Add Some Variety To Your Exercise Routine

Everybody knows that you should exercise regularly as you get older. Regular exercise has been proven to extend both the quality of our lives as we age, and the number of years we are alive. Exercise improves our physical and mental health, there's no doubt about that. However, it's not enough to just choose one type of exercise -- like running or swimming, for example -- and just keep to that same routine year after year. We all know that it's good to change our daily routines just to keep fresh, and now a Doylestown Chiropractor has evidence to prove that it's important for our physical health.

The Journal of General Internal Medicine recently reported on a 2016 study of 3,300 seniors between 1993 and 2001 who were tracked for 17 years, and the results suggested that the seniors who did multiple types of physical exercise lived longer. A warrington chiropractor says studies like that are the reason why the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise five times a week for seniors, complemented by twice a week sessions of muscle building and flexibility.

 

Variety is the spice of life, as the saying goes, and it’s also a way to maintain your health. It’s wonderful if you like to get out and ride your bike five times a week, but it’s even better if you pair that with seeing a jamison chiropractor and a good gym workout every few days. The way to keep yourself motivated and healthy is to add a little variety to your exercise program!

HOW TO RELIEVE NECK PAIN

Neck pain is on the rise in recent years, and it's easy to see why. If you think of how we interact with our computers and cell phones, you'll realize that these devices do not promote good posture. Most of the time when we use digital devices we're looking down at them, which puts added stress on our neck muscles. Add up all the time you spend on these devices during the day, and you'll realize why your neck hurts. Indeed, experts say that every inch you lean forward with your neck is an extra ten pounds of torque.

To relieve all the pressure on your neck, it helps to do some simple exercises prescribed by a chiropractor in Doylestown, like side-bending and head circles that will loosen things up in your neck area. Here are two particularly good exercises for your neck.

Wall Crunch. Stand close enough to a wall that your butt is touching the surface. Slowly engage your core (midsection) muscles, and pull your head back to the wall, without arching your back or getting out of alignment. Move your head back to the starting position, then repeat the exercise a dozen times.

Hanging Head. Standing straight, slowly drop your chin to your chest, till you can feel a stretch in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Hold for at least 20 seconds, then raise you head back to the starting position. Repeat several times.

Take the opportunity during your day to gently bend and twist your neck in various directions. Don’t power through if you feel any pain, make sure you call the best local chiropractor; these neck turns should be relaxing movements that will help to relieve the stress on your neck from too much bending forward.

 

Take care of your neck — it’s under a lot of stress these days!

WHAT’S YOUR INDOOR ENVIRONMENT LIKE?

Many people are becoming more health conscious these days, and they're paying more attention to their diet, exercise and sleep needs. However, it's becoming clear that there's another factor that can influence our health greatly -- where we live and work. Our indoor environment plays a major role in health, and it's easy to see why.  A chiropractor near me says that Americans spend upwards of 90 percent of each day indoors, and if you're spending that much time inside, the elements of that environment are going to have a big influence on you. In fact, researchers now say that some of our leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, are affected by our indoor environments.

It is now known that the lighting in our bedrooms can interfere with our sleep patterns, ventilation can spread indoor air pollutants, and building materials can expose us to harmful toxins, among other environmental factors.

To counteract these problems, local chiropractors near me recommend opening windows frequently, and avoiding places that use building materials made from toxic chemicals (e.g., volatile organic compounds, or VOCs). Certain house plants like ivy or golden pothos can remove indoor air pollutants very effectively, so it’s a good idea to have them in your home or office.

 

 

It’s also worthwhile to invest in some artwork for your walls, because it’s been proven by a Jamison chiropractor that art can improve the mood and lessen anxiety of people nearby.

Some people are naturally sensitive to their surroundings, and they’ve already realized some of this. Others don’t pay much attention to their indoor environment. Whatever your style, it will improve your health if you start to think carefully about the environment you want to live and work in.

