Sit Back, It's Better for Your Back

Long Hours Sitting Up Straight May Cause Back Pain, Study Shows

Lean back before reading this; your back may thank you.

A new study suggests that sitting upright for hours at a time -- for example, when working at a computer -- may lead to chronic back pain. Instead, the best position for your back is somewhat reclined, sitting at a 135-degree angle rather than the 90-degree angle most office chairs are designed for."A 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture was demonstrated to be the best biomechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people consider normal," says researcher Waseem Amir Bashir, MBChB, clinical fellow in the department of radiology and diagnostic imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada, in a news release. "Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness."

Bashir presented the results of the study this week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

Comparing Sitting Positions

Back pain is one of the most common causes of work-related disability in the U.S. and helping to identify bad seating postures may help protect the spine and prevent injury.Using "positional" magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) researchers studied the sitting positions of 22 healthy volunteers with no history of back pain. The MRI machine allowed freedom of motion, such as sitting or standing, during imaging. Conventional MRI machines require the patient to lie flat and may mask some causes of back pain.

Researchers used the MRI to examine spinal positioning while the participants assumed three different sitting positions: slouching forward (such as hunched over a desk or video game console), an upright 90-degree sitting position, and a relaxed position with the back reclined backward about 135 degrees while the feet were still on the floor.

Overall, researchers concluded that the 135-degree reclining position put the least stress on the spine and may reduce the risk of back pain. They recommend that people who sit for long periods of time correct their sitting posture and find a chair that allows them to recline.

"This may be all that is necessary to prevent back pain, rather than trying to cure pain that has occurred over the long term due to bad postures," says Bashir. Employers could also reduce problems by providing their staff with more appropriate seating, thereby saving on the cost of lost work hours."

Vitamins From A-Z

You may be in the habit of taking them everyday, but are you using them for the right reason? From A-Z learn what vitamins do and if you really need them.

Vitamin A

There are two main types of it. One comes from animal sources of food. You need it to help you see at night, make red blood cells, and fight off infections. The other is in plant foods and can help prevent an eye problem called age-related macular degeneration and to cells all over your body. Eat orange veggies and fruits (like sweet potato and cantaloupe), spinach and other greens, dairy products, and seafood such as shrimp and salmon. Too much vitamin A can hurt your liver, though

Vitamin B12

Rev up before hitting the gym with a snack like a hard-boiled egg or cereal with vitamins added. B12 helps your body break down food for energy. Some athletes and trainers take supplements before workouts, but these don’t really boost your success if you're getting enough in your meals.

Vitamin C

Despite claims made by some over-the-counter remedies, it doesn’t prevent colds. But once you have symptoms, drink orange or grapefruit juice to help yourself stay hydrated and feel better sooner. Your body must have vitamin C to help your bones, skin, and muscles grow. You'll get enough from bell peppers, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, leafy greens, and other fruits and veggies.

Calcium

This mineral, when mixed with sand, helps harden concrete harden. Its strength makes it the building block for your bones and teeth. It's also key to make muscles, including your heart, move. Get calcium from milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy foods, and from green vegetables like kale and broccoli. How much you need depends on your age and sex. Check with your doctor about whether you should take a supplement

Vitamin D

Like calcium, it keeps your bones strong and helps your nerves carry messages. It also plays a role in fighting germs. Careful time in the sun -- 10 to 15 minutes on a clear day, without sunscreen -- is the best source. Or you could eat fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. There's a little in egg yolks, too. You can also get milk and sometimes orange juice with added vitamin D.

Vitamin E

It's also called an antioxidant. They protect your cells from damage caused by cigarette smoke, pollution, sunlight, and more. Vitamin E also helps your cells talk to each other and keeps blood moving. Sunflower seeds and nuts including almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts are good sources. If you're allergic to those, vegetable oils (like safflower and sunflower), spinach, and broccoli have vitamin E, too

Folic Acid

For moms-to-be, it's a must. It helps make DNA and prevent spina bifida and other brain birth defects. Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens, oranges and orange juice, and legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) are rich in folic acid. Your doctor may want you to take a supplement, too.

Vitamin K

You need it for blood clotting and healthy bones. People who take warfarin, a blood-thinner, have to be careful about what they eat, because vitamin K reacts badly with the drug. A serving of leafy greens -- like spinach, kale, or broccoli -- will give you more than enough K for the day. A Japanese dish called natto, made from fermented soybeans, has even more

Iron

When your levels are low, your body doesn’t make enough healthy red blood cells. And without them, you can’t get oxygen to your  tissues. Women who are pregnant or have heavy menstrual cycles are most likely to have anemia, the medical name for when you don’t have enough iron in your blood. Keep up your levels with beans and lentils, liver, oysters, and spinach. Many breakfast cereals have a day’s worth added in. Even dark chocolate with at least 45% cacao has some!

