How Does a Tens Unit Work on Muscle Spasm- Pain comes from electroechemical impulses relaying the pain message. A TENS unit interrupts this pathway. T.E.N.S stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It is often used to treat low back pain and neck pain. Tens units use a low voltage electrical current to induce pain relief. Continue Reading Article
Neck Exercises- Learn effective neck stretches and strengthening exercises for the cervical spine
End Neck Pain by Improving Posture- How Proper Posture Improves Your Spine Relieving Nerve Pressure- How does posture have anything to do with neck pain?--Neck pain comes from pressure on the nerves. How does this happen?--Usually pressure from a misaligned neck spine. When your spine is misaligned (some call that subluxated) it does not move like it should and in turn creates inflammation in that area. Either out-of-alignment spinal vertebrae (spinal bones) put direst pressure on nerves or the inflammation, or built up degeneration causes the pressure. Continue Reading Article
How to Reduce the Chances of Getting A Stiff Neck- A Stiff Neck.... Horrible especially when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is going to be one painful day. You are stiff, your neck hurts, you cannot turn your head, even brushing your teeth hurts. We get questions about how to treat a stiff neck all the time. Continue Reading Article
How To Avoid Neck Pain While Doing Abs- If you do your Abdominal crunches correctly with proper form, there is no reason to suffer from neck pain or sore neck. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that involve there neck muscles while doing these exercises- that is a NO-NO. Bringing your head and neck forward puts unnecessary pressure on the neck and it is not healthy. So when you do your abdominal crunch look at the ceiling.Continue Reading Article
Study shows that high-Intensity Interval Training May Reverse Frailty Among Seniors.
High Intensity Interval Training can Benefit Seniors
In this study published in the Journal of Gerontology, researchers studied the effect of a 10 minute exercise program that included several high-intensity intervals on older, frail mice over the course of sixteen weeks. The study found that these mice experienced dramatic improvements in the following areas compared to mice in the other control group:
grip strength
treadmill endurance,
gait speed
muscle mass
If these findings apply to human subjects, then introducing seniors to this form of exercise may help them remain active and independent for longer.
Study shows that exercise can improve a child's brain power. The children in this study were age 7 to age 13 and involved in short bursts of high-intensity training (HIT) for 10 minutes per day for six weeks.
Regular Exercise for kids is Important for Brain Health.
The study found that the children involved in this HIT group had greater improvements in memory tasks, memory tasks, information processing and behavior. This included the ability to focus on completing tasks without distractions, compared to the control group.
According to the The American Psychological Association Yoga can ease Depression in patients. This 8 week yoga program can significantly eased depressive symptoms in patients. It also improved quality of life, optimism, mental function and physical function.
In another new study from Boston University, it was found that taking yoga classes 2x/week may help ease depression, especially do to the deep breathing.
Source: American Psychological Association, August 2017
Many of us work - By work I mean we are sitting at a desk or standing for long periods of time. I think that the sitting type of jobs can be the most difficult to withstand overtime. According the Mayo Clinic, sitting type of jobs can cause insomnia, chronic headaches, stress, changes in our hormone levels and decreased blood flow.
Keep Your Body and Mind Calm and KEEP Working....
How can we make sure we are doing right by our body in the process?
Try a different type of desk. My sister in law recently got a new desk at work that allows her to Sit and Stand. I tested it out and its pretty awesome. Very ergonomically designed, the desk moves smoothly from one position to another. Very very comfortable in both stances of using the computer.
Move - do some type of exercise - Instead of using the elevator, use the stairs. Do something extra ciricular on the side like yoga or spinning classes. A friend of ours started going to a ninja gym and the moves he is doing now have put him into the best shape of his life. Personally, I like to walk. It clears my mind and also gives me a chance to think and breathe fresh air. During your lunch break ( and do take a lunch break ) take a 30 minute walk if you are able to. Set goals for your exercise and hold yourself accountable each day.
Sleep EVERY night - Change up your habits that you are doing daily to get better sleep. Maybe you need to stop eating late night snacks or avoid drinking coffee 1/2 hour before bed. Learn the 4-7-8 Yoga breath that will help your body relax to go to sleep.
