Does your career entail a lot of traveling by air? Jet lag is not the only malaise a frequent flier is familiar with. Being confined to a plane for endless hours can have varying effects on a person’s health and wellbeing.

If you wish to keep your health in top form when you’re constantly up in the air, take note of these six essential tips.

1. Watch Your Diet

The best way to stay healthy is to start healthy. Fill your diet with lots of antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. Eat healthy and help your body function at its best. Before embarking on your travels, take supplements that are known to help support your immune system like Vitamin C, Echinacea and Zinc.

2. Stay Hydrated

The air inside an airplane is notoriously dry. This means you can become dehydrated very quickly. Water is vital for your body’s function on many levels, and it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during and after your flight – even if this entails more frequent trips to the bathroom! Make it a habit to always carry a water bottle with you so you don’t forget to take sips.

3. Beware Of Germs

When sharing bathrooms and closed environments with many people, the spread of germs is easy. Take a supply of hand sanitizer with you so you can use it after you use the bathroom or before you have a meal or snack. You might want to bring some sanitizing wipes with you too so you can wipe down your armrests and other surrounding areas where you sit.

4. Avoid Airport Temptations

When you’re in a rush or in the environment of an airport or plane, it’s easy to become complacent about making healthy choices. You might opt to have a greasy burger, a glass or two of wine during the flight, or snack on a packet of chips while you’re passing the time in the air. Make a decision to watch your diet when you travel – bring along healthy snacks like raisins or pack a healthy sandwich with you if you know you’re likely to get hungry. Know which are your most healthy options from the food court at the airport or from the choices on your flight menu.

5. Keep Up Your Exercise Regime

Your exercise regime is likely to be one of the first things that will suffer when you have to travel frequently. Make a commitment to keep up your exercise routine, no matter where you are. Stay at hotels that have gyms and maybe even hit the gym as soon as you arrive – even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes – this can help revive and energize you after a long flight.

6. Take Care of Your Back

Being confined to a chair for long hours is certain to take a toll on one of the most important parts of your body – your back. Walk the length of the plane every few hours to help prevent your back from becoming stiff and strained from long hours of sitting. It’s also wise to invest in a good posture and back support to fit onto your plane seat to help your spine maintain a healthy posture. This will prevent future back problems and injuries that result from prolonged sitting – and will also make your plane seat far more comfortable.

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Neck pain is a common and particularly uncomfortable ailment. Since the neck is responsible for connecting the skull to the body’s spine, it is vulnerable to certain strains, stresses and injuries.

If you are experiencing neck pain, how do you know if it is a minor ache that will disappear quickly, or something more serious that needs attention and care?

Learn about the 5 most common causes of neck pain to help you avoid future pain, injury and discomfort.

1. Injury

Is there a chance you might have injured your neck during an activity, sport or accident? Sometimes a blow to the body from a fall or an unexpected impact can cause minor injury to the nerves between the neck and shoulder, which results in neck pain. An even more serious spinal cord injury can manifest itself as discomfort in the neck. If you are experiencing pain or muscle spasms after a suspected injury to your neck, or if your neck has experienced whiplash (the violent movement of the neck backwards and forwards), it is always wise to visit your doctor to be examined.

2. Spinal connection

Your neck pain could be the result of a disturbed spinal connection.

If there is excessive or repetitive stress placed on your spine or neck area, e.g., through contact sports or poor posture, your nerve may become compressed. This leads to a condition called ‘Radiculopathy’ which results in pain, tingling or numbness along the course of the nerve.

Spinal stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the spinal cord, is another problem that can cause symptoms similar to that of a pinched nerve. This pain may also radiate into the arms.

Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

3. Arthritis

Sufferers of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience inflammation of the joints and increased wear and tear of the bones. This can result in pain and stiffness in neck areas where arthritis is present.

4. Posture

Poor posture is probably one of the most common causes of neck pain. When a person does not pay attention to good posture practices like lifting heavy weights with bent knees or sitting correctly in a chair, it places unnecessary stresses and strain on the spine and neck which result in pain. Learn healthy habits to take care of your posture and invest in a good back supports for your office or home chair. These little aids could completely eliminate any minor discomforts you’ve been feeling in your neck.

5. Other

Some neck-pain sufferers have a TMJ disorder (a temporomandibular joint disorder), which happens when the joint connecting the jaw and skull becomes strained because of genetics, teeth grinding or jaw clenching. On rare occasions, neck pain may be caused by a viral infection or a serious infection around the brain such as meningitis.

If you are experiencing neck pain of any kind, it is always wise to have it checked by your doctor.

