Chiropractic care may be focused on the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine but chiropractors understands that patients are so much more than just spine. This is why they always say that they aim not just to relieve pain but to improve your overall health. In order to achieve that, you need to feed your body healthy foods that contain vitamins and nutrients from vegetables, fruits, lean meat, whole grains, and healthy fats.
Do you always find yourself suffering from neck or back pain? That could be a sign of having poor posture since poor one puts a lot of strain on the affected muscle, ligaments and joints. Being on a bad position all the time forces body parts like the back, neck, and shoulders to carry more unnecessary weight that they wouldn’t have to if you just fix your posture. This habit causes pain all the time.
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It’s been said over and over again that the human body is designed for movement, and yet more and more people are being chained to their chairs. Not only because most people now have a desk job but also because sometimes they have crazy work-schedules. Save yourself from that and stay fit despite your job! Here are some tips that may help you with that.
With your busy work and life schedules, weekends are the only time to squeeze in some DIY projects or catch up on house repairs. Although that’s great, sometimes accidents happen and you get injured, especially if you’re not very familiar or skilled with the work you’re attempting to do. But don’t worry, here are some tips that will help you get through it safely.
An occasional cheat meal is okay and could help keep you motivated to continue eating healthy and clean. However, if that turns into every weekend or worst every day, that a totally different story. That cannot only mess all your hard work at the gym but it can also result to other problems.
If you want to exercise to be part of your routine, remember it is a marathon, not a sprint. Plan your gym schedule in a way that you’ll be able to sustain it in your day to day living, instead of treating it like a month or two challenges. Aside from that, you have to allow your body to recover as well because that’s when your gains happen.
It’s challenging to stay healthy and productive and not to mention less stressed in a place that makes you sit all day and do repetitive tasks. But no matter how challenging it is, it’s definitely not impossible! Here are some tips that may help you along the way.
Not all back pain or musculoskeletal problem is the same. Your back pain may have a different cause than the person next to you suffering the same condition. Having said that, don’t assume that just any chiropractor is right for you. Here are some questions that will help you find the right one to make sure that the partnership will be a good fit.
Going on a vacation is often how we escape from our amazing yet oftentimes stressful life and job. Therefore, you have to make sure that you have nothing but a smooth getaway which starts from your travel to and from your destination. Believe me when I say that a car ride or flight can wreck a trip because of back pain. Here are some tips that can help you keep that from happening to you and have a blast on your vacation.
Flying can be stressful especially when you fly during the holiday season. Don’t let back or neck pain makes it even worst! Pre-flight and post-flight spinal adjustments let you get comfortable aboard and get off pain-free. Chiropractors can help prepare the back for this change in activity. Chiropractors will search for and remove restrictions in the spine, which then leads to less discomfort. With regular visits, they can keep the back in a state of wellness, which may even keep the pain away in the future. If you start visits before traveling begins, it can help prepare the back and body beforehand. And if you continue the practice while traveling, it may bring about, even more, benefit by removing any restrictions picked up along the way.
Don’t hunch over to the steering wheel. It’ll only strain your neck and shoulders. Instead, let your shoulder blades rest at the back of your seat with your bottom all the way back.
For those who put wallets in their back pocket, always remember to take it out when you drive or even sit. Sitting on your wallet creates an asymmetry or imbalance that distorts your pelvis and hips which can lead to all sorts if issues from pain to degeneration.
Remember that your spine has a natural curve, so when you sit, don’t try to sit too straight. You can roll a towel and put it against the small of your back and the chair to make sure support this slight natural curvature without a lot of conscious effort.
If you know your destination will be hours away, then pull into rest stops at least every hour or two. Rest, stretch everything out or take a walk to loosen up everything so that you don’t arrive at your destination feeling stiff all over.
This is the best spot for you to easily stand up and stretch, something you’ll appreciate especially when you’re in a 17-hour flight.
If you have a history of back problem, it’s crucial that you get up and move every few hours. You can simply explain your condition to your fellow travelers and the crew if you’re worried about upsetting or disturbing them during the flight.
