Backaches Afflict 31 Million Americans
It has been said that backache is the penalty people must pay for the privilege of standing and walking upright on two feet. Although some people erroneously believe our ancestors walked on all fours, it is an indisputable fact that we are definitely two-footed. Infants struggle instinctively to stand on their two feet and walk. They need not be taught! They attempt a bipedal mode even if left alone most of the time and never instructed.
It’s absolutely natural for human beings to stand and walk in this manner. This is especially interesting in light of the fact that no other animals spend all of their standing and walking hours on two feet, not even the primates that are most like us – chimpanzees and the great apes.
These animals use their hands and arms to help move them about. The world’s strongest gorilla would be unable to follow a fragile human about, walking erect on his legs, for more than a short time. This is because we human beings are designed to walk upright and animals are not!
The spines of human beings have normal curves which enable the muscles to oppose gravity and hold the back erect. As long as the muscles are strong enough to maintain the balance and prevent sagging, the back is comfortable. When the muscles are too weak to work, the back sags, ligaments are stretched, then the inevitable happens – a backache, that affects 31 million Americans.
Good posture is an important part of breathing. For correct posture, align your body with an imaginary vertical line from the top center of your head through the center of your pelvis to the floor between your feet.
Establish this simple, incredibly beneficial habit: stand tall, walk tall and sit tall. This doesn’t require an exaggerated position. When this becomes a habit, the result is correct posture. Any sagging, prolapsed vital organs will slowly assume their normal positions and functions if you follow The Bragg Healthy Lifestyle daily and drink 8 glasses of distilled water and practice good posture.
Prevention is always preferable to cure!