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Sore or stiff necks are certainly no fun – enduring them can turn from a minor irritation to a great source of misery. If you have an uncomfortable ache in your neck, the good news is that a remedy might not be too far away.

We have ten great tips that could have you feeling back to normal in no time!

1. Eat pineapple

It might sound bizarre but pineapple is rich in an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme has been proven to reduce swelling and aid healing in musculoskeletal injuries.

2. Breathe well

It’s a fact that people tend to accumulate tension in their neck and shoulder areas. To release this tension that could be causing your sore neck, take a deep breath and then lengthen the time you exhale (to a count of seven).

3. Heat helps

Use an electrical heating pad in 20-30 minute sessions to soothe pain and relax any tense neck muscles.

4. Cold relief

If you feel there is inflammation in your neck area, use ice wrapped in a towel or a reusable gel pack cooled in your freezer to bring it down. Place the compress against your skin for 20-30 minutes. Alternate between heat and cold therapy sessions if you feel your sore neck could benefit from both.

5. Pick your pillow

To avoid waking up with a stiff neck, choose a good pillow that will help you sleep with your neck positioned in a healthy alignment. Experts say this could depend on your sleep position preference, e.g., if you sleep on your stomach, a soft thin pillow is best for you.

6. Favor your forearms

If you work at a computer for most of the day, you risk placing stress on your neck and shoulders if your forearms aren’t positioned well and supported as you type at your keyboard. One way to prevent this is to invest in a forearm rest.

7. Fish oil facts

A study has shown that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil helped inflammation in neck pain sufferers so well that 60% of those undertaking a trial where able to stop using painkillers. Buy a fish oil supplement to have your 1,200 mg recommended daily dose.

8. Physical therapy

If your neck pain is a result of serious injury, consult with your doctor to find out if physical therapy could benefit you. It could help rebuild and strengthen injured or weakened muscles to resolve pain and prevent future pain, too.

9. Anti-inflammatory aids

When a recovering sore neck is an irritation throughout the day, ask your doctor about a good anti-inflammatory drug to buy over the counter. Taking a couple of ibuprofen or aspirin tablets could relieve you of minor pains as your neck heals.

10. Posture and back support

Often a poor posture can be at the root of neck pain or even be an inhibitor of neck strains and injuries being healed. If you wish to place less stress on your neck, or prevent your neck from being weakened, purchase a good posture and back support for your office or home chair. Since it is common to spend long hours sitting during the day, it’s essential that you take care of your neck and spinal health by allowing your body to adopt a healthy posture. A posture and back support is an effective solution for neck and back pain caused by poor posture.

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TMJ means temporomandibular joint.  It is a ball and socket joint at each side of the head.  TMJ health problems are common and very difficult to treat; if you have suffered them, you know what we mean.  These problems happen when the joint is under stress; common causes are dental work, a blow to the jaw, osteoarthritis, or trauma from car accidents, however, there is a reason for muscular stress that is often overlooked as a cause for TMJ: poor body alignment.

Something that may look as simple and unimportant as uneven and rounded shoulders may be causing you excruciating pain.  When one shoulder is lower than the other, this causes a constant downward pull on one side of the jaw and ear, causing neck, jaw, and ear pain, tinnitus, and even vertigo.  If your shoulders round inward, this will cause a forward pull on both sides of the neck.

Physical therapy and yoga can help you even your shoulders and pull them back, eventually getting rid of TMJ pain.  However, if you stop your yoga and therapy routines, while at the same time spend too much time at the computer, for example, the discomfort will return, thus, it is necessary to be very disciplined and encourage prevention through conscious practices.

To see if poor posture could be causing your TMJ pain, take a look in the mirror.  Stand up straight and face a full-length mirror, look at your shoulders and examine if they are even.  Feel the muscles on each side of your neck to see if they are the same, if not, you will feel a side more stretched out and weaker.  Also check if your head is even over your shoulders from side to side, or if it is tilted to one side.

Return your hands to the sides of your body and look at them in the mirror.  If your muscles are well balanced, your hands will hang straight at your side, with the thumbs facing forward, otherwise, you will see your palms flat against your thighs and the back of your hands will face forward.  This means your shoulders are rounded, and it can cause muscle tension in your jaw because your chest muscles are tight and pulling the shoulders in, and your back muscles are weak and stretched out, causing a forward pull on the jaw.

Finally, turn to one side and check your posture.  Your arm should hang freely at your side, and the back of your hand should be flat against your thigh.  Your head should be even on top of your spine, not tilted forward or backwards.  Your shoulder should be exactly below your ear.

