Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) is vital to the body’s proper functioning. It helps build and maintain healthy red blood cells, is involved in the production of DNA and RNA and is instrumental in maintaining a healthy nervous system and cell metabolism.

Because vitamin B12 can be stored in the liver for a number of years and we need just a small amount of it to remain healthy, symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency may not show up for a long time. Vegans sometimes find themselves with this deficiency, as animal products are the only food source of vitamin B12 in a form that can be easily utilized by humans. The elderly can also be at risk of deficiency, as our digestive systems have an increasingly difficult time with absorption of the vitamin as we age.

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause a number of problems, including depression, fatigue and memory problems. A severe deficiency can lead to nerve damage or pernicious anemia, a disease that occurs when the stomach becomes unable to produce intrinsic factor, a substance secreted by cells in the stomach that allows the body to absorb B12.

Without B12 your bones can’t produce enough healthy red blood cells, instead producing large red blood cells in low numbers. Their large size makes it difficult for them to make their way out of the bones and into the bloodstream where they carry on the important work of getting oxygen to the rest of the body’s cells, causing fatigue and other problems.

Some symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Shortness of breath
• Tingling in fingers or toes
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nervousness
• Numbness

Supplementation with vitamin B12 can help reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration, heart disease (due to its ability to lower homocysteine levels), breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and male infertility.

Interestingly, neither plants nor animals make vitamin B12. Rather, it is made by various microorganisms, such as bacteria, molds, yeast and algae, that are then consumed by animals and produce the vitamin in their digestive tract.

There are a number of good dietary sources of vitamin B12, among them eggs, dairy products, beef, pork, chicken, fish and shellfish. Organ meats, clams and oysters are particularly high in the vitamin. Vegetarians and vegans should look for vitamin B12 supplements in the form of fortified cereals, nutritional yeast or spirulina.

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You’ve probably heard that trans fats are bad for you. You may even be looking for them on product labels. But what about all the foods that don’t have nutrition labels on them, such as French fries or doughnuts? When it comes to these foods, trans fats may be hiding in plain sight. That’s why it is important for you to have a basic understanding of where you are most likely to encounter them. By knowing a little more about trans fats, you can make more informed food choices.

Trans fats, also known as trans fatty acids, come from the hydrogenation of polyunsaturated oils and are used in place of healthier oils in many foods. Say what? Unless you majored in chemistry, that probably makes zero sense to you, so allow me to explain.

Naturally occurring vegetable oils – such as canola, sunflower, or corn oil – don’t contain any trans fats. People have to intentionally create trans fats. So if we know they are bad for our health, why do we do it? There are several reasons – all of which serve the needs of the food industry, not individuals. Trans fats:

• Increase the shelf life of products
• Make vegetable oils more suitable for repeat use in deep fryers
• Decrease product refrigeration requirements
• Are less expensive than butter or lard

Have you ever noticed that butter is stocked in the refrigerated section of grocery stores, but packaged baked goods like muffins aren’t? Yet the muffins still resist spoiling. Why? It’s because the kinds of pure vegetable oils and butter we cook with at home are often substituted with trans fats when foods are prepared on a commercial scale.

The trans fats come from adding hydrogen atoms (partially hydrogenating) to unsaturated fats. This process raises the melting point of the fat – so that it will be more solid at room temperature and won’t require refrigeration to hold its shape.
Up until 2006, food manufacturers were not required to list trans fats on product labels. Now the FDA requires food manufacturers to list the presence of trans fats. And although the FDA did not set any limits on the amounts of trans fats that are allowed to be present in our foods, they did say that it should be “as low as possible.

Experts believe that there are nearly 50,000 products on the market that contain trans fatty acids. While the term “trans fats” might not specifically appear on the nutrition label, you will see terms such as shortening and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. The closer to the top of the nutrition label these trans fats appear, the higher the percentage that are present.

