American NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens once said, “A lot of emotional stress that people go through, some people figure out a way to handle it. They have a strong enough support system to keep going and moving forward. And some people, they feel like they don’t have that outlet.” It is those people who don’t have that kind of outlet who are most likely to feel the physical conditions that are brought on by undue emotional stress. And sadly, many of them let the problem go untreated until it transitions into a far more serious problem.

Relief for Stress Related Back Pain

One of the most common problems people experience due to both emotional and physical stress is back pain. All too frequently they turn to pain relief pills which just mask discomfort. If they recognized stress as the reason for their pain and treated the stress, then they could potentially eliminate their pain altogether. Here are 7 different alternates to pain medication. If you’re suffering from back pain, one just may be able to help you!

1. Vitamins – Are you spending enough time away from the computer and outside to enjoy that Pacific coast sunlight? Eating the right foods? Back pain is a clear sign of the physical strain of your body’s attempt to make up for a lack of certain vitamins and minerals like vitamins D and B-12 or magnesium. Other signs include digestive problems, anemia, and even parasitic infections. If this sounds familiar, check with your doctor and if that’s the case, ask for advice about planning out a vitamin regimen to correct the problem.
2. Music – Hospitals are now using music therapy to help those with chronic back pain. One study found that music therapy significantly reduced the patients’ back-related disabilities. In addition to its high level of effectiveness, music is both low cost and readily accessible. Some use an electronic device like an iTunes Digital Jukebox while others actually contract live musicians to play for the patients.
3. Willow bark – Similar to aspirin, willow bark contains salicin which your body converts over to salicylic acid, the compound that is responsible for relieving pain and inflammation. A study performed by the University of Sydney found that the effects of willow bark on patients with back pain had a considerable effect after daily intake over a period of four weeks.
4. Yoga – This is my favorite way to relieve back pain. Whether I’m downward facing dog in my family’s games room or practicing pigeon amongst a flock of seagulls on the beach, giving my muscles a good stretch helps relieve any kinks that cause annoying back twinges from the stress of sitting at my computer for several hours at a time.
5. Swimming – Speaking of the ocean, swimming is a great way to help exercise away your back pain whether you’re at the beach or at the community swimming pool. Some gyms even offer aqua aerobics classes, as the natural buoyancy of the water supports your skeletal system and helps to prevent the harmful jarring associated with jogging and regular exercise classes.
6. Massage – I don’t know anyone who would turn down a massage. When my brother threw his back out while working construction, his doctor sent him for a series of chiropractic massage sessions. It not only helped with his back pain, but it also helped him relieve stress overall. He even learned some exercises he could use at home to help relieve back pain in case of future flare-ups.

Visit New Backdrops to Lower Back Pain

Sometimes just visiting a new location can help us relieve stress. Victoria on Vancouver Island has a broad range of activities for relaxation, from colorful gardens and easy access to the Pacific Ocean. Even residents of the area, which Travel and Leisure World voted the Top Island in the Continental United States and Canada, enjoy all that Victoria offers in the way of relaxation. Whether it’s attending annual events like the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival or a current stage production, the year-round climate – the mildest in Canada – makes the lush island a perfect setting for relaxation during any calendar month.

About the Author

Freelance author Becky James-Muth loves living in the mountains, but she also loves visiting the beach. When she’s not working on a new writing project in her home office, she’s usually hiking the woods around her home with her golden retriever or dragging her husband and their teenage sons off to a weekend at the beach. In her free time Becky enjoys watching classic movies, listening to music, and pulling the weeds from her flowerbeds.

Working in an office just a few blocks from my home was nice, but there was little to do in the way of outdoor activity. When I wasn’t at my desk at work, it seemed I was at my desk at home. The park was just far enough away that walking there alone wasn’t a safe option, and the parking spaces were taken up by young parents with minivans full of children who seemed to attend daily play dates that began just after breakfast and lasted long past dinner. And besides that, I really wanted a dog – a luxury prohibited by our condominium association. When my doctor diagnosed me with chronic back pain due to a disk issue, my husband agreed it was time we make our move.

Eating Away Back Pain

I traded in my corporate lifestyle for a desk in my home office, telecommuting two days a week and spending the rest of the time as a freelance writer. I loved getting outside to work in the yard. All the walking and stretching was great for my back, and now I could practice my early-morning yoga on the expansive deck on the back of the house.

