Bet You Can't Do This Simple Exercise

By Craig Ballantyne

I'm guessing that when you sit at your desk or in the car, your head is in a forward position and your shoulders are rounded.

Over time, that is going to reduce your shoulder mobility. As a result, you could develop chronic tension in your neck and upper back, and even reduce your ability to do simple tasks (such as reaching for things stored on overhead shelves).

In short, this posture is a pain in the neck (and shoulders).

I have a one-minute stress-relieving stretch that will help - especially if you do it several times over the course of the day. It may look and sound easy - but years of forward shoulder slumping could make it a real challenge for you. Trust me, though. It will "hurt so good."

Here's how to do the Stick-Up:

• Stand with your back against a wall. Your feet should be six inches away from the wall, and your butt, upper back, and head should be in contact with the wall throughout the entire exercise.

• Stick your hands up over your head. Try to keep your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in contact with the wall.

• Keeping your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in contact with the wall, slide your arms down the wall and tuck your elbows into your sides. This will bring your shoulder blades down and together. You should feel a strong contraction in the muscles between your shoulder blades, as well as in your shoulder muscles.

• From this position, slowly slide your arms up the wall until they are in the "stick-em-up" position - again, trying to keep everything in contact with the wall.

The goal is to improve your range of motion more every week by improving shoulder mobility and posture control.

It's Fun to Know: The Link Between Hair and Tap Water 

University of Utah scientists have discovered that the chemical makeup of your hair can reveal where you've spent the last several months. It turns out the water molecules in human hair take on the characteristics of the water molecules of the local tap water you drink. The chemical makeup of tap water differs slightly in every region of the world, allowing investigators to pinpoint your geographic location.

(Source: National Geographic)

Word to the Wise: Thaumaturgy

"Thaumaturgy" (THAW-muh-tur-jee) - from the Greek for "wonder" + "work" - is the performance of miracles or magic.

Example (as used by John McGurk in Contemporary Review): "There was ever a cautious hesitancy on the part of the [Irish] clergy to recognize evidence of thaumaturgy, and the superstitious use of relics."
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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2304, 03-15-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.