Feel Great!! Make a "Not to do List"

Hi there!

You have to sometimes give yourself permission to r-e-l-a-x.....

Sometimes we all need to take a little "time out". I tend to run around a lot then need some time and space to just "be" and gather myself...then I find I am more productive and effective. I also need to be careful not to get too stressed as that invariably starts that niggle in my back indicating to me that I am overdoing it. My back now seems to be a barometer for me not to overdo it!!

I am also a big one for making lists of things to do and I do that at work and at home. Presently I have huge to do lists for both!!

When I get a bit overwhelmed I find my lists keep me knowing what is needing to be done. However, I think they also put some pressure on as they sit there until ticked off. If you have back and sciatic pain it may well take you longer to achieve the things you need or want to do, simply because you are dealing with pain, tiredness, lack of mobility....etc

Then I came across  an idea about having a "Not to do list". What a fun way of giving yourself permission of not having to do things-ideal for those time out times. Wonderful if you have back and sciatic pain and need a little or a lot of time to relax, rest and recupurate...without the guilt.

Just imagine instead of feeling guilty about all those things on your "to do" list, how wonderful it will be to tick off all those items on the "not to do" list and feel good!!



If you liked this post do consider joining our Facebook Page Sciatica Solutions.


For useful information and suggestions there is a Free Back Pain Book Written by the Healthy back Institute-

7 Day Back Pain Cure
This free book (there is a small shipping/handling fee for physical book) will give you a good starting point for taking back control of your back pain covering reasons for pain, pain relief, possible treatments, action plans and many other things you will find useful. Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

Goldie and Me...

It is the anniversary of the passing of our gorgeous, big hearted, golden hearted golden retriever boy.

We shared so much in the short ten and a half years we lived our lives with him. I can completely vouch for the saying " Its a Goldens World, we just live in it"

From the second he walked in the door our lives changed...for the better. I was never happier than when we were a little family with our Golden boy. Beautiful walks, silly antics, laughing until our sides ached, never ending hoovering, the love of a wet dog....the gracious paw offered to make it all better when I was feeling sad...

Though we had our fair share of trials during this time, some of them very harsh, he helped us during those times too in ways only he could.

FUN was his word! Well that and FOOD :)

I wrote a memorial tribute to our "little man in a golden suit" if you would like to meet our golden boy. Paws In The Sand  

Taking some time out for reflection....

Take Control Of Arthritis And Get Your Life Back

Take control of Arthritis, and Get Your Life Back

Article courtesy of The Healthy Back Institute.


Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don't want to move... that's what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that's 1 out of every 5 people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease we need to dive deeper into its root cause.

Some of the types of arthritis which are associated with inflammation include:

* rheumatoid arthritis
* gout
* tendinitis
* bursitis
* polymyalgia rheumatica

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis actually means joint (arthr) inflammation (itis).

Arthritis can be used to define a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints or any part of your body.

Additionally, it can damage the joint cartilage which can lead to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that can interfere and, in severe cases, limit a person's ability to perform most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Arthritis can affect anyone regardless of age and most commonly affects joints in the knees, hips, hands and spine. If left undiagnosed and not treated properly, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints, bones, organs, and skin. Not to mention dramatically impair your quality of life.

Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and the bones but it is also considered to be systemic, affecting the whole body. Arthritis can cause damage to any bodily organ or system, including the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, skin and even the heart.

The Arthritis Foundation sites two independent studies (Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota) both of which prove that the widespread inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is linked to heart disease and an increased risk of early death.

Click here to learn more about how to ease your pain and cool inflammation with Heal-n-Soothe

No one really knows the exact cause of arthritis but there are certain risk factors to keep in mind:

* Genetics - likely to contribute to risk but no one knows how much.
* Age - the older you are the more at risk you become.
* Weight - maintaining a healthy weight will ease the load on the joints.
* Previous Injury - major injuries are likely to contribute to risk.
* Occupational Hazards - repetitive, high demand jobs increase risk.
* Certain Sports - high level, high demand sports can contribute to arthritis
(however, general exercise is always a plus)
* Illness or infection - an infection in the joint or gout can lead to arthritis.


What we do know is that when you have arthritis your immune system goes into over-drive and causes the joints to swell and become inflamed. Therefore, treating the inflammation becomes key in managing the pain and discomfort associated with this condition.

Sadly enough, the Arthritis Foundation reports that half of those Americans with arthritis don't believe anything can be done to help ease their pain. You may be in that situation yourself, having thrown your hands up in frustration and simply decided to live with your pain. The good news is that by reducing the inflammation you can significantly ease the painful symptoms associated with arthritis.

Here are a few ways to reduce your inflammation:

* Exercise - less weight equals less stress on joints
* Diet - Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products; limit sugar, salt and fat (especially saturated fat found in animal products)
* Rest - a good balance between rest and activity is the key to joint health
* Over-the-counter and prescription medications - while these may provide temporary relief by masking the pain they are not always get to the root of the problem - inflammation. They can also have serious side effects, especially with long-term use.
* Natural anti-inflammatory supplements - probably the most promising natural approach to reducing inflammation in a long while. We recommend looking for supplements containing systemic enzymes and all-natural herbal ingredients.