Consumer health groups have begun to pressure food manufacturers to remove trans fats from their products altogether. Some have gone so far as to file law suits demanding that a particular product be removed from the shelves unless trans fats are eliminated from the ingredients.

While that battle is fought at the highest levels, individuals can take control of their own health by recognizing the types of food likely to contain high levels of trans fat. Stay on the lookout for trans fats in fried foods, in unrefrigerated baked goods and in snack foods such as cookies and crackers.

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Chiropractic care is an important tool in the arsenal of any professional athlete. It has been shown to help reduce injuries, speed healing time and improve performance.

A number of professional American sports teams have a chiropractor on staff, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, PBA, Nascar and more. Professional golfers routinely use a chiropractor during tournaments, as golf can produce a great amount of stress on the vertebrae due to twisting. Well-known professional athletes such as Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Joe Montana and many others have reported how they have benefited from chiropractic treatment.

A study conducted in 1991 by researchers Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, which was published in The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, found that athletes under chiropractic treatment were able to improve their performance an average of 10.6% over six weeks and 16.7% over a period of 12 weeks. The researchers noted that, as the study was only 12 weeks in duration, and athletic performance continued to improve during that time, it is possible that further enhancement may be possible with longer chiropractic treatment, though at what point improvement would level off is still unknown.

Another study reported in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research in 1997, which evaluated the performance of baseball players, found a marked increase in athletic performance, including an increase in capillary counts, after 14 weeks in the group that was receiving upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. In regard to the effect of chiropractic care on these athletes, the researchers concluded that, “it is evident that changes were measurable in regard to physical strength, tests of athletic ability such as the long jump, and microcirculation.”

Athletes under chiropractic care have faster reaction time, better coordination and achieve more accurate and precise fine movements, all of which contribute to better performance.

There are a large number of high-impact sports that exert a lot of stress on the spine. It is quite easy for the vertebrae to become misaligned during a football tackle, during competitive wrestling or in a Nascar race that involves excessive g-force. When this happens, it can disrupt nerve transmissions from the nerves in the spinal cord, resulting in limited range of motion, slower reaction time, headaches, inflammation and slower recovery from injuries.

Chiropractic adjustments reduce irritation to the roots of the nerve in the spinal column, which allows for greater range of motion and joint flexibility. In addition, joint pain is alleviated and blood circulation is increased, which supplies the body’s muscles and organs with oxygen.

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Vitamin D is one of the few vitamins our body needs that it can produce independently of our diet. This fat-soluble vitamin is unique in humans because it functions as a prohormone, a precursor to the ordinary hormone, and is synthesized when our skin is exposed to the sun. It is synthesized in the kidneys in the form of calcitriol, before it is released into the body as a hormone. It regulates the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the blood stream, helping to promote healthy growth and remodeling in our bones.

The regular intake or production of Vitamin D in our bodies can help to prevent rickets in children and the onset of osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D, especially when combined with calcium, helps to maintain healthy bones and can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. While it is commonly known that Vitamin D is good for the health of our bones, many people do not know that it also affects the function of the neuromuscular and immune systems, inflammation and cell growth. Vitamin D also partly modulates the genes in the body that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis.

The recommended dietary intake, recommended by the Food and Nutrition board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, is about 15-20mcg in a healthy adult for optimal bone and overall health. Even though getting regular sunlight is the simplest way to top up Vitamin D levels, many people don’t get sufficient sun, particularly if they live in a colder climate or during the winter. Fortunately there are plenty of food sources out there that can help support our Vitamin D intake.

In some countries, it is not uncommon to come across food that has been artificially fortified with Vitamin D. But the regular consumption of fatty fish, such as catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, eel and tuna, can help to naturally get enough Vitamin D in our diet. Other food sources are also rich in Vitamin D, such as: whole eggs, beef liver, fish liver oils – including cod liver oil, mushrooms and yeast that have been grown under UV light.

