverse reaction to prescription drugs.*It is the third leading cause of death behind Heart Disease and Cancer. This is insane. Think on this. If you and I were the CEOs of a major Pharmaceutical company,what would our job be to do? Make profits,right? And how would we do that? Sell more product,right? And how do we sell more product (drugs)? Convince the 'sheep'-ple of this world that they need pharmaceutical drugs.Make up some more "diseases" and

Your future is determined by your present actions. All the groundwork that you do now,will reap you the rewards tomorrow.Be disciplined in how you treat your body,and in turn your body will serve you well. It is never too late to change your lifestyle,but remember that making changes to your diet,exercise routine and mental state of mind should become a habit and not a fad. Surround yourself with like minded people and live the life that you deserve. Chiropractic healthcare is just a small part of the big picture,but it is an essential part. Healthy functioning joints,releasing of muscular tension and correct transmission of nervous impulses contribute to a healthy functioning nervous system and a body that works as it is designed to work. HEALTHcare and not SICKness care. Being PRO-active to your health and not RE-active to a symptom. Enjoy this short video...it may change you forever smile emoticon

When I first read this brilliant piece,I knew I just had to save it and re-read it. It is certainly a mantra that I try and live by. As I've mentioned before,everything we should do in life should be in balance,with the ultimate goal being excellent health,sharp mind and a high quality of life. Too often I see people get so caught up in setting such high standards in all aspects of their lives,that they fail to see that all they are doing is creating stress on themselves and also their loved ones around them by being so focused and driven on their goal. I'm all for 'Health and Wellness'...that is what I preach all day and every day in my Clinic. But I'm also all about living a stress free life filled with Laughter,Fun,Happiness and Love. Stress is a KILLER. "Stress is recognized as the #1 proxy killer disease today. The American Medical Association has noted that stress is the basic cause of more than 60% of all human illness and disease " And if some pe

NH 7s squad in Paeroa this weekend on their way to the Mount 7s North Harbour 7s squad for the Bayleys National 7s tournament in Rotorua January 17-18th. Jordan Manihera Chris Vui Ray Niuia Dennis Pili Tito Sufia Luke Hamilton Kyle Nuualitiia Michael Little Daniel Lee Ritchie Ah Chong Ray Daniels Pita Volavola First game is against Waikato at 10.25am on Saturday

As we end the very first week of 2015 we are all probably encouraged by the New Year and all the possibilities and dreams that come with it. New Years resolutions have been made along with the promise of bigger and better things. For many people a new beginning and a new dawn has arisen,after a disappointing year. However,too often we see these massive Goals and Dreams that people have created but with very little to no plan to achieving them. It may vary from Financial, Stability,Health and Wellness goals or simply to just be a better person. But each goal and each ideal needs a PLAN. The ultimate blueprint of HOW to reach the target. Remember that Sir Edmund Hillary did not reach the top of Mount Everest in one giant leap. He and his team went through hours upon hours of meticulous planning to reach their goal,and this involved thousands upon thousands of small steps to just reach base camp. And from there they continued to push on to eventually reach their target. So Dream Big,as

Happy New Years everyone  All set for an awesome 2015!!! This weekend the North Harbour 7s side contests the North Island Provincial 7s at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui on Saturday. We play Manawatu first up at 9.20am. Then Auckland at 11.40am,Canterbury at 1.00pm and Bay of Plenty at 2.20pm. Come along and support our boys  'Bay Engineers Supplies  Provincial 7's Tournament  Team Name: North Harbour 1 Chris Vui 2 Ray Niuia 3 Jordan Manihera 4 Dennis Pili-Gaitau 5 Samson Fualao 6 Mike Little 7 Renata Roberts-TeNana 8 Tito Sufia 9 Luke Hamilton 10 Daniel Lee 11 Raymond Daniels 12 Kyle Nu'ualiitia 13 Richie Ah Chong 14 Pita Volavola Coach Geoff Alley  Physio Nicole Armstrong  Trainer Dean Rice  Manager Peter White / Deano Allnut