Carry-ons go in the overhead compartment of the aircraft. So if you have a medium-size suitcase you’ll have to lift that up there yourself. To avoid getting injured, learn how to properly lift. Bend your hips and knees to squat down to your luggage, keep it close to your body, and straighten your legs to lift. Avoid turning or twisting your body while lifting or holding a heavy suitcase.
When it comes to carry-ons, opt for a proper backpack rather than a shoulder bag. Lugging a shoulder bag often leads to excessive strain on the neck, shoulders and lower back. By making use of a backpack you’ll distribute the weight more evenly, reducing the potential strain. And pack as light as possible. If you don't need something before you get to your destination don’t carry it with you onto the plane, pack it in your checked luggage instead.
Can you still remember when your mom used to nag you about standing or sitting properly? And it really irritated you a lot, didn’t it? But if you know how important good posture is, you could’ve appreciated her efforts of instilling those to you. Hope this read does it to you and encourage you to pay attention to your posture more.
Working out is one of the most important ways in order to maintain a fit and healthy body. However, everything that’s too much is not good even when it comes to training. Here are the signs that training is becoming a borderline addiction for you and it’s probably time to reassess your goals and seek a knowledgeable and experienced personal trainer who can quickly help you get your training back on track.
Endurance is one of the most important qualities an athlete must have in order to be good at what he does. Otherwise, it would be impossible to perform properly and exquisitely throughout a game. This is the reason why there are some athletes who turn to doping to help them get through an entire competition. However, they would never have to depend on banned athletic performance-enhancing drugs if they adapt proper ways to provide nutrition for their bodies. Yes, training hones your skills but proper nutrition gives your body the fuel that it needs to keep going. Here are some mistakes that endurance athletes are probably making when it comes to nutrition.
It’s natural to keep themselves hydrated while playing a rigorous sport right? Well, what many (even athletes) don’t realize is that excess hydration can lead to severe physiological circumstances, including death. This is because the risk of dilutional hyponatremia increases substantially when an athlete repeatedly consumes more than 30 fluid ounces (nearly 890 ml) per hour. Athletes often do very well under most conditions with a fluid intake of 20-25 ounces per hour.
For endurance athletes, it’s best to steer clear from simple sugars like fructose, sucrose, and glucose because they cannot provide adequate calories to sustain energy production. Better opt for complex carbohydrates with no added simple sugar. This way you’re still getting the same amount of energy you need in your body without consuming unnecessary sugar.
Athletes assume that they only have to consume average calories that they lose on an hour of playing. However, that’s taking away other variables like temperature, and other circumstances like change of game plan and overtime due to unexpected occurrences. Your body can't replenish calories as fast as it uses them and trying to replace calories with an equal or near equal amount of calories in usually suffer digestive maladies and experienced poor outcome on the game. So when it comes to calorie intake, you should focus on the least amount that your body needs to keep your body going for hours after hours.
Just because you already had your fluids and calories in doesn’t mean you’re set for a long and demanding sport. Electrolytes are necessary for your body to maintain smooth performance of vital functions such as muscle contraction. Cramping and spasms happen when your body lacks electrolytes while training or playing. Although, most types of cramp and muscle spasm respond very well to chiropractic treatment you should do what you can to prevent it from happening in the first place. Since inconsistent electrolyte supplementation is often the cause, you should make it a point that you monitor your intake. You don't want to wait until you start cramping before you replenish these important minerals.
When exercise extends beyond about two hours, your body begins to utilize some protein to fulfill its energy requirements, as you begin to derive glucose from amino acids. If you fail to include protein in your fuel, your body has only one other choice: your own muscle! This leads to muscle deterioration and increased fatigue-causing ammonia accumulation. If you want to be able to go for more than two to three hours, you should inject protein into your pre-training meal aside from carbohydrates.
Too much solid food consumption will divert blood from working muscles for the digestive process. So during workouts or races in the 12 hour-or-under range, liquid nutrition is more advised for ultra-endurance athletes. This is because liquid nutrition is the easiest, most convenient, and most easily digested way to get a calorie and nutrient-dense fuel. Solid food, for the most part, cannot match the precision or nutrient density of the best liquid fuels.
