Out of Rehab!

So I graduated yesterday from the Pain Rehabilitation Center(PRC). My discharge summary indicated I excelled in the program and am ready to face the real world again.

So, I am back at work, however, I did get a doctor to sign off on the PRC's recommendations of a gradual return and thus am working four hour shifts for a week, then six hour shifts another week, then back to my eights. This is a blessing as getting back into a routine is always difficult, but trying to incorporate the PRC skills I learned is essential to long term success.

First and foremost, one must breathe! I know you all think you already are, but the good majority of you, are doing so incorrectly. Let me explain a little. Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your tummy and take a breath in and out. Which hand moved?? Was it the hand on your chest? If so, you breathe incorrectly. Look at a baby or a small child, pay attention long enough and you will note they breathe using their tummy(aka diaphragm). Somewhere in our preteen years, most of us stop breathing with our diaphragm and thus, we lose our ability to breathe properly. You see, when you breathe from your diaphragm, you are allowing your body to be oxygenated better.
More oxygenation leads to:
• More oxygen to the body for overall health improvement
• Enhancement of the brain function for clearer thinking and alertness
• More oxygen to the muscles to increase energy and performance
• More oxygen to skin cells for healthier, younger looking skin
• Enhanced metabolism and waste removal
• Enhancement of the body's ability to fight bacteria and viruses
• Better absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients

A second key to the program is exercise! I know you all know this, but how many of us do it? Daily exercise is key, at least 30 minutes and it could be as simple as taking a long walk! The PRC encourages daily stretching exercises and at least 30 minutes of strengthening/aerobic exercise on at least five of seven days, but they do advocate for every day as much as possible. Exercise produces endorphins and endorphins help our body do alot of our daily functions including fighting pain and stress! Yoga is something that I thought I'd never recommend, but the beginner basic yoga called Hatha, is very simplistic and more or less about stretching and breathing correctly, so I actually ended up enjoying that as part of the daily routine.

The two things I mention are only part of the philosophy of the PRC, but are key tenets of the program that ANYONE can do and benefit from.
I'd encourage all of you to try them and tell me different!

I'll fill you in on more at another time, this should keep you busy for awhile.