The beginning of a year feels like a fresh start, a new blank page for a lot of people. We aim to grow in every aspect of our lives: physically, mentally, financially, intellectually. That is why it’s common for us to create New Year’s resolution—a list of the things we would like to accomplish at the beginning of every year, yet unfortunately, it’s also common for us to quickly throw that list out the window. Research shows that only around 12% of people who make New Year’s resolution felt that they were successful in achieving their goals. But what if we can change the way we make a list of new year’s resolution, so that we can actually stick to them? Here are 5 tips on how to stick to your goals!

Make specific and realistic goals.

For example, you want to lose weight. Instead of only writing down “losing weight,” try also writing down the specific and achievable ways on how you’re going to do it, such as: hitting the gym 3-4 days a week, replacing ice cream with yogurt, sticking to the 50/25/25 eating rule, etc. This way, you won’t feel like your goals are too unattainable and overwhelming.

Take it one step at a time.

You probably have a lot of things you’d like to change about yourself. However, taking on too much and too quickly is a common reason why so many New Year’s resolutions fail. Just like unhealthy habits and behaviors develop over time, it will take an even longer time to replace those with better and healthier ones. So, take it one step at a time. Change your habits one by one, and keep working toward your goals.

Replace “problematic” behaviors with positive ones.

If you resolve to do less of something, changing that behavior is more likely to come with a sense of deprivation. Once you restrict an activity that’s been a regular part of your life, you’ll have a strong urge and craving to get back to it. To manage this, prioritize an alternative behavior that seems like a reasonable substitute for whatever you’re hoping to limit. For instance, instead of “smoking less,” try “do meditation.” Instead of “not watching TV before bed,” consider “reading a book before bed.”

Prepare useful responses when setbacks happen.

Remember, change isn’t linear. You will not always have good days. You will not always feel motivated. You might even relapse. But when this happens, don’t see it as a failure! Pick yourself up and try again. Take a moment to reflect on yourself, perhaps write things down in a journal, such as: when did the relapse occur, what might have triggered it, and what can you do differently next time.

Surround yourself with a good support system.

It might help to share your goals and experiences with the ones you love and trust, allowing them to stay with you throughout your journey. It is not going to be easy, so it’s important for you to have someone to lean on. A solid support system will also help you to be accountable for your New Year’s resolution.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! …right? Supposedly, yes, but for some people, it can be hard to participate in the Christmas holiday tradition. Chronic pain does not take a vacation in honor of Christmas. For those who experience that kind of pain, and for the caregivers as well, it may be difficult to participate in shopping, decorating, or partying. They may feel isolated and abandoned. So, to help you have a beautiful, less-stress season while not giving up the fun, here are 5 tips on how to manage chronic pain during the holiday season.

1) Keep things simple and delegate tasks. You don’t have to spend all of your time putting together an elaborate gathering. If you’re having a small gathering, ask your family and friends to help. Involve everyone and delegate the tasks.

2) Know your limits. Holiday invitations are often open-ended, allowing celebrations to last well into the night—but they don’t have to. And if you are dealing with chronic pain, they shouldn’t.

3) Seek support. Let your loved ones know if you need anything, or join a support group to help you cope. It’s so important for you to not deal with your struggles alone. With the right community, you will be able to overcome it and not lose hope.

4) Take breaks as much as you feel necessary. It’s okay to let go of certain traditions, go easy on your decorations, and withdraw from social gatherings and Christmas holiday activities to take a break. No celebration is fun enough if you’re hurting.

5) Plan a recovery day. Include resting into your schedule. You can also make appointments with a professional at Hope Clinic before or after the Christmas celebration to ease your pain!

Let us help you get through the holidays. With Hope Clinic, pain-free living is possible. Hope Clinic provides non-invasive and non-opioid treatment methods to treat your chronic pain. Our therapists and professionals are equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to give you the best possible personalized treatment. Reach out to us through +1 480 659 5470 or visit our website: https://hopecliniccare.com/contact-us/.

Working out and exercising are important for so many reasons. From cardio to strength training, it is beneficial for your body and overall well-being. However, do you know what’s also necessary? Yes, warming up and cooling down before and after working out! Lots of people skip these steps without thinking much about it. Maybe they want to save time, maybe they assume that the main workout is the only thing that counts, but here are 3 reasons why you shouldn’t skip warming up and cooling down before and after exercising!

Warming up prepares your body before committing a more intense workout routine, while cooling down helps the body to safely transition to a steady state of rest.

When you warm up, the low-intensity physical activities increase the blood flow to your muscles and raise the temperature of your body. By doing so, the stress and strain put on your muscles once you add the intensity of your exercise is less severe. Thus, the possibility of getting injured decreases. Warming up also minimizes the muscle soreness you would usually experience a few hours after a workout.