Magnesium

This mineral plays a role in making your muscles squeeze and keeping your heart beating. It helps control blood sugar and blood pressure, make proteins and DNA, and turn food into energy. You'll get magnesium from almonds, cashews, spinach, soybeans, avocado, and whole grains

Potassium

You may think of bananas, but green leafy veggies are a better source of this mineral. It helps keep your blood pressure in a normal range, and it helps your kidneys work. Levels that are too low or too high could make your heart and nervous system shut down. You should also watch your salt, because your body needs the right balance of sodium and potassium. Snack on raw cantaloupe, carrots, and tomatoes, too.

Zinc

Without it, you couldn't taste and smell. Your immune system needs it, and it helps cuts, scrapes, and sores heal. It may help you keep your sight as you get older. While you can get zinc from plant sources like sesame and pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and cashews, it's easier for your body to absorb it from animal foods, such as oysters, beef, crab, lobster, and pork.

Doe's Acupuncture work?

What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an age-old healing practice of traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are placed at specific points in the body. It's primarily used to relieve pain but also has been used to treat other conditions. More than 3 million Americans use acupuncture, but it is even more popular in other countries. In France, for example, one in five people has tried acupuncture.

How Acupuncture Works 

Acupuncture seeks to release the flow of the body's vital energy or "chi" by stimulating points along 14 energy pathways. Scientists say the needles cause the body to release endorphins -- natural painkillers -- and may boost blood flow and change brain activity. Skeptics say acupuncture works only because people believe it will, an effect called the placebo effect. I believe you can say that about most things. But if you do feel better does it really matter ?

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. They often say they feel energized or relaxed after the treatment. However, the needles can cause temporary soreness

Acupoint: Low-Back Pain

If standard treatments don't relieve your chronic low-back pain, acupuncture may do the job, and two respected medical groups suggest that people in this situation give it a try. One large study found that both actual and "fake" acupuncture worked better than conventional treatments for back pain that had lasted more than three months. The jury's still out on acupuncture for short-term (acute) pain in the low back

Acupoint: Headaches

Acupuncture may help relieve migraines or tension headaches. Two large studies found that people receiving acupuncture had fewer days with tension headaches than those receiving conventional care.

Acupoint: Fibromyalgia

Studies that test how well acupuncture works against the pain of fibromyalgia have had mixed results. Some showed that it provided temporary pain relief, but others did not. A small study by the Mayo Clinic suggested that acupuncture may reduce two other problems of fibromyalgia: fatigue and anxiety. But overall, there's not enough evidence yet to prove that acupuncture works for fibromyalgia.

Acupoint: Arthritis Pain

Acupuncture can be a helpful addition to conventional treatment for osteoarthritis, says the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. And some of the most promising, early research has shown acupuncture eased arthritis pain in the knee. However, more research is needed to prove without a doubt that it's effective for osteoarthritis.

Acupoint: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Acupuncture was tested and compared with steroid pills for the hand and arm pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. Researchers in Taiwan gave one group eight acupuncture treatments, over about a month, and those patients reported more relief, for a longer time, than the group taking medicine. While studies like this have been promising, more evidence is still needed to confirm that acupuncture is effective for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Acupoint: Dental Pain

Acupuncture provides relief from the pain of tooth extraction or dental surgery, but so does fake acupuncture, some studies show. Still, dental pain is considered by many to be one of the conditions that responds to acupuncture

Acupoint: Other Pain

People have tried acupuncture for neck pain, muscle pain, tennis elbow, and menstrual cramps, hoping to avoid medications and their side effects. The World Health Organization lists 28 different conditions that are sometimes treated with acupuncture. In the U.S., a review by the National Institutes of Health called for robust research to verify the promise that acupuncture holds for many different conditions.

A Boost for Pain Medicine

Acupuncture may provide added pain relief when it's used along with pain medicine or another therapy, such as massage. Acupuncture can reduce the need for drugs and improve the quality of life of people with chronic pain.

Acupoint: Nausea

Acupuncture at the pericardium (P6) acupuncture point on the wrist can reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, even after cancer drug treatments or surgery. Studies compared 10 different acupuncture methods -- including needles, electrical stimulation, and acupressure -- to drugs that block nausea or vomiting and found the acupuncture treatments worked.

