Dr. Eve Choe - Toronto Chiropractor + Posture Expert
info@drevechoe.com l 416.297.8599
1730 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6P 1B3 
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Spinal Health Awareness - World Spine Day

10/14/2022

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October is Spine Health Awareness Month, with World Spine Day on October 16th. It serves as a reminder of how important your spine is, highlighting the burden of spinal pain and disability worldwide, as well as the importance of proper spinal health and how it impacts Ontarians, Canadians, and the rest of the world.

Health Canada reports that 11 million Canadians experience musculoskeletal conditions each year, which is more than cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease combined. Further, the Canadian Pain Task Force estimates that about nine million Canadians will suffer from chronic pain by 2030.

This year’s World Spine Day encourages people to take steps to be kind to their spines. As you know, back pain is one of the main causes of emergency department visits, and one of the leading causes of initial opioid prescriptions. It also affects many marginalized communities, including people living in poverty and veterans. Left untreated, back pain can significantly impact one’s quality of life and lead to chronic pain, but not everyone is aware of these facts.

Here are Some Tips to Improve Your Spinal Health

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Set Posture Breaks
Did you know that sitting in one position for longer than 30 minutes can cause problems in your low back? Avoid this by changing positions and stretching frequently. Set a reminder to take regular posture breaks on your phone or computer, or add a note or sticker as a visible cue. 
 

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Maintain Good Posture
Poor posture can cause neck and back pain. It can also lead to other health problems, such as headaches, shoulder pain, and even nerve damage. When poor posture becomes chronic, it can cause irreversible damage to the spine. Explore our blog for lots of tips on posture!   

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Drink Water
Water is the most important thing to drink for a healthy back. It allows nutrients to travel to the major organs, remove waste, and maintain function in the joints, organs, and most importantly, the spine! The main part of your spine is made up of 24 bones, or vertebrae. Wedged between your vertebrae are little jelly-like discs that protect the spine by acting as shock absorbers as you move. They prevent your vertebrae from rubbing together, but in order to do this, these discs rely heavily on fluids. Water is continuously lost and reabsorbed and when your discs don’t rehydrate enough, they shrink. This forces the outer layer to take on more stress, which eventually leads to swelling and pain.

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Get Moving
Stretch, go for a walk, incorporate a weight training routine, strengthen your core.

Your back and abdominal muscles are both part of your core which is essential for stability, mobility, and flexibility. When your core is weak, it can produce pain that extends beyond just your lower back up into your shoulders and neck, and down into your hips and legs. Strengthening these muscles can improve posture and relieve pressure off your back. A strong core reduces your risk of injury. 


Here are some fun fall activities that will get you active:
  • Visit a pumpkin patch
  • Explore a corn maze
  • Go apple picking
  • Take a scenic hike and admire the changing leaves
  • Take your kiddos to a playground and join them!

When To Seek Help
If you are experiencing chronic pain that worsens over time or becomes debilitating, or if you would like a spinal check up to maintain a healthy spine, call our office at 416-297-8599 or book an appointment online. ​
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Essential Self-Care Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs

2/14/2022

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Guest Author: Jennifer McGregor of PublicHealthLibrary.org
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Entrepreneurship is exciting, but it's also stressful. When the burden of success rests entirely on your shoulders, it's easy to sacrifice your personal needs in service of your professional goals. That's why it's so important to be intentional about self-care - by taking steps to stay healthy and whole, you can avoid burnout and steer the business with a clear head.

Create an Ergonomic Workspace

Whether you work from home or in an office, ergonomics matters. A well-designed workspace is essential for neck, back, and wrist health.
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Ways to adjust your work area:

  • Raise the computer screen. The top edge should be even with your eye level. Place the screen 20-24 inches from your face.
  • Select a supportive chair. The backrest should fit the curve of your spine. Adjust the seat until your thighs run parallel to the floor. If you're short, you may need a footrest.
  • Watch your wrists. Configure your desk and chair so your wrists are parallel to the desk. This neutral position reduces strain.

