The Importance of Good Posture

Posture Affects Standing, and Not Just the Physical Kind

PAUL ROGERS

By JANE E. BRODY

DECEMBER 28, 2015

A distraught wife begged me to write about the importance of good posture. “My husband sits for many hours a day slouched over his computer,” she said. “I’ve told him repeatedly this is bad for his body — he should sit up straight — but he pays no attention to me. He reads you every week. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”

So here goes: Yes, dear sir, listen to your wife. Slouching is bad. It’s bad not only for your physical health, but also for your emotional and social well-being. More about this in a bit.

Without delay, get that computer on a proper surface (laps can encourage slouching) and get a supportive chair that enables you to sit up straight with your head aligned directly over your shoulders and hips when your eyes are on the screen.

As a short person who is prone to back pain, I have long been aware of the value of good posture, and seating that minimizes the stress on my spine and the muscles and ligaments that support it. I know within seconds of sitting in a car whether it will hurt my back or neck; when renting, I test car after car until I find one that suits my diminutive frame.

I bought my current vehicle, a Toyota Sienna minivan, largely because I was immediately comfortable when I got behind the wheel for a test drive. My entire back was supported, so not a twinge was felt there, unlike what happens in many other cars. I could also easily see over the steering wheel without tilting my head back, which is not the case in most other vehicles. And I could reach the floor pedals without unduly extending my leg and straining my lower back.

Poor posture can have ill effects that radiate throughout the body, causing back and neck pain, muscle fatigue, breathing limitations, arthritic joints, digestive problems and mood disturbances. It can also create a bad impression when applying for a job, starting a relationship or making new friends.

Poor posture can even leave you vulnerable to street crime. Many years ago,researchers showed that women who walked sluggishly with eyes on the ground, as if carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, were much more likely to be mugged than those who walked briskly and purposely with head erect. I can’t prove posture was at fault, but this is indeed what happened to a Brooklyn neighbor on her way home one night.

We live in a gravitational field, and when our bodies are out of line with the vertical, certain muscles will have to work harder than others to keep us upright. This can result in undue fatigue and discomfort that can outlast the strain that caused them.

In a study of 110 students at San Francisco State University, half of whom were told to walk in a slumped position and the other half to skip down a hall, the skippers had a lot more energy throughout the day.

Any repetitive or prolonged position “trains” the body’s muscles and tendons to shorten or lengthen and places stress on bones and joints that can reshape them more or less permanently. Just as walking in high heels can shorten and tighten the Achilles’ tendons and calf muscles, slouching while sitting hour after hour can result in a persistent slouch, while standing and walking while slouched can lead to permanently rounded shoulders and upper back.

Although early humans spent most of their waking hours walking, running and standing, today in developed countries, 75 percent of work is performed while sitting. Most people sit going to and from work and while relaxing after work. The longer people sit (or stand) without a change in position and movement, the more likely they will be to develop a postural backache, according to a report in The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.

“Text neck,” a term coined by a Florida chiropractor, Dean L. Fishman, is a repetitive stress injury resulting from hours spent with the head positioned forward and down while using electronic devices. This leads to tight muscles in the back of the neck and upper back. And those who lean forward while sitting may be inclined to clench their jaws and tighten their facial muscles, causing headache and TMJ — temporomandibular joint syndrome

Leaning forward or slouching can also reduce lung capacity by as much as 30 percent, reducing the amount of oxygen that reaches body tissues, including the brain, according to Dr. Rene Cailliet, a pioneer in the field of musculoskeletal medicine who died in March.

Additionally, slouching or sitting in a scrunched position compresses the abdominal organs and may reduce peristaltic action that is important to normal digestion and bowel function.

One of today’s most troublesome activities, especially for children and adolescents whose bone structure is still developing, is carrying extraordinarily heavy backpacks to and from school and often throughout the school day. The weight forces them to bend forward, with potentially the same consequences as slouching.

