When you think of #routines for good health, most people would not think of #stretching as a high priority. However, studies have shown that it is one of the easiest ways to relieve pain, improve your well-being and improve your overall #health.
Stretching can help your body:
· Increase your flexibility, which improves your daily performance.
· Improve your range of motion in your joints, giving you better balance.
· Improve your circulation by increasing blood flow to your muscles. This helps your muscles to recover after injuries.
· Promote better posture by keeping your muscles loose and minimizing aches and pains.
· Prevent injuries, particularly if you have tight muscles or joints.
Maintaining proper range of motion is critical to our health and becomes more important to us as we age. It is also the primary goal during acute and rehabilitative phases of chiropractic care. The simple reason is that joint motion stimulates nerve endings that build pathways for the delivery of the most important brain nutrient for human health ever identified, mechanoreception (brain stimulation). When motion is lost, comes a loss of mechanoreception. The brain needs two things 1) food or energy (i.e. glucose) and 2) to be stimulated (charged) by nerve endings called mechanoreceptors in the bodies muscles, ligaments and joints. The brain is like a car battery. It needs to be stimulated just as the battery in a car needs to be recharged by the alternator.
Our health is not just about the body, but also the mind and the mind-body connection.
Stretching can help your mind:
· Calm the #mind, by providing a mental break and give your body a chance to recharge.
· When done properly, helps to #relax tense muscles which result from stress. The feeling of relaxation brings a sense of well-being and relief from tension.
Due to its ease and convenience, stretching can be done anywhere and any time of day. Taking a few minutes first thing in the morning or after work, will make a huge improvement in your health physically and mentally. Try working your way up to 15-20 minutes of stretching a day to help.
Get moving and start stretching today!
Committed to your health,
Dr. Cece