Health | A People for His Name

"The Lower Crossed Syndrome"

October 8, 2011

This condition is the culprit behind most lower back problems, where herniated disks and sciatica most often occur. The hip flexors, spinal erectors, TFL, piriformis, and QLs are tight and overdeveloped, while the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and abdominal muscles are weak. (The hamstrings and adductors are also usually tight.) In this syndrome, the abdomen may protrude, the lower back arches, and one or both feet turn out. This posture places a great amount of stress on the disks in the lower back. As the abs get relatively weak, the QLs and hip flexors tighten and further stress the lower portion of the spine—until a simple twist or forward bend “pulls your back out”!

—Perfect Posture, 16

In Health

Better Vision through Progressive Relaxation

October 5, 2011

For several years now, I have been working on learning progressively how to relax muscles throughout my body. I have especially targeted all my eye muscles, both intrinsic and extrinsic.

In the last year or so, I have seen noticeable improvement in my nearsightedness. While it is still far from perfect much of the time, I have been having an increasing number of brief periods when my vision is almost as good without my glasses as it is with them. A few times, it has been even better than what it is with my glasses on.

For quite a few months now, I have consistently been doing without my glasses for long periods of time on Sundays and on Wednesday nights. Even though my vision has not been normal during many of those times, I am encouraged that it has been increasingly getting better for longer periods of time on these days.

Even with all my efforts to relax my eye muscles on various occasions, I am amazed at how much tension I still find in my eye muscles on a regular basis. As God allows, I hope to learn to be able to relieve all tension in my eyes readily.

My expectation is that when I am able to do so, my vision will be consistently near normal. Lord willing, I hope that one day soon it will be so and that He will see fit to answer my many prayers for my eyes to be healed fully.

In Health

“I Will Praise Thee” – Glorify God in Your Body!

September 11, 2011

I hope that this brief presentation will motivate you to glorify God in your body by praising Him for how wondrously He has created it:

In Discipleship, Health

Healed to Sin No More

July 25, 2011

Jesus healed a man who had suffered from an infirmity for 38 years (John 5:5). In their subsequent meeting in the temple, He challenged the man by saying, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee”(5:14).

The man had suffered greatly with a physical problem for a long time, yet Jesus exhorted him concerning his not sinning any longer. Prior to this statement, the passage does not say anything about the man’s having a sin problem. Why then did Jesus challenge him in the way that He did?

Interpreters differ on the meaning of Jesus’ words to the man. Blum holds that his sin did not cause his malady:

(Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you) does not mean that his paralysis was caused by any specific sin (cf. 9:3), though all disease and death come ultimately from sin. The warning was that his tragic life of 38 years was no comparison to the doom of hell. Jesus is interested not merely in healing a person’s body. Far more important is the healing of his soul from sin.

— BKC: NT, 290; bold in original

Carson argues for the opposite view concerning the man’s sinfulness having caused his condition but agrees about what Jesus was most concerned about:

But although suffering and illness have this deep, theological connection with sin in general, and although John elsewhere insists that a specific ailment is not necessarily the result of a specific sin (9:3), there is nothing in any of this that precludes the possibility that some ailments are the direct consequence of specific sins. And that is the most natural reading of this verse. . . . If so, it is just possible John is also telling us that the reason Jesus chose this invalid out of all the others who were waiting for the waters to be stirred, was precisely because his illness, and his alone, was tied to a specific sin. . . . The something worse must be final judgment (cf. v. 29).

—The Gospel According to John, PNTC, 246; bold words are in italics in the original

Regardless of which view we take to be correct, we should keep in mind that the passage teaches that this man was healed to sin no more. From this passage, we, therefore, should learn not to allow a legitimate concern for the healing of even serious physical suffering in people to keep us from being supremely concerned about their eternal destiny.

In Health, Interpretation, Quotes

Better Health through Using Selected Supplements

July 13, 2011

Over the years, I have studied a lot of information about health and fitness. I have generally been skeptical of what I have read about supplements that tout themselves as “miracle” cures for all kinds of different problems.

I have benefited from using the following supplements:

Flaxseed oil – helped me overcome digestive system problems that I was having a number of years ago

Vitamin B-12 – after doing a vast amount of research when I came down with Bell’s palsy, I used very high amounts of Vitamin B-12 to help treat my condition. God granted me a speedy recovery with minimal lasting damage.