The musculoskeletal alignment of the body is primordial for its general health, given the fact that it encompasses the whole body structure.  If misaligned, the person will not only suffer from pain which is directly related to muscles and bones, but also from sickness produced by the crushing of organs and lack of air resulting from a bad posture.  It could mean a complete body failure, capable of ruining your life.

This is a huge risk that can be easily avoided.  Now you know how important good posture is for your health, so you can take the necessary measures to correct it.  There are physical therapies, alternative therapies, posture training, posture and back support, and massages, among others.  However, if you are suffering from TMJ or any other physical problem, the first thing you should do is see your doctor for professional advice; only then, can you implement any kind of therapy or change in your life safely and effectively.

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Posture can directly affect the quality of your life.  Good posture will make you feel and look younger, stronger and more confident, while at the same time it improves your performance in every area of life, your breathing, your movement capabilities, and reduces the risk of injuries.  It will surely help you get older without suffering from the dreaded pain in your joints!

But, how do you know if you have to improve your posture?  What are the alert signs?  Following is a very concise and clear list of the main posture alert conditions. If you happen to catch yourself in one of these posture sins, start working to correct it immediately:

-    Rounded back
-    One side of the body rotated forward or back
-    Head overhanging forward
-    Collapsed feet arches
-    Pelvis and hips twisted to the front, back or side
-    Limp chest and shoulders
-    Elevated hip or shoulder

All of the above mean that your body has fallen into a poor movement pattern due to diverse reasons, maybe muscle imbalance, injury, ergonomic issues or bad alignment while exercising.

However, the secret to correcting poor posture is easy:  you have to know it is there.  Once you know it, it’s easy to develop healthy posture habits that will help you strengthen your structure’s foundation in order to acquire good posture and a body that functions effectively.  Here are some tips for improvement:

1.    Find your body’s neutral alignment.  In this position, your spine can effortlessly deal with stress and strain.  Neutral alignment can be set while standing, sitting and moving.

2.    Keep moving.  After sitting for a period of time, you must stand up or lie down, and move around for a while in order to soften your muscles and joints.

3.    Work out your hip muscles.  If these are weak or inflexible, it may cause pelvis and lower back alignment problems.  Look for exercises that flex, extend, abduct and rotate your hips.

4.    Strengthen your abdomen.  Work out your abdominals to hold your pelvis in neutral alignment.  Do stabilizing training, in order to power your core abdomen muscles.

5.    Extend your back.  Learn back extension exercises to strengthen your spine, keep it aligned, and avoid back pain.

6.    Exercise your upper body.  Train to encourage the natural coordination and rhythm of the shoulder and shoulder girdle, as well as to strengthen the scapular and arm muscles.

7.    Do Yoga and Pilates.  These disciplines encourage and center on alignment and on the controlled movement of the spine, reinforcing good posture all the way.

8.    Visualize good posture.  Think of beautiful erect and strong trees, and imagine yourself growing tall with your arms over your head.  Imagine yourself walking and sitting in perfect neutral alignment.

9.    Ask a doctor.  Poor posture can greatly affect your life and health, so it may be wise to see a doctor and ensure you are on the right path to acquiring perfect posture.

10.    Constantly remind yourself about your posture.  You have to be aware of your posture during the day in order to fix it if you fall into a bad position at some point.  Set an alarm clock for every hour or post-it on your desk or fridge.  You can also use an ergonomic seat to help you stay aligned while sitting.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source.

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Many people may not know this, but back injuries rank among the top of the list in work and leisure related injuries.  A back injury can result in lost time from work, as well as a lengthy recuperation, which may or may not be covered by your health insurance.  The point is that back injuries are not only costly in terms of money and time loss, but they can also be physically nagging injuries, that can stay with a person for years on end.  But by taking the right measures now, by exercising, having better posture, and even buying a posture and back support system, you will be on the way to better overall back health, and fewer work related injuries.

It is said that 25% of all occupational injuries result from back injuries.  This leads to missed days of work, less productivity, and possibly a nagging injury for years to come.  Prolonged back pain can not only be a nuisance, but could also become debilitating if left for too long untreated.  This may result in a lack of physical activity, continuous nagging pain, and even more missed days from work.  A single traumatic event might be the cause of your back pain, like a car accident or a really bad fall.  But your back pain might be the result of years of spine related injuries due to poor work posture, repeated activities of lifting heavy objects improperly, or even extended periods of time sitting or standing.

