Top 3 Lifestyle Hacks I Recommend to My Clients
As we age, our bodies ability to cope with stress diminishes. If we are not careful about forming good lifestyle habits, our health will start to show signs of wear and tear. It could be digestive issues, sleep problems, or mood disturbances. Usually, when the body gets so overwhelmed and worn down, you will receive a diagnosis from your family doctor like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, etc.
Here are some of the best health tips that I regularly educate my clients on:
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SLEEP?
Getting a good night of sleep is the best medicine for our body. This is when our liver detoxifies, our brain repairs itself, and our gut regenerates. Without good quality sleep, our body will feel sluggish and run-down, and function at a much lower capacity. How do we get a good night of sleep? The answer to this question is simple. Limit your exposure to blue light (i.e., screen time) 3 hours before your bedtime. Blue light from your electronics stimulates your brain to stay awake and decreases your body’s natural melatonin production. And if you are extra motivated to use sleep to boost your health, try to fall asleep before 10-11 pm every night. The reason behind this recommendation is that our internal organs all have circadian clocks. For the liver and gallbladder, their circadian clocks are 11 pm to 3 am. This means that from 11 pm to 3 am, the liver and gallbladder are the most active. If you are not asleep before 11 pm, your liver and gallbladder will not be able to do all the amazing functions like detoxifying your body.
Want to learn more about sleep and circadian rhythms? Check out this book called: “The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight”. Click here for the book’s Goodreads page.
WHAT KIND OF FOOD SHOULD I EAT?
What we put in our mouths directly affects the inflammation level in our bodies. If you eat whole foods like organic vegetables and high-quality meat and limit your intake of refined sugar, then your body will usually feel better. Here is a list of food that is known to cause inflammation in some people. Unsure if any of these food groups cause inflammation for you? The best way to find out is to do an elimination diet, where you cut out the food group that you think might be causing you health problems for 4 weeks and then slowly reintroduce it back to your diet and see if you react negatively to the food.
- All grains: Wheat, barley, rye, rice, quinoa, corn, etc.
- Dairy products: Milk, yogurt, cheese, cream, etc., from cows, goats, or sheep
- All added sweeteners: White and brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, agave nectar, etc.
- Inflammatory oils: Corn, soybean, canola, sunflower, grapeseed, vegetable oil, etc.
- Legumes: Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, white beans, soybeans, tofu, lima beans, chickpeas, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, nut, and seed butter, etc.
- Eggs: whites and yolks
- Nightshades: Tomatoes, white and yellow potatoes, eggplant, all peppers, etc.
Want to learn more about an anti-inflammatory diet? Check out this book called: “The Inflammation Spectrum: Find Your Food Triggers and Reset Your System“. Click here for the book’s Goodreads page.
HOW MUCH OF EXERCISE SHOULD I DO?
We sleep better when we exercise regularly. Some people benefit more from high-intensity exercise and other people benefit more from low to mod-intensity exercise. Everyone is different so it’s important to try different types of exercise and see what makes you feel the best. Regardless of what intensity of exercise you end up doing, it is safe to say that getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day is crucial for your health. If you don’t like going to a gym, take a walk outside! If you don’t have time to do 30 minutes in one go, that’s fine – break up your exercise into chunks of 10 minutes at a time. You will still retain all the benefits of exercise that way.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
Changing lifestyle habits can be hard, but the payoff is worth it! I always encourage my clients to implement one health habit at a time and try it out for 2 weeks. See if there are any benefits and go from there. If you are interested in coming into the clinic for treatment… Please see below for my online booking site.
Online Booking:
Please call/text/WhatsApp: 647-888-7833
Email: amychenpt@gmail.com
Response time: within 24 hours
Amy did such a great job treating my injured knee. With just a couple of sessions, the pain was minimal. Thank you so much, Amy!
Thank you Amy for every treatment. I feel much better about my stomach and neck. I enjoyed every treatment and the significant improvement afterwards.
Since starting treatment with Amy, I have experienced significant improvements with my chronic pain. The sessions greatly had a positive impact on my day to day life.Amy is honest with her work; provides tailored treatment based on feedback and my needs. She shares insight with her knowledge and is very personable. She even recommended and provided me some great books to read.Every session has been relaxing and beneficial for my healing/recovery. I highly recommend 5 stars!
I have low back pain and have been seeing Amy Chen for physiotherapy and acupuncture treatments. Amy is kind, patient and very knowledgeable. She explains her diagnosis and different treatments for my problem. I am making progress as I am feeling less pain and tension in the area affected. I would recommend Amy without hesitation. Thanks, Amy and keep up the good work!
