Irene Pastore

Get Hired: Improve Your Posture

March 6, 2015

What does your posture say about you when you walk in to a job interview? Is your head jutting forward, and down? Are your shoulders rounded? Is your appearance slouched? If so, you’re not exactly portraying an air of confidence.

MOBILE DEVICES AND YOUR POSTURE

In today’s era of electronic devices, most working adults are in the habit of bending their neck forward, with the chin toward the chest.

As they slouch at their desk, use their cell phone, watch TV, videos, or surfing the web, their shoulders and upper back round forward, while the head juts forward and down.

Over time, looking down at your cell phone, removes the natural curve of your neck, puts strain on the muscles of your cervical spine, causing pinched nerves, and herniated discs. Doctors are seeing more patients with mobile technology-induced head, neck and back pain.

Chronic downward tilting of your head, is the result of lifestyle habits that encourage what chiropractors, and orthopedic doctors refer to as, forward head posture, and thoracic kyphosis, a rounding of the upper back.

Frequent cell phone texting is an example of a lifestyle habit that may result in poor spinal health.

Forward leaning of your head tightens chest muscles, and weakens the upper back. When your upper back weakens, it develops a rounded appearance, while your chest appears caved in, and your shoulders collapse forward.

On a job interview, you’ll want to look healthy and confident. Slumping forward with your head down conveys the opposite.

CORRECTIVE EXERCISE

Take heart, there is a solution to your problem. It’s called corrective exercise. Poor upper back, and neck posture can be reversed with strengthening exercises that target your upper back, stretching exercises that open the chest, and strengthening exercises for the back of your neck.

The Rider’s Pain-Free Back

February 27, 2015

The Rider’s Pain Free Back, by James Warson, M.D. published in 2007 by Trafalgar Square Books. Product Details

Dr. Warson gives a thorough explanation of the causes, prevention, and remedies of back pain, for riders of all disciplines.

Science-based explanations are written so that everyone can understand, and appreciate the congenital and mechanical reasons for developing lumbar pain.

Dr. Warson’s book provides practical information on the diagnosis, treatment, and pain management related to back problems in riders.

If you’re a rider who has given up, or is thinking of giving up riding because of a sore, or painful back, this book is a must read.

Dr. Warson, a lifelong horseman, and neurosurgeon is the founder of the Front Range Brain and Spine Surgery Center in northern Colorado.

The Rider’s Pain-Free Back is sold on Amazon, where it rates a 5 star review from readers.

Sugar Free Cookies

February 20, 2015

Susan’s Sugar Free Cookies is an American product, made by St. Armour, Inc.

Made without dairy, Susan’s Sugar Free Cookies, come in several flavors.: Almond, Ginger, Peanut, Chocolate, and Orange. They’re good for diabetics, vegans, and anyone who wants to avoid cane sugar, and animal products.

The cookies have a crunchy, sweet taste because they’re made with malted barley flour, and malitol, a natural sugar substitute, similar to xylitol.

Buy them at Whole Foods Market, Amazon, or order directly from the manufacturer, Susan’s Sugar Free Cookies.

Xylitol: A Healthy Sugar Substitute

Core Exercise For Equestrians

February 11, 2015

With the exception of a few urban areas, we live in a country that encourages sitting, because our towns and cities are planned around the automobile.

We sit at the computer, in front of the TV, on the job, at the movies, dining out, and commuting to work. .

In many cities and towns, sidewalks are inadequate for pedestrians, making the car an absolute necessity, even for short, walkable errands.

Prolonged sitting weakens our muscles, makes us lethargic, creates a weak core, which in turn, develops poor posture. Medical doctors consider sitting to be the new smoking.

Do you have a job where you’re sitting most of the day? Do you have chronic low back pain? Does your neck feel stiff? Are your muscles so sore you can’t sit down? Is the time spent riding your horse not as enjoyable as you’d like it to be?

Targeted exercise provides solutions to remedy these problems.

