A fit and healthy back despite the Pesach cleaning

With Pesach approaching many will be spending long hours cleaning floors, shifting crockery, and wiping down surfaces. All these activities put a strain on the back and if done incorrectly may lead to damage.

A bit of anatomy:
The spine consists of many little bones called vertebrae, shaped according to the job they have to perform. Between each vertebra is a disc. Discs are similar in structure to jelly donuts - an outer shell made of tough cartilage, surrounding a fluid called the nucleus pulposis. Discs consist surprisingly of 90 % water yet they are able to resist enormous amounts of stress and strain. Finally the spine is packed together with ligaments and muscles, giving it strength and flexibility.

Damage to the spine:
Damage can occur to any of the structures listed above. To avoid injuring the back one should follow some basic steps.

Avoid bending and twisting simultaneously as one might do whilst cleaning a bath, making a bed or loading a suitcase into the back of a car. It multiplies the stress through the spine and typically causes a slipped disc at the worst, and a muscular tear at best.

When lifting or lowering a weight, bend your knees while squatting and let the strong muscles of your legs do the work not the small muscles of your back.

Keep the weight of what you are carrying close to the body. If you are moving pots and plates from shelf to shelf try to hold the weight close to you. The further away the weight is from the body's center of gravity the more effort is required of the muscles and more risk of injury.

Try to avoid stooping for long periods such as leaning over the sink to wash dishes or over the kitchen table. Try and get into the habit of transmitting your body weight onto the table or basin as this relieves stress from the back muscles which will otherwise fatigue and give pain.

Stop:
Stop and think about what you are about to do. Injuries often occur because of rushed activity; behaving in a way unsuitable for the body and eventually causing strain.

Rest:
As muscles fatigue they become less efficient and less protective. Pushing oneself beyond fatigue will eventually take its toll. Breaks should be taken after 45 minutes of work. I advise lying on one's back on a carpeted floor or on a towel, knees bent at 90 degrees with calf muscles resting on a chair or sofa. Place a telephone book under the head. Rest arms on the belly, no distractions other than music. This allows the spine to return to neutral and the surrounding muscles to relax. Stay in this position for approximately 12 minutes – it is a great way to revive one's energy.

Haman was hung over Purim. Don't let it happen to you.....

It's that time of year when most people will be drinking until they don't know the difference between Mordechai and Haman. We all know how easy it is to consume copious amounts of alcohol and know how regretful it can sometimes be the morning after.

A hangover is a term used to describe the uncomfortable combination of symptoms that follow after the body has undergone a bout of heavy drinking. Symptoms usually include headache, nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to light and noise and dryness of mouth. These symptoms normally begin some hours after the drinking has stopped. The intensity of the symptoms varies according to the amount one drinks, the kind of beverage consumed and the regularity with which one normally drinks.

Let's try and understand the physiological basis for a hangover. Alcohol has the effect of increasing the amount of urine produced. The medical term for this is that alcohol is a diuretic. Since it is not uncommon for a person to also vomit and sweat when drunk one can understand why a person may suffer from mild dehydration after an alcohol binge resulting in headache and physical discomfort.

Alcohol has the direct effect of causing inflammation of the intestine and stomach (gastritis) and this is especially true with beverages with high alcohol content. This may explain the feeling of nausea associated with drinking.

The type of beverage that you drink will also affect the intensity of the hangover. As well as alcohol, beverages contain a substance called congeners produced in the fermenting process and which give a drink its taste and smell and contributes to the drink's intoxicating effect. Drinks that are pure ethanol such as vodka or gin result in less of a hangover than drinks that contain large quantities of congeners like whisky or red wine.

Treatment for hangover

Hangovers normally last between 8-24 hours but there is a way to limit the intensity of a hangover.
* Don't get drunk quickly. Drink small quantities at one time.
* Consume drinks with pure alcohol – vodka or gin.
* Consume fruits or fruit-juices to stabilize your glucose levels.
* Eat bland foods like toast or crackers (complex carbohydrates) to stabilize glucose levels.
* Rehydrate with water


In summary, a hangover is difficult to prevent in the event that one is going to get totally sloshed but the best one can hope for is damage control. Stick to one type of drink, drink in small amounts, and make sure that one is not drinking on an empty stomach., that way not only Purim will be enjoyable but so will the morning after.