One of the things that is so great about the Paleo Diet is that it has this sort of “shot gun” approach with regards to what is possible when one takes on this lifestyle.
In other words, many people may begin the Paleo Diet with the goal to lose weight, but after doing a 30-day challenge they’ll likely notice, they not only lost weight, their skin cleared up, digestion improved, energy levels increased, and they got happier!
This was certainly the case for me. I went into this whole thing with the goals of becoming a stronger, faster and more powerful athlete (which ALL happened)…but that was just the tip of the iceberg. For 7+ years prior to changing my dietary habits, I developed a fairly serious skin condition and was in deep depression (both of which I was using medication to treat.) After only one month of changing some key nutrition and lifestyle issues my skin cleared up and I felt this fog that had been keeping me unhappy fade away. I’ve been off all meds since.
This incredible healing experience has helped me realize the importance of getting to the root of the problem versus just treating the symptoms. I’ve taken this valuable lesson and currently use it in my approach to treating the musculoskeletal system as a physical therapist.
Many of us were brought up in a world eating toxic foods, suffered for it, and resigned to chasing symptoms using conventional medicine…never addressing the root issue. And in the same way, many of us have grown up in a world where we mimic with toxic movements and put ourselves in poor positions. We began with a lifetime of chronic sitting behind desks in grade school, continued sitting throughout our education and at our jobs, our postures crumbled, we developed poor movement patterns and we are suffering because of it.
But, just as there is often a way out of feeling lousy and enduring chronic disease by improving food quality, getting sleep, and decreasing stress, etc….there is also a way out of many of the physical pains we experience. We often endure pains in the neck, back, shoulders, hips, etc., which are typically not due to traumatic injuries but are a result of remaining stagnant in poor positions or performing poor movement patterns. Sadly, these aches and pains become chronic and ..which so often lead to consistent use of medications with unwanted side effects, costly surgeries, loss of function and negatively effects the quality of our lives.
So something I’ve learned is to use this “shotgun approach” to treat the musculoskeletal system. In other words when I’m working with someone I ask myself what’s the “ONE THING” I can focus on that can make the most difference in terms of preventing and often times treating pain. It’s like the 80/20 rule on steroids.
Generally speaking, that “ONE THING” is the spine. When the spine is aligned, has adequate mobility, and is stable, everything else in the body begins to move back where it’s designed to be. Even more specifically, there is one region of the spine that when properly cared for/addressed gives you the most “bang for our buck” in terms of restoring alignment and functional mobility to the rest of the body. I am referring to the THORACIC SPINE. It’s what I call the missing link…and I believe that if you address this area of the body, specifically when you are sitting for long periods, you will drastically reduce your chances of experiencing pain AND and you’ll improve your chances of standing up straight as long as you live.
There are other bonuses to addressing the thoracic spine as well…you’ll improve your posture which can positively impact your physiology, you’ll perform better in the gym and you’ll generally carry around more awesomeness with you. It’s a shotgun thing:)
So… today I’d like to show you some things you can do to restore mobility and stability in the thoracic spine. I specifically want to cover things that you can do WHILE your in the workspace which is where this stuff matters the most.
Watch the video below and I’ll show you more:
Thanks for watching! I hope you were able to get something out of the information I’ve presented today. If you’re looking for more solutions and ways to bring more well-being into your workspace check out our book The Sitting Solution.
Also…HERE is a link to some good resistance bands that I suggested in the video. Please note that there are three bands with different resistance levels in the kit I’m recommending so it comes out to just over $6 a band. You’ll find it’s best to have options as different exercises need different levels of resistance. You’ll progress in strength as well!
You can find out more about us HERE.
Until then keep standing up straight in a world that sits!
To your health,
Chad Walding, DPT, OPT-L1, RKC
Great post, thanks for sharing!
Interesting perspective … I’ll definitely be more conscious of my posture in the coming days … awesome video man!
Enjoyed the podcast. I like to support the good folks doing this sort of thing, so I followed the link to their www site to purchase the program. Maybe the worst bait and switch I’ve seen on the www in a long time. Not only did their commerce site charge me for stuff I did not order, it created a password more me – which I have no way to access. Tried the forgot password function and it tells me no such email. Great! Fortunately I paid with amex so reversing the charge is not too big a hassle.
Hey RC,
This is Chad from The Sitting Solution. I’m sorry to hear that your customer experience went the way it did and I want to ensure we make it right.
Can you email me at [email protected] and let me know more about what happened? We haven’t had any complaints like this.
Also, I’d like to offer you a free copy of the book as well as free access to our membership site.
Thanks for your interest and I hope we can make this right for you.
Chad
Did you follow up with them to see what the problem was? I was interested in purchasing the program, so this is good info to have. What did you get charged for that you didn’t order?
Hello I just watched your video, and I know the Sitting Solution is about chronic back pain related to a lot of sitting. Now I have had an MRI and it shows spinal stenosis and L4 and L5 disk degenerative. I also have arthritis throughout my spinal column. I have been a certified nurses aide for 19 years so I believe that is why I am like this. I have tried chiropractic adjustments for close to eight months (no help at all) still had tingling, numbness feeling, and way off balance. Then I went to a spine specialist and got corticosteroid shots, what a joke, no help at all. I do not want to do surgery, so my question is will the sitting solution moves help with my stenosis pain? I have been in pain for three years. So much so that I am thinking about filing for disability. I really need help and don’t know what to do, I wish I could find a clinical trial near where I live to try a treatment option, without having to pay for it. I would be an entirely different person if I didn’t hurt everyday. I can’t even be as active as I would like. I used to love to dance I can’t even do that, when I tried to do it once, my legs felt like I was being electrically shocked that was a first that has never happened before, but, right after that sensation I felt like I couldn’t walk right afterwards so I sat down. Please email me back I really would appreciate any help, I am only 47 I do not wish to have this pain for however long I will live its too depressing and very painful. Please help with any information. Thank you.
Hi Ronda. Have you thought about getting an inversion table? I’ve been looking into one and plan to get myself as I have been in 3 car accidents in my lifetime and sit in front of a computer all day for work. Anyways after tax refund I’m going to get this. Thought I would pass along to you. I found it on amazon. Good luck.
Teeter Hang Ups EP-560 Ltd Inversion Table with bonus Acupressure Nodes and Lumbar Bridge.
Hey Ronda,
You will need more than The Sitting Solution. I recommend you get an evaluation from a certified Mckenzie Therapist. They can work with you can let you know quickly what your best options are in less than 3 visits. In many cases they can help you get back to normal and free of pain.
I’ve used the Mckenzie approach in my practice and have been very successful with stenosis. Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend just going off a book.
Here is a place where you can find a certified practitioner in your area:
http://www.mckenziemdt.org/approach.cfm?section=int
I hope this helps:) Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you get better soon.
Chad