Routine visits with a chiropractor help support an overall healthy lifestyle. Research shows that spinal adjustments aid us in maintaining a healthy spine, reducing the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies, and boosting our infection-fighting antibody levels. While routine visits to a chiropractor have numerous health benefits, this is only one component of the lifestyle habits a chiropractor will recommend as an integrative approach for overall health and well-being.
Exercise Daily
Exercise is one of the best things we can do each day to help our bodies live longer and become healthier and stronger in the process. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise at least five times per week is a great goal to start with. The exercise doesn’t have to be exhausting; rather, it should be moderate and tied to an activity that you enjoy, such as taking a brisk walk, riding a bike, gardening, playing a sport you enjoy or swimming. This will help you to maintain a healthy exercise habit and have an overall more enjoyable life.
Those who have a condition that is being managed by a chiropractor will likely be given some specific exercises designed to help improve their condition. It’s important to stay consistent in doing these exercises. Also, make sure you are using proper form when working out or lifting heavy objects in an effort to avoid excess stressors on the spine and muscles. Your chiropractor may also recommend taking a break from rigorous exercise or from a certain exercise that may be contributing to your pain.
Follow a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is an essential element in maintaining an ideal body weight as well as overall health. When determining whether or not your diet is healthy, it can help to start a food journal or simply write down the types of foods you tend to purchase from the store or order at restaurants along with how often you eat these foods and the typical portion size. Once you have this laid out in front of you, it will be easier to determine where you can start making healthy adjustments. The goal is to adopt a lifestyle change that stays with you over the years rather than going on a crash diet in order to lose weight fast.
While trying to establish a healthy lifestyle change, it is usually counterproductive to suddenly cut certain foods out of our diet that we are used to eating. When we eliminate these foods from our diets completely, we’re more likely to overindulge in them later on. Rather than doing away with indulgent foods altogether, it helps to simply limit how often they are consumed, as well as the size of the serving. A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule of consuming at least 80% of our calories from healthy foods, and no more than 20% from indulgent foods. It also helps to eat only until we are 80% full, and to focus more on putting good, healthy foods into our bodies than on counting calories each day. Research has shown that eating more slowly is associated with feelings of fullness; this supports the logic of stopping our eating before feeling completely full and allowing our hunger sensations to catch up.
Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is an important component in maintaining overall health. Drinking plenty of water helps our bodies to remove waste through urination, bowel movements and perspiration. It also helps us to keep our body temperature normal, it lubricates and cushions our joints, and it protects the sensitive tissues in our body. Typically, 20% of our daily fluids come from the foods that we eat, while the other 80% must come from fluids that we drink. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends that men drink 3.7 liters of water per day and that women drink 2.7 liters. Factors that increase our need for water each day include perspiration from heat, humidity or exercise, vomiting, diarrhea, pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is an important factor in maintaining good health. But according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults isn’t getting enough sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can have numerous adverse effects on both our physical and mental well-being. It is also the leading cause of work-related accidents. Most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night, depending on age. This sleep should be uninterrupted and accompanied by a supportive mattress and pillow to keep the spine in a proper position.
If you would like to start making lifestyle adjustments to help increase your quality of life and extend it, visit a chiropractor to discuss your options. Upon your visit, you will be examined, and your medical history and lifestyle habits will be discussed. Your chiropractor will then recommend any tests to determine any physical conditions that need attention and will recommend healthy lifestyle changes and exercises to best support your unique needs.
Ergonomics is the study of how safely, comfortably and efficiently people work in their professional environments. Because work environments are sometimes physically demanding or involve constant sitting with repetitive hand or wrist movements, many workers suffer from physical symptoms like pain and stiffness. When a workspace is not properly arranged, workers may develop weak postural muscles, find it hard to sit up straight, end up with poor standing posture, suffer from pain and tight muscles of the neck, shoulders and back, experience wrist, hand or arm pain, and be at increased risk of injury. A person’s individual risk factors, the conditions of their workplace and the equipment they use are all contributing factors in determining how suitable a workspace is for maintaining good health.
Whether you spend your days sitting, driving or standing, there are likely some easy changes you can make to keep your body moving and feeling well.
Desk Work, Computer Work and Tablets/Handheld Device Work
Take frequent stretching breaks (at least once per hour for about 2 minutes) and move your head gently side to side, up and down, and ear to shoulder (on both sides), as well as lean backward, forward and side to side with your low back and hips to keep your joints and muscles from becoming achy and stiff.
