What To Expect From Your Body During Your 40's

Libido may be dwindling.

Helen Ford says: 'Libido may be dwindling which could be due to lower hormones or just because we are exhausted with day to day life.'

The nutritionist recommends eating foods with omega 3 and stocking up on vitamins to combat the slump.

She says: 'Think about eating more oily fish and nuts and seeds to provide the anti-inflammatory omega 3 oils. 

'Incorporating phytoestrogens such as fermented soya, lentils and chickpeas, flaxseed which have hormone balancing properties. 

'A multi vitamin and mineral with more magnesium and calcium is important, with fish oil and additional Vitamin D.'

Pre-menopausal symptoms may appear.

Many women don't expect to see symptoms of the menopause until their 50s, but Jane Mitchell says that some can expect them much earlier.

'The fact is that your body only has so many eggs,' she explains. 'As soon as they are used up you will see the signs of menopause.'

'It can come as a shock to some women.' 

The nutritionist adds that the best way to reduce symptoms is to exercise and cut out sugar and alcohol. 

Your facial features change.

Dr Maryam Zamani adds that the structure of our faces can change quite significantly in our 40s.

She says: 'The fat in the face can be lost and this significant volume loss can create jowls and the hallowing of the temples.

'The nose is affected as well, and tends to dip downwards. The lips lose volume. Facial structure can be affected with bone loss and this leaves women with sunken looking eyes and increased sagging.'

Joints may start to crunch and creak.

Arthritis Research UK’s ageing expert Professor Janet Lord, Director MRC-ARUK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research in Birmingham says that women should look out for their bones becoming stiff or crunching as this may be a sign of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.

It is increasingly common for people to suffer it from their late 40s.

Professor Janet says: 'In this condition, the surfaces within your joints become damaged so the joint doesn’t move as smoothly as it should. Risk factors include genetics, obesity, age and previous joint injury. 

'We don’t fully understand why it’s more common in older people, but it might be due to your muscles weakening and your body being less able to heal itself, or your joint slowly wearing out over time.'


Watch out for the next post - What to expect from your body during your 50's

Source: dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3269613/What-expect-body-decade-20s-50s-combat-it.html#ixzz3p17vHeSb

Update on 7 Day Intensive Exercise Routine

Well yesterday I did day 4 which was mainly abs. It consisted of floor exercises, some which included the use of dumb bells. Again like the other routines I found myself having to improvise on some movements to get through it. It does however say that some moves are inspired by the Best Bodies Atheletes 2015 so it's no wonder I am struggling with some of it!!

I do feel a sense of achievement in doing this routine though.

Today's session consists of legs and arms with more squats and lunges using weights.

The last few days have been a little bit uncomfortable in that my legs have been overworked making it difficult to go about my daily tasks without some pain and discomfort. So today I have listened to my body and decided to give it a rest. Having a rest day is not part of the course but I have had to take note of how many body feels, plus the fact that I wouldn't have managed many squats or lunges.

Since I am not an athelete or trying to getting a body like one then I will adjust the routine accordingly.

It is not to say that I will not be doing any form of exercise today. I shall still go for my daily walk with the dog and do some Yoga stretches to stop me from stiffening up totally.

Normal business will resume tomorrow :)

7 Day Intensive Exercise Routine

Two days ago I decided to try an intensive 7 day all over body workout. I am currently on day 3.

Why am I doing this you may ask?

I have always enjoyed exercise and still enjoy it to this day. However, I do enjoy upping the stakes every now and again and thought I would challenge myself a little more. Also I wanted to know if it would make any difference to my body shape after only 7 days.

My thoughts so far are that it is VERY intense. So much so I have had to improvise some of the movements to enable me to get through it. I have not always managed to complete the full amount of circuits they have suggested (but have tried to do as much as my body would allow me to).

This is not for the faint hearted and would take someone of immense fitness, in my opinion, to complete it all to the exact scale they are suggesting.

Having said that I find the challenge enjoyable and are hoping that the end results will be worth the pain. Yes that's right pain! It doesn't come without some aching my muscles are feeling right now.

Having a change in your exercise routine is good. I change my own routine every 6 weeks at least so that my muscles have to work harder and so I am working different muscles too.

