As I can attest, sitting at a computer all day can be a real pain in the neck. Although I try to get up hourly and strive to keep an eye on my posture, by the end of the day my neck is often aching. And I’m not alone – statistics show that 85% of us will experience reoccurring neck and back pain throughout our lives.
A new study from Denmark shows that there may be a simple and effective way to combat this, though. In a randomized controlled study of 94 women, researchers Sjogaard and Andersen found that targeted strength training effectively eased neck pain.
The women were divided into three groups: one that participated in neck and shoulder strength training exercises, one that took part in general fitness training on a bicycle and a control group who received only health counseling. While those who bicycled did report a small decrease in pain following exercising, only the strength training group experienced significant and prolonged improvement.
Based on the results of the study, the researchers recommend 20 minutes of targeted strength training three times a week. In the study simple hand weights were used to target the trapezius and surrounding muscle groups. Body Rolling is another excellent option as is both strengthens and lengthens the muscles while also helping to release tension from the muscles.
We’ve all been hurt or betrayed. If we were lucky, we were able to reach some sort of understanding and resolution with the person who hurt us. If not, we may be holding on to grudges which, according to a new study from the Mayo Clinic, could be damaging more that just our emotions.
Carrying around past resentments is now known to have a detrimental effect upon both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Participants who were told to focus on a personal grudge experienced elevated blood pressure, increased heart rates, muscle tension and feelings of loss of control. When these same participants were led to visualize forgiving the person who had hurt them, these negative effects were alleviated.
It’s important to realize that forgiveness doesn’t mean that you’re excusing the person who harmed you or condoning their behavior. It does mean acknowledging that you were hurt and then releasing the burden of anger and resentment that you have been carrying around. There is no right or wrong way to do this – meditation, talking with a friend or seeking the help of a counselor – use whichever methods are most comfortable for you.
Below are four steps listed in the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource which can help you along the way:
– Acknowledge the pain and anger felt as a result of someone else’s actions. For forgiveness to occur, the situation needs to be looked at honestly.
– Recognize that healing requires change.
– Find a new way to think about the person who caused the pain. What was happening in that person’s life when the hurt occurred? Sometimes, the motivation or causes for the incident have little to do with those most affected. For some people, this step includes saying, “I forgive you.”
– Begin to experience the emotional relief that comes with forgiveness. It may include increased compassion for others who have experienced similar hurt.
Having just begun a new year, now may just be the perfect time to let go of your past hurts and move forward through 2008 with clearer emotions and a healthier body.
Happy New Year!
I recently stumbled across the wonderful blog entry below that was written by John almost two years ago. It addresses the idea of goal setting. The timing is perfect. With the New Year rapidly approaching, many of us may be thinking of what resolutions to make this time around.
This year, I plan on taking John’s advice. Rather than making nebulous resolutions like “This year I resolve to work out more often”, I plan to take part of New Year’s Day to write out specific goals and the steps that can be taken to achieve them. As you read the article below you may be inspired to do the same!
HAVE YOU SET YOUR GOALS YET?
This is the time of year when we review what happened last year, and set our goals for 2006. Setting goals is a trait that sets apart those people who are successful. Just writing out your goals makes them much more likely to be realized.
I used to teach goal setting when I was a psychotherapist at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California. I worked with people who were obese. The principals of how to set goals are pretty much the same no matter what you are aiming for.
“The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly.” Cecil B. De Mille
Here is a link to a wonderful program that will take you through the process as well as I could if I were there with you. And it’s free!
SETTING GOALS
I love to sing. Admittedly, I only indulge when I’m in the car alone or at my desk in my private studio, but I love it none-the-less. Singing is inherent in our natures – for thousands of years we have raised our voices in celebration, in praise and in sorrow. Perhaps part of the reason we feel such a strong love for song, is that instinctively we know than it is good for us.
At the Western Ontario University, researchers have found that singing provides a healthy, free and non-invasion cure for chronic snorers. By strengthening the muscles at the back of the throat, Alise Ojay says that singing restores tone, reducing snoring and allowing for a restful night’s sleep.
Canadian scientists have found that song benefits patients suffering from severe Alzheimer’s. These patients, despite their illness, were able to recognize songs from their youth and sing along with the music. Meanwhile, doctors in Sydney, Australia, are using music to soothe babies in the intensive care unit.
It seems that singing can even help smokers to quit their habit. Encouraged by the results of research from Frankfurt University showing that singing lowers stress levels, American choirs have been created to help beat nicotine addiction. One two-year project succeeded in cutting smoking rates by 7%. Statistics from similar, but non-singing, groups showed only a 1% decrease during the same timeframe.
So whether you’re shy like me and sing in the shower, or boldly choose a night of karaoke – go out and sing! As Cervantes says in Don Quixote:
“He who sings frightens away his ills.
When I was little, I remember my grandmother giving me honey mixed with a bit of lemon juice whenever I had a cough or sore throat. It always made me feel better, a fact I attributed as much to grandmotherly affection as to the remedy itself. My grandmother was a smart lady.
Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine recently completed a study proving that this sweet home remedy is more effective than over-the-counter cough syrup. The study followed 105 children who where having difficulty sleeping due to night-time coughing associated with upper respiratory infection. One group of children was given detromethorphan (DM), a common cough suppressant. Another group was given buckwheat honey and a third was left untreated.
While the researchers found that DM was no more effective than no treatment at all, honey was able to significantly reduce both the severity and frequency of the coughing. Some of the children who received honey were noted to have increased energy levels after administration, but actually ended up sleeping better.
Lead researcher, Dr. Ian Paul, noted that efficacy of honey was likely due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Honey also coats and soothes the back of the throat, providing symptomatic relief upon contact. Due to the rare risk of infantile botulism, Dr. Paul cautioned that honey not be given to babies under the age of one year.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles on this powerful gift from the hive, in order to get the full healing benefits make sure to buy unheated, raw honey and enjoy some sweet relief.
