Leg muscles also get tight when we sit too much and we find ourselves struggling to fully extend our leg or straighten our knee.  Over time, you may find you have a shorter or less powerful stride when you walk.  Stiff hamstrings can increase lower back pain over time because they can change the tilt of the pelvis and put more pressure on the lower back joints.  We might also find we have more muscle strains and/or knee pain when we are active or participating in sports.

Here are 5 additional reasons you should be stretching:

Decrease Stress

Chronic stress can increase feelings of anxiety, tension and fatigue.  Regular stretching has been shown to reduce tension and may be help decrease anxiety and depression when combined with concentrated, controlled breathing.

Reduce Pain and Stiffness

Muscle tension can cause discomfort throughout the whole body.  But studies have shown that regular stretching can help decrease stiffness and reduce pain.

Enhance Range of Motion

Specific stretches can help keep key areas, such as the hips and shoulders, flexible.

Reduce Risk of Injury

Cold muscles are more likely to rupture, strain or sprain but warming those muscles up with stretches may reduce the risk of injury by increase your body’s temperature and preparing the body to move.

Improve Circulation

Regular flexibility training can help increase circulation, which allows for increased oxygen transportation throughout the body.

Regular stretching can help your body and joints move more freely, helping you enjoy full functional mobility. Check with your doctor or physical therapist to find out which stretches are best for you to do.

Dr. John

The post 5 Reasons You Should Be Stretching appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

Forgetfulness can be a normal sign of aging.  As we get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain.  You may notice that it takes longer to learn new things or you don’t remember information as well as you once did, or you lose things like your glasses or keys. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems.

There are many reasons you could be experiencing forgetfulness.

Medical Conditions:  These conditions should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible

• Tumors, blood clots or infections in the brain
• Some thyroid, kidney or liver disorders
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident
• Side effects from medication
• Not eating enough healthy foods or too few vitamins and minerals (like vitamin B12)

Emotional Problems:  Treatment may include counseling, medication or both

• stress
• anxiety
• depression

Here are a few tips to help keep your brain strong and healthy:

• eat unprocessed foods, avoid sugar and trans fats, include healthy fats
• enjoy some music
• take up a hobby
• regular physical exercise
• get quality sleep
• drink plenty of water
• socialize
• play some memory games

If you’re concerned about how forgetful you are, make an appointment with your doctor for an evaluation. Take care of that brain!

Dr. John McElligott

The post Forgetting Things? Don’t Panic! appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

• All adults — including people with various disabilities — should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week.

Twenty minutes of moderate activity is roughly equal to 10 minutes of vigorous activity. During moderate exercise, you should be able to talk, but not sing; during vigorous activities, you should be able to say only a few words without pausing to breathe. Increasing that time — up to 300 minutes of moderate activity, or 150 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix — significantly increases the health benefits. of the exercise.

• Twice-weekly strengthening activities for all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) are also recommended.
• Balance exercises are especially important for older adults who are at risk of falling.
• Flexibility exercises may also be helpful.

If you are pretty sedentary, an increase in activity may sound overwhelming. Don’t be discouraged!  Do as much as you can.  Some activity is always better than none.

Start small, with 5 minutes of brisk walking several times a day and work toward your goal a little at a time.

You can do it!  Small changes turn into big changes!

Dr. John

The post A Balanced Approach to Fitness appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

Are you scoring high in the area of nutrition? Let’s find out.  As I was looking up some facts about March, I noticed that it is National Nutrition Month and that the birthstone is aquamarine, which represents courage. Hmmm. What a combination. Courage is one of the tools necessary to make nutrition something that you give priority to. Good vs bad nutrition is a determining factor of health and quality of life. Your body is designed to run on a certain type of fuel and if that fuel is not present or available, eventually it will not perform correctly. Although this is a simple concept, many don’t quite understand the magnitude of its importance.

Let’s ask some questions and see what you know about nutrition:

1. Is it better to get vitamins and minerals from fortified products or from natural food?
2. Is taking vitamins and minerals in a pill just as good as getting them from food?
3. Do processed foods have enough nutrients in them?
4. Does “Sugar-Free” mean that it is better for you?
5. Does “Fat-Free” mean that it is better for you?

