Stretches that can Help Sciatica

Symptoms of Sciatica Include Pain, Weakness & Numbness in the Leg and Foot

Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the leg and/or foot.  It is caused by injury or pressure on the sciatic nerve.  The most common pressure occurs from tightness of the piriformis muscle, which runs across the buttock to the outer hip.  Stretching this muscle help reduce and prevent the sciatic symptoms.

Knee To Opposite Shoulder Stretch can Help Sciatica

Lie face up on your back with both knee straight, bring your knee up toward your chest, grab the upper shin with both hands and slowly pull it further toward chest.  When you feel the slight stretch in the buttock, exhale, and pull it toward the opposite shoulder.  Hold it for 30 seconds, return to the starting point and repeat with the opposite leg.

You can perform this stretch while sitting on the chair or while standing with your back against the wall. 

Dr. Bui

Food Pryamid Gets a Facelift

New Food Pyramid Shaped as a Plate Makes Choosing Healthy Meals Easier

The new food pyramid, called MyPlate, was introduced to show people how a typical meal should look.  Fruits and vegetables contain important nutrients such as fiber and potassium that help reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. 

Whole grains should be consumed, allowing the food to be broken down slowly while preventing sharp spikes in blood glucose while also helping to lower cholesterol.  Protein sources should consist of lean meats including at least 8 oz of fish per week. Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D are some of the reasons that having dairy at each meal is very beneficial.

The new MyPlate also shows the proper portion size when compared to your standard dinner plate.  This differs from the food pyramids of the past that gave recommendations as to how many servings one should consume from each individual food group with no attention paid to portion size.