IT GETS A LITTLE BIT BETTER BY STANDING TALL

DAY 24 -26:  Pay attention to my posture.

Since I have been doing some simple yoga poses, I have become increasingly aware that my posture is poor.  I used to stand tall keeping my shoulders upright but I have allowed my body to reflect the pain I feel.  And today, feeling a little more discouraged by my symptoms I notice my poor posture is reflecting my poor mood. When I googled “good posture”, I came across the web-site http://www.sixwise.com.  It mentions some of the benefits of good posture:

Be able to use your muscles more efficiently because your bones and joints will be in the correct alignment.  This will result in less fatigue, as your body will require less energy to move around.

Prevent your spine from becoming fixed in an abnormal position.  This can lead to constricted blood vessels and nerve, and problems with muscles discs and joints, which can lead to headaches, fatigue and even problems with organs and breathing.

Experience fewer strains and pains because you won’t be overusing certain muscles and joints, nor putting unnecessary pressure on bones, joints and organs.

Put less stress on the ligaments holding the spine’s joints together.

Most web-sites regarding posture said similar such things such as sit up, stand straight, do stomach exercises to strengthen back muscles.  However, one web-site promoting the Alexander Method suggests that “Just building more muscle (so that it can stand more strain) may relieve the pain short-term, but it will also give you the strength to tighten yourself up even more.”  http://www.smilingbackmethod.com/articles/posture-p2.htm

Well, this is certainly a dilemma!  I certainly don’t need to increase any fatigue and pain and decreased energy by having poor posture, nor do I want to increase those symptoms by improving my posture the wrong way!! Just for fun, I typed in “Stand tall” on youtube.com and of course there was Burton Cumming’s song  “Stand Tall” However, I then clicked on Dirty Head’s “Stand Tall.”  The lyrics are about a relationship and yet I related to the chorus, “Stand tall/ Stand strong/ It gets a little better now”.  I believe that just standing tall – through mountain pose, or just simply pulling my shoulders back and stretching my back ligaments up long – is my body’s way of communicating to my brain that “It gets a little better now.”