On the other hand, the purpose of cooling down after your workout is to gradually bring your heart rate and blood pressure to its normal level—the level it was at prior to exercising. While working out, your heart rate works harder than it does normally. So, once you’re done, ease it back down slowly instead of stopping abruptly. When you gradually decrease the pace and intensity of your exercise, it helps to regulate your blood flow as well.

Warming up

Warming up improves oxygen-efficiency, and cooling down speeds up your body’s recovery.

During an intense workout, your muscles demand more oxygen. Warming up allows oxygen to be released at a higher temperature and at a steadier rate, which improves muscle flexibility and contraction/relaxation, making your workout more effective. Then, after a heavy workout, lactic acid builds up within your system, and it takes time for your body to clear it out. Cooling down can assist this process of releasing and removing lactic acid, speeding up your body’s recovery.

Warming up also prepares you mentally, and cooling down reduces Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

Another side benefit of light warm up exercises is it helps your brain become more focused and motivated. This will get you through your workout routine, helping you train and improve your flexibility, strength, coordination, and technique. Afterwards, muscle soreness is expected, which usually happens several hours or a day later. This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), and it can get extremely uncomfortable. Cool down exercises can alleviate excessive muscle soreness, allowing your body to bounce back before your next workout.

Now that you’ve learned of the 3 reasons why you shouldn’t skip warming up and cooling down before and after exercising, let’s move on to the simple warm up and cool down exercises that you can do!

Side lunges

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Take a wide step out to the left. Keep your right leg in its original position, and bend your left knee as you push your hips back. Make sure that both feet are flat on the ground throughout the lunge.
Pause briefly with your left knee over, but not beyond, your toes. Lift your hips and return your left foot to the starting position.
Repeat the same process with your right knee.
Do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps.

Dynamic stretching

Leg swings

Raise your right leg out to the side, balancing on your left foot.
Swing the right leg in front of the left, and then swing it back out to the side.
Complete three sets of 10 reps, and then repeat with the left leg.

Side bends

Stand straight and reach both arms straight up overhead as you inhale.
Lower your right arm down the right side of your body. Exhale as you lengthen the left arm over the head while bending your body gently to the right.
Inhale as you return both arms overhead to the center and exhale as you repeat on the left side.
Repeat for 10 times each side.

Jogging

Jog at a slow pace for 3-5 minutes.

Quad stretch

Stand and hold onto a wall for balance if needed.
Grab the top of the left foot and bend your knee while bringing the foot towards the glutes. Make sure that your knee points straight at the floor.
Squeeze your hips forward for a deeper stretch.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides, repeating one to three times per leg.

There are plenty of warm up and cool down exercises out there, you just need to find what works for you. However, one thing that you should pay attention to is: never rush your warming up and cooling down sessions. Both are beneficial for your workout routine, your body, and your overall health. Happy warming up and cooling down!

Chiropractors often talk about the importance of good and correct posture. The way you hold your body influences what feels comfortable and what doesn’t. Sitting or standing with poor posture can cause many problems including neck pain, back pain, shoulder aches, headaches, fatigue, and limited movement. However, for some people, bad habits and a lack of knowledge make it difficult to maintain this healthy position. Thus, it is easy to make these mistakes without realizing it, and as a result, our joints and muscles don’t get as much movement as they should. Unfortunately, it will take a while before the body gets any signals to let you know that you have been maintaining poor posture.

Now, it’s time to recognize the most common posture mistakes and break your bad habits!

Staying in one position for way too long

This is the number one posture mistake! We all do this every once in a while, sometimes unknowingly. Ideally, our bodies need to move and make postural changes many times throughout the day, because staying static will lead to discomfort, and eventually, pain. Even staying in a “good” posture for too long is not really that good for you.

So, what is the solution? Fairly simple—move around and change your body’s position every 30 minutes. Do some stretching, walk around your apartment, maybe a little exercise… anything helps!

Fixating our gaze downward for too long

Now, this poor posture is very common among us, from students to working adults. We’re all required to use our cellphones and computers to study and work. When we do that, the typical posture we hold is tilting our heads forward for too long. Our heads are heavy, and maintaining the incorrect posture for a long time puts a lot of tension in the neck and upper back muscles, rather than the weight being evenly supported by all the muscles of the spine.

How do I fix this? Well, your head is supposed to be straight with your line of sight and parallel to the ground beneath you. So, what you can do is hold handheld devices directly in front of you at eye- or shoulder-height. If you work with your computer or laptop often, raise your screen or stack books underneath it to ensure that you can keep your neck and spine in a neutral position.

