Dr. Curtis McElroy

Author: docmac

  • 5 Ways To Improve Posture When Sitting At A Desk

    5 Ways To Improve Posture When Sitting At A Desk

     

    Most of us know that our posture is very important for the future health of our backs, but when you work at an office every day, it’s easy to fall into bad habits. Here are 5 quick fixes for improving posture when you sit at a desk.

     

    1) Support Your Lower Back

     

    You can reduce the strain on your back with lower back support. This means you should use an adjustable chair so that you can find the perfect height and tilt to support your lower back. If you can’t immediately get your hands on a better chair, use a cushion to increase support in that area.

     

    2) Change the Position of Your Screen

     

    Adjust your computer screen so that the top is roughly level with your eyes. This will help you naturally sit better as you look at the screen throughout the day. It also helps to make sure that there is no glare or reflection on the screen so that you don’t have to strain to see it.

     

    3) Adjust Your Height

     

    An adjustable chair is very important to ensure you’re at the right height for typing. Your arms should be straight and parallel to the floor. Any higher or lower and you could be damaging your posture. Optimum posture also means having your feet flat on the floor, but you may need to use a footrest to help. Remember, crossing your legs isn’t good for posture.

     

    4) Change Your Phone

     

    If you use the phone a lot as part of your job, then you can end up straining your neck and back muscles. In this case, a headset may be a better choice for you. Even if you don’t use the phone often enough to justify this change, remember to keep your phone – and any other items you regularly use – in easy reach so that you don’t need to stretch and twist to reach them.

     

    5) Take Care of Your Wrists

     

    You should leave a gap at the front of the desk, before the keyboard, to let your wrists rest when you’re not typing. It also helps to use a padded mousemat to reduce strain, particularly if you experience pain in your wrist when clicking the mouse.

     

    Although not all of us have the benefit of being able to choose the desks and chairs we use in our office, we can all do small things to improve our posture and reduce the possible chance of injury now and in the future.

  • How To Boost Your Energy For Work Outs

    How To Boost Your Energy For Workouts

    Should You Take Energy Pills for Working Out?

    Everyone experiences slumps in their energy once in awhile. Late nights, stressful days, too much food and drink and not exercising enough or eating a healthy diet are all reasons why we might find it difficult to keep going during a long day – or have the energy for a morning or evening workout.

    It’s tempting to pop a pill for energy when there are so many pills out there that promise boosts to your energy level. But these energy supplements can be harmful to your health – and could even cause death if you have a medical condition or don’t take them as directed.

    Some of the side effects of taking energy pills before a workout include the following:

    Increase of heart rate – If you engage in a good workout, your heart rate is going to rise anyway. Add that scenario to taking energy pills before the workout and you have the potential for a disaster.

    If you have a history of heart problems or high blood pressure you could be putting yourself at risk for a heart attack or stroke when you take energy supplements before a workout. You may not know that you have these problems until it’s too late.

    Severe headaches – Energy pills – especially those with loads of caffeine – are known to cause severe headaches. Headaches are likely to occur when the caffeine is wearing off and your adrenalin levels decrease.

    Many people are more susceptible to caffeine headaches than others, but it’s still not a good idea to take energy pills that are loaded with caffeine just before working out. You may suffer for the rest of the day or evening.

    Mood swings – Energy supplements can cause drastic mood swings that range from feeling like you could climb Mount Everest to irritability and depression so severe that you can’t function.

    You may easily become dependent on the energy pills to keep you from crashing after one dose, and dependency on any type of drug can lead to problems that are difficult to deal with.

    Sleep disorders – Insomnia and other sleep disorders might occur with prolonged use of energy pills. If you ever suffer from sleeplessness after drinking a cup of coffee in the evening, you’ll likely have the same reaction after taking energy pills.

    You may be unknowingly sabotaging the reason for exercising in the first place – to pursue or maintain a healthy lifestyle when you take energy pills for a boost of energy before working out.

    Rather than taking energy pills for a quick boost before a workout, try the natural way of eating some energy-boosting foods, such as peanut butter, an apple or string cheese. You’ll get a natural high and feel much better after the workout.

     

    Copyright@2013,Dr.CurtisMcElroy.com

  • How To Increase Your Energy Naturally

    How To Increase Your Energy Naturally

    Different ways that we can quickly boost our energy levels and be supermen (and women) scream at us from every nook and cranny – pharmacies, supermarkets, media and any other method that might catch our attention.

    The energy market is huge – so many companies are capitalizing on the trend. Simply pop a pill or drink a drink and work or dance into the night. The problem is, that from these artificial highs, we have to eventually come down – and sometimes, it’s not a pretty sight.

    These vitamins, herbs and supplements in the form of pills or drinks come in pretty packages with lightning bolts and photos of six-pack abs and arm muscles on the labels to indicate how powerful you’ll be when you try this product.

    Products that promise quick energy boosts may increase your energy levels temporarily, but there are choices that you can make in your daily lifestyle that can provide enhancement to your everyday energy levels on a permanent basis.

    The following are a few ways to naturally boost your energy:

    Give up foods with chemicals and those that are processed or artificial.

    Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.

    Cleanse your digestive system, including the colon. A slow-moving colon can cause health problems and fatigue.

    Reduce stress in your life by paring down your lifestyle to a manageable level.

    Eat several small meals per day.

    Streamline your life. Get rid of clutter and other things in your life that do nothing for you.

    Get enough sleep – but not too much. Too much sleep leaves you feeling lethargic.

    Drink juice – especially carrot and apple juice for energy.

    Check your thyroid level. A low thyroid reading could cause fatigue and depression.

    Exercise. If you can’t exercise, practice deep breathing routines to get your blood flowing and your brain more active.

     Surround yourself with motivating and happy people.

    If a long commute to work is making you tired, talk to your boss about working from home.

    We all tend to suffer from energy slumps at some time or other, but if you follow the simple tips above you’ll soon feel more energetic during the times you need it most. Remember to keep your body hydrated, especially during exercise and stressful times.

    The first symptom of dehydration is fatigue. Your body just isn’t getting what it needs to function properly when you don’t get enough water. You can also limit your intake of caffeine and substitute herbal teas and drinks instead. There are a wide variety of flavorful and healthy herbal teas that can give you the lift you need without the down feeling you get from caffeinated drinks.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy