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This week Mary is explaining how best to look after our spine, particularly as we get older. If we haven’t suffered a bad back personally, almost certainly we will know someone who has, and it’s grim!
Thankfully, I have managed to get through most of my life without back problems - probably, like Mary, because we have been teaching exercise for most of our careers and that has kept our muscles strong. However, this year, for me, that all changed because of my restricted mobility following my foot operation in May and the increased amount of time I spent sitting down.
I found that when I stood up from our sofa, I could feel pain across my lower back area. So much so that I had a few physio sessions to try to relieve the discomfort, and whilst that eased it, it didn’t eliminate it completely.
Going back almost nine years when we moved to where we live now, we bought the sofa that was already in the open-plan kitchen/sitting area from the previous owners of the farmhouse. We had it re-upholstered from black velvet to a creamy/beige woven fabric which worked well with the rustic beams across the ceiling.
Whilst the sofa looked great, I always struggled to sit comfortably without lots of cushions stuffed behind me as it was an unusually deep sofa and I have short legs. Over time I also felt the base cushions were losing their support and becoming too soft. Now, knowing my hubby wouldn’t want to replace this perfectly good piece of furniture, I decided on a very carefully considered strategy to approach the subject.
The conversation went along the lines of…’I need to talk to you about something important’. I continued… ‘I am having a real problem with my back and I think we need to either replace the sofa completely [I knew that would be out of the question] or we ask the upholsterer to change the filling in the base cushions to make them firmer and to do something with the back cushions to make them fatter with better support.'
Mike agreed to let the upholsterer take a look. Three days later our upholsterer called and the transformation began. Within three weeks the job was done. Much firmer foam was now in the base cushions and the back cushions had been fattened-out with the help of some extra fabric that I had ordered (in case of emergencies) when we originally had the sofa reupholstered when we moved in.
So why am I telling you all this? Amazingly, this upholstering exercise did a lot more than just improve our comfort. Not only did my back recover almost instantly, Mike’s pain in his shoulders (which he had been suffering with for months and had put it down to his ongoing cancer treatment) suddenly disappeared too! It really was remarkable.
The point of explaining this little tale is to make us all aware that there is just a possibility that there might be an ‘external’ reason for our aches and pains. For instance, I used to have a really sore right shoulder for which I had a steroid injection, which helped. As we all know, steroid injections can help for a while but their effect does wear off over time. Realising I have not had any pain for years, it suddenly occurred to me that of course I no longer walk around holding an unbelievably heavy briefcase in my right hand everywhere I go.
It could be your bed or even your pillows that need changing as they definitely can contribute to the health of your back and neck. If you sit at a desk, is your chair giving you enough support? When you carry something heavy, do you try and even it up on each side?
One of the most common reasons for getting a bad back is reaching for something on the back seat of the car, or in the passenger footwell. Another cause is reaching for something from a high shelf. It is that little extra half-an-inch that can do serious damage! Let’s respect our back and be sensible!
Mary gives us some great advice as to how best to protect our back and I strongly advise we all follow it. It could save us a really serious injury. Let’s all make the effort to look after this vital part of our anatomy.
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Lamb and Pearl Barley Casserole
Serves 2
Per serving: 402 calories, 10.5g fat (excluding accompaniments)
Prep time: 15 mins plus overnight soaking of the lentils
Cook time: 1 hour 45 mins
Rapeseed oil spray
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
225g lean diced lamb
2 carrots, diced
1 small turnip, peeled and diced
225g small new potatoes
1 celery stick, chopped
500ml beef, lamb or vegetable stock (use a stockpot if preferred)
bouquet garni
25g green lentils, soaked overnight
12g haricot beans, soaked overnight
12g pearl barley
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to garnish
It is very important the lentils and beans are soaked overnight as they cannot be cooked directly from their dried state.
- Heat a non-stick pan and spray with rapeseed oil. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 2 - 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the lamb, seasoning well with black pepper, and continue to cook over a high heat until well sealed.
- Transfer to a large casserole dish and add the remaining vegetables, potatoes, the stock and the bouquet garni.
- Rinse the soaked lentils, beans and pearl barley well and add to the casserole.
- Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the meat is tender, topping up with additional stock if required.
- Remove the bouquet garni and, just before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Serve with unlimited green vegetables.
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Don't forget, you can download and print a copy of all our recipes if you click on the image to go to the recipe's page on the website.
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Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
This week I am exploring what can be the most problematic area of the body for adults of all ages - the spine. Our spine is that complex 'S' shaped curve of 33 vertebrae that provide the support on which the rest of our skeleton sits. It is also the bony structure that protects the vital spinal cord, without which our body cannot function at all. So overall, rather important, and like most areas of the body, it needs looking after if it is to stay in tip-top condition.
CARE FOR YOUR BACK
Good Posture is Paramount
Many of the reasons surrounding the problems we experience with the spine come from having a poor posture when, over time, the correct alignment of the spine is lost.
