If there is one thing that all healthcare practitioners can agree on, it’s that high quality sleep is absolutely critical for good health. If we were as diligent about recharging our cell phone batteries as we are about recharging our body batteries we’d be in great shape! Check out today’s episode for some ideas on how to improve the quality of your sleep and your overall health as a result. Hungry for more? Check out the rest of the Adjust Your Life Podcast episodes! If you're more of a...

Fasting is known to be a healing intervention for a number of chronic and degenerative health challenges, but it also has tremendous benefits when you are healthy and well and want to stay that way for a long time. By consistently adding fasting into your life you will support your digestive system, improve the function of your immune system, help your body get back to it’s natural size and shape, and even slow down the aging process. There is a ton or research and resources about fasting,...

Struggling with schooling your children while they are at home? I took the opportunity to sit down with a local mom of 4 who's been homeschooling for the past 10 years and we had a great discussion. She sheds her insights on what she's learned over the years and shares her mindset tips about: Getting clear on your values as a family and letting that be the starting point Getting children involved in what they want to learn Creating a daily rhythm that suits your family life Sharing...

Shirlee is a local health crusader, and lucky for me, a very good friend! She joins me today to talk about what led her to open  a yoga studio, the importance of mediation, and she shares how she prioritizes her own health. Tune in for a great little conversation! You can learn more about Shirlee on her website. Hungry for more? Check out the rest of the Adjust Your Life Podcast episodes! If you're more of a reader than a listener, you may prefer checking out some blog posts! If you love...

I'm joined by Psychologist Maddi Rundle in this conversation, and I loved it! We discussed why it's important for us to take care of our emotional response as parents, how to communicate difficult situations with children of all ages, and why 'feeling our feelings' is essential to moving forward. If there is ever a time to understand these ideas, it's now. P.S. It's longer than the usual 10 minutes because it was so good!

Stress is inevitable in our lives, but how we respond to something that is stressful is up to us! Stress is bad for your health, so in this episode I share the 5 most common tips I give people to help shift their perspective and find a little more joy in their every day life. Which one of these tips can you start today to adjust your current level of health?  Hungry for more? Check out the rest of the Adjust Your Health Podcast episodes! If you're more of a reader than a listener, you may...

New, local Naturopath, Dr. Rehan Lakhani joins me for a great discussion about stress, gut health and why he decided to open his practice in Collingwood. Tune in for easy tips to help manage your stress and gut health, and to get to know this new local doctor.

February is widely known in the healthcare field as Heart Health Month. In honour of this lovely time of year, I have Board Certified Cardiologist, Dr. Jack Wolfson join me, to discuss the myths of heart disease and lifestyle factors. You won't want to miss this one! If you're looking for more ways to keep your heart healthy and happy, check out this blog post.

On today’s show we’re talking to Bruce Young, a local resident living a great life. He and his wife run Live, Life, Fit in Thornbury, and he’s also been involved in CrossFit and Adventure Racing. Now he is committed to a healthy lifestyle for himself and others. Maintaining balance in his approach is what keeps him motivated and moving in the right direction. For people who are new to fitness he recommends shopping around the edge of the supermarket, avoiding processed foods, and starting...

We’re a couple of weeks into the new year, and in my experience, that’s when those iron-clad resolutions start losing a bit of their strength. New year’s resolutions are hard to keep, and that’s why I refuse to make them. Instead, I think of my life a series of EVOLUTIONS. It was recommended to me by a friend who’s also a psychologist, and trust me, it’s a game changer. Tune in to today’s episode to find out how to implement this perspective in YOUR life. For more ideas on how to EVOLVE in...

There are lots of opportunities during the holiday season for indulgent foods, extra alcohol, social engagements and festive fun! However this season can also be physically and emotionally draining if you don't keep a few important health habits in mind. You can indulge, celebrate and feel good during the holiday season and head into the new year ready to rock! These 5 tips will give you a good start. Find out more about ways to support your health all year round at www.drmelissa.ca

Today we’re talking about POSTURE. Posture is about more than standing and sitting up straight. The spine is the way the brain talks to the body, it’s important to keep it in good shape! Proper alignment allows your body to heal things like digestive issues, fertility issues and suppressed immune function, because proper spine health allows your body to do its job. Listen in to learn more about how your posture affects your overall health on today’s episode. For further research you can...