By taking these simple steps to reducing inflammation you will be well on your way to managing your arthritis pain and it devastating effects on your mind and body. Everyone should strive to achieve a healthy and active lifestyle for optimal health and wellbeing.
Finally... A Safe, Effective, All Natural Pain Reliever

Click here to learn more about how to ease your pain and cool inflammation with Heal-n-Soothe

Dan Monahan had reached the point where he was willing to try anything - anything to ease the constant pain and inflammation in his leg.

He could no longer walk. Even standing was uncomfortable. His doctor gave him several prescription medicines but nothing helped. Pain was ruining his life.

When Dan saw an ad for this natural pain reliever, he was skeptical. How could this product work when every prescription his doctor gave him hadn't? But he decided to give it a try. Let Dan tell you what happened:

"Was I pleasantly surprised! After only 2 to 3 days on the activation dose, I noticed reduced inflammation and less pain in my leg."

After just three weeks, Dan started walking again. This all natural product worked for Dan when all of his prescription drugs hadn't.

You can relieve your constant, burning pain when prescription drugs no longer work – just like Dan did – with Heal-n-Soothe.That's because Heal-n-Soothe works differently than prescription drugs. Here's how:

Prescription drugs reduce inflammation by switching off important compounds your body needs. Many are vital to your health.

Eventually, you may need more drugs to get the same relief. Or worse, you experience dangerous side effects caused by drugs that are supposed to help you feel better.

Heal-n-Soothe works with nature by adding more of the enzymes that naturally reduce inflammation. With Heal-n-Soothe, your body has everything it needs to repair and renew your muscles and joints. You have less pain as a result - with no life threatening side effects.

So if you're in constant pain and prescription drugs no longer help, don't wait another second.

Click here to learn more about how to ease your pain and cool inflammation with Heal-n-Soothe

If you liked this post do consider joining our Facebook Page Sciatica Solutions.



Lose The Back Pain System
Lose the Back Pain, is a system of self assessments to determine what physical imbalances you may have that may be causing your pain, then specific and targeted exercises to follow to address the imbalances, along with pain reduction strategies. 

For useful information and suggestions there is a Free Back Pain Book Written by the Healthy back Institute-

7 Day Back Pain Cure
This free book (there is a small shipping/handling fee for physical book) will give you a good starting point for taking back control of your back pain covering reasons for pain, pain relief, possible treatments, action plans and many other things you will find useful. Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

Just Don't Quit!

I have known about this poem for many years but forgotton about it until I went "stumbling " today and found it on this website The Dont Quit Poem.

 

I think it is very apt for anyone dealing with back and sciatic pain and all the things we have to go through. I wish I knew who wrote it but from what I can find it is anon.

 

It is important to never give up looking for your solution and to "keep on keeping on" as my Auntie used to say...

 

I was sooooo close to giving up and resigning myself to a life of limited mobility. Everyone else(apart from my husband) had pretty much given up on me ever getting better.

 

Even professionals told me it was accept surgery with a long recuperation and no guarentees or learn to live with it.

 

So after a period of total inaction I decided to get grateful for what I did have and in the game again and with a much better,clearer and more proactive mental attitude, determined to find another way....

So I hope this is a little bit of inspiration for you if you are going through a tough time right now.

 

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown

If you liked this post do consider joining our Facebook Page Sciatica Solutions.



For useful information and suggestions there is a Free Back Pain Book Written by the Healthy back Institute-

7 Day Back Pain Cure
This free book (there is a small shipping/handling fee for physical book) will give you a good starting point for taking back control of your back pain covering reasons for pain, pain relief, possible treatments, action plans and many other things you will find useful. Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.

Is Office Work Causing Your Back Pain?

Hi there,
Today I want to show you this article by Jesse Cannone of The Healthy Back Institute talking about back pain at work or specifically if you work in an office environment.

People often think an office environment is going to be easy on your body, after all there is no hard physical work. However prolonged periods of sitting, computer work and lack of movement can be as bad for your back and if you already have back pain and sciatica you need to take extra care of your back at work.

As an office worker myself spending a lot of time in meetings, computer work and also doing a lot of driving, I am very aware of the stresses on my back so this article is well worth reading, especially the Action Points.Back Pain at the Office

By Jesse Cannone, CPT, CPRS

It's getting to be so bad that by Monday afternoon, you're already tired of being at the office. You're not even thinking as far ahead as Friday. Just getting to hump day is going to be challenge enough.

In reality, it's not the folks you work with who are getting you down - they're tolerable, mostly, although there is that one guy in accounting. Where do they find these people?

It's not even your boss, who, if he knew even half as much as you do, would be a shoo-in for Executive of the Year.