Friends threw us a housewarming party, and we received a lot of gifts that promoted our new, healthier lifestyle but none so much as the Blendtec blender. This not only made the fastest, tastiest milkshakes we’d ever slurped through a straw, but we could also use it to make delicious health drinks with vegetables from our new garden. Here are some of my favorites from the Blendtec website, slightly tweaked to suit my own palate.

• Chilled Avocado Soup – 4 cups of chicken broth (I save it from cooking chicken for other recipes), 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of milk, juice from half a freshly-squeezed lime, 2 peeled and pitted ripe avocados, half a cup of cilantro and half a cup of spinach leaves go into the jar and blend on the soup setting. I have to admit, I had to warm up to this chilly soup but once I got used to the temperature and the flavor, I was hooked. Now we use it to get rid of leftovers and have had so many versions depending on what needs to be used out of the fridge.

• Berry Banana Blast – 1 cup of yogurt – ANY flavor, 1 cup apple juice (no added sugar, please), 1 large banana, and 2 cups of your favorite previously frozen berries go into the jar and are combined on the smoothie selection to give your body a boost of potassium and a variety of other vitamins and minerals depending on what berries you choose.

• Carrot Juice – 2 carrots chopped up, 2 cups of water, the juice from half a fresh-squeeze lemon, and a handful of ice cubes are blended on the whole juice setting to create a drink that’s not only rich in Vitamin A but also a great way to use up leftover carrots from a previous night’s dinner.

• Peach Green Tea Smoothie – 2 cups of frozen cubes of green tea, a whole peach (without the seed), a cup of baby spinach leaves, a whole banana, and a cup of soy milk are chopped on the ice crush setting to create a drink that’s rich in iron, potassium, and magnesium.

• Strawberry Tomato Slush – A cup each of ice and frozen strawberries, 2 tomatoes, and some Sun Warrior protein powder added to the jar and blended on the ice crush setting make this an excellent way to get a quick boost of carbs and protein.

A Healthier Diet Means a Healthier You

Because our new home wasn’t near any fast food stores and we lived too far from town to qualify for restaurant delivery, we began cooking at home instead of going out to eat. You’d be surprised how many calories that cut alone. Between my healthier diet and the exercise I was getting, I dropped the weight I’d picked up since moving to the city. My new, toned figure not only looked healthier, but I felt healthier and my back pain nearly disappeared. Best of all, we finally got that puppy which gave me no reason not to get outside and walk a couple of times a day.

Even if you don’t have the benefit of a Blendtec machine, you can use a food processor or blender to create modified versions of the above recipes. The important thing is that you’re willing to try something new, whether it’s through diet or exercise, to lead a healthier lifestyle. But even more importantly, be sure that whatever you plan to do has a seal of approval from your family doctor so you don’t risk creating an injury or worsening an existing one.

About the Author

Freelance writer Becky James was raised in the mountains, and although she feels most at home when she’s barefoot in her back yard, she equally enjoys beachcombing across her favorite areas along the coast. She and her firefighter husband home school their two teenage sons, which is a full time job in itself. They use as many hands-on opportunities to learn as they do a formal curriculum, and their favorite adventures include fossil hunting, visiting the site of a shipwreck, and caving.

The weather was warmer than expected that week. Each morning my husband and I took our coffee down to the water’s edge and enjoyed long walks, beachcombing for treasures like sea glass and oddly shaped bits of driftwood that we’d add to our collection at home. And what an addition it made. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy it because after sitting in the car for the long ride home my back muscles were screaming in pain. I spent the next two days in bed with a heating pad, but as time went on I found that being forty came with a whole array of problems.

No Fountain of Youth for This 40-Year-Old

When I visited my doctor about my back pain, she suggested a completely physical during which she helpfully discovered out other problems that I’d developed since my last visit, the biggest problem being the fifteen extra pounds I’d added to my otherwise petite height. Those extra pounds were almost as sneaky about creeping up on me as age forty itself had been, but unlike my age I could turn back the gauge on the doctor’s weigh-in scale – and with her tips, I did! Here are some she shared with me that I’m sure can help you as well.

• Add color to your diet. Traditional “white” foods like white bread, white potatoes, and white rice have little nutritional value compared to vibrant vegetables, bright fruits, and even lean meats.

• Baked versus fried. I grew up in the southern area of the United States, and growing up we deep fried everything from tater tots to Twinkies. My doctor suggested websites that had baked versions of my favorite recipes, eliminating hydrogenated oils and trans facts.