Amy is great to help with my back pain and gives me very helpful advice and text me tips about diet and exercises. Have gone back multiple times.
This is my second time seeing Amy for pain and discomfort at the back of my knee. Last time, she helped me with pain in my Achilles area and shoulder bursitis, and I'm now fully recovered from those issues. This time is no different. I noticed a huge improvement even after just one treatment. Amy is professional, very knowledgeable, and incredibly patient. I highly recommend her!
I went to see Amy because my ankle was hurting really bad. It was very difficult for me to put weight on my left ankle. After just a couple of sessions my ankle felt good. She provided me the treatment I needed including some suggestions as to how to maintain the strength of my ankle. My sessions with her is helping me with my pains. I have tried other clinics but I respond better to her treatments. I am happy that I found her clinic.
Amy Chen is very patient in examining my body and explaining every condition, not only has she taken great care of my health, but also she is lovely to speak with at every appointment. It’s rare to find a Physiotherapy and Acupuncture that combines such personal touches and care for a patient as a person with outstanding quality of medical care. I would definitely recommend Amy Chen to everyone.
Amy has helped manage my pain as a result of a chronic neck condition. She is also helping me with an ankle issue. I have found her to be an effective manager of her practice as well. My appointments are provided with little to no wait time. Rare these days.
I am beyond surprised at how effective Acupuncture is. Amy is very knowledgeable and attentive to your needs. I’m happy I trusted the process and it paid off greatly! Thank you Amy
I went to Amy's Acupuncture Clinic because I had a problem called piriformis syndrome for seven months. It caused a lot of pain and made it hard for me to do things in my life. I tried many treatments from physio to Cortisone shots, but nothing seem to work. I had to take painkiller every week, to be able to work and live a normal life with kids. I even felt like I might get depressed because of the pain.Then, my family doctor told me about Amy's clinic. Amy didn't just treat the pain; she looked for what was causing it. After only four sessions with Amy, my back and leg felt much better. By the time I finished seven sessions, I didn't need pain medicine anymore, and I felt more flexible and comfortable.Amy is really good at treating pain, and I've told all my friends about her. She really helped me when I needed it most. I'm so glad I found her clinic. If you are struggling with body pains, this is the place to visit.
Amy Chen is professional, respectful, and friendly. She will walk you through and help better understand your issues. I have had back and neck issues for a very long time and I am already seeing noticeable results and benefiting from the treatments. This was my first time receiving acupuncture, it will now be the treatment of choice.
Amy is really good at what she does. She is very understanding and accomodativeI got acupuncture done for my bicep torn muscle..felt relief after the 1 session! Highly recommend her for any physiotherapy needs!
I was experiencing knee pain and decided to go to Amy after being recommended from a friend. She has definitely reduced the pain over the span of 8 weeks, and helped me through acupuncture and physiotherapy combined. She is very precise with her needles and provided me with a detailed list of exercises to undergo daily, with easy to understand instructions. Overall, I would recommend Amy to anyone as she is very friendly, knowledgeable, and definitely makes sure that you leave with your initial request fulfilled.
It felt like fate to get referred to Amy.Earlier in the summer I took my father to a Durham crystal shop to adjust his bracelet, when the owner noticed his limp (due to spinal stenosis which lead to years of sciatic pain) and after we talked for a while she not so gently nudged us to consider contacting Amy. She swore by her abilities - telling us about the rave reviews from a close friend who suffered years of severe back pain till he saw Amy, and about her own daughter's recovery from a sprain in much less time than doctor's predicted.I booked an acupuncture appointment within a week of talking to the shop owner, and it took 2-3 treatments for my father to recognize Amy was going to help him in a lasting way.Over the course of the summer Amy performed acupuncture treatments that reduced years and years (and years and years) of pain and numbness to a level that was tolerable, liveable. My father can't stop talking about the improvement to his quality of life - less numbness, less sciatic pain, ability to sit longer (in truth being retired he still sits waaaay too much), steadier and stronger walk, less fear of falling, etc.Amy is not the first acupuncturist he has seen. In 2008, after several weeks of regular acupuncture treatments my father gave up. His pain diminished for a few days after each session but it usually came back in full force, that said his previous acupuncturist was experienced and dedicated. Over the years my father has also gone for physiotherapy but he says without hesitation that no practitioner has done as much for him as Amy. And the improvement has been progressive and steady. I take him to every appointment and can attest to his reduced pain and increased confidence.What makes Amy good:* Knowledge -- Amy knows what she is doing and talking about when it comes to Acupuncture. She is also knowledgeable about Traditional Chinese Medicine and generous with all of the information and resources related to health and well-being -- but only if you're interested, nothing is forced* Efficient -- the whole appointment booking/payment process is easy; and her movement between patients is efficient and timely ... you're never rushed* Consistent* Not pushy -- no up-sell, not once ever - instead she checks in to make sure you see improvement and choose to continue* Holistic -- she sees the patient as a whole being and is open to offering info on how to improve what you eat and the health of your environment -- again only if you're interested, nothing is forcedI have seen the changes in my father's health from one appointment to the next. Thankfully my health is good but I wouldn't hesitate to take treatment from Amy or recommend her to other family members, friends or anyone open to Acupuncture. And, I fully expect she applies the same care, commitment, knowledge and attention to her Physiotherapy practice.Of course this review is subjective but it's heartfelt too. Amy is good at what she does, with the desire to improve her patients' quality of life. My father is better for seeing her, something he would tell you himself if asked! BTW - we never got the bracelet adjusted and decided we ended up there for the referral to Amy.I hope this review helps you make a decision and wish all who read it the best of health.
