Healthy Families Wellness Centre
404 Vickers St. S. P7E1J8 Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

We hope the magic of Christmas fills every corner of your hearts and homes with joy this Christmas. "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." Burton Hills As we celebrate Christmas with our families, our office will be closed through Dec. 28th. We will be open from 10am-3pm on Dec.29th and Dec.30th, and will be closed Dec. 31st through the 3rd of January. We will reopen, with regular office hours, on January 4th. Merry Christmas!

It has just been announced that Thunder Bay will be going into lock down (grey zone) on Dec. 26th, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We have been advised by The Ministry of Health and our professionals’ regulatory colleges that we can remain open to serve you. We feel fortunate that we can continue to provide you with the care you deserve. The Healthy Families team has worked hard throughout this pandemic to ensure that we are going above and beyond regulations to serve you ...in the most responsible and safe way possible. We’ve taken every possible measure into consideration and adapted our policies & procedures to be as vigilant as possible. Your health and wellness is always number one to us! Here are some enhanced infection control measures that we’ve implemented since our re-opening in June. 1. Pre-screening process. You will receive a phone call from us prior to your appointment to ensure you are cleared to attend. 2. Disinfection of hands upon entry. Before you enter the clinic, you will have to disinfect your hands with sanitizer at our sanitization station. 3. Masks are mandatory in the clinic. You may bring your own mask or purchase one for $2.00. Mask must NOT include a ventilator hole. Your mask must fit and be worn properly. 4. Limited appointments. In order to adhere to safe social distancing practices, we continue to limit the number of patients and staff at the clinic at any given time. We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. 5. Limited waiting room. Most times you will be directed right to your treatment area, and at most there will be one person allowed in our large waiting room. 6. Fabric chairs removed. All fabric sitting surfaces have been removed, and replaced with metal or plastic chairs, which can be thoroughly disinfected. 7. Time in between each patient to disinfect. We’ve pre-scheduled additional time in between all appointments to allow us to thoroughly disinfect the treatment space. 8. You will also notice plexi-glass barriers at the reception desk, increased signage to direct patient flow and increased hand sanitizing stations throughout the clinic.

We are excited to become one of the drop off locations for the KIND KITS initiative in Thunder Bay! We are joining with #theuncommonwoman in the KIND KITS initiative and collecting: New and gently used airline kits... Unopened hotel toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.) Makeup kits These items will be repacked into kits and distributed to shelters, including Grace Place, to give out to clients who otherwise might go without. The hamper will be in our reception area through the end of November, and the kits will be put together and distributed closer to the holiday season.

‘Tis the season! Looking for a great gift idea? Give the gift of a great night’s sleep, with a water pillow! Need a stocking stuffer? We have Bio freeze! Looking for that really hard to buy for person on your list? We also have gift certificates available. Give the gift of better health.

October 16 is World Spine Day! Get Back on Track safely! Don’t let back pain, neck pain or migraines hold you back. We can help restore your mobility and prevent pain from returning. We are doing that while taking extra measures to treat you safely. Enhanced cleaning, screening and spacing of patient appointments are just a few of things we are doing. Call us at 475-8454 to book your appointment today!

Love this new piece of artwork for the clinic! Thank you @love.and.peach!!!

So happy to have played a part in this little sweetie's breastfeeding success story! Thank you Maria for sharing this lovely video!

October 16 is World Spine Day! Get Back on Track safely! Don’t let back pain, neck pain or migraines hold you back. We can help restore your mobility and prevent pain from returning. We are doing that while taking extra measures to treat you safely. Enhanced cleaning, screening and spacing of patient appointments are just a few of things we are doing. Call us at 475-8454 to book your appointment today!

Well, this made my day! A quote from one of our patients, sweet little 8-year old Lily, "I'm happy that during all of this, at least we can still go see the chiropractor!"

So happy to have played a part in this little sweeties breastfeeding success story! Thank you Maria for sharing this lovely video!

Well, this made my day! A quote from one of our patients, sweet little 8-year old Lily, "Im happy that during all of this, at least we can still go see the chiropractor!"

We are so happy to be back to seeing our patients again! A quick update to let you all know that masks are now mandatory at the clinic, as per the new Ministry of Health guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation!

