Posts Tagged ‘health’
When your boss shoots you an email with the details about your next office meeting, you might be surprised to see the location – a pair of treadmills? That’s right, “walking meetings”, as they have come to be called, are becoming popular in offices across the nation. These meetings take place on two treadmills that face each other – the true definition of multi-tasking, if you ask me – allowing co-workers to talk while they walk.
A recent blog post had peeked my curiosity – and with a little research, I found that this idea isn’t exactly new. New York Times had written about this a little over a year ago, mentioning a financing firm that had set up four treadmill desks for co-workers to utilize while they “take care of business.”
You might think to yourself, I workout out almost daily, doesn’t that negate elongated time spend sitting down? Not exactly. Research has shown that it isn’t the not exercising that is dangerous, it is simply the act of sitting itself. One study by the American Cancer Society showed that women and men who sat for six hours a day were 37 percent, and 18 percent, respectively, more likely to die by the end of the 13 year study period. Wow.
The Mayo Clinic also noted that increased hours of sitting, whether behind a desk or in front of a television, “increased the risk of events associated with cardiovascular disease, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack” by 125 percent.
Those studies don’t even mention the more immediate side effects of long-term sitting. Hello Neck Pain! Welcome Back Pain! Ah, we meet again Headaches and Wrist Pain!
Don’t think your boss will spring for a couple of treadmills? Not to worry, the idea is still the same.When you have a chance, take the stairs, not the elevator. Instead of using intercom or instant messaging, get up and WALK to your co-worker to relay the message. Refill your water every hour – this will help encourage you to get up more frequently, as you will need to walk to both the water cooler and the bathroom.
Another great tip? GET UP. Even just a few 5 minute walking breaks, with a few stretches and deep breathing thrown in, can do wonders for your overall health.
What do you plan to do to make sure you keep moving throughout the work day?
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We did it! We survived the holiday hangover that is the month of January and have made it into February – land of President’s Day weekend, Valentine’s Day, and the beginning signs of longer days.
By now, the motivation for keeping up with your new year goals is starting to fade. Those healthy meals are giving way to convenient “on-the-go” dinners, stress is making fitting in that workout seem impossible. Consider this blog a friendly reminder.
On the top of most people’s resolution list is always something health related. Quit smoking, eat better, exercise more, finally address that chronic back pain. The funny thing is, falling back into an unhealthy routine can be too easy.
I’m here to ask you – are you being honest with yourself? Are you getting in your own way when it comes to your health?
Many times, people aren’t open to change. Aren’t open to trying different, healthy foods, or trying chiropractic to get rid of that back pain.
Be open to the process, be open to evolution.
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“I just don’t have the time.”
When it comes to scheduling chiropractic appointments, every office has a few of those patients that nod their head in agreement to their treatment plan, only to walk out and tell the front desk person that their calendar is full and they’ll call you. That is why patient education is so important to us here at Mecca Integrated Medical Center.
Our office philosophy is, if you can give us a month, it will have a positive effect on the rest of your year. Sure, when you leave work, sometimes the last thing you want to do is head straight to your chiropractor’s office. But putting in that time to correct the problem, not just temporarily relieve the pain, will help you in the long run.
What would your continual back pain prevent you from doing? Something as small as bringing in your groceries from the car? Or how about extreme cases where you miss your child’s dance recital because you can’t sit down that long? When you commit yourself and your body to health and wellness, the benefits will spill into every aspect of your life.
So what is our advice? Schedule your chiropractic appointments with the same importance as a meeting with your boss. Bosses don’t cancel. Make the time for your health, so you don’t have to make the time for your sickness later.
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Health Magazine recently showed a few key yoga moves that can help improve your posture, letting you stand a bit taller. Check out the routine below.
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Earlier this month, TIME Healthland wrote about the 5 most common mistakes that gym-goers are making during their workouts. The first one listed was “going overboard on cardio machines”. The author, Alexandra Sifferlin, noted that failing to use cardio machines correctly could place them at risk for a less-effective workout, as well as injury. She notes:
“If you’re using an elliptical machine, for instance, don’t set the resistance so high that you can’t work out comfortably without leaning on the machine for support. “Hunching over or using a death grip on the machine handrail because your incline or resistance is too high for you cheats your body and can throw off your alignment, jarring your spine, shoulders and elbows,” says Scott Danberg, the director of fitness at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami.”
Now, I watch the Biggest Loser, so I know that when you are using a cardio machine, whether it be the elliptical or a treadmill, you should be keeping your HANDS OFF. Lord knows that Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper have screamed this advice (or would it be order?) at participants season to season. However, I thought it was important to share that excerpt with you, as I didn’t realize how much it could affect your spine and the rest of your body. I was practicing this advice based solely on the knowledge that using your hands for supports leads to a less effective workout.
Similar to your daily routine outside of the gym, you want to maintain awareness of your posture during your workout. A hunched stance, either on a cardio machine or while doing a free weight exercise, can lead to misalignment of the spine. This, in turn, will affect not only your back in terms of pain, but can affect other areas of your body. When a vertebra in the spine is misaligned, this can affect the closest nerve, causing pain in other areas besides your back.
“Maintaining good form while lifting will also improve your overall posture. “Generally, people who don’t have good posture have tight or weak muscles,” says Danberg. “If you do not think about your form while you are lifting, you are training poor posture.””
That is why it is so important to make sure that you take note of your form during your workouts. Mr. Danberg recommends leaving your books and magazines at home. These reading materials can distract you from concentration on performing an effective, and most importantly, safe, workout.
Supplementary to maintaining proper form and posture during your workout, maintaining regular adjustments by your chiropractor will also help keep your back pain at bay. Chiropractic adjustments will not only help decrease or eliminate pain, but encourage overall body health and wellness.
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If you have back pain, Mecca is the place. We adjust, stretch, massage, exercise, decompress, pulsate, ice, and heat the pain away. But hey, we are all about the betterment of our fellow community. Here is a quick list of common offenders I found in Health magazine that cause back pain. Being aware is the first step to altering your behavior and saving youryourself from pain.
- Watch how you sit. Make sure you sit in a supportive chair, so that your back is curved like an “s” not a “c”. Keep you feet on the ground, and avoid crossing your legs. Get up and stretch every half an hour, to take stress off your back.
- Stand tall. Posture is everything. Make sure your head is stacked atop your neck, not jutting forward. Keep your shoulders back, and your back as straight as possible.
- Walk a mile in the right shoes. Make sure your shoes have enough cushioning to provide enough support and shock-absorption. Without it, you will jar the bones and muscles in your lower back. So make smart shoe decisions, not only in the gym, but even with your slippers.
- Quit smoking. Besides the obvious health benefits, a 2010 review of 40 studies found that smokers have more back pain than non-smokers. This might be due to the reduction of blood flow to the spine.
- “I lift things up and put them down.” You have to know to lift smart. Sure, most people know the common saying, lift with your legs not your back… but what about something light? Health Magazine says to lean over it, bend one knee slightly, and extend the other leg behind you. Hold onto a chair or table for support.
- Sleep smart. Make sure you aren’t pilling up the pillows, as this can cause neck strain. Consider using the tempur pedic pillows for equal levels of support and comfort.
Keeping these few tips in mind throughout the day can make a big difference in the way you feel, so start practicing these today!
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