At the beginning of the year, we always set goals like, “eat healthier”, “go to the gym”, “lose weight”. We have the best intentions to begin living a healthier lifestyle but we often do not make it past the first month. It is found that only 8% of people actually follow through with their new year resolutions. This is often the case because we set our goals high but do not put a plan in place to help accomplish them!
The majority of people do have the resolution to be more active! The gym is often a packed and overwhelming place in the beginning. If we aren’t going 5-6 days a week we feel like we have already failed so we decide to not go at all. That is why something as simple as movement should be your goal this year!
We do not always need to get to the gym multiple times a week but our bodies do need movement throughout the day. Getting up and moving around benefits your physical health and also your mental health.
Just move! There are 6 main benefits of movement:
- Muscles: By moving, you are strengthening your muscles, which improves stability, balance, and coordination. Don’t forget, stretching helps maintain your muscle health as well.
- Bones: Movement helps build more durable, denser bones.
- Joints: By being aware of how you move, you can increase coordination and balance, be mindful of the positioning of your joints, and relax. The position of your joints is also subconscious so to make sure that your joints are moving properly it is important to get adjusted! Chiropractic adjustments place joints in the right position to allow for the best movement. Adjustments also allow for your joints to better communicate with your brain, which takes me to my next point.
- Brain: Walking 30-40 minutes a day three times per week can help “regrow” the structures of the brain linked to cognitive decline in older adults. If you are working from home or tend to sit more often, make an effort to take walks. Also sometimes we need a mental break, getting up and getting active can help our minds refocus.
- Digestion: The movement of muscles can help to massage internal organs which can help facilitate proper digestion.
- Spine: Our spine is composed of 33 individual bones that interact and connect with each other. Each bone has a disc between them that acts as a pillow to support our spine throughout the day. These discs rely on movement to bring in nutrients and get rid of waste to help maintain proper spinal hygiene. When we start to have a lack of motion in the spine that is when we start to experience degenerative changes such as arthritis. These arthritic changes cause a decrease in range of motion and can be painful. Chiropractic adjustments aid in returning proper motion to the spine to allow the bones and discs to move properly which can slow down those degenerative changes!
Basically, movement is life! It is more than just a new year’s resolution. It is important to get up and get moving. There are lots of ways to get moving. You can start with at-home exercises, you can also get out and walk, or even get up from your desk and walk around your office or home. The best way, however, to make sure that you are getting proper motion is to get adjusted! And for that, you can schedule an appointment at Keystone Specific Chiropractic Center to check the health of your spine!
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