Check your answers, what did you score?

Answers:

1. No question about it. It is always better to get your vitamins and minerals from natural foods. Natural foods contain multiple nutrients and work together to give you the best combination possible to fuel the cells in your body, resulting in good health.
2. Fortified foods are foods that have been processed and therefore have no nutritional value. The nutrients that are used in vitamin and mineral supplements are used to “fortify” or add more nutrients to it so that it can appear to be “healthy.” If you are eating a well-balanced meal each time, you will not need any food that is fortified.
3. Processed foods are, well, processed. The act of processing them means that they take the part of the food out that might spoil (or change in color) so that it will keep longer and be more predictable in its appearance. Our society is very used to foods that are exactly the same each and every time, BUT at the expense of taking out most, if not all, the nutrients. This leaves you with something that has a long shelf life, plus it’s tasty and predictable. However, this so-called “food” is devoid of nutrition and won’t be of help in maintaining a healthy life.
4. No! “Sugar-Free” usually means that a substance has been added that tastes sweet, but has no calories. These substances are not beneficial to your health, have no nutritional value and have been shown to contribute to many health problems including weight gain and gut issues, autoimmune conditions, and even cancer. It’s a neurotoxin!
5. No! Unless it is a natural whole food that is naturally fat-free, like an apple. By the way, most fruits and vegetables are naturally fat-free, BUT they are not usually the ones with that label. “Fat-Free” foods are usually the processed foods that have been designed to have no or low fat. This may sound like a good idea, but in order for them to have a good taste, most of the time they have to add a ton of sugar to take the place of the bland flavor after taking out the fat.

What was your score? Did you get them all right?

If not I challenge you to be your own driver and do the research for yourself. Check out the facts. There are so many words on labels these days that are not quite exactly all they’re cracked up to be. Being your own driver is up to you. Steer yourself in the right direction by knowing what to look for and courageously making a stand by buying foods that promote a healthy life. Make the choice to ditch the processed foods and March right into this year with a plan to take care of you. You are worth it!

Coach Carolyn

The post What’s Your Score? appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

Your gut is the hub of your overall health. Within it lies mystery, diligence and intense. The workings of it could be described as utterly miraculous. If there were a ranking in your bodies functions of importance to your survival, your gut would be at the top. It holds more ability to communicate with your body than your spine. This knowledge of information shouldn’t be taken lightly. The condition of your immune system, emotions and mood, weight, metabolism, vitamin production, nutrient absorption, overall cell health and more all depend on the health and condition of your gut. Yet it’s importance many times goes unnoticed. We all need to be exercising the steps that make it run at top efficiency, so that we will have overall health.

If your gut is healthy, you will feel great and be more likely to want to exercise, your mood will stay up and not feel like a roller coaster. You will also feel better because your body will be full of nutrients, which means lots of well-being and energy.

Building those muscles while you exercise your choice in making your gut a top priority in your life, will result in a life of many more resolutions to come.

Happy New Year!

Coach Carolyn

The post New Year – What Do We Really Need To Be Exercising? appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

The relationship and awareness that we have within our self is where it all starts. When you want the very best for yourself  in a healthy, not selfish way, you will search for the information that you need, to learn what to do about it. When you find out what it takes to make your body run smoothly, you will do it. How do I know this? I have personally been there. I didn’t have the quality of life that I wanted. I was over weight, didn’t feel comfortable, had health issues…. So I searched and searched to find out why. As I found different solutions, I tried them out. Some that I found were not correct and I stopped, but others that I found were tried and true. So what was it? Eating and exercising are the two number one ways of going toward the health that you want. That is how we are made. We are made to run on a certain fuel, so that we can be active and productive. For instance, many years ago in our society, the only time that you had sweets and treats were at special occasions. Now, sweets and treats are unfortunately an everyday event. We eat foods that are not good for us and too much of them at that. Then the holidays pose even more of an abundance of eating temptations. The temptations of candies, your favorite pies, and all sorts of sweet and rich goodies (like grandma makes) are multiplied. Sure these tasty foods tickle the taste buds and sometimes give temporary comfort, but is this really what you want? Most people that I know agree that the quality of their life is very important to them. What some don’t realize though is that the quality of their life is directly related to what they eat and how much activity they get. Everyone is looking for that magic pill so that they don’t have to eat right or exercise. I also know this because I used to think this way too. Thankfully through my own journey, I learned the truth about how to attain true health. This is why I have such a passion to help others do the same. I just wish that I would have found this information even sooner in my life than I did and that is what I want for Christmas. I want you to have the quality of life that you deserve. I want you to feel GREAT and be able to enjoy not only the holidays but every single day that you are blessed with. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Coach Carolyn

