Healthy Video: In Sickness and In Movement

A wonderful video to watch if you're ever feeling lazy to get out and get moving. We are meant to be in motion. Our bodies are truly amazing if we allow it to be.

Enjoying The Birds

It seems that my indigenous gardening adventure has turned me into a bird-watcher.  I suppose it's a logical progression, as the local plant life attracts more wildlife, with the most conspicuous being the vibrant birdlife that we are so blessed to have here in Southern Africa.  I appreciate this even more after a recent trip to the USA, where I would be lucky to see 4 birds during my 30 minutes of morning exercise.  And this was next to a lake, where you would expect even more birds.  In contrast, here in my garden, in that same amount of time, without even looking for them, I can see more than 40 birds, consisting of more than 15 different species.  This is one of the reasons I now prefer exercising outdoors.  Unfortunately, my gym membership is in danger of lapsing, because I did not attend the gym the annual prescribed amount of times, despite the fact that I exercise almost every day.  When I did frequent the gym, I felt the need to always have music, while when I'm outdoors, the birds produce all the music that I need, keeping me alert for different sounds from birds I have not seen yet.  Watching the birds has also proven to be educational.  In contrast to the dynamic activity level of birds, I've realized that being physically active is something that's missing in the lives of most people living a "modern" lifestyle.  Most of us don't have to walk much, lift much, or carry much.  Everything is automated, available a short drive away at the nearby store, and with communication made so easy, we don't have to bother going to visit our friends and family.  In the end we are less active, and I firmly believe that our health suffers as a result.  When birds wake up in the morning and start foraging for food and reinforcing their nests, they are physically active until the sun goes down.  Many lessons can be learned from nature, as long as we are there to observe.

Chiropractic Improves Quality of Life

A recent study revealed that specific spinal adjustments to C1 (the upper-most vertebra in the spine) improved the quality of life for 19 patients that were diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).  The subjects were checked and adjusted, if necessary, for a period of 6 months and all showed a significant increase in general health.  This is encouraging for those that struggle with problems like CFS, since medically this can only be treated with drugs that simply cover up the symptoms, while creating other problems due to long-term side effects.  However, if your spine, especially C1, is subluxated or "out of sync," the nerve dysfunction which results can have far-reaching effects, especially if the problem persists for a long period.  For most people, subluxations are the result of trauma, but the effects are not always felt immediately.  So it is essential to have a chiropractic examination of your spine after any sort of trauma, physical or emotional, as the effects can be stored in your nervous system for years before you become aware of symptoms.

http://uppercervicalsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2012_1226_cfs.aspx

Avoid Sitting When Exercising

Sitting forces your spine to be unnaturally passive, which is a main reason why sitting is bad for your health and well-being.  Our spines are designed to be mobile, dynamic, flexible, and resilient.  With the increasing prevalence of vehicles, computers, and TV's, many people spend most of their days sitting.  Unfortunately, many people also exercise while sitting or lying down, which simply does not help, since your spine thrives on motion.  By exercising while standing, your nerve receptors, spinal joints, and the hundreds of surrounding ligaments and muscles are activated to support you and thereby strengthen your back.  And apparently, you also burn 3 times more energy when you're standing, in comparison to sitting.  If you enjoy cycling, make sure the rest of your exercise routine does not involve sitting or lying.  So stay on you feet and give your spine and legs what they yearn for.  As your spinal column strengthens, your whole body will feel the benefits.

For more information:
http://news.discovery.com/human/is-sitting-the-new-smoking-120301.html
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/how-sitting-too-much-could-shorten-your-life
http://healthland.time.com/2012/07/10/get-up-sitting-less-can-add-years-to-your-life/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/22400-standing-exercises/