ALTERNATIVES TO BACK SURGERY

It's no fun to have pain anywhere in your body, but back pain can be especially debilitating. Because the spine is such an important part of your body, if you have pain in that area it can affect almost every movement you make. Simple things like tying your shoelaces or getting out of bed in the morning can cause acute pain, and become a challenge to perform.

Because back pain is so debilitating, people often search for a radical solution like surgery. However, it’s always better to look for less invasive solutions first, such as spinal decompression from a chiropractor and a skilled medical professional can help you to find those.

The first step is to get a detailed history. A doctor or therapist should ask exactly how long you’ve had the problem, where the area of pain is, what movements cause the most pain, etc., to get a clear idea of what’s going on.

The next step, if necessary, may be to get imaging done, but tests like MRIs do not always show the exact cause of the problem. Especially with older adults, an MRI can show a picture that doesn’t distinguish between new and old injuries or problems.

Once you have a clear idea of what’s going on with your back, your best local chiropractor can begin to treat it. Options include: non-prescription pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and the application of ice and heat in moderate amounts.

For additional help you can try physical therapy, Doylestown chiropractic treatment, and prescription medications to control inflammation, pain, and muscle soreness.

Sometimes a combination of these therapies can actually work better than surgery. It’s always worth investigating non-surgical alternatives!

USE MELATONIN SUPPLEMENTS THE RIGHT WAY

Lack of sleep is a factor in many illnesses, physical and mental, and a Warrington chiropractor has warned that it can have long term consequences to our health. It’s true also that a large number of people do not get the required amount of sleep each night,

But it's not always easy to get a good night's sleep. Our hectic, stress-filled lives make it hard for us to fall asleep sometimes, and insomnia is a growing problem for many. Supplements which boost the sleep hormone melatonin have been promoted as a safe, natural way to cure sleeplessness, and millions of people use these supplements to help them fall asleep at night. However, the best local chiropractor warns that it is not good to use melatonin supplements on a long term basis.

 

 

It's not because melatonin itself is addictive; it is not physically addictive at all. However, supplements that boost melatonin levels at night can reset the body’s circadian rhythms, or “sleep clock”, and trick the body into expecting a melatonin boost at the same time each night in order to relax and go to sleep. Not only that, people who use melatonin supplements on a long term basis can develop a psychological dependence — they get anxiety if they try to fall asleep without taking their pill.

The best approach is to remember that these are supplements, and are best used an alternative solutions. If you can’t fall asleep because of jet lag, for example, or a stressful situation in your life, then it’s okay to use a melatonin supplement for a night or two. Most nights, it’s better to practice good sleep management techniques — don’t eat or drink too close to bedtime, dim your lights and turn off your electronic devices well before you go to bed, and think relaxing thoughts as you prepare to fall asleep. That’s the way to a good, restful sleep!

Exercise Boosts Memory

We all know that exercise is good for our bodies -- there's a mountain of research that indicates exercise helps prolong our lives, increase our sense of well being, reduce the effects of many ailments, you can learn more here, and even lessen our chances of contracting a life-threatening condition like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.

Now there’s evidence that exercise can help with brain function also, specifically in the area of memory.

A recent study by chiropractors in the Netherlands found that when subjects did 35 minutes of interval training on an exercise bike they performed significantly better on memory tests than people who did not exercise.

 

 

The memory test was 40 minutes long, and it involved remembering pictures. Interestingly, the researchers found that when subjects exercised immediately after the first part of the test, they did not do any better at remembering the pictures than people who didn’t exercise at all. The real boost in memory performance was when subjects exercised four hours after they did the first part of the memory exercise. When they came back later for memory testing, their results were significantly better than the other groups in the study.

 

 

The chiropractor in this research study are not sure why this group did so much better, and they plan to do more studies. The bottom line, however, is that recent scientific research has definitely shown a link between exercise and memory, in particular that exercise enhances output of brain chemicals known as catecholamines, which are essential to memory and learning.

So, if you want to improve your memory, get out there and ride your bike!

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO PAIN MEDICATIONS

Pain medications are a big business in the U.S., and millions of them are sold every year, for relief from all sorts of muscle aches and pains. Many people pop a couple of pain pills even before they experience any symptoms, perhaps on their way to the gym, to deal with any muscle soreness from their workouts. 