The post All I Want For Christmas Is…. appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

Thanksgiving is the second most traveled holiday in the USA and is personally my favorite. Most people have their own Thanksgiving traditions. Many have big family gatherings with all the traditional fixings, like turkey, gravy, potatoes, and pies. Others, on the other hand, may have the tradition of just getting together and eating whatever is available, like pizza or burgers. We had chili one year.

In the trucking industry, many are on the road and either don’t have family or won’t be able to make it to their family gatherings.

No matter where you are, with family and friends or not, there is one thing that you can always have this time of year and that is gratitude and thanksgiving. I have read many studies on the physical and emotional benefits of being thankful. When something bothers you, maybe it makes you mad, or offends you, it creates a negative feeling inside. It might get you down or make you feel depressed or anxious. Everyone reacts differently. You can take the exact same situation and put it in two different lives and each one will react completely different. “Thankfully” there is a solution for that. If you take that negative thought or feeling and be thankful for it, it will “magically” disappear. An attitude of gratitude really works.

When you feel this way, really observe where this feeling is coming from. Is it an old thought? Did someone do or say something hurtful? Are there situations in your life that you feel are out of your control? These types of situations can have responses that are positive. You have a choice and have the power to choose. You just have to have the tools with you to help you to handle it.

Take negative situations and search your mind for the exact opposite scenario. Think of it for a moment. Find out what feeling is the exact opposite of this. For example, if you’re feeling anger, the opposite to you might be peace, joy or tranquility. When you focus on the opposite, this gives you the power to change that negative feeling. If you make this exercise a tradition, not only at Thanksgiving, but every day, you will be in the habit of having power over your mind. You have the power to choose to be thankful or happy or peaceful. How would your life be if you were this way? You can be this way. Blessings on your Thanksgiving Day and every day to come in your thanksgiving tradition.

Practice Thanksgiving.

Coach Carolyn

The post Thanksgiving – the most important tradition of all appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

Fall is now upon us with the feel of the crisp air and the sound of the leaves under your feet. Routines are in full swing with school starting, sporting events, and fall festivals. You realize how time flies and that the holidays will soon be upon you. Habits are created through the choices that you make and how spend your time on priorities. These choices determine the outcome of your life. The habits that you have will make big differences in your life.

How can you fall into good habits vs bad habits? I want you to REALLY think about this concept.

It takes the exact same strategy of thinking to create a good habit as it does a bad one. This is an important and profound thought. It is life-changing. Whether you have habits that affect you positively or negatively, habits can and will affect the direction your life. Whether you know it or not, you have the choice to keep or discard an idea or thought. Your mind is a very powerful and efficient machine. It takes in massive amounts of information and decides whether to keep it or not.

If you choose to exercise this power to choose, you can change the direction of your life. Many people have limiting beliefs, meaning that they think they are limited in some area when, in reality, they are not. Some people think that their state of health just is what it is. But that is just not true. The state of their health is a result of the choices that they have made. These limiting and negative thought processes are often very difficult to change. Many people never change their direction of thinking. Is this you? Do you have limiting beliefs in any area of your life? Do you feel that you can’t have the ideal weight, a life without smoking, improved health, or healthy relationships?