It is time to return the rolling backpack to youthful fashion. I have used one to lug heavy files and books back and forth to work since these packs were first invented as an outgrowth of the wheeled luggage that came into vogue in the 1980s.

For far too many years, I carried everything, including a heavy briefcase and groceries, over my right shoulder, which forced me to raise that shoulder and lean toward my left, clearly an undesirable posture. When carrying heavy items is unavoidable, it is best to balance them on both sides of the body.

Among other postural habits to avoid are these, listed by Britain’s National Health Service.

• Standing with a flat back, with the pelvis tucked in and lower back straight (the normal spine has three curves – in the neck, chest and lower back).

• Standing with chest pushed forward and buttocks pushed back (the so-called Donald Duck posture that exaggerates the lumbar curve).

• Leaning on one leg, which puts undue pressure on one side of the lower back and hip.

• Bending the head back and sticking out the chin while looking at a computer screen or television. Instead, lower the screen or raise the seat.

• Holding the phone on a shoulder. Instead, use a hands-free device like a headset or Bluetooth.

Improving posture requires a conscious effort and often strengthening and flexibility exercises to correct muscular imbalances, according to Nick Sinfield, a British physiotherapist. For example, exercises that strengthen the core, buttocks muscles and back extensors help correct a slouching posture, he said.

Cited from: 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2015/12/28/posture-affects-standing-and-not-just-the-physical-kind/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com

• 
  

Benefit your brain by learning a new sport

Learning a New Sport May Be Good for the Brain

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Learning in midlife to juggle, swim, ride a bicycle or, in my case, snowboard could change and strengthen the brain in ways that practicing other familiar pursuits such as crossword puzzles or marathon training will not, according to an accumulating body of research about the unique impacts of motor learning on the brain.

When most of us consider learning and intelligence, we think of activities such as adding numbers, remembering names, writing poetry, learning a new language.

Such complex thinking generally is classified as “higher-order” cognition and results in activity within certain portions of the brain and promotes plasticity, or physical changes, in those areas. There is strong evidence that learning a second language as an adult, for instance, results in increased white matter in the parts of the brain known to be involved in language processing.

Regular exercise likewise changes the brain, as I frequently have written, with studies in animals showing that running and other types of physical activities increase the number of new brain cells created in parts of the brain that are integral to memory and thinking.

But the impacts of learning on one of the most primal portions of the brain have been surprisingly underappreciated, both scientifically and outside the lab. Most of us pay little attention to our motor cortex, which controls how well we can move.

“We have a tendency to admire motor skills,” said Dr. John Krakauer, a professor of neurology and director of the Center for the Study of Motor Learning and Brain Repair at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. We like watching athletes in action, he said. But most of us make little effort to hone our motor skills in adulthood, and very few of us try to expand them by, for instance, learning a new sport.

We could be short-changing our brains.

Past neurological studies in people have shown that learning a new physical skill in adulthood, such as juggling, leads to increases in the volume of gray matter in parts of the brain related to movement control.

Even more compelling, a 2014 study with mice found that when the mice were introduced to a complicated type of running wheel, in which the rungs were irregularly spaced so that the animals had to learn a new, stutter-step type of running, their brains changed significantly. Learning to use these new wheels led to increased myelination of neurons in the animals’ motor cortexes. Myelination is the process by which parts of a brain cell are insulated, so that the messages between neurons can proceed more quickly and smoothly.

Scientists once believed that myelination in the brain occurs almost exclusively during infancy and childhood and then slows or halts altogether.

But the animals running on the oddball wheels showed notable increases in the myelination of the neurons in their motor cortex even though they were adults.

At the same time, other animals that simply ran on normal wheels for the same period of time showed no increase in myelination afterward.

In other words, learning the new skill had changed the inner workings of the adult animals’ motor cortexes; practicing a well-mastered one had not.

