First lets find out what could be the causes of your neck pain from your daily routine.

What are the causes of neck pain?

There are number of things that we do every day to strain, weaken, and pressure our necks. We stand, bend, sit, and let our head slouch forward all day and shoulders round, all day, every day, then compound the problem with inactivity, holding muscles tightly, and bad exercises that only round the upper back and neck further.

How to fix the neck pain with the help of stretches?

Two Easy Stretches
Tight pectoral (chest and front of shoulder) muscles rotate your arms inward. To see if you do this, put your arms at your sides, look in the mirror and note direction of your thumbs. Do they face inward – toward each other? To restore this muscle group to functional resting length do these two stretches, then *use* the new straight positioning for all you do. It is not the stretches that fix the problem, but the purpose of the stretches - to allow you to hold healthy position the rest of the day

“Pec” Stretch (For pectoral muscles in front of your chest)

• Face a wall, Lift one hand up, elbow bent out to the side, as if “in a stickup.” Shoulder down and relaxed.
• Turn away from the wall, using the wall to gently brace your elbow back as you turn away.
• Keep your shoulder down and back. If you bring it up and forward, you will be doing the opposite of the point of this training movement.
• Feel the stretch in the front of your chest. If you don’t feel the stretch in the front chest, you are not doing this stretch right.
• Keep head and back posture in line. Don’t let your lower back arch or your chin jut forward. Don’t push so hard that your shoulder (or anywhere else) hurts.
• Hold just a few seconds, then switch arms.
• Drop your arms and look at your thumbs again. Thumbs should face forward now.
• Try the wall stand again. It should be easy to stand straight now. If not, see if you have done this stretch correctly.

Next, stretch the top of your shoulder (Trapezius stretch)

• Stand against the wall, with your back and the back of your head against the wall, gently.
• Put one hand behind you, as if in an opposite pocket.
• Breathe in, then while breathing out, slide your other hand down the side of your body toward your knee.
• Tilt your head downward to that same side, gently, but keep it as much against the wall as you comfortably can.
• Don’t round or hunch forward, or drop or raise your chin.
• Feel a nice stretch along your entire side.
• Hold a second or two while breathing. Switch sides.
• If your lower back hurts to do this trapezius stretch, you may be increasing the arch in your lower back.
• Try the wall stand again and note that it is now easier to stand straight. If not, then you may have not done these two stretches as intended. Repeat correctly until your wall stand shows you have fixed the problem. Your wall stand should become straight starting the first day you start using this two-stretch method correctly

Do not do these two stretches “as stretches.” Do them many times a day to allow you to stand and move the rest of the day without the forward position that injures and brings on pain.

I want to dedicate the very first post of this blog to dental health. I think it should start from something that could cause lot of health trouble if not given enough attention to.

I used to see traces of blood as I rinse my teeth after brushing? Do you think it is normal and not worthy of any further thought? Well, I had to think again. I was suffering from gingivitis without even knowing it!

If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to gum disease, which is the leading cause of some serious dental problems and tooth loss in adults. So here I have 8 tips for dental health.

• Be a strict follower of the “three-three” rule. You should devote at least 3 minutes 3 times a day to oral hygiene to maintain good dental health.
• Take the boredom out of brushing. Brushing and flossing are perhaps two of the most boring activities. To take the boredom out of brushing, why not try dry brushing (brushing without toothpaste)?
• Avoid torturing your teeth! The next time you brush, use a toothbrush with soft bristles and please don’t push it too hard!
• Get it thoroughly cleaned. It would be wiser to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth the next time you brush your teeth. It will increase the blood circulation around the tissues in your mouth and may help minimize the amount of bacteria present.
• Don’t forget to floss. The food debris, which find their way through the tiny crevices between your teeth, can only be removed by flossing.
• See what baking soda can do for your teeth! Baking soda has mild abrasive properties that can aid in getting rid of plaque. It can also neutralize the acidity produced by bacterial wastes in the mouth, serve as an effective deodorizer and give your teeth a gleaming polish!
• Eat a more balanced diet - Studies prove that a poor diet may speed up the rate of gum disease and may also increase the severity of the condition.
• Make dental visits a routine. Regular visits to your dentist may help you stay away from gum disease.

To prevent gingivitis and its eventual progression into a full-blown gum disease, it would be best to visit your dentist regularly. Only the dentist can diagnose the problem and give you the necessary advice and treatments. The suggestions or tips above can give you a better fighting chance to ward off gum disease and enjoy better dental health forever!