Move Your Body

Entrepreneurs tend to spend hours sitting in front of the computer. Exercise is one way to ward off back pain and neck strain; it also reduces stress and keeps your heart and lungs in shape. You don't need to spend hours at the gym — the American Heart Association recommends just 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

Some activities include:
• Fitness videos or classes
• Jogging or brisk walking
• Fitness-oriented yoga
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Biking

Take Time to Relax

When you have a business to run, it can be hard to fathom taking the time to do nothing. If you can step away, however, you'll find that a 15-minute relaxation session has big benefits; it can ease stress, reduce anxiety, and improve your sleep quality. You'll return to work feeling fresh and focused. 

Try these relaxation techniques:
• Meditation
• Gentle yoga
• Technology-free walks
• Deep breathing
• Acupuncture
• Calming visualization

Streamline Your Business

If you're feeling stressed about work, the right business activities can be a form of self-care. Improving your operations can also improve your life. 

Ways to save time and make your company more efficient include:
• Creating standard operating procedures
• Outsourcing or delegating noncritical tasks
• Automating wherever you can

Are you worried about finances? Grants can provide peace of mind and get your company back on the right path. Here in Toronto, Canada, opportunities include Toronto Arts Council grants and University of Toronto grants. Stand out from the competition by tightening your business plan and spending time creating a riveting application. It's also helpful to understand grant requirements and search for industry-targeted awards.

Cultivate Healthy Work-From-Home Habits

If you're running a business from home, it's hard to take a break — there's always something to do, and your laptop is never far away. Don't worry about finding a perfect work-life balance. Instead, take small steps to make time for both personal and professional activities:
• Respond to emails and calls during work hours only
• Put your computer in another room during family time
• Schedule gatherings with friends in advance
• Separate your workspace from your living space

Consistent self-care can help you stay calm and focused at work. If neck and back pain is affecting your productivity, book an appointment today for gentle, stress-relieving chiropractic and acupuncture care.


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Do you have TMJ pain?

8/23/2021

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With the ongoing stress of the pandemic, many people of feeling it in their jaw. According to a recent study, prevalence of facial and jaw pain increased by 12% since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The jaw joint, also known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is located on either side of the face directly in front of the ear. It connects your lower jaw to your skull and it allows your jaw to open and close to facilitate activities such as eating and speaking.

Is your jaw stiff and sore when you wake up? Do you find yourself clenching or grinding your teeth? Does your jaw pop, click, catch, grate, or lock when you open your mouth? These are all signs of TMJ dysfunction. TMJ pain can be caused by a number of factors such as muscle tension, teeth grinding, stress, or injury. Repetitive movements, such as chewing, yawning, and speaking can eventually lead to issues in the surrounding areas, such as neck tension, headaches, ear pain, swelling, and dizziness. Typical Western medical treatment involves some combination of painkillers and muscle relaxants, wearing a bite guard at night, steroid injections - most of which are band aid fixes and fail to address the underlying cause. But did you know that Acupuncture is highly effective at treating TMJ disorders?

Acupuncture can tackle the cause of dysfunction and pain from a few different angles. We address the root of the problem, such as stress, anxiety, or systemic imbalances, while directly working on the muscles surrounding the jaw that may be tense or pulling your jaw out of place. Other Chinese Medicine techniques, such as gua sha, cupping, and shiatsu can be incorporated into the treatment to ensure lasting effects. Patients often feel a change in their jaw after just one treatment, but see even greater results after 3-6 sessions followed by the occasional tune-up.

Megan offers 15 minute complimentary consultations (in-person or virtual). Call to book or conveniently book online. 

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Pack it Light, Wear it Right - Choosing the right backpack for back to school

8/22/2021

3 Comments

 
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Backpacks can affect your children's health. Carrying a heavy load that is unevenly or improperly distributed can result in poor posture; and even distort the spinal column, throwing it out of alignment. This can cause muscle strain, headaches, back, neck and arm pain, and even nerve damage.

More than 50 per cent of young people experience at least one episode of lower back pain by their teenage years. Research indicates that this could be caused, to a great extent, by improper use of backpacks.

