April 2019 – The Start Of Healthy

Lower Back Pain

The Problems Of Lower Back Pain

If you have ever woken up with sudden back pain, or made a twist that left you practically immobile and in agony for hours you know how this situation can basically bring life to a sudden halt. Back pain is one of the most common health problems and accounts for many of the work absences in recent years.

Many people will lose hours of work, and for some people, the problems can seen impossible to overcome. Even though it might seem bleak for some, there are a few things that you can do to help reduce the chances of your sustaining certain types of injuries. There are also a few different types of exercise and therapy that you can try. If you keep reading this article, you’ll find a few tips for managing lower back pain and also greatly reducing the pain.

How Pain in the Lower Back Affects Your Mobility

Your lower back and its health can impact your mobility in ways that you’ll never think of until you experience it. This is because that part of your back supports a large portion of your weight, and it’s full of complex organs and tissues.

A sensitive part of your nervous system also resides in your back. Your spine is like a fibrous highway that is constantly sending information up and down the line. Any damages to that area can be life-changing. Being able to properly bend and twist is extremely important, and you might have to train yourself you be more careful than you are used to being in certain situations.

Your spine is constantly relaying information to different parts of your body

1. Symptoms

Although some things about back pain tend to be self-explanatory, it’s always a good idea to think about further specifics to help narrow down the amount of things that could be causing the pain. The following are specific symptoms to consider.

● You have muscle soreness

● You have sudden shooting pains

● You have pain that spreads to your legs

● You have pain that gets worse when you’re doing any kind of activity

● You have pain that goes away when you lean back

If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, then the following information most likely applies to you.

2. Causes

Back pain can be caused by a variety of things, but the most common factors will be discussed here. In most cases a doctor will have the ability to find out where the site of the injury might be, and ask you questions to determine what the original cause might have been. A few of the causes might be:

You pulled a muscle or ligament.If you make sudden movements that aren’t balanced, or you are repeating certain movements, you could be exposing yourself to the possibility of injury. Being out of shape can make these kinds of injures more difficult to heal from because of the constant strain that is being placed on your fragile spinal tissues. A wrong move can send extremely unpleasant sensations tearing through your body.

Your vertebrae or the soft tissues between them are damaged. As people get older, the soft tissues often referred to as disks can become damaged. When this happens, the weight of you upper body can press down onto the bones and cause them to grind into each other. Obviously, that’s something that would be extremely painful, so it’s important to get that looked at immediately.

Arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of back pain. When it sets into the back, it can shrink some of the pathways that are needed for a healthy functioning back.

Skeletal malformations. There are various types of growth issues that can affect your spine. Is you develop a curvature to your spine, it can easily cause pain that disrupts your life.

Osteoporosis. This can cause your spine to develop tiny breaks and hairline fractures that can cause you pain.

3. Diagnosis

Whether or not you have figured out exactly where your back pain is coming from, it is important to get proper diagnosis from a doctor. This can help to rule out other potential causes, and start working on managing the pain. They will have a few methods that allow them to make determinations about where you are injured as well. A few of them are:

X-ray. This method has always been a good one for these types of injuries because it can allow the doctor to see your skeletal structure and if there is damage that has taken place recently. This can also help them to find issues that you might not have been aware of yet.

Doctors can view your spine with x rays and other scans.

MRI Scans. An MRI can help to create an image of what’s going on inside your body and are more detailed than x-rays. They can even look at nerve endings and blood vessels to see if the issues are related to those tiny parts of your body.

Electromyography (EMG). EMG measures the electrical signals created by your nerves and can keep track of how your muscles are being affected. These kinds of tests are important for catching different types of damage that are caused by nerve issues. They can also reveal when your disks have been compressed.

Treatments for lower back pain

Just because you are experiencing pain doesn’t mean that you have to live with it. There are a number of ways that you can get some relief, and in some cases it might be completely necessary for healing. You doctor may help you find a treatment that helps your lower back pain and some of the things he may suggest are as follows…

Medication

Narcotics. Drugs that are relatively powerful might be useful for a short time. If you are prescribed Opioids, then it will be overseen by a medical professional due to the addictive nature of the medication.

Over-the-counter pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like as ibuprofen are some of the most common ways that people use to deal with pain of this type. Although it has less danger associated with it than narcotics, taking too many of them can seriously affect your health. Be sure to keep the doses to their approved amounts.

Topical pain relievers. Creams that limit pain are the second most popular method of reducing back pain. These are used by rubbing directly onto the site of the pain.

