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The Secrets of Proper Posture

By C S Lewis

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Published: 28Oct2009
Word count: 671
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My dad was a US Marine; I guess that might be part of the reason why he regularly reminded me to stand up straight. In fact, when I told him I actually preferred to slouch a little, he informed me that I looked unprofessional and lazy. He was, and is, still right, but he forgot to mention one thing. Maintaining proper posture not only makes us look good, but it also assists with our body's functional processes. Standing erect allows the body to operate more effectively, like a complex machine. By holding the body in the correct alignment, we can more efficiently carry out our daily tasks because proper posture assists in effective functioning of vital organs. There are a few simple posture-fixing tricks that if applied in your life can help you change any poor, slouching habits you may currently have. These quick fixes are a great way to remedy your posture when you are sitting, walking or standing.

When you are sitting in a meeting, in the car, or at a table or desk, pretend you are on a plane in take-off mode. That will get you sitting up straight. We all know what it feels like to have the flight attendant politely remind us to take our chairs out of the recline mode and sit up straight while the plane lifts off. Who knew that extra quarter-inch you were reclined could impact the ability of the commercial aircraft to take-off? Regardless of whether or not airplane seats actually "recline" like we are accustomed to, sitting in an upright position will help our spine and nervous system function as well as increase our capacity to focus. The next time you are in a boring meeting or class, think about sitting up straight and you will force yourself to stay more alert. It is actually pretty amazing how much more efficient you feel when you sit up straight.

Walk with pride when you stroll to and from places. I was in a fashion show when I was 14 years old and I will never forget how the professional models taught me to walk. "Pretend a rope is tied around your hips and you are being pulled from the center, a few inches below the belly button," they said. Give it a try, next time you are walking, let your hips lead your body. Your shoulder blades will naturally go up-and-back, your eyes will be looking straight ahead, and you definitely cannot slouch forward when you walk this way. Walking with proper posture looks fabulous and is a great way to burn a few extra calories as well as increase your walking speed.

When simply standing, there are a few different standards that should be used to evaluate proper posture. When you look at yourself in the mirror, make sure your shoulders and hips are level, parallel to the ground. The head should also be centered between the shoulders. The arms need to hang in a comfortable position, sort of relaxed, with the first finger and thumb pointing forward. The knees should basically point straight forward while the feet will normally have a slight turn out-wards. Turn sideways and look at your profile; you should be able to imagine a straight line from the ceiling to the floor that would go straight through your ear, the middle of the shoulder, center of the hip, barely behind the center of the knee and finally down to the ankle bone.

So whether it is at work, school, on a casual walk, or just standing around, making minor adjustments to your posture can take only a few seconds. The majority of these few moments are taken by the mental decision to actually fix a poor habit. Becoming aware of poor posture is half the battle of fixing it; so once you realize you need to adjust your posture, increase your professional image, assist your body in its functionality and burn a few extra calories, be proud of this acknowledgement and then, "Stand up straight!"

Courtney Lewis is the manager of the bath and body workshop where you can learn how bath and body products work. Follow the link to learn more about her most recent venture, the bath body gift sets store, Sweetly You.

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