Acupuncture and Cancer Care

Because acupuncture can lessen pain, nausea, and vomiting, it is sometimes used to help people cope with symptoms of cancer or chemotherapy. It also can help manage hot flashes associated with breast cancer. Be sure to talk to your doctor first and seek a practitioner who has experience working with cancer patients.

Acupuncture and Fertility

Celebrities such as singers Celine Dion and Mariah Carey credited acupuncture -- used along with infertility treatments -- with helping them get pregnant. A review of medical studies backs up this view, suggesting that acupuncture may boost the effectiveness of fertility treatments. One theory holds that acupuncture helps by reducing stress and increasing blood flow to the ovaries

Acupuncture to Quit Smoking?

Acupuncture has been used for a variety of other conditions, including smoking cessation, insomnia, fatigue, depression, and allergies. The evidence is mixed at best for some uses of acupuncture. For example, acupuncture needles placed in the outer ear to help people stop smoking do not work, studies found.

Acupuncture and Children

Acupuncture is generally considered to be safe for children, as long as you are using a licensed practitioner who follows recommended standards of practice. It is primarily used to control pain or nausea and vomiting after surgery or cancer drug treatment. Scientific evidence does not support the use of acupuncture to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

When to Consider Acupuncture

Because acupuncture rarely causes more than mild side effects, it is a potential alternative to pain medications or steroid treatments. It is also considered a "complementary" medicine that can be used along with other treatments. It is best to discuss the use of acupuncture with your health care provider.

Acupuncture Risks

Although acupuncture is generally safe and serious problems are rare, there are some risks. Needles that are not sterile can cause infection. Make sure that your practitioner uses sterile needles that are thrown away after one use.  In some acupuncture points, needles inserted too deeply can puncture the lungs or gallbladder or cause problems with your blood vessels. That is why it is important to use a practitioner who is well-trained in acupuncture.

Who Shouldn't Use Acupuncture

People with bleeding disorders or who take blood thinners may have increased risk of bleeding. Electrical stimulation of the needles can cause problems for people with pacemakers or other electrical devices. Pregnant women should talk with their health care provider before having acupuncture. It's important not to skip conventional medical care or rely on acupuncture alone to treat diseases or severe pain.

Choosing a Practitioner

It is important to receive treatment from someone who has met standards for education and training in acupuncture. States vary in their licensing requirements. There are national organizations that maintain standards. Be sure to do your homework when choosing a practioner

Acupuncture Variations

Several other therapies use a different way of stimulating the acupuncture points. Moxibustion involves the burning of moxa, a bundle of dried mugwort and wormwood leaves, which can then be used to heat the acupuncture needles or warm the skin. Electroacupuncture adds electrical stimulation to the needles. Another recent variation uses laser needles that are placed on (but not in) the skin

Acupressure vs. Acupuncture

If you are afraid of needles, you may be able to get much of the same effect from acupressure. Acupressure involves pressing or massaging the acupuncture points to stimulate energy pathways. Scientific comparisons of acupressure and acupuncture are limited, but acupressure has been shown to be effective in reducing nausea and lessening labor pain.

This is for informational purposes only. Nobody knows you better than you ,so base your decisions on what your comfortable with. It is very difficult to determine "pain relief". Pain and pain relief is supjective to the individual.  

Women's "Aging Gene Discovered"

The 3 Foods To Control It!

You're about to discover three rather unsuspecting foods that help control aging, but it's not what you think; you see,we don't want you to eat these foods. Instead, current research suggests you'll want you to put them on your skin.

Crazy, right?                                          

 You're going to love this. For a few cents, and no additional time, you'll see how nature's gifts can help you reverse aging while you're in the kitchen and preparing a meal. If you've noticed the skin on either your hands or face changing, you'll absolutely LOVE this:

Every woman knows that stress is bad for your skin and ages you faster.However, did you know that there’s one specific gene recently discovered by anti-aging researchers at Kings College London that controls most of your physical signs of aging?  Time Magazine called this, “The Aging Gene.” And did you know that you can help tame this out of control Aging Gene using 3 very common foods?

It’s true: however, it’s not what you think. These are not foods that you eat. These are foods that you put on your skin.And while you can eat them, of course, you can see dramatic youth-enhancing changes when you apply them topically.

So What Is “The Aging Gene”?

The Aging Gene is called TERC, and it literally tells your body to keep your skin nice and youthful... or to age it rapidly. It tells your brain to stay sharp and focused, or to be foggy-headed and lose memory. And it tells your body to burn more fat and stay trim, or to put on excess weight. Do you want to know how to turn your Aging Gene off? Of course! Every woman wants that. However, that’s not possible just yet.