It is important to maintain a healthy balanced diet rich in Vitamin D and to get enough sunlight when the weather is nice enough to do so. Vitamin D is important for a healthy skeletal system, immune system, may reduce the risk against cancer and may even reduce the overall mortality risks from any cause.

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Let’s face it. You probably don’t give a lot of thought to the pillow you sleep on. And you probably didn’t give your pillow much thought when you purchased it either. The truth is that most people don’t. It’s not unusual for a person (or a couple) to spend thousands of dollars on a high-quality mattress but then buy pillows that don’t support the head and neck properly. That’s because-while they understand that sleeping on the wrong mattress can quickly lead to a backache-they aren’t aware that poor alignment of the neck and upper back during sleep can lead to other, more subtle problems that they may not associate with the spine.

If a person’s head is supported by the pillow at a level that’s either too high or too low relative to the rest of the body, the neck and upper back can be placed under stress. Similar stress can also occur if their upper back is not supported along with the neck (so that the head tilts forward), or if the head is allowed to roll sideways when the person is sleeping on his or her back. Symptoms include snoring, insomnia and waking up with a headache, stiff neck or numbness in the arms and hands. If you’re experiencing these sorts of symptoms, you may be sleeping on the wrong pillow.

Choosing a pillow is a very personal decision. The pillow that’s right for someone else may not be right for you. Nevertheless, we’ve provided some basic guidelines that will make it easier for you to choose the right one. The right pillow:

• Supports your head at the proper height whether you’re sleeping on your side or on your back.
• Supports both your head and neck in a neutral position while you’re sleeping on your side (Make sure there is no gap between the pillow and your neck!).
• Provides adequate support for both your neck and upper back while you’re sleeping on your back.
• Keeps your head tilted in the proper neutral position while you’re sleeping on your back.
• Prevents your head from rolling sideways while you’re sleeping on your back.
• Is easy to move on.

In general, you’re looking for a pillow that supports your neck, cushions your head and keeps your spine in alignment. It must be comfortable! Here are a few additional purchasing tips:

Know what you like. Do you prefer a pillow that’s “bouncy” or one that can be “molded” to the shape of your head and neck? How “dense” do you like your pillow to feel? Is it important to you that the material “breathes” and offers good insulation from heat and cold? Maybe you prefer a pillow made of synthetic or hypo-allergenic material? The more clearly you can describe your preferences, the more likely it is that a knowledgeable salesperson will be able to help you find your ideal pillow.

Don’t skimp. Like most things, pillows can differ a great deal in the quality of their construction and materials. They also (naturally) differ a great deal in their price. Buy a better quality pillow if you can, since they’re generally made of materials that will provide better support, comfort and durability. But keep in mind that the first priorities are comfort and function. Just because a pillow is expensive doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

Take the time to “test drive” and compare. Many department stores, mattress retailers and specialty bedding shops will have sample pillows that you can try. If possible, follow the “Ten Minute Rule” and test drive pillows in your favorite sleeping positions. Remember-you and your pillow will be spending about eight hours together every night for several years, so it makes sense to choose wisely now.

Avoid buying a matched set of pillows for yourself and your partner. Keep in mind that your partner probably needs a different pillow that you do.

If you’re not sleeping as well as you used to, or if you’re waking up with a headache, stiff neck or numbness in your arms or hands, we invite you-and your pillow-to visit our office. As chiropractic physicians, we understand that the way you sleep affects your health. And that your health affects the way you live your life. Sometimes a small thing (like a new pillow) can make a big difference!

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Some of us feel that sleep is a luxury. Demanding jobs mean getting up early, and for some of us going to bed early feels like you’ve lost the day, so we compensate by sleeping less. But is that good enough? The oft-cited optimal level of sleep for an adult is the magic eight hours. However, individuals vary in their sleep needs from as little as five hours to as much as ten hours per night. Feeling drowsy during the day might mean you’re not getting enough winks, so how can you tell if you’re sleeping too much or too little?

