“Posture 101”
Easy to learn stretches and exercises to improve posture, reduce pain, and prevent early aging in the body
By: Dr. Nima Rahmany
Westgate Wellness Centre 604-465-HAND
www.DrNima.com
www.Westgatewellness.com
Importance of Posture: 93% of all communication is NON-VERBAL. 55% facial expression, posture, gesture, 38% tone of voice)
People assess and judge self esteem and confidence by how you stand and walk.
The human body is designed for MOVEMENT.
Movement provides nutrition to the brain, through the spinal column.
PAIN in the musculo-skeletal system is a SIGNAL that there is either a DEFICIENCY in movement (lack of exercise), or a TOXICITY of movement, caused by: - improper sitting/lifting/bending/exercising or
- Spinal joints that are stuck, rigid, and out of alignment (a.k.a–SUBLUXATIONS)
Your guide to Spinal Hygiene
Cervical Spine (Neck)
Nerves exiting the cervical spine are responsible for supplying the head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. Irritation to these nerves can produce symptoms like:
Headaches, Neck Pain and TMJ disorders
Numbness/tingling/pain to the shoulders, arms, hands and fingers
Upper back pain
Frequent colds and ear infections
“Foggy” thinking and fatigue
The Stress Response (increased Adrenaline and Cortisol)
Example of poor sitting posture:
Head forward, activating muscles in the back of neck (causing headaches and neck pain)
Eventually leads to early aging and arthritis (inflammation caused by LACK OF MOVEMENT!)
The Best Cervical Spine Stretch:
Can be performed standing, sitting, and even in the shower!
Helps to support the adjustments during corrective chiropractic care and allow a quicker recovery.
Useful in stress reduction and for those who chronically wear their “shoulders as earrings”.
Thoracic and Lumbar spine
Posture problems:
Shoulders rounded forward
Upper back rounded forward
Protruding belly
(neck is forward)
Caused by poor lifestyle choices and subluxations combined
Posture Enhancing Stretches and exercises
Pectoral stretch
Helps to lengthen the pec muscles, allowing the shoulders to go back and bringing the chest forward.
“Cobra” pose
Helps to accentuate the natural curve of the lower back
A necessity for sciatica and disc problem sufferers
(1 min gradually to 5 mins)
Risk of injury if spinal alignment is unbalanced
“Chair” pose
Enhances movement in the ligaments and strengthens the muscles of the lower back.
When done correctly, the pecs get a good stretch and the thoracic and cervical spine
Risk of injury if thoracic and lumbar spine is stuck, fixated, or inflamed.
Rowing Exercise with Resistance
Can be easily done on a chair for a break at work.
Lumbar curve must be exaggerated to support discs and isolate the upper back.
Shortens and strengthens the muscles that retract the shoulders.
Painful when there are fixations/subluxations in the mid back.
These muscles can get weakened on “busty”females , causing chronic subluxations/fixations/irritations.
“Superman” Exercise
Lifting legs and arms and head as high as you can causes strengthening of all muscles concerned with extending the spine (erector spinae muscles).
Hold for 10 seconds and relax for 5, and repeat for 5-10 cycles
Great exercise which helps hold spinal adjustments in place for longer periods of time!
The brain needs movement for survival. Just like our animals need a minimal amount of exercise or they will get sick and start to deteriorate, so will we. If we don’t have time to go to the gym, these exercises could be performed in less than 10 minutes per day and should be a MINIMUM.
In addition to these exercises, we can actively engage in activities which create health and wellness. There are 5 basic activities that we can all do on a regular basis that help promote health:
1) Walking
2) Climbing up hills
3) Swimming
4) Dancing
5) Lovemaking
All these activities, as well as the ones pictured serve to stimulate the brain to produce serotonin, nature’s own anti-depressant and reduce stress inducing hormones. Eat well, Move well, Think well serves to be the panacea for all people to move towards health and balance and homeostasis.
Get your spine checked on a regular basis (1-4 times per month) and adjusted for maintenance of health. Chiropractic care is more like exercise than medicine.
Attitudes and Behaviours you can adopt to guarantee premature aging and dramatically reduce health and vitality
7. Ignore your inner voice.
When you are upset, KEEP IT INSIDE. Never speak up or allow yourself the right to have your own voice or opinion. If there is something more you want out of life, never burden anyone with it. It will resolve on it’s own.
6. Inspire your family by minimizing your own needs.
Put the needs of your family and everyone else in your entire world above your own. Doing this will encourage your children to do the same, and feel exactly the way you do. As you deteriorate, your efforts will be rewarded, as your loved ones will then be responsible to care for you and will never regard it as a burden—after all, you neglected yourself for their benefit.
5. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Never ever, under any circumstances perform the exercises and recommendations on this handout. Allow your body to deteriorate, and wait for it to break down, and then get surgery (it’s free!). Everyone knows by looking around and seeing our friends and family members how wonderful, life enhancing, and rejuvenating surgery can be.
4. Realize that health comes from a pill bottle.
Any chance you get, sit down and relax. NEVER EVER, under any circumstance supplement your diet with nutritionals. Watch as much television as possible to learn how the many symptoms you will soon be experiencing can be cured by a magic pill. Ignore your lifestyle choice and poor diet. Go after the pill—inside, it holds the key to your health.
3. “Smoke alarm effect”
Any time you experience an ache or a pain, realize that your body is weak and stupid. There is no valid reason for the symptom (smoke alarm). Ignore the cause. Rather than dealing with the cause of the alarm, disconnect it and save yourself from the nuisance. When your house (body) starts to burn down (deteriorate), call the fire department (medical doctor) to save you. Although the quality of life won’t be fulfilling, you’ll at least be “not dead”. Repeat the cycle over and over again.
2. Ignore your current reality.
Look at your health right now and compare it to 5 years ago. If you have more aches and pains today, feel less energy, more depressed, and you are taking more pills now than you were then— KEEP GOING! YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK! In 5 years from now you will be even closer to your goal. Don’t waste any time in learning how to self-actualize and get the most out of the few years you have on this earth.
1. Allow outside voices to guide you.
Allow the media, an ignorant social network or a misguided doctor to sway you from looking after your spine on a regular basis with a Wellness Chiropractor that you trust. If you do decide to go to the chiropractor, ONLY GO WHEN YOU’VE FINISHED 8 BOTTLES OF PILLS AND STILL YOU HAVE PAIN. Go as the very last resort for pain relief only. When you are out of pain, continue your sedentary, stressful lifestyle with poor posture, and never go unless you have to be carried in.
For more information on this exciting seminar click HERE!
Posted on December 12th, 2008 by admin
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