Improve Yourself with "MOVE"

MOVE, in this case, stands for "management of vital exercise."  Time and again I experience, and hear other people's experiences with, a variety of health conditions.  One essential component for good health is our physical need for oxygen, and we have a lot of control on how well it is distributed.  Breathing alone does not insure that oxygen is getting everywhere it is needed.  Here is where it is up to us to manage our own individual program of vital exercise to insure that it does!  It is "vital" because if different areas do not receive adequate oxygen, the result is any number of heath issues:  back pain, leg pain, numbness, "death" of a toe or finger and gangrene, brain disorders, and more.

An acupuncturist was able to explain to me how the tightening of muscles can block blood flow.  Blood carries oxygen.  If the flow is blocked, an essential amount of oxygen is not getting to the muscles and organs.  With just a few simple exercises a day combined with cognizant breathing techniques, so many pains and disorders can be lessened or eliminated.

For years, I heard that a low pulse rate was good for keeping the heart from being overtaxed.  However, there is a boundary for a heart being exercised too much or too little.  Even when breathing slowly, I periodically monitor myself to be sure I am keeping a constant breathing rhythm going.  Be mindful of holding in the lower part of the abdomen as this relieves stress on avenues that could weaken or block air flow.  The goal is to keep all avenues open as much as possible.

I have a tendency to flex (tighten) the muscles in my left flank and leg more so than my right, and it is the left side that suffers pain as a result.  Even just standing, I can feel the tension in my left leg when I am consciously focusing on which muscles are not relaxed.  When doing simple twist motions, I hear and feel "pops" in my spine, neck and joints.  At that point, tension is being released, and relaxation is enhanced if I concentrate on not letting them tighten up again.  Important, too, is my timing for inhaling and exhaling.  It is best to inhale at the start and then exhale while making the exercise motion, ever thinking to relax.

For me, being instructed on the right techniques to use has, over a two-month period, eliminated debilitating pain in my back and left side of my hip, thigh, knee, and half of my calf.  For a few years, I had hardly any feeling at all in the tip of my left big toe.  After three months of correct exercise, partial feeling has returned.  There is no doubt in my mind this has avoided a lot of unnecessary drug prescriptions and possibly even surgery.  In addition, if parts of our bodies are oxygen deprived, might it be possible that our brains and other organs might also be deprived?  We now know this can mean premature dementia and even Alzheimer's disease when the brain is deprived.

We owe it to ourselves to consider less invasive yet effective options to our medical situations.  Being involved and pro-active has emotional and psychological benefits, too.  Consultation with acupuncture, chiropractic and yoga specialists is worth the time spent, the knowledge obtained, and (if chosen) treatment received.  If there is even a 60% improvement, that can mean a lot in terms of our quality of life.  For me, the improvement is 98%.  Sometimes my pain will slightly begin to re-occur when I neglect doing my exercises daily or when I've overexerted myself; but I know now how to eliminate it within five minutes.  Indeed, become a devout supporter and practitioner of MOVE, and feel better soon!

Line Up

Common pains occur in knees, hips, neck, shoulders, and back.  There is a variety of causes for the pain, and one might just be poor body alignment.  Taking yoga, aquatics and tai chi, combined with having a medical professional assess my pain, has proven to be priceless for me.  Having an instructor view how I am performing provides someone seeing what I cannot see -- leaning forward too much, not relaxing shoulders completely, bending my knees too far in front of my toes, not holding my head up as straight as it should be.

Take advantage of free or inexpensive evaluations commonly offered at local fairs or clinics.  A couple years ago, a nearby exercise establishment allowed back specialists to give preliminary, visual evaluations.  The lady I saw asked if I sometimes had neck/shoulder pain or discomfort on the right side.  Actually, I did and had thought it was from sitting too long at the computer.  Wrong.  She pointed out that I have a tendency to lean my head to the left!  Now conscious of that habit, I keep my head and neck more aligned with my spine, and there is no more neck or shoulder pain!  Simple.

Yoga and tai chi instructors point out my tendency to draw my left knee inward when bending down and sitting.  My general practitioner referred me to a physical therapist who gave me several exercises specific to me -- that take a total of less than 5 minutes -- to do daily to also get and stay aligned.  My old habits are the culprit time of hip pain, and it returns every time I get sloppy and resort to them.  But when I pay attention, I am pain free.  These avenues give me relief from knee and back pain, and recently a bout of "tennis elbow."  About 10 years ago, I suffered with back pain.  A chiropractor realigned my back and taught me easy, fast exercises to stregthen my back.  That pain has been under control and not a problem since practicing their guidelines.  Again, exercise instructors tell me when I am learning too far forward or backward, etc., and instigating unwanted strain/pain.

Combining the knowledge of medical practitioners and exercise instructors of how to treat specific complaints (Do I use heat or cold?  Do I massage or not?  How much and how frequently should I exercise the injured spot?) has helped me attain and retain a much better qualify of life, thanks to reduced or elimination of pain.