{"id":5063,"date":"2014-01-05T12:01:21","date_gmt":"2014-01-05T17:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=5063"},"modified":"2014-01-07T21:15:34","modified_gmt":"2014-01-08T02:15:34","slug":"why-you-should-improve-your-posture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2014\/01\/why-you-should-improve-your-posture.html","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Improve Your Posture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Self-Love<\/a><\/p>\n

Today is Day 5 of my 31 Days of Self-Love posts to celebrate Self-Love Month<\/a><\/strong> with suggestions for jump-starting your own self-love and joining The Self-Love Movement<\/strong><\/a>\u2122.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always advised that practici\"AlignMed<\/a>ng good posture is a confidence booster but recently I learned how important it is to our well being when I injured my shoulder. I was in a lot of pain went to a physical therapist who said my posture is out of alignment, possibly from sitting at my computer so much. The doctor keeps reminding me to keep my shoulders down and focus on improving my posture at all times if I want to heal faster. Since it’s Self-Love Month , be aware that doing what you can to improve your posture is a great way to say, \u201cI love me!\u201d I’m making a big effort!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m thrilled that today\u2019s guest is Bill Schultz<\/a><\/strong>, president and founder of AlignMed<\/a>, the evidence-based apparel company that offers the Align Posture range of products used by many top professional athletes, including Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard. Schultz recently received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for \u201coutstanding and invaluable service\u201d through AlignMed<\/a>. The company is home of the breakthrough alignment\/posture shirt that\u2019s designed to map the muscle of the wearer\u2019s torso and posterior region, which gently yet continually aligns the body. The shirts can be worn 24\/7 and are appropriate for all manner of physical activity \u2013 or inactivity, including sleeping.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what Bill has to say:<\/p>\n

Posture — the Missing Link in the Beauty-Health Connection<\/strong>
\n4 Ways It Affects Appearance and Functionality<\/strong>
\nBy Bill Schultz<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

To some extent, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the things we consider beautiful usually share certain characteristics, with symmetry and vitality being chief among them.
\nThe human body is an excellent example. The people we view as physically attractive are usually healthy and symmetrical in appearance. That\u2019s not a coincidence; postural symmetry and good health go hand in hand.<\/p>\n

Good posture<\/strong> \u2013 holding the head, shoulders and trunk in perfect alignment \u2013 creates balance, which allows our many physiological systems to function optimally. When we habitually sit, stand or walk in a less than a fully aligned position, muscles stretch or contract to accommodate. This can result in chronic imbalances that can lead to pain. Studies dating back to the 19th century also suggest our posture affects mood, energy and self-confidence, all of which affect how attractive we appear to others.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t see supermodels, A-list actors or the rest of the \u201cbeautiful people\u201d slouched over as they strut down the runway or red carpet! Think about the importance of posture among the most challenging sports; for track runners, ballerinas and gymnasts, optimal posture is essential.Here are four ways posture\u2019s part of the beauty-health connection.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s not just sitting for hours on end that\u2019s bad for you; it\u2019s how one sits<\/strong>. The dangers of sitting have garnered plenty of attention in recent years, especially since we have become a society of sitters. Sitting for long periods comes with many health risks, including obesity and cardiovascular disease. But sitting with less than perfect posture \u2013 most frequently, sitting with the head and should in a forward position over a desk — can cause significant neck pain, which involves muscles and nerves from the neck down. Proper posture can prevent neck and spinal damage.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0More than 116 million Americans, or a third of the population, suffer from chronic pain at some point in their lives.<\/strong> That\u2019s according to a recent report from the Institute of Medicine. Chronic pain means that a sufferer has anywhere from 30 to 60 days of lasting pain, and this massive problem is estimated to cost Americans $635 billion dollars. For many, treatment and\/or prevention is out of reach, however, a reliable and easy way to prevent chronic pain is to maintain good posture.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0A strong, well-functioning core is crucial for training and optimal health<\/strong>. The bulk of a body\u2019s mass is located at and around one\u2019s core, including the trunk and pelvis region. Today\u2019s fitness fanatics firmly grasp the importance of a healthy core. Surprisingly, however, much of the health-conscious population today is muscle-centric and does not fully appreciate the importance of posture, even though proper posture facilitates core strengthening, especially while exercising.
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Using passive therapy to continuously improve posture<\/strong>. To feel and look your best, it\u2019s important to maintain good posture throughout the day, but that\u2019s difficult, especially for sedentary people. Neurologists at Rush University Medical Center say passive therapy can be even more effective than active therapy. Posture-enhancing apparel such as MyLign by AlignMed, worn by professional athletes including NBA player Dwight Howard, offer neurologic biofeedback that constantly remind the skeleton and muscles to self-correct. The shirts are not compression shirts, which squeeze the body and are primarily worn for aesthetics. Rather, they map muscles in the same way kinesio tape \u2013 used to reduce inflammation, relax muscles and enhance performance \u2013 assists world-class athletes.
\n**************<\/p>\n

Join the Self-Love Movement\u2122<\/strong><\/a>! Take the 31 Days of Self-Love Commitment<\/strong><\/a>—\u201cI commit to do my best to do something loving for myself, however big or small, for the next 31 days<\/strong>.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways<\/a><\/strong> for free at http:\/\/howdoiloveme.com<\/a><\/strong>. Read my 2013 31 Days of Self-Love Posts HERE<\/strong><\/a>. Join the Self-Love Movement\u2122<\/strong><\/a>! on Facebook<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today is Day 5 of my 31 Days of Self-Love posts to celebrate Self-Love Month with suggestions for jump-starting your own self-love and joining The Self-Love Movement\u2122. I\u2019ve always advised that practicing good posture is a confidence booster but recently I learned how important it is to our well being when I injured my shoulder.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[832,831,833],"class_list":["post-5063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-love-acceptance","tag-alignmed","tag-bill-schultz","tag-posture"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy You Should Improve Your Posture - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why You Should Improve Your Posture - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today is Day 5 of my 31 Days of Self-Love posts to celebrate Self-Love Month with suggestions for jump-starting your own self-love and joining The Self-Love Movement\u2122. 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Let Me Count the Ways, a She's appeared on hundreds of TV and radio shows, including Oprah, Howard Stern, and Good Morning America and has been quoted in dozens of publications, including the New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Marie Claire, and Men\u00b9s Health. After being a consummate People Pleaser who felt unworthy of getting her own needs met for many years, Daylle found a path of self-love that enabled her to build her self-esteem and reinvent herself into a dual career. She learned to get taken seriously without being overtly assertive when she became one of the first women to start an independent record label (on a dare!) and learned to play ball nicely and successfully in an industry dominated by men. To help independent musicians empower themselves, Daylle writes music business books for Billboard\/Random House, including the very popular Start & Run Your Own Record Labe and I Don't Need a Record Deal! Daylle's books have been translated into over 10 languages and are popular around the world. She speaks for colleges, organizations and corporations. Through her company, Project Self-Empowerment, Daylle creates programs and materials to help people empower themselves. One goal is to raise the money to self-publish her book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways and give it away for free in colleges and through organizations, to give thanks for all her blessings. Daylle uses her writing and speaking to help others find the kind of contentment and empowerment that she has.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/author\/dschwartz"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5063"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5143,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5063\/revisions\/5143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}