Natural Remedies

Improve Your Posture

Poor posture is one of the leading causes of back pain as well. If you sit incorrectly for long periods of time, you can strain the muscles that are connected to your spine. If you’re not balanced on both sides properly and you get up too fast, there is a high risk of something being pulled. Sit upright when you’re reading or doing any kind of focused activity.

Core Exercise

One of the most criminally overlooked parts of back health is core exercise. When you have a strong core, your muscles wrap and protect things. They also help to keep your organs and tissues in place so they are less able to be shocked, crushed or pinched in between bones.

Get a Massage

Massage is an ancient art that helps to improve your muscle and circulatory health. Studies have shown that even one massage per week can greatly reduce pain in your body. You can even find people who are specially trained to correct spinal malformations through manipulation. Many patients have reported increased mobility after spinal manipulation sessions.

Get Better Sleep

Sleep is an important part of your back health as well. It takes time to find a proper sleep position that will work for you, but lying on your side is one of the best ways to sleep. Be aware of where the pressure is located when you get in bed, and be sure to correct anything that is causing it.

If you have been diagnosed with or think you may have a type of lower back pain called Sciatica find out below how you can get rid of this pain and start to live your life pain free again.

How to get rid of your Sciatica pain quickly.

Breathing Exercises For Reducing Panic Attacks

Breathing Exercises for Mental Health

If you are looking for easy ways to improve your mental health, such as anxiety, stress or depression, there are many basic strategies you can use. One of them is breathing exercises, which you not only can do anywhere when you need to, but can incorporate them into your workout routine.

Benefits of Breathing Exercises

When you start looking for natural ways to help with your anxiety or panic attacks, relieve your stress, or just find emotional wellness, the topic of breathing exercises will probably come up. But how exactly can this help you? Here is how to do calming breathing exercises some benefits of incorporating these exercises into your daily routine:

Practise breathing exercises in your daily routine.

How To Perform Breathing Excercises

1 Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first
filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs.
2 Hold your breath to the count of “three.”
3 Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.

Practice this Calm Breathing at least ten times a day for a few Use it during times of stress, or when you want to let go of tension and you will begin to experience a sense of calmness. This will help you become comfortable with the process. Use it any time you begin to feel anxiety or panic beginning. When you need help to calm down during panic, you will familiar with and able to use this process.

You can do them anywhere, at any time– Another big benefit of breathing exercises is that there are no tools needed. You can do them during workouts, at home, while walking or showering, at work, even while driving as long as you pay attention to the road.

They often help you learn how to meditate –Meditation can be used in conjunction with breathing exercises, but if you learn breathing techniques first, it makes it easier for you to learn meditation later down the road.

Slow intententional breathing will also help reduce your blood pressure which in turn is better for your health.

You can also incorporate what is known as belly breathing, where you hold a hand on your stomach and focus on the sensations as you inhale and exhale.

Breathing During Exercises

For people who are exercising for their mental health, they have a unique advantage for adding in breathing techniques. Combining both can really get you to a place of relaxation and start improving your stress or anxiety. It is best done during workouts like yoga, Pilates, hiking, and walking. If you are just starting out, try beginner’s yoga, which focuses on gentle movement and various breathing techniques.

Supplements To Help Anxiety

As well as using breathing exercises to relieve stress and anxiety there are also very good supplements that will help calm your mind naturally and help to prevent panic attacks.

Anti-Anxiety Plus is a natural supplement aimed at targeting and preventing the symptoms of anxiety and reducing panic attacks.The special blend of ingredients helps promote a sense of inner balance, increased focus and reduced anxiety.

The ingredients inside Anti-Anxiety Plus help reduce stress, which can be a precursor to many negative effects such as:

Panic Attacks
Behavioral Changes
Central Nervous System Deficiency
Immune System Deficiency
Cardiovascular Changes
Irritable Digestive Systems.

The Benefits Of Group Exercises.

We have all heard about the benefits of exercise for years now. Exercise leads to an increased overall sense of mental wellbeing, decreased stress levels, a stronger heart, and much more. Even though most of us are well aware of these benefits, many still find it difficult to engage in a consistent physical fitness program that leads to lasting results. It could be because of a perceived lack of time, no motivation, or any of a number of other reasons that keep us from exercising as we should.

Exercise with friends and family and build up relationships…

This is where group exercise can become so beneficial. Many people are finding that this form of fitness program provides numerous advantages over that of exercising alone. Consider the following four benefits of group exercise and look towards joining a program in your area very soon.