Vitamin C + E + Antioxidants – I came across information several years ago that suggested increasing antioxidant intake shortly after hard exercise to decrease the soreness. I have been using this protocol for some time now and have found a dramatic decrease in the soreness that I experience after hard exercise or other strenuous physical activity.

Vitamin D – I read quite extensively about the benefits of increased intake of this vitamin before trying it to help me recover from upper respiratory conditions. I have found increased vitamin D intake to be of great value in dealing with colds, sore throats, etc.

In Health

Renewed Strength through Weight Training

July 12, 2011

I first began weight training in my late teens. Because I wanted to be an ice hockey player, I trained intensely for some time and received some encouraging benefits as a result.

Over the years, I have continued to weight train. I do not remember, however, ever quite attaining fully the same levels of strength that I had in my early 20s.

This year, I have been weight training consistently once or twice a week for much of the year. It has been very encouraging to see my strength levels on many exercises increase.

I praise God that He has given me renewed strength at such a high level that I am now approaching strength levels that I had in my early 20s in some exercises! The added strength has made some of my daily tasks easier, and I hope to add more strength still.

In Health

Better Health through Regular Stretching

July 11, 2011

I have been using stretching exercises for more than 30 years now. Over those years, I can attest to having benefited greatly from those exercises.

I have used a series of stretching exercises numerous times after long car and plane trips and other activities that have caused stiffness in much of my body. The relief and lessening of fatigue has often been dramatic after taking just 10 or so minutes to stretch out.

I once stepped off a curb unexpectedly because I was not paying attention to what I was doing. Although my back was twisted awkwardly, good flexibility in my hips, back, and trunk saved me from experiencing a potentially serious injury.

Similarly, I have stretched my back out carefully a number of times when it has been sore and received quick and lasting relief.

By regularly stretching my calves a few years ago, I recovered from an injury to my heel that had troubled me for some time.

Through a series of stretching exercises that I have done regularly for many years after hard exercise, I have been able to limit soreness after such activity.

Regular stretching is an inexpensive and highly effective way to better your health. I highly recommend such a program.

In Health

Better Health through Progressive Relaxation Techniques

July 8, 2011

I was first exposed to techniques of progressive relaxation in a required class for my undergraduate major in Fitness Instruction. Though I tried and tried to learn how to relax my muscles thoroughly, I did not quite become proficient enough in the class to earn an A for the class (I got a B+).

In the more than two decades since I took that class, my ability to relax muscles in various places of my body has increased immensely. Through intensive study and practice, I have acquired valuable proficiency in progressive relaxation that I am confident has helped me to be healthier than I would have been otherwise.

I used to have many colds when I was younger. Many years ago, I got bronchitis, and my doctor said that it would probably take weeks for me to get over the illness. In part through the relaxation techniques that I had learned, I was able to get over that illness in a week or so!

When I took voice lessons a number of years ago, I used what I had learned about relaxing muscles (and some other techniques) to attain a fair amount of ability to relax my jaw and throat muscles. As a result, I was able to improve my singing ability noticeably, especially my range.

Through learning to identify unnecessary tension in my eye muscles, I have seen a fair amount of improvement in my vision over the past couple years. Although my unaided vision is not such that I can do without my glasses completely, I am thankful for being able to do without them for greater periods.

Many years ago, I injured my right shoulder and neck by falling asleep with my right arm extended overhead. Apparently, the injury was caused, ironically, by some muscles relaxing in that position in such a manner that it damaged my shoulder and neck. I had to keep my arm in a sling for a few days after that happened.

I have tried for years to get the muscles in my neck and shoulders to relax properly with the hope that I might yet recover fully from the damage from that injury. Recently, praise God, I have experienced vast improvement in my ability to relax my neck, head, and shoulders, and that improvement has decreased the damage from that injury in a noticeable way!

I suffered a bout of Bell’s palsy a few years ago that caused some minor but lasting damage to the left side of my face, including my left eye. I am certain that the limited lasting damage to my face that I have had resulted in part through my being able to learn to relax muscles in my face that were affected by the palsy.

