Right now - How is your posture?

Think about it. Are you slumped over towards the computer? Are your abdominals taut or are they hanging loose? Are your shoulders rounded forward?

Posture is much more important than we are ever told. When I was younger and mama said "stand up straight", I thought it meant chest out and head erect. I visualized a soldier's straight
posture.

Over the past 20 years revelations about posture have been presented to me in so many different ways. Have you ever seen a young woman in her late teens or early twenties with shoulders rounded forward? You can almost see bones protruding from the back. How about the young man with his belly hanging out and shoulders rolled forward. It is not only a matter of how poor posture looks - it is what it ultimately does to your body and mind. That poor posture is simply derived from a lack of training in good posture habits.

My little mama had a skeleton that was out of control. She had osteoporosis. Her bone mass decreased with the days and she became so fragile she could twist and break a bone. She so wanted to stand up straight - but she couldn't. Within 10 years she lost seven inches in height and she felt shy to go anywhere as she thought the "hump" on her back (as she used to call it) was hideous.

When we slump we actually cut off a portion of our oxygen supply to our body. Our cramped position hinders that precious stuff from getting to all the areas where it's needed.
As our oxygen supply is "kinked up", our energy level is not as powerful. Our abdominals weaken which in turn weakens our lower backs and can start a cycle of back aches.

Good posture maintains a fine balance between muscular strength and flexibility. This balance decreases stress, increases self image and eliminates the possibility of chronic postural strain. (It also helps elimination!)

Right now try this: Sit up straight. Hold in the abdominals, pressing low back into back of your chair. Press your shoulders down (we lift them when tense), and back. Lift your head and neck thinking about stretching the neck upward to separate vertebrae and discs.

Take a deep inhalation in through the nose. Hold it for a few seconds and exhale through the mouth. Do it slowly several times, keeping the new posture. It would be so beneficial if you
would do this just a couple of times an hour. Get in the habit of good posture and good breathing. These things are life changing.

Practice your standing posture as well. Stand up against a wall and do the same steps. Then breathe! If you think of this as a mini workout you will be right! You will find you feel better after the day at the computer or desk. You will have more energy and actually be more relaxed at the same time.

Don't give in to having a lazy body control your health. Use your intellect and make some positive changes and life will improve. It's just the way the body works the best for you and
with a bit of practice you'll be ever so glad you you took a few moments to get in the habit
of maintaining great posture!