Great News!!! We received word from the Ministry of Health late last night that chiropractors are able to resume with patient care, effective immediately!!! We are now scheduling regular patient visits, starting tomorrow. You can now phone the office to schedule your appointment. A few things have changed though... We are taking every precaution to keep us all safe during this time. At this time we ask that you please: wait in your car until your appointment time, wear a mas...k if you have one, sanitize your hands upon entering the office, only enter the clinic if you have a scheduled appointment, and if you should develop any symptoms of COVID-19 at any time before your appointment, please reschedule. (specifically fever, and/ or new onset of cough or cold, OR any 2 of the following symptoms: runny nose/ sneezing, sore throat, nasal congestion, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, decrease or loss of smell, chills, headaches, unexplained fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea/ vomitting). Please respect social distancing while in the clinic. We are regularly cleaning all surfaces. We have a protective shield at the front desk. Chiropractors are wearing masks. And, of course, we are all sanitizing our hands regularly. If we all do our part, we can help to keep us all safe and healthy! We look forward to seeing you soon! See more

Are you working from home right now, and starting to feel a little sore? Check out this interview with chiropractor, Dr. Sapna Sriram for some great practical advice on how you can adjust your workspace to minimize strain on your body. A few highlights include making sure you raise the screen to eye level to avoid neck strain and headaches. Also, keeping your elbows bent and palms flat will go a long way to lessening the strain on your back, as well as your wrists. Making a few minor changes to your setup can go a long way to helping your body out!

Have a wonderful week! Cant wait to see you all again!

Busy weekend freshening up the clinic!

Happy Wednesday! Are you noticing your feet and lower back are starting to get sore and achy with being at home so much? Try wearing your indoor running shoes in the house. This can make a huge difference for both your feet and lower back achiness. We typically wear shoes when at work, but not at home. Being on hard surfaces all day without any shoes on can cause significant strain on our joints, as we are missing out on the arch support and shock absorbing properties that are provided by our shoes. Have a wonderful day!

Glute medius strengthening! Why? Weak glute medius muscles can contribute to all sorts of issues- from low back pain, to balance problems, valgus knees and knee pain, hip pain, and on and on! Strengthening this muscle has been shown to help prevent ACL injuries in athletes as well. Here are my favourite glute medius exercises!

We can all use a little work on our core strength! Having a strong core is key to stabilizing the spine and pelvis, which reduces the likelihood of low back pain. In this video, I go over my favourite exercises for strengthening the core.

We hope you are keeping well and staying healthy during these challenging and unprecedented times. The impacts of COVID-19 are far-reaching and impact us all. The well-being of our patients, staff and our community remains our top priority. In line with the recommendations from our regulatory college and the Ministry of Healths essential services mandate, as of April 3rd, we are restricting our hours of operation and only offering emergency chiropractic care for our patients... after they have been properly screened. Emergency care includes the following: Care for patients experiencing a sudden and debilitating change in functional abilities (understood as walking, standing, sitting, lifting floor-to-waist or waist-to-shoulder, stair climbing, ladder climbing) or significant restrictions (experienced during bending/twisting, repetitive movement, pushing/pulling with right/left arm) as well as injury to head/neck/back and extremities. Treatment aimed at alleviating significant pain, understood as pain that is incapacitating for the patient and interferes with their ability to carry out normal functioning. If you require emergency care please message us through this page, email us or phone us and we will respond to you as soon as possible. For all patients who have upcoming appointments, we will be contacting you individually to reschedule your non-emergency appointments. Shelby Ecclestone, our Registered Massage Therapist, is currently not seeing patients in accordance with her regulatory college. During this time we would also like you to know that you can connect with our health care providers through telehealth consultations. This will only be offered to existing patients. We can monitor your progress and provide you with self-management tips and ideas such as education, advice, reassurance as well as exercise and stretches that you can perform at home. If you are interested in scheduling a telehealth appointment with Dr. Coulter, Dr. Towell or Dr. Boileau please call or email us. You can also book a telehealth appointment directly with Dr. Boileau at drkim.co/book. Additionally, we will be regularly posting videos, links to health care information and articles on our Facebook page and website so please check back often to find some useful information to stay healthy and active while at home. Please call or email our office if you have any questions. We will be monitoring the situation regularly and notify you when we have returned to normal operations. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to serving you in any way we can and we thank you for including us as part of your health care team. Stay healthy, From all of us at Healthy Families Wellness Centre 807-475-8454 [email protected]

So, you bought a foam roller, but youre not sure where to start? This video goes through foam rolling for your legs. Foam rolling kicks it up a notch, over your regular stretch routine! If youve been doing a lot of walking lately, and stretching just isnt cutting it, give this routine a try!

Many of us are taking advantage of the warmer weather weve had lately, and getting out for more walks than usual. Its important to remember to do some stretching after you get back from your walks so those legs and hips dont tighten up on you! This video will show you a quick stretch routine that you can do when you get home from your walk!

Hey everyone! Its come to my attention that not everyone remembers the stretches for the lower back! Heres a quick review to help keep that lower back from tightening up on you!

Many of us are feeling some extra stress during this uncertain time. Oftentimes, that stress can translate into tightness and soreness in the neck, as well as headaches. For those of you who may have forgotten the best stretches for that neck tightness, I thought I would do a quick review! Thank you to my daughter Lily for taking this video today!

Meanwhile at HFWC...

