Time for a Little Relief?
Ahh…AHHH…CHOOO!
It’s hard to escape allergy season. Everywhere you go, people are sneezing, coughing or suffering with runny noses and sinus headaches. These little irritations are enough to keep you home instead of out enjoying yourself at the park, playing golf, or taking a walk by the beach.
The knee-jerk response is to take antihistamines, but there are natural remedies you can opt for instead:
1. Become more mindful of your stress level. Allergies often emerge because the body has little margin to handle additional stress.
2. Try a hot towel. Place a hot towel on your face (of course, not too hot) and sit with it covering your forehead and nasal area. Relax for a few minutes as the heat breaks up mucus in your sinuses.
3. Visit our practice. If it’s been a while since you’ve visited our practice, consider an adjustment to help your nervous system better accommodate allergies.
How to Lift Right
“Lift on three…one, two, OUCH!”
Improper lifting is a common cause of many types of back injuries, with twisting and turning while lifting doing the most damage. Whether you’re helping a friend move out of their apartment or picking something up at work, most of us lift things incorrectly.
The next time you lift something heavy, remember not to bend over with your knees locked. Instead, form a “tripod” by placing one knee on the ground with the item you’re lifting close to your body. Lift the weight of the item over the knee on the ground and then continue lifting by straightening both legs. This way of lifting is far better than keeping both feet together and bending both knees at once!
Be mindful that it isn’t always lifting heavy objects that leads to back pain—longstanding problems can be set off by doing no more than reaching to pick up a newspaper. Always be conscious about the way your body is moving.
Is Your Head on Straight?
Gravity, poor posture, the weight of the head or past injury like a car accident can cause something called the “Forward Head” syndrome. This is where your chin is out in front of your shoulders and chest, causing stress to your spinal cord and brain stem, which is often common among headache sufferers.
When your head is jutting abnormally forward, it can add significant pressure to your cervical spine. Besides fatigue, it can produce other health-robbing effects:
• Impaired lung capacity
• Loss of proper bowel movement
• Reduced vitality
• Chronic pain
So, how can you feel better? It’s crucial that your head sit back, centered above your shoulders for optimal spinal health. Many of our patients observe improved energy and better sleep when their head is “on straight.”