Unless you're absolutely desperate and willing to accept the consequences, do not try anything new in competition, be it equipment, fuel, or tactics. These all must be tested and refined in training. Otherwise you’d only risk putting all your hard work in training in jeopardy.
Athletes, who stubbornly maintain the same fuel intake hour after hour, even when it's clearly not working, end up with poorer results, if they finish at all. Yes, consistency is important during a workout or race, however, you should know how to listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel that you need more than your usual calorie intake for the competition then feed your body more. Evaluate and adjust accordingly as race pace and weather dictate.
Chiropractic care may be focused on the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine but chiropractors understands that patients are so much more than just spine. This is why they always say that they aim not just to relieve pain but to improve your overall health. In order to achieve that, you need to feed your body healthy foods that contain vitamins and nutrients from vegetables, fruits, lean meat, whole grains, and healthy fats. But, when it comes to nutrition, there are still a lot of athletes with habits that are actually detrimental not only to their health but as well as their performance. Don’t be one of those athletes and learn the right way to feed your body.
Athletes spend the majority of their time in training and participating in their chosen sports or event. The idea is if you want to improve you have to train harder. Because of this, most of them tend to neglect sleep and recovery. What they don’t realize is that skimping on both of those can single-handedly halt your gains, increase your risk for injury in the gym or on the road, and hinder processes in your body that regulate, well, pretty much everything. Here are the reasons why sleep and recovery are also just as important in your routine as an athlete.
Working out helps you have a fit and healthy body right? Well, that’s true but apparently that’s not all exercising can do to your body. Here are some of the things you wouldn’t expect exercising results to.
Contrary to popular beliefs, working out and dieting aren’t the only things that help you achieve the body that you want, especially if you’re trying to build muscles. Having said that, those aren’t the only factors that slow down your progress either. It’s not just because you’re training too little or eating the wrong foods, sometimes there are daily activities that affects your progress too.
Okay so you warm up every time before you work out? Good, but the question is, are you doing it right? Here are some signs that you might not so that you can correct them the next time you go for exercise. Because you can’t just do it, but you have to do it right, otherwise the purpose is lost.
Don’t just mindlessly stretch before every workout. Really focus on performing it because this helps prepare your entire body instead of just jumping right into the workout. Your muscles need to receive nutrient rich blood, your joints require lubrication to be able to last an hour of exercise and avoid injury. Warm Up is what gives your muscles and joints those things that they need before any kind of workout.
Warm Up is just as important as the workout itself. So, just as you need to complete an exercise to the last count, you need to do the same to your workout. Don’t cut it short thinking you’ll get the same benefits in the actual exercise. Know that your body can’t go from 0 intensity and blast into 10; you have to ease into it. And you do that by warming up for at least 15 minutes before going right into your work sets. If you do this, you’ll notice that you’re more flexible and you don’t feel as strained to exercise.
If you think that just because your workout program for today is focused on your legs so you don’t have to warm up your upper body, think again. Remember that even though you’re only training a specific part of your body, you entire body would still have to exert effort for you to perform those exercises. So don’t leave out any part of your body when it comes to warm ups. Work from your feet up. Every part of your body needs to be prepared especially if you’re using weights.
What your mind can conceive your body can achieve. That remains true whether you look at it figuratively or literally. You can’t walk into the gym half asleep; otherwise you either won’t get the most out of the workout or suffer unfortunate injury because your mind isn’t where your body is. We all know how the lack of concentration can affect the outcome of whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish. So before you storm into the workout, visualize how you want it to go about and your body will definitely follow suit.
Trying to work out without loosening up your entire body is a perfect recipe for injury. That’s because you fail to gradually increasing the heart rate and circulation as well as loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. Stretching every part of your body, though you’re only training one part, makes your posture so that you maintain correct form every time as well as maximizes your ability to do a specific workout. Always stretch and hold each muscle group for 20-30 seconds each.
When you workout with weights, you have to consider how heavy you’re planning to tackle. If you plan on handling hundreds of pounds for numerous reps, lifting 45 pounds for 10 reps as your warm up doesn’t cut it. That weight and repetition is not enough to prepare your body to take on your target weight. You need to perform at least 3 warm up sets so that you muscles can get a better feel of what’s coming. Work your way up to the weight you want to lift. This way, it won’t shock your muscles when you attempt to do that hundred-pound deadlift or bench press.