Slouching while sitting or standing

Sometimes, slouching does feel comfortable. But when we do it, it means we’re not engaging our core (abdominal) muscles to support our spine. If your belly pushes forward and your lower back pushes backward every time you sit or stand, it can lead to lower back issues.

Fix it by sitting or standing with your back straight and pulling your belly button in toward the lower spine to engage your abdominal muscles. However, refrain from doing it too much, because it may curve the lower spine backward.

Sleeping in a wrong position

I know, I know… it feels impossible to control how and in what position you should sleep. Even so, there are a few simple things you can do to train your body to sleep in the correct posture. First, your mattress choice is important! Go for a firmer mattress. Next, the ideal sleeping position is keeping your spine straight, but sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs is alright, too. You can also sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. Make sure to not sleep on your stomach, though, because it may cause your neck and lower back to be strained.

Good posture is usually not the first thing that crosses our mind when we talk about health, but remember this: a bad posture and a good posture have one thing in common—it may change your life. So, give your posture a necessary fix!

JAKARTA, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 – Hope Clinic Care, a non-invasive and non-opioid pain management centre located in Scottsdale, Arizona, has officially established its second branch in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday, November 12, 2021. This is such a huge milestone for Dr. Okky Oei as the founder, and for the entire Hope Clinic team. The grand opening ceremony of Hope Clinic Indonesia is a realization of the vision that has been planted deep inside our hearts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hope Clinic team decided to limit the guest number who were invited to the grand opening ceremony. Even so, the ceremony was recorded live, allowing more guests, including from Australia and the United States, to join as well.

The grand opening ceremony began with a prayer, followed by a speech by Dr. Okky Oei and his wife, Mrs. Vicki Oei, about how it all started. The idea of establishing Hope Clinic Indonesia emerged in 2020, flowing from Dr. Okky’s strong desire to bring advanced healthcare technology and services to Indonesia. It turned out that Mr. Daud, the head of the Hope Clinic Indonesia team, shared the similar longing with Dr. Okky. Mr. Daud then presented the business plan to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles.

After Mr. Daud and his wife, Dr. Fena, received adequate knowledge about microcurrent technology and completed training from Dr. Okky as Hope Clinic master therapists, they brought all the necessary equipment from the United States to Indonesia. In Indonesia, Mr. Daud worked together with Mr. Aaron and Mr. Fendy to establish the plan by searching for a proper location and starting the renovation process. The Hope Clinic Indonesia team also had an in-depth discussion about the technical, operational, cultural, and relational aspects of the clinic with the Hope Clinic Arizona team.

In September 2021, the Hope Clinic Indonesia team gave their first trial treatment sessions to patients, who gave positive feedback and testimonies. Eventually, Hope Clinic Indonesia was ready to serve more people in October 2021 and held the grand opening ceremony in November 2021.

In his speech, Mr. Daud elaborated on the vision of Hope Clinic Indonesia. “We have a deep desire to improve the healthcare services in Indonesia through advanced technology and serve our brothers and sisters. We want the Indonesian society to have a better life expectancy rate, and to have a long, pain-free life.”

He continued, “The establishment of Hope Clinic Indonesia in Jakarta is the first step to fulfill our mission. We are the first and only clinic in Indonesia to provide non-invasive and non-opioid pain relief treatment using advanced technology and hands-on techniques. We are planning to establish more of Hope Clinic branches throughout the cities and villages of Indonesia, which aligns with our vision. Our dreams do not stop here. That’s why we need your support and prayers.”

Afterwards, the official grand opening was marked through a cutting ribbon ceremony by the representatives of Hope Clinic shareholders: Dr. Okky from the United States, Mr. Fendy from Australia, and Mr. Daud from Indonesia, followed by a virtual tour of the Hope Clinic building led by Mr. Aaron. The Tower of Hope—that was what they called the building—has been renovated and arranged, filled with high quality facilities as well, to give the patients the best treatment experience.

Before the ceremony ended, a patient named Mrs. Martini willingly shared her good experience with Hope Clinic Indonesia. She was one of the patients who received a trial treatment. She shared her story of how she had a back surgery, and her chronic pain resulted from that. “It was really painful. It hurt while I was sitting down, it hurt when I was walking around. My son told me that there’s this new pain management clinic, and he asked if I wanted to try,” Mrs. Martini explained.

“I said yes. I thought it was just another massage therapy, but nope, they were using new technology brought from the United States. During the therapy, it was still painful, but after the first session ended, my back felt much better! So, I agreed to continue the therapy sessions, not only for my back, but for my legs as well. After I’ve done around 4 sessions, my back and legs did not hurt as much anymore. Now, I can walk around and be more active, doing things I previously couldn’t,” she stated.

