Spinewise - Trevor Chetcuti

Spinewise - Trevor Chetcuti We help people regain their lives through natural health care.

03/08/2026

😣 Low back pain is one of the most common things I see in clinic — so today I wanted to share the five things I tell almost every patient dealing with it.

1. Move often. Long periods of sitting still tend to make a stiff back worse, not better. Short, regular movement breaks make a real difference.
2. If you're going to strengthen anything, focus on your glutes. Weak glutes are one of the biggest and most overlooked contributors to low back pain.
3. Get your hip flexors checked. A tight iliacus — one of your main hip flexor muscles — is one of the most commonly missed causes of low back pain, simply because people look at the back itself rather than the muscle pulling on it.
4. Don't hyperextend your back. Over-arching your lower back under load — lifting, exercise, even standing posture — puts unnecessary strain through the spine.
5. Stick to flat shoes. Heels and unsupportive footwear change your posture and loading pattern all the way up the chain.

Watch the video 👆 for the full breakdown.

If low back pain has been sticking around longer than it should, it's worth getting it properly looked at. Call us on (03) 9318 7758 or visit https://pracsuite.bookings.pracsuite.com/guest

27/07/2026

If I could give just one piece of advice to someone struggling with anxiety...

It would be this:

Stop trying to simply "calm down" and start asking why your brain feels on high alert.

Anxiety isn't always "just in your head." It can be influenced by sleep, blood sugar, stress, breathing, pain, gut health, movement, past experiences and even how well your brain is processing the world around you.

In today's video, I'm sharing some of my favourite strategies that I use to help people better manage anxiety and support a calmer, more resilient nervous system.

✨ Small changes, done consistently, can make a big difference.

👇 I'd love to hear from you...

What's one thing that helps you feel calmer when life gets overwhelming?

Share your favourite tip in the comments. Your experience might help someone else who's having a tough day.

If you know someone who always seems stressed, overwhelmed or anxious, tag them below or share this post with them. Sometimes the right information at the right time can make all the difference.

24/07/2026

😴 If you're constantly tired — even after a full night's sleep — I want to talk about magnesium.

It's involved in over 300 chemical processes in the body, including how your cells produce energy, how well you sleep, how your muscles recover, and how your nervous system handles stress.

And it's one of the most commonly depleted minerals I see in women who come into the clinic feeling run down.

Why are so many of us low? Processed food strips it out. Stress burns through it faster. And many of us simply aren't eating enough of the foods that contain it.

The good news is that getting more magnesium through food is straightforward:
- Pumpkin seeds — one of the richest sources, easy to throw on salads or snack on
- Dark leafy greens — spinach, silverbeet, kale
- Dark chocolate (70%+)
- Almonds and cashews
- Black beans and lentils

Watch the video 👆 for the full breakdown.

If fatigue is something you're really struggling with, it's worth getting a proper assessment — there's often more going on beneath the surface. Call us on (03) 9318 7758 or head to https://pracsuite.bookings.pracsuite.com/guest to book. 👇

20/07/2026

😟 If anxiety or low mood feels like your new normal, I want to share something that doesn't get talked about enough.

Most people think of anxiety as a brain problem. But your gut produces the majority of your body's serotonin — so what you eat has a direct line to how you feel.

Here are my 5 favourite foods for supporting a calmer, more balanced mood:

1. Fatty fish — salmon, sardines, mackerel. The omega-3s in these are some of the most researched nutrients for mood and brain health.
2. Fermented foods — yoghurt, kefir, kimchi. These feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut that communicate directly with your brain through the vagus nerve.
3. Dark leafy greens — spinach, kale, silverbeet. Packed with magnesium, which is one of the most common deficiencies I see in people dealing with anxiety and poor sleep.
4. Eggs — a brilliant source of choline and B12, both important for nervous system function and neurotransmitter production.
5. Turkey — one of the richest dietary sources of tryptophan, which your body converts into serotonin. The trick is to pair it with a complex carb like sweet potato or brown rice — the insulin response helps shuttle tryptophan into the brain so it can actually do its job.

Watch the full video 👆 and let me know in the comments — which one are you going to try first? 👇

And if anxiety, fatigue or low mood is something you've been struggling with, we'd love to help. Call us on (03) 9318 7758 or visit https://pracsuite.bookings.pracsuite.com/guest to book a time.

18/07/2026

Waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. every night?

Your blood sugar could be part of the reason.

Most people think blood sugar only affects energy during the day. But your brain and body still need a stable fuel supply while you're asleep.

If blood sugar drops too low overnight, the body may respond by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to help bring it back up. The result? You wake up wide awake, restless or unable to get back to sleep.

I often see people focus on what happens after they wake up while overlooking what may have caused the wake-up in the first place.

Sleep isn't just controlled by your brain.
It's influenced by your metabolism too.

The question isn't always:
"Why can't I stay asleep?"

Sometimes it's:
"What is my body responding to during the night?"

If you regularly wake at the same time, feel hungry overnight, wake with a racing mind or struggle to get back to sleep, it may be worth considering whether blood sugar stability is playing a role.

The body is designed to keep you alive before it helps you sleep.

And sometimes that means waking you up.