This current routine comes with a 7 day food menu to follow. I must confess that I have not been following it as I feel my diet is healthy already. I have been making sure I take in extra healthy calories to feed my muscles along with taking beetroot juice which I know from personal experience is good for stamina and energy.

Along with this routine, I also do my daily Yoga stretches just to help keep the pain in my muscles to a minimum. After showering I finish off with a cold rinse to help with lactic acid (the stuff that causes the pain of over working the muscles).

My final conclusion is that these routines are not for the newbie to exercise and not to be used as a quick last minute fix before a holiday.

I will keep you informed of my progress and final thoughts after the 7 days are complete.

How Weights and Cardio Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Working out with weights may do more than just build beautiful muscles. While all types of exercise substantially reduce your risk of both breast cancer and lung cancer,according to two new studies presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, women who work out vigorously—incorporating a variety of weights and cardio several times a week—reduced their risk of lung cancer by one-third and breast cancer by 30 percent. Even better, fit ladies saw these benefits even if they had other risk factors for the cancers, like a smoking habit or being overweight. 

The question researchers are trying to answer now? Why exactly exercise can fend off cancer—and just how much you need to sweat to see the benefits.

One potential explanation: Exercise may reduce the number of fat cells that produce estrogen, a hormone which in excess has been shown to fuel breast cancer, Jyoti Patel, M.D., spokeswoman for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, said in a press release.  And it appears that strength exercises like squats, bicep curls, and chest presses may be particularly good at this. A 2012 Harvard studyfound that muscle-strengthening exercises cause the body to produce a hormone called irisin, which then travels through the body and alters fat cells in a way that speeds up the metabolism, ultimately burning more calories.

For lung cancer, the explanation is a little less straightforward, said Ange Wang, M.D. student and the lead author of the Stanford paper. "Physical activity might specifically help the lungs by improving lung function and limiting the deposition deep in the lungs of inhaled cancer-causing agents," she noted. Wang also added that exercise boosts the immune system and helps people lose weight—things that have shown to protect against cancer.

Both research teams also noted that the more minutes a woman spent exercising, the more protection she had against cancer, regardless of the type of workout or other risk factors. In the studies, the women exercised an average of four to seven hours per week. And any level of intensity can help: "Our research seems to indicate that you don't have to kill yourself," Wang said. "It doesn't need to be strenuous. You just have to put the time in." 

So if you want to have a beautiful, healthy chest inside and out, think about incorporating weight lifting and other muscle building exercises into your routine. We recommend starting with the basic pushup—not only will it lift and define your chest muscles (and core, back, and arms!) but it can also help build a body suited to protect you from disease.

Source:shape.com/fitness/cardio/how-weights-and-cardio-cut-breast-cancer-risk/?utm_source=fbweightsandcardiocutcancerriskutm_medium%3Dsocial&utm_campaign=facebook

Your Guide to Sitting Less

A quick guide to sitting less.

1. Plan by Minutes

Cornell ergonomist Alan Hedges recommends 20 minutes sitting, 8 minutes standing, 2 minutes walking. Repeat. The formula also improves productivity and posture, studies show.

2. Default to a Walk

Instead of mulling at your desk when you're drawing a blank, get up and take a 5-minute walk. Research suggests that you'll be 60 percent more creative when you return.

3.  Stand When Tired

Make this automatic: If you yawn, stand up. Rising fires the Ascending Reticular Activating System, a network of neurons in the cerebral cortex that enhances alertness.

4. Shift Your Mind-Set

Before you take a seat, think of this quote from Mayo Clinic researcher James Levine: "The goal of sitting should be sin-gular: to give our bodies a break from moving."

Source:mensjournal.com/health-fitness/health/sitting-the-most-unhealthy-thing-you-do-20150219#ixzz3buXahW1h

A Five-Minute Walk Could Undo An Hour of Sitting

The evidence is overwhelming — sitting for long stretches of time can damage your health and a new study could tell us why. Researchers from Indiana University found it takes just one hour of sitting to decrease the blood flow from your legs to your heart by 50 percent. When you're parked in a chair, the muscles in your lower body don't contract to pump blood to the heart as effectively as they should, causing blood to pool in your legs. Eventually, this can lead to impaired blood vessel function — an early marker of heart disease.

And because many of us sit at a desk for at least eight hours a day, the damage done by sitting throughout each day could be even greater, says study author Saurabh Thosar. But there's an upshot — Thosar and his team discovered you can counteract the damage of sitting by taking five-minute walks every hour.