• Multi-benefits from a multivitamin. If your diet lacks the right kinds of foods, you can give your body a boost by taking a daily multivitamin. Even if you are eating all the right foods, there’s no guarantee you’re meeting daily minimum requirements.

• Go alcohol-free. Drinking a glass of wine can have its own merits, but the extra calories add up. Recipe and virtual bulletin board websites now have instructions for making “skinny” versions of your favorite drinks. Mine is a peach sangria that has less than half the calories of what I used to drink!

Retain Your Aging Skin’s Youthful Appearance

Just because your over-the-hill body is racing to the future at a breakneck pace doesn’t mean your skin has to suffer the effects. You’ll find a broad range of anti-aging skin care products in your local pharmacy and your dermatologist can prescribe even stronger remedies. Creams, serums, and powders work to reverse the aging process, clearing away old, dead cells and replace them with new ones. Some companies even use controversial ingredients like stem cells and growth factors in their products in attempt to achieve extreme results in a quicker amount of time.

Another place you can find relief from aging is at your local day spa. In addition to amenities like massages, pedicures, and use of personal saunas, one of the most highly requested perk is anything to look and feel younger. It is in response to these many requests that a lot of spas are including minimally invasive anti-aging cosmetic procedures that are performed in a single visit. Although I haven’t yet felt the need for Botox injections, I wouldn’t mind a laser treatment to erase those annoying lines around the corners of my mouth. People in the Vancouver area will find spas that offer a variety of signature treatments, many which use ingredients that come from Canada’s western coast.

About the Author

Freelance author Becky James-Muth has finally embraced her new milestone age and hasn’t let it slow her down one bit. When she isn’t working she enjoys traveling with her family, and is currently planning a future vacation that involves an Alaska cruise. Becky’s free time at home is spent researching her family history, walking with her golden retriever, and making jewelry from found objects like bits of hardware, treasures found on either mountain trails or beachside walks, and spare pieces from old board games.

After I turned 40 it seemed like there was nothing I could do to get rid of those unwanted pounds. While I appreciate people like the pop singer Adele, who said “I’m not going to change my size because they don’t like the way I look”, the extra pounds were starting to have other effects besides how my clothes fit. Walking the dog around the block was taking longer and leaving me more out of breath. I had trouble sleeping. I just felt like I had no energy whatsoever. And worst of all, there seemed to be a constant pain in my lower back.

One Weight Gain Mystery, Several Possible Solutions

At a regular check-up with my family doctor, I complained that no matter how much I denied myself treats like ice cream and potato chips, I just couldn’t seem to shed those pounds or find relief for my chronic back pain. She asked me to run through a typical day at home, and then listened as I described the highlights from arising before dawn all the way through dropping into bed well after midnight. Here are some things I was doing wrong that were inviting the extra pounds to make themselves at home in my body.

1. Lack of sleep. Not getting enough rest causes a type of mental stress, and the way your body tries to heal the pain of that stress is by cocooning your frame in a soft cushion of extra pounds. Being tired makes us more likely to turn to snacks, or turn to sugary sodas and coffee heavy laden with flavored creamers in an attempt to stay awake.
2. Stress. When left unchecked, stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. Life is fast-paced and technology puts so many demands on our time. We’re encouraged to do as much as we can in as little time as possible to keep up with the rest of the world around us. However, too many people take comfort in comfort food, which packs on extra pounds and causes our body more physical stress.
3. Medications. Some prescription drugs that are required for us to manage from day to day come with the unwanted side effect of weight gain. Steroids, oral contraceptives, and other hormone-based drugs pack on pounds over time even if there is no other change in our daily activity. And it’s not all from increasing our appetites; some drugs just alter how our body stores fat or changes our body’s insulin level.
4. Undiagnosed medical conditions. A friend of mine turned forty and her body ballooned four sizes larger than what she weighed in at age thirty-nine. Her doctor ordered a series of blood tests that revealed a problem with her thyroid.
5. Menopause. When women reach this stage in life, their metabolism slows. Combine this with hormonal changes that make it difficult to sleep and increase appetite, and you have the perfect recipe for weight gain.

A Stationary Solution for Unwanted Pounds

Instead of looking to food, which is a temporary fix for all of these problems, it’s important to turn to more positive that will burn off not only your excess frustration but also those unwanted pounds. Solace for me came in the form of a stationary exercise bike. I read plenty of exercise bike reviews before making a final decision. Stationary bikes are also a great choice for anyone who has problems with mobility due to age, injury, or some other condition.

