A Healthy, Happy Thanksgiving

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

If you are in pain, especially around the holidays, it can hold you back from contributing. Pain keeps you from joining in fun activities. Pain makes you feel isolated, kept company only by daily aching reminders.

It’s ok. It’s natural. And you are not alone. 

To do well for others, you must first do well by yourself. So this holiday season, Miracle Stretch® encourages health first. Make yourself a priority, take a little personal time to relax, meditate, listen to beautiful music, take in the sunset...help yourself feel better so you can spread cheer and happiness to others.

Give yourself time to stretch and take care of your body. If the body is healthy and pain-free, the mind is far more positive—and patient. And that is especially helpful when conversations turn to controversial subject matters over the family dinner table.

Here is a list of simple, yet essential reasons to be grateful, brought to you by tinybuddha.com:

1. Your family – for being your closest kin in the world.

2. Your friends – for being your companions in life.

3. Love – for letting you feel what it means to truly be alive.

4. Sense of taste – for letting you savor the sweetness of fruits, the saltiness of
     seawater, the sourness of pickles, the bitterness of bitter gourd, and the spiciness
     of chili.

5. Your speech – for giving you the outlet to express yourself.

6. Your heart – for pumping blood to all the parts of your body every second since
     you were born; for giving you the ability to feel.

7. Your mind – for the ability to think, to store memories, and to create new
     solutions.

8. Happiness – for you to soak in the beauty of life.

9. The Sun – for bringing in light and beauty to this world.

10. Your good health – for enabling you to do what you want to do and for what you’re about to do in the future.

When you suffer through pain, you may find yourself to be quite grateful for the little things. When you conquer your pain and rekindle good health, you empathize with those who are suffering, and that perspective tends to lead to a more grateful outlook.

And what better time to be full of thanks?

Happy Thanksgiving,

Your friends at Miracle Stretch®.

The Holiday Stretch

Ok. So maybe you can’t fight City Hall.

And sometimes it is increasingly difficult to fight the Holiday rush.

But you can.

And you will.

That’s right.  Halloween is over, so Christmas is tomorrow, right?  At least it feels like it.

The peace of the season’s greetings is what we desire. However, retail displays pop up earlier and earlier, on top of family obligations, it can be challenging to realize the joy.

Americans know the holidays can be a time of commercialism and purchasing, and many are fine with that aspect. However, when Black Friday takes an uninvited seat at the Thanksgiving table, enough is enough.

This is because the stress level just went up, the term “Holiday Stress” is now as common as “Happy Holidays.”

Yes, there is pushback on Black Friday and Thanksgiving shopping hours, and that’s a good thing. A tipping point has been reached in regards to the “Christmas Creep.” (In fact, “Christmas Creep” would make a great Halloween costume.)

So find ways to de-stress. No, it’s not easy, but it’s as important as that gift list you’re stressing over.

For yourself and others. Work on it. Why?

Stress is contagious.
Stress burdens.
Stress damages both the mental and physical self.
Stress is a major contributor to low back and buttocks pain.

At Miracle Stretch®, one of our primary goals is to alleviate stress through a simple, yet essential stretching exercise. The Piri-Stretcher® just may give you the brief moments you need to put the holidays in perspective.

A simple, daily stretch not only calms the muscles and the sciatic nerve to relieve pain, but also soothes that mental “last nerve” that SOMEONE is on every time this year.

Taking a Miracle Stretch this time of year allows for you to breathe. It allows you to take 5 to 10 precious minutes to realize you will make it through this Holiday season, and feel even better by giving the gift of time to pause, stretch, and relax - to yourself.

Then you are less stressed. See how that works? You will be mentally and physically stronger this year due to a simple exercise tool essential for good health.

After you’ve enjoyed your Holiday Stretch, here are a few more tips on battling holiday stress courtesy of WebMD:

Be a Uni-Tasker: Even if you're a veteran multi-tasker, taking on too much at once can make you feel frenzied over time. So when you hit the next semi-enjoyable item on your to-do list—mixing up a batch of cookie dough, say, or stringing popcorn for the tree—drop everything else and focus your attention on the task at hand.

Focus on the Vision: Think about the three holiday traditions you love most, like lighting the Chanukah menorah or singing Christmas carols with your kids. Pencil those things in your calendar, and let go of the rest. "What stresses us out is that we don't take the time to say what we really want," says Linda Hedberg, a Minneapolis life coach who conducts workshops on making the holidays less stressful.

Take a Mistletoe Moment: Physical affection has been shown to increase your body's levels of oxytocin and dopamine, hormones that reduce stress, so grab your honey and start smooching.

Create your Own Calm: Decide on one word that describes the holiday season you want to have this year; it could be Peace, Joy, Love, Family or Serenity. Write it on an index card and tape it to your bathroom mirror. When things get hectic, a glance at your guiding word will remind you of what you really want—and make it easier to cut loose anything that’s distracting you from your goal.