Back Talk: Three Steps to Good Health in the New Year KARL SCHWARTZ, D.C.
I
am so looking forward to a healthy and prosperous New Year. I was joking with a patient that this year has to be better than last year - which is exactly what I said last New Year’s! But all joking aside, I really do feel in my heart that we are advancing through the COVID pandemic. Although infection rates in Georgia are rising, the Omicron variant is less virulent and more spreadable, which may accelerate the population reaching herd immunity. What are your goals for 2022? If I asked a group of patients, one might say it is financial, another might want to make more money, or another might want to expand their business. Another might wish to be a better husband or wife, mother or father. Another might want to become more spiritual and closer to God. All are great goals, but before you can focus on and achieve any of these goals, you first must be healthy. Here are some simple goals towards becoming healthier. First, minimize your physical stress, which can be achieved by getting your body to its optimal weight, or body mass index (BMI). These charts are easily accessible online and are divided into male and female categories and various age brackets. If you are overweight, the increased fat causes your body to work harder to function which affects all of your body systems. Think of it like driving a car; would you rather drive your car with the emergency brake on or off? If it is on, you must increase your horsepower to maintain the same speed at the expense of wearing out other parts. Reaching and maintaining an optimal BMI is vital to good health, and should be your primary health goal. Second, control your emotional stress, another integral part of being healthy. What can you do easily to improve your emotional stress? Yoga improves your body’s flexibility and movements but try yoga paired with a meditation-type exercise. Physical and emotional stress affect each other. If you can reduce your emotional stress, your body feels better. Third, move! I like to say, “Use it or lose it.” If a car sits idle and not driven, all the parts begin to decay and decline. After just a week of idleness, a car’s battery can lose its charge. Move! Walk, jog, stretch, do resistance exercises, walk your dog, play tennis, bike, swim, yoga – however you move your body, it will feel better, improving your attitude and mental clarity. Just these three simple steps will move you more quickly to your 2022 goal of good health. Get started now for a Happy New Year!
14 OUR TOWN DEKALB | January 2022
Dr. Karl Schwartz is a graduate of Life University in Marietta, Georgia; he has been practicing chiropractic in Tucker for twenty-one years and a resident here for fifteen years. His office specializes in preventing sports injuries and maximizing performance by analyzing posture, weight bearing, and gait. If you have a question you would like addressed in a future column, please email karlschwartzdc@gmail.com. Note “Back Talk” in the subject line.
