If you’re like so many other Americans across the country, you are currently suffering from lower-back pain or have at some other stage during your life. In fact, according to reports, more than 80 percent of the population will experience lower-back pain at some point; this type of pain is the second most common cause of disability in American adults. As well, it is estimated that close to 150 million days of work are lost each year due to the problem.

If you’re in the situation where lower-back pain is causing you to take time off from your job, or otherwise negatively affecting the way that you live your life, it is important to find helpful ways to treat the issue.

Read on for some strategies, besides painkillers, you can try today.

Use Heat and Ice

Within the first two days after lower-back pain sets in, it is a good idea to apply an ice pack several times a day, for around 20 minutes per session, to help reduce blood flow and shut down capillaries. This, in turn will help to ease swelling, and thwart the ability of your nerves to conduct pain signals to your brain.

Just make sure that you never apply ice directly onto your skin, as doing so can cause cold burns. All ice packs or frozen products should be wrapped in a cloth, towel, or the like first. After the first couple of days (or even earlier, depending on your particular injury or issue), you can also start to use heating pads, again for 20-minute intervals at a time. You might find that having a hot bath helps too. Heat against the affected area(s) will help to loosen tight muscles in your back, increase circulation, and bring additional oxygen to your cells.

 

Incorporate Gentle Exercise and Stretching Into Your Day

 When you’re suffering from back pain, it can be tempting to sit or lie down all day, and to abstain from exercise. However, it is important to keep your body moving. Besides doing low-impact exercises such as walking and swimming, you should also try to do plenty of stretching and back exercises. This can help to increase your flexibility, and stabilize your spine and stop your muscles from being so imbalanced.

While yoga and Pilates in particular, can be great for lower-back pain, really just any gentle stretching will make a difference. You can do this at home and at work on a regular basis, as well as within a clinic if you’d like to join classes. It also pays to do some stretches before you need to lift anything, exercise, or head to bed. This will help your muscles to be suppler, and ensure that you don’t hurt yourself further.

 

Improve Your Posture

 Similarly, people who are suffering from lower-back pain are also advised to try to improve their posture. Having bad posture (particularly when you’re sitting at a desk or on the couch, or standing on your feet for hours) and lifting improperly, can contribute to back issues.

 

You should ensure that you’re sitting in an ergonomic chair at work, and that you don’t have to slump forward, scrunch up, or reach to do your work. As well, try to keep your ears over your shoulders, rather than letting your neck push forward. Keep the rest of your body in line too (with shoulders over hips, and hips over ankles) to achieve better posture.

 

When lifting things, especially heavy objects, it is imperative that you don’t let your back take the weight. You should bend at the knees, so that your legs do the work; and keep the item you’re lifting close to your body as you rise. Don’t twist your body as you lift either, as this can make lower-back pain worse.

 

Try Specialist Therapies

 Next, don’t forget that there are lots of highly trained specialists out there you can choose from to treat your back. Many people like to visit their masseuse, physiotherapist, chiropractor, or osteopath, for instance, when they have back pain; or you can also utilize other options such as acupuncture, the Alexander technique, or a specialist clinic for back pain in Pennsylvania for treatment suggestions.

It also often helps to seek psychological support when you’re dealing with intense and/or chronic back pain. While the pain you feel is certainly real, therapists can help you to find ways to change how you think about your situation, and how to be less stressed, switch off from the pain, and focus on other things. Meditation can also be very helpful.

 

Buy a Better Mattress for Your Bed

Another thing that you should think about is the mattress on your bed. Check it out to see if it is sagging significantly, or if it is super firm or very soft. As well, if it is older than around seven or eight years old, it may need replacing.

If you sleep on a mattress that is too soft, firm, or sagging, this can push your back out of alignment, as well as exacerbate pre-existing conditions. It’s best to look for new products, which are in the medium-firm range.

 

 

 

This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as a part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

 

 

 

As many of you know my kids are very active! That means that I’m running non-stop before and after school while also trying to balance work home, and my fitness! I shared with you back in October that I was getting back on track with my health & fitness, which included taking the proper dietary supplements and daily vitamins that my physician had recommended. I am happy to report that I’m still on track and feel better than ever! Honestly, I’m still amazed how big of a difference I feel when I’m taking my daily vitamins.

I went from zero energy and feeling sluggish to having so much energy I sometimes have to make myself just sit down and relax. I have made a few small changes, including changing to chewable, gummy based, soft gels, sublingual or dissolvable vitamins, but I still use solely the Nature Made brand.  I don’t really know if that is helping with absorption better or what but my physician is really happy with the results, and since I have stomach issues, he feels this is a better way to get my supplements and vitamins in.†

My current favorite is the Nature Made VitaMelts fast dissolve Energy B12! I love the fact that I can take them on the go without needing water! Vitamin B12 is vital in supporting your cellular energy production in the body!† So when anyone asks me why how much caffeine, I drink per day to keep me functioning, I just smile and say NONE! That’s right I have also removed all caffeine and sugar from my diet. Which means no more small energy rushes followed by the caffeine and sugar crashes! It’s more important for me to feel the best I can all day while taking the B-12 which is supporting my energy in a cellular level.

So If you find yourself struggling with energy, I urge you to stop the energy drinks, caffeine and sugar and try B-12 instead. I even got my parents taking them, and they are amazed at how much better they feel without drinking all that coffee. Nature Made® Vitamins are a trusted partner in making every day just a little healthier and the brand I personally love and prefer.  They actively pursue health and wellness through product innovations, quality ingredients and being #1 Pharmacist Recommended so they can be the best partner to you and your health goals, little by little, every day.

