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This month we talk the Three S’s… Sharpen, Strengthen, Straighten!
To give some context to this we first need to ask the question, what is the most important organ in the entire body and what is the master control system of all functions of the body?
I am sure you all answered correctly in stating that the brain and spinal cord, known as the Central Nerve System, is the control of all functions of the body. And therefore the most vital thing to look after when aiming to improve our health.
As you will also be aware of, the brain and spinal cord are influenced and protected by the spine and core strength. Therefore if we focus on Strengthening our Core, Straightening our Spine and Sharpening our Brain. We can have a huge impact on our health.
So here are Epoch’s Top Tips to help you!
Sharpen the mind
1. Movement is Key. Often times we want to do cognitive exercises to improve our brain, but did you know that over 90% of the brain is subconscious and therefore cannot be improved with crosswords or puzzles. However movement of the body directly feeds all areas of the brain and is our number one tip to improving it.
2. Nourishment. Fuel the brain right with these beauties; Omega 3, Coconut oil, Blue berries, avocado, broccoli, walnuts, turmeric, beetroot. At least one of these a day is so easy to do.
3. PMA. Positive Mental Attitude. It takes 7 positives to outweigh just 1 negative, therefore we must make a daily habit of it. Start each day with 3 positive affirmations of how you want your day to pan out, finish each day with 3 things you’re grateful for.
Straighten the spine
It is a misunderstanding that we need to have a straight spine, in fact it is actually very damaging for the health of the spine for it to be straight. Therefore trying to improve the natural cure of the spine is what we should be aiming for.
1. Avoid bending your head down. Keep the right curve in your neck by looking forward and limiting the use of mobile phones.
2. Neck roll. Use a rolled up towel and place it behind your neck so that your chin comes away from your chest to encourage the normal curvature. This can be done for 10 minutes each day.
Strengthen the core
1. Squats and Lunges. Strengthening the core should be functional, doing the plank does NOT work! Make a habit of doing 20 squats and lunges each day. Be sure to keep your body upright when doing so.
2. Learn to brace and do it often. When we think about bracing our core, we think about ‘tucking in’ or ‘breathing in’. This is incorrect, what we should do is bear down and push out. This can be practiced whilst on the loo, simply having a wee, stop flow and them force flow, repeat this and you will soon find the correct brace.
3. Bum clenches. The buttocks provide great strength in the pelvis and core. If you find yourself sitting all day, simply clench your buttocks on and off.
