Do you ever experience back pain?

Lately I’ve observed that more and more people are talking about their back pain.

A physician friend of mine told me that more than 80 per cent of adults will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.

Then we started discussing what people can do in their HOMES to help alleviate back pain.

That’s the kind of discussion I enjoy because it produces solutions and options so that you can be proactive in your own care.

Here’s what we came up with!

1. Use reclining furniture.

Many physicians and chiropractors recommend sitting in a reclined position to help alleviate back pain. You want to support your back and lumbar spine. Reclining does a better job of taking away strain from your back compared to sitting up straight or lying flat on the floor.

2. Get a good bed.

This is a huge topic in and of itself but is also a key to alleviating back pain. A good firmness is important, and if you can’t get a new mattress but know that yours is not supporting you properly, get a foam topper.

3. Take a look at the heights of your tables.

Stay away from trendy bar-height tables that don’t allow you to anchor your feet. Sitting at these tables can put added strain on your back and require extra effort when you get up or sit down.

4. Do you have a nice deep tub in your house?

Moist heat is often recommended for back pain. Soaking in a deep warm tub, or better yet, using whirlpool jets, can provide soothing relief. Keep the jet setting low so that you feel like you’re getting a gentle massage.

5. While hard wood floors are beautiful, it’s better support to have carpet or padded area rugs.

Over the years when I’ve had wooden floors in my home I’ve purchased carpet remnants and foam padding and had them fitted to the floor space I wanted to cover. This has worked well. I also prefer to have carpeted stairs and find it easier to practice good posture going up and down stairs when they are carpeted.

6. When you have back pain it’s a good idea to organize your space in a way that doesn’t make you REACH too much.

Store heavier items as well as the things you use most often at arm level so that you avoid the strain that comes from bending or lifting.

Yes, these 6 pointers may seem like common sense, but sometimes we don’t see the changes we can make in our own living spaces.

And of course, as a movement coach I’d be very remiss if I didn’t mention that things like your posture and how you move have a HUGE influence on the health of your spine and back.

So don’t forget that you don’t need to suffer with back pain.

There are a lot of options for self care but I thought looking inside your home for changes you can make was worth focusing on.  Hope you did, too!

shelli

Is drinking milk and eating dairy products a mistake?

The answer can be confusing.

You’ll be better able to decide for yourself when you have accurate information, so let’s see if we can get clear on some Milk Matters!

Here are some points to consider:

1. When looking around the globe for countries that drink high quantities of milk, look no further than the United States. Americans drink the most milk.

They also top another list by having the highest rate of osteoporosis.

One thing that contributes to the high rate of osteoporosis is that pasteurization makes much of the calcium found in milk unusable by your body. Remember that pasteurization (heating milk to high temperatures) is supposed to kill off all sorts of harmful things like bacteria and molds, but it also changes the natural health benefits of milk products as well.

2. Do you suffer from lactose intolerance? If not, you likely know someone who does. Milk comes with its own digestive enzymes that will allow you to properly digest it. However, when milk is pasteurized those enzymes are destroyed, making it difficult to digest. This is what leads to lactose intolerance.

The benefits from milk come from consuming it in its most natural state (unpasteurized). Some states in the United States do allow milk to be sold as raw milk. California is one such state.

Milk is BEST left in its natural state. If you’ve never tasted raw milk, it really is a different product altogether from what we think of as “milk.”

It’s also important to remember that in order for cows to produce the quantities of milk the farmers need, the cows are given excess amounts of growth hormones.

While the topic of dairy farming is too big a topic to cover in this article, it’s not hard to imagine that all these excess hormones, as well as any antibiotics given to the cows when they get sick, end up in their bloodstream.

And guess what?

The hormones and antibiotics also end up in the milk that comes from these cows.

Not a pleasant thought, is it?

Many people are still caught up in the idea that to get enough calcium they NEED to drink milk. If you are one of them then here’s what you need to know.

First, remember that much of the calcium is not absorbed by your body when it comes from milk that’s been treated by pasteurization.

It’s better to get your calcium from foods such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, sardines and salmon.

Cows eat grass and that’s where their calcium comes from, so eating your leafy greens will give you your calcium too!

Afraid of getting osteoporosis?

Exercise will do you MUCH more good than drinking milk.

Make it weight bearing exercise because putting stress on your skeletal system helps it stay strong and healthy.

So here are some actionable steps to take:

1. Strength train regularly.

2. If and when you consume dairy use raw milk products. If you can’t find raw ones then purchase ones that are certified organic so that they are free of hormones and antibiotics.