A recent study conducted at the University of Westminster has concluded that there are people who are at their best and who are ready for action first thing in the morning, and another group who just cannot do mornings well. This may seem obvious, but why are some people early birds, and others night owls? The group who were awake early in the morning was found to have higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, than those who prefer to sleep in. The results of this study indicate that there may be a physiological difference between early risers and late sleepers. The difference in cortisol levels may also contribute to different temperaments between the different sleep groups. Those who awaken early in the morning, tend to be busier and more concentrated, but are also angrier and have less energy at the end of the day than their late-rising counterparts. In late-riser group, people are more likely to be relaxed and less busy. Cortisol is a hormone known to affect both mood and concentration. While it’s hard to specify an ideal time to get up in the morning, if you’re feeling stressed there is an increased chance you’ll feel better if you add an extra half an hour of sleep to your night.

What about the effects of sleep deprivation? It is well known that sleep deprivation can be dangerous, especially if you are driving or using heavy machinery. The effect on driving may be as dangerous as driving under the influence. Not sleeping enough can also suppress your immune system and increases your perception of pain.

Most scientists believe eight hours of sleep is a safe amount and is enough to function comfortably. If you’re alert during the day, then chances are you’re sleeping enough. However if you feel a dip during the day, then even a 10- or 15-minute nap can make a big difference in your concentration and performance. If you can’t get enough sleep on a certain day, you can always make it up afterwards. Sleep longer by going to bed earlier, sleep in on the weekend or even take a nap to help to replenish the sleep debt left. In general, however, try to have a regular sleep schedule to keep your body as rested and ready-to-go as possible.

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Exercise balls can be used to treat back pain and are effective in preventing, reducing and rehabilitating lower back pain in particular. Exercise balls are a wonderful addition to the fitness arsenal, but to get the most out of using one you must choose the right size ball for you. An excellent way to ensure you get the right ball is to schedule a personal consultation with a fitness and rehab professional. However, since that is not always possible, the following are some general guidelines these professionals have developed to help you choose a ball.

There are typically five different diameters of exercise balls to choose from, in centimeters: 45, 55, 65, 75 and 85 cm. They are each designed to fit a certain body type. Your height is not the only determining factor in terms of ball size; your weight and body composition are also considerations.

Be sure the various balls are inflated and available for you to test before purchase. Sit upright on the ball, ensure that your feet are flat on the floor and that your weight is evenly distributed. Your knees should be level with your pelvis, or just slightly lower. This position is key because you want an angle of 90 or greater at the knees and hips, to avoid stressing either of these pivot points. Your ears, shoulders and pelvis should form a vertical line, without your body leaning in any direction to maintain stability. You can check this alignment by gently bouncing up and down.

In general, people 5′ and shorter do best with the 45 cm balls, and people 6’8″ and taller do best with the 85 cm balls. If you are heavier than average, you will compress the ball further when sitting on it. Therefore you should consider buying the next ball size up in order to ensure you have the 90-degree angle or greater for your knees and hips.

Also remember that you can adjust the ball somewhat yourself. For example, if the angle of your hips and knees is much greater than 90 degrees, you can deflate the ball a little. This can be useful if you are out of shape and/or new to using an exercise ball, as the flatter ball will be more stable and easier to use. However if you are in better shape or are more experienced with exercise balls, a flatter ball will be less effective at training your back muscles to improve their balancing and stabilizing abilities. If you initially buy a ball and deflate it, you can always add more air later to increase the difficulty level and train your muscles further.

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Folic acid is synthesized from folate (also called vitamin B9 or folacin), which plays a crucial role in a number of body functions, particularly in the proper development of the fetus from the first days of conception.

Physicians advise that all women of childbearing age take a regular folic acid supplement since 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, and as the neural tube, from which the infant’s nervous system will develop, is one of the first things to develop in a fetus. Often, by the time a woman realizes she is pregnant, much of that important development is already done. Women who are deficient in folate risk giving birth to infants who are low in birth weight or due to neural tube defects have a spinal malformation, such as spina bifida, or other neurological disorders.

