A Peek Into My Wellness Toolkit: 7 Things I Use as a Chiropractor
People are always surprised that a chiropractor's "wellness routine" isn't some secret biohack list. It's mostly just consistent, unglamorous habits plus a few favourite tools I love to reach for. Here's what's in my rotation, in the order I'd build them into your life.
1. Start With Sleep: A Firm Mattress
Everything starts here, because you spend a third of your life on it. A mattress that's too soft lets your spine sink out of alignment all night long and that adds up. A firmer, more supportive mattress is one of the most underrated (and least exciting) upgrades for how your back feels in the morning.
2. Move Daily: Alo Wellness Club App (Free At-Home Workouts)
No gym, no problem. The Alo Wellness Club app has free at-home workouts of all sorts such as yoga, pilates, strength training or a good stretch and mobility routine. The best part is you can also filter for the length of time you have whether its 10 mins or 45mins - it makes "I didn't have time" a much harder excuse.
3. Train Smart: Runna App for Running Plans
If running is your thing (or isn’t quite yet), Runna puts together plans whether you want to achieve a distance goal or train for a race. Having a personal trainer in your phone that tells you exactly what to do each run is the brain break that makes running so much easier. Most overuse injuries I see come from doing too much, too soon so having a structured plan is very helpful.
4. Recover Your Mind: Insight Timer App for Meditation
Your body isn't the only thing that needs recovery, your nervous system does too. What I love about Insight Timer is it’s a free app with thousands of guided meditations, meaning you’re not sitting there unsure of if you are “meditating the right way.” Meditations can range depending on how much time you have and different purposes such as unwinding before bed or reducing midday stress. A few minutes a day can really change how your body holds tension.
5. Manage the Everyday Aches: R30 Cream
For general soreness, a tight neck, a cranky lower back, post-workout stiffness, I like having a good topical on hand. R30 cream is a great homeopathic cream with it’s main ingredient being Arnica (plus it doesn’t have a strong scent!). It is my go-to for taking the edge off without reaching for medication.
6. Stay Ahead of It: See a Chiropractor
Yes, I'm biased. But chiropractic care isn't just for when something already hurts, it's maintenance for your whole movement system. Catching tightness and imbalances early is a lot easier (and cheaper) than fixing them after they've turned into a real problem. And even I see a Chiropractor regularly too :)
7. For the Stubborn Stuff: Shockwave Therapy
And when something just won't quit: plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, chronic tendon pain, this is one of my favourite tools in clinic. Shockwave therapy uses acoustic wave energy to kickstart healing in tissue that's stuck in a chronic pain loop. If rest and stretching haven't cut it, this is often the missing piece. It’s a key tool in keeping me moving well so I can help my patients feel their best!
None of this is flashy. It's just a handful of on-purpose habits I thought I'd share because they genuinely help me feel my best! Wellness isn't one-size-fits-all, and that's okay - maybe just one or two of these end up clicking for you, and that's still a win! You don't need to do it all to feel a difference.
Got a favourite wellness tool of your own? I'd love to hear it!