At Hope Clinic, we are providing non-invasive and non-opioid treatment procedures with a personalized approach, committed to cater to your needs. We are grateful that Hope Clinic has the opportunity to expand from Scottsdale, Arizona to Jakarta, Indonesia. In the future, we wish to be able to broaden our reach to other places as well, bringing hope and healing to the “no hope” chronic pain case.

It has been a little over a year. Lives changed, the ways we do certain things as we knew it have changed, too. Obviously, it’s not easy for anyone, and we’re all coping differently. Aside from the impact of the pandemic toward public health, businesses have faced serious problems as well. Some have completely messed up their work life balance, some have lost their previous jobs, some are barely surviving, some are trying to find and create new opportunities. Plenty of business sectors are affected, from the smaller ones to the larger corporations. Now, working from home is the new normal—but the lines of work life balance are getting blurry.

Traditional working hours have gone out of the window. Since most people are working from home, it’s harder to set boundaries between work and personal life. It’s even more challenging for the ones who have other responsibilities to do at home. Suddenly, we’re bringing work everywhere: to our bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, etc. That’s why it’s essential to figure out ways to manage work life balance.

To do so, there are several levels of control we need to be aware of. If we’re not careful, it’s so easy to lose ourselves in the process.

Segmenting

This is the work life balance ideal we hear so much about. It’s where we keep work and life separate and why we head for the office when we could work from home, why we put on our smart clothes, why we talk about the nine-to-five. Many of us strive for it—and sometimes we even manage to pull it off.

Integrating

We sometimes try to amalgamate our “work” and “life” identities into a seamless whole. We have flexible boundaries—say, by working at home during school holidays. There can be an element of disruption, but it’s because we like it that way, and we still retain control.

Importing

When it suits us, we’re happy to import things from one sphere to another. It could be something as straightforward as talking about work at home or home at work. Crucially, in such instances we decide how much to give and when.

Seeping

This is where we start to lose control. We can’t stop the two worlds from entering each other’s orbit. Worrying about work deadlines at the dinner table, wondering about the kids’ forgotten football kit during a conference—the effect can be positive or negative.

Invading

Here the sense of disorder and the consequent loss of control become significant. The impingement of one sphere on the other might be physical or emotional. A loved one being rushed into hospital is an obvious example.

Overwhelming

Now imagine a loved one is diagnosed with a serious condition. Suddenly, the emotions associated with one domain completely overpower the other. All control is gone. Disorder dominates. There’s little hope of balance now.

Working more hours doesn’t equal increased productivity. It’s quite the contrary, actually. After approximately 50 hours a week, productivity starts to decline, because it limits your creativity and capabilities to produce maximum results. Your brain and your body need rest.

There are some things you can do to unplug, unwind, and learn to manage your work life balance:

Make realistic goals and let go of perfectionism.
Set clear priorities.
Set boundaries, learn to say no.
Create moments of stillness.
Connect with others (who are not your colleagues!).
Move around! Make time for a little exercise.
Don’t forget to do the things and hobbies that make you happy!

If it’s been tough and exhausting for you, and you simply don’t know what to do, seeking a professional might help. It’s okay to not have it all together, especially at times like this.

It’s almost that time of year again. The weather is changing, the temperatures are dropping, and the holidays are coming! Some people may look forward to the winter season, but some… not so much. Especially if you’re struggling with chronic pain. You might be familiar with people complaining of how the cold weather makes their pain worse. But, how does it happen? What’s the correlation between pain and cold weather? Well, there’s a valid explanation for that! These are the 3 ways how cold weather affects pain.

Our bodies are naturally trained to tell the brain that we are in danger or pain once it gets cold. It’s a form of protection, trying to keep us out of the weather conditions that could potentially harm us. So, when the colder weather hits, our bodies begin to store heat by pumping more blood to the vital organs in the center of the body, such as the heart and lungs, to ensure survival. Therefore, it causes the blood vessels in other areas to constrict and experience less blood flow. It leads to stiffness, discomfort, and pain—especially in the arms, legs, shoulders, and knees.

The cold changes the barometric pressure in the air as well. Barometric pressure (also called air pressure or atmospheric pressure) is the force or weight of the air surrounding us. Generally, a rise in barometric pressure is deemed an improvement in the weather, while a fall in barometric pressure usually means that the weather is deteriorating. When barometric pressure decreases, it means that there is less pressure against the body, and thus, allowing the soft tissues and joints to expand and swell in an attempt to get more oxygen. Even just a slight drop in barometric pressure can lead to increased nerve fiber sensitivity, causing joint pain and discomfort—which explains why people with arthritis can “predict” the rain or cold weather.

