UC Life Chiropractic Centre
1113 Langley St V8W 1V9 Victoria, BC, Canada

As always, our patients’ health and safety is our top priority. Based on recent communication from the Chiropractic College of BC, we are writing to give you an important update on the usage of masks at UC Life. As you may know, on Saturday, Nov 7, Public Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry issued several new Orders in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Several of these Orders will impact the delivery of chiropractic services in British Columbia for at least the next two... weeks. Effective immediately, all health care providers, staff, patients and visitors in any health care facility must wear a medical mask (the only exceptions to the Policy are people with certain medical conditions). For those of you with upcoming appointments at the clinic, we encourage you to wear your own mask, if you have one. We will also have disposable masks available if you don’t have one, but we would like to reduce waste as much as possible. Please be sure to dispose of your masks appropriately after use. We continue to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, WorkSafe BC, the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the Chiropractic College of BC. If you have any additional questions or concerns please let us know. We will be sure to communicate any changes or updates as they develop. Thank you for your understanding. ~ Dr. Matty & the UC Life Team

We have a few important things to update you on! These updates were sent in our recent email newsletter if you are not subscribed and wish to be, you can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/uclife.ca/subscribe

What is Upper Cervical Chiropractic care (NUCCA) and how is it different from other types of Chiropractic care? Dr. Kittleson explains what we are up to at UC Life.

It’s important to balance work with rest/play! Especially in the summer!! Happy BC day everyone. . Dr. Matty and Aimee will be taking some time away from the office from the afternoon of Aug 6th until Aug 16th. There are a couple appointments available on Wednesday this week, otherwise you’re welcome to pop in for a NUCCA adjustment with Dr Zale Bonnett next week while we’re away! Regular office hours resume on Aug 17th.

The battle for the use of x-ray at UC Life and chiropractic offices around BC is still very much a concern for us. We thank you for your efforts earlier this summer, and apologize for not having our ducks in order when we contacted you last time. However, it is NOW time to take some action. We would very much appreciate you helping us let the College of Chiropractors of BC (CCBC) know that you want us to continue to have the ability to use x-ray to look at the upper neck be...fore adjusting. If you would, please submit an email to tell your story. This is the email to send it to: [email protected] Alternatively, by fax: 604-742-6471 or ordinary mail: Michelle Da Roza, Registrar College of Chiropractors of BC 900-200 Granville Street, Vancouver BC V6C 1S4 YOUR COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 for them to be considered in the public consultation. I don't want to tell you what to write, but rather just write your story about your experience with x-ray but also how a change like this affects your ability to chose in your own health care! X-rays are paramount for NUCCA but they just make sense when you want to know what's happening inside the body. We need hundreds of emails to make a difference. Please just click on the link above, and write the email. Tell them that x-ray is important to you, how it affected your care and that you don't want to lose your ability to manage your own health! If you'd like, let us know after you've sent an email so we can say THANK YOU! In the meantime, signing the petition http://www.change.org/savex-rays is definitely something that you can continue to do, and we will update you as soon as we know more! Thanks to everyone that already did, at this point there are nearly 5000 signatures. Thanks for caring as much as we do. ~ Dr. Matty & the UC Life Team We sent this update to our newsletter subscribers this morning; if you would like to receive this and future updates from us, you can subscribe at https://mailchi.mp/uclife.ca/subscribe

Its important to balance work with rest/play! Especially in the summer!! Happy BC day everyone. . Dr. Matty and Aimee will be taking some time away from the office from the afternoon of Aug 6th until Aug 16th. There are a couple appointments available on Wednesday this week, otherwise youre welcome to pop in for a NUCCA adjustment with Dr Zale Bonnett next week while were away! Regular office hours resume on Aug 17th.

[UPDATED**] The chiropractic regulatory board in B.C. (CCBC) is threatening to limit or eliminate the ability for chiropractors in BC to use xrays for patient care. Hi, this is Matty. I try not to ask you all for much, but this time Im asking for you to help us. Since the 1960s NUCCA and the use of xray has been recognized technique of Chiropractic in BC. If the regulatory board (CCBC) does what they are planning (change the rules on use of xray), then NUCCA as you and I...Continue reading

Guess who is in the office today??

We hear often from successful migraine sufferers, why wasnt I told about this sooner? We feel your pain. Obviously, our goal as a clinic and NUCCAs goal as an organization is to get the word out. So why isnt the word getting out? This problem comes down to two main issues.. (click to continue reading on our blog!)

In his latest blog, Dr. Matty is answering a question we get a lot! Why does weather affect my headaches? There are three factors to consider.. click over to our blog to read.

