Stretching: Easy, Relaxing and Free!

It may be the most important and the most beneficial exercise there is. It also happens to be the cheapest and the simplest, requiring exactly no equipment or floor space and zero special clothes.

It’s stretching.

You may have known that stretching increases flexibility, allows for easier movement and better balance. But did you know it relieves low-back pain, reduces muscle soreness, promotes relaxation, improves posture, agility and athletic performance? It also reduces tension, improves circulation, reduces anxiety, stress, and fatigue, improves mental alertness, decreases the risk of injury, makes your work easier, tunes your mind into your body and flat-out makes you feel better naturally!

5 Stretching Tips

Stretching conditions the muscles for exertion and exercise, making every muscle movement more efficient. Sound interesting? Ask us for a list of stretches that can help your spine at your next visit and then apply these simple rules:

1. Always warm up your muscles for at least five minutes prior to stretching–good warm-ups include jogging in place, slow biking and jumping jacks.
2. When you start, never bounce or bob. Not only is this less effective than simply “holding” the stretch, but it can also be very dangerous and lead to injuries.
3. Always perform each stretching exercise in a slow, controlled manner and hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Stretches should feel slightly uncomfortable to “feel the stretch” in the muscles, not the joints. There should be no acute pain.
5. Always complete each stretch for both sides of your body or limb in the same way.

Wondering what else you can do to improve your health and wellness? Be sure to subscribe to our blog to catch the latest updates.

Low back pain, more commonly associated with jobs involving physical labor, is now afflicting an increasing number of white-collar workers. Usually associated with heavy lifting, turning, bending and repetitive motions, back pain is becoming a plague among those who lift nothing heavier than a stapler.

While workplace design and employee fitness are factors in office workers developing neck and back injuries, overlooked elements are psychosocial factors:

• How positive a person’s mental outlook is
• How much they like their career

Improving the Psychosocial Factor

Instead of taking drugs to reduce back pain symptoms, more and more recommendations involve reducing the amount of stress and taking steps to increase job satisfaction. In fact, experts say that up to 80 percent of adults will seek treatment for work-related neck or back pain at some point in their career.

Interested in learning more about what you can do to save your back? Ask us at your next appointment.

As many people are finding themselves spending more time sitting slumped behind a screen or standing on their feet for hours on end without a break, paying attention to your posture is more important than ever.

If you’ve never thought much about whether you’re sitting or standing stance is doing harm to your health, you might want to start before you find yourself in a bad mood.

Here’s why:

• Each time we lean forward 60 degrees, the stress placed on our neck is increased dramatically. This can lead to numbness, pain, pinched nerves and improper breathing—none of which are good for your mood! Stress on your neck can also lead to tense upper back and shoulder muscles, resulting in headaches which can be very frequent for some with poor posture.
• Your body language is closely related to posture. A slumped stance can make us appear sad, afraid or disinterested to peers leading to different treatment that can bring you down without even realizing it.
• In a 2015 article, researchers concluded that when facing a high-stress situation, study participants with good posture maintained a higher self-esteem and mood, while those with poor posture experienced heightened stress and used negative words to describe their experience.

Dealing With Poor Posture? We Can Help

You can better your posture naturally through chiropractic care, exercise, stretches and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. Ask us for more tips on your next visit.

Sources: The Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association

We’ve all heard the old adage, “Use it or lose it.” It’s especially true when it comes to joint function.

As we age, many of us suffer from a loss of joint mobility. Morning stiffness starts to show up. Or it may take extra time to recover after getting up out of a chair or driving for a long distance. Knees, hips, shoulders and elbows are common culprits. Perhaps less obvious, but even more important are the joints of the spine.

Those of us with the various stresses that come from circling the sun for 40, 50, 60 or more times, start to feel the brunt of the lifelong cumulative effects of insults and injuries to the spine. That’s why chiropractic care later on in life can be especially helpful.

Besides helping to keep spinal joints functioning as optimally as possible, many seniors choose some type of regular chiropractic care for:

Better balance – Falling is often the beginning of the end for the elderly. The inactivity resulting from mending a broken hip can prevent the movement so essential for good health. There is even some research to suggest that chiropractic care can help the elderly maintain better balance.