They asked a group of healthy men aged 20 to 35 to sit for three hours without moving their legs. Measuring the guys' arterial function every hour with a blood pressure cuff, they found that the ability for their arteries to expand and pump blood was reduced by 50 percent after the first hour.

The men then sat for another three hours, but took a slow five-minute walk (two miles per hour) every hour. This time, the tests showed no decrease in arterial function. "Five-minute walks prevented the decline of blood flow and arterial function during sitting," says Thosar. "[Walking] does not erase the effect of sitting, per se. Rather, it just does not allow sitting to be as harmful."

The jury's still out on whether you need to walk for at least five minutes to get these benefits or if a one- or two-minute stroll can stifle at least some of sitting's negative effects. Another question is if walking for more than five minutes or picking up your pace will help even more. "I do not have data to prove it, but my feeling is that even shorter walks or taking more breaks will be helpful as long as blood flow increases," says Thosar. 

Source:mensjournal.com/health-fitness/exercise/a-five-minute-walk-could-undo-an-hour-of-sitting-20141009#ixzz3buWQzrH5 

15 Minute Yoga For Complete Beginners

Ginger Against Knee Pain

If you have problems with pain in the knee, to release it, we recommend you eat ginger, oil and fish.

Regardless of the age of the patient and cause pain, the efficiency is high.

The problems actually might not always be a result of amortization of the wrist, which is characteristic of the elderly population. Problems may occasionally occur due to damage or due to hereditary factors.

Application of chamomile oil, olive oil, cilantro, Asian “tiger cream” can be miraculous. The only question is if it suits you or not. This is why you first need to try several remedies to see which one is the right for you.

Be sure to add sea fish salmon, mackerel and herring in your diet. These fish are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which not only strengthen the heart, but the joints as well.

Ginger root is very efficient. The remedy is prepared in a way that you need to cut one piece off of the ginger root, grate it and rub it onto the affected area. If you want to gain even better effects, you need to simultaneously drink ginger tea.

Source:naturalhealthcareforyou.com/ginger-against-knee-pain/

Knee Exercises For Runners

These knee strengthening exercises will help with your running, strengthen the muscles around the knee and prevent knee pain.

The exercises from physiotherapist Sammy Margo strengthen all the muscles supporting the knee, including the vastus medialis (also known as the teardrop muscle) and stretch out the iliotibial band, known as the ITB.

These exercises for the knee can be done as part of your warm-up before a run or as a cool-down routine after a run, outside or indoors, or whenever is most convenient.

Typically, you should start to see some benefits after two weeks of doing these knee exercises every day.

You should not feel any pain when doing these exercises. If you do, stop immediately and seek medical advice. These exercises are not suitable for people with an existing knee injury.

Knee bends – 3 sets of 10 repetitions (reps)

Stand a foot away from a wall with your knees hip-width apart and your feet pointing slightly outwards. Slide your back down the wall by slowly bending your knees. Let the knees point in the same direction as your toes. As you come up, focus on tensing the teardrop muscle and your buttocks.

Tip: place a Swiss ball between your back and the wall for smooth movement

Thigh contraction – three sets of 15 seconds with each leg

Sit up straight on a chair. Slowly straighten and raise your right leg until straight with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Squeeze your right thigh muscles and hold this position for 10 seconds. For the exercise to be effective, you should keep tensing the teardrop muscle. Repeat with the other leg.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform with an ankle weight

Straight leg raises – 3 sets of 10 reps with each leg

Sit up straight on a chair. Straighten and raise your right leg until straight, with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Keeping your leg raised, move your leg up and down while maintaining the contraction in the teardrop muscle. Repeat with the other leg.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform with an ankle weight

Hamstring stretch with thigh contraction – 3 sets of 15 seconds with each leg

Sit on the edge of a chair. Keep your left leg bent and straighten your right leg, placing the right heel on the ground with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Bend towards your right leg to stretch your hamstring while tensing your teardrop muscle at the same time. 

Tip: keep your back straight and bend from the hips – you can do the move looking straight ahead or looking straight down

ITB (iliotibial band) – 3 sets of 15 seconds with each leg

To stretch your right ITB, cross your right leg behind your left leg. Keeping both feet on the ground, lean to your left side and push you right hip outwards. Don’t bend forwards or stick your buttocks out. You should feel the stretch along your outer right thigh and hip.