However, there are plenty of preventative measures you can take to avoid back injuries in the workplace. One recommendation for something which is useful in preventing further back injuries is purchasing a back support.  Back supports work as a back brace that helps to take away stress from the lower back, and equally distribute pressure over the entire back area.  They can also help you to maintain better posture, take away strain on your spine, and help to prevent future back injuries.

While choosing a back support system for yourself, check for a design that will not only conform to your body, but ensure a comfortable fit.  One of the most important components you want to look for in a back support system is durability.  If the back support is cheaply made with inferior bands and closures, this system will only break down sooner, and cause you further discomfort and money in the long term.  Shop around, and ask questions to find the best deal, and do your research.  With the right preparation you will be able to find the proper back support system to fit your back care needs.

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Many people all over the world suffer from back pain, primarily because they do not receive the proper back support.  The link between proper back support and back pain may be well documented, but many people do not consider that it may be their pillow what is causing their back problems.  Poor posture, exhaustion and fatigue are usually some common causes of back pain, but many simply never realize that their pillow might be the one to blame.   Many pillows today do not even come close to offering the proper neck and back support that the body needs to stay in proper alignment.  Using the wrong pillow can give you a sore neck, sore back, can bring your body out of alignment, and can ruin your posture.

However, there are a number of specially designed pillows on the market, which can offer you the proper spine support, and work to decrease your back pain.  The average pillow is not usually designed with the health of your back in mind.  Most pillows are made of foam, or fiber, or a combination of cotton or feathers.  Most pillows are designed specifically for comfort, but are usually not designed for optimal spine, or back health.  This is why in recent years we have seen a number of new specially designed pillows become available, that are specifically designed for the optimum health of your back and spine.

One of these pillows is known as a lumbar pillow.  A lumbar pillow is a U-shaped or rectangular pillow, designed for treating back and spine health.  This is a back pillow used to fill as a cushion created between your spine and the chair.  People can use it at work, while driving, even on an airplane, to give you that extra posture and back support it so desperately needs.  This can be used in conjunction with a specialty neck support pillow, to provide optimum back relief.

Another popular pillow designed for back support is the donut pillow.  The donut pillow serves as a relief to people who have tailbone problems, and other back concerns.  The donut pillow’s shape is as it sounds, being a circular pillow with a whole in the middle.  The central hole absorbs the gravitational force from your neck to the pillow, allowing relief for the tailbone, not to mention better alignment of the spine.  The donut pillow offers relief from pain, better alignment and overall better back health.

When you’re searching for your next pillow and you want to pick one based on comfort and appeal, you may want to think again.  Your pillow can have profound effects on your posture, back health, alignment of your body and neck.  Before buying your next pillow make sure you take a second look, and choose a pillow that’s not only comfortable but good for your spine and back as well.

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Are you among the thousands of Americans who suffer from back pain? If so, then this information will be useful for you. The back is made up of 33 vertebrae, more than 30 muscles, ligaments, joints, and discs. Any and all of these are subject to injury. One of the most common medical problems both patients and doctors have to deal with is back pain. The number one cause of back pain is poor posture. Since we spend most of our day sitting, this can be corrected with posture and back support. However, there are serious injuries that could also be at the root of severe back pain. Given that chronic back pain can be difficult to treat, an overview of the most common injuries will help you prevent it.

• Muscular strains: This occurs when tears appear in some of the many muscles that we have in our backs. These tears are produced by unexpected twists, force, or pulls applied to the muscles.
• Ligamentous sprains: These take place when the ligaments in the back are stretched more than they should be. Ligamentous sprains may go hand in hand with muscular strains.
• Herniated disc: The spinal nerves in our backs exit the spinal cord. A herniated disc is caused when these nerves are compressed at this exit. This may be the result of working with constant vibratory motion (truck drivers or machine users) or lifting heavy objects incorrectly.
• Spinal stenosis: This is caused by a narrowing of the spinal canal. It is most common in people over 50. It has many causes, one of which is the thickening of the ligaments along the spinal canal, bony spurs, and enlarged joint cartilage.

Now that we have seen the most common causes of back pain, let’s have a look at some of the treatments available to help ease such ailment.

Most people avoid back pain by simply avoiding any kind of strain on their backs. Other options are supports, ice, heat, stretching exercises, and medication.

There are some red flags which may indicate a problem that may need special attention from your medical provider. These are:

• If you have back pain lasting several days
• If the pain is so severe that it wakes you from sleep
• If the back pain affects your control over urine and bowel movements
• If you have fever, chills, or sweats

This article is for informational purposes only. When suffering from back pain, please see your medical provider.