Folic acid is so important that it is one of the vitamins that the FDA requires be added to fortified foods such as bread, flour, breakfast cereals, pasta and rice. Since this requirement was enacted in 1998, the rate of neural tube defects has decreased 26%.

Folate is also crucial to proper cell growth. DNA and RNA, the building blocks of all our cells, rely on folate to develop properly, and folate has been found to help prevent the changes in DNA that can lead to the development of cancerous cells. It also aids in the healthy formation of red blood cells, which is necessary in order to avoid anemia.

Folate helps keep homocysteine levels in the blood low, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, aids in the proper functioning of your nerves through the synthesis of neurotransmitters, and helps prevent dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis-related bone fractures.

Signs of folate deficiency include: insomnia, depression, irritability, muscle fatigue, sore tongue, diarrhea, gingivitis and mental fuzziness.

Some good natural sources of folate include: green leafy vegetables such as spinach and collard greens; beans and legumes such as lentils and peas; and fruit and fruit juices, particularly tomato juice and orange juice. Liver is also an excellent source, and cooking it does not easily destroy its folate, which can be the case when cooking vegetables. To maintain the greatest amount of folate in your vegetables, either eat them raw or cook them for as short a time as possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that adults get 400 mcg of folic acid every day, either through their diet or by taking a dietary supplement. If pregnant, that amount should be raised to 600 mcg daily, and 500 mcg every day for women who are breastfeeding.

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The latest research shows that having sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of death. Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects at least 18 million Americans. In fact, sleep apnea is also associated with nearly double the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, as well as early death in men, particularly middle-aged and older men. An obstructed airway causes sleep apnea, which results in cessations in breathing during sleep. This can occur hundreds of times each night. Sleep apnea often results in lowered oxygen levels in the blood, and if untreated, can lead to poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and increased car accidents. Mounting research reveals it may lead to far worse consequences as well.

Even those with mild to moderate sleep apnea may see an increase of up to 17% in their risk of death. A long and large study conducted at Johns Hopkins University and published this year showed results that have real meaning for the average person. Over a period of 10 years, the researchers included more than 6,400 men and women between the ages of 40 and 70. Most of the participants snored, which is the main symptom of sleep apnea. The researchers monitored their sleep patterns as well as their breathing, heart rhythms, and brain activity while sleeping. The results revealed that about half had moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Next, the researchers tracked those with sleep apnea over the next eight to ten years, monitoring and recording the incidence of sickness and death. The main illnesses they found were high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. They made an incredible discovery: those who experienced just 11 minutes of severe sleep apnea per night, in which blood oxygen levels dropped to below 90% of normal, nearly doubled the risk of death among men. The researchers were not able to conclude the same for women, since the study included so few women with severe sleep apnea. In general, sleep apnea affects men more than women.

The researchers indicated that these results are serious and require attention by doctors as well as patients. “With such mounting evidence indicating the range of clinical effects of sleep apnea, awareness amongst health care professionals and the general community needs to increase,” said study lead author Dr. Naresh Punjabi, an associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Anyone with the main symptoms of sleep apnea, including loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and difficulty concentrating should discuss their symptoms with a doctor. Lifestyle changes such as losing weight may help the problem. If you have a more serious case of sleep apnea, there is effective therapy, including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure devices that act as a sort of oxygen mask during sleep. According to accumulating evidence, not only can treating sleep apnea improve your quality of life, but it may save it as well.

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The effect of alcohol consumption on your health can be either positive or negative, depending on the amount you drink. Like most things, moderation is the key to getting the greatest benefits from alcohol. Those who drink moderately generally live longer and in better health than those who either abstain completely or drink heavily.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), moderate drinking lowers your risk of heart disease by 40 to 60 percent. And people who normally consume one or two drinks daily have the lowest rate of mortality, according to the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. The mortality rates of those who have suffered a heart attack are 32 percent lower than those of abstainers. The moderate consumption of alcohol leads to a lower incidence of strokes and can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and prostate problems.