Tip: lean forwards onto a table to help with balance, or to increase the stretch 

Squats – three sets of 10 reps

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, feet pointing slightly outwards and your hands down by your sides or stretched out in front for extra balance. Lower yourself by bending your knees to no more than a right angle. Keep your back straight and don't let your knees go past your toes.

Single leg squat – 3 sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand with both feet pointing forwards, hip-width apart. Lift your left foot off the ground and balance on your right foot. Now bend your right leg and slowly lower yourself, making sure your knee doesn’t go past your foot or lean inwards. Push back up slowly to your starting position.

Tip: if you can perform these with good form, you can progress on to the wide stance single leg squat

Wide stance single leg squat – 3 sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand with your feet pointing slightly outwards. Shift your weight onto your right leg and lift your left foot off the ground. Now bend your right leg and slowly lower yourself, making sure your right knee points in the same direction as your right foot. Push back up slowly to your starting position, keeping your thigh and buttock muscles tight.

Lunges – three sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand in a split stance with your right leg forward and left leg back. Slowly bend the knees, lowering into a lunge until the right leg is nearly at a right angle. Keeping the weight on your heels, push back up to the starting position. Keep your back straight and don't let your knees extend over your toes.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform these lunges while walking

Source: nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/knee-exercises.aspx

Do YOU get leg cramps at night?

Eat some broccoli: Magnesium found in vegetable helps sufferers drift off to sleep

• Study: Taking magnesium helped 4/5 people suffering leg cramps at night 
• Lack of magnesium is the most common cause of aches in the legs
• However, only 1 in 6 people surveyed are aware of this connection
• Magnesium is found in broccoli, leafy vegetables or as a supplement

Taking magnesium helped four out of five people suffering leg cramps at night, say researchers.

Lack of the mineral found in broccoli and green leafy vegetables is one of the most common causes of leg cramps, but only one in six people surveyed is aware of the connection.

Two studies show taking magnesium oxide supplements can ease cramping pain in the calf or the small muscles of the foot, particularly at night.

Israeli researchers found an anti-leg cramp formula consisting of the mineral and vitamins B6 and E alleviated leg cramps in two weeks, either stopping them completely or reducing them.

Half of the 32 volunteers with the condition took the supplement for two weeks, during which time 82 per cent of sufferers reported the cramps had stopped and six per cent said they had reduced.

This compared with around one in three of the remaining volunteers who were using a placebo (dummy) capsule.

Researchers at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, compared sleeping scores for the volunteers aged in their 50s during a two-week period before using the supplement and while they were using it.

No side effects were reported, say findings published in the journal Magnesium Research.

The supplement formula, called RealMagLegs, which has just been launched in the UK, was also tested against a magnesium citrate capsule to assess its absorption into the body’s cells.

The study shows magnesium citrate does not penetrate the cells and cannot therefore have any efficacy, possibly explaining mixed results in some trials about whether oral magnesium supplements reduce night leg cramps.

By contrast, X-ray testing on 41 volunteers showed magnesium oxide significantly penetrated the cells, according to results from the same medical centre in the journal.

Although the mineral is found in many foods, such as green vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts including peanut butter, UK nutrition data shows one in six do not get sufficient supplies to meet recommended dietary levels. 

A survey of 1,000 people aged 30-65 years commissioned by RealMag Legs, made by Bausch + Lomb, revealed that 97 per cent had suffered with cramps at some point – and 60 per cent had been woken during the night with cramping pain.

BROCCOLI BREAKTHROUGH IN FIGHT TO TREAT ARTHRITIS 

An artificial version of a compound in broccoli could hold the key to treating arthritis, say researchers.

The broccoli chemical sulforaphane is known to block the inflammation and damage to cartilage associated with the condition.

But patients would have to eat several pounds of the vegetable every day to derive any significant benefit. 

Sulforaphane in its natural form is also too unstable to turn into a medicine.

But UK drug company Evgen Pharma has developed a stable synthetic version of the chemical that offers the potential of a pill treatment.

A single dose of the drug, known as Sulforadex or SFX-01, is the equivalent of eating 5.5lb of broccoli in one day.

 In tests on mice affected by osteoarthritis, Sulforadex significantly improved bone architecture, gait balance and movement.