Amy is amazing in one word! My health issues are complex, but my consultations with Amy, her knowledge about the body and her treatment protocol have been extremely beneficial to me and have resulted in both temporary and more permanent improvement of my symptoms. Amy is professional and the best part is she listens to your problems very carefully and takes history of your wellness in between treatment days every time you walk in. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the appointments we had together. I will definitely recommend Amy for people out there suffering from pain. Cause pain is something that stops us from any kind of regular activities. And Amy will be your solution.
Very recommended!!! My low back pain got much better after only a few times of the treatments. Thank you Amy~
Amy used a very effective method to relieve my shin pain, and situation is gradually getting better.
Amy is very courteous, patient, knowledgeable and professional at her job! She explains all the issues in detail and has a great office environment. She is working on my hamstrings and I am feeling much better already after 3 weeks!! I would highly recommend her services anytime!!
Amy seems to really care about people and the best treatment for their needs. Would highly recommend her.
After leaving a hospital ER with extreme pain due to lower back & herniated disc (pinched nerve) pain. Desperate for pain relief. Searched on Google and found Acupuncturist Amy (Yu Fei) Chen with many high 5 star ratings. Decided to try her practice. Booked an appointment, got assessed by her to treat my extreme pain. Amy was very thorough with explanations, answering all my questions, providing full details of each process, providing prevention measures, and immediately after my initial treatment, relieved majority of my unbearable pain. The practice is hygienically clean & a calm environment. I am continuing my treatments with her as each session has helped me immensely with pain relief & better mobility. Would highly recommend her. You will understand why she has many 5 star ratings!!!
Dr. Amy Chen is absolutely my savior! Before going to her, I thought I would lose forever my ability to do housework and to take care of myself! Before I went to Dr. Amy Chen whom I found on line, I had 8 acupuncture treatments elsewhere without improvement. I was suffering from severe swelling and pain on my left thumb as well as finger pain on my right hand. As I couldn't even hold a cup nor comb my hair, I became so depressed and felt that I had become disabled. There had been astonishing improvement even after the third treatment. Sounds unbelievable but it is true!Dr. Chen is very confident of what she can treat. She is also very honest to tell you what she cannot treat. Besides treating me with her expertise in acupuncture, she has also given me great advice on wellness including sending me links regarding good postures as well and suggesting readings on ideas to lower inflammation as well as reclaiming wellness, etc. Everything she did and suggested me to do contributed to my surprising recovery! I am totally grateful to her! Thanks Dr. Chen, I will never forget you!
I’ve been experiencing low back pain since last year, and it comes to a point where it’s hard to sit. That’s when I decided to try acupuncture and found Amy’s clinic. After a couple of sessions, I already felt a big improvement in my lower back. Also, since I started the acupuncture session, I have had better sleep and mood. I highly recommend Amy.
Received acupuncture from Amy for ankle pain and flexibility issues, and muscle spasms.Have made good progress in the last few weeks. Feeling more relief and symptoms are less frequent.She is professional, knowledgeable, approachable. She also provided tips that are practical to follow.The environment is clean, relaxing and booking appointments online/through the app is efficient.
I’ve had lower back pain for years and received chiropractic, massage therapy and physiotherapy to keep it in check.However as I grow older it has gotten much worse causing pain in the back of my legs and calfs as well as some hip pain.I found Amy on line and after reading such positive reviews I gave her a try.After only a couple of treatments it’s made such a difference! I’m already seeing significant improvements in my symptoms.Amy is very knowledgeable and upfront.I highly recommend her.