I thank God that in the past year or so, He has granted me more recovery from some of the damage from the Bell’s palsy by allowing me to relax some affected areas more thoroughly than I have ever been able to before. I hope that there may yet be more healing in the future.

Although learning progressive relaxation techniques is certainly not a cure-all, I can attest to much benefit that I have received from the skills that I have acquired over the years at relaxing many of the muscles of my body. I think that many people would experience similar improvements in their health through their learning and using progressive relaxation techniques.

In Health

Amazingly Quick Relief From a Bothersome Problem

June 30, 2011

Today, I had the unpleasant experience of going to the doctor to have wax buildup removed from both of my ears. The nurse had to use the cleaning device about twice as many times in my left ear as she did in my right ear.

When she was done, there was immediate relief in my right ear, but my left ear felt as if I now had an earplug in it. It actually felt worse than it did before the treatment.

For several hours, I had the same sensation. No matter how hard I tried to shake my head to force what I thought must be some left over water out of my left ear, I was not able to relieve the problem.

By late afternoon, I was quite concerned about my left ear. Providentially, I had to return to the same doctor’s office in the afternoon to take my mom for an appointment.

My nurse and doctor from the morning quickly worked me in to check out my ear. I found out that a little bit of water was right on my left eardrum. The doctor said to put 2-3 drops of a 50-50 solution of rubbing alcohol and vinegar in the ear to resolve the problem.

I did not have any vinegar at home, so I was not able to use the remedy until later in the evening when I borrowed some from a friend. Within a very brief time after putting the drops in my ear, I felt the problem dramatically resolve itself.

I am amazed at how effectively and quickly the vinegar and alcohol mixture took care of my ear problem. I think that this instance may have been one of the fastest cures that I have ever experienced for a bothersome health problem.

I thank God for a qualified physician who knew precisely what was needed to handle my problem. This experience seems to me to serve as an excellent illustration for a far more important truth in the spiritual realm: the wonderful effectiveness of our heeding the remedies for the problems of our soul that God, our great Physician, infallibly prescribes for us.

In Discipleship, Health

Christian Health/Fitness Quotes I

April 27, 2011

1. Charles Spurgeon on Deuteronomy 28:3b – “Blessed shalt thou be in the field”:

We go to the field to labor as father Adam did; and since the curse fell on the soil through the sin of Adam the first, it is a great comfort to find a blessing through Adam the second. We go to the field for exercise, and we are happy in the belief that the Lord will bless that exercise, and give us health, which we will use to His glory.

—Faith’s Check Book: A Devotional, 52

2. John A. Broadus on “The Maintenance of Physical Health”:

Again, to be a good channel of God’s message the preacher should give careful attention to his health. . . . The long hours in the study should be balanced by a careful diet and regular exercise.

—On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, 16

3. George Swinnock on Our Duty:

Thy duty is to exercise thyself to godliness in thy recreations; the Christian in his walking, as well as in his working, must be furthering his eternal weal. . . . I am confident that it is thy duty to keep thy body in the best plight and health, vigour, and liveliness that thou canst, for thy soul’s sake.

—Works of George Swinnock, 288-89

4. John Piper on Jonathan Edwards:

He maintained the rigor of his study schedule only with strict attention to diet and exercise. . . . In addition to watching his diet so as to maximize his mental powers, he also took heed to his need for exercise.

—God’s Passion for His Glory, 56

5. Jerry Bridges on “Honor God With Your Body”

Some are abusing their bodies through a constant lack of needed rest and recreation; others are allowing their bodies to become soft and flabby through no exercise at all. Both groups need to learn godly self-control of their bodies.

—The Practice of Godliness, 136

6. P. Johnson and L. Morris on Stewardship:

Some achieve high levels of fitness because they worship their bodies; others do so primarily to achieve the acclaim of man, and the rewards of this world. The condition of heart that promotes these purposes is certainly not pleasing or honoring to God.

—Physical Fitness and the Christian: Exercising Stewardship, 15

See also Christian Health/Fitness Quotes II, posted 3/7/13

See I Will Praise Thee for a motivating presentation of why we should glorify God in our bodies

See Maintain Your Body Wisely for a detailed explanation of what Scripture teaches about how we should serve God through maintaining our bodies wisely

In Discipleship, Health, Quotes

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