Dr. Andrew Weil says that optimism is a key to healthy aging. A healthy diet is another important component in long-term health. Of course, exercise also makes a big difference in keeping your body, and mind, healthy.

One factor that is often overlooked is how posture contributes to long-term health and well-being. Kathleen Porter, in her book Ageless Spine, Lasting Health, has a wonderful chapter called “Amazing Grace” showing the difference between people with healthy posture and those with unhealthy posture. Those with healthy posture (“Balanced”) are from less industrialized parts of the world. (You can find her book at http://agelessspine.com).

She mentions that the common motto of “use it or lose it” is not the full story. Rather, it’s HOW you use your body that makes all the difference. Even athletes who use their bodies all the time get lots of injuries in the US. While it is important to exercise and move your body regularly – walking is a simple and easy way to start – how you move makes a difference in your comfort, energy level and health.

Kathleen has some incredible photos in her book of people in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s who still look straight and strong, with a sense of grace. While we all had that healthy posture up until age 3 (in every country), in the US we’ve lost this natural alignment. The good news is – you can relearn this!

When your body is aligned with gravity, with the vertical axis, you can rest on your bones and allow your muscles to relax more. Your spine can begin to lengthen, and you may even regain lost height. Your skeletal structure will be better able to support your inner organs. You can reduce back and joint pain and have more energy.

To get started, come to one of my free, introductory workshops on the Balance Method. I’ll show you some fabulous slides and teach you the easiest way to start changing your posture – by changing how you sit (visit www.sonomabodybalance.com for details). If you can’t wait that long, check out my blog post on healthy sitting at http://www.sonomabodybalance.com/blog/2009/12/10-tips-for-pain-free-sitting/.

So to stay healthy throughout your life, use your body, and pay attention to HOW you use it. You just might make it to 100 and still be going strong!

You can learn to drive in comfort by following some simple guidelines for alignment (the Balance posture method). This has made a huge difference for me. I used to be miserable on those long car trips. I was usually uncomfortable, achy and exhausted.

When I began sitting in Balance using these guidelines, it made a huge difference in my comfort level. I now can easily drive the 8-9 hours up to Oregon in one day, only needing to stop once for lunch most times. I practice aligning myself when I start out, and periodically throughout the drive. What shocked me was how much easier it was for me to stay alert when my spine and neck were aligned in a healthier way.

Try these tips on your next long (or short) road trip. I hope they help you have a much better vacation!

The 5 Tips

1. Sit on your sitz bones

This is the most important point. If you sit with your pelvis tucked forward on the seat, your low back will be rounded, and your upper back, neck & head will have to round forward as a counterbalance. So to align your pelvis in Balance, pull your feet as far back as you can towards the car seat. Lean forward from your hip crease and lift your pelvis up off the seat and scoot it as far back in the seat as possible. At this point you may not be able to reach the pedals anymore! If so, just slide the seat forward (not your pelvis!).

2. Don’t overuse lumbar supports

Most people want to use lumbar supports because their backs are collapsed. However, if you sit on your sitz bones as described above, you probably won’t need any additional lumbar support, unless your car seat is very old and saggy. If you can adjust the support in the seat, dial it down to the minimum amount. Too much curving of the lumbar spine causes compression.

3. Relax your back

Rather than lifting your chest, which tightens your back, let your front ribs drop down towards your pelvis. As you drop down in front, you will lengthen your back. Don’t push your shoulders or head back against the seat or headrest. Drop down straight through your core, rather than rounding way forward toward the steering wheel.

4. Align your shoulders

Periodically you can do a shoulder roll with each shoulder, rolling it up, back and down. Then draw your shoulder blade down your back and slightly in towards the center of your back. Once you’ve done this, just relax your shoulders. Don’t try to “hold” them in this position, because that just leads to tension. It’s better to realign them whenever you feel achy or tired.

5. Align your neck & head

After doing shoulder rolls, you can give your neck a gentle stretch by drawing your chin in towards your throat so that you feel a stretch in the back of your neck. Imagine the crown of your head being lifted up. Then release and let your face be vertical. Most people have their heads too far forward, with the chin much too high. This causes compression in the neck, including in the arteries that bring blood to your brain (makes you sleepy!). By realigning your neck and head, and keeping your chin slightly down, you’ll feel more comfortable and more alert. Again, once you’ve done the stretch, let your neck relax rather than “holding” a position with tension.

If you’d like me to help you get more comfortable in your car seat, I’d be happy to schedule an appointment with you. You can call (707) 658-2599 to set one up. You also might consider taking the Balance Your Body program to learn healthy alignment in your car, at home and at work. Check out my website for details.