“We don’t know” whether comparable changes occur within the brains of grown people who take up a new sport or physical skill, Dr. Krakauer said. But it seems likely, he said. “Motor skills are as cognitively challenging” in their way as traditional brainteasers such as crossword puzzles or brain-training games, he said. So adding a new sport to your repertory should have salutary effects on your brain, and also, unlike computer-based games, provide all the physical benefits of exercise.

These considerations cheered me a few weeks ago when I took to the slopes of my local mountain for a weekend-long crash course in snowboarding. (Crashing, regrettably, is inevitable while learning to shred.) I had wondered if I might be too advanced in years and hardened in the habits of skiing to learn to ride. But the experience was in fact exhilarating and glorious. Learning a new sport or skill when you are old enough to be a parent to your instructor is psychologically uplifting, as well as beneficial for the body and brain. It reminds you that your body can still respond, that it can still yearn for movement and speed.

By the end of the second day, I attempted my first moguls on a snowboard and completed precisely one turn before auguring hindside into the slope and slipping and picking my way down the rest of the run. But one mogul turn was 100 percent more than I had managed before. I now aim to return to the mountain and double that number to two turns, which is how we learn and progress and, with luck, change our minds — both literally and about our limits.

Cited from:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/learning-a-new-sport-may-be-good-for-the-brain/?smid=fb-share&_r=0

Are High Heels Affecting Your Health?

Knee Osteoarthritis Could Affect 6.5 Million Americans by 2020

By Dr. Mercola

By 2020, nearly 6.5 million Americans between the ages of 35 and 84 are expected to be diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. More than half of the new cases will appear in people as young as 45 to 64 years, and by 2020 the average age of diagnosis is expected to fall from 72 to 55.1

Why are so many young people suffering from this painful degenerative joint disease, which has historically been associated with wear-and-tear and joint deterioration that occurs over a lifetime?

Rising rates of overweight and obesity likely play a role. Arthritis rates are more than twice as high in obese people as those who are normal weight, because the extra weight puts more pressure on your joints, as well as increases inflammation in your body.

This not only leads to osteoarthritis, it can also make joint pain from any cause exponentially worse. Another clue as to why knee osteoarthritis is on the rise? It occurs about twice as often in women as in men. This is partly due to anatomy – women tend to have wider hips, which adds stress to your knees.2 Another contributor, however, is women’s footwear, specifically high-heeled shoes.

High-Heel Shoes Increase Stress on Knee Joints Up to 90 Percent

It’s estimated that one in 10 women wear high heels at least three days a week, and up to one-third of women suffer from permanent problems as a result of prolonged wear.3 

High heels (generally described as a heel height of two inches or higher) shift your foot forward into an unnatural position with increased weight on your toes. Your body tilts forward, so you lean backwards and overarch your back to compensate. 

This posture changes the dynamics of human walking significantly and adds tremendous strain to your hips, lower back, and your knees. When researchers analyzed how walking on high heels changes muscle activity and walking stance, their results were quite concerning:4

“The results indicate a large increase in bone-on-bone forces in the knee joint directly caused by the increased knee joint extensor moment during high-heeled walking, which may explain the observed higher incidence of osteoarthritis in the knee joint in women as compared with men.”

Additionally, according to research from the University of Southern California, wearing 3.75-inch heels may increase stress on your knee joints by up to 90 percent compared to wearing a half-inch heel!5

Separate research also concluded, “The altered forces at the knee caused by walking in high heels may predispose to degenerative changes in the joint.”6

Generally, the higher the heel the more stress it places on your knee joints, however, even shoes with moderately high heels (1.5 inch) “significantly increase knee torques” that may contribute to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis.7

Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if the heel is a stiletto or a wedge… both wide-heeled and narrow-heeled shoes increase pressure on your knees in the places were degenerative joint changes often occur.8 So one of the easiest changes you can make to avoid knee pain is to wear appropriate footwear for all of your daily activities.

Opt for comfort over style, and if you do wear high-heeled shoes, reserve them for occasions that don’t involve extended periods of walking and standing. Ideally, bring them with you to a special event, put them on when you get there, and then change into your more comfortable shoes when you leave.