A few folks have been asking whether our clinic hours have changed - and the answer is - not really! We're here four days a week, as usual, and each Doctor's availability is much the same as before. Dr. Matty Kittleson is here 12-6 pm on Mondays, 10-6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10-2 pm on Fridays. Dr. Zale Bonnett is here mornings on Mondays and Thursdays, and afternoons on Tuesdays and Fridays. ... The biggest change to the clinic is minimizing the number of people in the space, which we are doing by spreading appointment times and not using the resting room. If you arrive for an appointment and see two people in the reception area already, please wait in the hallway for someone to leave. If you have any questions, give us a call! 250-386-5433.

It's been so good to see our lovely patients again!It's been so good to see our lovely patients again!

CLINIC UPDATE: as of May 19, Chiropractors have been given the go-ahead to resume in person treatments (beyond urgent care). To schedule an appointment please email [email protected] or call 250-386-5433.... We look forward to hearing from you! Read the full update on our website: https://uclife.ca/back-to-regular-appointments/

A quick update from Dr. Matty as things start to shift... take a read over on our blog. More updates will be coming soon!

Many of you know and love Rosie! With less clinic time lately, shes been spending a lot of time at the lake, perfecting her swimming techniques!

A few of the things weve been up to since the world turned upside down about a month ago! . How has your life changed? We hope youre all staying well! We are operating only for emergent/urgent care appointments right now. If youre not sure what that means head over to our website and check out the blog. www.uclife.ca @ Victoria, British Columbia

We hope you guys are finding ways to make the most of this unusual time! This guy has been in the shop a lot more lately ...

Stay in the loop! We will send out email newsletters as the Covid-19 situation evolves and being subscribed to our newsletter is the best way to make sure you don't miss out on important updates. Click here to enter your email if you're not sure whether you're on our list. (The last email we sent out was on March 20th.) We miss you all and hope you are staying well during this time! https://mailchi.mp/uclife.ca/subscribe

At this time, UC Life is operating on a very minimal schedule strictly to be available for urgent care for our patients. To book an urgent appointment please contact us via email: For Dr. Matthew Kittleson: [email protected]... For Dr. Zale Bonnett: [email protected] Our website contains a recent update on the recommendations from the Chiropractic College of BC, which we are following. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

AN UPDATE FOR OUR LOVELY PATIENTS: Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has issued an important update for regulated health professionals in BC, including the College of Chiropractors of BC (CCBC). The Public Health Officer states, and the CCBC agrees:... Expectations of regulated health professionals: 1. All non-essential and elective services involving direct physical contact with patients and clients should be reduced to minimal levels, subject to allowable exceptions, until further notice. 2. Allowable exceptions can be made for time-sensitive circumstances, and emergent, urgent, and/or essential care to avert or avoid negative patient or client outcomes, or to avert or avoid a situation that would have a direct impact on the safety of a patient or client. Further to Dr. Henrys letter, the CCBC directs that a chiropractor should only be providing in-person emergent, urgent and/or essential care in circumstances where: 1. The patient has an acute condition that, without care, would severely limit him or her from activities of daily living, and (or the patient has an acute condition that requires immediate attention to relieve pain or because his or her daily activities are severely limited, and) 2. The chiropractor can ensure that care will be provided in a manner that provides adequate protection against the risks of COVID-19 infection. The full notice can be read here: https://www.chirobc.com/pho-dr-bonnie-henry-issues-expecta/ WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU: If you feel you fall under the "emergent, urgent and/or essential" category and would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kittleson, please contact us via email: [email protected] or [email protected] (for patients of Dr. Zale Bonnett). The phone messages are also being checked, however email is the quickest and easiest way to reach us. If you have a scheduled appointment in the next week, we will be contacting you to confirm/cancel or reschedule your appointment as appropriate. We continue to take all possible precautions in maintaining cleanliness and safety in the clinic space for those who are coming in for urgent care. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time and hope that you are all staying safe and healthy.

The newest blog post is up! "Without diving too deeply into any individual diets, here are a few ideas that can be added into your current regime that may just be part of the shake-up youre looking for..."

New blog post is up! When it comes to pro-activity around health theres not much debate. If you make healthy choices, you will likely be healthier. However, there is a LOT of debate on what those healthy choices are, and there are many different areas of health to consider. For example, diet, exercise, sleep, NUCCA, dental health, posture, flexibility, (to name a few) are all important considerations. Being proactive is the practice of considering these health choices BE...FORE problems arise rather than after. Prioritizing your health after symptoms develop is being reactive. Being proactive gives us an option to potentially AVOID symptoms by maintaining a healthy body to begin with. Lets take a very well respected and socially accepted practice like dentistry.... (keep reading by clicking the link!)

"First off, I dont get migraines. I believe that I have had one in my entire life and it was years ago. I wouldnt want one again and I feel for anyone who has to manage them on a regular basis. Like many folks, I do get the occasional headache. Often I can attribute it to lack of sleep or dehydration; I rarely get headaches if I stay diligent with both of these. Ultimately, there are many triggers out there for headaches and migraines. Everyone is different and sometime...s it can be a very difficult task to figure out what the triggers are. As a NUCCA practitioner I help with one particular trigger of headaches and migraines... (continue reading on the blog!)