Happy Trails!

© 2010, Dana K. Davis, MA

But what I found most interesting was the discussion about back pain. It states that the spine wasn’t designed to sit for long periods. However, we see people in many less industrialized parts of the world who sit all day carving, preparing food, and more. It’s not the sitting that’s the problem, it’s HOW you are sitting.

The article also states that an “S” shaped spine wouldn’t collapse as easily as a “C” shaped spine. But any spine that is too curvy, whether an “S” or a “C” is headed for collapse. The people that have been studied for decades by those of us who teach the Balance Method and “Aplomb” (particularly Noelle Perez-Christiaens of Paris, France and Jean Couch of Palo Alto, California) have very elongated spines that have minimal curves in them. These people stay healthy and strong, able to move around well as they grow older.

Another point in the article is that “when you sit, the lower lumbar curve collapses…” Again, this totally depends on HOW you sit. The natural arch above the sacrum doesn’t have to collapse, and it’s possible to learn how to easily and comfortably sit maintaining your natural arch without struggling or straining to “sit up straight!”

I would agree that sitting on a ball chair isn’t good for your spine, because you’ll either collapse, or you’ll have to tighten your back muscles all day long – neither of those will leave you happy at the end of the day. Lumbar supports aren’t necessarily the answer either. You can sit in an unhealthy way in ANY chair.

The article suggests a treadmill desk. You’ve got to be kidding! I suggest: sit when you’re working, and then go exercise when you want to do that. You can learn to sit in such a way that you feel good at the end of the day, and then you can go dancing, ride your bike, or do something else you enjoy to move your body.

I read some fascinating information in a book called “Energy Medicine; the Scientific Basis” by James L. Oschman. He describes how gravity is a powerful force that affects us differently depending on our vertical alignment.

The work of Dr. Joel Goldthwait, who was a surgeon at Harvard Medical School, gives us some intriguing information. Dr. Goldthwait was the founder of the orthopaedic clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in the early 20th century.

Surgery Reveals a Surprising Connection

When performing surgery, “He noticed that abdominal nerves and blood vessels are under tension in individuals whose bodies are out of alignment. He also reported ‘stretching and kinking’ of the cerebral arteries and veins in those whose necks were bent. Various cardiac problems were correlated with ‘faulty body mechanics’ that distorted the chest cavity in a way that impaired circulatory efficiency. Goldthwait also documented with X-rays a build-up of calcium deposits around the vertebrae of individuals with chronic arthritis, and observed that these deposits can diminish when the individual acquires a more vertical stance.”

Wow! That is dramatic information. If you sit, stand and move “out of Balance” (out of alignment with the vertical axis), you could be impacting more than just your spine and other joints of the body.

Dr. Goldthwait believed that you should align your body parts in harmony with gravity in order to experience less wear & tear on your body as a whole. This also makes more energy available, because when you’re out of alignment, you’re inefficient as well.

He says, “The malposition of an organ will disturb its function. If malposition continues long enough, permanent damage will result, but if the faulty mechanics is corrected, damage will be prevented.”

He encouraged colleagues to pay more attention to postural alignment, but around that time drugs began to be widely used. His methods have been taken up more by body and movement therapists rather than physicians.

Stay Alert While Driving Too!

I notice when driving for long distances that if my head, neck & shoulders come too far forward, I get sleepy. When I draw each shoulder back & down and stretch the back of my neck, not only do I feel more aligned and comfortable, but I’m more alert. I noticed this shift in alertness right away when I started driving in a more Balanced position. My neck had more range-of-motion, and I was less sleepy on my daily commute from San Francisco to the Balance Center in Palo Alto (www.balancecenter.com).

Chiropractors teach that the position of the spine affects the nerves that exit from the spine – which then control all of our bodily functions. If you have a spinal misalignment, realigning that joint can help reduce stress on nerves (and organs). But if you then go right back to your typical unhealthy alignment (out of Balance), you can keep recreating that problem.

To get help with changing your alignment, you’re invited to come to a Free introductory workshop to learn how to sit pain free (see www.sonomabodybalance.com for the details). If you want to learn healthy posture and movement patterns to reduce pain, prevent injuries and increase your energy, I also offer the Balance Your Body program. You can see the details on my website, or contact me if you’d like to discuss whether this program would be right for you.

Why not start now getting back on the vertical axis, for the sake of your bones as well as your organs, so you can experience optimum health and energy?

(© 2010 Dana K. Davis. If you want to use this article in your E-zine or website, please credit Dana K. Davis, MA, www.sonomabodybalance.com.)

In this article I’ll give you some basic information about scoliosis, and describe a stretch which is useful for elongating the spine (it’s good for everyone!).