Low-Pressure Social Activity

We have enough stress in our life already. Exercise does not need to become a burden. You know that it is necessary to a healthy body, but engaging in a fitness program on your own might increase your anxiety rather than reduce it. However, participating in group exercise allows you to engage in a social activity with very little pressure involved. You will feel better as a result, and this will bring about numerous benefits as a result.

Get More Involved with Family and Friends

If you are finding that you have less and less time to spend with family and friends, group exercise is a way to change that. You will find that you look forward to each session. You can catch up with one another, laugh, and exchange stories all while getting the benefit of physical activity at the same time. This is a great way to enhance your overall sense of wellbeing.

Have Others Help Keep You Accountable

When it comes to exercise, it is recommended that we have a plan for accountability. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to have others in a group setting that are depending on us being there. As a result, you will be less likely to miss any given session because you know that others will be wondering what happened to you. Likewise, you will also help to keep others accountable. This is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Avoid Isolation

If you are already feeling a bit beat up emotionally, you do not want to exercise alone. That just isolates you with your thoughts. Instead, you want to be with others who will uplift and encourage you. That is what you will get with group exercise.

So, there you have it. If you are looking for ways to improve your mental wellbeing through fitness, then group exercise may just be the solution that you have been looking for. You can effectively lower your stress levels, decrease anxiety, and minimize the effects of depression as you break a sweat with others. Get out there and give it a try today.

Group exercise will uplift and encourage you..

Choosing Exercise For A Relaxed Mind.

Choosing Exercise for a Relaxed Mind

Exercise is a fundamental part of a healthy lifestyle. The mind and body benefit in many ways from simple daily exercises. It is well known that exercise can lead to an improved physique. However, exercises can also improve the function of the brain as well.

Exercises release endorphins. These are neurotransmitters that create a sense of euphoria and alertness. The production of stress-hormones like cortisol also decreases with exercise. So we find choosing exercise for a relaxed mind can help to regain control over life.

Equipment or gym memberships are not required. Everyday activities are enough to live a healthier life. Every exercise should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen the mind and body.

Walking Outside

Walking is the simplest form of exercise there is. There is little thought that goes into walking and the activity does not feel like a chore. A walk outside every day can alleviate stress and add years to life.

A walk outside promotes more neural activity in the brain. It is believed that blue skies help to relax the brain. The fresh air that the brain receives from outside promotes circulation. Improved circulation can increase cognitive abilities.

Hiking

Hiking offers an opportunity to get in touch with nature. There is a strong connection between the human body and a natural environment.

The human body is supposed to be neutrally charged. However, contact with any surface besides the bare ground creates a negative charge. This charge accumulates over a lifetime and does not leave the body until it encounters an opposing charge.

A hike can help to relieve those charges. When you walk on the ground with your bare feet, this displaces the negative charge. As a result, the sinuses clear up, energy increases, and immunity improves. The body must be neutrally charged to maintain optimal health.

Yoga can help alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Yoga

Yoga and meditation are commonly practiced around the world. They are best known for their healing and relaxing effects on the body. Yoga uses a variety of techniques to improve breathing.

In fact, many of the symptoms related to stress and anxiety can be alleviated with improvements in breathing. Anytime the body releases stress hormones, the parasympathetic nervous systems activates. This results in rapid breathing. If breathing can be controlled, then feelings of stress and anxiety become more manageable.

Another benefit of yoga is increased confidence. Yoga focuses on the development of the core muscles. Improvement of these muscles can lead to a better posture. There are many reports that correlate a strong posture with confidence

Weight lifting

Weight lifting can increase the production of testosterone. This hormone is known to inhibit the production of cortisol and regulate hormonal levels. The body also releases a surge of endorphins during a vigorous exercise.

Weight lifting improves physique. This can help to create a greater sense of self-esteem for some people.

Discipline is a key aspect of weight lifting. The discipline that is gained from weight lifting can make other tasks much easier. Thus, the benefits of weight lifting can transfer to any aspect of life and is just another exercise to help relax your mind

Keeping Up The Motivation To Exercise

Keeping up the Motivation to exercise.

The hardest part of exercise is not lifting weights or running. It’s finding the will to do it in the first place. Plenty of people find themselves slipping away from their exercise routine because they have trouble keeping up the motivation. If you want to be able to stick to an exercise habit, these tips will help you to keep at it.

Do What You Like

The beauty of exercise is that it covers so many activities. Some people might get exercise by running laps. Others might get it by lifting weights or shooting hoops. If there’s a way you can work your body in a way that benefits you, that’s all you need. Work on developing motivation by starting off with activities you already get enjoyment out of. For more difficult tasks, try to see how you can make them more enjoyable.