We only need to look at any group of 4 and 5-year-olds and we see what is perfect posture, but if the spine is regularly subjected to a position that makes that 'S' shape more into a 'C' shape, day after day, then the 'C' shape will become 'set', resulting in potential serious back problems developing which are often hard to treat.
Modern living of course doesn’t help. Sitting too much has become the norm, both with children at school and with adults in the workplace. Physical jobs in the home are made easy with the press of a button and our social time is often spent sitting watching the TV on a super-comfy sofa.
However, let's not dwell too much on blaming our lifestyle, but look at all the ways in which we can protect the spine, and even improve it, so it supports us well for as long as possible.
When I do a height check with my groups, I have often been pleasantly surprised to find someone in their 70s has actually 'grown', compared with the last reading. I can only put this down to an improved posture, which demonstrates that at any age, and with regular focus on our posture, we can make a difference. And all of that change is connected to the position of your spine.
There are just three adjustments that can be made that help to improve the alignment of our spine:
- Stand with your arms by your side and hands in a fist but with the thumbs pointing forwards. Now turn the thumbs to face outwards. Feel the shoulders widen to draw the shoulder blades closer together and bring you more upright.
- Now 'pull in your tummy muscles' and feel your pelvis tilt slightly so your tail bone moves down towards your heels.
- Finally place a finger on your chin and gently press it back so your head sits on top of your spine.
Strong Muscles and Bones
The vertebrae of the spine may be the first place that our bones begin to 'thin', with tiny fractures occurring causing postural changes. This results in the spine weakening and then struggling to support the rest of the body. Women are particularly vulnerable to this following the menopause. Obviously, keeping up a regular strength exercise programme will ensure we slow down this whole process.
Muscles to target are those in the abdominal area (our core) particularly as they offer the main support for the spine. Following a Pilates programme will make a significant difference to our spine strength as the focus is on all those 'core' muscles that surround the spine.
Bone loading is best done by doing a daily walk (good for hip strength) but if we want to improve the bones in our spine then we need to have some low-level 'impact' work such as a slow jog which we describe in The 28-Day Immunity Plan or just 30 seconds of small jumps on the spot every day.
Be a Healthy Weight
If you are overweight, particularly around the abdominal area, then the spine will struggle to support that extra weight and may lead to recurring back pain. Try to work towards a healthier weight and you may be surprised at how it helps to relieve back pain and possibly other joints too, such as the hips and knees.
Lifting Properly
One of the commonest causes of back pain is damage to the discs between the vertebrae due to lifting something that’s too heavy or lifting something whilst in an awkward position.
If you already have a bad back then you should avoid lifting heavy objects altogether, but otherwise adopt the right position as far as possible:
- Before you actually lift, tighten your tummy muscles (core) and bring the weight as close to your body as possible.
- Stand with your legs and feet hip width apart, with one leg slightly forward. Bend your knees and keep the back straight
- Stand up slowly, still keeping the back upright, core tight, and make your legs do all the hard work.
Bag Carrying
This is more important than you may think. I followed a lady the other day with what looked like quite a heavy shoulder bag on her right shoulder and there was no doubt it gave her a sideways 'lean' that put her spine completely out of alignment. Her walk was more of a waddle! A bag carried across the body is better as it evens out the load. Using a rucksack across your back is a good choice.
Stay Hydrated
As always, drinking plenty of water ensures our entire body functions better - and the spine is no exception. Those spinal discs will remain soft and flexible and be less likely to go out of place if you stay hydrated.
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This Week's Fitness Challenge
- On your daily 30+ minute walks this week give yourself a posture 'boost' by concentrating on it very regularly as you walk. If you can, try to add a bit of slow jogging if you are up to it. This helps to load the bones in your spine and make them stronger.
- Do Pilates and some additional abdominal exercises 3 times this week so you know you are supporting your spine in the best way possible.
- Try the Back Workout on our website and practise it regularly. This will help to strengthen the muscles supporting your spine.
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Did you know... 
Our vertebrae are the bones that make up our spine or "backbone."
Individual vertebrae are named and numbered according to where they are in the body - the Cervical Vertebrae are in the neck, the Thoracic Vertebrae are behind the chest, the Lumbar  Vertebrae are below the chest but above the pelvis, and the Sacrum and Coccyx are at the very bottom of the spine. In a human spine there are normally 33 individual vertebrae. The name stems from the Latin word "vertebra" meaning "joint".
The five groups of vertebrates (animals that have a backbone) are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Invertebrates (animals that do not have a backbone) make up around 95% of all animals species and include insects, spiders, snails, crabs, clams, corals (yes they do count as animals!) octopus, squid and jellyfish.
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And finally...
Having back problems can affect every part of our life so it is clear to see that taking regular exercise – walking and strength workouts – is crucial to keeping our spine strong and mobile.
Every week, we remind ourselves to keep (or aim for) a healthy weight, exercise safely and effectively on a regular basis, and eat healthily. Whatever it is that we are discussing in this Newsletter, these three goals are constant because they affect every part of our body. Let’s try to make it a lifestyle choice for the rest of our lives so that we are able to live a longer, healthier, happier life!
Have a great week and have fun.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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