Curves of the Spine

You are probably familiar with the 3 basic curves of the spine – the lumbar (lower back), thoracic (mid/upper back) and cervical (neck) curves.  These curves are front-to-back curves, whereas with scoliosis the spine curves laterally – to the side.

There are several common patterns for these curves.  In one pattern, “right thoracic” scoliosis, the spine curves to the right forming a convex curve on the right side of the back.  There is usually a rotation that goes with scoliosis, so in this case, the right side of the back will also protrude so that it looks like that side is farther back than the left side.

Causes

True Scoliosis is more common in women, and 80% of it is “idiopathic”, meaning there is no known cause for it (according to the Scoliosis Research Society, www.srs.org).  There are many theories for the cause of scoliosis, including its possible origin with pelvic misalignment.  Treatments can include physiotherapy, bracing and surgery, depending on the degree of curvature and the danger to the individual’s long term health.

Functional Scoliosis occurs when poor posture or a leg length difference makes the spine appear curved.  This can be corrected fairly easily, with changes in posture or an examination by a chiropractor to see if you have a true leg length difference or just a functional one.

If you’re not sure if you have scoliosis, this can be discerned by a visual exam with certain tests. X-rays are often used as well.

The Impact of Posture

An “out of Balance” spine which is excessively curved front-to-back tends to cause symptoms in most people.  If you have scoliosis, this extra curving can make things worse.  Fortunately, you can make a big difference in your posture, lengthening the 3 curves of your spine.  This can reduce your symptoms and increase comfort.

Yoga for Scoliosis

Practicing yoga can also be extremely useful for scoliosis.  Elise Miller, a yoga teacher with scoliosis, has found that yoga dramatically reduced her pain as well as decreased her lateral curvature.  Her DVD, “Yoga for Scoliosis”, can give you some guidance for practicing yoga at home.  Her training is in the Iyengar tradition, which is the style of yoga that I trained in as well.

If you have scoliosis, it’s important to stretch the muscles on the concave side of your spine, which tend to be shortened and tight.  You may want to do some asymmetrical stretches to help rebalance your body.  It’s helpful to know the pattern of your scoliosis (“right thoracic”, etc.), so that you can get the most benefit from your stretches.

The main thing to focus on is to elongate and derotate the spine.  It is helpful to work with a qualified yoga teacher who can check your postural alignment.

A Helpful Stretch

One simple stretch you can do is often called “right angle” pose.  To do this, stand facing a wall and place your hands on the wall at about shoulder-height and shoulder-width.  Bend at your hip crease and walk your feet back until your arms are straight.  You will probably feel a stretch in your shoulders.  Relax your belly so that your pelvis rotates forward.  Now take one hand and feel your back, about waist level.  If you feel the bones poking out, relax your belly more and let your sitz bones rise up towards the ceiling.  You want to feel a stretch in your hamstrings, not your back.  You can also walk your hands higher on the wall if that doesn’t work.

If your bones are sunken towards the floor, you’ll need to engage your abdominal muscles slightly so that your front ribs move towards your pelvis.  Think of slightly shortening in front in order to lengthen in back.  Just make sure you don’t end up rounding too much, and end up in the opposite extreme!

Once your back is elongated, press your hands into the wall and lengthen your hips away from the wall.  Imagine your waist is lengthening in opposite directions simultaneously.  You’re creating additional length with the action of your muscles here.  This should feel wonderful, and it’s useful to do any time your back is sore or fatigued, or if you’re feeling sleepy from working on the computer.

In my Yoga for a Healthy Back classes, I can work with you to help elongate your spine, whether you have scoliosis or not.  Combining yoga with the Balance Method can make a big difference in your comfort level.

Here’s an example of how helpful this can be:

“As a teenager, I was diagnosed with Progressive Scoliosis and told that without surgery, I would probably not live to age 30.  I had the operation and for many years thereafter suffered from chronic low-grade pain in my back and hips, the result of 11 fused vertebrae in the middle of my torso from T4-L3.  Even though I exercised regularly to maintain joint mobility, it wasn’t until I began attending Dana’s Yoga for a Healthy Back class that I started to notice a real difference.  Even though I can’t twist very far or bend in places, the very act of trying has loosened up joints and muscles that were nearly frozen.

I never dreamt that I could live a relatively pain-free life but after studying with Dana, my entire body is not only stronger and more flexible, but the daily aches that were with me for thirty years have mostly disappeared.  I am self-employed and build my entire weekly work schedule around attending Dana’s Tuesday and Thursday classes and highly recommend anyone with back issues of any kind (even if you think you ‘can’t’ do yoga) to take this class!”

