How To Have A Happy & Healthy Halloween

Halloween is almost here! Soon it will be time to put on a costume and pass out candy. This is a time of year when many people over-indulge on candy and unhealthy snacks, which can lead to weight gain and other health-related problems. Exercising, eating healthy meals and seeing the chiropractor can help strengthen your body, improve your health and prevent unnecessary weight gain.

EAT HEALTHY

You’ll probably find yourself eating a lot of unhealthy candy, apple cider donuts and other treats when Halloween comes around. Counterbalancing that unhealthy food with nutritious meals can help you stay healthy and avoid weight gain.

• Eat 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fresh fruits each day.
• Use salt in moderation.
• Consume 3 cups of dairy (like low-fat milk) daily.
• If you eat meat, eat lean meats like fish and poultry.

If you’re experiencing a health problem, eating a diet focused on treating your condition can help you heal more quickly. For example, an anti-inflammatory diet can help control swelling and pain from an injury. Talk to your chiropractor for more nutrition advice.

DO STRETCHES AND EXERCISES

Stretches and exercises can help you work off the calories from eating Halloween candy and junk food. Doing stretches and exercises can also help you warm up for your trip around the neighborhood when it’s time to go trick-or-treating. Your chiropractor can teach you a variety exercises that can help you warm up your muscles and burn off some energy. Some suggestions include:

• Arm circles: Hold your arms out straight at your sides and make small circles in the air with your fists and arms.
• Pelvic loops: Put your hands on your hips, stand with your legs apart and make loops with your hips.
• Ankle circles: Use your hand to steady yourself, then stand on one foot and lift up the other foot and make circles with your ankle. Switch legs when the first leg is done.

You can do these stretches before trick-or-treating, or any time before going on a more rigorous walk or run.

FREEZE YOUR CANDY

Freezing your leftover Halloween candy is a good way to stop yourself from eating it too fast. It’s also helpful to avoid over-buying candy since this can lead to a lot of leftovers when Halloween is finished.

SEE YOUR CHIROPRACTOR

Seeing your chiropractor at this time of year can help you stay healthy. Chiropractic adjustments can improve flexibility while boosting your energy. At Greater Cincinnati Chiropractic, we use the following techniques for our patients:

• Spinal adjustment: This technique helps to realign the spine and restore good communication between the brain and the rest of the body. By improving the functioning of the body and the immune system, spinal adjustment can help patients experience less pain and better health overall.
• Nutrition counseling: We recommend healthy foods and good recipes that can help you feel your best.
• Lifestyle advice: Many patients experience pain because of their own lifestyle habits. We help patients understand which behaviors are most detrimental to their health and then we make suggestions that can help our patients avoid injury, illness and chronic pain.
• Stretches and exercises: We teach our patients to do stretches and exercises that can help them stay strong and avoid injury while engaging in physical activity.

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween is a good time to pay a visit to the chiropractor. At Greater Cincinnati Chiropractic, we’re helping our patients get ready for a fun, safe holiday! To make an appointment, contact us today at 513-469-6400.