Lastly, cold weather means reduction of physical activities. People don’t feel like going outside as much as they usually do when it’s warmer. Less time spent outside, less exercising, less movement… all of this can make us feel worse. Why so? Because when we’re actively moving, the brain releases endorphins, hormones that escalate feelings of pleasure and reduce pain. Physical activities also improve blood flow to different areas of the body. So, the lack of it may result in declining strength and flexibility.

Does winter sound awful to you? Well, you shouldn’t dread it! You can still enjoy the season, because we’ve got some practical tips for you on how to ease this cold-induced pain and discomfort.

First, keep yourself warm, obviously. Take a warm shower, dress in layers, snuggle under your thick blanket, relax on your couch in front of your fireplace with a glass of hot chocolate… sounds pretty dreamy, doesn’t it?

Second, perhaps you could try a paraffin bath. It’s a small machine that melts paraffin wax. It works by dipping your hands and feet in, and then you let the wax harden on your skin. Afterwards, your body absorbs the heat, which may soothe achy joints.

And finally, one of the most important things to do is to move around and stay active. Do exercises that are gentle on your joints, such as swimming or yoga. Going for a jog is also a good idea, just make sure to stretch beforehand.

If you are looking for further treatment methods to ease your pain due to cold weather, Hope Clinic Care is your answer! Located in Scottsdale, AZ, you can get non-invasive and non-opioid treatment for your joint pain and any discomfort you experience here. With an over 93% success rate, Hope Clinic Care offers excellent treatment procedures that are 100% drug-free! Using verified hands-on techniques and dual modality devices, Hope Clinic Care provides solutions to relieve pain by facilitating your body to maximize its healing and repairing ability. No drugs needed, yet just as effective—if not more.

Don’t let this winter season make you feel helpless or defeated! Make an appointment now at www.hopecliniccare.com, or call (1) 480 659 5470.

What do Emma Stone, Joe Jonas, and Hailey Baldwin have in common? That’s right—they all were born in Arizona! Known as the Grand Canyon state, Arizona has a lot to offer. From the year-round sunny weather to the beautiful landscapes, Arizona is one of the best destinations to visit. It’s so mesmerizing that it even became the backdrop of The Road Runner Show (yes, your childhood animated TV series)! So, if you consider moving to and living in Arizona for a long time, and you’re still trying to find more reasons to be convinced, you come to the right place! Here are 4 things you should know about living in Arizona.

Summer (almost) never ends!

Arizona has over 300 sunny days in a year. It rarely rains, especially in Phoenix—accumulating an average of just eight inches per year. When it does rain, it happens only during a few large summer storms, which are called “monsoons.” Because of this, Arizona earned the nickname, “Valley of the Sun.”

If you like summer, or if you happen to be diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, Arizona is definitely for you. However, it’s important to stay hydrated and stock up on sunscreens. You can’t underestimate the heat! It can get cold during winter, but not as cold as anywhere else.

The Grand Canyon. What more there is to say?

Being a famous and enchanting place that attracts many tourists and visitors from all around the world, the Grand Canyon is an enormous canyon cut by the Colorado River in the high plateau region of northwestern Arizona. It was established as a national park in 1919, and it has over 6 million visitors annually today, making it the second-most visited US national park after the Great Smoky Mountains. Here, there are several things you can do: hiking, boating, stargazing, visiting a museum, camping… and simply enjoying life!

Arizona has diverse landscapes that are no less beautiful.

Aside from the Grand Canyon, the state is covered with mountains, rivers, and deserts, too. You can go for a hike in the Sonoran Desert, for example. Its beautiful geography, including Saguaro cacti, are dispersed throughout foothills and hillsides. In the winter, it is considered as the greenest desert in the world. You can also find the natural habitats of some interesting animal species, such as Gila monsters, bobcats, jackrabbits, and desert tortoises. Additionally, the rivers that flow through the state are perfect for fly fishing. Rivers like Salt River, Black River, and Oak Creek are spectacular places to escape Arizona’s heat, relax, and catch some fish for dinner.

Home of your favorite sports and entertainment.

Sports, biking, operas, museums, festivals, delicious food… you name it! Arizona has plenty of golf courses, football is the number one most-played sport in the state, hockey and basketball are popular here as well. Due to the sunny weather, open-air festivals are held every once in a while, which might attract younger people. If you’re into art or movies, you can find cinemas on each corner—theatres, museums, and operas as well. This state is also known for its fancy resorts and a wide range of restaurants from various cultures, so, whatever you want to do and eat, you’ll have it here!

