Straighten Up America Day is October 16^th part 3- Healthy Lifestyle Recommendations

Straighten Up Lifestyle Choices:

1. Choose to improve. You are worth it. Maintain a positive perspective. Take small steps at first; set specific measurable health goals and achieve them. Celebrate your health successes; learn from temporary setbacks and move on. Choose to see life as an adventure. Keep learning for a lifetime.
2. Choose to enjoy healthy, invigorating activity at least 30 minutes daily when possible. Begin slowly, making gradual improvements. Keep an activity log or calendar (you can download a PDF version HERE or a Word Document version HERE) . If you buy a pedometer, you can count and track your steps. Choosing active hobbies will add variety and spice to your life. Exercise for flexibility, balance, strength and endurance. Perform “Straighten Up” daily to improve your posture and strengthen your core muscles.
3. Choose to live tobacco free for your personal health and for your loved ones. Tobacco has detrimental effects on your nervous system and skeletal structures, as well as on your lungs and heart.
4. Choose healthy foods. Eat naturally. Enjoy whole grain breads and cereals. Choose several daily servings of fresh fruit and vegetables rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients. Calcium and magnesium rich foods help to build strong spinal columns. Avoid saturated and trans fats found in fast, fried foods. Instead eat more omega 3 fats from flax seed products, walnuts and small ocean fish for healthy spinal joints. Choose high quality protein foods. Avoid refined sweets, such as sodas, cookies and candy. When supplementing your diet with vitamins and minerals, make quality choices. Eating in a relaxed atmosphere enhances digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
5. Choose good posture while sitting, standing or lifting. Hold your head high; keep your shoulders back. Lift by bending your legs with objects held  close to your torso. This helps to prevent injury. Take frequent mini breaks. Segments of Straighten Up work well for this purpose. Change work positions often.
6. Choose a balanced supportive book bag/back pack for school, work or recreation. Carry less weight at one time. Use a bag with broad, padded straps securely positioned on both shoulders. (You can view my previous post series: Backpack Safety for more information on this.)
7. Choose a comfortable supportive mattress. For optimal spinal health sleep on your side or on your back, not face down. Plan for sufficient restful sleep.
8. Choose to be quiet. The stress of life impacts your health and your posture. Take time for relaxation and renewal. Practice thankfulness and positive thinking. Reflect, pray or meditate daily. Read uplifting writings.
9. Choose to serve others. Volunteerism and service enhance the quality of our lives and our relationships.
10. Choose to be kind to your spine. Regular spinal health check-ups, care and exercises help to ensure that your spine is balanced, aligned and well-adjusted. A healthy spine and nervous system add balance and harmony to life.

I hope this series was both informative and helpful to empower you to toward better spinal health and an improved quality of life… and remember to check back soon … or simply keep yourself up to date with what is going on at Belvidere Chiropractic Center by subscribing to Belvidere Chiropractic’s RSS Feed or to our Email Updates. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or LinkedIN.

And please feel free to leave a comment below.

Straighten Up America Day is October 16^th part 2- Exercise Program

Straighten Up Getting Started:

1. Straighten Up is intended to be incorporated in a healthy lifestyle of prudent active living. Consistent healthy choices and healthful habits form the bedrock of a healthy life. Our hope is that you make Straighten Up a daily part of a vibrant empowering lifestyle for the whole family.
2. This version of Straighten Up is designed for healthy children and adults to practice daily, like brushing your teeth.
3. Consult with your doctor of chiropractic or other health care provider before practicing this module, especially if you have spinal disabilities or other disorders which limit movement.

Straighten Up is an enjoyable very short spinal health program designed to help you feel and look your best.

Basic Rules:

1. Think positively
2. Stand tall in confident “Inner Winner” posture.
3. Breathe calmly, slowly and deeply from your stomach region.
4. Move smoothly without jerking or bouncing.
5. Check with your chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner before starting Straighten Up to make sure the activities are appropriate for your specific needs.
6. If you experience sharp or recurring pain at any time, STOP and report to your doctor. You may need to modify the exercises.

Watch Dr. Ron Kirk of Life University Perform the Posture Exercise Program Here:

1. “Inner Winner” Posture:

A. Straighten up. Stand tall with a confident “inner winner” posture (ears/shoulders/hips/ knees/ankles in an approximately straight line).

B.Pull your belly button in toward your spine.

2. Spine Tuning Warm Up:

A. Tilting Star:

1. In inner winner posture, with your arms out to the sides and feet spread in the star position, pull your belly button in toward your spine.
2. Facing forward, place one hand in the air with the other at your side. Breathe in as you slowly stretch one arm overhead, while slowly bending your entire spine to the opposite side and sliding the other hand down your thigh for stability.
3. Relax at the end of the stretch, breathing out and in again and then switch to the other side.
4. Perform the movement twice to each side. Easy does it. Enjoy the stretch.