A European study found greater arterial elasticity in volunteers who had a drink of beer, wine or spirits each day, compared to those who were abstainers. In another study of over 18,000 men from the Physicians Health Study, those who increased the number of drinks they consumed from one to six per week showed a 29 percent lower risk of contracting cardiovascular disease. This was also found to be useful to diabetics, who achieved a 58 percent reduction in heart disease risk by consuming an alcoholic drink every day.

Alcohol has been shown to increase your “good” HDL cholesterol while reducing your “bad” LDL cholesterol, in addition to decreasing clotting and increasing blood flow to your heart. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found the risk of stroke to be cut in half for those who take two alcoholic beverages per day.

A standard drink is considered to be one:

• 12-ounce bottle or can of beer
• 5-ounce glass of wine
• 1 1/2 ounce serving of distilled spirits (the equivalent of a shot glass)

“Moderate” drinking is considered to be the consumption of one to three alcoholic drinks per day, depending on your body size. Less than that provides only minimal health benefits and more than that leads to a number of health problems, including liver disease, cirrhosis, cancer, high blood pressure and depression. The over-consumption of alcohol is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide, according to a study in The Lancet.

Of course, those who are pregnant, suffering from alcoholism or have adverse reactions to alcohol should abstain, as the benefits do not outweigh the risks. But for most healthy adults, moderate alcohol consumption will help them live longer and healthier lives.

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High fructose corn syrup is a popular ingredient in sodas, fruit flavored drinks and most processed foods. It has become a staple alternative to cane sugar in many foods and beverages, but is it safe? There has been much controversy and debate over the health effects from long-term usage of high-fructose corn syrup. So far, research has yielded mixed results about its adverse consequences.

High consumption of added sugar in any form can lead to numerous health problems, including weight gain, dental cavities, poor nutrition and increased risks of heart attacks. While the health concerns of excess sugar consumption may seem obvious, what about the specific case of high-fructose corn syrup? Should we go out of our way to exclude it from our diet, even in moderate consumption?

High-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar are not biochemically identical – cane sugar is a naturally occurring ingredient, whereas high-fructose corn syrup is an industrial product, and is processed differently by the body than naturally occurring sugar. Sometimes high-fructose corn syrup is produced from genetically modified corn.

A study at Princeton University found that rats from two test groups, one that consumed high-fructose corn syrup and another standard table sugar, yielded different results in the rats’ obesity – even with the same caloric intake. The group of rats that consumed high-fructose corn syrup experienced abnormal weight gain – particularly in the abdominal region – and also elevated triglyceride levels. Along with high quantities of HDL, otherwise known as bad cholesterol, high triglyceride levels can cause arterial blockage and may increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension and even strokes.

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. An increased risk of diabetes was observed from the metabolic profile in the study of rats that were given sugar-sweetened beverages, exhibiting impaired glucose and insulin homeostasis.

Long-term liver damage has been cited as a side effect to consuming high-fructose corn syrup. This is particularly risky to individuals who live a sedentary lifestyle. Excess consumption can also result in a fatty liver.

One indirect health concern pertaining to high-fructose corn syrup is the contamination of mercury. Mercury cell chlor-alkali products are used in the manufacturing of high-fructose corn syrup, which may leave a trace of the toxic heavy metal in its products, which can be up to 0.5micrograms/g of corn syrup. When you consider the average consumption of corn syrup as being around 50g per day, this could lead to a dangerous build up of the heavy metal in the body’s system.

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While women have worn high heels for decades in the effort to look sexy, it is increasingly having a bad effect on their back, not to mention their knees and feet. Those pricey Manolo Blahniks may look great, but is the price your back pays really worth it?

When you wear high heels, they throw off your center of gravity, causing your pelvis to tip forward and forcing the muscles in your hips, thighs and lower back to work harder, which can lead to tightness and occasional spasms. They also create a greater curvature in your lower back, which makes the buttocks more prominent and lengthens the appearance of the legs (which is what makes high heels “sexy” looking).