Increased vitality – With the nervous system focus of chiropractic care, many patients report better sleep, more energy and a greater sense of well-being when they get adjusted regularly.

Schedule Your Appointment

Has it been a while since your last visit? Give us a call today to book your next appointment. We look forward to seeing you!

Need help freeing up hours in your day? As your life gets busier and busier, consider these easy to implement time-saving tips to help lower stress and give you more time to spend with those who matter most.

1. Keep a calendar in plain sight.Whether you’re single or have a big family, keeping a calendar on your fridge for all to see is easier to visualize than just relying on your smartphone. Include all of your activities here—parties, meetings, music lessons and so on. This will help you and your family stay on track and not overschedule.

2. Prepare your meals for the week. Making a meal menu and preparing food in advance can help save hours every day. Even if you aren’t able to make meals for the entire week at once, making larger batches to eat as leftovers can be a big time saver later in the week.

3. Pay your bills all at once. Set aside a few minutes every other week to pay any upcoming bills. Online banking now makes paying your bills easier than ever. Consider setting up direct debits from your account to save even more time each month.

4. Implement TV time. It’s incredibly easy to “overspend” your free time on the sofa binge-watching the latest Netflix show. Instead of losing precious hours to TV, try scheduling a set time each day, starting with sixty minutes.

5. Create an evening routine. Instead of rushing around in the morning trying to get things together for your day, take fifteen minutes before bed to prepare a few things you know you’ll have to do in the morning. This will help your day get off to a stress-free start.

Looking for more ways to improve your wellness? Make sure you’re scheduling routine visits with us to maintain your spinal health and help avoid injuries that could disrupt your life.

We often experience pain when something isn’t working properly. By that logic, feeling good would mean that everything is working fine, right? Not always. Because it’s often easier to tell when your spine isn’t as healthy as it could be, we’d like to share four habits of a happy, healthy spine.

1. It’s carried well.

For a healthy spine, good posture is crucial. This doesn’t mean just standing up straight when you’re moving about, but also being conscious of how you sit when you’re at work or home and even how you sleep in your bed.

2. There’s always time for exercise.

A happy, healthy spine needs regular exercise to function well. So, what’s the best way to exercise your spine? Work the muscles around it like your abs so they’re strong enough to maintain its proper position.

3. It gets proper nutrients.

When we eat healthily, chances are we’re more conscious of how it may help our clothes fit well than what it does for our nervous system. A healthy diet high in leafy greens and vegetables can help our body better accommodate stress and allow our nervous system to function optimally.

4. Your spine is well rested.

Not getting enough sleep each night can wreak havoc on our entire body—including our spine. Your spine helps you stay upright all day, and it needs its time to relax and rejuvenate just like the rest of you. Make sure your spine is supported during sleep and avoid stomach slumber when possible.

Could your spine use some love? Contact our practice today to book an appointment.

This state of emotional tension can be rooted in anything from work-related pressures to frayed family relationships. At one point or another, everyone has experienced stress in his or her life. And while it comes and goes, stress is a completely natural feeling, but it can become unnatural and harmful to your health when you’re dealing with it constantly as it contributes to various diseases and can lead to craving comfort foods—something that can make the cycle of stress even worse!

The Cortisol Connection

Also known as “the stress hormone,” cortisol can increase when you’re feeling tense or stressed. As a result, you may be inclined to eat more comfort foods such as ice cream, pasta or other sugary or high-fat foods. Why? Because intensified levels of cortisol contribute to higher insulin levels.

When this happens, your blood sugar dips, creating carb cravings. In addition to banning bad carbs, try to eat a diet filled with nutrient-dense foods such as leafy, green vegetables. And while a glass of wine may seem like a harmless way to relax and subtract stress, alcohol can also increase cortisol levels.

Reducing stress can not only help you maintain a healthy weight, but it also can allow you to enjoy better overall health and a reduced chance of experiencing the following: Alzheimer’s, depression, headaches, heart disease and gastrointestinal conditions.

Get Moving

Exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress in our daily lives. As exercise boosts the body’s feel-good neurotransmitters, also called endorphins, stress can dissipate and your mood can improve dramatically. You don’t have to be a CrossFitter or marathon runner to reap the rewards of exercise. Brisk walking, for example, is a terrific, low-impact way to feel fantastic, both mentally and physically.