No, the biggest pain in your neck is actually located a bit lower. And it's really what's making working where you do seem a lot worse than it actually is.

Face it. It's your aching back that's sucking the joy out of your nine-to-five existence and making you feel 10 years older to boot.

Sure, you've learned to tolerate the bad coffee, pointless meetings, and lame jokes in the course of your day. But you just can't tough it out when it comes to back pain, which can range from dull, nagging aches to those unexpected twinges that feel like you've been hit with a taser gun.

If it's any consolation, you're not alone. More than 31 million Americans have low back pain at any given time. The bad news about back pain is that it not only lives with you all day at the office but it also comes home with you at night. It may even dog your weekends.

How do you develop pain?

If you are experiencing back pain at the office, you may think that it is coming from all the sitting, standing, and lifting that you have to do. And, indirectly, it does. But it is actually more about how the body has to adapt to all the sitting, standing, and lifting than the activity itself. Let's take sitting as an example.

Because of the amount of time you spend sitting, your body must gradually adapt itself to that position. This happens in a number of ways. The first thing it must adapt to is how the weight goes through your hips and pelvis. Then, there is the way you sit - upright, slouching, or something in between. Most importantly, it's what happens to the muscles while you're sitting. For example, your hip flexors will get tight from being in a shortened position and your butt will get weak and flabby from being in a relaxed state.

That simple combination of tight hip flexors and weak glutes is called a "muscle imbalance." The result of these muscle imbalances will be postural dysfunctions of your pelvis and spine. These imbalances send both your spine and pelvis into abnormal positions, the combination of which can be devastating to a person with a healthy back and catastrophic for a person suffering from any form of back pain.

What can you do about it?

What you must also understand is that your imbalances are the result of what you do in your everyday life - your workouts, sitting, the activities of your job, and your own personal habits. I'm not going to tell you to stop going to work. But what if you changed the way you present yourself at your desk?

Instead of sitting at your desk, try kneeling. I kneel at least 30 percent of the time I spend at my desk. I have a small foam pad that puts me just high enough to type and see the monitor. I sit on a therapy ball - and guess what? I don't sit still like my momma told me to. I move my hips in every direction, which means I'm working on my core balance all day long.

Action steps to take

Sitting
When I sit, I sit with my legs in all different positions - sometimes bent, sometimes behind me, other times stretched out in front or even to the side of me, keep the legs moving.

Every 10 minutes or so, I will work my body in some way - and, yes, that includes walking away from my desk. But more than that, I make it a habit to stand up when the phone rings. I also stand when I have to read something or when I'm rearranging the stack of stuff on my desk for greater productivity.

Standing
If your job requires you to stand all day long, be sure you have quality footwear and a neutral shoe insert. Our body mechanics start when our feet hit the ground. It is best if your feet are in the most neutral position possible.

One negative body pattern that many people fall into is to continually shift their weight from one foot to the other. The problem with this is that most people find eventually decide that one leg will be more comfortable than the other, and then that leg will get most of the weight most of the time. This will wreak havoc on the pelvis and spine. Better to put equal on each foot as much as you can, and learn to correct when you catch yourself shifting your weight or leaning on one leg too much.

Lifting
A third obstacle on the job can be situations where you have to lift anything over 10 pounds repeatedly. Again, it's not the activity itself that puts you in jeopardy; it's your body's inability to tolerate the stress of the weight. In other words, you should be able to lift anything you want to and not have any difficulty doing it. The problem occurs when your body is suffering from the muscle imbalances and postural dysfunctions that we talked about earlier - and you don't even know it.

So, when you lift that object and you get injured, think of it as the straw that broke the camels' back. Your body was already in a compromised state, and it just needed that last bit of stress to send you in to a painful condition.

Stress
It's an unavoidable fact of life at the office, and it can also play a role by causing your muscles to tense up, which makes you more prone to injury. Stress also lowers your tolerance for pain. In some cases, minimizing stress on the job can be a daunting task, but deep-breathing exercises, walking around the block, or even talking about your frustrations with a trusted friend can help.

In closing, I want to leave you with this message: Even though the workplace can be a hazard to your health, if you do find yourself having back pain, remember that your thoughts and your beliefs about your situation will have a direct impact on your ability to recover and how fast you recover. That's why it's critical to learn all you can about your condition and take action as soon as you can...

If you liked this post do consider joining our Facebook Page Sciatica Solutions.



Lose The Back Pain System
Lose the Back Pain, is a system of self assessments to determine what physical imbalances you may have that may be causing your pain, then specific and targeted exercises to follow to address the imbalances, along with pain reduction strategies. 

For useful information and suggestions there is a Free Back Pain Book Written by the Healthy back Institute-

7 Day Back Pain Cure
This free book (there is a small shipping/handling fee for physical book) will give you a good starting point for taking back control of your back pain covering reasons for pain, pain relief, possible treatments, action plans and many other things you will find useful. Follow Jasmine Ann Raintree's board Back And Sciatic Pain Strategies. on Pinterest.