If you wear high heels for any length of time, your body posture adapts to it, making some muscles work harder than they should and letting other important ones become weak. For instance, the gluteal muscles weaken and the hip flexors, which are responsible for raising your knee toward your chest, become unusually tight, causing back pain. Your hip flexors extend from the front of your thigh bone, through the hip joint, to end at the lower back. Therefore, if the muscle is tight and shortened it pulls on the lower back. High heels combined with a desk job are the worst of all, as the hip flexors become shortened from being in a sitting position all day.

If you don’t want to give up your high heels there are a few things you can do to reduce long-term damage to your back:

1) Stretch your hip flexors regularly – You can reduce back pain by keeping these muscles stretched. To do this, kneel on one knee on the floor with the foot of the extended leg slightly forward of the knee. Then move your hips slowly forward so your knee is over your foot. You should feel a gentle stretch in the hip of the kneeling leg as you do this. Hold for 20-30 seconds and do twice on each side.

2) Choose a lower heel – Try to buy shoes with a heel no higher than 2 inches. This will still achieve the elegant effect you are looking for without putting excessive stress on your musculoskeletal system.

3) Tighten your abdominal muscles – Strengthening “core” muscles in your abdomen by practicing yoga or pilates will help you maintain good posture while walking in heels and take some of the load of your upper body weight off your lower back.

4) Have regular chiropractic treatment – An experienced chiropractor can realign a spine pulled out of alignment by high heels and can suggest appropriate exercises to help strengthen weak muscles.

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Warming up properly before you do weight training is important in helping to avoid injury to your muscles, and may reduce post-workout aches and pains. A proper warm up increases circulation, giving your muscles more oxygen and conditioning the muscle fibers so they become more pliable.

Though warming up is important, you may be surprised to find that your usual ways of warming up for other forms of exercise may not be optimal when applied to warming up for weight training. In fact, your current warm up routine may contribute to decreased performance and a greater risk of muscle injury.

There are four common mistakes people make in preparation for weight training, which are:

1. Doing 5-10 minutes of cardio – While cardio is great for you to do on a regular basis, it is not ideal before a weight training session. Cardio will burn whatever glycogen is currently stored in your muscles, which is precisely the fuel that you will need for your weight training session. So by doing cardio you are basically going into your exercise session with your energy reserves already partly depleted.
2. Stretching before your weight training session – Because muscle fibers are at their optimal contraction length when resting, when you stretch them they become temporarily weakened, which is not what you want before demanding a lot of work from them. So the best time to stretch is actually after your weight training session. An exception would be to stretch a muscle that is chronically tight, as it is not normally at its optimal length while at rest. You can also help the muscle group you intend to work by stretching its antagonists (opposing muscles). For example, squatting exercises use your quadricep muscles, so you would want to stretch your hip flexors.
3. High rep warm up with low weights – This adds unnecessary lactic acid to your muscles before your workout begins, causing them to burn out more quickly, and reducing performance.
4. Low reps with heavy weights – Doing this will shock your nervous system, muscles and joints, which are not prepared to work at full capacity at the beginning of your workout.

A good warm up for weight training that will set you up for optimal performance consists of completing five sets of reps as follows, resting for 45 seconds to a minute between warm up sets:

Set 1) 12 reps using 25% of your target weight
Set 2) 8 reps with 50% of your target weight
Set 3) 5 reps with 75% of your target weight
Set 4) 3 reps with 85% of your target weight
Set 5) 1 rep with 95% of your target weight

Following this technique should prepare your body for the workout it is about to receive without unduly tiring your muscles before you even start, contributing to better performance and fewer injuries.