What is possible is this: you can slow the effects of The Aging Gene simply by applying foods we know to be better absorbed topically. Yes, your skin is a digestive organ! Amazing, isn’t it? In fact, it’s the largest organ in your body.

These 3 Aging Gene Deactivators can come to your rescue, and help you turn back the clock. And, what’s really to love is the fact these foods are inexpensive, available anywhere, and work very quickly.

You can see results the very first time you apply the tips below... literally within minutes. And, on the next page, I have even more tips for you to enjoy!

Aging Gene Deactivator #1:

Blueberries

Blueberries are very high in two critical nutrients that trick your body into thinking your Aging Gene is turned off by helping preserve the length of what’s known as telomeres. Telomeres look like little thimbles on the end of your chromosomes. The longer your telomeres are, the slower you age! These two vital nutrients, anthocyanins and resveratrol, are more readily absorbed topically, although you can certainly enjoy eating blueberries as well.

First, you’ll want to put a bowl of blueberries in the freezer. The cold will actually help tighten your skin. Then take the cold blueberries out and mash them into a paste. Then simply apply this paste to your face and leave it on for 7 minutes. Wash it off, and enjoy your new “just from the spa” looking skin!

Aging Gene Deactivator #2:

Egg Whites

This is part of my world-famous 50 cent Botox Alternative™. You can find out more about that Solution on the next page. For now, all you do is mix up three egg whites and apply this mixture to your face for 12 minutes. The reason this helps battle The Aging Gene is because egg whites are sky-high in the anti-aging protein called albumin. In The Journal of The National Medical Association (Sep 1995; 87(9): 667-683) Dr. Kenneth Seaton suggested that higher levels of albumin were responsible for the anti-aging effects seen when another aging hormone, cortisol, is too high.

Cortisol is also known as The Belly Fat Hormone, so you definitely need to manage it! The wonderful thing about using my simple egg white solution is that you not only come away with visibly tighter skin, you also get all that healthy, anti-aging albumin...and reduce your belly fat hormone, all at once!

Aging Gene Deactivator #3:

Lentils

Lentils are high in folate, which is a vitally important B vitamin that often gets destroyed by cooking and even by digestion. Folate has been shown to lengthen your anti-aging telomeres. The longer your telomeres, the younger you are! So here’s my trick: mash up some lentils in a bowl and apply them to the front of your hands. Women show aging in their hands more than men, and this will not only help you absorb all that anti-aging folate, it will also help your hands look and feel younger and more smooth!

There you have it. Cheap and easy. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

10 Ways To Be Happier

Put Some Pep in Your Step

Scientists say walking tall with swinging arms helps you feel more positive. Even if you're not feeling happy, a spirited stroll can help you fake it till you make it.

Slap on a Smile

Want to lift your spirits? Lift the corners of your mouth. When you smile like you mean it, you can change your brain’s chemistry and feel happier

Volunteer

Find ways to get involved in your community or help out a friend in need. You’ll help yourself, too. It can improve your mental health and well-being. Win-win.

Make New Friends

It makes you feel good to spend time with people who care about you. So be open to new relationships, whether it’s someone you meet at the office, gym, church, or park. But be sure to maintain those lifelong connections, too. Studies show the more connected you are, the happier you are.

Count Your Blessings

Write down everything that’s good in your life. When you make an effort to look on the bright side, it helps you stay focused on the positive.

Break a Sweat

It can take as little as 5 minutes for exercise to put you in a better mood. Moving your body also has good long-term effects: Regular exercise helps keep depression at bay.

Forgive and Forget

Are you holding a grudge? Let it go. Forgiveness frees you from negative thoughts and makes more room in your life for inner peace. And that brings you happiness.

Practice Mindfulness

Meditate for an hour a week. It’ll give you a dose of joy, peace, and contentment. It’ll also create new pathways in your brain to make it easier for you to feel joy

Turn on Some Tunes

Music can have a powerful effect on your emotions. Pick your favorite music mix and get into the groove. You’ll get a real feel-good vibe.

Get the ZZZs You Need

Most adults need 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night to stay in a good mood. You’re more likely to be happy when you get enough shut-eye.

A True Test Of Performane Power

You can have an opinion on the bench press but it has its purpose, people will keep doing it in the gym and it is an important measure of performance in sport, especially American football. Every self-respecting man knows about the 1 Rep Max Bench Test. You go to the gym, you warm up (if you’re one of the smart ones), you pick a weight that will challenge every ounce of your grit and pride, and then you push it to lock out. It’s the simplest and most popular test of strength that every blue - collar lifter puts himself through on a regular basis.

