Does Travel Cause You Back Pain? - Here’s How to Avoid It…

Published by markwiley

The old saying goes: “Vacations are fun, but traveling is a pain in the neck!” Actually, traveling can be an even bigger pain in the back.

The stress of making plans, packing the essentials, getting to the airport on time, waiting to check in and the whole security scenario really pack a tough one-two psychological punch to the low back.

Then there’s the physical stress and strain of lifting bags, dragging them through the parking lots and airport, carrying all those over-stuffed carry-ons with gifts and paperbacks.

But the number one complaint by plain, train and automobile travelers - when describing the onset of their back pain - is sitting for too long. Airplanes and even trains advertise that their seats were ergonomically designed by specialists to properly support to low back and neck during travel. But I know the one’s I sit in feel horrible. And it’s not only me… people complain about them all the time, and their continuous pain gives them fair reason.

Luckily, the pain associated with travel can be greatly reduced, and in many cases avoided, with these simple tips:

- To reduce stress-induced muscle cramping and pain in the neck, shoulders and low back, it is advisable to plan your trip well in advance, pack two days before, load suitcases in the car the night before, use online check-in to reserve your seat, and check your bags at the curb. These seemingly little things can reduce the stress and anxiety of rushing around, waiting in lines, and dragging bags. If planned and executed well, the low back pain associated with stress can be avoided.

- Only pack what is absolutely necessary for your carry on. Each family member gets one carry on, plus a purse (for ladies). To avoid the neck and shoulder strain of lugging these around, and of trying to place them into and remove them from the overhead compartment, the lighter the better.

- The poor seating designs of most travel vehicles cause back pain due to incorrect support of the spine, and forward pitching of the shoulders. To avoid this, always bring a small pillow, or use one that is offered and place it behind your low back or neck for support. If I can’t find an in-flight pillow to use, I will roll up my jacket or even the inflight magazines, and use them as supports. Seated posture is so important for preventing strain to the spine, and pain to the neck, shoulders and low back that by whatever means… find and use a support.

- Be sure to remain well hydrated during your travel time. One of the most basic, yet common, causes of pain is dehydration. Not having enough fluid in the body to keep the body cool, the blood moving, the muscles supple and the tendons relaxed. Not only must you drink plenty of water, but you must also avoid coffee, tea and soda during travel, as these all cause you to sweat, urinate… to dehydrate.

- If you are taking a long drive, train ride or flight, be sure to get up and move every hour. Simply standing up for a few minutes and doing some light stretching, twisting or bending will help keep you limber, relaxed and the blood moving in and out of the muscles. And when the blood does not move or moves too slowly, the muscles and tendons become tight and painful!

- And lastly, be sure that when lifting bags, holding children and reaching for items that you plant your feet flat for support and bend from the knees. Incorrect lifting or over-reaching for items is one of the most common causes of back pain… and one of the easiest to avoid.

Travel does not have to be as stressful or painful as many of us make it out to be. If we plan well, execute well and take care of our bodies while in transit… the trip will be painless. And what better way to relax on vacation or arrive on business after travel, than stress free, hydrated, supple and… pain free!

Dr Wiley is Editorial Manager at The Healthy Back Institute. For more FREE back pain articles and videos, go to http://www.losethebackpain.com/backpainvideos.html

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Maui: The Best Place To Visit

For many good reasons the Hawaiians say "Maui no ka oi," which means Maui is the best. Ranked annually in traveler polls as the best island in the world, Maui captivates everyone. A trip to Maui is a vacation you will want to repeat time and time again. Maui is blessed with wonderful weather, mild tropical breezes and abundant sunshine year round.

An issue with many islands is how much "human involvement" has taken place. Sure, it's nice to see an island that is untouched, but then again, we all love our air conditioning and our fine dining. In my opinion, Maui has a great balance of development. There are enough hotels, condos and restaurants to suit every desire and budget but not yet so overdone as to interfere with the timeless beauty of the island. To say that Maui is paradise is an understatement; it gets under your skin in a good way, calling you time and again to its shores to once again repeat the adventures that thrilled you, to discover new ones, to seek out its beauty once again and to relax at one of its fine resorts returning home refreshed and renewed and glowing with the spirit of aloha.

You can choose from various locales to call home base, whether it is Kaanapali or Kapalua to the north, or Kihei, Wailea or Makena to the south, yet easily explore any other part of the island in a day or less. Must see sights include the 10,000 foot Haleakala National Park, the road to Hana and the Oheo Gulch through tropical rainforest and spectacular waterfalls, the gorgeous Iao Needle and the quirky town of Lahaina. Adventures abound on Maui including biking down from the volcano, horseback riding in the crater or on the beach, hiking along the coastline or through the rainforest, golfing the superb golf courses, swimming and snorkeling in the beautiful bays, surfing, scuba, windsurfing, parasailing and more.

During the winter and spring months, whale watching is a joy as mother whales give birth to babies and the whales in general are relaxed and often playful. Whale watching is available both on boat tours and even from the shore as the whales love to swim and play along Maui's coast, making Maui the number one choice for whale watching in Hawaii.

