Have you heard of what is goji berries

what is goji berriesHow The Right Work Chair Can Prevent Chronic Tension Headaches

If you suffer from chronic tension headaches, back pain or neck pain, you're probably aware that poor posture was at least partly responsible.

However, did you know the way you sit may have had more to do with your pain than the way you stand?

If you're like most Americans, you spend much of your day seated. That's because your work station is probably at a computer terminal, assembly line, or desk.

Consider, too, that much of your time at home is also spent sitting - either watching T.V., surfing the Internet or reading. As a result, of the 16 hours or so you're awake, you may well spend 12 or more of them sitting down.

Doesn't it make sense then, that you should concentrate as much on your sitting posture as you do your standing posture?

And while standing properly - shoulders rolled back, head up, chest out - is important, the benefits of a good standing posture will be minimal if you slouch all day at your desk.

You may be one of many unfortunate workers who are forced to slouch because your work chair won't adjust to accommodate your body, or because you don't have your chair adjusted properly.

THE DANGERS OF IMPROPER SITTING

Three things can happen when you habitually slouch for long periods every day. They're all bad:

* stiffness and pain in your muscles, connective tissue and joints
* restricted breathing
* postural deformities

STIFFNESS AND PAIN

Problems related to inappropriate seating are cumulative. The first noticeable symptom is usually stiffness and pain in your low back, upper back or neck. These can lead to chronic tension headaches, back aches, and muscle spasms or a restriction of circulation in your legs.

As a result of sitting slouched over all the time, other body segments begin to break down because when one part of the body is out of alignment, it'll have an effect on the structures above and below it.

For example, if you habitually sit slumped over you're not only at risk for back and neck pain, but also for repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.

RESTRICTED BREATHING

When you're sitting upright, you should have good tone in your lower abdominal muscles so your diaphragm is in its proper, raised position. This is important for optimal breathing.

But when you slump in your seat, your lower abdominal muscles relax and your diaphragm lowers. This forces you to breath from the upper chest instead of from the diaphragm.

As a result of decreased support from a relaxed lower abdominal wall, together with a lowering of your diaphragm, your abdominal organs are forced downward, which restricts your breathing.

POSTURAL DEFORMITIES

If you're a woman, the resulting pressure in your pelvis from slouching all day for prolonged periods of time can be an overlooked cause of back, pelvic and menstrual pain.

And - particularly if you're a woman - you risk skeletal deformities if your poor seating posture is not corrected.

Often, when people think of a "round-back" posture, they usually associate it with a post-menapausal woman who's already had osteoporosis.

However, many pre-menopausal women have rounded backs that are caused by the way they sit all day.

HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU'RE SEATED PROPERLY

Here's a checklist you can use that will help you determine if you're sitting properly:

* your feet are firmly on the floor, or on a foot rest, slightly in front of you

* your seat is adjusted so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, with your knees at about 90 degrees and slightly lower than your hips

* your seat allows your weight to be borne primarily on the upper half of your thighs

* your knees are shoulder width apart or closer

* your chair seat isn't too deep (you shouldn't be sinking in your chair)

* you're able to sit upright, maintaining the natural curves of your back

* your back is adequately supported

* your pelvis is neutral

* your rib cage is elevated

* you can draw a straight line down through your ear, shoulder, rib cage and pelvis (check this by sitting in front of a full-length mirror, or have a co-worker analyze your sitting posture)

ERGONOMIC TIPS FOR COMPUTER USERS

If you sit at a computer terminal all day, there are other factors you need to consider:

* you should be sitting directly in front of your keyboard and computer screen

* your monitor should be between 18 - 24 inches from your eyes, and you should have to look slightly down to see it

* you should use a work surface that allows your elbows to maintain about a 90 degree angle

* you should keep your shoulders relaxed; don't slump forward

* you should relax your wrists and keep them in a neutral position; don't flex them up or down

* while typing, keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows loose at your side

* take breaks

When doing extensive computer work, it's important to take brief breaks to stretch and walk around every 30 minutes or so. Alternate between work activities that utilize different muscle groups.

Make sure to give your eyes a periodic break, too. For example, blink frequently, close them momentarily and gaze at different objects.

THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHAIRS

CASTER WHEELS

In most work environments, and in nearly all offices, chairs are mounted on caster wheels to allow you to move from task to task easily. These wheels are usually mounted on a five-point base.

STATIONARY BASE

In some industrial settings, a chair with a stationary base is more common because of safety issues. Such chairs are often found in laboratories because the floors tend to be hard and smooth, making caster wheel chairs risky.

Stationary chairs are the norm in assembly lines because they're more stable.