It’s not the ONLY bench press test out there though. It might be an accurate test of maximal strength, but does it test ones ability to see how long they can produce force though a prolonged state?

No.

There is a test that does though.  

A variation of it has been made popular by the NFL and for good reason.  

It doesn’t just gauge ones ability to produce force, it also measures the ability to do so over time.  

I’m talking about the Bodyweight Bench Test.

This is the best way to measure ones muscular endurance and strength at the same time. And as with any test, if you’re going to do it, it’s worth doing right!  

So lets examine some of the common mistakes and simple solutions that will allow you to master this test...

Mistake #1: Lack of Maximal Strength:  

It’s real simple, if you lack the maximal strength to even do 1 rep on this test, the weak link has been automatically identified.  

You’re weak!

Mastering the Bodyweight Rep Test has a multitude of different requirements, but this one requirement is to me the most important. Even if you can do a couple of reps, just by increasing your maximal strength you’d be able to push out a few more than you did before.

Why?  

Conservation of energy.

Those that are stronger have a relatively easier time lifting a specific weight than those that are weaker. My solution…focus on building a foundation of maximal strength.

Mistake #2: Poor Form:  

Success in the gym, as in life is all about efficiency of movement. The person that gets more done with greater speed and less effort will win every time. This is especially true with the bench press. If your form is off, then you’re lifting inefficiently. And an inefficient lifter not only performs below their level of talent, but also risks injury that will put him further behind the competition. My advice is to put your ego aside, use less weight on the bar, and master the form in your bench before progressing to anything else.

Mistake #3: No Plan of Action:  

The Bodyweight Bench Test is a specific test that requires a specific program to address its many intricacies.

- Form

- Periodization

- Warm Up

- Test Taking Skills/Tricks

- Weak Point Training

If you don’t address all of these you absolutely cannot and will not be able to perform this test in a successful manor.All of these glaring problems that I’ve discussed above have been the Achilles heel to many NFL Combine athletes and average meatheads alike. And if left unaddressed, the risk of injury or lost potential is not only a risk, but as close to a certainty as you can get. That’s why there are programs like this. This is the only true test of performance power. Give it a go and see how you stack up ! 

2 Things About Running You May Not Have Known

Shoes alter the spring-like function of the foot during running

The development of running shoes has advanced, but the rate of running injuries hasn’t decreased for the last 40 years.

When running, bare feet act like springs which absorb the shock of striking the road, this is then used as energy to push through into the next stride. It has been suggested that overly bouncy running shoes can interfere with the process of running and encourage foot muscles to relax and over time weaken. These claims have led researchers and some runners to suspect running shoes may do more harm than good.

Now, a new research project published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface has examined the effects on the foot’s arch and muscle activation. The study had 16 participants run barefoot and then wearing running shoes. They ran on a treadmill set up with force sensors, with wires threaded under the skin of the feet to track muscle activation.

The study found that running shoes did indeed influence the mechanical function of the foot. They were found to interfere with the foot’s ability to act like a spring, which decreased how much the foot’s arch was able to compress when hitting the ground. The study established that bare foot running would flatten the foot’s arch, whereas running shoes only got 75% of the way there.

These results contradict conventional thinking that foot muscles would be more relaxed in trainers. Running shoes were actually found to make foot muscles work harder to keep the arch stable.

The scientists who conducted the study propose more research needs to be done to support their latest findings.

Running may better than cycling for long term bone health

Exercise that puts greater strain on bones, like running, may improve long-term bone health more effectively than non weight-bearing activities like cycling, a recent study has found.

The study was conducted at the Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan. Researchers measured the levels of hormones in 12 ultra marathon runners before and after they ran a 65km (40.3 mile) race. These levels were compared to 12 other individuals of the same age who did not partake in the race, but instead participated in low to moderate physical exercise.

The scientists identified two proteins that are key to bone formation, osteocalcin and P1NP, the levels of these in the blood are key indicators of bone health. It was found that during the race, the runners had falling levels of  the two chemicals.After the race however, the runners were found to have higher levels of P1NP than the control group. Its aid suggests that while their bodies diverted energy from their bones during the race, it is more than made up for when resting, leading to a net gain in bone health over the long term.

“The every-day man and woman need to exercise moderately to maintain health,” said Dr Giovanni Lombardi, lead author of the study. “However, our findings suggest that those at risk of weaker bones might want to take up running rather than swimming or cycling.”