Aren’t these good enough reasons to be living in Arizona? Other than the ones listed above, Arizona also has significant job opportunities and growth, followed by reasonable cost of living. The top employment sectors in the state are trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; leisure and hospitality; and a rapid rise in technology and financial services.

So, if you’re still wondering if living here is a great decision, the answer is: yes! You are always welcomed!

Can something that seems healthy also be toxic?

In this time and age, more and more people are promoting healthy lifestyles through various social media posts, including simple food recipes, exercises you can do at home, body transformations, and so on. Plenty of bloggers, Youtubers, Instagram influencers are sharing tips and tricks surrounding the world of fitness. It’s all good, right? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to share one’s fitness journey, and maybe motivate others to do the same…

…well, yes, until we look a little closer. Do you, consciously or unconsciously, believe that skinny equals healthy? Do you recognize that teenagers and children are becoming too aware of their bodies? Have you noticed that “weight loss” teas are circulating more than ever? Have you been forced or shamed into working out or even over-exercising?

The toxicity of fitness culture isn’t talked about often, but it may be closer to us than we think. The questions proposed earlier are only a few examples of it. Even so, before we dive deeper into that, let’s make it clear that: 1) eating healthy is important, 2) working out is encouraged, 3) wanting a toned body is perfectly fine.

So, what the fuss is about? What is “toxic fitness culture” anyway?

Basically, it revolves around habits, behaviors, and languages that promote and reinforce discriminative views (especially about fitness, healthy lifestyle, and human bodies) toward one or more groups of people; such as ableism and body shaming. To simplify it, toxicity in the world of fitness include:

The belief that being fit has a certain look.
Making “being ripped” as the sole purpose of working out.
Favoring outward appearance over overall health.
Gyms and personal trainers are not accommodating to the needs of people with disabilities.
Fitness spaces that are not accommodating to diverse body types and sizes.
Being shamed or bullied into dieting and working out.
Promotion of “weight loss” and “detox” products as the fast-track of losing weight.
Not listening to what your body truly needs.
Mindsets and behaviors that gradually cause eating disorders.
Over-exercising.
Personal trainers who aren’t certified dietitians giving diet advices.
Glorification and sexualization of certain body types.

Do you get the idea now? What seems to be promoting health and wellness can apparently bring more harm than good. A lot of people out there feel guilty for skipping one workout, others exercise to the point of exhaustion, some even choose to still hit the gym although they’re sick.

Furthermore, younger boys and girls are becoming more conscious of how they look. They’re comparing their bodies with what they see on Instagram. They begin developing insecurities, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders at such an early age. What makes it worse, several industries see this as business opportunities. They start making false claims about how their products can help you lose weight instantly. Whew!

So, how do we deal with it?

First, and maybe the hardest thing to do: love your body as it is! Every one of us has at least one thing about our bodies that we don’t like. But keep in mind that your body has done so much for you. Your beating heart keeps you alive, your legs help you move around, your stomach helps you digest your food. Treat your body as you would treat your best friend. 🙂

Second, learn to stop comparing yourself with others, especially the influencers or self-proclaimed fitness gurus you see on social media. Remember that people will always post their best sides, best angles, best pictures. They don’t show you the full reality, they might edit their photos, and sometimes, they don’t even know what they’re talking about. You may take some of their advices, but take them lightly.

Third, check your motivation. If you want to change your body in any way, that’s completely fine. However, it’s important to recognize the reasons why you want to do it. If you only focus on the outward appearance, you’ll get discouraged pretty quickly. Instead, shift your focus on the improvement of your mood, strength, stamina, and overall well-being.

Fourth, aim for progress, not perfection. News flash: perfection doesn’t exist, everyone! Pursue a healthy lifestyle at your own pace. Seek help and support if necessary. Also, don’t buy into the false promises of fast weight loss that many companies make. Those detox teas? Yeah, they don’t work.

Fifth, find what’s best for you. Not every exercise routine is suitable for you. What works for one person may not work for another. It’s okay to take your time exploring different choices until you figure out what works best for your body, and ways to ensure that you can enjoy and stay committed to it.

However, if you’re already too deep in this culture, if you have certain perception, mindset, and habits that do you more harm than good, you may want to consider seeking a professional to help with both your physical and mental health. You could try to find a good therapist and consult with a registered dietitian. In addition, if you have injured yourself in the past that you never quite got treatment for and are in constant pain, a consultation to Hope Clinic Care is highly recommended.

In Hope Clinic Care, you can get non-invasive and non-opioid treatment for your muscle strains and any other injuries. With an over 93% success rate, they offer excellent treatment procedures that are 100% drug-free! Using verified hands-on techniques and dual modality devices, Hope Clinic Care provides solutions to relieve pain by facilitating your body to maximize its healing and repairing ability. No drugs needed, yet just as effective—if not more. Before you know it, you’ll come back even stronger.