However, the best exercise bikes that give the greatest workout are mobile ones. Places like Galloping Goose Trail, Mount Douglas Park, and Botanical Beach Park are all known for both areas for hiking or biking and scenic views. The natural setting is a great way to get out of the house, enjoy some fresh air, and exercise. In fact, when my family visits our local parks and lakes, it doesn’t even feel like exercising. If you’re looking to shed some unwanted pounds, especially if it’s causing a chronic back pain issue, then it’s time to visit your family doctor to solve the mystery and work to combat it.

About the Author

Freelance writer Becky James-Muth cringes at the word exercise, which is why she looks for ways to work out that don’t involve going to the gym. Along with using a stationary exercise bike while watching television, she also takes walks with her golden retriever and hikes with her husband and teenage sons. When she isn’t working or spending time with her family, Becky enjoys dabbling in digital art, finding new uses for discarded items, and meeting up with friends for coffee.

The Computer Generation

The people born in the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s were referred to as Generation X. The children born within the next two decades’ were called Generation Next. However, those monikers are fairly meaningless in today’s society because everybody seems to be part of the computer generation. From preschoolers who learn their colors and numbers on an iPad to grandparents who use Skype to communicate with their families back home in Victoria, B.C, everyone seems plugged into the internet, even the people who take advantage of wireless capabilities.

However, the repetitive motion involved with using technological gadgets can cause muscles undue strain resulting in both tightening and shortening. Tension creates pain in the head, neck, and back. There’s even a condition called computer back syndrome, which is what I was facing after spending a couple of weeks hunched over at my desk for most of my waking hours. I went to my doctor thinking I’d strained my back while doing some light gardening, but was shocked to find out that my sedentary job which required no physical activity at all was the culprit.

Relief for Computer Back Syndrome

My job requires me to sit at the computer, but sitting at the computer for long periods of time causes my back to ache. Even though I try sitting with good posture, the longer I sit the more relaxed I become. My upper arms hunch forward until I notice a throbbing pain that starts at the base of my neck and runs down between my shoulder blades and into my lower back. Fortunately between my family doctor and the chiropractor she recommended, we were able to come up with a way for me to relieve the pain without my having to sacrifice the job I loved. Here are a few of the things they suggested. Hopefully they’ll help you, too.

• Stretch the tension away. Yoga was a huge help in relieving the pain of my computer back syndrome. The stretches were not only helpful to my tense muscles, but they were also relaxing and gave me a way to practice a bit of meditation as well. My favorite is Downward Facing Dog. I’ve even laid my iPad on the floor and watched webcasts while stretching.

• Own your office. Of course your office is your own, but do you own it – or does your office own you? Replacing outdated equipment like your chair, computer mouse, and monitor with more ergonomic models can help you to both relieve your back pain and prevent other serious, office-related problems like carpal tunnel syndrome for bloggers, graphic designers, website developers, and anyone else who spends a lot of time at their desk.

• Take a break. This is the one that was most difficult for me to follow. When I’m “in the zone” during a writing session, the last thing I want to do is take a break. However, I quickly learned that a short break was beneficial, and not just to my back. Using a kitchen timer, I scheduled breaks at random intervals throughout the day. Knowing I was timing myself kept me from procrastinating and my workday became more productive within that first day of using it.

New Technology for an Old Problem

You wouldn’t use outdated technology to run the computer in your home office, so why would you use outdated technology to treat computer back pain? New advances in medical science mean good news for those who suffer from chronic back pain. Psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and other alternatives are a common first choice for tackling pain from computer back syndrome, where just a few years ago people would have turned to medication as a first resort.

I know of a couple of WordPress theme designers in the Vancouver area who traded out the chairs in their home office for exercise ball chairs, and gave up driving to a restaurant for lunch in favor of bringing a lunch from home and taking a quick walk. Their posture improved, they lost weight, but most importantly they felt better. Even though a change in your lifestyle might seem small, when added up over time it can have a lasting, positive effect on your overall well-being.

About the Author

Freelance author Becky James-Muth was first published during her first year of college, back when she was still pecking out angst-filled poetry on her grandmother’s Royal typewriter. In the time since she’s worked to build an impressive set of credentials, marry a firefighter who is also her best friend, and help raise their two sons who are now teenagers. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Becky enjoys watching classic movies with her golden retriever, shopping local thrift stores, and trying out new recipes.