Exercising is important to maintain overall health, however if you fail to warm up properly or worse don’t do it at all, you’re setting yourself up to some serious injury. What happens then is that instead of enjoying the health benefits of working out, you end up suffering injury because you fail to prepare your muscles and joints for it. Good thing there are a lot of chiropractors in Singapore who are well experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to dealing with sports injuries along with related injuries. So in case you get injured while working out, consult a chiropractor right away to avoid making your condition get worse by leaving it untreated.
Over recent years, more companies are incorporating wellness initiatives into their office environment. It’s mission critical in todays competitive markets, to attracting and retain the best talents. One crucial measurement is the engagement levels of everyone in the entire organisation. People are not motivated by money alone, and wellness programs are part of the strategy to improve job satisfaction and productivity. However, only a few companies actually have comprehensive programs that produce better health outcomes among employees. As a result, improved engagement and performance at work, naturally follows since employees are healthier and happier.
Unfortunately not all wellness programs are successful. Here are 5 best practices that help create successful corporate wellbeing programs that gain true engagement.
Just when you thought you’ve done everything you could to keep off the weight, you’d be surprised something minor or major could actually be ruining your efforts. While a woman’s body has the tendency to hold on to a certain amount of fat, especially in the midsection area, some cases the problem can be traced directly to certain habits and lifestyle traps which can be remedied. Here are some reasons why you might not be dropping those pounds.
Skipping Breakfast
Usually, people are too busy, running late, or settle with coffee as breakfast. The problem is not feeding yourself a proper meal in the morning will cause you to not have enough energy to last until lunch time and end up snacking (which is often an unhealthy food) to get by.
Being Stressed Out A Lot
Deadlines, bills, relationship troubles, and other family issues have a way to mess with our weight. It can spike the level of cortisol in the body and make you gain weight in your midsection. Not only that, there are people who resort to food or vices like alcohol drinking when they’re stressed which contributes to weight gain as well.
Sedentary Lifestyle
They say sitting is the new smoking. Not only can sitting for an extended period of time cause health issues, it also a reason why you might be struggling to shed pounds since insufficient physical activity leads to that. So even if you have a desk-bound job, find ways to interrupt sitting or squeeze more exercise in your routine like taking the stairs to your office instead of the elevator. Because of this lifestyle, some people not only gain weight but also develop musculoskeletal conditions which can make losing weight even more difficult. If this is your case, better consult a chiropractor right away to address your condition accordingly which when treated can help you lose weight in the process.
You Can’t Live Without Your Smartphone
Being addicted to mobile phones whether it’s for social media or games sure makes you lose some sleep. This is not good. Sleep deprivation slows down your metabolism and makes you crave for unhealthy food during those low-energy days due to not enough sleep.
Lack Of Vitamin D
UV rays are bad for the skin. However, being unexposed to the sun entirely means not enough vitamin D too, which is important for your everyday energy and mood. Take for example those with graveyard shift jobs who rarely see the sun, they are less likely to be up for a workout since they feel cranking.
Unhealthy Social Life
Going out is important to unwind, make friends and connect to the world. But if all you do when you go out with friends is drink alcohol, party all night, or pig out on fast food then it’s not a good idea too. Choose friends that motivate and encourage you to a healthy lifestyle.
Poor Diet
Not only that technology today is making things faster and easier, it has also lead to processed foods. Once in a while hotdogs or canned goods are fine, but living your life eating only those is bad news. Processed foods are packed with a lot of chemicals that are simply not just bad for your health but also make you gain more weight. Make it a conscious effort to feed your body with organic and fresh foods more, like fruits and vegetables.
Genetic Makeup
Sometimes, you aren’t losing weight not because you're lazy or because of your food choices, but because you have a condition that makes it hard for you too. Inherited metabolic disorders like insulin-dependent diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, and insulin resistance make it difficult for some people to keep their weight in check.
Not Drinking Enough Water
You may think that this is counterintuitive because it’s often the water weight that makes you look bloated. However, drinking an adequate amount of water helps suppress your appetite so you’re less likely to overeat. Aside from that hydration is important for your kidney to function properly which helps you easily burn the fat that you consume.