Let’s think proactive here. It is so much easier to create a good habit than it is to correct a bad one. Deeply think about which direction you are in and where you want to go. Think about what thoughts are habits. Which ones are not taking you in the direction that you want to go? Start now examining your actions to be sure that you are making the choices that may become habitual. You and only you have the power to change your direction. Use this power. Make choices on purpose, not just falling into a habit.

This is brought to you by Be Your Own Driver With Coach Carolyn

The post Fall Into Good Habits – by Carolyn O’Byrne “Coach Carolyn” appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

So, drivers, accept our gratitude as we honor you September 9-15 during Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

Day in and day out, the driver’s schedule is to hurry up and wait, try to make it to the destination with X amount of time allotted and sometimes be expected to make it happen like magic. Sick or well, snow or rain, tired or stressed, this freight must get there.

There are team drivers, but the majority of drivers drive solo. Either way, being a driver causes many emotional concerns that would not have been there had they been working in a different atmosphere. Loneliness, anger, isolation, depression, and anxiety seem to magnify with less social contact. What was once not an issue slowly grows into an emotional struggle.

Without trucks and the drivers in them, society as we know it would be in total chaos. We like our stuff, we like it convenient, and we like it now. The trucking industry makes this all possible.

Truck driving is one of the most valuable occupations. So, do we recognize this? Do we only think about this during one particular week in September? Drivers are on the road 24/7/365 while we are in our homes leading our convenienced-based lives. Are we showing them well deserved appreciation?

So how can we do that? Learn the rules of the road, and realize what a truck driver has to do in order to maneuver his/her rig. That rig cannot whip in just any retail place. They have to be thinking plenty ahead of the situation in order to know what decision to make. Know how long it takes to stop an 80,000 pound semi truck. And last but not least, show them appreciation by telling them how much you are grateful for them and what they do. A little love goes a long way. None of this takes money, just a little bit of time, effort, and kindness. Find a driver on purpose (you probably already know one) and share with them something positive about their job.

With my complete gratitude for you, drivers, Thank You!

Carolyn O’Byrne

Coach Carolyn

The post Appreciation Is Free – by contributing author Carolyn O’Byrne appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.

I want you to discover the drive within you so that you can be your own driver. The driver of your life, that is. Have you found yourself off-course in any area of your life, such as difficult relationships, health issues, anger management, or weight control?

I have a secret to tell you that many people don’t realize: You have been created with a massive amount of power. This power is the drive that allows you to be in total control of how you react or respond to life. Whether it is physical or emotional, you have the choice. You can make the best or the worst out of every situation.

Whatever challenges are in your life, like anger, relationships, health, or weight, every single aspect of your life takes drive. This drive comes from the same source and is the fuel to explore and discover true health.

By educating yourself, you will discover the fact that the health of your gut affects the health of your whole body. Your gut not only determines how you utilize nutrition, it feeds and promotes the health of every cell in your body. It is the basis of your immune system. Also, your gut produces the majority of the feel-good chemicals that your brain uses to keep you feeling peaceful and joyful. When they are working right and in the right amounts, there will be no depression or anxiety.

We can possess all the things we desire, but without health, what do we have? Our food industry has driven us in a direction that is for profit and not for health.  Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food.” Does this mean eat your medicine for nutrition? No! It means the food we eat needs to be nutritious enough to keep us healthy so we will not have disease.

Our bodies are designed to thrive on natural foods, not synthetic. Our bodies have no idea what to do with this man-made stuff, so they stop running correctly. Keep this in mind when it is time to eat, and make a nutritious plan. You can do it.

Nothing matters if you don’t have your health. You can’t effectively do your job without good health. You can’t enjoy your family and friends if your health is compromised.

By choosing to give all of your newfound energy to your drive, and make it an important part of your life, you will go places that you never thought possible, you will do things that you never thought you would ever do, and you will experience things that you’ve only imagined.

Take control and be your own driver.  

Coach Carolyn

www.BeYourOwnDriver.net

The post Be Your Own Driver – by contributing author Carolyn O’Byrne appeared first on Express Medical Solutions.