I want you to be well (physical)

There are safe, natural, drug free ways to improve and optimize your health.  Want more energy?  Want to be healthier?  Want to live longer?  Improve the quality of your life?  Want to encourage immunity?  Want to be pain free?  By incorporating regular chiropractic care with the following simple lifestyle practices you will be setting the stage for a proactive, healthier you over the long haul.

Brain health.  Stimulate the production of nutrients that grow brain cells by performing these brain re-educating tasks.  Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.  Style your hair, button your clothes with your non-dominant hand.  With your eyes closed try to identify different denominations of coins.  At dinnertime, have everyone switch seats.  Read aloud to your partner.  Say thank you; say hello; say goodbye, don’t miss an opportunity to become more social.

Car.  The seat back should be straight up and down, perpendicular to the seat bottom.  Your left foot should rest on the dead pedal.  Your right foot should reach the brake and gas pedals without stretching your legs.  Both hands are positioned equally on the steering wheel at 10 and 2 o’clock.  Avoid hanging your arm on the window or arm rests.

Couch.  Do not lie on a couch, especially with your head propped on the armrest.

Ice.  Ice may reduce pain, inflammation, spasm.  Apply ice to the affected area for 15 minutes.  Do this every hour for the first 24 hours.  Then apply the ice to the affected area for 15 minutes every 3 hours for the next 24 hours.  Thereafter apply ice to the affected area for 15 minutes 4 times per day.

Lifting.  Bend at your knees, not from your waist.  Your feet should be shoulder width apart.  Hold the weight close to your body.  Lift with your legs.  Keep your back straight.

Sitting.  Sit with your back against the chair.  Do not cross your legs, except at the ankles.  Your hips and knees should be level and parallel to the floor.  Your spine should be vertical, with your ears and shoulders directly over your hips.
 
Sleeping.  Never sleep on your stomach.  Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees.  Or sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees.  Do not sleep with more than 1 pillow under your head.  Do not read in bed and do not watch TV in bed as this pushes your chin to your chest.  

Standing.  Stand as erect as possible with your shoulders and ears directly over your hips when viewed from the side.  Try to balance your body weight equally from right to left.  Keep your feet flat on the floor with your body weight equally distributed across your entire foot.

Walking.  Walking reduces the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer and reduces pain.  Aim to walk 60 minutes per day, 7 days a week.  Every week add 5 minutes to your walk until you are walking 60 minutes per day, 7 days per week.  FYI:  The average walking stride is 2.5 feet long.  It takes approximately 2,000 steps to walk a mile.