EQUESTRIAN FITNESS AND CORE MUSCLES

The muscles of the abs, back, pelvis and hips, make up the core. Strengthening these muscles is important, because the core stabilizes the spine, and protects it from injury,

While you’re moving, the core controls the position and motion of the torso over the pelvis. A strong core improves sports performance, and maintains healthy posture.

SOLUTIONS

Targeted exercise provides solutions to help you get rid of muscular tension, and weakness, develop better posture on and off the horse, and makes riding more effective.

PILATES EXERCISE

Pilates Mat and Reformer exercises are designed to make your core muscles strong.

If you’re not inclined towards Pilates, no worries, you can opt in to a fitness-based core exercise routine, using specialized core equipment to get the job done. Core exercises can also be performed without any equipment.

YOGA CORE EXERCISE

If you’re a Yoga fan, there are many poses that will strengthen your core muscles, stretch your Psoas, Back, and Hamstrings.

As you can see, there are many ways to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Here are a few suggestions.

Stretch the Psoas Muscle because this inner hip muscle tightens up when you do alot of sitting. Stretch your Back to release tension in tight muscles.

The Hamstrings are the muscles of the posterior thigh. Theses muscles tighten up from excessive sitting. If you frequently do stair climbing, or cycling ,you should be stretching your Hamstrings on a regular basis.

Strengthen ;your Back and Abdominal Muscles, because these muscles work as a team to keep your posture healthy, and your spine well-supported.

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The Lunge Stretch For Tight Hips

Stretching 101

Basic Hamstring Stretches

Walking Backward On A Treadmill

February 4, 2015

TV ANNOUNCER TAKING A FALL ON A TREADMILL

This is another post about fitness accidents. Only this time, it was a tv stunt gone bad.

Did you ever notice someone at the gym walking backwards on a treadmill? Did you wonder whether they were into a new, trendy form of cardio exercise, trying to break the monotony, or maybe you thought they were doing something risky?

This is another post about fitness accidents. Only this time, it was a tv stunt gone bad.

On January 15, the Price Is Right announcer, George Gray, fell while walking backwards on a treadmill.

He held his script in one hand, and his microphone in the other. While reading his script, he took a quick fall landing on his back. He managed to get up, gain composure, and continue the show. He was lucky he didn’t suffer a head injury.

Treadmills are made for improving heart health. If you enjoy using a treadmill, use it safely.

Walking backwards on a treadmill, increases your chances of falling.
Walking backward as a land exercise, is used to improve balance, not heart health.

It only takes a split second to be thrown off balance, landing on your head, or your back. At the very least you can strain muscles, which, depending on the severity, can take weeks to heal.

Muscle strains can be very painful. At worst, serious head injuries, lacerations, and broken bones. By all means, don’t use it for an entertainment stunt.

Disabled Dog Saves Handicapped Boy

January 28, 2015

The Story of Owen and Haatchi

This post is for animal lovers who enjoy a sweet story about the human-animal bond, and how Owen Howkins, a handicapped 9 year old boys’ life was turned, around with the help of his disabled, 3-legged canine friend, Haatchi.

Owen was born with Schwartz-Jampel Syndrom, a rare, painful condition, that causes muscles to permanently contract, resulting in severe muscle stiffness.

Owen y Haatchi 2 — **Owen and his dog Haatchi**

Haatchi, an Anatolian Shepherd was abandoned on railroad tracks, when he was 5 months old. He was hit by a train, and left to die.

The dog was rescued, brought to a local animal shelter, and then adopted by Owen’s parents.

Owen states “I didn’t really meet many others with disabilities and felt like the odd one out, which made me really sad. But when I saw Haatchi , and saw how strong he was, even though he only had three legs, I became stronger myself. I love him so much.”

I’ve followed this story on You Tube, and decided to post it on my blog. If you go to You Tube and search for Owen and Haatchi, you’ll find many videos of their continuing story there.

Irene Pastore Fitness.com

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