Day 181 - positive attitudes are contagious.

When people believe in themselves they have the first secret 

of success.  


Do you suffer from shoulder pain?  It may be your fabulous purse that is causing pain in your shoulder! 

If you know me....YOU KNOW I LOVE MY PURSES!!!   My friend Karyn and I are purse junkies....we can't help ourselves....  

Since June 2012,  I have been doing a lot of rehab on my shoulder because my left shoulder was so sore and my range of motion was NIL.     After intense shoulder rehab with my trainer and doing exercises on my own,  I can finally say that my left shoulder is as strong as my right shoulder. 

Reduce Aches and Pains

Do you have back, neck and shoulder pain? You could blame your uncomfortable office chair, the work you did in the garden over the weekend or maybe even bad posture, but health experts warn that your purse may be the real culprit. Everything from the size to the strap—and the way you’re carrying it—could be wreaking havoc on your body. But pretty doesn’t have to mean painful. Here’s how to choose the right bag and wear it in the most ergonomic way possible.

Go with Wider Straps

No matter what the brand—Coach or Kmart—the most ergonomic bags have wider straps, says Lynn Kerew, DC, MPh, a Los Angeles–based chiropractor. “They distribute the weight of the bag more evenly over more surface area of the shoulder, reducing the overall stress,” she says. While the overall strap size of Coach’s Parker Linen Lurex Swingpack bag isn’t enormous, it does have a leather pad that attaches at the shoulder for extra comfort and support.

Do Neck and Shoulder Exercises

Peter K., MS, PT, a health coach in New York City, says you can prevent the damage bags can have on your body by strengthening key muscle groups that help “counteract the effects of poor posture and incorrect bag holding.” He suggests doing shoulder rows. Here’s how: Stand tall and reach your arms straight out in front of you. Then, pull them back like you’re rowing a boat. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your chin slightly. Repeat 10 times for each arm.

Rethink the Fanny Pack

The early 1990s accessory infamously known as the fanny pack is slowly making a comeback. Health experts say this resurrected fashion item could be the most ergonomic tote ever. It’s small, so you’re forced to carry less. And, even if you were to pack it to the brim, the weight is evenly distributed along your midsection, allowing your core muscles to do the heavy lifting, not your back and shoulders. Check out the, dare we say, cute Frieda waist bag from LeSportsac

Lighten Your Load

Eric Plasker, DC, a Marietta, Georgia–based chiropractor, says that most women carry way more than they need in their purses and all that extra weight can cause significant strain on the body over time. “Clean out your purse frequently and store unused credit cards, pill bottles, receipts, makeup, keys and change at home,” says Dr. Plasker. Step on the scale while holding your bag, then weigh yourself without it. “I would suggest the bag weigh no more than 2.5 pounds,” says Garland, Texas–based physician Jane Sadler, MD.

Switch Things Up

Most women have a favorite purse-carrying position, whether it’s over the shoulder or on the arm. But don’t play favorites, says Odenton, Maryland–based chiropractor Tom Hyland Robertson, DC. “Try to switch shoulders regularly—every five minutes or so—to even out the load and not cut off circulation to the arms,” he says. Susan E. Mead, MH, author of Take Back Your Body, recommends, “When you’re out shopping, try switching shoulders or the strap position every time you enter or leave a store. It will help even things out.”

Give Your Purse a Little TLC

If you love the look of your bag but find the strap really uncomfortable, try this DIY trick from Paul Brady, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulders at Tennessee Orthopedic Clinics in Knoxville. “At most large retail stores you can find special car strap pads for infant car seats,” he says. “They are wonderful to wrap around a purse strap to help cushion it on the shoulder.”

Consider a Backpack

If you have bag-related shoulder pain, it might actually show! “One of the first things I see when a new client approaches me is whether one shoulder is higher than the other,” says Cary Raffle, MS, a New York City–based personal trainer. “This is a telltale sign that the person is carrying a bag on that shoulder.” If persistent shoulder pain has become a problem, consider a backpack, says Raffle—just make sure it’s a small one that you don’t pack too heavy. The Microfiber Healthy Back Bag from AmeriBag is cute and comfy.  

Carry Your Bag Across Your Body

When it comes to the right way to wear your bag, the key is to keep it near your body. Dr. Robertson says, “I recommend keeping the bulky part of the bag as close to your body as possible,” noting that “the farther out the weight goes, the greater the pressure on the shoulder and on the lowest disc in the lumbar spine.” Look for a bag that can be worn across your body, but make sure the strap isn’t too long. “The longer the strap, the more it will pull against the shoulder,” he cautions. 

Wear Good Shoes

If you must lug a huge bag and fill it to the brim, then at least support your body with the right shoes. It can make a big difference, says Jeannette Anderson, DC, a New York–based chiropractor. Flimsy sandals or flip flops will leave you in “double trouble for spine and joint health,” she says. The best shoes to wear when carrying a large load are rubber-soled numbers. 

SOURCE: Pain-Free Purse-Carrying Pointers at WomansDay.com - Woman's Day

Delicious recipe from Pink Lady Apples today- Honey Dried Pink Lady Crisps.

 

You’ll love these delicious, honey coated slices of dried apple. They are simply divine especially when you need a sugar hit with the honey and natural sweetness of Pink Lady apples working together – avoid the chocolate bar and head straight for the apple crisps!

Serves 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus cooling

2 tbsp runny honey

2 Pink Lady apples, unpeeled

1.Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/fan oven 140°C.

2. Warm the honey in a small saucepan over a low heat until runny.

3. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the apples into rounds about 3 mm thick.

4.Discard any pips (leave the core) then arrange on a wire rack placed over a
baking tray. 5. Brush one side with half of the honey.

6. Bake the apples for 15 minutes, turn over and brush the other side with the
remaining honey.

7. Bake or another 10–15 minutes or until light golden and crisp.

8. Lay out the apples on a sheet of baking parchment and leave to cool.

· A good alternative to crisps or chocolate bars for

anyone watching their weight or fat, saturated fat and salt intake

· Go easy on the honey to keep the sugar content in check