Stretches to Help Lower Back Pain
If you remember last week, I shared some tips on how to prevent lower back pain. These tips were inspired by me straining one of my lower back muscles while on holiday in Bulgaria. I stated last week that it was sorted out by a combination of massage, stretches and back exercises.
So this week I want to share the three simple stretches I used to ease my back.
1. Knees to Chest
For the first day this is the only stretch I did. You lie on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your knees and gently bring your knees towards your chest. I held this stretch for about 2 minutes and did it 3 – 4 times a day.
2. Two – knee – twist
Lying on your back, bend your knees into your chest and bring your arms out at a T. As you exhale lower your knees to ground on the right. Keep both shoulders pressing down firmly. If the left shoulder lifts, lower your knees further away from the right arm. Hold for 1-2 minutes each side. Again I repeated this stretch 3 – 4 times a day.
3. Thread the Needle
Lying on your back, bend both knees with the feet flat on the ground. Bend the right knee like a figure four, with the outer left ankle to the right thigh. Lift the left foot into the air, bringing the left calf parallel to the ground. Thread your right hand between the opening of the legs and interlace your hands behind your left thigh. Hold 2-3 minutes and then repeat on the other side. Again I repeated this stretch 3 – 4 times a day.
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The low down on natural sugars, part 3 – my thumbs up list
In my introduction on natural sugars, I listed a variety of foods that can be added when cooking as a natural sweetner, this would always be my preference. I know there are times when we need a natural alternative to white sugar, previously I listed my thumbs down list of alternatives, so here is my thumbs up list. Maple Syrup Made from the sap of maple trees. It contains 34 beneficial compounds including antioxidants, anti-inflamatories, zinc and magnesium. It doesn't cause problems in the digestive tract so its ok for IBS sufferers. Its a good natural sweetner when baking or as a substitute for honey. Palm Sugar A traditional Ayurvedic ingredient containing B vitamins that has a low gycaemic index (40) so is suitable for diabetics. A good alternative to sugar in cooking, baking and in drinks. Barley Malt Extract/Syrup Its an unrefined natural sweetner derived from sprouted, dried, booked and reduced barley malt, which contains some minerals and vitamins. A good choice as a natural sweetner with almost no fructose or sucrose but can give a malty taste. Brown rice Malt/Syrup This contains maltotriose, maltose and glucose cheaper versions use enzymes to turn the starches into sugar while others use sprouted grains that realse enzymes which is better. It doesn't contain fructose. It can add a little crunch to baked and cooked products so is good in crumbles, flapjacks or granolas. Stevia Derived from the leaves of a plant from South America with the same name. 300 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose) but with a slightly bitter after taste. Avoid products which aren't 100% stevia. Use in moderation as it primes the body for a certain amount of calories for sweetness, so may increase appetite. Whole Cane Sugar A naturally unrefined form of whole sugar that is absorbed more slowly into the blood stream. It can be difficult to find. Coconut (Palm) Sugar also known as Coconut Nectar or Blossom Syrup Rich in B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc , 17 amino acids, short-chain fatty acis and antioxidants. It contains inulin which is a prebotic which feeds the benefical bacteria in our gut. However, there are mixed opinions on its sustainability. It is said to taste like brown sugar. Yacon Syrup From the yacon or peruvian ground apple. It tastes like a cross between an apple and pear. It contains good amounts of vitamins and minerals plus a prebiotic. It may not be suitable for people with IBS due to its high FOS (fructooligosaccharide) content. It is suitable for diabetics. Use instead of liquid sweeteners like honey and also in baking. References Alternatives to Sugar by Dr M Glenville (Lifestyles Press, 2016).
Mundane superfoods – part 1
The list of superfoods grows longer each day and they all seem to come from far off exotic locations and they can be quite pricey. So I want to share with you a few more humble, even mundane foods that are good subsititues for some superfoods.
Swap: Lemon Balm for Cacao
Ok the flavors aren't similar but the effects are. People crave chocolate because it is soothing and even slightly stress relieving. The appropriately named lemon balm, lifts your spirits but without the stimulation from caffeine. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and West Asia, Melissa officinalis, like so many other herbs, has been used for centuries as a therapeutic remedy due to its antiviral, antibacterial, antispasmodic and antidepressant compounds. Its modus operandi, according to Natural Living Ideas, includes stress relief, relief of pain from indigestion and improving your appetite. Another use for lemon balm is to promote sleep. You can chop the leaves and steep them in boiling water to make a tea or rub a few leaves on your skin to allow the natural oils to seep into your bloodstream, which helps you relax. In fact, a University of Maryland study found that 81 percent of the participants who used lemon balm with valerian root got a better night's sleep than those on a placebo. And a Northumbria University study reported that experiments with lemon balm returned memory-strengthening and improved problem-solving abilities when they took capsules filled with the dried herb. The subjects also performed "significantly" better when taking standardized computer tests on memory in comparison with those given a placebo. One of the great things about lemon balm, a perennial herb and member of the mint family, is how easy it is to grow, particularly in the spring. It can be sown from seed, or you can buy a small plant from a farmers market or nursery, and you'll be amazed how quickly it grows and spreads. References Natural Living Ideas March 8, 2017 UMM 2017 Northumbria University April 29, 2016Mundane superfoods – part 3
Continue my series (see part 1 and part 2) on swapping exotic superfoods for more readily available and cheaper but just as nutritious alternatives, this week I turn my attention to Wheatgrass.
Chickweed: The New Wheatgrass
As green as any grass you've ever seen, wheatgrass has been a main event in health food circles for decades. People will line up to pay big bucks for a small shot of the stuff, which tastes pretty much like you'd imagine, similar to the aroma of new-mown hay; as one company describes it, "unfamiliar, but not unpleasant." Several of this commodity's features include fighting aging by revitalizing skin cells, cleansing the blood and fighting tumors. Clinical studies show that it contains 90 minerals, 20 essential amino acids, 13 vitamins and 80 enzymes. But it's the 70 percent ratio of chlorophyll, structurally similar to red blood cells (hemoglobin), that makes it a superfood. World Lifestyle notes that once it's absorbed, it converts to hemoglobin, mimicking red blood cells and carrying oxygen to vital areas of your body, and may even kill off cancer cells because "cancer cells can't survive and thrive in oxygen-rich environments." But get this: Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a wild, edible plant growing prolifically in every area of the world other than those that are coldest, like Antarctica. Besides decreasing insect damage to other plants, it's chockfull of many vitamins, minerals and, like wheatgrass, chlorophyll. Chickweed stems and flowers can be used raw in salads and sandwiches, tossed into soups and stews or added to cooked dishes (but at the end as the stems and leaves are delicate). Frontier foragers learned that when they gathered chickweed, almost exclusively in the spring, it was useful as both food and medicine. As a food, Foraged Foodie observes, the raw form is covered with a fine layer of fibers, which are minimized when they're gently chopped and sautéed or wilted. Natural medicine expert Dr. Josh Axe notes:"Chickweed is taken by mouth to treat stomach problems, intestinal complaints such as constipation, disorders of the blood, arthritis, lung diseases including asthma, kidney disorders, inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract, rabies, and scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. It is also used to relieve extreme exhaustion. Chickweed is applied on the skin relieve various skin conditions such as skin wounds, ulcers, burns, arthritis pain and symptoms of eczema."
References Dynamic Greens 2017 World Lifestyle Foraged Foodie March 3, 2016 Dr. Axe February 10, 2014