Just 14 per cent of those questioned knew anything about magnesium and muscular health

When asked what they thought caused cramps, a third of those surveyed said they thought cramps were due to using muscles they didn’t normally use regularly, while one in five thought they got cramps due to exercising too much.

Just one in six believed nutritional imbalance to be a cause.

Almost all those surveyed managed their cramps by stretching, massaging the painful area or getting up and walking around.

Physiotherapist John Miles, head of medical services for the Cardiff Blues Rugby Team, said patients wanting help with leg cramps tend to think it’s a muscular problem when mineral deficiency could be a reason.

He said: ‘We approach it in a holistic way, massage may help but so can changing your diet.’

Dr Emma Derbyshire, leading nutritionist and advisor to an independent health care panel from Bausch + Lomb said: ‘Most people in the western world do not get enough magnesium and 50 per cent have low levels of magnesium in their bodies.

‘Low levels of magnesium are associated with nocturnal leg cramps. Although magnesium is available on various forms and availability to the body varies, magnesium oxide has been proven to be superior to other forms of magnesium in magnesium available to the body’s cells.

‘The science demonstrates how effective RealMag Legs can be to alleviating muscular cramps – by directly helping to deliver the magnesium intracellularly where it has a potential for efficacy in the highly distressing condition.’

Source:dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3076923/Do-leg-cramps-night-Eat-broccoli-Magnesium-vegetable-helps-sufferers-sleep.html#ixzz3ZvQJL7Gp 

Feeling 'young at heart' may increase lifespan

“Feeling young at heart wards off death, scientists find,” The Daily Telegraph reports. A UK study found that people who reported feeling younger than their actual age were less likely to die than those who reported feeling their actual age or older.

The study in question asked almost 6,500 people in their 50s and over how old they actually felt, and followed them up over 99 months to identify any who died. It found that a quarter of people who feel considerably older than their actual age died over the following eight years, compared to only 14% of those who felt considerably younger. The difference remained even if the researchers took into account other factors (confounders) that could affect their risk of death, such as physical and mental health.

Still, the link between how old you feel and your health is likely to be very difficult to remove, even with the extensive efforts made in this study.

So, how do you feel younger? We would recommend staying asphysically active as possible, connecting with others (possibly through volunteering) and trying out new activities, such as yoga (which, by coincidence, was shown today to possibly reduce the risk of heart disease).

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from University College London (UCL). The study in which the data was collected was funded by the National Institute on Aging in the United States and a consortium of UK government departments coordinated by the Office for National Statistics. The researchers were supported by UCL, the International Longevity Centre UK and the British Heart Foundation.

The study was published as a letter in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

The media covers this research reasonably well.

The Mail Online helpfully reports the actual risks of dying during the study in both groups (14.3% for the “young at heart”, 18.5% for those who felt their actual age and 24.6% who felt older than their age) rather than the relative difference in risk between them.

Just reporting the relative risk can give a distorted impression to the public on the size of a particular effect or trend.

There are also some minor inaccuracies in the coverage. The Mail Online stating that the report said "maintaining healthy weight helped increase life expectancy” – when the study authors actually noted that weight was not one of the factors assessed in their study – is one example. The Telegraph says that “those who felt younger than their actual age were 41% less likely to have died in the follow-up period” which is not quite right – it was actually those who felt older who were 41% more likely to die in the follow-up period than those who felt younger.

What kind of research was this?

This was an analysis of data from an ongoing prospective cohort study called the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Researchers looked at whether how old a person felt was related to how long they actually lived.

A cohort study is the best way to assess this question. However, as with all cohort studies, factors other than the factor in question (self-perceived age), known as confounders, can influence the results. The researchers in the current study took steps to remove the effect of such factors, but it is difficult to remove their effect entirely.

What did the research involve?

The researchers asked the participants how old they felt they were and then followed them for up to nine years to identify any deaths – specifically, deaths from cancer or heart disease, which are the two leading causes of preventable deaths. They then investigated if those who felt younger than they were lived any longer.

