I’m 43. I’m proud of it, I feel better now than I ever did in my 30’s and I am loving life.  I’ve earned all 43 years.

This year, I’ve begun having more aches and pains… knee pain, hip pain (as discussed in my last blog) and this morning shoulder and neck pain.

However, I KNOW it is NOT because I am “old.”  When I look at and analyze what has been going on for the last month and a half, (or not going on) it is easy to see why I hurt.

Poor diet choices.  While we were traveling for 11 days, in. the. car…  We ate mostly good food, but it wasn’t the normal attention to all the healthy good foods.

Sitting on my butt, for hours and hours and 3,000 miles, was not conducive to keeping my muscles in shape.  We were so busy running from hospital to care center to homes, to different cities that when we did stop it was to eat, spend a bit of time with family, and sleep.

Playing games on my phone, for hours while my hubby did the driving was NOT conducive to proper posture, body angle, and lends itself to muscle fatigue and aches and pains. Think about it… both thumbs on the phone for optimum game playing, texting, and Facebooking is HORRIBLE posture.

So many of us lead such busy lives. Children, spouses, church, work, etc.   We are SO busy we are getting sedentary. We drive everywhere, sit through recitals and children’s sports, work at a desk all day, when we do find time, we just want to sit and be still.

So, why do MY neck and shoulders hurt?

I work at a desk every day.  I sit at a desk with my mouse up at the wrong angle and my keyboard at less than optimal height, this leads to back, neck and shoulder issues.

I have allowed my recent habit to be “very busy” other than taking the time to stretch, exercise, and move.  My muscles have begun atrophying, much like my father-in-law’s had after a long bout with Sepsis, where he was flat in bed for weeks.

If we DON’T take the time to MOVE, to be ACTIVE, to be as God made us to be, our body cannot take it.  Perhaps this is why the statistic about those who “truly retire” typically die within 5 years.

Genesis 2:15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

I know, that when I begin to ache or my muscles start to hurt… it’s NOT because I am “old”… it is because of my choices and my NOT moving and working. 

We were put on this earth to move, when we stop moving our bodies begin to die.

My solutions to my pain:

1. I begin stretching and moving more. 

   I begin with range of motion stretches for my neck. My friend, Zoltan, put these together for those of us on the 3-day, but I use them for all kinds of things.

   
   

2. I go to see my Chiropractor, Dr. Green.  I know that I’ve been sitting in a poor position for days, and that lends to my back not being in optimum alignment, so a trip to the good doc is in order.
   
3. I schedule a massage with my LMT Heather Lloyd with Serenity Healing Studio.  I know it will most likely hurt a bit as she works on me, but I also know when she is finished, I will feel amazing!
   
4. I eat “clean” for several days.  A few days with no junk, lots of water, fruit, and veggies can help my body eliminate the nasties that have built up and help my body to heal itself.
   
5. I will set an alarm, if I have to, so that I can stretch and move about every 30-40 minutes at work. Sitting for hours at the same posture is not good so I make the effort to move around.

Hope this helps.  Don’t LET your body get old!  For more information on healthy choices, please feel free to contact me!

Keep on keepin’ on!

~ Zig Ziglar