Movement and Exercise Are Essential for Preventing Knee Pain

Research from Northwestern University School of Medicine found that over 40 percent of men and 56 percent of women with knee osteoarthritis were inactive, which means they did not engage in even one 10-minute period of moderate-to-vigorous activity all week.9

This is unfortunate because the notion that exercise is detrimental to your joints is a misconception. There is no evidence to support this belief. Instead, the evidence points to exercise having a positive impact on joint tissues. It can also improve bone density and joint function, which can help prevent and alleviate osteoarthritis as you age.

And if you exercise sufficiently to lose weight, or maintain an ideal weight, you can in fact reduce your risk of developing joint pain due to osteoarthritis rather than increase your risk. As Harvard Health Publications stated:10

"Each pound you lose reduces knee pressure in every step you take. One study found that the risk of developing osteoarthritis dropped 50% with each 11-pound weight loss among younger obese women.11

If older men lost enough weight to shift from an obese classification to just overweight… the researchers estimated knee osteoarthritis would decrease by a fifth. For older women, that shift would cut knee osteoarthritis by a third."

Effective exercise such as taking 7,000-10,000 steps a day, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), weight training, stretching, and core work all have a place in improve the health of your joints. Such exercises help prevent and relieve joint pain through a number of mechanisms, including strengthening key supportive muscles and improving flexibility and range of motion.

This is important, as the pain of osteoarthritis has a tendency to lead to decreased activity, which in turn promotes muscle weakness, joint contractures, and loss of range of motion. This, in turn, can lead to more pain and loss of function, and evenless activity. Exercise can help you to break free from this devastating cycle and prevent knee pain in the first place.

Specifically, building your quadriceps is especially important. People with knee osteoarthritis who have greater quadriceps strength report less knee pain and better physical function.12 If you've already developed osteoarthritis in your knees, you'll want to incorporate exercises that strengthen your quadriceps muscle at the front of your thigh. And, rather than running and other high-impact activities, you may be better off with non-weight-bearing exercises like swimming and cycling.

Strengthening and stretching the areas around, above, and below your knee is key to reducing most knee pain, which is the goal of the exercises demonstrated in the video above. I recommend a qualified physiotherapist to properly assist you with your exercises to avoid injury.

Eat Your Way to Healthier Knees?

Diet doesn’t usually come to mind when you think about knee pain… but it should. Eating a whole-foods-based diet, like the one described in my nutrition plan, will reduce inflammation in your body and may even be beneficial for cartilage. Broccoli, for instance, appears to be particularly useful for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. As reported by BBC News:13

"Eating lots of broccoli may slow down and even prevent osteoarthritis, according to a team of researchers at the University of East Anglia who are starting human trials following on from successful lab studies.14 Tests on cells and mice showed that a broccoli compound, sulforaphane -- which humans can also get from Brussels sprouts and cabbage -- blocked a key destructive enzyme that damages cartilage."

According to lead researcher Ian Clark, the results are "very promising," as they've shown that sulforaphane works in each of the three laboratory models they've tried so far—in human and cow cartilage cells, tissue, and live mice. Sulforaphane, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, can also be found in other cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. Broccoli, however, is one of the richest sources of this potent compound, and broccoli sprouts appear to be one of the richest sources of all.

 I recently interviewed Dr. Robert Rowen for his work on ozone and treating Ebola in Africa. He is one of the leading ozone physicians in the US and has successfully treated many patients with ozone therapy as an alternative to surgical intervention. If the ozone treatment fails, there is no harm and one can always have surgery, but if you have surgery and it fails, the surgery may cause irreversible damage.

