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

Here I had to pay first and the service for my treatment was underwhelming. I’ve included invoice and proof payment.
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!!
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.
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 forced
I 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.
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!
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.
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.
As 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
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.













































