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When some of us hit the gym, we might be focused on the wrong things. Maybe we’re distracted by that person at the gym we try hard not to stare at, or maybe we’re focused on racking up the weights and showing off to passerby.

There are better ways to go about going to the gym that will help you get far better and far more undeniable results. Read on for a few tips to win the gym every time.

Hydrate

Drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water is crucial to maintaining balance with your body. Dehydration can result in headaches, lack of focus, low mental power, and more. You’ll be amazed by how much of a difference staying properly hydrated makes.

Engage Your Core

Start working the muscles that work for you. Your biceps, triceps, and pectoral muscles can take the back seat for a while. Instead, work your back, your midsection, your hips, and your legs — these are all muscle groups that do a tremendous amount of work for you in your day-to-day dealings. By strengthening your core muscle group you’ll also avoid injuries down the road.

Eat For Fuel

It’s okay if you have a Snicker’s Bar before working out, but make sure that your diet mainly consists of clean protein and vegetables. You’ll feel better and you’ll certainly perform better in the gym. Try also to find natural carbohydrates instead of eating foods packed with processed carbohydrates.

Chiropractic treatments are also another great way to be more effective in the gym. Chiropractic adjustments will help you relieve pain the drug-free way while also helping you treat and also avoid injury. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic to learn more.

At O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic we provide chiropractic treatments for the entire family, which gives us the opportunity to build relationships with parents and their children in many cases. We hear a lot about how parents are interested in keeping child primed for a good life — which often starts in the classroom.

Below are a few simple ways that you can get and keep your child engaged in academia, which will set them up to get better grades and results.

1.) A Time for Play and a Time for Study

Playtime is important and shouldn’t be sacrificed for the sake of productivity. If your child is tasked with 2 hours of homework after school, then make sure that they get at least an hour of playtime. Limiting your child’s playtime can even end up disrupting the time your child spends studying.

2.) Repetition

Human beings learn from repetition, so it’s important to create study cards for your child in every subject. You’ll be amazed by what the human mind can retain through the tool of repetition.

3.) Eat Well and Sleep Well

Eating clean, whole foods and getting a good night of rest each day are both crucial to your child’s physical and mental development. You’ll watch test scores boost as you master ways to get your child’s nutrition and rest in.

Chiropractic treatments also have been shown to help cognitive function, reduce anxiety and depression, not to mention help patients feel healthy and well. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic today to schedule your consultation.

Feeling stress is something we all experience. O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic often sees patients who experience stress-related pain and injury. Below are a few ways to better manage stress so it affects you less in your daily life.

Exercise to Exertion

Your body needs to burn a certain amount of fuel each week. Otherwise, by being inactive, you’ll actually experience anxiety and can even feel more depressed as a result. Exercising to exertion is a great way to gain health benefits as well as perspective.

Sleep Well

Sleeping the requisite 7-9 hours will help your body and brain feel good, not to mention reduce your overall anxiety and brighten your mood.

Visit the Chiropractor

Visit your local chiropractor to learn about how chiropractic treatments can reduce stress and anxiety, not to mention help your body and brain function at optimal capacity. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness today to schedule your consultation.

Neck pain can curb even those with the most active of lifestyles and can come as a result of multiple variables, including a single night of sleeping in an awkward position. O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic provides treatments and services that help our patients deal with everyday pain that occurs in the neck, back, shoulders, legs, and more.

Below are a few of the most common contributors to neck pain.

1.) Staring at Your Phone

Anytime you stand in line at a coffee shop, the DMV, the grocery store — pretty much anywhere you go — you’re likely to see a large percentage of people staring down at their phone. Staring at your phone can cause tension in the neck and result in pain that can last for hours or even days on end.

2.) Auto Accidents

Auto accidents are common contributors to both back and neck pain. Always wear your seatbelt and make sure that you’re practicing safe, conscientious driving at all times.

3.) Sports Injury

Sports injuries are one of the most common contributors to neck pain. A few sports in particular include football, MMA, soccer, and Jiu Jitsu.

Contact O’Conner Family Wellness Chirorpactic today if you’re experiencing persistent neck pain. We have a long track record of keeping our patients healthy and well.

As we get more involved in our fitness routines some of us might start pushing the limits to increase our results and performance. 

Accessories like weight vests are often incorporated into workouts to make activities and exercises harder, which can produce some amazing benefits, however there are also a few negative aspects of using a weight vest users should be aware of discussed below.

Pro: Increased Strength

When you strap on a weight vest your body and muscles have to work harder to perform the same task you normally do. Before long, you’ll notice an increase in strength. The activities you do without the vest will become easier, too.

Con: Increased Pressure on the Spine

Think of your spine as a spring that is getting pushed down when you wear a weight vest. This will put pressure on your spine and discs, which could result in an injury or at the very least discomfort.

Pro: Increased Speed

As we mentioned above, the tasks you perform normally will become easier after using a weight vest. You’ll achieve faster sprint and mile times, for instance.

Con: Affects Body Balance

As your body gets used to hucking around a weight vest for prolonged periods of time, this may affect your body’s ability to stabilize. Your center of gravity can change and your sense of balance can be thrown off.

Weight vests are a good tool for athletes looking to push their limits, however, they should be used responsibly. The perfect antidote to back pain related to wearing a weight vest is visiting your local chiropractor in Westwood, NJ. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness today to schedule your consultation.

At O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic we’re in the business of keeping our patients healthy and well for the long haul. A part of that is providing tips and education to our patients who are interested in boosting their wellness on a daily basis.