Natural Remedies for Growing Healthy Cartilage and Relieving Pain

For joint pain, many physicians commonly recommend anti-inflammatory drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs) and analgesics (such as Tylenol) to their osteoarthritis patients. I don't recommend the chronic use of these drugs due to significant side effects, which may include kidney and/or liver damage. There are safer and more effective natural options for relieving joint pain. Although popular, I am also not much of a glucosamine and chondroitin fan because studies have failed to demonstrate their effectiveness. However, there are some very effective natural remedies that are truly backed up by science. The following are my favorites:

• Vitamin D: Cartilage loss in your knees, one of the hallmarks of osteoarthritis, is associated with low levels of vitamin D. So if you're struggling with joint pain due to osteoarthritis, get your vitamin D level tested, then optimize it using appropriate sun exposure or a high-quality tanning bed. If neither of these options is available, you may want to consider oral vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 supplements.
Sun exposure is your best option, because your skin produces two types of sulfur in response to sun exposure: cholesterol sulfate and vitamin D3 sulfate. Sulfur plays a vital role in the structure and biological activity of both proteins and enzymes. If you don't have sufficient sulfur in your body, this deficiency can create a number of health problems, including negative impacts on your joints and connective tissue. Which brings us to the next item...
• Sulfur/Epsom salt soaks/MSM: In addition to making sure you're getting ample amounts of sulfur-rich foods in your diet, such as organic and/or grass-fed/pastured beef and poultry, Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior scientist at MIT, recommends soaking your body in magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) baths to counteract sulfur deficiency. She uses about 1/4 cup in a tub of water, twice a week.
It's particularly useful if you have joint problems or arthritis. Methylsulfonylmethane (known as MSM) is another alternative you might find helpful. MSM is an organic form of sulfur and a potent antioxidant naturally found in many plants. It is available in supplement form.

• Infrared laser: Infraredlaser treatment (also called K-Laser) is a relatively new type of therapy that speeds healing by increasing tissue oxygenation and allowing injured cells to absorb photons of light. This special type of laser has positive affects on muscles, ligaments and even bones, so it can be used to speed the healing of traumatic injuries, as well as chronic problems like arthritis of the knee.
• Astaxanthin: An antioxidant that affects a wide range of inflammation mediators, but in a gentler, less concentrated manner and without the negative side effects of steroidal and NSAID drugs. Astaxanthin significantly reduces inflammation in many people—in one study, more than 80 percent of arthritis sufferers improved.15
• Eggshell membrane: The eggshell membrane is the unique protective barrier between the egg white and the mineralized eggshell. The membrane contains elastin, a protein that supports cartilage health, and collagen, a fibrous protein that supports cartilage and connective tissue strength and elasticity. Eggshell membrane also contains transforming growth factor-B, a protein that helps with tissue rejuvenation, in addition to other amino acids and structural components that provide your joints with the building blocks they need to build cartilage.
• Hyaluronic acid (HA): Hyaluronic acid is a key component of cartilage required for moving nutrients into and waste out of your cells. One of HA's most important biological functions is the retention of water. Unfortunately, as you age your body produces less and less HA. Oral HA supplementation may improve your joint cushioning in just two to four months.
• Grounding, or walking barefoot on the earth, may also provide a certain measure of pain relief due to its potent antioxidant effect that combats inflammation.
• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," I've found this Indian herb to be particularly useful in treating the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis. With sustained use, boswellia may improve the blood flow to your joints, which may boost their strength and flexibility.
• Turmeric/curcumin: A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that taking turmeric extracts each day for six weeks was just as effective as ibuprofen for relieving knee osteoarthritis pain.16 This is most likely related to the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin—the pigment that gives turmeric its vibrant yellow color.
• Animal-based omega-3 fats: Omega-3 fats are excellent for arthritis because they are well known for reducing inflammation. Look for a high-quality, animal-based source such as krill oil.