B. Twirling Star:

1. Remain in the star position with belly button drawn inward.
2. Gently turn your head to look at one hand and slowly twist your entire spine to watch your hand as it goes behind you. Relaxing in this position breathe out and in. Repeat movement to the opposite side.
3. Perform the movement slowly twice to each side. Enjoy the slow gentle stretch.

C. Twisting Star:

1. Begin in the star position with your head held high and your belly button drawn in toward your spine.
2. After raising your arms in “hands up” position, bring your left elbow across your torso toward your right knee. Repeat the movement using your right elbow and left knee.
3. Remain upright as you continue to alternate sides for 15 seconds. Breathe freely. Enjoy.

3. Posture Pod/Flying Friends:

A. Trap Openers:

1. Breathe deeply and calmly, relaxing your stomach region. Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll from one side to the other.
2. Using your fingers, slowly massage the area just below the back of your head. Move down to the base of your neck.
3. Then relax your shoulders and slowly roll them backwards and forwards. Enjoy for 15 seconds.

B. The Eagle and the Hummingbird:

1. In inner winner posture pull your belly button in toward your spine. To begin the Eagle, bring your arms out to the sides and gently draw your shoulder blades together. Breathe in as you slowly raise your arms, touching your hands together above your head. Slowly lower your arms to your sides as you breathe out. Perform movement 3 times.
2. Next make small backward circles with your hands and arms, swaying from side to side in the “Hummingbird”. Enjoy for 10 seconds.

C. The Butterfly:

1. Place your hands behind your head and gently draw your elbows backward. Slowly and gently press your head  backward and resist with your hands for a count of two and release. Breathe freely. Perform 3 times.
2. Gently massage the back of your neck and head as you relax your stomach region with slow, easy breathing.

4. Balancing the Core with the Tight Rope:

A. Stand in the inner winner position with your head held high. Contract your stomach muscles to pull your belly button in toward your spine.

B. Maintaining this posture, take a step forward as if on a tight rope. Make sure your knee is over your ankle and not over your toes. Allow the heel of your back foot to lift. Balance in this position for 20 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. When finished shake your legs and feet to relax them.

5. Wrapping It Up:

A. Throwing Water:

1. Standing tall in inner winner posture with your feet wider than shoulders, pull your belly button toward your spine. Then gently rotate your trunk from side to side. Easy does it.
2. Let your arms flop loosely, as you shift your weight from knee to knee.
3. Swing gently from side to side. Breath calmly and deeply. Enjoy the movement for 15 seconds.

B. The Triangle:

1. Stand in the star position, keeping your stance wide. Gently draw your belly button in toward your spine.
2. Turn your foot outward as you shift your weight to one side. Feel the groin area gently stretching. Place your knee over ankle and elbow behind knee as you extend your arm, torso and ribs. Easy does it.

C. Shaking It Loose:

1. Shake limbs loosely for 15 seconds. This one is pure fun. We are done!

You can also download the PDF Printable Cartoon Version for Children HERE.

Be sure to check back for Next week’s Article: Straighten Up America Part part 3- Healthy Lifestyle Recommendations . . . or keep yourself up to date with what is going on at Belvidere Chiropractic Center by simply subscribing to Belvidere Chiropractic’s RSS Feed or to our Email Updates. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or LinkedIN.

And please feel free to leave a comment below.

Straighten Up America Day is October 16^th part 1-Introduction

Straighten Up America is a health program designed to empower the American people toward better spinal health and an improved quality of life.

The vision of Straighten Up America is very simple. Visualize a time when every American will take three minutes every day to care for their spinal health, just as they care for their dental health. The need for spinal health promotion is very great as evidenced by the many billions of dollars spent each year related to the disability of low back pain alone. Yet before the creation of Straighten Up, there had not been a short, simple, engaging spinal exercise program specifically designed to promote the public’s spinal health.

To address this problem an exercise program was developed that is packed into a simple, three minute, fun, engaging, and easy-to-perform healthful activities. Equally useful as a at work break, exercise warm-up, or cool-down, Straighten Up is designed to get people of all ages up and moving, while they improve their posture and spinal health.

The exercise program, I will be posting in detail, with an instructional video, next week (part 2). The program also includes a short set of healthy lifestyle recommendations compatible with the goals and objectives of Healthy People 2010, America on the Move, Steps to a Healthier US and the 5 A Day programs. Straighten Up America partners in promoting the nation’s health with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The healthy lifestyle recommendations will be posted the following week (part 3).

When the program was tested, the results were very promising. Participants ranged from college students to individuals in their eighties and after five weeks of daily practice of the Straighten Up exercises, 83% of the people reported that they had improved their posture, 78% reported that they had strengthened their core muscles, and 80% reported that they sat and stood more uprightly and that their backs were more comfortable. Young children also love Straighten Up and are practicing these beneficial spinal health activities eagerly.

Be sure to check back for Next week’s Article: Straighten Up America Part 2- Exercise Program . . . or keep yourself up to date with what is going on at Belvidere Chiropractic Center by simply subscribing to Belvidere Chiropractic’s RSS Feed or to our Email Updates. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or LinkedIN.

And please feel free to leave a comment below.