- Diane Schlactus, Petaluma

(© 2010 Dana K. Davis. If you want to use this article in your E-zine or website, please credit Dana K. Davis, MA, www.sonomabodybalance.com.)

In 2007, I attended a Yoga Therapy conference where one of the presenters said, “I make my living helping people who got hurt in other people’s yoga classes”.  You might be surprised to find out that people can get injured doing yoga.  After all, yoga is considered to be a health-promoting form of exercise (of course, it is more than just “exercise” when you include the more subtle aspects).

What kinds of injuries are common in yoga classes?  Typical injuries can include strain and overstretching of the low back, hamstrings, knees, wrists and SI joints.  I’ve heard from people who injured themselves in a yoga class, and then quit doing yoga.  This is one important reason to avoid injury – so you can keep doing yoga as long as you want to.

Everyday Yoga

You might believe that alignment in yoga poses is very important, and pay special attention to it.  Yet your postural alignment in daily life strongly influences your alignment in yoga.  If you have unhealthy alignment when you are standing and sitting, you will tend to carry those patterns into your yoga asanas as well (I know I did!).

Because of this, it’s best to learn healthy alignment in simple daily movements, such as sitting, standing, bending and walking, before doing a new physical activity.  Healthy alignment will protect you in your daily life and in your exercise life.  (For help with healthy daily movements, I recommend my “Balance Your Body” program).

Noelle Perez-Christiaens, who studied with the yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar beginning in 1959, pushed herself very hard in her yoga practice for many years and injured herself as a result.  Prodded by Iyengar, Noelle began a study of people with healthy posture, which she has continued for decades.  She changed how she did yoga as a result of this study.

By studying with Noelle, and with Jean Couch of the Balance Center, I have completely changed the way I do yoga.  I stopped doing some of the more advanced poses, and I changed my alignment in almost every pose.  It’s made a huge difference in my comfort and I now trust that I can do yoga safely for decades to come.

Here are 5 tips to help you enjoy your yoga practice while safely avoiding injuries (so you can keep practicing for years):

1) Don’t tuck your pelvis.  This includes in tadasana, in other standing poses, in forward bends – pretty much any pose you do.  You may have tried this for years because a teacher told you to do it, but it is very dangerous to the spine.  It flattens the “natural arch”, which is essential to a healthy spine.

2) Don’t lift your chest – it compresses your back.  There is a common misunderstanding in yoga alignment with instructions that say you need to “open your chest”.  It is somewhat like the “military position” of standing at attention.  What I see over and over again is people lifting their chest, tightening their back muscles and compressing the spine.  This is not healthy for your spine in the long term, even if you feel no pain initially.

To see the difference between a pose (Warrior I) done with the chest lifted versus with the back elongated, check out: http://www.balancecenter.com/yoga.htm.

3) Don’t lock your knees – in standing poses or forward bends – or ever.  Don’t press your knees back when you straighten your legs.  This can cause strain on the knee joint.  Focus on lengthening down the leg as opposed to pressing back on the knee.

4) Tell your teacher if you have any injuries or conditions that might interfere with your practice (herniated disc, high blood pressure, glaucoma).

5) Choose a teacher who has experience with healthy alignment.  This will help you to practice safely in class and at home.

If you pay attention to these tips, you’ll be on your way to enjoying your yoga practice without suffering injuries.  Practicing healthy alignment in yoga will allow you to continue to practice for many years and enjoy the many benefits yoga offers.

If you’d like help with finding safe alignment in yoga, come to one of my “Yoga for a Healthy Back” classes offered Tuesdays & Thursdays from 5:15-6:45 pm.  During the month of March, I am offering a “2 for 1” Special at these classes.  If you bring a new student, they can get up to 2 classes for free (or you can split the cost with them).

I’m wishing you many years of safe, enjoyable and enlivening yoga!

So, is it bad to carry weight on your back? Actually, when wearing a backpack, the weight rests on the shoulders, as is common in many countries around the world where people still have natural, healthy posture.  We know that some of these people carry hundreds of pounds on their heads or shoulders, often for decades.  They remain straight and active into their old age.  (For a nice photo of carrying on the head, check out the photo below).

When you stand “in Balance” like these healthy people, the spine stacks vertically and is very strong.  When you stand in the typical American  posture, the weight no longer goes through a straight spine, and compensations and compression result.

In the study, the children’s spines became more curved to the left or right with added weight, and they had to adjust their posture to bear the heaviest weight.

The problem is that most children in the US today have unhealthy posture.  They learn this from observing the culture around them.  That’s why children who grow up in cultures with healthy posture maintain that posture throughout their lives.