3. Get your calcium from food sources like leafy greens and fish.

If you plan to consume milk and dairy products, use these guidelines and make the wisest choices possible!

shelli

Have you ever thought:

It’s my genetics! That’s why I’m overweight, obsessive compulsive and/or can’t stay away from chocolate?

Come on now, be honest.

I don’t know one woman, including myself, who hasn’t thought that from time to time.

Is there such a thing as genetic destiny? It depends.

You may find this message will take more than a minute to read. I firmly believe that an educated woman makes better choices, so please read on while we take a closer look at this topic.

Since 2003 and the Human Genome project, people have become more aware of thinking about certain genes and what they do.

You’ve likely read about BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These two are the most well known for their association with breast and ovarian cancer.

Mutations of genes contribute to disease, not the genes themselves.

Think about it like this.

Say a rotten tree falls on your house and crushes the roof. Does that mean that trees cause roof damage?

Nope.

It means that trees with disease may fall and may cause damage.

If the tree is healthy, all is good.

Point is that malfunctioning genes can cause things to go wrong…..but not 100% of the time.

It’s likely, but not inevitable, that malfunctioning genes will increase disease or other abnormalities.

A few years ago a gene was discovered in relation to diabetes.

If that gene was mutated at a specific spot, it increased the likelihood of you having more fat. Researchers named the gene “fat mass and obesity” (FTO) associated gene, which is unfortunate because it’s not the function of the gene, but rather what happens when the gene doesn’t work.

If you found these FTO genes and they were the mutated ones, then on average you’d weigh 6.6 pounds more than someone with “normal” genes.

So is that it?

If someone has abnormal FTO genes then they’re doomed to have more fat and nothing can be done?

Actually no — there is something that can be done.

Three guesses???? If you’re interested in the study I’ve read, here’s the link.

Rampersaud E, et al. Physical activity and the association of common FTO gene variants with body mass index and obesity. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Sep 8;168(16):1791-7.

Here’s what you need to know from the study.

Everybody had blood taken to be tested for different versions of the FTO gene. BMI, body composition (using dual x-ray absorptiometry, aka DEXA) and waist circumference were also measured. Researchers measured physical activity by having each participant wear an accelerometer for 7 days straight (24 hours/day). An accelerometer measures how often and how fast people move.

The question: Is there a connection between fat (obesity), mutations in the FTO gene and physical activity? YES!

The only connection between obesity and this gene mutation was at low activity levels.

Please read that again!!

So obesity and BMI can be correlated to specific genetic FTO mutation, but in two of the three cases (mutations) physical activity levels can overcome this connection.

Meaning, if you were INACTIVE and had a mutation in your FTO gene, then you are giving yourself the best chance of being obese.

By changing your FTO gene – a little difficult – or increasing your activity level–much easier to do- you can decrease your chance of becoming obese.

You may be asking yourself: Isn’t physical activity good for everybody?

Yes.

So why bother with the genetic testing?

Good question.

It comes down to how much physical activity you need — if you have one version of the gene you could be less active and maintain normal body weight, but if you have the other version you will have to increase your activity to do the same.

Nature versus nurture—it’s an age old question.

Does nature (genetics) affect who you are? Of course.

Does nurture (environment) affect who you are? Of course.

Both affect each other and who you are. Nature may increase your likelihood of having extra fat.

What’s your ace in the hole?

Changing your environment by being physically active!

I hope you’ve gotten some genetic insights and that you’ll pass along this information to other woman.

It still amazes me how it all comes down to choices, so choose wisely and live well!

shelli

Healthy skin reflects outer beauty and inner health.

Treat your skin both inside and out to create a glowing complexion.

Internally, you can nourish your skin through good nutrition and positive lifestyle changes. Taking healthy nutrients into your body is the best way to keep skin healthy.

Vitamins A, E, and C improve the synthesis of collagen. Vitamin CoQ10 promotes collagen production. Anti-oxidants remove free-radicals that damage skin cells.

Why is collagen important?

Skin is made of collagen and elastin. These are elastic fibers that relax as we age, causing wrinkles.

To rebuild collagen eat foods high in vitamins and anti-oxidants. Since moisture is important, drink plenty of water each day.

Buttermilk and coconut oil are very good for your skin and are often used in moisturizers.

Almond oil contains fatty acids that are good for your skin, which is why you find it in many skin care products.

Lavender tightens skin with natural tannins and grape seed extract is a strong anti-oxidant that protects collagen and forms more elastic skin cells.

Consider this information as you go through your day, when making your choices about what to eat and how to take care of your skin.

shelli