L-O-V-E Your Spine
It’s that time of year again when our stores, schools, and workplaces are flooded with candy hearts, flowers, love notes and teddy bears. Valentine’s Day is upon us. We thought it would be fitting to put our own spin on it and celebrate ValenSPINES’s Day.
Okay, we know it’s cheesy but please bear with us.
We wanted to offer you some real-life tips on how to ‘Love your Spine’. Of course, this isn’t a once a year event but more so, habit-forming behaviour that naturally becomes a part of a daily lifestyle.
As the Chiropractors at Thrive, we practice what we preach and get adjusted weekly to ensure that we can show up and serve our community to the highest standard of health.
Here are our 5 Tips to L-O-V-E your Spine:
1. Move It
Motion is lotion.
Make sure you are engaging in activities that keep you mobile and energized. It doesn’t have to be a 2-hour workout at the gym, a personal training session or a group fitness class. There is nothing wrong with these methods of movement but for some people it may not be feasible. A 15-minute stretch session, a brisk walk during the day, taking the stairs at work, a quick yoga practice or a dance party in your living room all suffice as movement. The key is consistency. Ninety percent of the nutrition to your brain comes from movement of your spine. Move IT people!
2. Support it
Balance is key.
Many jobs have excess sitting or repetitive motions associated with them. This causes micro-injury and predisposes you to early onset arthritis and spinal degeneration. Proper work and home ergonomics are important in preventing injury and repetitive wear and tear. Use desk or counter height that is sufficient to your needs, ensure your computer monitor is at eye level, sit upright in your chair, use a towel or roll in the arch or your back to support your lumbar spine and change positions frequently. Most importantly, keep your body moving while you work as much as possible.
3. Feed It
Food is medicine.
What we eat and drink naturally has a massive impact on how well our body functions. We recommend that each person consumes half their body weight in ounces of water each day. NO… coffee, tea and juice DO NOT count. Sorry Tim’s lovers! Our bodies are made up of 60% water, most of which is within our brain, organ and musculoskeletal systems. Your diet is also a large contributor to creating a healthy body. Consuming whole, organic (whenever possible), nutritious foods is what provides your cells with the nourishment they need to Thrive. Avoid sugary, processed and genetically modified foods, as they have a large amount of toxins that contribute to poor health outcomes.
4. Rest It
‘R n R’ is just what the Doctor ordered.
Rest is absolutely essential in the rejuvenation of our tissues and reduction in our stress levels. A good mattress definitely helps. Sleep is the most powerful way to restore the body. It’s also prime time for healing and repair to take place. Unfortunately, in our busy lives, it’s the first thing that gets cut short. Adults should get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. More for children and teenagers. Try to keep your sleep cycles as regular as possible and reduce screen time 30-60 minutes prior to bedtime. This allows your brain to prepare for a deeper and more restful sleep. Add in a vacation once in a while and your life will have more balance.
5. Adjust It
Structure dictates function.
Chiropractic is a natural method of strengthening the function of your body. Misalignments in your spine impair the communication pathway between your brain and your body. This miscommunication effects every cell, tissue and organ in your body and can contribute to poor immune, digestive and biomechanical outcomes. Often times, these misalignments DO NOT produce pain symptoms.
Chiropractic adjustments restore proper movement patterns and enhance your brain to body connection. We recommend regular check-ups to restore the balance of the body so that your health can flourish.
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You deserve to Thrive!