Read This if You’re Considering Knee Surgery

Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common unnecessary surgeries performed today. It has been shown to be no better than placebo surgery, and physical therapy and exercise have repeatedly been shown to be just as effective as surgery, and perhaps even more so in some cases. So please, carefully weigh your options before consenting to this procedure. Time and time again, researchers have concluded that the real knee surgeries offered no better outcomes than the sham surgeries.17

Found at:
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/11/28/knee-osteoarthritis.aspx?x_cid=20160124_tweet_knee-osteoarthritis_twitterdoc 

10 Reasons Every Child Should See a Chiropractor Regularly

10 Reasons Every Child Should See a Chiropractor Regularly

By Jackie, Contributing Writer

Chiropractic care is becoming much more popular. People not only going to see a chiropractor for back injuries, but instead going regularly and even taking their newborn babies. Is it just a fad, or is it here to stay?

I began having regular chiropractic care when I was pregnant with my firstborn. A friend suggested it and I hesitantly decided to go. I was willing to try anything to help my hips feel better and to ensure my baby and body were aligned for an optimal delivery. After a few visits, I was a believer. Not only was my chiropractor able to make my feel better, she was also a very lovely woman.

Since then, I continue to receive care from her every 4-6 weeks, or more depending on how my body is aligned. I also have taken my babies since they were newborns. Our entire family goes regularly. I have seen wonderful benefits for my kids and I fully believe that children should see a chiropractor regularly.

10 Reasons Every Child Should See a Chiropractor Regularly

Regularly means every 4-6 weeks depending on your chiropractor’s suggestion.At first you will need to go 2-3 times for about 2 weeks in order to get your body aligned, and after that you continue to go regularly for maintenance or if there is an issue. Often times after a road trip I will schedule an extra visit. During pregnancy, especially toward the end, I will go more often.

Many people do not even realize the amount of education that a chiropractor has to go through. I have often heard people question the ability of a chiropractor. Once someone understands the educational requirements, they tend to be more open to seeing a chiropractor.

“Training requires a minimum of six years of college and a clinic internship before licensure. Areas of scientific study include anatomy, neurology, bacteriology, pathology, physiology, biochemistry, pediatrics, geriatrics, spinal biomechanics, orthopedics, X-ray, cardiology, nutrition, acupuncture, physiotherapy, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems, and infectious diseases.”  

Chiropractors tend to look at the whole person when they come in to be treated. They do not simply attempt to fix the symptoms of a problem. They improve nervous system integrity, work to reduce causes of nerve interference, and promote proper bodily function. This all works together to treat the patient as a whole and allow their body to work properly in order to be restored to maximum health. Our bodies rely heavily on our central nervous system and if that is being compromised by a misalignment, it can cause a number of issues.

As children are growing and changing so quickly, it is especially important that they received chiropractic care regularly.

1. Children are Constantly Growing

Ensuring they are aligned helps their bodies to focus on growth. Chiropractic 

2. Immune Support

Regular care allows the body to be in top shape and allows the immune system to work most effectively. Children have immature immune systems and ensuring they are working the best they can is important.

3. Sick Care

When your child is sick with an ear ache or sinus congestion, or any number of things, an adjustment can assist in draining fluid from the ears for example. Also, being properly align allows the immune system to work more effectively to get your child better more quickly.

4. Children Fall, Jump, and Play Hard

Regular adjustments are important for this reason. My 10 month old is pulling himself along the furniture and as he is learning about balance and gravity, he tends to have some tumbles. Getting regular adjustments helps to ensure he is not harming himself and that he can use his body to its full potential.

5. Better Sleep

When your child’s body is aligned properly, he will have a better night’s sleep and so will you. An adjustment will ensure your baby does not have any pain or tension that he is unable to tell you about.

6. Help with Colic

“ Birth trauma, even from so-called “natural” birthing experiences can often produce a child’s first nerve compromise. Lacking the ability to communicate, your baby cries. And cries.” Chiropractic care can fix this nerve compromise and allow your baby to be much happier.

7. Better Concentration and Fewer Behavioral Issues

When a child is misaligned, they have more tension on their nervous system. For some this creates concentration and behavioral issues. An adjustment may assist your child in this area.

http://www.modernalternativehealth.com/2016/02/03/10-reasons-every-child-should-see-a-chiropractor-regularly/