Love your body, take good care of it. Visit www.hopecliniccare.com.

At a first glance, driving a truck may not seem like a dangerous job—but that couldn’t be more wrong! Truck drivers are required to drive long miles, through any weather and road conditions for hours. The risks of being injured are high, and truckers often do not realize how serious their injuries are after experiencing accidents and collisions. You may not feel hurt immediately after they happened, but your injuries will impact you in the long run. So, truckers, here are the 3 most common injuries for truck drivers that you need to be aware of!

Strains, sprains, and fractures

The main job of truck drivers is to move heavy goods and materials from one place to another. Truck drivers are required to get loads on at one location, then get them off the truck at the delivery site. Truckers also need to work with their enormous vehicles, and they tend to sit in their vehicles for many hours. In the long run, this may affect their muscles badly, which is why they are prone to broken bones and overexertion injuries, such as back, neck, arms, and shoulders strains.

Slips and falls

Truckers are exposed to the injuries caused by slips and falls due to the various surfaces and sites they encounter while working. When it rains heavily, or when it’s snowing, the slippery surfaces may be hazardous to them. Not only that, truck drivers may also fall from elevated heights and platforms.

Vehicle-related injuries and road accidents

Among the 3 most common injuries for truck drivers, this one is no surprise. When you have to operate large vehicles and drive to far destinations with different kinds of terrains every single day, you are at risk of losing control of your vehicle and getting hurt in road accidents. Even the most alert driver can still get injured, especially when the weather is unpleasant and other drivers are driving carelessly.

Trucking is an important and notable occupation, yet it is physically demanding and labor-intensive. Without enough knowledge about the job and the risks, workers may get severely disadvantaged. One of the things that you should know is where to get treatment when injured. With muscle sprains and strains, Hope Clinic provides various and effective treatment methods that can help you overcome your injuries.

Located in Scottsdale, AZ, you can get non-invasive and non-opioid treatment for your injuries. With an over 93% success rate, Hope Clinic Care offers excellent treatment procedures that are 100% drug-free! Hope Clinic Care aims to provide solutions to relieve pain by facilitating your body to maximize its healing and repairing ability through verified hands-on techniques and dual modality devices. No drugs needed, yet just as effective—if not more.

Visit their website for more information at www.hopecliniccare.com.

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Make specific and realistic goals.

Take it one step at a time.

Replace “problematic” behaviors with positive ones.

Prepare useful responses when setbacks happen.

Surround yourself with a good support system.

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1) Keep things simple and delegate tasks. You don’t have to spend all of your time putting together an elaborate gathering. If you’re having a small gathering, ask your family and friends to help. Involve everyone and delegate the tasks.

2) Know your limits. Holiday invitations are often open-ended, allowing celebrations to last well into the night—but they don’t have to. And if you are dealing with chronic pain, they shouldn’t.

3) Seek support. Let your loved ones know if you need anything, or join a support group to help you cope. It’s so important for you to not deal with your struggles alone. With the right community, you will be able to overcome it and not lose hope.

4) Take breaks as much as you feel necessary. It’s okay to let go of certain traditions, go easy on your decorations, and withdraw from social gatherings and Christmas holiday activities to take a break. No celebration is fun enough if you’re hurting.

5) Plan a recovery day. Include resting into your schedule. You can also make appointments with a professional at Hope Clinic before or after the Christmas celebration to ease your pain!

Warming up prepares your body before committing a more intense workout routine, while cooling down helps the body to safely transition to a steady state of rest.

Warming up improves oxygen-efficiency, and cooling down speeds up your body’s recovery.

Warming up also prepares you mentally, and cooling down reduces Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

Now that you’ve learned of the 3 reasons why you shouldn’t skip warming up and cooling down before and after exercising, let’s move on to the simple warm up and cool down exercises that you can do!

Side lunges

Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

Take a wide step out to the left. Keep your right leg in its original position, and bend your left knee as you push your hips back. Make sure that both feet are flat on the ground throughout the lunge.

Pause briefly with your left knee over, but not beyond, your toes. Lift your hips and return your left foot to the starting position.

Repeat the same process with your right knee.

Do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps.

Dynamic stretching

Leg swings

Raise your right leg out to the side, balancing on your left foot.

Swing the right leg in front of the left, and then swing it back out to the side.

Complete three sets of 10 reps, and then repeat with the left leg.

Side bends

Stand straight and reach both arms straight up overhead as you inhale.

Lower your right arm down the right side of your body. Exhale as you lengthen the left arm over the head while bending your body gently to the right.