Regular chiropractic adjustments may also help reduce stress by decreasing interference in the nervous system and releasing muscle tension. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

With the alarming rise in dementia and Alzheimer’s worldwide among the older generation, it’s more critical than ever to seek ways to stave off these devastating conditions. According to research, those in later life who exercise regularly and incorporate movement into their everyday lives experience a reduction in dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as heart disease. Exercise brings oxygen and blood to the brain allowing it to function better and reduces obesity — a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

Studies Reveal Importance of Exercise

According to an American Academy of Neurology study, individuals 65 and older who walk on a regular basis and engage in other types of moderate exercise appear to dramatically reduce their risk of developing vascular dementia. A 2011 Cambridge University study also revealed that one in three cases of Alzheimer’s worldwide could potentially be prevented by minimizing risk factors. Two of the seven risk factors for Alzheimer’s – midlife obesity and physical inactivity – can be reduced by engaging in regular exercise.

Easy-on-the-knees Exercises

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get the blood flowing and isn’t hard on your knees and other joints like running or more strenuous forms of exercise can be. Aim to walk for 30 minutes a day five days each week to experience benefits.

Stay Active Mentally

In addition to exercising your body, aim to keep your mind sharp through various activities:

• Do crossword puzzles or Sudoku
• Play chess
• Learn a new language
• Volunteer
• Play brain games

It’s also important to stay socially connected as doing so can allow you to maintain mental acuity, which in turn may reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Get Regular Chiropractic Checks

Chiropractic care is an excellent way to enjoy optimal function at every stage of life. Older people, in particular, can benefit from chiropractic as it can help them move better, maintain balance, reduce the likelihood of falls and heighten energy. Improve your function by making an appointment today.

Sources:
University of Cambridge
American Academy of Neurology

While grandma may have nagged you about your posture, she may not have realized the other benefits of sitting or standing up straight with your head up and shoulders back. Mood. That’s right. Various studies reveal that maintaining good posture can also help boost your mood and slash stress.

A Simple Yet Effective Action

According to research from San Francisco State University Professor of Health Education Erik Peper, Ph.D., individuals who walk with a slumped, or downcast posture can have feelings of depression or diminished energy.

This research also revealed, however, that those feelings of depression can be reversed simply by walking in a more upright manner. Imagine being able to boost your mood and even your energy level with this easy action.

Standing in an expansive posture of confidence, even if you don’t feel particularly confident, can impact testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain. Adopting such “power poses” may even affect one’s chances for success.

If you’re having a bout of the blues, take a quick assessment of how you’re sitting and standing. Adopting better posture just may improve your mood, boost your confidence and give you more energy to take on your everyday tasks and more.

The Mental and Physical Benefits of Chiropractic

Need help improving your posture so you can feel your best, mentally and physically? Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

• HuffingtonPost
• PsychCentral.com

Walking—it’s so easy a toddler can do it. Yet so many adults are sitting for the majority of their day instead of allowing their body to do what it was designed to do: Move!

As your chiropractor, we help keep your spinal bones in alignment so your nervous system can function at its best. But outside of the practice, we need a little help from you to ensure your body stays healthy each day with movement and exercise.

The Walking Effect

Walking isn’t just good for your legs; it’s great for your entire body. Even something as short as a brisk 20-minute walk is enough to get your blood flowing and elevate your heart rate. But the benefit of adding more steps into your day doesn’t just stop there. Walking can help you lose weight, lower the risk for certain diseases, improve your mood, strengthen your heart and give you more energy.

How to Get More Steps in Your Day

Looking for easy ways to fit more steps into your day? Consider these small adjustments you can make that can keep you moving longer.

• If you’re not ready to give up television, hide your remote to make you get up to change the channel.
• Headed to the market? Instead of driving up and down the rows looking for the nearest spot, park in the back of the lot and enjoy a longer walk to the store. Your blood pressure will thank you!
• Taking a bathroom break at work? Consider using the lavatory one floor up or down versus the closest one.

Wondering what else you can do to improve your overall health? Contact us today to book an appointment.