Why Spinach is the Perfect Smoothie Ingredient

The day I went to pick up the spinach from my neighbor’s house she offered me a freshly blended smoothie. It was delicious. There were hints of mango, pineapple, and something else I couldn’t put my finger on right away. After finishing the last bit in the glass I asked her for the recipe, and was shocked when she revealed that the secret ingredient was spinach. I took the bag of greens home with not only a new recipe for using them, but also a new and improved attitude about consuming my veggies – by drinking them!

Smoothies that you make at home are a great choice for any time of day because you can load them up with all kinds of vitamins and minerals without the added sugars and preservatives associated with ones purchased at a retail food market or restaurant. You can even use a home meat slicer to cut up the vegetables into smaller pieces for a smoother blend. And if you’re a person who, like me, doesn’t care for eating raw vegetables, smoothies are a great way to give your diet a much needed health boost. Here are some benefits for adding spinach to your smoothies.

• FIBER – One cup of spinach leaves has about one-fifth of the recommended daily allowance of fiber, which promotes low blood sugar and suppresses the appetite.
• FLAVONOIDS – This phytonutrient slows down cell division in cancers of the stomach and skin, and protects against prostate cancer.
• ANTIOXIDANTS – Vitamins and minerals present in spinach, such as vitamin C, E, beta carotene, manganese, and zinc, fight osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and some other effects of aging.
• VISION – In addition to the antioxidants above, lutein and zeaxanthin are known as vitamins for the eyes, protecting from cataracts and other issues associated with aging.
• IMMUNITY – One cup of spinach has more than 3 times the complete daily allowance of vitamin A, which helps boost and strengthen mucous membranes, respiratory tracts and intestinal tracts, and the urinary system. It also helps fight infection.

Spinach also helps fight psoriasis and acne while building bone density. It protects the area around nerves which helps improve brain function. There are so many reasons for adding spinach to your diet, that avoiding it just seems silly.

You’ll Be Strong to the Finish

It’s no wonder Popeye advised children that they’d be strong to the finish, if they’d eat their spinach. You should talk to your doctor before making any drastic change to your diet, but adding a handful of baby spinach leaves to your diet isn’t only a nutritious choice, it’s also one that’s in good taste – literally. You can even freeze the leaves along with other vegetables pre-chopped with an electric meat grinder.

About the Author

Freelance writer Becky James-Muth enjoys working from home because she can spend a lot of time with her husband and their teenage sons. Smoothies are some of their favorite snacks and a great alternative to milkshakes, because they’re quick, convenient, and tastefully nutritious. When she isn’t working or spending time with her family and friends, Becky enjoys watching old movies, dabbling in digital artwork, and taking long walks with her golden retriever, Gingerbelle.

No matter how big or small, we all have stress issues in our lives. Some tend to deal with it enjoying their hobbies and others, well others don’t get a chance or even if they do, they have almost forgotten how de-stress.

For the men living in Victoria, sightseeing is a great way to relieve stress and enjoy “family time.” They can visit Esquimalt Lagoon or the J.V. Cline Bird Sanctuary. You can go hiking on East Sooke or Goldstream Parks, but then again, you’ll enjoy it only if you have a real knack for it. There’s also the Sooke Community Theatre and The Port Theatre in Nanaimo where entertainment is quite fulfilling. But some of us like to have our own place to vent and relax.

Music Room for Stress Relief

No doubt, the city has some idyllic locations that make you feel relaxed but a room filled with soothing music is like a sanctuary. It’s a room built by a man for himself and his family where he can safely unwind and throw his worries aside.

Some guys have a love for pool and dart games while others like to enjoy some quiet time catching up on old books. For some, music is the ultimate stress reliever. They listen to it while playing their favorite video games or just having a couple of beers with the guys. This is where readily available music comes in handy.

Music can do wonders for your love life too. It actually works on bringing up a nice mood and makes you smile. There is nothing more relaxing than seeing your spouse be happy because you played their favorite song.. Jukeboxes have been the source of relaxation and fun whether you’re with your mates or alone at home. Setting up a digital iTunes jukebox is quite easy and with a few clicks, you’re good to go.

