27 Eylül 2012 Perşembe
Happiness Is a Focused Mind
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By Jenifer Goodwin
HealthDay ReporterIf you want to be happy, try to stay focused.New research shows that when people’s minds drifted from the task or activity at hand, they reported being less happy than when they were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.The human mind is uniquely capable of wandering — that is, to ponder things that have happened, to anticipate things that will happen, and to plan for things that might happen, explained study author Matthew Killingsworth, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard University. The ability is one of the traits that makes human beings human, he noted.Yet, cognitive wandering comes at a cost, which is that when people are thinking about something other than what they’re doing, they feel less happy, the researchers discovered.“Human beings seem to have this unique capacity to focus on the non-present. They have the ability to reflect on the past, plan for the future and imagine things that might never occur,” Killingsworth said. “But at the same time, human beings are clumsy users of this capacity and it tends to decrease, rather than increase, happiness.”In the study, 2,250 participants were prompted at random times throughout the day using an iPhone Web application. They were asked how they were feeling, what they were doing, if they were thinking about something other than what they were doing and whether whatever they were contemplating was pleasant (say, daydreaming about a vacation), unpleasant (perhaps worrying about a relationship or finances) or neutral in nature.According to the study, participants spent nearly 47 percent of their waking hours with their mind in a wandering state. “This study shows that our mental lives are pervaded, to a remarkable degree, by the non-present,” Killingsworth said.That is, with one notable exception. When describing what they were doing, participants could choose from 22 activities, including walking, eating, shopping, watching TV, commuting and working.The only activity during which people seemed to be quite good at staying on task mentally was while making love. During sex, only 10 percent of people reported wandering thoughts.Generally, people also reported being the happiest when making love, exercising or conversing. They said they were least happy when resting or sleeping, working or using a home computer.When it came to what they were thinking about, 42.5 percent thought of pleasant topics, 26.5 percent thought of unpleasant topics, while 31 percent were thinking neutral thoughts.And while people who were thinking of pleasant things were happier than people thinking of unpleasant things, even those thinking happy thoughts were less happy than people who were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.The study is published in the Nov. 12 issue of Science.In some ways, the research provides scientific evidence of what many self-help books and some religious traditions espouse, which is that being in the “here and now” is critical for happiness, Killingsworth said.Participants were from 83 counties, a wide range of occupations and ranged in age from 18 to 88.Barbara Becker Holstein, a psychologist and “happiness coach” in Long Branch, N.J., said the findings speak to the importance of doing things that provide a sense of purpose and meaning. Such activities make it easier to stay focused, Holstein explained.“This research is fabulous and fascinating,” Holstein said. “But long before the research, psychologists and many educators recognized that in order to feel a sense of well-being, you need to feel you have purpose and meaning in life. That means you are containing the mind around certain projects and activities, and are forcing the mind not to be all over the place all day long.”If you feel your mind starting to head down a “dark tunnel” of worry and anxiety, try to snap yourself out of it by bringing your thoughts back to the present, she said.“It’s such a natural tendency to go over bad news or things that haven’t worked out, to dramatize the drama we are already experiencing,” she said. “But if we can distract ourselves by getting involved doing something, we get some distance from whatever we were ruminating on and it’s better for us.”More informationIf you’d like to be part of Harvard’s happiness research project, visittrackyourhappiness.org.SOURCES: Matthew Killingsworth, doctoral candidate, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; Barbara Becker Holstein, Ed.D., psychologist and happiness coach, Long Branch, N.J.; Nov. 12, 2010, ScienceLast Updated: Nov. 11, 2010Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
By Jenifer GoodwinHealthDay ReporterIf you want to be happy, try to stay focused.New research shows that when people’s minds drifted from the task or activity at hand, they reported being less happy than when they were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.The human mind is uniquely capable of wandering — that is, to ponder things that have happened, to anticipate things that will happen, and to plan for things that might happen, explained study author Matthew Killingsworth, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard University. The ability is one of the traits that makes human beings human, he noted.Yet, cognitive wandering comes at a cost, which is that when people are thinking about something other than what they’re doing, they feel less happy, the researchers discovered.