Here’s Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga to Promote a Healthy Spine

By Abagail Sullivan

From improving flexibility and posture to making you an overall happier person, there’s no secret yoga has its share of benefits. But when back pain and spinal spasms get in the way of your daily activities, practicing something like yoga might seem far fetched. To the contrary, yoga can be a notably beneficial activity for those struggling with back issues. Here’s why YOU should release your inner yogi and see what the buzz is all about.

Benefits

Protect Your Spine

Spinal discs get nutrients through movement. So it’s no surprise back bending, forward bending and twisting helps promote supple and healthy spine discs.

Perfect That Posture

Even those without back pain should be looking for ways to improve their posture, to avoid pain and degenerative arthritis of the spine. When your head and neck are balanced directly above your spine, it gives your body a break from straining the muscles to support it.

Relieve Lower Back Pain

Many yoga moves stretch and strengthen the lower back muscles and increase blood circulation. This, in turn, brings healing nutrients to injured tissues, easing pain from lower back muscles.

Learn Your Limits

learning your limits with yoga is crucial in preventing further back pains and injuries or worsening your condition. Practicing various positions (and re-positions) helps individuals understand their unique limitations.

Relaxation Nation

Relaxation is perhaps the most appealing aspect of yoga, and can actually be quite beneficial in promoting back health as well. Yoga practices incorporate relaxation among stretching, which reduces tension in muscles carrying stress.

Check out the Yoga Journal for moves to alleviate back pain. If you’re short on time, use this 10-minute yoga sequence as your go-to guide. Comment below to your fellow yogis, sharing what’s helped you in promoting a healthy spine and back.

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Spring into Warm Weather with This Pre Planned Workout Routine

By Abagail Sullivan

Check out this warm weather workout routine to get you back in action this spring.

Here’s to sun, fun and fitness!

For most of us, winter is time for bundling in sweaters, blankets, bed… you name it. But with warmer weather comes outdoor motivation, so get back in action with this workout routine for major #fitspiration.

Workout regimen by Lisa Redder

Day One: Monday

Deadlifts: five sets x five reps, one to two minute rest

Bent Over Row: four sets x eight to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Cable Lateral Pull Down: four sets x eight to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Incline Dumbbell Shoulder Press: four sets x eight to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Laying Down Bench Press: four sets x 12 to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Cable Flyes: three sets x 12 to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Bicep Dumbbell Curls: three sets x 15-to 20 reps, one to two minute rest

Day Two: Tuesday

Cardio: 30 minutes (running, elliptical, swimming or cycling)

Day Three: Wednesday

Barbell Squat: five sets x five reps, one to two minute rest

Goblet Squat: three sets x 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Leg Extension: three sets x 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift: three sets x 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Lying Leg Curl: three sets x eight reps, one to two mintue rest

Walking Lunge: three sets x 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press: four sets x 12 to 15 reps, one to two minute rest

Day Four: Thursday

Cardio: 30 minutes (running, elliptical, swimming or cycling)

Day Five: Friday

Barbell Calf Raise: four sets x 12 reps, tempo 2121, one minute rest

Seated Calf Raise: four sets x 12 reps, tempo 2121, one minute rest

Standing Bodyweight Calf Raise: four sets x 20 to 25 reps, one minute rest

Captain’s Chair Leg Lifts: four sets x 15 reps, 45 second rest

Oblique Crunch: four sets x 15 reps, 45 second rest

Cable Crunch: four sets x 15 reps, 45 second rest

Five Quick Fixes for a Healthy Diet

By Abagail Sullivan

We’ve all toyed with various diet restrictions and nutrition monitoring in an attempt to eat better, but improving your health doesn’t have to be a full-fledged lifestyle change. Try these five easy fixes to your diet, and see just what a difference small changes can make.

1. Avoid a bevvy of beverages.

Watch your liquids. Far too many beverages (that are being consumed on a usually very regular basis) are sneaky culprits, sneaking added sugars and fat into your daily dining dynamic. Skip the latte – which can add hundreds of calories and a significant sugar increase to your morning – and play around with adding a packet of your own sugar preference and almond or coconut milk to taste. Beware of sodas and alcoholic drinks as well, limiting your intake asoften as you can manage.

2. Make H2O your go-to.

Water is the key to a healthy everything, and so crucial in your everyday consumption. Some recommend eight glasses per day, while others suggest consuming half your weight # in ounces daily. Whatever the correct formula, we know water is invaluable in feeling good, all around. Hydration helps to avoid headaches, fights fatigue, aids in digestion, clears your skin, and flushes toxins. And drinking a glass or two before each meal can help keep you full and avoid unnecessary overindulging.

3. Keep it small and keep it consistent.

Aim to maintain a regular eating schedule, while consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Those who dine this way also tend to veer toward healthier, more nutritional options of consumption.

