Bugged by Back Pain?

It’s been a while since my last blog, as I tend to want to write about issues that seem relevant to me at the time for whatever reason, (rather than plucking subjects out of thin air). Currently, it’s the issue of lower back pain. It’s all around me at the moment. I often meet people who suffer from back pain and it can be caused by anything from bad shoes to bad posture. There are lots of lifestyle-related causes as well as medical reasons.

Not only are my clients complaining about back tension, but so are my friends and colleagues. Furthermore I too am discovering first hand that standing around for extensive periods can cause a little back pain. I must be getting old.

It’s hard to be constantly aware of one’s posture 24/7, especially when one naturally wants to slouch. However, once that tightness settles in, it’s certainly the only thing that occupies the mind!  

Some people recommend generally wearing better shoes and I of course recommend some affective deep tissue treatment, but should these solutions be impractical for you, here are some good simple DIY excercises from www.physioadvisor.com that I personally find affective. Also, rather than repeating the exercises as many times as they recommended, my suggestion is doing fewer repetitions and holding the stretches for longer (always remembering to breathe into the stretches. It's ultimately up to you. Do as many as you feel comfortable with.

These stretches are designed to restore flexibility to the joints and muscles of the lower back. If you are injured, you should discuss the suitability of these stretches with a Doctor...of course!

Lower Back Stretches – Basic Exercises

Rotation in Lying 

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and together. Gently take both knees from side to side as far as possible pain-free. Repeat 10 - 20 times.

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Prone on Elbows 

Begin lying on your stomach, then gently prop yourself up onto your forearms, keeping your back relaxed. Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly lower yourself down flat. Repeat 10 times provided the exercise is pain-free.

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Knees to Chest 

Lie on your back, knees bent. Take both knees towards your chest using your hands until you feel a mild to moderate stretch, pain-free. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.

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Side Flexion in Standing 

Begin standing tall, back straight, hands by your sides. Gently lean to one side, sliding your hand down the outside of your thigh as far as possible pain-free. Repeat 10 times to each side.

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Lower Back Stretches – Advanced Exercises

Extension in Lying 

Begin lying on your stomach with your hands in the press up position as demonstrated. Gently straighten your elbows, letting your back fall into an arch. Keep your back relaxed. Straighten your elbows as far as possible pain-free. Repeat 10 times. 

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Natural Healing | Massage Therapy | Yoga Massage by Joey George Brighton/London 

 www.theoilstudio.co.uk

  

EAT THIN & AGE WELL

It's a sensitive subject (getting fat). I've never been overweight though I noticed as I hit my 30s that I had developed a slight pouch under my naval. Us skinny folk can get a little cocky sometimes it's true. My immediate reaction was to lose the pouch and so I did. Oooh I make it sound so easy but in reality it wasn't difficult. But then I would never prove to my Mother and many others right by getting fat in my "old age". So why do I and other skinny folk stay thin easier than most?

Oh dear, poor girl needs a hot meal. Ok so this is a bad example.

In order to understand keeping thin (and healthy-looking) we need to insert a little science I'm afraid.

Rapid weight accumulation to the hips, thighs and vital organs such as the liver and our heart occurs when our body can’t handle processing sugars and starches.

When our blood sugar levels rise the hormone INSULIN comes along and converts that excess sugar into stored FAT. The more sugar we consume, the more FAT you’re gonna store. Especially if we’re not metabolizing it fast enough as a fuel source. Eeeek!  But INSULIN stops another amazing hormone called GLUCAGON from doing its job and you’re gonna like what it does; GLUCAGON stimulates a fat burning enzyme called HLS which “shrinks” fat cells. It breaks them down so that it can be burned off as energy.

How do I produce more of this magical hormone?!

Your body will naturally do all the work as long as you keep your sugar levels in check!

By cutting back your consumption of sugars and starches, we enable GLUCAGON to be secreted.

If you couple that with exercise and a healthier diet, the fat’s going to come off and stay off.

Don't Punish yourself!

Quitting bad habits/foods cold turkey for most is too hard. Trying to lose weight through will-power alone is not fun, but eating well doesn’t mean your diet has to be bland. If you’re not keen on vegetables taking over your plate for dinner...remember there are hundreds of vegetables out there. You’re bound to like one. I personally hate mixed salad leaves. They are a chore to eat and they’re on every dish as garnish because even the Chef understands their low worth and there’s a reason why we throw dressing all over it. It’s BORING. Also increase your protein intake to help you feel full. Carbs help us feel good after we eat. Hence the term comfort food...so you need to feel full. Starving yourself will just force you to snack on BAD THINGS.

 Well I figured if I inserted a pic of a doughnut you'd just want a doughnut.

Take some time to sample what nature has to offer. There is literally a shed load of things I’m betting you’ve never tried. For example you might hate mushrooms but do you hate EVERY mushroom? Do you even know how many edible varieties there are and the different ways to prepare them? Probably not and even if you did, can you say that you’ve tried every one? Probably not so open your minds to healthy and delicious foods.

 

THE SIMPLE RULE IS:

If you can HUNT IT, PLUCK IT, FISH IT or PICK IT...it deserves a place on your plate, prepared with consideration. Just don’t deep-fat-fry it or pour syrup all over it ... as tempting as it may seem and avoid processed foods! Remember we are not cutting out, we are cutting back.

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AGE WELL

So what we consume can sometimes produce nasty free radicals which do our cells damage in the long term and lead to a variety of degenerative diseases etc, however certain chemicals behave as antioxidants which mop up these free radical.

 Carol Vorderman embraces aging well and is famous for consuming ingredients that keep her feeling good inside and looking good outside. Carol however, doesn't mind if it tastes a bit naff.

Where can we find antioxidants?

Well there are many sources but I’ll mention just a few (the tastier, more attractive ones):

Look for Blue/Purple Pigments...

Blue/Purple fruits and veg get their colour from pigments or phytochemicals called Anthocyanins (don't worry about how to pronounce it) which are powerful antioxidants! Generally speaking, the darker the blue or purple the hue, the higher the phytochemical concentration. Anthocyanins promote healthy aging! They support healthy blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease by preventing unnatural clot formations, improve memory function and lower risk of cancer.

Examples: Blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, figs, juneberries, plums, prunes, purple grapes, raisins.

Red/Pink fruits and veg...

 

These contain the phytochemical Lycopene, which is also a powerful antioxidant. Red fruits and veg contain certain flavonoids, which can reduce inflammation. Cranberries, an often-overlooked red fruit that contains anthocyanins, are also a good source of tannins, which protect cells from bacteria.

Examples: Red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink grapefruit, red grapes, red peppers, pomegranates, red potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon, guava.

 

Do what I do, blitz the fuckers in a base juice (e.g. orange) and have a smoothie! Too easy, too delicious and as long as you have a little common sense, hard to screw up!

I'll not provide a recipe...consider this an exercise in creativity. Enjoy.