“Human beings seem to have this unique capacity to focus on the non-present. They have the ability to reflect on the past, plan for the future and imagine things that might never occur,” Killingsworth said. “But at the same time, human beings are clumsy users of this capacity and it tends to decrease, rather than increase, happiness.”In the study, 2,250 participants were prompted at random times throughout the day using an iPhone Web application. They were asked how they were feeling, what they were doing, if they were thinking about something other than what they were doing and whether whatever they were contemplating was pleasant (say, daydreaming about a vacation), unpleasant (perhaps worrying about a relationship or finances) or neutral in nature.According to the study, participants spent nearly 47 percent of their waking hours with their mind in a wandering state. “This study shows that our mental lives are pervaded, to a remarkable degree, by the non-present,” Killingsworth said.That is, with one notable exception. When describing what they were doing, participants could choose from 22 activities, including walking, eating, shopping, watching TV, commuting and working.The only activity during which people seemed to be quite good at staying on task mentally was while making love. During sex, only 10 percent of people reported wandering thoughts.Generally, people also reported being the happiest when making love, exercising or conversing. They said they were least happy when resting or sleeping, working or using a home computer.When it came to what they were thinking about, 42.5 percent thought of pleasant topics, 26.5 percent thought of unpleasant topics, while 31 percent were thinking neutral thoughts.And while people who were thinking of pleasant things were happier than people thinking of unpleasant things, even those thinking happy thoughts were less happy than people who were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.The study is published in the Nov. 12 issue of Science.In some ways, the research provides scientific evidence of what many self-help books and some religious traditions espouse, which is that being in the “here and now” is critical for happiness, Killingsworth said.Participants were from 83 counties, a wide range of occupations and ranged in age from 18 to 88.Barbara Becker Holstein, a psychologist and “happiness coach” in Long Branch, N.J., said the findings speak to the importance of doing things that provide a sense of purpose and meaning. Such activities make it easier to stay focused, Holstein explained.“This research is fabulous and fascinating,” Holstein said. “But long before the research, psychologists and many educators recognized that in order to feel a sense of well-being, you need to feel you have purpose and meaning in life. That means you are containing the mind around certain projects and activities, and are forcing the mind not to be all over the place all day long.”If you feel your mind starting to head down a “dark tunnel” of worry and anxiety, try to snap yourself out of it by bringing your thoughts back to the present, she said.“It’s such a natural tendency to go over bad news or things that haven’t worked out, to dramatize the drama we are already experiencing,” she said. “But if we can distract ourselves by getting involved doing something, we get some distance from whatever we were ruminating on and it’s better for us.”More informationIf you’d like to be part of Harvard’s happiness research project, visittrackyourhappiness.org.SOURCES: Matthew Killingsworth, doctoral candidate, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; Barbara Becker Holstein, Ed.D., psychologist and happiness coach, Long Branch, N.J.; Nov. 12, 2010, ScienceLast Updated: Nov. 11, 2010Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Good Conversation Can Boost Brain Power, Study Finds
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Friendly discussions with other people can help you solve common life challenges, but conversations that are competitive in tone aren’t helpful, finds a new study.“This study shows that simply talking to other people, the way you do when you’re making friends, can provide mental benefits,” lead author Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist and researcher at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, said in a university news release.In this study of 192 undergraduates, the researchers examined the effect that brief episodes of social contact had on a type of cognition called executive function, which includes working memory, self-monitoring, and the ability to suppress external and internal distractions. These mental processes are essential in dealing with day-to-day problems.Engaging in a short, 10-minute conversation in which they got to know another person helped boost the participants’ performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. But when the conversations had a competitive tone, the participants showed no improvement on the cognitive tasks.The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.“We believe that performance boosts come about because some social interactions induce people to try to read others’ minds and take their perspectives on things,” Ybarra said. “And we also find that when we structure even competitive interactions to have an element of taking the other person’s perspective, or trying to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, there is a boost in executive functioning as a result.”The findings suggest that having a friendly talk with a colleague before a big test or presentation may prove beneficial, according to the researchers.More informationThe U.S. National Center for Learning Disabilities has more aboutexecutive function.– Robert PreidtSOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, Oct. 28, 2010Last Updated: Nov. 04, 2010Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Friendly discussions with other people can help you solve common life challenges, but conversations that are competitive in tone aren’t helpful, finds a new study.“This study shows that simply talking to other people, the way you do when you’re making friends, can provide mental benefits,” lead author Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist and researcher at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, said in a university news release.In this study of 192 undergraduates, the researchers examined the effect that brief episodes of social contact had on a type of cognition called executive function, which includes working memory, self-monitoring, and the ability to suppress external and internal distractions. These mental processes are essential in dealing with day-to-day problems.Engaging in a short, 10-minute conversation in which they got to know another person helped boost the participants’ performance on a variety of cognitive tasks. But when the conversations had a competitive tone, the participants showed no improvement on the cognitive tasks.The study will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.