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Your spine, or backbone, is the primary physical support for your body. The spine is composed of 33 separate vertebrae, which are flexible and permit standing, bending over, and twisting. The bony vertebrae encase and protect the spinal cord, which is connected directly to the brainstem. A healthy spine is flexible and strong, and it contributes to strong muscles and bones. However, injury, strain or disease can cause problems with the spine such as pain, inflammation and restricted movement.

The spine develops from infancy into adulthood, gradually adapting itself from a C-shape, which is suitable for crawling, to an S-shape, which is the natural shape for two-legged walking. The natural curves in the spine serve to cushion impact from movement, absorb shock, preserve balance, and allow range of motion.

The three main curves in the spine are known as the cervical curve (the neck region), the thoracic curve (the upper back) and the lumbar curve (the lower back). There are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 4 coccygeal. The sacral and coccygeal are the lowest vertebrae in the spine, below the lumbar area. Good muscle tone is important to help maintain proper posture and spinal alignment. It is also important for us to put effort into maintaining proper posture by training our bodies to walk, stand, lie, and sit such that the lowest possible amount of strain is placed on our spine, muscles, and ligaments.

Twenty-four of the vertebrae in your spine are moveable. They are cushioned by intervertebral discs which act like coiled springs. They are fluid filled and, as we age, become more brittle, causing us to get shorter. Osteoporosis, a common condition related to aging, as well as injury and strain, can cause spinal discs to herniate or bulge. This condition can cause significant back pain.

Damage to the spinal cord can cause numbness and loss of motor function. Injury to the cervical area can cause tetraplegia (also known as quadriplegia), while injury to the thoracic or lumbar area may result in paraplegia, or loss of the use of the legs and trunk.

There are several common spinal disorders. Lordosis, also known as sway back, occurs when there is abnormal forward curvature of the lumbar spine. Those who have abnormal curvature of the thoracic curve have kyphosis, or hunchback. Scoliosis occurs when there is a mild side-to-side curvature in the spine. Slight curves of less than 20 degrees do not usually present health or medical problems. Moderate curves usually need treatment because they can significantly limit physical activity.

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Degenerative disc disease is misnomer, because it’s not really a disease. It is a term that refers to the normal changes in the spine as we age. In particular, it refers to the deterioration of our spinal discs, which are the soft, cushiony discs between our bony vertebrae.

Spinal discs are like shock absorbers, in that they separate the bones and allow the spine to bend, twist, and flex. Degenerative disc disease usually occurs in the lumbar region of the spine (lower back) and the cervical region (neck). It results in

1. The breakdown of cartilage, also known as osteoarthritis
2. The bulging of discs, also known as disc herniation, and
3. The narrowing of the spinal canal, also known as spinal stenosis.

These conditions can lead to pain and nerve problems, due to pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.

The cause of degenerative disc disease is aging. Aging leads to a loss of fluid in the discs, making them more brittle and less flexible. They also become thinner, which brings the vertebrae closer together. In addition, small cracks or tears in the discs may cause leakage of the jellylike material inside. This causes bulging, breaking, or fragmenting of the discs.

Degenerative disc disease does not affect everyone the same way and at the same rate. It is usually worse among smokers and those who do heavy physical labor that taxes the spine. People who are overweight and obese tend to have worse symptoms as well. A sudden injury can also initiate the process of deterioration.

When the discs between the vertebrae get thinner, there is less cushion for the spine and it loses stability. In response, the body generates bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, which can cause pain due to pressure on the spinal nerves. The pain may be felt in the back or the neck, depending on the person and the location of the degeneration. Discs that are affected in the neck region can lead to pain in the arms or neck, while affected discs in the lumbar or lower region can lead to leg, back, or buttock pain.

Your doctor or chiropractor can diagnose degenerative disc disease through the use of a physical examination and a medical history. He or she will look for areas of tenderness, range of motion, pain, numbness, reflexes, and any additional conditions such as fractures or infections. Imaging tests are not particularly useful for degenerative disc disease. Treatment usually includes ice or heat, anti-inflammatory medications, and rest. Stretches and physical therapy are often recommended.

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