BENCH CHAIR

Bench chairs are often used in small parts assembly areas in manufacturing, as well as for other jobs that require manual dexterity. Bench chairs are higher than typical office chairs and usually offer footrests for stability and comfort.

SIT-TO-STAND CHAIRS

Sit-to-stand chairs are best if you move from a seated to a standing position often during your shift (if you work as a receptionist or assembly line worker, a sit-to-stand chair would be a good choice).

These chairs usually don't have a backrest. the seat is angled downward, allowing you to lean comfortably in a half-standing position.

OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT ERGONOMICS

BACKRESTS

The backrest of your chair should stabilize your pelvis and elevate your rib cage by supporting your lower back.

If it doesn't support your lower back properly, then it will sink into the backrest. A backrest that's too soft, inclined, and/or concave causes this to happen.

These faults result in a backrest that supports the wrong areas, which reinforces slumping.

FOOTRESTS

If your work surface is too high to allow you to place your feet on the floor, then you need a footrest. The footrest should be large enough to allow you some movement during the day. It should also be adjustable to accommodate your height and leg length.

FIVE-POINT BASE

A five-point base offers you maximum stability and can usually be found with any type of chair.

HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT WORK CHAIR FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

When shopping for a work chair, you must realize that one size doesn't fit everyone. You must consider what you do at your chair all day, as well as take into account your physical size.

Generally speaking, you want a chair that provides appropriate support to your back, legs, buttocks and arms.

Here are the various components of a work chair and what to look for in them:

THE BASE

You want a chair that has a five-pedistal (point) base, regardless of whether you need casters (wheels). If you choose a chair with less than five pedestals, you're sacrificing stability and safety (chairs with four casters can tip over more easily).

Make sure the base allows the chair to swivel easily.

ARMRESTS

Keep in mind that armrests should only be used while reading or resting between typing sessions, NOT while actually typing or using your mouse. Depending on how you spend your time in the chair, you might not even need armrests.

If you do get a chair with armrests, make sure they're adjustable, broad, cushioned and comfortable. While seated, you should be able to independently adjust the height of the armrests and move them closer together or further apart.

THE SEAT PAN

The part of the chair that you sit in (the seat pan) should allow even weight distribution and comfortable support. Pay attention to the width and depth of the seat pan - it should be wide enough to give you at least one inch of unused space on both sides of your thighs and hips.

It should also be deep enough to support your thighs comfortably and not put pressure behind your knees (that's bad for circulation).

The seat pan should feel comfortable even after sitting for an hour or more. Insufficient cushioning and poor contouring can cause hip and back fatigue, so ensure that the padding is of high enough quality to resist becoming permanently deformed.

CHAIR HEIGHT

You should buy a chair that allows you to adjust its height easily. The best chairs have a device that permits you to adjust the height of the seat pan while you're seated (a chair with a spinning mechanical height adjustment mechanism is okay, too).

Either way, make sure the adjusters are within easy reach while you're seated - you shouldn't have to get up to change the height of your chair.

If more than one person will be using the chair, make sure the range of heights will accommodate all users. You should be able to adjust the height of the seat pan so that the fronts of your knees are level, or slightly below level, with your feet firmly on the ground or on a footrest.

LUMBAR SUPPORT

A good lumbar support (the part of the chair that supports your lower back) is essential. Many chairs have cushioned lumbar supports that can be adjusted up and down and forward or backward. That's what you want, as these supports will better fit your shape.

The ability to adjust your chair is especially important if more than one person will use the chair.

A fixed-height lumbar support might be okay if you're the only user of the chair and it feels comfortable when you sit back against it.

When sitting against the lumbar support, make sure there's sufficient room for your hips and that you aren't being forced so far forward in the chair that you lose thigh support.

BACK SUPPORT

The back support should recline to allow you to sit back at more than 90 degrees. The best chairs allow your back to move and also track your back as you move back and forth.

Try to avoid locking a back support in one position. Look for a support that's sufficiently broad and doesn't put pressure on the side of your back. The support should also be tall enough to provide good support to the middle of your back - at least up to your shoulder blades.

HEADREST

If you like to recline in your chair to read, talk on the phone or relax, look for a chair with a high back and good neck and head rest.

PRICE

Good chairs are coming down in price, but they can still be costly. You can get a good chair for between $300 and $500.

(Remember this - you get what you pay for)

While $300 to $500 (or more) may seem like a lot of money for a chair, if you're among the millions of people who spend most of their workdays sitting, a high-quality, comfortable chair is a wise investment.

Paul Bacho is a certified athletic trainer in Cleveland, Ohio with over 28 years experience treating patients with chronic pain.

He's also co-author of "How to Get Permanent Relief From Chronic Tension Headaches," a holistic program that he's used to help hundreds of people get rid of tension headaches.