“We believe that performance boosts come about because some social interactions induce people to try to read others’ minds and take their perspectives on things,” Ybarra said. “And we also find that when we structure even competitive interactions to have an element of taking the other person’s perspective, or trying to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, there is a boost in executive functioning as a result.”The findings suggest that having a friendly talk with a colleague before a big test or presentation may prove beneficial, according to the researchers.More informationThe U.S. National Center for Learning Disabilities has more aboutexecutive function.– Robert PreidtSOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, Oct. 28, 2010Last Updated: Nov. 04, 2010Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Whole Grain Fiber Linked to Longer Life
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Eating a diet rich in fiber—especially the kind of fiber found in whole grains—reduces the risk of dying at an early age from a range of causes, a new government study suggests.Fiber’s beneficial effects on heart health have been known for decades, so it wasn’t surprising that eating a lot of fiber was associated with a lower risk of death due to heart attackand heart disease. But fiber intake also appears to lower the risk of dying from respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis) and infectious diseases, the study found.“The benefits of fiber are broader than what had been anticipated or previously studied,” says Frank Hu, MD, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study. Both were published today on the website of the Archives of Internal Medicine.The source of the fiber appears to be critical. Consuming fiber from whole grains was most strongly linked to a lower risk of dying during the study, while fiber from vegetables and beans appeared to have a minimal impact on death risk. The fiber in fruit seemed to offer no protection at all.The study, which was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), also found a link between fiber consumption and a reduced risk of death from cancer, but only in men.“We only see significant effects from whole grains,” says the lead author of the study, Yikyung Park, a researcher in the NCI’s nutritional epidemiology branch. “But we don’t know how this fiber works to improve health.”This unexpected finding suggests that the antioxidants and other nutrients in whole grains—not just the fiber—may be partly responsible for promoting health and long life.“Is the fiber in whole grains truly different? Or are you getting the benefits from [the other nutrients]?” says David Frid, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic who was not involved in the study. “We don’t know.”Park and her colleagues analyzed data on more than half a million AARP members between the ages of 50 and 71 who answered survey questions about their eating habits as part of a nine-year study on diet and health.The participants who reported eating the most fiber—about 30 grams a day for men, and 25 grams a day for women—were 22% less likely to die from any cause during the study than those who consumed the least (about 13 grams and 11 grams for men and women, respectively).Published at: health.com
Eating a diet rich in fiber—especially the kind of fiber found in whole grains—reduces the risk of dying at an early age from a range of causes, a new government study suggests.Fiber’s beneficial effects on heart health have been known for decades, so it wasn’t surprising that eating a lot of fiber was associated with a lower risk of death due to heart attackand heart disease. But fiber intake also appears to lower the risk of dying from respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis) and infectious diseases, the study found.“The benefits of fiber are broader than what had been anticipated or previously studied,” says Frank Hu, MD, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study. Both were published today on the website of the Archives of Internal Medicine.The source of the fiber appears to be critical. Consuming fiber from whole grains was most strongly linked to a lower risk of dying during the study, while fiber from vegetables and beans appeared to have a minimal impact on death risk. The fiber in fruit seemed to offer no protection at all.The study, which was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), also found a link between fiber consumption and a reduced risk of death from cancer, but only in men.“We only see significant effects from whole grains,” says the lead author of the study, Yikyung Park, a researcher in the NCI’s nutritional epidemiology branch. “But we don’t know how this fiber works to improve health.”This unexpected finding suggests that the antioxidants and other nutrients in whole grains—not just the fiber—may be partly responsible for promoting health and long life.“Is the fiber in whole grains truly different? Or are you getting the benefits from [the other nutrients]?” says David Frid, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic who was not involved in the study. “We don’t know.”Park and her colleagues analyzed data on more than half a million AARP members between the ages of 50 and 71 who answered survey questions about their eating habits as part of a nine-year study on diet and health.The participants who reported eating the most fiber—about 30 grams a day for men, and 25 grams a day for women—were 22% less likely to die from any cause during the study than those who consumed the least (about 13 grams and 11 grams for men and women, respectively).Published at: health.com
Scientists Discover Mice's Hearts Can Heal Themselves, Are Other Mammals Next?