Get a New Pillow - Look for a cervical support pillow that will keep your head and neck in the neutral position. If you wake up feeling refreshed, you are going to function better at work. So a good night sleep pays off in many respects. Also make sure your mattress is supporting your body. A saggy mattress can cause a lot of overall pain. A good mattress and pillow are very important. Maybe you need to replace your pillow or mattress. Experts agree that your pillow should be replaced every 18 months and your mattress every 8 years approximately.
Watch What you are putting into your body - If you are going out with your coworkers everyday for Chinese food or getting take out regularly, you are tasking your body. Some people like to drink a soda while they work. Again, watch what you are putting into your body. When I sit down at my desk, a glass of water sits down with me as well. My son wants to so badly buy a lunch at school, because all the other kids are doing it. But i insist on packing his lunch. I know what ingredients he is eating and the majority of it is not processed or sugar laden. One more point I would like to add, is to drink water through out the day.
Having a Positive Outlook and Mindset cannot be understated. - Your body's immune system pays the price when we are stressed. You are more likely to get sick. Having strong emotional health is important. Practice breathing exercises, take breaks, disconnect from technology that we tend to keep in our pockets and carry everywhere with us.
Work is not something we can easily eliminate from our daily life. We have to deal with it and make the most of it. While we are working, we should take care of our body and our mind to keep it functioning as optimally as possible. That way, we can keep on working without sick days, pain and suffering. So Keep Calm and Keep on Working....
This is an awesome yoga breathing technique that is very effective. A system of breathing that helps your body to relax:
Breathe 4 - 7 - 8
Simply Put:
Start by letting all of the air out of your mouth
Put Your Tongue into Yoga Position- keeping your tip of your tongue touching the ridge of your mouth ( behind your upper front teeth)
Breathe in quietly in through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 7 seconds
Let the air out for 8 seconds (make a whoosh sound)- purse your lips out
Repeat this cycle for 4 times (4 breath cycles)
Practice Practice Practice
Do this at least 2x/day to practice this technique in the beginning (perhaps morning and night). As you practice this technique slow the whole process down as you practice this technique. After 4-6 weeks, you can start to use this technique for helping you to fall asleep, dealing with cravings and stressful situations.
Physiological Benefits of this exercise after doing it for a few months:
Forward Head Posture can contribute to the Hunchback posture. This type of posture can take years to get to - its not an overnight process. Forward Shoulder and tightened chest muscles can be contributing to this hunchback posture, so its important to work on these two aspects.
How do we get our proper posture back? Here are some great exercises to help you
The Reach Up, Reach Back Exercise - this will help to open up your chest and also help your shoulder range of motion
"I’ve had back problems and had to have physical therapy and tablets since 11. Even though my back is not as bad as it once was, when I do get some back pain is there anything I can do to ease the pain? "
The simple answer to this question is to exercise your lower back: Make it as strong as you can.
What is an example of an exercise that strengthens the lumbar area? The bird dog exercise: See picture below.
Basically, you get on all fours first.
Then balance to put the right hand up, then bring the left leg up. Hold this position for 10–15 seconds.
Repeat this by bringing up the left hand and extending out the left leg.
Repeat this 5 times to start
This exercise will not only strengthen your lower back but it will also strengthen your core muscles. I remember doing this for many workout classes at my local gym. It is also a great exercise for your gluteus maximus muscles as well. Who knew that just one exercise would work your stomach, your lower back, your butt, and your thighs.
You may have to start this exercise by only bringing up one arm or bringing up one leg. Then add the 2nd component of raising the opposite limb and side. Also, its better to do a few bird dog stances, than doing a whole bunch but with the wrong posture.
If you get good at this exercise, there are many advanced versions of the bird and dog exercise. It is powerful in many ways. Practice makes perfect.
Tonight I caught up on one of my favorite shows on AMC called Better Call Saul by Vince Gilligan. In this episode Jimmy,the main character (aka Saul Goodman - its all good man :)) goes mall walking with his senior citizen friends. My husband and I had a good laugh...
Mall walking is quite popular. It's a great way to get your cardio in and get your daily work out. No matter if there is a thunderstorm, hail, high humidity or snow you are shielded from everything if you mall walk. Also it's a very safe type of sport because there's other people around mall walking. You are never by yourself. Even bathrooms are usually in a close proximity and very clean. In fact, both of my sisters who recently had babies both do stroller walks with their buddies every Tuesday in their favorite mall. Not only do they get to sight-see, they get to talk with their friends, and they get their exercise in, and their babies are relaxed.