Read more here:
https://spinewise.com.au/could-low-blood-sugar-be-waking-you-up-at-night/

17/07/2026

😤 Ever feel irritable for no real reason? Anxious mid-afternoon? Exhausted after lunch even though you slept fine?

There's a good chance your blood sugar is behind it.

Here's what I see a lot: people skip breakfast or eat something sugary, their blood sugar spikes, then crashes hard an hour or two later. Your body reads that crash as a stress signal — and responds by releasing cortisol and adrenaline. That's where the anxiety, the brain fog, and the irritability come from.

The solution isn't a strict no-sugar diet. It's understanding how to eat in a way that keeps your blood sugar stable.

A few simple shifts:
- Pair carbohydrates with protein or fat — this slows glucose absorption and blunts the spike
- Don't skip breakfast — starting the day with protein sets your blood sugar up for the hours ahead
- Watch the 3pm habit — biscuits, muesli bars, and sweet coffees are common crash triggers

Watch the video 👆 for the full breakdown.

Has blood sugar ever been something you've thought about in relation to your mood? I'd love to hear your experience 👇

And if anxiety or energy swings are affecting your day-to-day, come in and have a chat. Call us on (03) 9318 7758 or visit https://pracsuite.bookings.pracsuite.com/guest

16/07/2026

You eat dinner at 8:30 p.m.

You're in bed by 10:00 p.m.

And then you wonder why your sleep isn't great.

Could your evening meal be part of the problem?

Most people think about what they eat. Few people think about when they eat.

A large meal close to bedtime means your digestive system is still working hard when your body is trying to shift into recovery mode. For some people, this can contribute to discomfort, reflux, disrupted sleep or feeling less refreshed the next morning.

It's not just about getting enough sleep.

It's about creating the conditions for quality sleep.

Ask yourself:

• Do you feel heavy or uncomfortable when you go to bed?
• Do you wake during the night?
• Do you wake feeling like you haven't recovered?

If so, your evening eating habits may be worth considering.

The goal isn't necessarily to eat less.

It's to give your body enough time to digest, recover and transition into sleep.

Sometimes improving sleep isn't about what happens in the bedroom.

It's about what happens at the dinner table.

Read more here:
https://spinewise.com.au/could-your-evening-meal-be-affecting-your-sleep/

15/07/2026

You slept for 8 hours.

So why do you still feel exhausted?

One possible clue is your overnight heart rate.

Most people think sleep is simply about being unconscious for long enough. But what your body does during those hours matters just as much.

If your overnight heart rate remains elevated, it may suggest your body is spending the night working rather than recovering.

Think of it this way:

A low overnight heart rate often reflects a system that is resting efficiently.

A higher-than-normal overnight heart rate may suggest your body is dealing with an added demand.

That demand could include:

• Stress
• Illness
• Inflammation
• Alcohol
• Late meals
• Poor sleep quality
• Breathing disturbances during sleep
• Excessive training load

The key isn't comparing your numbers to someone else's.

The key is understanding your normal.

Because when your overnight heart rate changes, your body is often trying to tell you something.

Your watch isn't measuring sleep.

It's measuring physiology.

And sometimes the story it tells is more important than how many hours you spent in bed.

Read more here:
https://spinewise.com.au/overnight-heart-rate-sleep-recovery/

14/07/2026

You fall asleep easily.

Then 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. arrives... and you're awake again.

Sound familiar?

Most people blame stress, but waking at the same time every night can sometimes provide clues about what's happening during your sleep.

As the night progresses, the balance of your sleep stages changes. Deep sleep becomes less dominant, while lighter sleep and REM sleep become more common. This can make underlying issues more likely to trigger an awakening.

That doesn't automatically mean something is wrong.

But it does raise an important question:

Why does your body keep choosing that moment to wake up?

Potential contributors can include:
• Breathing disturbances during sleep
• Blood sugar fluctuations overnight
• Stress hormone responses
• Environmental disruptions
• Poor sleep quality earlier in the night

The important thing to remember is that the wake-up itself is often a symptom, not the cause.

Instead of asking:

❌ "How do I stop waking at 2 a.m.?"

Try asking:

✅ "What is causing my sleep to become disrupted at 2 a.m.?"

When you understand the reason behind the wake-up, you're much more likely to find a lasting solution.

Read more here:
https://spinewise.com.au/waking-up-2-3am-deep-sleep-disruption/

13/07/2026

One of the questions I get asked most is:

"What's your favourite way to improve sleep?"

The truth is, there isn't just one.

Good sleep is usually the result of getting a number of small things right, rather than relying on one supplement, one gadget or one "sleep hack."

In today's video, I'm sharing some of my favourite strategies that can make a real difference to the quality of your sleep and, more importantly, how you feel the next day.

😴 Better sleep can support:
✅ Better energy
✅ Clearer thinking
✅ Improved recovery
✅ Better mood
✅ More resilient health

I'd love to know...

What's made the biggest difference to YOUR sleep?

👇 Share your best tip in the comments. It might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

If you know someone who's always tired, waking through the night or struggling to get good-quality sleep, tag them below or share this post with them.

Address

35 Churchill Avenue, Maidstone
Melbourne, VIC
3012

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 2pm
3pm - 6:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 12pm
3pm - 6:30pm
Thursday 8am - 12pm
3pm - 6:30pm
Friday 8am - 12pm
1pm - 3pm
Saturday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+61393187758

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