You Work Out Regularly
Okay, calm down, let me elaborate. Yes, working out is good for your overall health and an important aspect of fitness. However, you cannot deny that after exercising you tend to be very hungry and tired so you eat more to compensate on that because you either feel like you’ve earned it or over-estimate how much you’ve burned. There are some people who struggle to balance that, so instead of losing weight because they work out a lot, they end up gaining weight.
The last thing you probably wanna do when you’re hurt somewhere is moving it even more. No wonder this is one of the reasons behind employees missed work since this kind of pain can be really debilitating. Aside from that this is the reason why most people suffering from neck pain prefer to just take pain medication too because it takes away the pain without having to do anything.
However, what you may not realize is that all pain medications do is numbs the pain for a while and nothing more. It doesn’t treat the cause of your pain nor keep the discomfort permanently. Aside from the fact that long-term use of medications can pose different kinds of side effects that can be dangerous for your health.
If you want to address your neck pain properly, you have a better chance at getting better if you seek chiropractic care and do targeted exercises for your neck pain. Would you still reach for the bottle of pills if you know what a chiropractor and some exercises can do for you?
Loosen Up The Joints Of The Cervical Vertebrae In The Neck
Sometimes, you are experiencing neck pain because the joints in your neck are stiff. This often happens due to tissue damage or scarring from trauma like whiplash or repetitive stress such as having poor posture. Both of these causes pain in your neck, but with the help of chiropractic adjustments your neck’s natural movement can be restored which can relieve the pain.
Reduce Pain Caused By Pinched Nerves And Muscle Spasms
When a nerve or set of nerves in the body are stretched, constricted, or compressed you can experience symptoms like ‘pins and needles’ feeling or burning sensation around the area. Though rest does the trick sometimes, chiropractic care provides a more in-depth solution for the pain that keeps coming back. For pinched nerves and muscle spasms, chiropractors may use variety of treatment like manual manipulation, physiotherapy, and flexion distraction to reduce inflammation and take pressure off the spine.
Can Correct Misalignment
When you have neck subluxation, it becomes difficult to move your neck, your neck doesn’t receive an adequate amount of blood supply, and don’t transmit appropriate nerve information. No wonder you are in pain! Whether it’s due to a recent trauma, poor posture, or health condition like arthritis, spinal adjustments can help correct misalignments in order to eliminate pain.
Five Specific Exercises To Target Chronic Neck Pain
Aside from chiropractic care, doing exercises can also help treat your neck pain because it often leads to improved posture, range of motion and functionality of your body. Here is the five specific strength exercises target the neck and shoulder muscles involved in causing chronic neck pain.
Dumbbell Shrug
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Begin with standing upright with the hand weights at the side of your body.
· Lift your shoulders up towards your ears using one even motion then lower them again slowly
· Relax your jaw and neck while doing it
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
One-Arm Row
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Stand with one knee on the bench and lean on the same-side hand on the front of the bench
· With the free arm you pull the weight up towards your lower chest.
· When the weight touches your chest, lower it in a controlled motion.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Upright Row
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Stand upright with your arms stretched and the hand weights in front of your body.
· Lift the weights in a straight line as close to your body as possible until they reach the middle of your chest and your elbows point up and out.
· During the whole exercise, the hand weights should be placed lower than the elbows.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Reverse Fly
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Lie down on a bench in a 45° forward bent angle with the hand weights hanging towards the floor.
· Lift the weights outward and upward until they are horizontal, and then lower the weights in one controlled motion.
· During the exercise, the elbows should be slightly bent.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Lateral Raise / Shoulder Abduction
· Stand upright with the hand weights at the side of your body.
· Lift the weights outward and upward until they are horizontal, and then lower the weights in one controlled motion.
· During the exercise, the elbows should be slightly bent
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Instead of heavily relying on pain medications, which we all know long-term use has negative effects, try doing these exercises. You’ll be surprised at how much it can make a difference with your neck pain. But before anything else, you have to consult a chiropractor to make sure you’re not doing exercises that may make your condition worse.