I’m so happy I discovered Amy! She is detailed, focused and very efficient. She has worked wonders for my health! Every week I look forward to my session and leave feeling amazing! If you haven’t given Acupunture a chance with Amy , this is your sign! 🙂
I’ve been having back problems for a long time. It comes and goes. And with advancing age, it becomes more of an issue. In the past year, also has numbness of the feet esp sitting down and some hip pains. I was very thankful I came across Amy over the internetAs she is a registered physiotherapist as well as an acupuncture practitioner. After about 8 treatments over 4 months, I already felt a big difference. Now I am seeing Amy about once a month for maintenance. Amy also runs a very efficient on line booking and reminder system. Appointments are always on time. I have never had to wait. And you can have easy access by phone or e mail to Amy if you have any issues. I would highly recommend Amy
Amy Chen is a very professional when dealing with my condition. My problem was a complex one and its been persistent for more then 3 years. Amy has patiently dealt with my condition. She clearly explained what and how she plans to treat my condition. She also suggested few exercises that helped me recover sooner. I highly recommend her.
Amy is very professional and knowledgeable. She provides excellent services, and gives me many tips to support me in the future. Amy is also very patient, and communicates with me throughly all the time! The environment is also comfortable, tidy and relaxing. 😀 I really enjoy it!
I am so happy that I decided to go come to this clinic to get help with my shoulder issues. I went to Amy Chen for treatment, and I love that she is a physiotherapist making use of acupuncture to treat patients. The entire booking and on-boarding process was online, which made it a breeze to complete. I appreciated all the information that was sent to me prior to my initial appointment, as I have never tried acupuncture before and it really help reassure me that it isn't scary at all. The clinic is located inside a medical building, and the clinic itself is very clean, bright and spacious. Amy is very prompt so I've never had to wait to begin my appointments, and there are many Covid-19 infection control protocols in place, so I never feel unsafe while inside the clinic. At the initial appointment, Amy took the time to assess and explain my injury to me. Then she got right into the treatment, and I appreciated that she kept checking to make sure I was comfortable throughout the treatment. I noticed results right away - there was a big difference in my range of motion and my pain has lessened even just after the first treatment. My shoulder injury has been getting better, and the pain is almost gone after just four sessions, which just goes to show how skilled and effective Amy is. I wish I found this clinic sooner! I would highly recommend that everyone come here for help with any injuries, and to keep an open mind about acupuncture. Amy and the clinic makes it safe, comfortable and it just works!
The clinic is well maintained and the environment makes the treatment process very relaxing. Amy is an amazing acupuncturist. She is knowledgeable and patient with your concerns. On top of the treatment, she also provides great advices to patients while outside of the clinic to help recovery. I definitely feel better after visiting her. Thanks Amy.
Searching for a good physiotherapist after an injury can be a daunting task. I'm considering myself lucky that I have Amy Chen by my side throughout my journey to recovery. She's very patient and will go to great lengths to explain every single step of the way such as acupuncture points she's using and the purpose of of each assigned exercise. I would highly recommend Amy if you are in need of a great acupuncturist/physiotherapist!
Amy’s services over exceeded my expectations! After dealing with severe joint pain as a residual Covid symptom, I kept trying out different remedies, and various professionals. But nothing was helping; so my mobility and zest for life was diminishing. . Then I started getting treatments by Amy. The pain level in my joints was significantly reduced after just a few treatments. Today, I am pain free. Amazing results!!!
My family doctor referred me to Amy Chen. She was treated by Amy a few years ago and had a very positive experience. I can only say I wish I could have found this place much sooner! I had wrist pain which was not going away for months. After seeing Amy twice for acupuncture, I already started seeing significant improvements in my symptoms. The clinic is very clean and calming, and I was able to truly relax at each appointment. Amy is very knowledgeable and upfront about everything. She is so thorough about everything and I can see she put so much effort into caring for her patients. Amy always greeted me as soon as I entered the clinic. She’s so efficient, yet I never feel rushed. They are located near 401 and 404 so the location is very convenient. I highly recommend this place! Thank you Amy!
Amy is truly a professional and very knowledgeable physiotherapist and acupuncturist. The very first treatment with her relieved my neck pain that lasted 6 months, and most importantly the relief held it's effectiveness consistently.I have chronic seasonal neck and shoulder pain and tension every winter, and I have been to countless massage therapy, chiropractor visits and other acupuncture treatment, but all of them only gave me temporary relief for only a day at most.Only Amy gave me a treatment with long lasting relief and many other suggestions such as how to use devices to avoid straining my muscles further. A phone holder and infrared light for pain relief were recommended and they definitely help. I am continuing to see her and recommend her to all of my friends and family.I highly recommend Amy to anyone suffer from pain and want a treatment of the root cause, she's very efficient and no wasting time in improving your condition.