For more information, go to http://www.tensionheadaches.org

An Update On The USDA Allowing Non-Organic Items To Be Used In Organic Products

When the USDA stated that it was going to allow 38 non-organic items to be included under the organic label, it received more than 10,000 comments from consumers and family farmers who were adamantly opposed to this. They claim that this is just an interim approval, and that they will extend this so that the public can comment upon it within the next 60 days.

One of the groups that filed a complaint against this is The Organic Consumers Association. They actually filed a petition during the first 7 days after this approval was issued. The USDA has to publish these comments online. You will discover that out of all of the comments listed here, 99% of them shows that the public is very opposed to the USDA passing this proposal.

During the interim time in which the USDA allows for these products to be used while receiving public comment, there are some things that you need to be aware of. This is because some foods that are marked as �organic� are already using non-organic products. These include: Anheuser Busch's "Organic Wild Hops Beer," which does not include any organic hops at all; sausages, brats, and breakfast links labeled as "USDA Organic" can now contain intestines from farm animals that have raised on chemically grown feed, synthetic hormones and antibiotics; and those products that contain fish oil may have PCBs and mercury in them.

This just goes to show that companies like Kraft, Wal-Mart and Anheuser-Busch, who are profit-driven, actually have more sway over the USDA than family farmers, independent organic producers and consumers combined. Luckily, those foods that are labeled �100% organic� will still be required to be 100% organic. This means that this rule will only apply to products that are 95% organic or less. So, if you carefully read ingredient labels and look for the label to say �100% organic� you will be fine. Another option is to purchase your foods only from local family farmers at your local farmers market.

Brenda Marie Hoffman is a published freelance author and a single mom. Thanks to her lucrative business: livin-smart.net she is able to stay home to home school her daughter. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5225.cfm
If you would like to take action, you can send a letter to the USDA. Their address is:
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6771 SOUTH SILVER HILL DRIVE
FINLAND, MN 55603 USA
Of course, you can also email them at adam@organicconsumers.org
To keep up to date on this information, you can go to http://www.organicconsumers.org

Flax Seed Oil - What Can It Really Do For You?

Flax seed oil is a health supplement that has gained a large following over recent years. Up until a short while ago most health conscious people got their omega 3's from fish oils. You now have healthy organic alternatives to fish oil, and flax seed oil offers other benefits as well as supplying your body with essential fatty acids.

Flax oil naturally contains many vitamins which is an added bonus to your health rather than just providing your body with omega 3 oils. You'll get the benefit of many B vitamins that include...

Vitamin B12 - Necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells, this is a vitamin that is deficient in vegetarians as it is found mainly in meat. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anaemia, and it can be given to you by your doctor via injection if your levels are too low. Deficiency signs of vitamin B12 include...

Anaemia
Loss of appetite
Hair loss
Mental confusion
Poor growth Fatigue

Vitamin B2 - An essential vitamin that converts carbohydrates into energy. This vitamin will keep you're your mucous membranes healthy, and it is also essential for normal tissue respiration. Deficiency signs include...

Cracks in skin at corner of your mouth
Soreness of tongue, mouth and lips
Conjunctivitis and watering of eyes
Increased sensitivity to light

Vitamin B1 - Like vitamin B2, vitamin B1 ( Thiamine ) also play an important role in converting carbohydrates into energy, and vitamin B1 also converts fat into energy. Signs of vitamin B1 deficiency include...

Anorexia nervosa
Loss of appetite
Constipation
Indigestion
Fatigue
Depression
Tender muscles
Nausea & vomiting
Beriberi (in excessive deficiency)
Pins & needles, numbness in legs

Vitamin B3 - This vitamin ( also known as Niacin ) helps DNA synthesis, and is also essential for releasing energy from carbohydrates, fats and protein. Deficiency signs of vitamin B3 include...

Mental imbalance
Skin lesions
Loss of appetite
Indigestion
Pellagra (gross deficiency

As you can see flax oil gives you more than your omega 3 oils, flax seed oil also gives your body some essential vitamins that play an important role in maintaining your good health.

When buying flax seed oil it's important to get one that is of high quality due to the speed in which it can go rancid once it has been opened. Refrigeration after opening will lengthen the shelf life of the bottle. This is important as the bottles are quite large and you only need a couple of teaspoons to a tablespoon of oil a day. On the other hand, you can buy capsules but these work out a bit more expensive, and you don't get as much oil a day in your diet.

For more information on flax seed oil visit Liquid Gold Flax Oil where you can get many oils at discounted prices.

side effects of goji berries
goji berry benefits
goji berries health benefits
fresh goji berries
goji berry benefits | goji berries banned