The Sweet Spot

Hitting the target or mark in the best area, creating the most impact. 

For many, it conjures up images of a baseball batter crushing one over the fence, or a golfer as he connects for the perfect tee shot. Or perhaps it means an ideal opportunity, a coming together of positive events, a perfect storm. Then again, it can be that sweet spot found on the masseuse table that results in the release of tense muscles. No matter your definition, the "sweet spot," to all, means reaching a perfect balance. 

A feeling of harmony.

Unfortunately, too few Americans feel harmonious. Too many suffer from fatigue and physical pain. Technology may be advancing, but stress levels are rising, and that can contribute to increased chronic pain.

More than 31 million Americans suffer from low back pain and are desperately looking for that “sweet spot” of relief. So, where is the “sweet spot?’ How can we find it?

The key ingredients for finding the "sweet spot" are within our reach. Somewhere rooted underneath our daily lives and habits...the murky material your “sweet spot” is buried under is STRESS. Stress can pile up, creating a sinking feeling, that will bring the mind and body down along with it. 

In fact, an author named Christine Carter Ph.D., took this notion and published a book “The Sweet Spot. How to find a groove at home and work.” Dr. Carter, a Happiness Expert at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, points out: “At the same time that our lives have gotten easier in many ways—with devices to wash the dishes, learn just about anything, have our groceries delivered—it has also gotten easier to WORK MORE. We communicate with our co-workers at all hours of the day and night in person and by phone, text and email. Instead of starting work at 8 am, we are starting as we switch off the alarm at 6 am on our smart phones and check the emails that came in overnight!”

Longer hours physically and mentally, in an office or at home, create stress. Maybe it's time we rethink our approach to stress. Sometimes changing just a few behaviors will uncover the “sweet spot” of relief. To help you achieve your own personal zen, Miracle Stretch® wants you to know that we “have your back” when it comes to making your life easier and pain-free. Every blog or post we share on social media is to help you live happy, healthy, and pain free. This includes less stress, more positive inspiration, healthy living, and alleviating pain.

And as it relates to our products, the Miracle Stretch® “sweet spot” comes in two ways: effectiveness and affordability. 

Our best-selling Piri-Stretcher® therapy tool is an effective, reliable, natural solution to help manage your stress. Stretching daily not only feels good, but can relieve and fight back against low back pain brought on by physical demands, and burdensome mental loads. Whether you suffer from Piriformis Syndrome, Sciatica, or Myofascial Pain, let us provide a modern, patented, and effective tool to help fix that back.

The Piri-Stretcher® also hits the sweet spot of affordability. It is priced to promote accessibility. We are not one of those low-quality “As Seen On TV” products that are usually too good to be true. The Piri-Stretcher® addresses the root cause of Piriformis Syndrome by helping to stretch and relax the piriformis muscle to reduce tension on the sciatic nerve. Targeted stretching of the isolated muscle, with proper leverage to control the stretch, produces relief from associated pain. No drugs. No injections. And the Piri-Stretcher® is far away from expensive (and invasive) surgery.

Check out the testimonials on the web and Facebook. Social media is getting the word out now on how the Piri-Stretcher® by Miracle Stretch® is removing stress and pain on a daily (and affordable) basis.

The Piri-Stretcher® puts you in the perfect position.

Ah, the sweet spot.

TGIM!

That’s right. Thank God It’s Monday!

This Monday: You are in control. You feel less stress. You are happy. You are healthier for it.

Feeling skeptical? Read on to learn how to turn your Mondays around.

Two important reasons:
1) Stress is unhealthy
2) Mondays are inevitable

Stress will affect the mind and attack the body. Doctors’ offices all across the country are filled with chronic pain patients. Many who have no idea it may be from the negatives they allow to penetrate their minds.

Here is how to fight back.

Remove Monday’s stress by OWNING it. Begin the week on your terms.

