Auckland Health and Performance

Hills I’ll die on 🏔️ — health & performance edition

After 20+ years around gyms, sport, strength training and healthcare, these are a few things I keep coming back to:

Do almost anything you can to improve your sleep. 😴
Sleep affects everything — recovery, mood, appetite, performance and health.

Hydration matters more than people think. 💧
Sometimes the boring basics really are the answer.

Getting strong is one thing. Learning to recover is another.
You can train hard — but you also need to give your body the opportunity to adapt.

Manual therapy has a place in recovery.
Chiropractic, massage, physio, acupuncture and other hands-on therapies can help with pain, movement and recovery. Looking after your nervous system matters too.

Work on yourself — and learn to quiet your own noise.
Not every thought needs your attention. Not every opinion needs a reaction.

Walking is ridiculously underrated. 🚶‍♀️
For your body, your brain, your recovery and your health.

People should hug trees more. 🌳
Get outside. Get sunlight. Get into nature. Touch some grass — literally.

Magnesium and vitamin D deserve attention.
Not magic pills, but important nutrients — especially if you're deficient.

Eat more vegetables. 🥦
Different colours. Different plants. Feed your body and your gut.

Quality red meat can absolutely be part of a healthy diet. 🥩
Protein, iron, B12 and zinc. Context and your overall diet matter.

Balance beats restriction. 🍫
Don't create a life full of food rules. Eat nutritious food most of the time, enjoy your life — and eat the Whittaker's.

Stress less about being perfect.
Train. Eat well. Sleep. Walk. Laugh. Recover. Repeat.

And one final hill…

You don't stop training because you get older.
You train so you can keep doing cool s**t as you get older. 💪

Which hill are you dying on with me? 😂

— Dr Kylie

Happy Tuesday Team 🐾🐶

POV: Your knee hurts walking down the stairs. 😩🦵

Your first instinct might be to stop moving... but in many cases, that's not what your knee needs.

Often, a sore knee responds well to the right combination of:
✅ Motion to nourish the joint
✅ Traction to reduce compression and improve comfort
✅ Strength to build resilience and support the knee long-term

Pain doesn't always mean damage. Sometimes it means your knee needs the right type of movement—not less movement.

If your knee has been nagging you on stairs, squats, or getting up from a chair, don't just put up with it. A proper assessment can help identify why it's happening and what will actually help.

📍Auckland Health & Performance
💻 Book online: ahap.co.nz

💧 Top Tip #2: Eat More Protein 🍳🥩

Last week I shared why staying hydrated during winter is so important, and the response was incredible! 🙌

So here's Top Tip 2...

Eat more protein.

As a chiropractor, I'm interested in more than just your spine or your injury—I'm interested in your overall health and wellbeing.

Getting enough protein each day can help:
✅ Keep you feeling fuller for longer
✅ Support stable blood sugar and insulin levels
✅ Maintain and build muscle
✅ Aid recovery after exercise or injury
✅ Reduce mindless snacking

Here's something interesting: your body has a strong drive to get enough protein. If you haven't met your protein needs, you may keep feeling hungry and continue eating in an attempt to reach that target—even if you've already consumed plenty of calories.

Aim to include a quality source of protein with every meal. Your body (and your recovery) will thank you.

What's your favourite high-protein breakfast option? Let me know below! 👇