Despite being 13 and 17 years old respectively, neither of my sons have ever taken any medication. The only support they’ve had from pharmaceuticals is when dealing with broken bones and pain management. If they have colds, congestion or any other common illness, my approach since they were born, was to let the body handle it naturally. I have the support of an amazing health team, including a great physician and a naturopath who have always been there for advice, and thankfully, believe in...

Your body is always talking to you; constantly sending you messages about how it’s performing or how it’s feeling. A lot of people relate symptoms to sickness but more often than not, once you deepen your ability to tune into your body’s messages, it will tell you about hidden sources of inflammation that have not yet begun to show up as symptoms. Your health is about so much more than how you feel, and on today’s episode, we go over how to team up with your body for better health. For more...

It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and also my favourite time of year in the practice. In addition to the amazing weather and abundance of produce from local farmer’s markets, we have also set up our gratitude wall - an annual tradition in my practice. Today’s podcast is all about gratitude, so listen in and find out how making gratitude a daily practice will actually do great things for your health. For more on the health benefits of gratitude, check out this blog post.

It’s that time of year (at least here in Canada), where we reap the last of the harvest, pack up the gardens and put them to bed for the winter. Your body, while genius, does not care which season you’re gardening in, it still needs you to be conscious of it as you work. On today’s episode, I’m sharing the quick tips that will save you from the injuries I commonly see in my practice during this time of year. For more Gardening Tips for a Healthy Spine, check out this blog post.

It is estimated that Canadians spend almost a quarter of their life at work. When you take into account how much of the remaining 75% is spent sleeping, it becomes clear quickly, how important the health of your workplace is. Today’s podcast will cover a few ways to maximize your work environment to support better spinal health, and thereby, overall health. It’s an investment you won’t regret. For more information on basic office ergonomics, read this blog post. For information on “text...

Across the board, one of the most recommended practices for success is goal setting. It’s not uncommon to see people planning their dream home or dream business, but what about your health goals? Personally, I have several areas of my life that I set goals for, and health is a very important area in my plan for success. Tune in to the podcast today to get some tips on how to prioritize your health by setting goals.

Purses and handbags, while handy and always a favourite fashion accessory, can put a lot of strain on your shoulder, neck, lower back and even on your hips. Since we all feel the need to lug all of our stuff around with us day in and day out, I thought I’d take a minute to share some tips to save yourself from injury and the effects heavy purses can have on your posture. For more on conscious purse wearing, check out this blog post.

An everyday essential for you child, and sometimes a BIG source of stress to their developing spine! This week I discuss tips to consider when purchasing a backpack for your child, how to teach them to carry them, and why this matters for their health! Find out more ways to support your child's health and Dr. Melissa Longo's practice 

In my practice I've observed that sometimes when people become healthier, feel better, maybe even get more fit, lose weight, or seem to have more energy they are met with unwelcome comments and even criticism from others. They share with me that friends, coworkers and even family members question them, or are unsupportive of their efforts and results. In this week's show I share the conversation that often follows, and why I tell them to "Be great anyway!". Read my other tips on living with...

Last week we talked about how to keep stimulating and challenging YOUR grown up brain, but what about your baby? In this week's show I share ways you can support your child's natural development and have some fun doing it!  Read this blog post about baby brain development

Your brain is the most amazing and important muscle in your body and has the same requirements as other muscles to stay strong and healthy – to keep building it you need to challenge it! In this week's show I discuss ways you can easily and consistently strengthen your brain, and have fun doing it!  You can read the blog post with more details here You can read the blog post about 5 Ways To Strengthen Your Baby's Brain here

When cold showers were first mentioned to me as a supportive health practice, my first reaction was “NO WAY!”. Maybe you're feeling the same way just hearing the suggestion of it!  Now I’m converted, and in addition to jumping in Georgian Bay whenever I can, cold showers have become a healthy habit I regularly practice. In this week's show I discuss 4 reasons to give this a try, and why it might just be easier than you think.  Read more in this blog post Find out more about Dr. Melissa...