My name is Dr. Katie Harris and I have a been an associate Chiropractor with Worthington Optimal Wellness for 7 years. My passion is to educate and help others reach their wellness potential with a holistic approach.
Since the beginning of Covid, I cannot tell you how many patients have asked me how they can be healthier while working. Let’s be honest. Covid, for a lot of us, was like our freshman year of college and added “the freshman 15” and then some. In my practice, I saw this combined with more low back and neck pain caused by poor posture than I had ever seen before. With people heading back into the office in 2022, there are 3 facets of life Americans can be concentrating on in order to get and/or stay healthy in the workplace: ergonomics, nutrition and exercise.
Now, everyone in America knows that we are not a “healthy” nation when it comes to diet and exercise. But what if I told you that poor ergonomics can be just a detrimental to your health. I educate my patients daily on the importance of looking at your workstation and making sure it is promoting good health through proper ergonomics. Sitting at a desk all day hunched over will not only cause back and neck pain, but it is a massive stressor to your nervous system. This “poor posture” does not allow your brain to communicate to your body and your body to your brain. Our bodies are designed to stand and walk, not sit for 8 hours a day. What does this mean? TAKE BREAKS! Research shows an increase of productivity in the workplace with more breaks. Ten-minute breaks, a few times a day, can really help your body re-balance and get you back to working more efficiently. Don’t just use that time to check emails or social media. STAND UP, MOVE AROUND, get away from your computer and phone!
Proper exercise and nutrition are, of course, more difficult habits to create. What I recommend is finding a system that works for you. Too many Americans try to fit a diet or exercise program that just doesn’t fit into their busy life and then they get discourage when they fail. Proper exercise and nutrition take work, but it also takes leniency. Of course, it’s convenient to stop at a fast-food place while you’re out, this is ok, as long as it’s not your daily routine. Preparing for the week is key to sticking to a healthier eating lifestyle. Packing healthy options for snacking or simply packing a lunch everyday can be a simple change that makes a huge difference. Scheduling a convenient time for the gym is also important. Looking at the week ahead, decide what days and time you are going to exercise and commit to it. Even if you just start with walking more, this will make a huge impact on your health.
The simplest way to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle is to increase your water intake! Everyone should be drinking half their body weight in ounces of water daily. Even more water should be added if you drink caffeine and/or workout.
In my office, we are passionate about educating our community. We offer educational talks and ergonomic assessments to anyone who is in need. You can learn more by visiting our website.