Walking, especially brisk walking has a bunch of health benefits, namely: 1. less risk of diabetes 2. lowered risk of heart disease 3. lowered risk of stroke 4. lowered risk of cancers 5. it enhances your mood and well being 6. it lets you sleep better at night 7. improves cognitive and brain function 8. increases your energy levels 9. improves bone health (walking is a great weight bearing exercise).
You may be doing the majority of your shopping on Amazon but there will always be a purpose for malls in America. My favorite mall of all time is Square One in Mississauga Canada... did a lot of steps there is my younger days !
One of my favorite reasons for living in Florida and in our particular development, is the face that I can walk Year Around. Walking beats going to the gym by a mile for me personally. It is relaxing, comforting, effortless and makes me feel good.
A new study published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that walking offers multiple benefits:
a stronger heart
lower blood pressure
greater oxygen intake
slower loss of bone mass with age
slower onset of arthritis
improved muscle tone
less stress
better sleep
better mood
better attitude
According to the AAOS, follow certain things to always be safe and get the most for your health:
Choose the shoes you walk with wisely. Walking in the wrong shoes can actually do you more harm than good. You should have a good arch support and the heel should be slightly higher up.
As with all exercise, warming up is very important. A little light stretching can do wonders for you before you start walking. Gentle trunk rotations, flexing forward, toe and heal walking, even quick arm and shoulder rotations are all good. You might look weird, but this is really good to get your muscles warmed up
Walk a little more on the slower side to start and work your way up to a faster pace. You can even use your arms for more aerobic exercise. Increasing your pace gets your heart beating faster and your lungs breathing deeper. Keep up this pace for a good 15 minutes at least.
Also when you walk, keep your head up, back straight, and abdomen flat, Point your toes straight ahead
Take long strides, but do not strain
Just as you warmed up, do the same when you are cooling down. Cool down your walk by walking at a slower pace for five more minutes. Simple gentle stretching exercises after your walk can again help your regimen.
Keep up the routine for your walking routine. 3 to 4 days of walking is a great idea. Keep adding minutes as you continue your walking routine. This helps to build strength and endurance over time.
You can also add something to your walk to increase your strength and engage other muscles. You can add ski poles (as crazy as this looks in Florida, people here do that) or carry small dumb bells. This helps your upper body as well as your lower body.
Drink a lot of water. Personally I drink a lot after my workout, but its generally a good idea to drink as you walk so that you don't become dehydrated.
Recently I picked up a fitbit - it tracks among other things my heart rate and steps. My goal with this fitbit it to get to 10000 steps/day. Also, I engage in friendly competition with my sisters in Canada...what a great motivator for me ! A friendly COMPETITION makes it really fun.
Time and time again, I have written about the positive effects of exercise, no matter what your age. Kids, teens, middle aged and seniors can all get a positive benefit from exercising.
A new research study has shown that seniors who exercise have improved mental functioning. In the study, 100 older adults (age 65-95 years old) were part of a 24 week aerobic exercise program. They were put into 2 groups. An exercise group and an inactive sedentary group.
After 24-weeks of aerobic exercise, the exercise group experienced improvements in mental functioning:
" There was a significant improvement in motor praxis, vasomotor organization, thinking operations, and attention and concentration among older adults. "
Exercise even has an effect on inflammation in the body. When our brain is not functioning at 100% cognitive disabilities start to show up. Brain tissue damage and neural cell death causes oxidative free radical and inflammation development in the body.
"In this current study, the anti-inflammatory activity of moderate exercise was evaluated in older adults following 24-week exercise interventions. There was decrease in the levels of hs-CRP in moderately exercised older adults compared to baseline and nonexercise control values. The change in the level of hs-CRP significantly correlated with physical activity status and the improvement of cognitive abilities especially motor praxis, vasomotor organization, thinking operations, and attention and concentration in all participants."
The other group that remained inactive did not experience these effects. Overall the study showed that as we age exercise is very important. It improves well being, cognitive function and improves quality of life. I thinking making time for exercise no matter what our age is key to having the best life we can possibly have.
Source: Effects of Moderate Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Abilities and Redox State Biomarkers in Older Adults, April 2016 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity Volume 2016 (2016), Article ID 2545168