So be sure to pick some up today at local retailer near you, I usually just pick mine up at Walmart and the prices can’t be beat! However, don’t let the price fool you I have tried many expensive brands and none can compare to the high quality of Nature Made!

 

 

Enter to win!

If you haven’t heard or seen my tweets Nature Made® Vitamins is  currently partnering with women’s and men’s health to sponsor a  promotion on Facebook where you can win weekly prizes that motivate you to stay healthy! To get your entry in all you need to do is head on over to Nature Made Facebook page and view the Sweepstakes post for the corresponding weekly entry period. Enter by completing the call-to-action for that week’s post, which will include submitting your comment to earn one entry for a chance to win only the prize featured in that Post for that week.

Prizes range from Blue Apron, Lululemon and Sephora gift cards as well as FitBit’s and a one-year membership to Nature Box! So hurry up and get your entry in for this week now!

 

Enter for the Grand Prize

Don’t forget to also get your entry in for the  Grand Prize by visiting http://www.naturemade.com/oneup.  This wonderful Spa vacation will include a 4-day/3-night trip for two to the Red Mountain Resort in Ivans, UT But hurry this giveaway ends April 9th!

 

Stay Connected:

For the latest news and promotions be sure to follow Nature Made on these social media networks and feel free to join in the conversation with #OneUpYourHealth .

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Despite ageing being nothing to be afraid of, we all love the idea of being able to stay feeling and looking eternally youthful. From a bright complexion to smooth skin and energetic aura, holding on to our young-selves can become more of a challenge the older that we get. Our latest posts looks to explore some of the ways in which we can prolong the ageing process and keep ourselves feeling young at heart, always.

 

Transform Your Body 

One of the easiest ways to keep your mind and body feeling fresh and energised is through looking after your body. Taking care of what you put in your body, and your diet can significantly impact how health you look and feel as certain foods have been scientifically linked to a slower metabolism, weight gain and draining your energy levels.

Similarly one of the easiest ways in which you can improve the way your body ages is by taking regular exercise, and this doesn’t mean it should be overly strenuous either! From swimming to yoga to going on a walk; each of these are enough to get your heart pumping and improves your health significantly in the long term. If you are looking for a more extreme way to alter your body and turn back the hands of time, surgery is an option, depending on the types of results you want to achieve. Lipo (liposuction) is able to target specific parts of your body and help you to achieve the body shape that you desire most.

 

Get Some Sleep 

One of the easiest ways of taking care of your mind and body in the long-term is through getting enough sleep. When you sleep, your body is better able to take care of itself and restore itself, ready to function for the day ahead. Getting between six and eight-hours of sleep each night is ideal if you are looking to function at an optimum level and getting into the habit of doing so could prove to be essential when it comes to looking after your health as you get older.

 

Treat Yourself 

If you are less inclined to go under the knife, then something as simple as getting your hair dyed and cut and pampering yourself at a spa can all go a long way in keeping you not only looking but feeling youthful and happy in the long run. The emphasis is to always keep on top of looking your best regardless of your age so that when you feel great on the inside, this shines through on the outside!

 

Positivity Is Key 

We can all relate to feeling our age once we experience some of the less wonderful occurrences of life, such as loss, heartbreak and other forms of suffering. It is important to always look after your mental health and happiness regardless of your age to ensure your positivity shines through as it can take decades off of your lifespan. Meditation, therapy and doing a little more of what you love (for example, example traveling each year) can really improve your life and help you feel younger for longer!

This post was sponsored by Boys & Girls Clubs of America as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

 

 

This year our family has decided that we are finally going to take our health more serious. We all have different goals we are working towards but our main goal is to get healthy, and that includes: Body, Mind, & Soul. The truth is we started thinking about our future since we are all getting older. Lately my kids have seen a lot of death and illness of family, friends, and classmate’s parents due to preventable health conditions. Luckily, that opened up the conversation as a family on what we can do together to make sure we are doing what we can to help keep healthy and also helping others do the same. The truth is as a mother I’ve tried over the past to get our family on a healthier lifestyle, but we always seem to fall off the plan within a couple of days. I feel that this time we will finally be successful because everyone is now wanting the change instead of me trying to force it.

So when I learned about BGCA Triple Play, I knew it would be a great thing for my family to get involved with even though my kids don’t currently attend BGCA. I feel that since my kids are older its now their time to start giving back, supporting our younger local kids, and stepping up in our community.

Triple Play is BGCA’s leading comprehensive health & wellness program. This program serves children and even teens at Boys & Girls Clubs, by providing them the tools and awareness that is necessary to put them on the path to a great future starting at a young age. The key mantra for Boys & Girls Clubs of America at the beginning of this New Year, is “I FEEL BETTER WHEN”. This phrase leads to how even the smallest, daily behavioral changes can have a long-term, lasting impact.

As we already know many people usually recommit to improving their health, wellness, and making lifestyle changes at the start of a new year. Thankfully, Triple Play is focused on these types of healthy lifestyle changes starting at a young age. With National support from the Amerigroup foundation and Coca-Cola this helps make it possible for Boys & Girls Clubs around the country to operate Triple Play.

The truth is young children, and even our growing teen’s health holds much more than just staying active or a well-balanced diet. It also means getting them involved in their personal communities, having them accept not only their own and others’ differences, but also helping them realize even the slightest lifestyle change can make a lasting impact.

This program is a great way to get your family more active and involved so be sure to check out your local BGCA today! Plus, when the whole family is involved it makes it even more enjoyable!

Get Involved

Find out how you can get involved with your local club by clicking here! Also be sure to Download the Triple Play Parents Game Plan today!

Stay Connected:

Be sure to follow BGCA On these social media sites!  Facebook |Twitter