News. Start by removing the smart phone from the bedside.  Emails and news updates from the 24-hour media are not “good-mornings.”  In fact, according to Psychology Today, the average American news media coverage has been on a steady rise in negative stories and overall negative news coverage over the past 30 years! So it is not “just you” if you are feeling an increase in negativity after watching the news.

Negativity affects the brain in patterns and behavior. If you’re not careful, or mindful, your day can be shaped by simply being exposed to bad news. It can infect you with stress. Stop giving bad news your brain’s attention. Especially when you wake up.

Emails. This is perhaps more of a challenge, but one that must be met. Of course you want to be alerted to important business, but not every email is a fire that you must put out.  Let your mind stretch and be filled with positivity. This will fuel you with the perspective and confidence to take on important emails, so that you don't feel like you're swimming to keep your head above water.

And before you think you’re excused from social media, sorry, no. Social media has joined the ranks of wonderful technology, but can also be a source of negativity. From news feeds, to friends reporting bad news, to declarations of anger and political strife--social media can be a scrolling wall of negativity. Or even worse, it can be what psychologists refer to as a source of “compare and despair.” When you see and interpret others achieving, living, or progressing past you, it may result in a negative feeling of being left behind. Just remember: most people use social media as a tool to accentuate the positive, and completely eliminate the negative. Meaning, it can be candy-coated and is not absolute truth. Everyone has problems. They just don’t post them.

So avoid feeding your mind junk food for breakfast. Instead, take a few minutes. Make time to taste your breakfast. Enjoy your coffee. As your mind awakens, feed your brain a breakfast of positivity.

Find what inspires you. Browse art and architecture magazines, look at beautiful scenic photos, read poetry, or enjoy some of your favorite inspirational quotes. Go to YouTube and find that favorite movie clip, the one that gets you motivated or laughing. Google your personal heroes. Find out what inspired them. Maybe they, too, stayed away from negatives by seeking out positive influences.

Sit on the porch and listen to birds. Meditate. Breathe life in.

Exercise. Another tactic to fight stress is by staying active to recharge you mentally and physically. Go for a morning walk or a bike ride. Do yoga. Stretch. A simple, productive stretch can supercharge your morning. The more stress you eliminate, the more you can reduce chronic pain - that's one reason the Miracle Stretch® Piri-Stretcher® works so well. It helps eliminate struggling to target and stretch the piriformis muscle.  Relaxing the muscle reduces tension from the sciatic nerve to relieve pain in the lower back, buttocks, and legs. Imagine a Monday morning that is positive, happy, healthy, and pain free.

These few daily changes can jumpstart your mind and body in a positive manner and help you “push-back” on Monday syndrome...it's time to permanently defuse it from its nasty reputation.

Now go amaze everyone with your Monday.

PS. This works for the rest of the week, too!

Live Happy, Healthy, and Pain Free…and Give a Butterfly its Wings!

Our #1 priority at Miracle Stretch® is helping people feel happy, healthy and pain free. We know all too well what suffering from low back pain feels like. Our co-workers, families, friends, and loved ones have been there…we understand Piriformis Syndrome and ache for our customers who experience Sciatica every day. We wholeheartedly want to make the pain go away. While we may not be able to help every single person suffering from these conditions, we have helped many, and are committed to every person who crosses our path. Each and every person matters.

We have a custom here at Miracle Stretch® - each time we hear how we have helped someone feel better and feel less pain, we contribute to our 'Butterfly Fund' to symbolize feeling happy and moving freely, without pain. At the end of the year, we will donate to the Michigan State University (MSU) Horticulture Gardens. There, students at MSU’s Department of Horticulture care for an amazing butterfly garden, providing hands-on education about flora and fauna for children. The garden encourages exploration, curiosity, learning, and respect for these beautiful creatures - and of course, taking the time to relax and soak it all in. Relaxation and stress-free living are crucial to preventing and alleviating chronic pain. So, if you have found relief using the Miracle Stretch® Piri-Stretcher® then please send us a note at support@miraclestretch.com or share a comment on our Facebook reviews at www.facebook.com/miraclestretch. Each time we hear one of our customers is feeling better; you could say that you just helped give a butterfly its wings!