Setting a Bad Example

I saw a prime example of how we learn this posture unconsciously when I was at the mall buying gifts for my nieces recently.  The mannequins in the store windows had extremely “out of Balance” posture, with the pelvis thrust way forward.  They were standing in an extreme backbend!

You might think, “Well, I don’t stand that way.”  Actually, I didn’t think that I did either.  I was so surprised to learn that I had some version of that exact posture that the mannequins were displaying!  It’s wasn’t my fault – and it’s not your fault either.  We just unconsciously pick up the posture we see modeled around us.  I’d love to see these models change!

You Can Change the Pattern

Until then, the best thing you can do for yourself and your kids is to learn healthy alignment and practice it.  You can model this for others, and maybe we can slow the rise in back pain being observed in children.  Sure, it’s not great for young kids to carry heavy weights.  But an equal problem is HOW they are carrying the weight.

The researchers said that the kids in the study were carrying the backpacks on both shoulders when being measured, but that if they were to carry them on one shoulder, the results could be even worse.

“Low back pain in children may be worsened by discogenic [disc-related] or postural changes,” according to Dr. Timothy Neuschwander of UC San Diego.  With the posture of most kids these days, that is no surprise.  This CAN be changed.  By learning the healthy posture and movement patters of Balanced people, you can reduce pain and improve your posture for life.

If you’d like to get some help with your posture while carrying a backpack, (or your kids’ posture), you can contact me for a private Balance Method session.  With healthy alignment, you can carry your backpack in total comfort!

(© 2010 Dana K. Davis.  If you want to use this article in your E-zine or website, please credit Dana K. Davis, MA, www.sonomabodybalance.com.)

I can think of one particular resolution I had for many years before I finally accomplished it.  In 1988-1989 I was in India studying yoga and meditation.  While I was there, I meditated every day for months.  When I got home, I assumed it would be easy to continue the practice.  But somehow, I never seemed to find the time.  I always had some excuse for not doing it.  It was really frustrating to have this goal which seemed so important, but to make no progress on it.

I’ve found that sometimes I have to want it bad enough in order to “just do it”.  Well, I finally said, “I’m going to do it!”  I took a piece of paper and made a chart with the 7 days of the week and little boxes for me to check off if I meditated that day.  I put the paper right on my front door (on the inside!), so that every time I left my house, I had to see it.

That really worked for me!  I would be about to leave the house, and I’d see the paper – blank, with no boxes checked.  I would feel that nagging sense that I should act on this goal.  Then I started saying, “Okay, I’ll just do it for 5 minutes.”  Well, it started with 5 minutes here and there, and gradually I started meditating longer and more often.  After using these sheets for maybe 6 months, I finally realized that I didn’t need them anymore. It had become a new habit!

It is commonly believed that it takes 21 days (Dr. Maxwell Maltz discovered this) or 30 days to change a habit.  Why not use the next 30 days to transform your posture and reduce your pain?

I’ve heard from many students that it’s hard to remember to practice.  Here are some ways that might help you remember to practice (aside from the chart on the door method):

-         Post photos of people with Balanced posture on your refrigerator, at your desk, etc., so that you see them everyday.  You can use the reminder sheets you received in the intro class or the Balance Your Body Foundations program for this.

-         When you see someone who is very “out of Balance”, that’s a great time to practice.  It can remind you of what you want to change.

-         When you see a Balanced person, that also is a great time to practice.  You may see people from other countries with Balanced posture who can model healthy alignment and inspire you to practice.

-         Remember WHY you want to change.  Think about how great it will be when you are pain-free, when you love your posture, etc.  You can use your imagination to flesh out what this will look like, feel like, and sound like.  Getting your senses involved will make it more realistic and be more effective.

-         Come to an intro Balance Method workshop or the Balance Your Body Foundations program for the first time or as a refresher.  Get inspired or re-inspired to practice.

-         Come to weekly Yoga in Balance classes at Sonoma Body Balance.  This is a great way to develop a regular weekly habit of practicing.  The benefits last beyond the class, especially if you remember to practice healthy alignment throughout your day.

-         If you are in pain, practice.  The Balance Method is a simple, effective way to shift out of pain by shifting how you sit, stand, bend, walk, and sleep.  Review what you learned in class or come for a private lesson to get personal attention.

-         Buy a copy of “Good Posture is Bad for Your Back” – my home study course with 4 CDs and a workbook (www.goodpostureisbadforyourback.com)

I hope that this New Year will bring you good health, comfort in your body, and many other blessings.  If you get in the habit of practicing Balanced posture, it will serve you for many years to come.

(© 2010 Dana K. Davis)