People want to feel good enough that they can participate in life whenever they want, the way they want. Regrettably, many people feel limited because of pain which may be caused by a sedantary lifestyle, age, or stress. Luckily there is a way to turn your life around. Today we’ll discuss how these three things contribute to limiting your quality of life and how being active can help your health for the better.
Move It or Lose It!
Most people think being active means going to the gym 3 days a week, but this isn’t the case. While we certainly don’t discourage a goal like this, smaller steps can still have a big impact.
In today’s world, sedentary lifestyles are common, and jobs requiring less moving and more sitting dominate career fields. Sitting for long periods without changing position often leads to spinal posture changes. This can cause not only back aches, but headaches, shoulder pain, and hip problems, too. In fact, research has shown that people who sit longer are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, and depression.
Luckily it doesn’t take much to reverse this process. Research shows being active by taking short, regular breaks throughout the day to simply move around makes incredible positive changes in posture and pain.
If you sit a lot, we recommend focusing on being active by doing things which will improve the mobility in your mid-back, since this is a key area affected by long periods of sitting.
We at Better Chiropractic would love to show you the best ways to get you mid-back moving like it should again, so if you’re wanting to get more active and mobile, reach out today for an appointment to review what is the best, fastest method to get you back on track.
Feeling Old? You Don’t Have Too.
So often I have patients come in with pain as young as 30 tell me they’re “getting old.” The reality is that while, yes, age plays part in developing joint pain, it’s only part of the issue.
I see people of all ages with pain of all types. Our bodies do age and things change over time. We can’t stop or reverse this process, but we can speed it up or slow it down by being active or not. Age, then, isn’t the main issue. It’s poor posture, a lack of activity, and how long those have been a problem for you.
You may be thinking it’s too late for you, that you’re too old or in too much pain to change now. That’s where you’d be wrong. Studies show that even light activity in older people can increase bone density, maintain healthy weight, and reduce pain. Simple walks around the block a few times each week can greatly help you enjoy more time with family without getting tired as quickly. Additionally, yoga is an amazing, gentle way to restore flexibility and balance.
If you’re wanting to know the best way to feel young again, Better Chiropractic wants to help. Come in for an appointment, where we’ll take a detailed history and do a thorough exam. This will allow us to give you specific, individualized advice on being active in a way that will get you back on the road to youth without feeling overwhelmed.
Don’t Let Stress Mess with You
Are you stressed? How do you describe being ‘stressed’? Symptoms of stress vary from person to person and include anxiety, muscle tension, headaches, and more. This stress puts your body into a vicious downward cycle that is often difficult to get out of. Tense muscles become tighter, anxiety becomes depression and fear, headaches become more severe, and pain begins to develop in other places.
How do you break out of this cycle? Research has shown us that in many cases, counseling, activity and exercise, and rest are the best ways to reverse this emotional roller-coaster.
When we’re stressed, our body experiences an imbalance in important hormones and brain chemicals. Lucky for us, being active and getting adequate sleep promotes a healthy balance of these hormones and chemicals. With proper assistance, this may be what enables you to kick-start your escape from stress and get on the road to recovery.
You may not feel ready or able to get to the gym to exercise, but luckily Better Chiropractic is here to help. Come in to let us take an assessment of your situation. We’ll work with you to develop an activity plan you can be comfortable starting.
Conclusion
Your lifestyle, age, and stress level are key parts in how well you feel, live, and perform.
At Better Chiropractic, our mission is to help you feel, live, and perform better. If you feel like you are being held back from your full potential, call us today for an appointment. We’ll listen to your situation and develop a plan for being active to help your health by getting you out of pain, improving your quality of live, and keeping you performing at your best.
Science Source(s):
Exercise and Cardiovascular Health. Circulation. 2003.
The Short-Term Effects of Thoracic Spine Thrust Manipulation on Patients With Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. Manual Therapies. 2009.
Physical Exercise as Therapy for Frailty. Nestle Nutrition Institute Workshop Series. 2015.
Exercising for Better Sleep. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2020.
