By definition posture is “the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting, or lying down.” Improper posture would then mean that “inability to hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting, or laying down.” Having improper posture can increase wearing of the joint surfaces that could result in arthritis, increase backaches and muscular pain, increase strain and overuse problems, increase fatigue due to the improper use of muscles causing the body to use more energy, increase stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together leading to improper spine alignment……and the list goes on.

Read more about poor posture here.

When sitting down to write this blog I started to think, “What do I think is a common cause for bad posture?” From personal experience and observation, a lot of poor posture can easily stem from simply not feeling well, which eventually can lead to a structural issue. Pain in the joints can cause an imbalance while walking, which may lead to strain on other joints and firing of improper muscles. Gut pain and headaches can lead to slouching of the shoulders and neck. Pain all over can lead to simply wanting to sit down and not move at all! Therefore, this week I want to look at three easy tips to just help you feel better!

Tip #1: Decrease Inflammation

The first step in decreasing inflammation is to clean up your diet! Eliminate gluten, dairy, and soy as they are all known to cause inflammation. It is also a great idea to take a food sensitivity test which will look at foods you are specifically reacting to. These foods should be eliminated as well.

Second step is to give your body some extra nutritional support. Glutathione, turmeric, resveratrol, vitamin-D, and Omega-3 fatty acids are huge players in decreasing systemic inflammation.

Tip #2: Support your Gut

The gastrointestinal tract is the region of our body that interacts with the external world through the foods we eat. Not only does it all absorb critical nutrients, but its protective immune system shields us from pathogens. Various triggers such as food allergies, dis-regulated blood sugar, antibiotics, stress, etc., cause the cells lining the GI tract to separate. This is referred to as leaky gut. When these mucosal cells separate various symptoms may occurring including bloating, gas, increased inflammation, mood, energy, and overall well-being.

As we previously talked about in step one, clean up the diet! Second, we want to add in nutritional support that that aids in healing the GI tract. Key products are L-glutamine, probiotics and fiber. (Gut Repair, Probio Powder, Fiber Plex)

Tip #3: Keep Moving and Hydrate

Step three is keep your body moving and drink plenty of water! Start by spending 20-30 minutes a day with a casual walk and slowing increasing time and intensity. Sitting for long periods of time can cause muscles to stiffen and posture to worsen. With water, make sure you drink half your body weight in ounces per day. This is step is one of the easiest, however, can be the most difficult to adhere to!

Summertime is just about here and a perfect time to implement the three simple steps to feed good posture!