Going Digital

You can even give your old jukebox a new digitized look. Just take it to a nearby music store or the Apple store and your job is done. If you can’t find a decent shop or can’t decide which one’s better, you can always browse online on websites where guys are constantly talking about tech stuff. It will help you even more if you take an active part in their discussion panels. Keeping yourself busy is a spectacular way of getting rid of unwanted thoughts that bring about stress.

Music to Relax your Body and Soul

Once you have your jukebox set up, it’s time to move on to the kind of music you plan on listening to. Different people find different types of music relaxing. However, one common genre that unanimously soothes the soul is classical music. Various studies have also proven that classical music helps people unwind after a long day of work.

Step Out and Get Some Fresh Air

The beaches in Victoria are breathtakingly beautiful. If you’ve been to Gyro Park and Sooke Potholes, you may get the gist of it. Being out in the open provides a sense of relaxation and tranquility, so take advantage of your natural environment.

Let’s talk about a scenario where you have a busy work schedule and can’t drive to Sinclair Road or any other relaxing place. What do you do?  Notice how when you go to a beach and the first sound that soothes you is the crashing of the waves and water moving in the sea. Or when you enter a park or bird sanctuary and hear the melodious chirps of birds of every kind.

Bring Nature to You

If you can’t go out, music gives you that experience at home. The quality of sound and clarity makes you feel like you’re actually on the beach or in the woods. All you have to do is just click on the download icon and store your favorite sounds in your jukebox. Simply close your eyes, lay back and enjoy the blissful music of nature. With the burning option, you can burn your favorite sounds and songs on a CD and take them with you wherever you go and be stress free.

 Author Bio:

Rick Mercado has vast knowledge on stress relieving techniques like the digital iTunes jukebox and has helped many people find inner peace.

The Link between Bad Habits and Back Pain

Most back pain is directly proportional to the amount of bad habits in our lives. Smoking leads to bone loss. Poor posture habits lead to stress on the spine. Excess snacking and other poor dietary habits lead to extra weight gain. And this was my Achilles’ heel. Unlike my former cubicle which was snack free; my home office was initially at the corner of the dining room table. No matter where I went in the house, I had to go past the pantry filled with snack cakes, candy, and other high-calorie treats. Having one with lunch, another in the mid-afternoon, and something before bedtime added up, and as the pounds packed on my backache worsened.

I tried everything to lose weight, but my heart wasn’t really in it. Mornings reserved for writing kept me from joining my husband on his early morning runs. Evenings were reserved for things like book club, and family pizza night. I used any excuse I could to get out of working out. It wasn’t until my husband, a career firefighter, decided to turn an area of our garage into a workout center for both him and our two teenage sons that I began to see that working out didn’t have to interfere with either my workday or my personal time in the evenings.

Losing Weight to Relieve Pain

Some of the home gym reviews inspired me to add some light workout equipment to my home office. Along with my new yoga mat and weights, I talked to my doctor about preventive measures that I could add to my new daily schedule to avoid worsening the condition. Here are some things she suggested:

• Improve your posture. Poor posture puts unnecessary strain on back muscles and even though it might seem like a small thing, doing many small things with one bad habit adds up to a huge problem. Your doctor can refer you to a chiropractor to realign your spine and fix other back issues.

• Lift properly, using your knees. If an object is too heavy, get help lifting it; don’t try to do it by yourself. Spread your feet to create a steady foundation and bend at the knees, not the waist. Use your leg muscles to lift, holding the object as close to your body as possible.

• Choose ergonomic office supplies. This not only helps relieve and prevent back pain, but it could also help you avoid issues like carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, and migraine headaches. Most people think back pain and ergonomics is limited to the office chair, but your computer mouse, monitor placement, and other things factor in as well.

• Be smart about your shoes. This one was the most difficult for me. While my husband and sons wear gym shoes to work out on some of the best cardio exercise equipment in our garage, my lifestyle is very different. And as a girly girl, I do love my high heels. Our family chiropractor recommended a website his wife uses for buying shoes that help support the body. Now I don’t have to suffer lower back pain whenever I want to wear the latest fashions in footwear.

Some of the most useful advice I received came from American football coach Mike Ditka who said, “I’ve been in the habit of freezing white grapes and using them as a snack. Instead of eating peanuts or popcorn or something like that or pretzels, I just eat the white grapes.” Trading out sugary snacks for fresh fruits and vegetables, buying low-sugar flavors to add to water instead of buying high-calorie juices, and using the grill to cook instead of the deep fryer went a long way towards shedding those extra pounds as well.