About Piriformis Syndrome:

Piriformis Syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle irritates the sciatic nerve leading to pain or numbness in the buttocks region, and referred pain along the path of sciatic nerve. This referred pain (also known as sciatica) normally descends into the lower rear or the back of the thigh. The syndrome usually develops when the piriformis muscle becomes tight and places pressure on, or compresses, the sciatic nerve.

Who gets Piriformis Syndrome?

Piriformis Syndrome is common for those who sit extended periods, whether at home, or working – including first responders, teachers, truck drivers, delivery drivers, farmers, customer service or call center representatives, office staff, and IT representatives. It is also common among runners, swimmers, walkers, golfers, equestrians, and bicyclists. Being overweight is a common trigger for Piriformis Syndrome.

What are ways to help prevent it?

Prevention is important for Piriformis Syndrome. Ways that can help prevent it include exercising or stretching the piriformis and surrounding glute muscles, learning new routines particularly for repetitive activities, modifying sitting positions, managing weight, and reducing stress. Strengthening the muscles of the buttocks, lower back and hips also helps prevent Piriformis Syndrome. To keep the tendons and muscles supple and flexible, it is essential to undertake a stretching routine.

How does the Piri-Stretcher® help?

Since the piriformis muscle is located deep to the glutes, it is not an easy one to isolate. We developed the patented Piri-Stretcher® therapy tool to help with a focused stretch of the piriformis muscle. The Piri-Stretcher® is designed to provide leverage in targeting the muscle, including an adaptive comfort grip handle, with two levels of stretching. The handle allows users to lay flat and gently relax into a piriformis stretch at their comfort level; without struggling or added stress on the upper back, shoulders, neck, or hands. When the muscle is relaxed, pressure is released from the sciatic nerve, producing relief of low back, buttocks, and radiating leg pain associated with Piriformis Syndrome and Sciatica.  

As with all exercise, and particularly with pain management, it’s important to develop a routine. Set time aside every day. Warm up with a brisk walk, side steps, or joint rotations. Focus on stretching. Focus on YOU. You will feel happy and healthier for it…and hopefully dancing and moving pain free, just like a butterfly, very soon! 

(don't forget to tell us about it!!)

For more on Miracle Stretch® and the Piri-Stretcher®:

www.miraclestretch.com/?click=bf707

For more on Butterflies in the Garden at MSU visit:

http://www.hrt.msu.edu/our-gardens/

http://4hgarden.cowplex.com/Butterflies/When_Here_Butterflies/

Save that Rind!!!

Nothing says summer like sunshine and watermelon.  Americans love watermelon so much that the average person eats 16 pounds of it per year.  That’s 5.1 billion pounds of watermelon consumed per year in the US!  That’s a good thing, because watermelon has been shown to be particularly healthy and quite low in calories.

But, most Americans only eat the red part of the watermelon and toss away the rind. Since the rind comprises 30 percent of a watermelon, that means Americans throw away 1.5 billion pounds of watermelon rind every year.  If only there was something which could be done with all that rind….

Good news!  There is actually a lot that can be done with the lowly watermelon rind, culinarily speaking.  It can be stewed, pickled and even used as a tasty addition to stir-fries.  Keep in mind that we are talking about the juicy white part, not the green outer-layer (don’t eat that).

While the sweet red part of the watermelon provides benefits such as increased muscle movement, recovery, and reduced inflammation, the rind also provides an added bonus of health benefits. Watermelon rind has tons of an amino acid called citrulline.  This amino has been shown to have very effective antioxidant effects.  Plus citrulline is known to dilate blood vessels and greatly improve circulation.  Citrulline also provides endurance, making muscles take longer to fatigue.  This means you can exercise more effectively and stretch better (especially with the Piri-Stretcher® from Miracle Stretch®). 