Make sure your workspace setup is ergonomic (arranged so you can safely and efficiently interact with the things around you). There are a few things to keep in mind when creating your ergonomic setup:
If you are using a tablet or handheld device, hold it in front of you and high enough that you don’t have to tilt your head forward or backward to see the screen. Try to rest your elbows on a hard surface to keep your arms supported while using your device.
Consider using wrist supports to make your sitting workplace more comfortable. These supports are designed to keep your wrists parallel with the floor and your arms straight, to help protect you from developing a repetitive stress injury like carpal tunnel syndrome. Avoid deviating the wrists outward or extending the wrists. Maintain them in a neutral position. If that is not achieved with your current mouse or keyboard, it may be helpful to look into an ergonomic-friendly keyboard and mouse.
Driving/Riding
Did you know that the way your car’s seat is set up can really make a difference in how you feel when riding in the car? This can be important for day-to-day commutes or for long road trips. The backrest should be reclined to about 30 degrees (about the one o’clock position if you’re looking at your seat from the side, outside the car). Adjust the lumbar support to make sure you have good low back support while sitting. Many seats do not have lumbar support and can contribute to pain and discomfort. If this is the case, a lumbar support or rolled-up towel (see above) is recommended.
If you have knee, leg or foot pain while driving, move the seat forward or backward to make sure you don’t have to reach too far or bend the knee or ankle too much to reach the pedals. Lastly, check that your headrest is in the correct position—the top of the headrest should be at the height of the top of your ears, and as close to the back of your head as possible. Having the headrest in the correct position will help protect your neck in case of an accident. If you are taking a long trip in the car, it’s recommended to take a stretch break every few hours.
Standing
Standing desks are excellent for the workplace; however, if not used correctly, they can cause just as many problems for a person as sitting. If you are going from sitting in a chair all day to standing, it is important to gradually incorporate your standing desk into your work routine. Start off by standing a total of 10 minutes every hour and sitting for the remaining minutes. Slowly start to increase the amount of time you stand in a day to allow your body to adapt to the change.
Some of the same ideas for a well-designed seated workspace apply to a standing workspace: Make sure whatever you are working on is directly in front of you to avoid turning or leaning to one side over and over. When possible, stand on a cushioned surface, whether an “anti-fatigue” mat or flooring or in a comfortable and supportive shoe. This will help reduce pressure on the joints and muscles in your legs. Standing in one position for some time can decrease blood flow to the muscles that are working to keep you standing. Consider taking a two-minute break each hour to move around and get the blood flowing better to your legs and feet!
Some easy and inexpensive changes to your posture and workspace may help significantly relieve tension and physical stress on your body and reduce pain! You can always ask us about appropriate modifications for your unique situation.
Exercise and stretching daily can help your mind and body stay healthy. With so many different choices for exercise, which ones are right for you? If you need help deciding, we can discuss the options that would be most beneficial for you.
Aerobic Exercise (Cardio)
Aerobic exercise has a great impact on physical health, a huge part of wellness. It gets your heart pumping and your lungs working vigorously. “Aerobic” means your body needs oxygen to produce the energy needed for performing these types of cardiovascular exercises (also the reason some people refer to aerobic exercise as “cardio”). Aerobic exercise doesn’t have to be high impact—swimming, walking and riding a bicycle can all be aerobic activities.
The goal for aerobic exercise is to work hard enough to reach your target heart rate in order to improve heart and lung function as well as circulation and, for many, to maintain a healthy weight. Your target heart rate depends upon your goals for aerobic exercise. For example, if you are looking to shed a few pounds, you should aim for a heart rate that is about 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. So, let’s say you are 30 years old and looking to lose some weight. For you, the heart rate you’re trying to achieve while exercising is 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 – 30 = 190), so between 114 and 133 heartbeats per minute would be your goal.
There are lots of fancy apps, watches, trackers and counters that can monitor your heart rate, but taking your pulse by feeling it at your neck or on your wrist will do the trick, too!
Strength Training
Besides improving muscle strength and body mass, strength training—which includes lifting weights and other forms of resistance training—helps to build bone and burn calories. Adding resistance (load) to the bones triggers bone-building. For your body to build bone, though, you have to add more resistance than you’d get doing everyday activities. Building muscle also means you’ll be burning more calories throughout the day since muscles burn calories even at rest.
Stretching
Stretching exercises have enormous benefits when it comes to wellness. First, adding stretching exercises to your everyday routine will help improve and maintain flexibility. More flexibility means less strain and pressure on muscles and joints and may ultimately keep you from becoming injured during other exercise or activities. Balance and coordination may also be improved by incorporating stretching into your daily exercise. Stretching has also been shown to improve circulation, muscle strength and mood, and all of these benefits promote wellness.