Continue reading for 3 easy tricks to increase your longevity.

1.) Get More Restful Sleep

Your recovery plan should be as thought-out as your fitness plan. Turns out that you can do a lot of good for yourself just by hitting the pillow for some restful sleep time. Limit caffeine intake and cross your Ts and dot your Is throughout your day to reduce anxiety. Sleep for at least 7 hours every 24-hour period. Your body and brain need to regenerate from the day. Let it happen!

2.) Fix Your Diet

Eat more greens and opt for veggie smoothies over fruit smoothies. Eat clean, whole foods and try a supplement or two from your local nutrition and organic food source.

3.) Get to Know Your Local Chiropractor in Westwood, NJ

Visiting your chiropractor on a regular basis will help you avoid injury, feel better mentally and physically, not to mention reduce your likelihood of getting a variety of diseases and infections. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic today to schedule your consultation in order to learn more about our all-natural chiropractic solutions.

You may have heard of “Active Recovery” and might pass it off as a buzzword, but it’s actually a great method of staying active while rehabilitating from heavy workouts like running and lifting weights. When engaging in active recovery, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

Rethink Your Recovery Days

If your recovery days include hours of Netflix while lying on the couch, then maybe it’s time to rethink your off days. Go on a hike or take a yoga class and you’ll be engaging in active recovery. Your body will still be able to recover from a strenuous activity from the day before, you’ll just also be getting fresh air and (in the case of yoga) you’ll also be giving your body intense stretching and joint relief.

Enjoy the Day; Enjoy the Ride

The whole point of active recovery is to take your time. If you’re on a hike, take a stop and read a book while sitting against a tree. If you’re in a yoga class, take extra time to engage in that super yummy pose you love so much that hits all the right spots.

Add Chiropractic to Your Active Recovery Plan

Chiropractic treatments are a killer combo when paired with active recovery and an active lifestyle. Chiropractic treatments will help with all-natural, drug-free pain relief, not to mention loosen up the body and have your brain firing on all cylinders. There are countless health benefits to chiropractic treatments that you have to experience to truly understand. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic today to learn more about who we are and what we do.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that affects the joints in your body. OA occurs when the cartilage cushioning the joint breaks down, causing pain, swelling, and limited mobility. According to the Arthritis Foundation, OA affects about 27 million Americans and is the most common chronic condition of the joints.

Risk factors for Osteoarthritis (OA) include:

• Age
• Weight
• Gender
• Genetic predisposition
• Activity Level

While some risk factors for OA are beyond your control, there are a few that you can control. By incorporating positive changes in these key areas, you can mitigate your chances of developing OA.

Exercise

Low-impact exercise actually stimulates your body to lubricate your joints. And research shows that regular exercise may prevent the onset of OA or slow-down the progression of established disease.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying excessive weight puts address stress and wear-and-tear on your joints. By maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise and a healthy diet, you are protecting your joints from disease.

Take Your Vitamins

Research has shown that people with low levels of Vitamin D had a much faster progression of existing osteoarthritis. Another study showed that Vitamin C supplementation may prevent the onset of osteoarthritis but showed little help in slowing the progress of the established disease.

As we age, it is essential that we take seriously the care and keeping of our joints. By incorporating regular chiropractic care in your healthy lifestyle, you will be investing not only in your overall health but in the health and longevity of your joints as well. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic today to schedule your consultation.

Inflammation is your body’s response to injury or foreign invaders like bacteria and viral infection. Autoimmune diseases and chronic conditions can cause an immune system reaction that causes the body to do damage its tissue. More and more studies are linking inflammation to serious conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and even dementia.

The stuff we might be eating every day can cause inflammation, like processed sugars and carbohydrates. Instead of opting for those tempting foods, try eating any of the ones we mention below. At O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic we provide treatments and education that keep you living a healthy, balanced life.

1.) Berries

Blueberries and raspberries are loaded with antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects and have also been shown to reduce your risk of getting heart disease.

2.) Leafy Greens

Leafy greens (like spinach, for instance) is packed with anti-inflammatory compounds and research even shows that leafy greens can help reduce chances of macular degeneration.

3.) Turmeric

Adding a lot of turmeric to your diet will help stave off inflammation and turmeric has been shown to help treat heartburn, arthritis, joint pain, and more.

Chiropractic care has also been shown to reduce inflammation, especially inflammation as the result of the body’s response to injury. Contact O’Connor Family Wellness Chiropractic today to schedule your consultation.

Subjecting your body to extremely cold temperatures might not be an obvious choice when it comes to your well-being, however, there are tremendous health benefits to be gained from exploring cryotherapy, which is just one of the many drug-free, all-natural treatments we offer that will help boost your wellness.

Below are a few benefits that cryotherapy can offer you, just in case you’re still on the fence about whether or not to go through with the procedure or not.

Pain Relief

There’s a reason why doctor’s and physical therapists use ice packs to help their patients. Cryotherapy specifically can help with muscle pain and joint disorders and promote faster healing from injury.

Reduce Inflammation

Cryotherapy has also been shown to reduce inflammation, which is one of your body’s response to infection. Inflammation has been linked to major health issues like diabetes, depression, cancer, and dementia.

Reduce Anxiety and Depression

Cryotherapy has also been shown to boost mood in patients. Some patients have even shown a 50% improvement in mood and a 50% reduction of depression and anxiety-related symptoms.

If you have any questions about the many additional ways that cryotherapy can help you, contact O’Connor Family Wellness to schedule your cryotherapy consultation today.