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New research published online today in the journalScience found that newborn mice can regenerate working heart tissue.So what's the big whoop? Scientists already knew that certain amphibians and fish could regenerate cardiac tissue.Well that, it turns out, is what inspired researchers at the Southwestern Medical Center in Texas to consider the possibility that mammalian hearts could also regenerate. Given the similarities in the hearts of adult zebrafish -- which can regrow tissue -- and immature mammals, researchers wondered if they couldn't "conserve," as they put it, the same mechanisms of regeneration in mice.The results? Within 21 days of scientists surgically removing a portion of the left ventricular apex from newborn mice, the tissue had completely regenerated. The problem, though, is that researchers found mice lost the capacity to regenerate cardiac tissue by the time they were seven days old.The potential implications, the scientists report, is this: "For a brief period after birth, the mammalian heart appears to have the capacity to regenerate." Which means, according to The Guardian, potentially very good things for heart attack sufferers."Now that we know that the mammalian heart indeed possesses the potential to regenerate, at least early in life," Eric Olson, one of the study's authors told The Guardian, "we can begin to search for drugs or genes or other things that might reawaken this potential in the adult heart of mice and eventually of humans."Shared from: The Huffington Post
New research published online today in the journalScience found that newborn mice can regenerate working heart tissue.So what's the big whoop? Scientists already knew that certain amphibians and fish could regenerate cardiac tissue.Well that, it turns out, is what inspired researchers at the Southwestern Medical Center in Texas to consider the possibility that mammalian hearts could also regenerate. Given the similarities in the hearts of adult zebrafish -- which can regrow tissue -- and immature mammals, researchers wondered if they couldn't "conserve," as they put it, the same mechanisms of regeneration in mice.The results? Within 21 days of scientists surgically removing a portion of the left ventricular apex from newborn mice, the tissue had completely regenerated. The problem, though, is that researchers found mice lost the capacity to regenerate cardiac tissue by the time they were seven days old.The potential implications, the scientists report, is this: "For a brief period after birth, the mammalian heart appears to have the capacity to regenerate." Which means, according to The Guardian, potentially very good things for heart attack sufferers."Now that we know that the mammalian heart indeed possesses the potential to regenerate, at least early in life," Eric Olson, one of the study's authors told The Guardian, "we can begin to search for drugs or genes or other things that might reawaken this potential in the adult heart of mice and eventually of humans."Shared from: The Huffington Post
26 Eylül 2012 Çarşamba
Weekly Training Article | Harmful Muscle-Building Myths | 8/13/12-8/19/12
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By Sean Nalewanjy
If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs." If you don't watch your step, you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I'm going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.
For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.
Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky." Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.
Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.
While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It's very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will actually work against you rather than for you.
Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must "feel the burn!"
This is another huge misconception in the gym. The "burning" sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above.
Source: articlecircle.com
If you're serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called "experts" out there really don't have a clue of what they're talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and "miracle programs." If you don't watch your step, you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains and prevent you from achieving the impressive, muscular physique you desire. In this article I'm going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve.
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.
For those of you who are just starting out, a "pump" is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job.
Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible.
This one goes back to the old days when people described bodybuilders as being "muscle bound" and "bulky." Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.
Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises.
While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Remember, we are not robots! It's very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Loosen yourself up a bit and move the way your body was meant to be moved. Obsessing over perfect form will actually work against you rather than for you.
Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must "feel the burn!"
This is another huge misconception in the gym. The "burning" sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above.
Source: articlecircle.com
Weekly Training Article | Ways to Avoid and Treat Back Pain | 8/20/12-8/26/12
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By Steve Dempster
Back problems are responsiblefor millions of lost working days throughout the world. What can you doto avoid becoming a victim of back pain?
Hot and Cold. Oddly enough, bothhot and cold treatments are effective for back pain. Which one to usedepends on the type and the cause of the pain.
Cold packs are useful forreducing inflammation and are good for relieving back pain in the firsttwo days or so after minor back pain begins. Use an ice pack on theaffected area for twenty minutes or so, leaving approximately 40 minutesbetween sessions.