4. Pre-plan your outings.

Restaurant outings and quick food options can be an unsuspecting downfall to a healthy lifestyle. Instead of foregoing social situations and dining get-togethers, create a quick plan prior to your excursion. If you’re heading to a restaurant, check out their menu (and potential nutritional information) and select your option beforehand. Watch out for subtle additions like bread and butter and alcohol, that can rack up the fats, sugars, and carbohydrates in your meal. For professional and more party-centered social atmospheres, nibble on a healthy snack or smoothie before you go, so as not to become inadvertently sucked into dessert bars and hors d’oeuvres.

5. Shop ‘til you drop.

As much as grocery shopping might be the bane of some of our existences, picking out groceries and planning snacks and meals ahead of time is crucial in keeping up with a healthy lifestyle. Make a list before heading to the store, with go-to snacks and quick, healthy meal recipes to set your base for success. Bringing pre-determined snacks and meals to work is a surefire way to avoid unhealthy quick-grub options and staying satisfied throughout the day (not to mention it saves you a whole lot of money, too!).

As you can see with these five easy steps, sustaining a healthy lifestyle can be very much approachable. It’s about dedication, mindset, and action. Decide you want to make a change, remind yourself of the benefits, and follow through.

Adding Vitamins and Minerals to Your Diet to Promote Back Health

By Abagail Sullivan

You may never have considered diet as a way to promote back health, but what you eat is most certainly an influence in whether or not your back is feeling up to par. Consuming enough nutrition – through back-health promoting vitamins and minerals – is crucial in the development, maintenance, and improvement of your bone, muscle, and disc health. Review this list of vitamins and minerals – whose back relief benefits we’ve highlighted – and find out where you can access these (easy, healthy recipes linked accordingly) to start promoting your best back, today!

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps repair tissue and aids in the formation of bone.

Examples of sources high in vitamin A include: beef liver, carrots, sweet potato, kale, spinach, broccoli

To note: more than the recommended amount of vitamin A (about 900 mg daily for men and 700 mg daily for women) can promote bone fractures, so beware of excess intake.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3, also referred to as Niacin, can help maintain a healthy nervous system, which is important for many spine conditions.

Good sources: turkey, chicken breast, peanuts, mushrooms, lamb liver, tuna

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is crucial for healthy bone marrow and for the spine to grow and function.

It reduces pressure in your back and eases chronic back pain.

Good sources: clams, beef liver, mackerel, crab, tofu, bran cereal

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is necessary for the development of collagen, which allows cells to be able to form into tissue.

It is important in the healing process for injuries involving tendons, ligaments, discs, bones, wounds, and burns.

It increases calcium absorption in the body to promote strong bones and protects your back from damaging free radicals.

Good sources: oranges, red peppers, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, strawberries

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for the development of healthy bones, aiding in calcium absorption to help prevent osteoporosis.

It produces new bone cells, decreases inflammation in the body, and can lessen spasms in the lower back.

Good sources: sunlight, sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, soy milk

Vitamin E

Vitamin E can help alleviate lower back pain as a powerful antioxidant that fights off free radicals.

It increases the antioxidant reaction in your body and reduces muscle pain and soreness by repairing damaged tissue.

Good sources: almonds, spinach, sweet potato, avocado, wheat germ, sunflower seeds

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is needed for the bones to properly use calcium, which in turn aids in the strength of healthy bones.

Good sources: dried basil, kale, onions, brussels sprouts, chili powder, asparagus

Calcium

Calcium is essential for bone health and building strong bones, helping to maintain the necessary level of bone mass and prevent osteoporosis.

Good sources: watercress, mozzarella, milk, yogurt, bok choy, tofu

Iron

Iron aids in the production of myoglobin, an important element of healthy muscles needed to support the spine.

Good sources: squash and pumpkin seeds, chicken liver, oysters, mussels, clams, nuts

Magnesium

Magnesium helps maintain muscle tone and bone density, which can aid in the prevention of back problems.

It is also a factor in prevention of calcium deficiency and osteoporosis.

Good sources: raw spinach, squash and pumpkin seeds, mackerel, soy beans, brown rice, avocado

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids can help inflammation that cause back pain.

Good sources: cold pressed flaxseed oil, salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, caviar, mackerel

Other sources that could be helpful…

Devil’s Claw

Devil’s Claw comes from a native African plant and can reduce flare-ups of chronic low back pain.

The ingredients in this plant may be effective in reducing back pain, because it’s chemicals may decrease inflammation and swelling that cause the pain

Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the agent that gives hot peppers their heat, and this ingredient can be applied, using a cream, to relieve back pain.

Turmeric

Taken as a powder in capsules, mixed into tea, or as a liquid extract, Turmeric contains effective anti-inflammatory properties.

Peak Peach Season Is Here! Make the Most of It with These Peachy Recipes

By Caitlin Lubinski

Some fantastic ideas for peachy summer eats this peach season…

Peach season is at its peak in July and August. Get local and eat in season with these fantastic peach recipes incorporating this classic, juicy fruit.

Peach smoothie from Martha Stewart

Seared Figs and White Peaches with Balsamic Reduction from Cooking Light

Peach Salsa from Natasha’s Kitchen