Sunday, May 2, 2010

Pilates and Stretch For Weight Loss and Pain Relief

A person in pain is a person in need of a cure. Back pain can be one of the worst types of pain that one can experience. The causes of your back pain might be obvious, but some people have it happen to them out of what seems like literally nowhere. Perhaps some of the most typical causes of back pain come from a combination of regular activities involved in everyday life. Bad eating habits, poor posture, and years of sitting and/or standing can all play major contributions toward back pain, and pain in general.

Being overweight is also another big reason why people experience pain in or around their backs. Too much weight can really take a toll on the entire body, and all functions that exist within. The mind, brain, heart, lungs, and internal organs cannot perform at their best when there is too much pressure and stress weighing them down. The effects that excess fat have on your back can be very detrimental. But, there is something that can help, and it is called Pilates. Pilates is an exercise that involves strengthening the muscles located within the core. Those muscles consist of the buttock, hip, abdominal, and lower back muscles. Once strengthened, the back naturally aligns itself, and everything goes back to normal.

While in the process of performing daily Pilates movements, your metabolism speeds up as well. The deep breathing techniques that are used by doing Pilates can increase circulation, and can also help to get rid of the wastes that have been thought to be related to fatigue. You will notice that your breathing and overall lung function improve rapidly. Mental focus is much easier to maintain due to increased blood flow. Once the body learns how to properly and naturally rid itself of toxins and built up pollutants, weight loss becomes a more frequent occurrence.

We were not meant to suffer. The body was made to stay maintained at a certain level of health and strength. Of course, aging will slow us down a bit, but it shouldn't slow us down to the point where we can no longer function. There is no excuse for not taking care of our bodies. Everyone should look at the relationships that they have with their bodies as give and take. When you perform a daily Pilates and stretching routine, your body will reward you with a straighter spine, and a stronger core. The core of the body is where everything comes together. Loose muscles within the core are not strong enough to hold everything together, hence, that is why our body's fall out of alignment.

Have you ever notice that some people just mysteriously develop a curvature in their spine in the middle of their lives? Those folks do exist, and there are more of them than you think. Bulging and herniated discs can also happen due to a weak core. Pilates reverses this damage and brings everything back to where it should be, and in less time that you might imagine. But, you must stay consistent, because nothing happens overnight. The best part about it is that most workouts are only ten minutes long! Anyone can do this, all they have to do is try.

There are a range of DVD's on sale at http://www.pilatesorstretchforbackpain.com which have been recommended by a leading British Osteopath/Physiotherapist. Please visit my blog at http://www.stretchorpilatesforbackpain.com

The author, Steven Giles is a 55 year old former accountant who has been suffering from back pain for several years and has found that Pilates provides relief from this. He lives in Greater Manchester in the North-West of England.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Giles

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