Prevention is key to avoiding injury. If you haven't already, now is a good time to teach your children how to properly use their backpacks. 

Here are some tips from the Ontario Chiropractic Association:

Packing it properly: Make sure your child’s pack contains only what is needed for that day, and that the weight is distributed evenly. The total weight of the filled pack should be no more than 10 to 15 percent of the wearer’s body weight.

Choosing the right backpack: Go for lightweight vinyl or canvas. Pick a pack that has two wide, adjustable, padded shoulder straps, along with a hip or waist strap, padded back and plenty of pockets. Chest straps are great for kiddos with small frames.

Putting it on: Put the pack on a flat surface, at waist height. Slip on the pack, one shoulder at a time, and then adjust the straps to fit comfortably.

Wearing it right: Both shoulder straps should be used, and adjusted so that the pack fits snugly to the body, without dangling to the side. You should be able to slide your hand between the backpack and your child’s back.

Your child’s backpack shouldn’t be a drag. Maintaining good back health in youth may help prevent back problems in later life. So, pack it light and wear it right!
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Understanding Acupuncture through Nature

5/23/2021

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Springtime is in full swing, but as a global pandemic rages on, this year feels a little different. While many of us have moved beyond the paralyzing fear we felt at the start of the pandemic in 2020, with lockdown measures still in place, a new feeling has emerged. The New York Times called it languishing: the unsettling feeling of stagnation and emptiness, a void between depression and flourishing. Coping for me came in the form of buying and watching my new houseplants grow. At my best, I’m an erratic plant-parent where the only consistency is inconsistency - overwatering, underwatering, too much sun, too little sun - but I was impressed at their resilience. Seeing a new leaf unfurling on my pothos or a new shoot breaking through the soil of my snake plant brought joy in a time when life felt like it was at a standstill. 

As it pertains to Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, you can think of the human body as the garden and your Registered Acupuncturist as the gardener. The garden is this beautiful, dynamic and self-regulating system - there is a time for sprouting, ripening, harvesting, and composting - and through this cycle of transformation, it continuously sustains itself. Optimal growth occurs when there is a proper balance between sunlight (yang) and water (yin). When the garden flourishes, it is able to withstand periods of drought, insect infestation, an unseasonably cold day, and other kinds of adversity. 

As the gardener, I don’t make the garden grow, but I can help prepare the soil, plant the seeds, provide water, and remove weeds. I observe and judge what the garden needs, and then nurture its interaction with the environment accordingly - promoting growth in some areas and restricting it in others. A gardener may touch the soil or observe the foliage to determine the health of the garden. We can look at the human body in the same way. As Acupuncturists, we observe your demeanor, complexion, and tongue, we listen to the sound of your voice, breathing, and coughing, and we palpate your abdomen, back, and measure your pulse and we use these findings to diagnose what is going on in the body. When yin and yang fall out of balance, our bodies become less efficient at self-regulating and illness can set in. Once we determine the relative distribution of yin and yang in the body and how this is causing illness, we can work to correct the imbalance and bring the body back into harmony. Just as we outlined a flourishing garden above, a flourishing and healthy body helps us respond to adversity and bounce back. We can use Traditional Chinese Medicine and all its amazing tools (acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, diet and lifestyle recommendations) to give our bodies resilience and the best possible advantage when it comes to staving off illness.

Megan offers 15 minute complimentary consultations (in-person or virtual). For a limited time, Initial Acupuncture Intake appointments are $80 (regular rate $110). Call to book or conveniently book online. 
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Benefits of Cupping

4/18/2021

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Cupping has been around thousands of years in both Asia and the Middle East. Cupping has recently gained popularity in North America after being seen on celebrities and athletes. 

What exactly is Cupping? 
It's an ancient form of therapy where suction is applied to the skin for several minutes using "cups". It is often combined with massage and acupuncture. The discoloration often seen after cupping is due to broken blood vessels just beneath the skin, much like a bruise. The suction draws fluid to the area by opening up blood vessels. 

What does it do?
Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair.