Make It a Habit

The easiest way to turn an activity into a habit is to do it every day. It’s one thing to promise to yourself that you’ll exercise every day, but you have to take measures to make sure you can stick to it. Bring your gym clothes with you to work so that you can easily change into them. Fight back against any urge to skip out on exercising when you don’t have any reason not to go. The more you can stick to your exercise, the easier it will be to make it into a habit.

Get an Exercise Buddy

Some people enjoy exercising by themselves. They like how the solitude lets them clear their mind and focus on their exercise. However, if you’re particularly social, you may have a better time exercising with a partner. You can enjoy their company and work to keep motivating one another. If you’re having trouble with a certain exercise, a partner can show you how to make it easier on you or give you the encouragement needed to pull through it.

Find Joy in It

Exercise shouldn’t be viewed as something you have to do. The idea of viewing anything that does our minds so much good as a punishment is absurd. Learn to develop a positive relationship with exercise by thinking of it as something you “get” to do. To have the ability and time to enjoy exercise is something that should never be taken for granted. To keep your motivation up, learn to smile at the sound of the word “exercise” and any similar terminology.

Track Your Progress

Exercise can get frustrating when it feels like you’re not making any progress. However, every workout you complete is another step forward. In order to make your progress feel more apparent, you need to keep a log. At the end of a workout, write down what you were able to get done or use a wrist fitness tracker. Even if your accomplishment is being able to run a bit further than you could the day before, it’s still a sign of progress.

So many have trouble with exercise motivation because they see the negatives of exercise far more than the positives. If you want to find the motivation to exercise, you need to have an upbeat perspective on it. Only then can you make exercise into something that you actively crave and want to keep doing every day.

Exercising Helps With Anxiety And Panic Attacks.

Exercising Helps with Anxiety and Panic Attack’s

You probably already know that exercising is an amazing way to keep physically fit, manage your weight, improves your cardiovascular health, and gives you energy. But the benefits of moving your body go far beyond physical. There are also many mental and emotional benefits of regular exercise, including helping with your mental health. This article will explore how exercising can help with anxiety and panic attacks.

The Relationship Between Anxiety and Activity

Though the connection is not entirely understood, a clear link exists between physical activity and a decrease in the likelihood of anxiety and its co-morbidities, including depression and panic attacks. These effects occur biologically, psychologically, and emotionally.

Biological Benefits

Physical exertion releases endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that function as natural painkillers. Not only do endorphins stimulate positive feelings, they also improve sleep. Sleep, in turn, reduces stress and improves anxious feelings.Endorphins aside, exercise energizes the body, leaving you feeling good both during and after the activity. Better mood, better sleep, and better feelings reduce the physiological and psychological symptoms of anxiety.

Psychological Benefits

Anxiety can be all-consuming, and it is this overwhelming sense of worry or dread that leads to panic attacks. Engaging in physical activity that you find both challenging and enjoyable distracts you from obsessive, harmful thinking. Your mind rests, in a sense, while your body works. It is important to find an activity that does present a challenge and an activity you’re interested in participating for the greatest benefits in this regard.

Halfhearted participation in exercise that feels more a chore than a fun activity is not helpful, and it may lead to further stress and anxiety. This activity does not need to be hardcore exercise; a game of soccer with friends, a swim in the pool, gardening, or a simple walk will do the job. It’s all about getting your heart pumping and your mind off worries.

Emotional Benefits

Giving yourself the goal of more physical activity and following through with it will leave you feeling accomplished. Pursuing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle, too, will grow your confidence. Self-contentment and confidence is incredibly beneficial in keeping anxiety at bay, since most anxiety is rooted in inner conflict.

Getting, and Remaining, Motivated

The most difficult part about increasing your physical activity to reduce anxiety and the likelihood of panic attacks is getting started. It can feel impossible for an overburdened mind to find the time and energy to decide upon and pursue change, but it is possible.A professional can help you develop a plan to get started on and stick to a new regime of activity or exercise.The most important thing is to find activities you enjoy that you can, and want to, fit in to your life and schedule. As a supplement to psychotherapy and psychiatric care, physical activity is immensely beneficial in improving your mood and exercise has been proven to help reduce anxiety and panic attack’s.

Outdoor Activities Benefit Our Health.

While it is well known that a healthy body and mind most often go together and that exercise can help us on a path to mental wellness, there are added benefits when that exercise takes place in the great outdoors. Stress and anxiety respond well to having a physical outlet and even more so when time is taken to enjoy nature and our surroundings.

