VITAMIN D – WHY IT MATTERS

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin (as we can make it from the action of the sun on our skin), is hugely important in the body. It has many functions including reducing inflammation, improving immunity, enabling uptake of calcium into our bones and has been shown to improve our mood.

From a more chiropractic point of view, a lack of Vitamin D causes a common trio of symptoms.

• - Persistent pain
• - Fatigue and
• - Feelings of anxiety or low mood.

We know that in the winter 87% of the British population are deficient in vitamin D and even though our bodies can make vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin, 60% of the population are still deficient in the summer.

Take a look at our Blog “Why Vitamin D” for more information. 

STAYING PAIN FREE

Once your symptoms have improved, we believe that it is very important that you have the tools to maintain your improvement and protect yourself from problems in the future. Leading such busy lifestyles, we often find that the basic warning signs of back problems can go unnoticed. Whilst no one is immune from back and neck pain, there are some simple things you can do to look after your spine and help reduce the risk of pain. The basic principles can be summarised as:

• Keep active and take breaks to avoid prolonged postures
• Stay comfortable by making your environment as back friendly as possible
• Take care when lifting and carrying
• Make sure that you exercise enough to keep your body strong.

Our Blog “Protect Your Back and Neck” contains some helpful tips.

We are passionate about giving you the information that you need to look after your back and prevent future occurrences of pain, and have numerous Blogs about various aspects of self care.

MIND YOUR POSTURE!

If you know that your posture is poor, or that you spend too long sitting at a desk, take a look at the StraightenUp UK video produced by the British Chiropractic Association.

Straighten Up UK (http://bit.ly/straightenup) is a short exercise routine designed to improve posture and help prevent back pain by promoting balance, strength and flexibility in the spine. Chiropractors want to encourage adults and children alike to start using this set of simple, three minute straighten up exercises. They are designed to be done on a daily basis and become part of the daily routine, just like brushing our teeth.

The programme is divided into three simple segments:

- Stars: Warm Up

- Flying Friends: Posture Care

- Core Balance: Finish the Session

The exercises can be adapted to suit individual capabilities (discuss with GP, chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner if you need further advice). Easy to learn and do, the sequence of exercises consists of precise, slow stretches, each with a specific purpose. The Straighten Up materials have been developed with both adults and children in mind.