What are some Benefits of Cupping?
-Alleviate muscle pain, tension & stiffness
-Improve fascial mobility
-Aid digestion 
-clear chest congestion
-speed up recovery time


What do the Cupping Marks Mean?
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Light - healthy body, circulation is good, muscles and fascia are getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function optimally.

Dark pink to red - mild to moderate stagnation; tension in the muscles (ex. post-workout) is constricting vessels and preventing the removal of byproducts, such as lactic acid. 

Dark red to purple - severe stagnation; chronic muscle tension means fresh blood and oxygen supply to the muscles is limited; byproducts, toxins and blood lacking in nutrients is stuck and unable to be flushed out properly. 

To find out more about cupping and acupuncture, book a complimentary 15 minute virtual or in-person visit with our registered acupuncturist, Megan 
Book Online
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January 14, 2021 Update: We are OPEN

1/14/2021

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New Safety Measures

5/29/2020

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​Things will look a bit different in the office as we have made many changes to keep you and your family, and our team safe. 

What we are doing to ensure your safety during your visit:
  • Daily COVID-19 Pre-screening of all patients and team members. You will receive an online questionnaire 2 hours before your visit. In-person questionnaire will also be available for those without email access.
  • To aid in social distancing we have significantly modified our appointment schedule to allow for adequate spacing of patient visits. Wherever possible, we will implement a one in, one out policy to restrict the number of people in the office at one time. 
  • All treatment area and tools will be sanitized with Health Canada approved products between each visit.
  • Team members will wear either an N95 or surgical mask and disposable gloves.
  • We have removed high touch objects such as magazines.
  • We are going paperless. We will be providing paperless invoices and will be using online forms moving forward. 
Here's what we ask of you: 
  • We are following screening protocols as directed by Public Health. If you have been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or you are experiencing any symptoms of the virus (fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing), please stay home. If you feel unwell at all, for your safety and ours, please stay home. We will cancel and/or reschedule your appointment to a later date without penalty.
  • Updated Guidelines now require all visits to wear a mask. Please bring your own mask to your appointment. 
  • If you are being driven to your appointment or if someone is accompanying you, please have that person wait in your vehicle.
  • Minimize bringing in personal belongings such as purses and bags. 
  • Follow hand hygiene protocols when entering and exiting the clinic. Hand sanitizers are available for your use throughout the office.
  • We will continue to accept all forms of payments, but e-transfers, direct billing are preferred at this time.
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Sleeping Posture

5/5/2020

6 Comments

 
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I often find poor sleeping habits contribute to chronic neck or back issues. A question I commonly get asked is: what is the best way to sleep for good posture? Read on to find out.

✅Sleeping on your back or side keeps your spine in the most neutral position, If you choose to sleep on your side, make sure to support your pelvis with a pillow between your knees.

✅Take a look at the type of pillow that you use. If you sleep on your back, you need a lower pillow. Remember that the neck is what really needs to be supported vs. your head. If you sleep on your side. there’s a bigger negative space between your head and shoulder, so you need a firmer and higher pillow.


✅Tuck the bottom of the pillow above the shoulders. The pillow should support your neck, not your shoulders. 

✅Medium-firm mattress is best. A mattress that is too soft will cause the heaviest parts of your body to sink, while a too firm mattress will not support the curves of the spine. 

A good sleeping posture will improve the quality of your sleep, improving your overall energy and mood. Sweet dreams! 


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Hello May! Happy Posture Month

5/5/2020

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Happy Posture Month! In honour of posture month, I will be posting posture tips on my Instagram page @drevechoe as well as some on the blog throughout the month of May.
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    Dr. Eve Choe is a Toronto-based chiropractor, and certified posture expert, acupuncture & orthotics provider. 

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​​COPYRIGHT DR. EVE CHOE 2023 l ecdesigns l 1730 Bloor Street West Unit 3, Toronto, ON, M6P 1B3 l 416.297.8599 l info@drevechoe.com
Chiropractor, Acupuncture, Massage, Orthotics, Posture Correction, Cosmetic Acupuncture, Pregnancy & Webster Technique, 
MVA, WSIB