In addition, citrulline is converted into another amino within the kidneys, called arginine. Arginine improves heart health, the circulatory system and immune system. That's a power packed picnic of watermelon rind benefits, usually left to waste.

So, while the rind may be healthy, it does need a little help to elevate it from a juicy, but bland, throw-away to a delectable summer treat.  It can be added to stir-fries or stewed, but in the Southern US, Americans have found the perfect solution:  making rind pickles!

There are many good recipes out there, and odds are that you will have more than enough rind to try each one of them.  Why not?  Making pickles is extremely easy, and even fun - something you can do with your kids or grandkids.  All you need is a jar, a few simple ingredients, and a stove.  The end result is an absolutely delicious addition to your summer afternoons that will benefit your health and have your friends talking about what a culinary genius you are.

Below is an adaptation for pickled watermelon rinds from a fruit pickling recipe by Alton Brown.

Summertime Watermelon-Rind Pickles

Rind of 1 medium watermelon, skin and remaining red flesh removed, cut into 2”x1/2” pieces

½ lemon, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1c water

1c sugar

1c cider vinegar

1 sprig fresh mint

1 canning jar with lid

Place the cut rinds (standing upright) into jar.  Add lemon, ginger and mint.

In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cider vinegar.  Bring the liquid to a simmer, and cook until the sugar is dissolved.

Slowly, and carefully, pour the hot liquid over the rind mixture in the jar.  Fill to the top.  Cool the jars contents, then refrigerate for 2 days before serving.

So, enjoy the sunshine and summertime with your fun, new guilt-free pickled snack...and all the amazing health benefits that go along with it. 

Continuing Therapy at Home

Many utilize physical therapists or chiropractors as a part of a treatment program for Piriformis Syndrome and Sciatica.  At the end of the therapy session it feels great, and most patients are full of intent to continue the prescribed stretches when they get home.  However once home, it is easy to fall back into routine, forgo stretching, and begin to experience associated low back, buttocks, or leg pain all over again.

Why is it so difficult to stick to a home therapy regimen?

Some of the obstacles are:

1)    Once home, it is easy to forget how the stretches are properly done.

2)    You aren't flexible enough to confidently complete the stretch alone.

3)    It's difficult to stick to a home therapy schedule, especially when you aren’t experiencing immediate pain.

4)    Pain meds can sometimes seem like a faster, easier solution, despite the fact that they never address the root cause.

Let’s address each of these barriers, and see if our solutions can lead to a happier, more pain free life.

What was that stretch again??? So, you learn great stretches at the clinic.  You think they work so well.  But later at home, you can’t remember exactly how it was done… there are several things you can do to help solve this problem.

Ask your doctor or therapist for the name of each particular stretch you are taught.  Write them down.  Later, you can do an internet search for the stretch and find visual examples.

Also, ask if you can set up your phone to record your stretches at the clinic.  A video of yourself, doing the proper stretch, is a great way to revisit proper technique.  As you repeat these stretches again and again, your body will remember how they’re done, even if you don’t.

I can't do it very well by myself. If it is a stretch beyond your ability, your doctor or therapist will let you know. So be confident.  Surround yourself with positive thoughts.  Take deep breaths; maybe even take a moment to meditate prior to beginning your stretches.  Keep your goal firmly set in mind: which is to relieve the pain you suffer.

Now just do the best you can; relax, don't push too hard, know that perfection isn’t required.

Umm… I forgot. Procrastination and forgetfulness are huge obstacles to success.  To reach any goal, it's important to eliminate these as much as possible.  In the context of home therapy, they can mean the difference between successful pain management or suffering. 

Keep a journal.  Log the date and time of each home therapy session.  By doing this, we become more accountable to ourselves.  There can be no confusion about when, how often, or for how long.

Place any equipment you utilize (like the Piri-Stretcher® by Miracle Stretch®) in a prominent place in your house.  Put it where you see it several times a day.  When it’s placed in a closet or drawer, it becomes easier to forget it.  However, when you force yourself to see it, the visual aid will prompt and drive you to use it, thus helping you to stick to your therapy routine.