Dear patients, given the concerns about COVID-19, and our unwavering concern for your safety, we are temporarily closing our clinic effective immediately, at least until April 7, 2020. The well-being of our patients, staff and our community, is our top priority. We believe closing the facility is the best way to protect everyone. Please watch for updates on our website about when we will reopen. If you have an upcoming appointment, please check your voicemail messages for information about rescheduling. If you have any questions for us, please email us at [email protected] or message us directly through this Facebook page. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. For more information on COVID-19 please see: https://www.canada.ca//2019-novel-coro/being-prepared.html

This is a great read!

There is a lot of misinformation floating around about COVID-19. Here are the facts. COVID-19 is an illness caused by a coronavirus. Human coronaviruses are common and are typically associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold. Symptoms of human coronaviruses may be very mild or more serious, such as:... * Fever * Cough * Difficulty breathing Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus. Coronaviruses are most commonly spread from an infected person through: * respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze * close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands * touching something with the virus on it, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands These viruses are not known to spread through ventilation systems or through water. The best way to prevent the spread of infections is to: * wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; * avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands; * avoid close contact with people who are sick; * cough and sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands; and stay home if you are sick to avoid spreading illness to others. In an effort to control the spread of COVID-19, we are asking that if you have: 1. Fever, and/or new onset of cough, or difficulty breathing, AND any of the following: 2. Travel to mainland China in the 14 days before the onset of illness OR Close contact with a confirmed or probable case of 2019-nCoV OR Close contact with a person with acute respiratory illness who has been to mainland China in the 14 days before their symptom onset, That you please reschedule your appointment with us, and contact your primary care provider.

Need hand sanitizer, and cant find any? You can make your own! Heres how: * Place 2/3 cup of rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) in a bowl * Add 1/3 cup of aloe vera gel and mix well * Add 5-10 drops of essential oil and mix again... * Ensure alcohol equals to 60% of mixture * Use a funnel to transfer to a liquid soap container * Ensure container is tightly sealed * Ethanol can be used instead of rubbing alcohol *Alternative non-alcohol methods swap one tablespoon of witch hazel and half a teaspoon of tea tree oil for the rubbing alcohol Stay healthy!

Happy New Year! Are you looking to make a positive health change this year, but not sure what to do? Drinking a glass of warm water each morning has many health benefits... from improving weight loss to helping to prevent premature aging. Its an easy change you can make to your daily routine, with a lot of bang for your buck!

Still looking for that special something for your loved one? We have water pillows and Biofreeze available at the clinic! We are open Monday, Dec. 23rd, and will be closed from the 24th through the 27th. We will reopen on the 30th and 31st, then we will be closed from the 1st through the 3rd. We will reopen, with regular hours, on Monday, January 6th. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Healthy and Happy New Year!

This is so wonderful!

A huge thank you to all of our amazing patients and friends of the clinic. Our 10th annual Mission: Nutrition was a great success again this year, thanks to YOUR generosity. The volunteers at the Redwood Food Bank were thrilled to see ALL the bags of food coming in! Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!!!

Its time for our annual Mission Nutrition: 2019! Wed love for you to join with us in our mission to share food with the families in our community who are in need. Just call our clinic at 475-8454 to register with your name and address, and on Friday, October 25th our Healthy Families team will be driving around the community to pick up your food donations. You can also message us through this page, or email us at [email protected] to register. Heres a picture of the generous donations received last year!!!

Come by the clinic today, as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary in true Thunder Bay fashion... with persians, of course! Just a few more "before" pics, as we celebrate 10 years! So many awesome people to thank!!!

Its backpack time! Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a backpack for your child. Look for these features: 1. wide, padded, adjustable straps 2. many compartments to distribute the load 3. padding on the back 4. lightweight vinyl or canvas... 5. size proportionate to childs size. When packing the pack, make sure to keep the weight to 10-15% of the childs body weight, pack heaviest items closest to the body, and adjust the straps so that the pack fits snugly against the body. And, of course, always wear both straps! See more

I cant believe its already been 10 amazing years since we opened the doors at Healthy Families Wellness Centre. With the help of many wonderful friends, we were able to open our doors, just 6 weeks after purchasing the clinic from Dr. Spence. We are so grateful for all of the continued support weve received throughout the years from our amazing community!

Spied this little bit of inspiration in the front garden of the clinic on Wednesday evening!

We are sad to say that Brooke has finished her last day at our clinic. She has moved back home to be close to family. We will sincerely miss her here, but we wish her every success and happiness in her new adventure.

Many people dont realize that chiropractors are trained to treat conditions other than back pain! Here are a few of the other conditions that chiropractors can effectively treat.

Carbs have gotten a bad rap lately. Not all carbs are created equal, and not all carbs are bad for you. In general, you want to stick to whole, unrefined carbohydrate choices, such as vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and fruits. Check out this article for more information on healthy vs. unhealthy carb options.

Learning great vestibular/ oculomotor rehab strategies at the Advanced Shift Concussion training in Guelph!

This is how I finished my work day today! I love how this little guy relaxes into his adjustment. #ilovemyjob #thosesuspendersthough