Spend Your Free Time Free of Your Home Office

Working out of your home office doesn’t have to be a pain in the back. Just make sure the changes you make are lifestyle changes that you incorporate into your everyday routine. Once you’re in better shape and looking for ways to spend free time away from your home office, whether you decide to take a Crossfit class in a Victoria Island fitness center or prefer hiking through the heart of the Canadian rainforest, there is a broad range of activities available to people on Vancouver Island in the Victoria area. Even something relaxing like a birding tour burns more energy than sitting on the couch watching television or playing a video game.

About the Author

Freelance writer Becky James-Muth appreciates a good workout but she’d rather be working in an indoor, climate-controlled environment which makes yoga a great choice to stay in shape, even when working in her home office. When she’s not working, or working out, Becky spends her free time traveling along the coast with her family, meeting up with friends for coffee, and taking part in domestic hobbies like knitting and experimenting with new recipes.

Sciatica Explained

The term sciatica refers to any in a set of symptoms resulting from compressed or irritated sciatic nerves, which are the largest nerves in the body, starting at lumbar segment 3 in the lower back, also called the L3, and running down the back of either leg. In addition to the symptoms I was feeling, other sufferers complained of numbness, weakness, and foot pain as well.

My doctor explained that it was not one single incident that caused the damage, but rather many months of bad habits. Others may find that their own sciatic nerves have somehow been pinched, which causes debilitating pain. Anyone who has ever suffered from sciatica can tell you that when the great theologian Saint Augustine once wrote that, “The greatest evil is physical pain,” that he knew exactly what he was talking about.

Treatment for Relieving Sciatic Pain

There is a wide range of treatments for relieving pain associated with the sciatic nerve. Some are combined to provide even more benefits. Here are some things your doctor may suggest you do to relieve sciatic pain.

• Fire and Ice – As a firefighter, my husband keeps an impressive first aid kit in our home, including packs for heat and cold therapy for muscle and nerve pain. My chiropractor suggested I alternate the two, starting with the one of my choice for 20 minutes and then repeating the process with the other a couple of hours later.
• Medication – Doctors sometimes prescribe drugs to help with sciatica, but over the counter medicines like anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal products can also reduce the inflammation that contributes to the pain associated with the condition.
• Steriod Injections – Unless you’re a professional athlete banned from taking these anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid injections can provide a welcome if not brief respite from acute sciatica.
• Weight Loss – If you’re overweight, then losing a few extra pounds certainly won’t make the problem any worse. Consult your family physician about starting some form of weight loss treatment like the Atkins diet plan or another similar program that encourages a change in lifestyle instead of a fad diet.

Of course, you should never begin a pain relief regime without consulting a medical professional, like your family doctor or chiropractor. This includes introducing your body to any kind of weight loss program, such as starting the Atkins diet. Using the wrong treatment can be just as if not more damaging than letting the condition go untreated altogether. In some extreme cases, surgery is needed to repair the damage.

Alternate Treatments for Sciatica

In some cases of sciatic nerve damage, none of the above remedies work and other treatment is necessary. One chiropractic and massage center in Vancouver, Canada suggests a series of intense massage therapy sessions and spinal alignment, both of which take place in a chiropractor’s office. Along with bulging discs, lower back pain, migraines, neck pain, and scoliosis, sciatica is one of the top treatable conditions that are referred to a chiropractor’s office.

The important thing to remember is that no two cases of sciatica are exactly alike. Because of this, each one must be treated on an individual basis. Depending on the cause, sciatica can last just a few weeks or several months, or even longer. Some treatment may even outlast the initial pain depending on the preventative care outlined by the physician.

However, regardless of the treatment prescribed, diet and exercise will play a big part in relieving sciatica pain. Some people mistakenly assume bed rest is the best course of action for back pain and for the first day or so it’s not a bad idea. But without regular exercise, the lower back muscles become weak and unable to support the spine. Proper diet gives your body the nutrients it needs for healthy bones and muscles, which is important in helping to prevent future injuries.

About the Author

When freelance author Becky James-Muth was faced with back pain she used her skills as an internet researcher to compile a list of questions to ask her chiropractor. Together they worked to develop a plan to combat the pain using medication as a last resort. When she isn’t sitting at her desk, Becky prefers being outdoors with her family, whether it’s taking a walk to look for treasures along coastal beaches or bird watching at a nearby mountain lake. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, experimenting with new recipes, and knitting.