Try to remember that you’re at your best when you change your posture every 20 minutes. It only needs to be a very brief change at that!

So, here is another activity for you to do to unchain yourself from that computer. You don’t have to do all the stretches at once. It’s not an exercise programme. It’s just a way to break your posture.

One stretch at a time is all you need. If you do that, you’ll find your energy levels increase, your concentration increases and you don’t feel like you’re incredibly old and almost ready for the grave!

By the way, thanks to whoever gave me this sheet of exercises many years ago – I’ve adapted the exercises themselves to suit the people I see and it works a treat!

Most of you know that artificial sweeteners are in diet foods and soft drinks.  But what you might not know is that they’re becoming increasingly common in other foods such as yoghurts, snacks, desserts, mints, cordials, juices, instant coffee, drinks, vitamins and medicines.  Worryingly they’re also becoming associated with a range of adverse health effects.

The range of symptoms attributed to aspartame includes:

• headache,
• migraines,
• dizziness,
• seizures,
• numbness,
• rashes,
• depression,
• fatigue,
• irritability,
• tachycardia (faster than normal heart rate),
• insomnia,
• vision problems,
• hearing loss,
• heart palpitations,
• breathing difficulties,
• slurred speech,
• tinnitus,
• vertigo,
• memory loss and
• joint pain.

It has also been found in experiments to cause brain tumours in rats.

Technically, aspartame is what’s called an excitotoxin.  This means that when it comes into contact with nerve cells in the brain it causes them to be stimulated.  If they’re stimulated too much they’ll die.  The “blood-brain barrier” prevents toxins from reaching nerve cells in our brains but if we’re exposed to high concentrations then they get through.

What’s high?  Good question.  If you’re having aspartame daily in your food and drink, then it’s not unthinkable that your levels are getting close to the danger zone.  While this is a concern for everybody, it’s of particular concern for babies and children as their blood-brain barrier isn’t fully developed.  For this reason the official recommendation is that aspartame shouldn’t be given to children at all, and it should be avoided by pregnant women.

Other common artificial sweeteners in Australian foods include saccharin, acesulphame potassium, sucralose and cyclamates.  There is building evidence that these substances may be cancer-causing in humans, although more research needs to be done.  It’s advisable to reduce exposure to these substances as much as possible.

To find out if the foods you’re eating contain artificial sweeteners it’s really important to read the labels.  Brand names to watch out for include Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda and Sweet’N Low.  Sweeteners may also be listed on labels as numbers.  Below are the numbers of common artificial sweeteners in our foods.

950 Acesulphame potassium

951 Aspartame

952 Calcium cyclamate or sodium cyclamate

954 Saccharin or calcium / sodium / potassium saccharin

955 Sucralose

So, the moral of the story is?  The more untouched and unprocessed your food is, the healthier it’s likely to be.  We have a number of books in the clinic that you might want to look at to give you some ideas.  We also have a dietician who you can consult with to get a clearer idea of what you can do to improve your eating habits.

Aspartame information from:

“Additive Alert: Your Guide to Safer Shopping” by Julie Eady (2008)

An allergy is an inappropriate response of the body’s immune system to a substance that it is normally able to tolerate. Some common allergens include dust, pollens, and certain foods such as milk and eggs. An intolerance or sensitivity occurs when we overdo our exposure to a particular substance. For example, too many food colours or preservatives in our food, or overexposure to cleaning chemicals.

Symptoms of allergies and intolerances can include:

• Hayfever and sinusitis
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Abdominal discomfort
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Behavioral problems and hyperactivity in children
• Impairment of memory and concentration
• Fatigue
• Depression and anxiety

If someone is suffering from symptoms of an allergy or intolerance our practitioners look for what is causing the imbalance in their body that is producing this reaction.

Food allergies and intolerances are often an indicator that your gut is not functioning well. In the absence of the correct balance of good bacteria the gut can be infected with pathological bacteria, fungi and parasites which damage its lining. This can allow partially digested food to pass through the gut wall where it comes into contact with the immune system, and allergies and intolerances can develop.

Good gut function and appropriate levels of good bacteria in the gut are very important for a well functioning immune system. When the immune system is out of balance we are more likely to develop allergies and intolerances. Immune system imbalance can also be caused by excessive stress in our lives, or by nutritional deficiencies in our diet.

Certain supplements can assist people suffering from allergies and intolerances. These can include essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and homeopathic remedies. At KingsWilliam your practitioner can test your body using kinesiology to determine if a supplement or remedy will be useful.

Sometimes there can be an emotional stressor related to an allergy or intolerance in your body. It can indicate that your body isn’t dealing well with some of the stress we all encounter daily in our lives. At KingsWilliam your practitioner may recommend emotional stress release techniques which will help to address this imbalance in your body.

Ultimately any reaction we have to a substance that is not normally harmful is a sign that our body is out of balance in some way. At KingsWilliam we aim to identify this imbalance and use techniques to help your body to heal itself. This means that your body can be functioning at its’ best so that you are feeling great and able to enjoy life to the full!

How do you make your system strong?

Not hard really. You can take immediate steps by boosting your vitamin and mineral intake; having an immune system boosting juice at least twice a week; having a homeopathic first aid kit on hand just in case your body looks like it might be succumbing.

Check the downloads “General well being” section for more information on each of these things.

Long term, you can make sure that structural imbalances are not irritating your nervous system by visiting a chiropractor. You can make sure you follow a basic whole food diet as closely as you can. Finally you can make sure that you are emotionally balanced.

You’ll be surprised at how successful you can be.