Your spine is the foundation for your nervous system, which carries important messages all throughout your body. Regular chiropractic care helps reduce neck, back, and body pains, but also improves the health of your nervous system. When your spine is unhealthy, the nervous system is disrupted, and can lead to health issues including weakness in the upper body, numbness, bladder control problems, indigestion, and even depression. Regular chiropractic adjustments will help your live a healthy life and you can further benefit by doing work outside the chiropractic practice. Here are tips to help strengthen your spine and improve your health.
Get Some Sun
We know this one’s a tough ask, but 10 minutes of basking in the sunshine will really pay off. The sun is a quick and easy way to meet your Vitamin D needs. Vitamin D is critical to healthy development and maintenance of your bones and plays a major role in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus absorption. Do yourself one better and sit outside with great posture. Relax your shoulders and keep your spine long and straight with your ears over your shoulders.
Breathe With Your Belly
We know times are particularly stressful right now, so give yourself a few moments to just breathe. Take big breaths that fill your belly. Stand up straight, place your hand on your stomach, and inhale deeply. You should be able to feel your ribs stretch and your back relax. When these muscles expand throughout your core, pathways are opened up so your spinal nerves can move more easily within their spinal pathways. Practice this breathing several times to feel better physically and mentally.
Stretch for Flexibility
Flexibility is important for a healthy spine. Just a few neck movements can work wonders to improve your spinal cord’s flexibility. Try these movements throughout the day:
Turn your head slowly to look over one shoulder, count to three slowly, then turn your head to look over the other shoulder and repeat.
Look up toward the ceiling, lowering your head back slowly. Count to three, then bring your chin down to your chest and repeat.
Bend your neck as if you are trying to put your right ear on your right shoulder. Hold for three seconds, then bring your head back to center and repeat on the opposite side.
Between stretching your spinal cord, breathing deeply, and soaking up the sun for Vitamin D, you can help improve the strength of your spine and health of your spine. Your nervous system (and your chiropractor) will thank you! To learn more about what you can do to get the most out of your chiropractic adjustments, be sure to ask during your next adjustment at Healthy Life Chiropractic. Just click here to schedule an appointment with your local Newnan, GA chiropractor!