Welcome Autumn

This is the time of year that we see changes around us-from the trees and flowers to our own body and mind.  Our ancestors didn’t have the luxury of a heated home or plentiful food.  They had to keep moving.  We tend to sleep and eat more; increasing our time spent indoors.

 

Yoga Anatomy: Use Yoga to Ease Neck Tension from Slouching

Many of us tend to adopt this shoulders-hunched, neck-craned-forward posture regularly throughout our day thanks to our desk-bound jobs. Learn how yoga can reverse its effects.

RAY LONG, MD, OCT 11, 2016

Take a moment to sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose): Come to a seated position on the floor with your legs extended in front of you; or sit in a chair, with your spine stacked over your hips and your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Now, place both hands next to your hips, press your palms down into the ground or chair, take a deep inhale, and notice how you feel. Then, let your shoulders cave in toward your chest, and allow your head to come forward and chest to collapse. How do you feel now?

When I ask my patients to do this simple exercise, they report a marked difference in their mood when comparing sitting upright (they use adjectives like “alert,” “happy,” and “bright”) versus hunched over (which prompts reactions like “sad,” “tired,” and “negative”). It’s clear this kind of slumping can lead to energetic problems, but it can also cause biomechanical issues that trigger pain. And the worst part is, the vast majority of us tend to adopt this shoulders-hunched, neck-craned-forward posture regularly throughout our day thanks to our desk-bound jobs and affinity for mobile electronic devices.

The Anatomy Behind Slouched Posture

First, it’s important to look at the muscular imbalances this posture creates. In this position, the muscles that round your shoulders and internally rotate your upper arm bones (subscapularis, teres major, and anterior deltoids) shorten, causing a feeling of tightness. What’s more, the pectoralis major and minor (chest muscles that draw your arms and shoulders forward and together) as well as the levator scapulae, scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, and upper trapezius (muscles in the back and side of your neck that hold your head forward) get overworked, which also leads to tightness. And then there are the muscles that get turned “off” and weaken: the ones that externally rotate the upper arm bones (infraspinatus, teres minor, and posterior deltoids); those that stabilize the shoulder blades and draw them down the back (serratus anterior, rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius); and the cervical or deep neck flexors (longus capitis and longus colli).

This simultaneous over- and under-working of muscle groups leads to imbalances that affect the shoulder girdle. Over time, chronic slumping can cause rotator cuff problems, such as rotator cuff syndrome (in which the muscles and tendons of the shoulder get pinched and inflamed, causing pain), and possibly even a rotator cuff tear thanks to chronic irritation. Neck pain is another common side effect. Think about it: When your head juts forward as you stare at a screen, your neck muscles—
specifically the levator scapulae and upper trapezius—have to contract to hold it up. As a result, the cervical flexors under the neck become tired and weak, causing yet another pain-inducing imbalance.

Great Ways to Use Yoga to Release Neck Tension

Whatever the root cause of your slumping, your yoga practice can help alleviate any resulting pain or dips in mood by bringing more balance to the muscles in your chest, upper back, and neck.

These poses are a great place to start: I’m a big fan of holding Staff Pose: Sit upright with your palms pressing into the ground beside your hips. Draw your shoulders toward your midline and then slightly down your back; press your palms firmly into the ground and attempt to drag them away from each other isometrically. By doing so, you engage the weakened lower and middle trapezius and rhomboids, and you stretch the tight pectorals.

Here’s one more simple exercise for relaxing neck and chest tightness: Interlace the fingers of both hands and place them palm-down on the top of your head, right in the center. Press your head up into your hands as you gently press your hands down into your head. Hold this dual-pressing action for a few seconds, release for a few seconds, and then repeat once. You should feel a straightening of the spine and a lightness that may make you smile.

As I’ve learned, the best way to find the most brightness and to counter the inevitable muscular imbalances that arise as we move through our lives is to take the time to understand the biomechanics of these imbalances. We do so by using our body and studying the energetic shifts the imbalances cause, which in turn helps us more readily and predictably access the proper corrective yoga postures. It’s my opinion that this is what yoga is really for.

Products I Like

One of the reasons I started this newsletter is to share information on any health related products that I really like.  I have recently discovered some that I want to rave about.

A new friend told me that she started using a natural toothpaste. I figured it was Tom’s brand but it wasn’t. I had been thinking about trying something that didn’t have all of the chemicals, coloring and whatever else corporations are putting in their toothpaste. I immediately went to the local Indian market and purchased this wonderful product. It helps with gum sensitivity and feels like a tooth polish.  It is what toothpaste should be. The taste isn’t bad and doesn’t taste like artificial flavoring either. I love it.

Have you tried Turmeric for inflamation? I have had friends tell me how these tablets have done wonders for aches and pains caused by inflamation. I finally bought some and have only been taking 2 per day for about 5 days. The inflamation in my wrist which I broke 5 years ago is noticably improved. I am sold on this natural remedy. Try this instead of continued use of medication and see if it works for you.

I have spoken about the wonders of apple cider vinegar. The taste is hard to swallow but the benefits are great. It really helps those with stomach issues as well as sore throats and allergies. A friend found this product in a local store. It has ginger and turmuric added to the apple cider vinegar which makes it close to tasty. Enjoy a couple of ounces a day to improve your health. Some are saying it can help ward of cancer. Below are some great uses for this natural product. If you are not drinking it, straight apple cider vinegar costs about a dollar. Here are just 10 reasons to have it on hand.

1. Apple Cider vinegar contains pectin which helps with intestinal spasms.
2. Mix with water for bacterial infections. It has antibiotic properties.
3. 1-2 tablespoons in water, apple juice or other clear juice cures hiccup.
4. Sooth sore throat with 1/4 cup with 1/4 cup warm water. Most germs can’t survive the acidic environment.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar helps lower cholesterol
6. Prevents indigestion-take 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar in glass of warm water 30 minutes before eating.
7. Clears stuffy nose
8. Apple Cider Vinegar contains potassium which thins mucus and prevents bacteria growth.
9. ACV aids in weight loss as an appetite suppressant, increases metabolism and reduces water retention. It interferes with the body’s’ digestion of starch so fewer calories enter the bloodstream.
10. ACV gets rid of dandruff. It changes the ph. of your scalp making it harder for yeast to grow. Put 1/4 cup with 1/4 cup water in a spray bottle and use on scalp. Wrap your head in a towel for 15 minutes and then wash.

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

Dale Carnegie