After the initial days of coldapplication, heat treatment is particularly useful for muscular pains inback, shoulder and neck areas. Apply a heat wrap (the wheat-filled onesthat can be microwaved are good) or a covered hot water bottle to thearea to bring relief. Heat increases blood flow to the affected area,which in turn delivers extra nutrients and oxygen to the injury,speeding recovery.
Become a careful gardener. Dueto the bending involved, gardening can often trigger back pain -- areason why many people are wary of doing any garden activity. However,if long sessions are avoided, different sets of muscles are exercisedwithout straining any one group. Changing tasks regularly also helpsspread the load.
Swimming and other wateractivities such as aqua-aerobics are also good for aiding back muscles.The water nullifies some of the effects of gravity, reducing spinalcompression and loading. Again, the secret is to build up to greaterlevels of activity, letting your body become accustomed to the exercisewhile strengthening vital muscle groups.
Take care when reaching andbending. Sudden, unexpected movements are one of the most common causesof back injury. -- Even sudden bending to tie a shoelace can cause backtrouble. Muscle groups become 'confused' and act against each other. Theresults can be excruciating and immediate, so take extra care!Surprisingly, this type of injury can be easily sustained by both youngpeople and seniors.
One for the ladies: Don't wearhigh heels for long periods. They may make your legs look great but theyalso tip your pelvis and accentuate your natural spinal curve, whichcan lead to back and knee problems. They are OK for a night out, but tryand wear lower shoes at other times.
One for the men: Find a new homefor that bulging wallet other than your hip! Sitting on a fat square ofleather stuffed with cards and cash may be good for your credibilitybut it can play havoc with your sciatic nerve.
While mild back pain caused bymuscular strain is usually temporary and easily controlled, other backproblems such as slipped discs can be debilitating and chronic,affecting the sufferer to such a degree that mobility is badly impaired.In these situations a mobility aid may be useful, and a visit to yourphysician is vital.
Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net
Back problems are responsiblefor millions of lost working days throughout the world. What can you doto avoid becoming a victim of back pain?
Hot and Cold. Oddly enough, bothhot and cold treatments are effective for back pain. Which one to usedepends on the type and the cause of the pain.
Cold packs are useful forreducing inflammation and are good for relieving back pain in the firsttwo days or so after minor back pain begins. Use an ice pack on theaffected area for twenty minutes or so, leaving approximately 40 minutesbetween sessions.
After the initial days of coldapplication, heat treatment is particularly useful for muscular pains inback, shoulder and neck areas. Apply a heat wrap (the wheat-filled onesthat can be microwaved are good) or a covered hot water bottle to thearea to bring relief. Heat increases blood flow to the affected area,which in turn delivers extra nutrients and oxygen to the injury,speeding recovery.
Become a careful gardener. Dueto the bending involved, gardening can often trigger back pain -- areason why many people are wary of doing any garden activity. However,if long sessions are avoided, different sets of muscles are exercisedwithout straining any one group. Changing tasks regularly also helpsspread the load.
Swimming and other wateractivities such as aqua-aerobics are also good for aiding back muscles.The water nullifies some of the effects of gravity, reducing spinalcompression and loading. Again, the secret is to build up to greaterlevels of activity, letting your body become accustomed to the exercisewhile strengthening vital muscle groups.
Take care when reaching andbending. Sudden, unexpected movements are one of the most common causesof back injury. -- Even sudden bending to tie a shoelace can cause backtrouble. Muscle groups become 'confused' and act against each other. Theresults can be excruciating and immediate, so take extra care!Surprisingly, this type of injury can be easily sustained by both youngpeople and seniors.
One for the ladies: Don't wearhigh heels for long periods. They may make your legs look great but theyalso tip your pelvis and accentuate your natural spinal curve, whichcan lead to back and knee problems. They are OK for a night out, but tryand wear lower shoes at other times.
One for the men: Find a new homefor that bulging wallet other than your hip! Sitting on a fat square ofleather stuffed with cards and cash may be good for your credibilitybut it can play havoc with your sciatic nerve.
While mild back pain caused bymuscular strain is usually temporary and easily controlled, other backproblems such as slipped discs can be debilitating and chronic,affecting the sufferer to such a degree that mobility is badly impaired.In these situations a mobility aid may be useful, and a visit to yourphysician is vital.
Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net
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