Self help to prevent a stiff neck
Previously I shared my produced for how to treat a stiff neck. In this blog post I want to share my tips for on prevention of stiff necks for those that are prone to them.
Firstly, make sure you practice proper posture regardless of what you’re doing, such as positioning computer monitor at eye level and moving your neck frequently when driving to ensure your muscles remain nimble.
Secondly, if you notice your neck muscles start to tight as you do core exercises then place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth to assit your neck muscles to relax.
Produces for Stiff Neck Prevention
1. Roll your shoulders backwards and down 10 times.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together 10 times.
3. Place your hands at the back of your head and push into them, then hold for 30 seconds.
4. Tilt your head shoulder to shoulder 10 times on each side.
Related Posts

Yet more how to chill out…
So in the past I have talked about how any activity can help you chill out as long as you enjoy it and it absorbs you including video games. But what about Origami? The ancient Japanese art of Origami has recently seen a surge in popularity due to the fact it can be done any-time, anywhere, with materials that are often to hand in stressful environments such as schools and offices. It may seem complicated, but thanks to YouTube, and online course platforms like Udemy, anyone can make learn to make simple creations from table decorations to paper aeroplanes without spending a fortune on expensive tools or equipment. According to paper folding guru Himanshsu Agrawal (who has five world records to his name- including the creation of a 44 foot human being and a 105 foot dinosaur!): “Origami is inherently geometric; as you fold from one end to the other, the movement becomes rhythmic. It soon feels like you are detached from the world.” The act of folding paper has been shown time and again to help decrease anxiety and increase feelings of inner calm. The beautiful film “Between the folds” takes a deeper look at the art of paper folding and it’s many benefits for health and its a good place to get more information.

Natural treatment for cold sores
A common treatment for cold sores is antiviral cream called aciclovir. A new randomised controlled trial of nearly 1,000 adults with cold sores where they either applied aciclovir cream or medical grade New Zealand manuka honey to the cold sore. There was no significant difference in the time taken for the cold sore to heal:
- 8 days for aciclovir cream
- 9 days with New Zealand medical grade manuka honey

What helps fights colds? Part 1
Its that time of year when people tend to get colds, so I wanted to share some tips on natural ways to fight colds. Vitamin C The first thing I reach for when I feel I am run down or coming down with a cold is high dose Vitamin C. There is scientific evidence to suggest that taking vitamin C can shorten a cold by nearly 20%. Zinc One study showed that if kids take a zinc supplement they reduce the number of colds they get by 50%. If you take zinc when you start getting a cold it can help to shorten the duration of the cold. Pelargonium Sidoides An African herb is the key ingredient in Umcka ColdCare. Studies sho that this herbal remedy can help resolve coughs, especially chesty coughs and relieve sore throats. Salt For sore thoats, I normally gargle with salt water. Please be careful not to swollow it as it will make you vomit. I then make a tea, by adding hot water to a chunk (2 cms) of fresh ginger, a slice of lemon and tea spoon of honey. References Strohle, A., Hahn, A. 2009. Vitamin C and immune function. Med Monastsschr Pharm. Feb; 32(2):49-54. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19263912 Douglas RM, Hemilä H, Chalker E, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD000980. Review. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;1:CD000980 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17636648 Heydarian F, Behmanesh F, Daluee M, Kianifar H, Hematian M. The role of zinc sulfate in acute bronchiolitis in patients aged 2 to 23 months. Iran J Pediatr. 2011;21(2):231-4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3446156/ Singh M, Das RR. Zinc for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Jun 18;(6):CD001364. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(4):CD001364 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23775705