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
The amount of exercise you need depends on the type of exercise you are doing. Aerobic exercises/cardio should be done for 30 minutes daily for at least five days each week. The 30 minutes can be broken up into segments of exercise if that is easier for you. If you are strength training, you should add at least two training sessions per week.
If you are unsure about which exercises or stretches may be good for you, or if you have questions about exercise in general, we are happy to answer your questions.
Stress comes in many forms and affects each of us differently. It can be created by everyday life, and it can also affect everyday life. Many people feel the effects of stress physically, even if the root cause isn’t physical. Social, emotional and mental stress can cause symptoms of pain, inflammation and restricted movement—very similar to symptoms created by physical stress. Chiropractors can help you identify sources of stress, create a plan to help reduce those stressors, and treat their physical symptoms.
Exercise and Nutrition
Exercise has been shown to reduce physical, mental and emotional stress, and regular exercise, even just a walk around the block or your office, will help reduce stress in daily life. Exercise has an obvious physical benefit for your heart, lungs, muscles and bones. It can also help to decrease anxiety and depression, both of which can produce real physical symptoms. Many people have experienced the mood-boosting effect of exercise: Bringing more blood flow to the brain improves the body’s reaction to stress, as well as increases circulation to all of the tissues of the body.
As part of a healthy lifestyle, a diet that is well-balanced nutritionally can help reduce physical stresses such as obesity and high blood pressure. And studies show a correlation between proper nutrition and brain health. Chiropractors can help you with recommendations for nutritional modifications that can keep your stress at a minimum.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Stress
No matter where the stress is coming from, a visit to the chiropractor can help reduce pain, inflammation and difficulty moving. An adjustment to improve your spinal health will also help the body’s nervous system function at its best.
Massage therapy and/or trigger point therapy are great additions to chiropractic care for symptoms of stress. Research shows that massage therapy is an effective way not only to increase relaxation, but also to help eliminate physical stress that may be contributing to mental stress. Trigger point therapy is a targeted treatment for “muscle knots” (or “trigger points”). Those areas of tender and taut muscle fibers are often the result of stress, and trigger point therapy works to break up the muscle fibers to help them lie smoothly, promote circulation and relieve pain and tension.
Sleep
Proper sleep is important for stress management. Most adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep each night. What is equally as important is how and when you fall asleep, as well as your waking time. While stress can affect your sleep, a good bedtime routine, including falling asleep at the same time each night and waking at the same time each morning, will help you get the quality and quantity of sleep you need. Studies have suggested that going to bed an hour or more before midnight improves sleep quality. Massage therapy and chiropractic care can be essential for prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal pain that could get in the way of a good night’s rest.
People respond to stress differently, and there may be a variety of stress relief therapies and techniques that work for you. Please let us know if you need help finding the source of your stress or if you would like recommendations for the treatments that may work best for you.
For a healthy spine, keep these tips in mind!
Standing
If you know you will be standing for an extended period, make sure that you wear supportive shoes and make sure you know how to keep good posture. Good posture is the key to a healthy spine. Keep your chin up and your shoulders back. Keep both feet about shoulder-width apart.
Working at a Desk
Make sure that you are getting up every 30 minutes to stretch, even if you just walk around for a few minutes. Next, be sure you are seated correctly. Make sure you have a chair that offers good lower back support. You also want your feet flat on the floor with your knees at a 90 degree angle. If you need a stool under your feet to do this, bring one to work. Your computer screen should be at eye-level so you are not looking down at it.
Lifting
Lifting objects is one of the most common ways to injure yourself. Start by squatting down to the object with one foot slightly in front of the other. Keep your back straight, only bending at the knees and hips. Keep your head looking forward and lift the object by straightening your legs, still keeping your back straight. Hold the object close to your body. Never twist while picking something up. Only turn once you are fully upright. Keep the same idea in mind when you are putting the object back down.
Warming Up for Physical Activity
If you know that you are going to be working or playing for a while, make sure that you are adequately warmed up. Even when only performing light activities, like gardening or pushing your child on a bike, it’s easy to pull something if you don’t prepare your body.
Talking On The Telephone
If you’re forced to use the telephone for a long period of time, a speaker or a headset is a must. Do not cradle the phone between your neck and your shoulder as this could cause you to damage the muscles or vertebrae in that area.
Resting or Sleeping
Straining your neck or back while you’re sleeping is a very common occurrence. We often fall asleep in positions where we are not supported properly, or we fall asleep with our necks at an odd angle. Make sure your pillow supports your neck and head so that it lays neutral with the rest of your spine. Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended as it puts stress on your neck and your back.
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