Health

In the movie The Princess Bride the count says to Prince Humperdinck: "If you don't have your health, you don't have anything."  Everything becomes secondary if your body is not working right.   It's the only one you have so TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT!   The Big Three are chiropractic adjustments, exercise and nutrition.  These three work together like a three legged stool.  You will not perform as well if you are missing one or two.  Just like a stool missing a leg or two is precarious, so will be your health if you are missing one or two.   I like to qualify this by mentioning that we have some people who do everything right and still have problems.  As well as people who seem to do everything wrong and live to be 100.  Like George Burns.   Lol.  Don't base what you do on those peoples experiences.  It doesn't take a lot of time to take good care of your body.  I like to say.... it takes Just Fiiive Minutes.  

We live in an imperfect world.  Physical stresses such as: bad posture, sitting in awful chairs for 12 years, walking on concrete, bending twisting and lifting, as well as big traumas like slips and falls and car wrecks reek havoc on our spines.  Mental and chemical stresses add up too.  The simplest, and I would argue the best, way to manage these is regular adjustments.  If you are having symptoms get that problem addressed ASAP.  THEN at least once a month get adjusted.  Best is once a week.  One reason once a week is best is you can misses a few and still be following the AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH rule.   If you are getting adjusted once a month and you miss a few... joints lock up and premature wear and tear begin.  It doesn't take much time ...... Just 5 Min.  

Second leg of health is diet or nutrition, what goes down the hatch.   You are what you eat.  Garbage in means you have a garbage body.  There is no replacing a good diet.  Three fruits, three vetegables, three whole grains, eight cups of water, and protein.  Best source of calcium is green leafy veggies. 

The Bad list:  salt, sugar, artificial sweeteners, coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, white flour and drugs.  Avoid these inflammation promoters as much as possible.   Especially, when in pain.

Thirdly, is exercise.  I lump exercise into three groups.  Core exercises, major muscle exercises, and cardio.  From my perspective core is BY FAR the most important.  Followed fairly closely by major muscle work.  So if you only have 5 minutes for exercise today do the core workout.  It pays big benefits today!  Do you have to do my routine, no.  But every other routine I have seen takes longer, and some miss important parts.   Now this routine doesn't hit everything, but for 90% of people it does what you need it to do.  If you find other exercises that really help, DO THEM!  I call this routine "stretches", but calisthenics is a better description.  They are exercises for the back, belly and neck.  Ten repetitions or hold for ten seconds(isometric exercise) on each one.  The exception is the hamstring stretch.  Hold for 30 seconds on each one.  All the rest we are trying to strengthen or loosen up, with the hamstring we are trying to stretch or lengthen.   Because we often sit for long periods and it shortens up on us.  

Use the core list.   Watch my video below.   And just do them.   Next three times a week, for just 5 minutes, do major muscle work.   Mondays I do my legs.  Wednesday upper body.   And Fridays chest and back.   10 repetitions and DONE!   Use the major muscle list.  (Can be found at www.doctorhahn.homestead.com )   Watch the video once.   Just do it.  These two routines, core and major muscle, affect QUALITY OF LIFE!    You will feel better today and tomorrow.  Must do!    Now, if you want to increase quantity of life you should also do cardio.   Get your heart rate up and keep it up for 20 min.   Also, as a side-bar, you should get at least 90 minutes of activity each day.   If you have a sedentary job, when you get home you need to move.  Yard work, housework, play with kids, etc.  If you have an active job, where you move your body a lot, that counts as activity, but you still need to do the exercises.  Walking is great for the back!  As long as it's at a quick pace and you're not walking slow, strolling along.   So Swing your arms!  If you want to try keeping your abs engaged(tightened), rotate your pelvis opposite to your arms, and use your calves to push off at the end of a stride.   

Optimum exercise = hour or more a day! minimum two routines above.  

Other stuff to come in the future:  Proper lifting technique, Fasting, and Eye exercises