Recently I’ve been experiencing some lower back pain and soreness. In this I am not unlike many millions of Americans, who also experience lower back pain. Since I am a judo teacher by trade, taking care of my body is extremely important. I believe that the natural condition of the human body is to be strong and healthy, so I am interested only in what works in the most effective way without damaging side effects on other parts of the body.
I have found deep tissue massage and acupuncture to be extremely effective. If you want a recommendation just ask, I know plenty of good people. The only problem with massage and acupuncture is that they are by nature temporary. It’s a fix – something is not working correctly, so you go and get it fixed. For ongoing maintenance, you have to take care of yourself, just like you walk your dog or change the oil in your car. In my personal experience taking care of my own body and working with people over the years, I found the following the most important aspects of self-care.
- Stretching
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- Breathing
All these four methods directly reduce systemic inflammation. Stretching and sleep are fairly self explanatory. Nutrition is an area where there is lots of disagreement, but you have to find a way to eat that agrees with your body. Breathing is the method that you can try for free, right now, anytime of the day, no matter where you are. You have to breathe all the time anyway, so it might as well help you.
There are many methods of breathing and breathing exercises. The one that helps me the most is the Wim Hof method, which is explained in the video (also available anywhere you get podcasts). I find it to be extremely simple and direct, and I recommend you give it a try!