A total of 6,489 people aged 52 and over took part in the study. They answered the question about how old they felt in 2004-05. They also provided a lot of information about themselves and their health. The researchers classed them as:

• those who felt at least one year older than their actual age
• those who felt more than three years younger than their actual age
• the remainder – who felt close to their actual age (from one year older to two years younger)

They recorded those who died up to March 2013 and their causes of death, and whether the proportion who died in the different “perceived age” categories differed. They took into account a range of confounders, which could affect risk of death, including:

• age
• gender
• sociodemographic factors
• depression
• social engagement
• cognitive function
• physical health
• mobility
• lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity)

What were the basic results?

The researchers found that most people (69.6%) felt younger than they were; 4.8% felt older; and about a quarter felt around their real age (25.6%). Their average actual age was around 66 years, while on average they felt only around 57 years old.

Participants were followed for just over eight years, on average. During the study, 15.9% of the participants died. More of the participants who felt older than their actual age died than those who felt their actual age or younger:

• 24.6% of participants who felt older than their actual age died
• 18.5% of those who felt about their actual age died
• 14.3% of those who felt younger than their actual age died

When they took into account the factors that could affect risk of death, feeling older than your actual age was still associated with a 41% increase in risk of death during follow-up, relative to those who felt younger (hazard ratio (HR) 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10 to 1.82). They still found this association if they excluded people who died within a year of starting the study – to reduce the possibility that people who were feeling older than their age were doing so because they were already ill.

When looking at causes of death, feeling older than your age was associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.38), but not from cancer. After all of the other factors were taken into account, feeling your age was not associated with any greater risk of death, compared to those who felt younger.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers concluded that self-perceived age predicted deaths in the next eight years from any cause and deaths from heart disease. They say that self-perceived age can change, and that “individuals who feel older than their actual age could be targeted with health messages promoting positive health behaviours and attitudes toward ageing”.

Conclusion

This study has found that people in their 50s and over who feel considerably older than their actual age seem to be more likely to die over the next eight years than those who feel considerably younger. The study was large and collected data on how old people felt in a standard way, which strengthens its reliability.

It seems likely that how old people feel is related to how well they are. The researchers took this into account by adjusting for people’s physical and mental health in their analyses, and also by carrying out an analysis that removed people who died soon after they answered the question about how old they felt. They also took into account a wide range of factors that could affect risk, which also strengthens their results. However, the link between how you feel and your health is likely to be very difficult to remove, and there were some factors that could be having an effect that were not taken into account (such as weight).

The next question to ask is what can be done with this information? The researchers suggest that people who feel older than they are could be targeted for health improvements. They say that they may be able to change how old they feel, with the implication that this could help them live longer.

The findings are likely to need confirmation by other studies to make sure they are correct. Whether there are any longevity benefits of targeting people who feel older than they are would also need testing in a randomised controlled trial.

Making people feel younger is likely to involve social, physical and mental activities, and can improve health – all of which have benefits. However, whether they prolong life is another question.

Source:nhs.uk/news/2014/12December/Pages/Feeling-young-at-heart-may-increase-lifespan.aspx

3 Best Sex Positions For Back Pain

Talk about a mood killer: Up to 73% of women with lower-back pain report having less sex as a result of their discomfort. Good thing researchers at Waterloo University ID'd the best ache-relieving sex positions to keep the lovin' alive (no ice packs necessary).

Illustration by Ryan Todd

If your pain gets worse when you touch your toes or sit for long periods, try making love in a neutral spine position, supporting yourself on yourhands and knees (not your elbows).

Illustration by Ryan Todd

If arching your back or lying on your stomach hurts, try missionary with a pillow under your back so your spine is in as neutral a position as possible.

Illustration by Ryan Todd

A general note for all back-pain sufferers (men included): When you're controlling the motion, use your knees and hips (rather than your spine) to minimize potential discomfort.

Source:prevention.com/sex/better-sex/back-pain-during-sex

Beginner's Guide To Meditation

Stretch Away Tension At Your Desk

Daily stretches can ease fatigue, tension and body pain. 

Try the following daily exercises:

Reach up to the sky - when used with correct breathing this movement can improve circulation, body and mind.

Press the feet into the floor, inhale deeply through the nose and lift your arms above your head and reach upwards. Exhale and lower your arms back to starting position. Repeat.

Arm stretch - great for stretching your back and reducing slouching.

Bring your arms behind your back or chair and interlock fingers. Try to straighten your elbows and hold for one minute. Make sure you breath gently through your nose. To enhance the stretch, take your neck slightly forward. Repeat through out the day if you feel tension in your back.