Nutrition
One of the best ways to take control of your general well-being is to have a healthy diet. As a society, we’re all pretty busy, so sometimes eating out or eating less healthy food can seem faster and cheaper. In both cases, that’s not always true. Making meals in advance and freezing them can cut down on prep time. Planning a week’s worth of meals and buying all of the ingredients at once is always an effective strategy. That way, when you are ready to make Tuesday’s dinner sometime in between dropping the kids off at soccer practice and your weekly yoga class, you have all your ingredients ready to go.
Make sure your diet is rich in vegetables, fruit, and lean protein from fish or bird. Most Americans typically do not get the recommended 5-6 servings of vegetables and fruits per day and is partially why we are one of the sickest industrialized countries in the world. Science has proven that a diet rich in raw vegetables and fruits reduces your risk of preventable chronic disease (i.e. obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease). Furthermore, try to limit the amount of highly refined sugars (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, candy, soda pop, ice cream, etc.) and processed food (“fast food”).
Exercise
Most physicians and medical associations recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. If you are new to exercising, check with a medical professional before beginning any exercise regimen.
Light walking is a good beginner exercise. Anything you can do to get your heart rate going is helpful and will keep you mobile and active for many years to come.
If you experience a limited range of motion, your chiropractor can recommend a variety of stretches that will help you gain more mobility back.
These simple movements or daily routines can end up hurting you if you're not careful. Make sure to do these simple activities the right way as outlined below:
Standing
Posture. Posture. Posture. Make sure that you keep your chin up and don't slouch. If you know that you are going to be standing for a long period of time, make sure that you wear comfortable shoes.
Working at a Desk
Make sure that you are getting up every 20 minutes to stretch. The type of chair you have is extremely important. It should fit you correctly so that your back touches the chair and your feet are on the floor with knees at a 90 degree angle. Try to avoid looking down at your computer screen. It should be at eye level.
Sitting
Make sure you have a chair that is supportive. When you are forced to sit for a long period of time, for instance at a desk job, make sure to get up and stretch every 20 minutes. Sit with your back against the chair, feet firmly on the floor. Do not cross your legs.
Lifting
Lifting objects is one of the most common ways to injure yourself. Even if it is a light object, twisting or pulling in the wrong direction when you're not stretched out can have a damaging effect on muscles and the spine. You always want to bend at the knees and avoid lifting anything you know is too heavy.
Overall Physical Activity
If you know that you are going to be working or playing for a while, make sure that you are adequately stretched out and warmed up. Even if it's something light like gardening or just pushing your child on a bike, it's easy to pull something if you're not warmed up.
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. By all means try to avoid cradling 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 strange positions where we are not supported properly or our necks are at an odd angle. Make sure that if you are going to nap or watch tv in bed, that you are in a supportive position.