Set a specific time each day to do your therapy.  Make it the same time every day.  Research has found that just before bed is an optimal time for stretching, as it aids in relaxing your mind and body, and makes for a better sleep.  A regular schedule is easier to follow than one that varies.

I don’t need to stretch… I took my meds.  Pain medication can be an important part of a pain management program.  However, it will not address the root cause of your pain.  While a short term goal is to reduce pain immediately, the over-arching goal should be to eliminate pain altogether.  To accomplish this goal, it's imperative to address the cause of pain.  Dedicated stretching and physical rehabilitation target the root cause for long-term relief.

The  Piri-Stretcher® by Miracle Stretch® helps address obstacles by assisting with a guided, targeted piriformis muscle stretch to relax the muscle and relieve tension on the sciatic nerve. This reduced tension can relieve pain in the lower back, buttocks, and radiating down the legs. Properly placed adaptive handles help you gently relax into the stretch, laying flat, and stretching with confidence; they also provide assistance for various levels of flexibility.  Placed in plain view, The Piri-Stretcher® is a constant reminder that you need to stretch today.  Unlike pain meds, it does target the root of your pain to help with relief and prevention.  

A dedicated regimen of stretching is an excellent, natural way to continue home therapy and move toward a permanent, pain free future.

So Thirsty, It Hurts???

Dehydration has been found to be a leading contributor to muscle pain, particularly back pain.  With summer looming for those of us in the northern hemisphere, this means the threat of dehydration, and increased muscle pain, is hot on its heels. 

Why worry?  Let’s look at the effects of dehydration and why it's important to stay hydrated.

Some of the chronic symptoms of dehydration include:

Muscle pain and back spasms- think of this as localized thirst.  The cause may be because of the body’s increased production of histamine during a dehydrated state.  This chemical is responsible for directing the body’s water supply to its destination.  In the process, it triggers inflammation, pain, and allergic tendencies.

Stress and depression- During a state of dehydration, the body produces less serotonin in the brain.  This makes us sad.  Very sad.  And depression is a main contributor to chronic pain.

Insomnia- Along with reduced serotonin, the body also produces less melatonin during its dehydrated state.  Melatonin is the main chemical responsible for a good night’s rest.  As you probably have already guessed, lack of sleep contributes greatly to depression, leading to increased muscle pain!

Constipation- Dehydration is a common contributor to constipation.  Did you know that in addition to the general discomfort constipation causes, that it has also been found to be one of the prime contributors to sciatic pain?

Weight gain- Oh, this one got your attention, didn’t it?  Yes, failing to drink enough liquids every day can greatly contribute to both increased body weight and diabetes.  Higher body weight can mean increased health risks, depression, lessened physical activity and even more dehydration!  Keep in mind that there is quite often a direct link between piriformis syndrome/sciatic pain and being overweight.

Decreased mental acuity- This means when we’re dehydrated, we aren’t able to think clearly.  Just a small amount of dehydration inhibits our word-recall ability; that “oh, I can’t think of the word for some reason!” thing that bugs you so much when it happens. On top of that, with just a little more dehydration, your math skills become negatively affected.

With all of these reasons supporting why dehydration is a big deal and something to be avoided, it's important to understand how to determine if we are dehydrated?

Some quick indicators are dry mouth, weakness and fatigue, lightheadedness, dark urine, and asthma-like symptoms.  Keep in mind, if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  And as we age, our ability to perceive thirst diminishes - that thirst is often interpreted instead as hunger.

So how much water should we drink every day to prevent dehydration?

First, let’s clarify what we mean by water.  The common belief is that you must drink only plain water to stay properly hydrated.  Not so, according to the Mayo Clinic and several other sources.  Your water requirements can be met from a variety of sources.  Even a daily balanced diet contributes up to 20 percent of your body’s fluid requirements.