Benefits to Choosing Outdoor Workouts

You may remember being told often as a child how important it was to “go out and get some sunshine.” It’s true that the vitamin D we get from the morning sun during a quick walk or jog can have far-reaching effects on our general health.

Getting adequate sunlight, much like exercising itself, helps to build up our immune system and regulate our chemical levels, which has a profound effect on our mood. Even just a quick 15-minute walk outside during your lunch break can give your mood a much-needed boost.

But vitamin D isn’t the only thing that going outside to exercise will provide to you. Many of the benefits found through exercise are amplified by the outdoors. Fresh air helps keep oxygen levels high, blood pressure low and can even improve your heart rate. Working out indoors may have similar benefits at a base level, but if you decide to take your routine outdoors, you can expect an even healthier experience for both mind and body. Much like deep breathing improves focus and helps to keep anxiety at bay, a little fresh air can go a long way to benefit your health.

Outdoor activities are also an easier way to focus on exercise. Often when working out at home it can be tempting to stop and check your phone or take frequent breaks.

Setting aside time that you respect as the time you’re going to work on your health and using that short period outside to workout and bring focus back to how you’re feeling mentally and physically can help greatly with self-esteem, managing stress and focusing on yourself in a healthy, positive way.

Outdoor Workout Possibilities Are Endless

If you’re struggling to find workout routines that fit into your schedule or that are affordable, there are a lot of exciting options. Going out of your way to explore new areas through hiking or jogging can bring great satisfaction, as well as helping you to build confidence as you learn more about your local areas.

Going on daily walks, even just around the block, is also a good way to meet new people. But even on your own your mental health benefits just from forming a healthy routine and getting blood and oxygen flows up while stress levels are worked out of the body.

More adventure can be had for those looking for new mental stimulation by going swimming at the local public pool or beach, cycling in a new neighborhood, or even horseback riding, skiing or canoeing if any nearby facilities allow for these types of activities.

Dandelion Greens

Eat Dandelion Greens in the Spring

Surprisingly, dandelion greens (taraxacum officinale) are part of the sunflower family, which is one of the largest of the plant families and includes over 20,000 species including daisies! It is best to eat dandelion greens in the spring, which is before the plant flowers. They have a wide array of health benefits that make them a nutritional boost. Additionally, you can cultivate dandelion seeds to have a steady supply. Dandelions are an asset in your yard and are not really a weed.

Dandelions have a wide variety of health benefits.

Harvesting and Storage

Dandelion greens can be found at farmers markets, health food stores, co-ops, and perhaps available during the spring and early summer months in your own backyard.

Picking the greens that are both young and tender will have a milder flavor. Be sure that they are from real dandelion plants and not from similar-looking ones because consuming inedible parts may put your health at risk. Never harvest from areas contaminated with harmful substances like pesticides, lead, heavy metals, parasites, or other pollutants.

Do not wash the greens because that may lead to spoilage. Wrap them in paper towels to absorb condensation and excess moisture and store in plastic bags or containers in the refrigerator. They remain fresh for only two to four days.

Dandelion Greens in Recipes

Blanch the greens for one to two minutes to reduce a possible bitter taste. To mask that, blend them with sweet and flavorful fruits such as strawberries, bananas, oranges, mangoes, papaya figs, kiwi, pineapple, or citrus. You will have more calcium than any dairy product and slightly more calcium than kale.

Add them to stews, soups, salads, sandwiches, vegetables, and herbal teas.

**Dandelions are rich in. Vitamins and Minerals**

Health and Nutrition Benefits

The dandelion plant is said to be a powerful healer to address numerous maladies including digestion-related problems, blood purification, preventing gallstones and piles, and others.

Dandelion greens provide a higher amount of vitamins and minerals than most cultivated greens. Some of those are the following:

* Multivitamins include vitamin C, vitamins B1, B2, B6, vitamin E, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, and more. Vitamin A as beta-carotene is good for vision, shielding the retina from ultraviolet rays, the skin, mucous membranes and may help lower the risk of mouth and lung cancers. The greens also provide 535 percent of the recommended daily vitamin K to strengthen bones and fight Alzheimer’s disease.

* Rich in minerals. Besides calcium, they also provide iron that generates red blood cells, potassium that helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.

* More protein per serving than spinach. The greens are 14 percent protein and contain all of the essential amino acids.

* High in inulin and pectin, which are soluble fibers that help you feel full longer, assist with controlling weight, and maintain optimal levels of cholesterol. The greens are also loaded with antioxidants.

* One cup of low-calorie chopped dandelion greens has only 25 calories.