Watch Your Back! 13 Tips for a Healthy Back

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The three weakest links in the body are the neck, knees and back. If any of these three parts are out of commission, you know it. Your whole day is affected. With winter on its way and snow shoveling just around the corner, you must be extra careful with your back.

Just about everything you do affects your back. Most people will have back pain at some point in their life. Back pain can be caused by being overweight, performing repetitive movements, sitting, standing, stress and improper lifting procedures. The back is very complicated and taking care of it now can go a long way toward preventing many forms of back problems in the future.

Here are some tips for keeping your back healthy and strong:

1.    Practice good posture. Slouching puts undue stress on your back.

2.    Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts stress on the back.

3.    Eat well. We need calcium and vitamin D among other nutrients to keep bones in good shape.

4.    Quit smoking. Studies suggest that smokers are more likely to experience disc problems.

5.    Strengthen your abdominal and back muscles. By keeping your abdominal muscles strong and maintaining good posture, you will be creating a natural "girdle" around your body to give your back good support.

6.    Keep the spine flexible with yoga and gentle exercises. It's been said that a flexible spine is the secret to a youthful body.

7.    Exercise regularly to keep your body fit and strong. Many back injuries happen when people who are not active play a vigorous game of football or softball on the weekend. Condition your body with regular exercises so you can play sports without pain.

8.    Reduce stress. Tense people often have tense backs. Get enough sleep, exercise, be positive and practice deep breathing regularly.

9.    Be comfortable. Avoid restrictive clothing and high heeled shoes which can put stress on your back.

10.    If you stand for long periods of time, raise one foot on a box to lessen the strain on your back. Check your posture and try to maintain the natural curve in your spine.  Take frequent breaks if possible.

11.    If you must sit for long periods of time, get up every 30 minutes, walk around and do a few stretches.

12.    If you work at a computer, adjust your chair so your elbows to wrists are parallel to the floor and the screen is at eye level.

13.    Use your legs when lifting. Bend at the knees and straighten your legs as you lift the object. This puts less strain on your back.

We often don't appreciate a healthy back until we're laid up with a bad one. Take a proactive approach to a strong, healthy and pain-free back.

Author: Chrissy MacDonald

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/watch-your-back-13-tips-for-a-healthy-back-3790428.html

Zumba - What the heck is that?

Zumba is a new trend sport which almost let you make forget the workout through its high fun factor. Zumba comes from the U.S. and contains a lot of Latino rhythm. Zumba is offered in more and more gyms as a secret weapon against the pounds.

In Zumba dance, laughting and burning fat are top priority.

Due to the hot rhythms and high fun factor a class often resembles more of a Latino party then an aerobics workout. It is important to know that there are no fixed step sequences in Zumba and hence it is always open for new class members.

Incidentally, there are tons of DVDs available that invite you and your friends to exercise inside your own four walls.

If you love Latin music and dance, then Zumba is the right thing for you to have your pounds melting away.

To check out if Zumba is also offered in your area, check out: www.zumba.com

Jogging for beginners

Jogging is an easy and effective way to burn calories.

But even for this activity the right preparation and technique are everything. Therefore, you should first get checked up by your doctor and get the right footwear for optimal cushioning.

It is also very important to warm up and to cool down. For example you could start with walking 5 minutes and then slowly start running until you reach your comfortable speed. After the training you should cool down for about 5 minutes to bring down your pulse back to normal.

For beginners it might be a good alternative to alternate between walking and running like 3 minutes walking and 2 minutes running. While improving your condition you could slowly increase the intervall from workout to workout. Always make sure, though, that every movement is comfortable. You don't do yourself any favor with a burnout, but it will just result in excessive muscle soreness that might interfere with your next training session.

In addition, you should always keep an eye on your pulse and keep it around 65% of your maximum heart rate.

For a joint-gentle training you should run on a soft surface (preferrable unpaved) and use the right technique. You should keep and eye on your feet to make sure the whole foot is actively rolled, the body is held upright and the arms move in motion. Additionally, you could move/shake your hands from time to time, to check the relaxation of your arms and shoulders.

Let's go and have fun!