But even over-the-counter pain medications can have their problems. They're not addictive, like the opioid drugs that have caused such an epidemic in the last ten years, but long term use can cause heart and kidney problems. Increasingly, people are turning to herbal remedies to get relief from pain, because they can be just as effective without any of the problems associated with the standard pain medications. 

Here are a few popular herbal pain remedies.

. Arnica Montana. This formula can bring relief to arthritis sufferers, especially when use as a cream or gel.

. Capsaicin. Another topical cream formulation, Capsaicin can bring relief from neck pain, various types of arthritis, and neuropathy caused by diabetes.

. Cod liver oil. Although cod liver oil has been the butt of many jokes because of its taste, there is research that shows the omega-3 fatty acids in it can lessen some types of pain from inflammation. A local Jamison chiropractor recommends taking up to two teaspoons of it daily.

. Willow bark extract. This remedy has shown a particular effectiveness in treating low back pain.

There are other effective methods in addition to herbal remedies, including meditation and relaxation techniques, yoga, supplements, and local chiropractic treatments. 

Try considering a different approach the next time you deal with painful muscles or joins, rather than just reaching for the bottle of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

YOU’RE NOT INVINCIBLE

Young people are notorious for not thinking much about the future, especially when it comes to their bodies. They’re usually in great health, their bodies are strong and flexible, and because of that they don’t hesitate to lift things and expend physical effort that would cause a person in their 50s to back off.

But maybe they should hesitate.

A new study found by the best local chiropractor has found that heavy physical work at a young age can have long term effects on the back. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health surveyed more than 700 Finnish men and women over a twenty year period starting in 1986, when they were between 18 and 24 years old, to determine the long term effects of heavy physical work.

 

 

What they found was startling.

Twenty percent of those surveyed reported a problem with radiating lower back pain. In addition, the chances of having this type of back pain in middle age more than doubled for the group of men who had done heavy physical work in their younger years.

It’s easy to figure out what’s happening here. Young men in particular are often prone to muscle their way through jobs without using proper lifting techniques. If you’re 21 years old, in good health, and you’ve never experienced lower back pain, you think you’re invincible. You’ll go ahead and lift that heavy piece of furniture and move it without a second thought. As the Finnish study shows, however, a careless attitude like that will come back to haunt you years later.

We need to educate young people on the importance of using proper lifting techniques, stretching and flexibility exercises, and also to speak to a Warrington PA chiropractor if an employer is asking them to do physical work that could result in harm to them.

It’s not easy for a 21-year-old to think about the long-term effects of his or her actions, but it’s important to ensure a healthy, pain-free life later on.

FIVE WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

The modern world is suffering from an epidemic of stress. According to a report shared by the best local chiropractor, three quarters of all Americans say they have had at least one symptom of stress in the past 30 days. That number represents 182 million people, and that's just in the United States!

Stress is something that is affecting the lives of more people than diseases like cancer and diabetes. It's been identified as a factor in a host of ailments and diseases, both physical and mental.

What’s causing all this stress? A Warrington PA Chiropractor says that money and job issues are stressful for 60 percent or more of Americans, while family responsibilities are stressful for 47 percent, and personal health is stressful for 46 percent.

Whatever the cause of our stress, we need to learn to deal with it in a healthy manner, or it will cause problems for us. Here are five ways to handle your stress better.

Simplify -- A complicated life is a stress enabler. Prune away the activities in your life that don’t resonate with who you are, and you’ll be more relaxed.

Pay attention to your health -- Eat a healthy diet and get daily exercise, and you’ll be able to handle stress without letting it affect you negatively.

Be here now  -- Let go of the past, and stop worrying about the future. Live in the present, and you’ll be happier.

Practice peace -- The sages had it right: maintain a peaceful attitude, don’t hold grudges, and be slow to anger.

Say thank you -- Gratitude is a great stress-reducer. Count your blessings every day, and you’ll achieve serenity.