Day Forty-Eight Stretching--Part II

Suz leaves later today for a business trip of her own until Saturday. This is a huge deal in our household. We have been married twelve years this May and she has only gone away by herself, I think twice, for more than one night. Needless to say this fact drives me bonkers. I am never alone with the kids in our house. And she would not say it is because she doesn't trust me. She just likes being family. Plain and simple. I am looking forward to our little adventure. Now back to business......

Dr. Oz stresses that stretching is vital for flexibility. I never used to look at stretching as being very important, until after I turned thirty, which is when our bodies start falling apart. Stretching increases flexibility, which stops us from stooping over when we age. Also stretching helps remove pain too, in the knees, the back etc. I learned this the hard way. My Dr. (Dr. Michael Bartell), about 15 years ago, when I went in for a check up, told me that I was too stiff and that if I stretched more often my lower back pain and knee pain would dissipate and lessen. He was right. However, because of my lack of stretching I already had some wear and tear on my left knee cartilage.

Stretching elongates muscles and prevents injuries. Warming up (stretching) circulates blood to the muscles and heats them up which loosens them and makes them viscous and ready for action. This simple activity greatly reduces injury. I also like to think to that the increased blood also helps our joints where the muscle connects. Warm muscles help the cartilage reduce stress when we are active. The warm muscles that are elongated spread the stress out there by lessening pain etc.

Please know that I am no doctor. Most of what I am saying here is more common sense about how our parts work in unison. Just think about how our entire body works within itself kind of like how nature is connected. The bees need the pollen and the plants need the bees to survive. That is really where I am coming from on this whole idea.