Inhale as you return both arms overhead to the center and exhale as you repeat on the left side.

Repeat for 10 times each side.

Jogging

Jog at a slow pace for 3-5 minutes.

Quad stretch

Stand and hold onto a wall for balance if needed.

Grab the top of the left foot and bend your knee while bringing the foot towards the glutes. Make sure that your knee points straight at the floor.

Squeeze your hips forward for a deeper stretch.

Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides, repeating one to three times per leg.

Now, it’s time to recognize the most common posture mistakes and break your bad habits!

Staying in one position for way too long

So, what is the solution? Fairly simple—move around and change your body’s position every 30 minutes. Do some stretching, walk around your apartment, maybe a little exercise… anything helps!

Fixating our gaze downward for too long

Slouching while sitting or standing

Sometimes, slouching does feel comfortable. But when we do it, it means we’re not engaging our core (abdominal) muscles to support our spine. If your belly pushes forward and your lower back pushes backward every time you sit or stand, it can lead to lower back issues.

Fix it by sitting or standing with your back straight and pulling your belly button in toward the lower spine to engage your abdominal muscles. However, refrain from doing it too much, because it may curve the lower spine backward.

Sleeping in a wrong position

Good posture is usually not the first thing that crosses our mind when we talk about health, but remember this: a bad posture and a good posture have one thing in common—it may change your life. So, give your posture a necessary fix!

In September 2021, the Hope Clinic Indonesia team gave their first trial treatment sessions to patients, who gave positive feedback and testimonies. Eventually, Hope Clinic Indonesia was ready to serve more people in October 2021 and held the grand opening ceremony in November 2021.

To do so, there are several levels of control we need to be aware of. If we’re not careful, it’s so easy to lose ourselves in the process.

Segmenting

Integrating

We sometimes try to amalgamate our “work” and “life” identities into a seamless whole. We have flexible boundaries—say, by working at home during school holidays. There can be an element of disruption, but it’s because we like it that way, and we still retain control.

Importing

When it suits us, we’re happy to import things from one sphere to another. It could be something as straightforward as talking about work at home or home at work. Crucially, in such instances we decide how much to give and when.

Seeping

This is where we start to lose control. We can’t stop the two worlds from entering each other’s orbit. Worrying about work deadlines at the dinner table, wondering about the kids’ forgotten football kit during a conference—the effect can be positive or negative.

Invading

Here the sense of disorder and the consequent loss of control become significant. The impingement of one sphere on the other might be physical or emotional. A loved one being rushed into hospital is an obvious example.

Overwhelming

Now imagine a loved one is diagnosed with a serious condition. Suddenly, the emotions associated with one domain completely overpower the other. All control is gone. Disorder dominates. There’s little hope of balance now.

Working more hours doesn’t equal increased productivity. It’s quite the contrary, actually. After approximately 50 hours a week, productivity starts to decline, because it limits your creativity and capabilities to produce maximum results. Your brain and your body need rest.

There are some things you can do to unplug, unwind, and learn to manage your work life balance:

Make realistic goals and let go of perfectionism.

Set clear priorities.

Set boundaries, learn to say no.

Create moments of stillness.

Connect with others (who are not your colleagues!).

Move around! Make time for a little exercise.

Don’t forget to do the things and hobbies that make you happy!

If it’s been tough and exhausting for you, and you simply don’t know what to do, seeking a professional might help. It’s okay to not have it all together, especially at times like this.

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Does winter sound awful to you? Well, you shouldn’t dread it! You can still enjoy the season, because we’ve got some practical tips for you on how to ease this cold-induced pain and discomfort.

First, keep yourself warm, obviously. Take a warm shower, dress in layers, snuggle under your thick blanket, relax on your couch in front of your fireplace with a glass of hot chocolate… sounds pretty dreamy, doesn’t it?

Second, perhaps you could try a paraffin bath. It’s a small machine that melts paraffin wax. It works by dipping your hands and feet in, and then you let the wax harden on your skin. Afterwards, your body absorbs the heat, which may soothe achy joints.

And finally, one of the most important things to do is to move around and stay active. Do exercises that are gentle on your joints, such as swimming or yoga. Going for a jog is also a good idea, just make sure to stretch beforehand.

Don’t let this winter season make you feel helpless or defeated! Make an appointment now at www.hopecliniccare.com, or call (1) 480 659 5470.

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Summer (almost) never ends!

If you like summer, or if you happen to be diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, Arizona is definitely for you. However, it’s important to stay hydrated and stock up on sunscreens. You can’t underestimate the heat! It can get cold during winter, but not as cold as anywhere else.

The Grand Canyon. What more there is to say?