The general rule is that the source of your water should be caffeine free, calorie free and alcohol free.  However, these are not hard-fast rules. Juice can help us stay hydrated.  And coffee and tea can contribute to hydration in smaller amounts, although beware that caffeine is a diuretic and causes your body to get rid of its water faster.  If you’re unsure, it’s always safe to stick with the general rule.

The big question now, is how much water should we drink?

Everyone has heard the advice “Drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day”.  Many of us fail to follow that advice and drink less.  Experts, however, seem to agree that even that advice comes up short; making many of us even more dehydrated than we thought!

The amount of water we need is actually determined by a variety of factors: body weight, climate, and physical activity level.

For those who are physically inactive: Drink 40-50% of your body weight in ounces of water per day.  The more a person weighs, the more water their body requires.  The reason is that the body is 60-75% water!

For those who are physically active: Drink 75% of your body weight in ounces of water per day.  Fluid loss due to sweating can be significant during prolonged or strenuous activity.  That loss must be compensated for.

For those living in hot climates:  Add an additional 16 oz of water per day to the above recommendations.  Higher temperatures in the environment create higher levels of fluid loss.

So be sure to include 'keeping hydrated' on your list of health priorities:  Exercise, stretch (especially with the Piri-Stretcher® from Miracle Stretch®), drink water, eat right, and get those 8 hours of sleep at night for a healthier, happier, pain-free life.

Purses and Lower Back Pain

Can carrying a purse cause low back pain?

Absolutely.  And for those of us who already suffer from Piriformis Syndrome or Sciatica, purse-carrying can agitate our symptoms.  There is good news.  Several minor adjustments can alleviate the side effects of carrying a handbag.

Let’s look at why purses are causing pain, then we’ll see what can be done about it.

Carrying a purse to one side of the body, on a regular basis throws the body into a state of unbalance.  Keep in mind that even the slightest amount can build up over time to result in some of the chronic pain we experience.  So it may not be something we notice immediately.
How does it do this?

1. It throws off our natural gait. This means that the body doesn’t move the way it was designed when we walk.  We are forced to lean to one side (even if slightly), arms do not swing properly, hips rotate in an irregular motion, and knees move in an irregular arc.

2. Our body is forced to compensate for the off-centered load.  Besides irregular motion, the back twists and leans, the neck cranes to one side, muscles tense and strain.  This can lead to chronic muscle and tendon inflammation.

3. Irregular gait and overcompensation results in asymmetric muscles.  Just like a bodybuilder who only does curls with one arm, the muscles on the compensating side of the body grow larger that the muscles on the other side.  This increases irregular gait and overcompensation, even when the purse has been left behind.  Unbalance results in more inflammation, stiff muscles, nerve pain and even chronic headaches.

These painful side effects are particularly noticed in the lower back, hip joints, gluteal muscles and the sacrum.

And now for the good news.

These side effects can be avoided with only a few minor adjustments!

1. Carry no more than 5 percent of your body weight.  Yes, this means putting your purse on the bathroom scale.  Lock the door.  No one will see; no one will laugh.  This weight is generally accepted to be a reasonable weight to carry for longer periods of time.


2. Choose a small bag.  There are several reasons for this.  One is that it self regulates the amount of weight you can carry.  The second is that it is less likely to significantly bump against you, throwing off your gait.


3. Choose a purse that allows you to swing your arms and legs naturally, encouraging the natural gait of your body.  If possible, carry your purse in the center of your body. Fashion statements aside, there is much to be said for back packs and fanny packs.


4. Go with a wide strap.  This distributes the weight of the bag more evenly across your shoulders.


5. Exercise and stretch regularly (especially with the Piri-Stretcher® from Miracle Stretch®).  The benefits of these cannot be stressed enough; they help fight inflammation, reduce soreness, and aid in offsetting muscle asymmetry.

The cause of the pain we experience isn’t always easy to identify.  Keep an open mind and consider all possibilities.  Once we identify the source, the cure becomes much easier.