When youre involved in a trauma, the injuries that you sustain can vary widely. When defining trauma, for the sake of this article, Im speaking to the physical forces of trauma. These could be from sporting injuries, falls from heights or even motor vehicle collisions. The body has limitations. If you get hit in the arm, depending how hard you are struck, the injury could range from no effects all the way to a cut or broken bone. I think everyone would agree 9/10 times t...he more force used, the greater the risk of injury. In addition to the level of force, your efforts in defending yourself against these forces also help to reduce injury. In a sports event, if you see the collision coming and you brace for the impact, you will activate a muscular response which protects your body more so than if you were unprepared or didnt see it coming. This is particularly apparent in motor vehicle collisions. One of the reasons I personally dont stop at a stop sign or street light without looking in the rear view mirror, is so that I could brace for impact if the car behind me isnt stopping in time.... (Keep reading on the blog!)

Have you ever found yourself flat-out with low back pain? Dr. Kittleson recently went through this himself and is sharing the experience on his new blog post.

Yes there are snowflakes fluttering down but were here and open as usual . Stay safe and warm out there today, folks!

Happy Friday friends!

Happy 2020, friends! Did you fall off the health bandwagon over the holidays? We did, but we're also excited to get back on track now.

Sometimes it feels like health slips away from us without us even knowing it. Most of us (including you and I) will experience this slip in some way or another, over our life time. Aging makes it more difficult to keep up to your 25 year old self, but is it impossible to keep up? People are often surprised when they discover that they are no longer able to do certain things exercises or movements that they took for granted when they were younger.... But should we be surprised by that? (keep reading on the blog!)

Do you have any special gift-giving traditions?

Very rarely (unfortunately for all of us), do we get to do something one time and have it change our lives in regards to our health long term. You cant change to a healthly diet for one meal and consider it fixed. Nor can you go to the gym and lift weights one time and be strong. You CAN quit smoking only once and get long term effectsso it isnt impossible, its just a rare occurrence.... Finding routine, and something that you enjoy about the routine typically makes these changes easier (and by easier I meant to say POSSIBLE). I strongly believe most people who want to change their health, do not understand how big of a shift is necessary to make it happen... (keep reading on our blog)

Have you been thinking about trying NUCCA chiropractic or do you have a friend, family member, or co-worker who you think could benefit from NUCCA care? This is a great opportunity to get started and save some money. From the 16th of December until the 23rd of December we are offering 10 New Patient appointments (5 left) that will have the special holiday season x-ray rate of $200 instead of $350. Since we take a few days off around Christmas, we offer the discount for folk...s who'd like to get their x-rays done in the week before Christmas and start their care in early January. If you know someone who is looking to get started but could use the gift of the holidays to make that step, please let us know or have them contact us at 250-386-5433 to get them booked in. They can also use the consultation request form on our website and mention in the comment section "5 Days of Christmas" here: https://uclife.ca/book-a-consultation/

Do you use a standing desk in your workplace? "Its way harder to hold a good posture in a seated position than a standing position. If someone ever asks me do you think that a standing desk would be a good idea? the resounding answer is YES. If you sit all day, you will run into problems." - From Dr. Matty's recent blog post about the biggest source of stress in our lives (gravity!)... https://uclife.ca/gravity/

NUCCA and Headaches: "Existing research literature supports the idea that tension and cervicogenic headaches may originate in the upper cervical spine. As a result, a retrospective investigation to discover if NUCCA could help improve pain levels, posture, and quality of life for headache sufferers." Study Conclusions: "Patients reported noteworthy improvement in pain symptoms with improved quality of life after NUCCA care."... See link for the full details of the study

So it may not come as a surprise that Aimee and I are really enjoying Rosie our new puppy dog. So full of energy, so fun to be around, its exactly what you would expect it to be. For the first 5 years of our relationship we had a different dog in our household named Isik, and it was just as fun of an experience. Animals are so amazing and I feel that there are lessons to be learned from them, that we could all apply to our own lives. Of course the puppy doesnt need to wo...rry about rent or mortgage payments and someone else buys their food, but the way that they engage in life is something to be desired. Heres 5 things we can learn from Rosie (or any puppy you might know!)

This is a must-watch for anyone who deals with gravity (which is ALL OF US) and technology (which is MOST of us) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZcZenvWBlg

Have you used all your extended health benefits for 2019?Have you used all your extended health benefits for 2019?

If you have an appointment tomorrow (Tuesday) we wanted to give you a heads up that there will be some movie filming going on in the area and the parking on Langley will be blocked off with film crew trucks! It would be wise to give yourself a few extra minutes to find parking.

It was a great day! Hope you all have a great weekend!