Maui has some of the best snorkeling in North America. Whether you are snorkeling in one of Maui's gorgeous bays, out at the crescent shaped crater of Molokini or at neighboring Lanai, you will be overwhelmed by the undersea beauty, the colorful tropical reef fish, the coral and, of course, the amazing green sea turtles.

There are numerous golf courses on Maui as well. Most resort areas have several courses to choose from. The guy's love the variety and beauty of the courses.

Eating on Maui is also an adventure with nationally acclaimed chefs creating mouth-watering dishes, utilizing the abundant fish found in local waters as well as fresh produce grown on the island. You can find a wide variety of restaurants here from the typical U.S. chains to very high end gourmet experiences. Shopping is also an adventure with locally made Hawaiian crafts and colorful aloha wear fun souvenirs.

The best reason to visit Maui is the spirit of aloha that you will feel while you are here and that you will bring home with you. This is a place to truly relax even while partaking in all the beauty and adventures around you. Spend some time relaxing on one of Maui's lovely beaches or at your hotel's swimming pool. Memories of your Maui vacation will make you smile, fill you with aloha, and eagerly plan your next visit! If you ever have been to Maui, you know that one trip simply isn't enough!

Source: Free Articles

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Understanding Blogs

Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis, so it is basically an online journal. They contain information related to a specific topic. In some cases blogs are used as daily diaries about people's personal lives, political views, or even as social commentaries. The truth of the matter is that blogs can be shaped into whatever you, the author, want them to be. They can be set up at little to no cost at all, and can be used for a wide variety of things. Some bloggers, men and women, just blog for the fun of it Others tend to use their blogs for business reasons.

The roots of blogging can be traced back to the mid 1990's. Who the very first blogger actually was is unclear, as the art of blogging did not really take hold until 1999. The original "weblogs" were link-driven sites with personal commentaries. The very first blogs were human guided Internet web tours. While initially thought of as diaries or online journals, blogs have evolved into the latest fresh web content.

Blogs have been around for many years but have recently become somewhat a new ‘craze’. A buzz word in techie circles, "blogging" is the wave of the future. Whether it’s a fad, or proves to be a new way to communicate with existing and potential customers it deserves at the very least a cursory look.

The following are just a few ways blogs can be used:

1. Updates - Keep customers/clients up to date on changes to your website. Also new product announcement and new related websites.
2. Reviews - You can give opinions, advice and personal recommendations on specific products or services related to your field.
3. Personal and Business uses - Blogs are a great way to keep track of your goals and plans just by open writing.
4. Stress Reliever - Jot down your vents, gripes, thoughts. Some also find general writing therapeutic.
5. Search Engine Optimization - Search Engines love text and content. You can also include links to your website which equal backward links which in turn equals high ranking.
6. Money Makers - Yes, you can make money with your blog by providing readers with quality copy writing and a few affiliate links. So how is a blog set up?

There are numerous online tools that can be used to create a blog. For security concerns, it would just be best to use a standard html program such as Dreamweaver to create daily posts. It’s really not much more complicated than typing an email. The content is then sent via FTP to a web server. If you want to test the waters there are online web-based tool that helps you publish to the web instantly. The most popular web-based tool is Blogger (www.blogger.com).

While you may initially create a blog for your existing customers, you may find that you can attract new customers by illustrating your expertise in a specific field. There are numerous websites that act as "blog search engines", be sure to submit your sites to these websites to increase your exposure. This will also help with your page rank and possibly increase the likelihood you will receive decent ranking with Google. You can also create an RSS feed in order to syndicate blog content and gain additional exposure. This makes it much simpler for your readers to quickly skim the topic headlines and an added benefit to you, the blogger, to keep your visitors up to date. You also have the choice of letting your readers comments on your blog.

There are several options you can choose from when starting your own blog, and a few are:

1. Using a free service such as Blogger.com (www.blogger.com).
2. Using Blogger.com (or other free blog provider) with your own domain name that you can purchase through places such as Mommy’s Helper Domain & Hosting Services (www.mommyshelperonline.com/web-hosting.html) .
3. You can also choose paid services such as Blogit.com (www.blogit.com) for as little as $5.95 a month. You have your blog set up, but how do you get visitors to it and get them coming back?

Along with general advertising, here are a few more ideas:

1. Directories - There are many directories that you can submit your blog to such as BlogWise.com (www.blogwise.com/) To find more simply do a search for blog directories.
2. Link Exchange - Place links on your website to your blog and visa versa.
3. Syndicate Your Blog - For example you can now give your visitors the option of having your blog headlines right on their MyYahoo! Page. (example - add.my.yahoo.com/rss?url=http%3A//www.2wahms.blogspot.com )

Most services have these features and can be a great tool to keep your blog interactive between you and your readers. With all the spam filters and spam blockers available or sometimes even automatically installed in email programs, it’s getting harder every day to keep in constant contact with your visitors/customers and/or clients. Blogs have shed some new light in this aspect giving you a better way to communicate. Most blog services are very user-friendly. If you can run simple programs such as MSWord or Word Perfect then you have the knowledge to maintain your own blog. There’s no need to even have html knowledge. In essence, anyone can have his or her own blog.

Enjoy Blogging!

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