Killer Bags, Killer Posture

Are You Willing to "Break Your Back" for that Oversized Bag?

Ah...the always fashionable, super practical, fabulously gorgeous, oversized bags. What on earth would we ever do without them?   

Seriously. They work so hard for us busy women- they hold our yoga wear for our favorite pre-work workout, they file away papers, graphs and chats for our super-sized client presentations, they loyally keep our cosmetics and accessories for tonight’s date (with the cute guy we met last week from the coffee shop)…not to mention guarding our wallet, mobile phones, blackberrys, makeup, ginormous key chains, large water bottles, moisturizers and nail files...you know...juuuust in case.  

I know. Little hearts are coming out my eyes too.  I love, love, love them! 

Nothing really quite finishes off an outfit like a great bag.

However, we would be totally doing ourselves, and our beautiful bags a favor by critically looking at what we really need on a day-to-day basis.

Your slouchy bag isn’t going to look so slouchy and gorgeous if you are beating the crap out it and loading it up with non-essentials every day. Think of how stretched out and worn your heels would look if you wore thick, wooly socks with them all the time. The same applies for the bags. The more we stuff them and have to lug around heavy things, the faster they wear out. 

Chances are your bag-du-jour cost you a pretty penny anyway, so you might as well take care of it so it will work for you for years.  After all, isn’t that what fashion is about? Collecting great pieces over time?

Think of this article as insurance for your bags. 

What I am essentially getting at here is we need to lighten the load we carry every day. Lets start with a few visuals on what the heavy bag is doing to our posture:

KILLER POSTURE: EXHIBIT A

Crazy, right??

I am totally resisting the urge to deepen my voice and say: This is your back. This is your back with a grotesquely heavy bag. Any questions?!

Let's draw our attention to a few fun points in this x-ray:

-the blaringly obvious massive adaptation curve through the mid back (right around the ribs)

-the uneven shoulders (what is interesting to note here is the side with the heavy bag is higher than the side without anything)

-the (mildly) uneven hips

-the level and straight head

Peculiar that last point, no? 

Lets put it this way – your head is always going to attempt to be level and straight. So, in this picture, this poor bag-loving fashionista has a completely uneven back, along with uneven hips and shoulders, but her head will always be level.

Why this is important is symmetry.  If you can imagine the muscles of our fashionista’s spine here, her left side is going to have shorter muscles in her neck and her right side is going to be longer.  Over time, this can lead to super fun things like headaches, neck pain, eye pain, spinal subluxations…and let’s not forget the crappy posture!

KILLER POSTURE: EXHIBIT B

This. Is. Not. Attractive. At. All.

You do not want your muscles to learn posture like this. This posture says defeated, depressed, sad, overwhelmed, dejected, incompetent, lazy...the list goes on. 

When we think about projecting our best image, and having people perceive us in a certain light - they will always look at the total package. 

Looking like you have given up and that you don't even bother to stand straight anymore...well...draw your own conclusions on your success rate from that!

The good news is that there is a 2-part solution to bad posture that really works. The first part is changing your habits.  We will cover that here.

The second part is exercise. The 2nd part of this solution is *conveniently* the subject of my next article "Killer Exercises for Killer Posture". 

Ok. So now that you see what literally too-much-junk-in-the slouchy-bag-trunk can do… there are a few habits you can (and must) form to make your relationship with your bag a long lasting, loving one:

Dr. Stephanie’s Slouchy or Oversized Bag Habits:

1. Wear your bag on the right side if you are right-handed, on the left if you are left-handed.

This may seem like a funny one, but we have naturally uneven shoulders, depending on our handedness. What that means is that it is usually the case that your right shoulder is lower (if you are right handed), or your left shoulder is lower (if you are left-handed)

Without even realizing it, you are probably adding to this uneven-ness by constantly wearing your bag on your non-dominant side (i.e.-the side that is already higher!).

Switch it up!

2. Unpack your bag every night. 

Buy a gorgeous tray. Put it in your front hallway. Every night, take out your wallet, keys, papers, phones, everything. So now you have the bonus of never losing your keys again, * and * you will become aware of what is essential and what is not essential for your daily life. 

Same moisturizer coming in and out of the bag every night and you are not using it?  Chuck it.      

Half-drunk water bottle? Toss it or downsize. 

3. Wear the strap around your forearm…or your hand.

Keeping the weight away from strong muscles in our upper body that love to shrug and hunch us over (I’m talking to you trapezius and pectorals) will reduce the stress on the spine.

The key here is hold the bag as close as you can to your body. The further away you hold it, the more your spine will have to bend to compensate (think of the x-ray) and your muscles will have to asymmetrically shorten.

4. See a chiropractor.

Shameless self-promotion – I know, I know…but this is a total no-brainer! Chiropractors know how to keep your spine healthy and make sure you don’t develop bad postural habits over time.    

As they say, that’s our bag, baby.

The Tale of The Fabulous Stiletto-Wearing, Bunioned and Deformed-Toe Diva

There once was a girl who loved her shoes...

Not just any shoes, but gorgeous, sky-high stilettos. Black ones, brown ones, satin ones, tall ones! Everywhere she went, you could be sure she would do it in her heels. 

However, she did have one thing she wasn’t so particularly in love with: her constantly aching, slightly crooked feet. You see, this girl and her stilettos went to important soirees, went for drinks with the girls, and did all their shopping together. In reality, she was abusing her feet without even realizing it. 

For years, she forced her feet into 6-inch stilettos, bought the wrong-sized, latest heels (convincing herself she could deal with the slightly smaller shoe), and all but forgot about her toes; with the exception of pedicure day.

Does this sound like someone you know…or maybe even…you?  

Don’t worry…I know and completely love girls like you. You work hard, you multi-task, take care of everyone else’s problems (from your girlfriends to your absent-minded boss), and you somehow manage to fit it all in and be fabulous...except for one thing: your feet are killing you. All.The.Time.

Familiar, right?

This is where I come in. I want to educate and help you modify what you are doing with your feet. We will discuss treatment remedies you can implement to keep your feet (and therefore the rest of your skeleton) happy.

I’m a woman. I completely get it.  Big heel = big impact. However, there are some things you can do, even while wearing stilettos, that will reduce the damage to your toes and feet:

Dr. Stephanie’s Stiletto Rules:

1. The higher the heel, the higher the front platform should be. 

Take the Yves St. Laurent "Tribute" or the Christian Louboutin "Roland" for example:
 

These shoes have an elevated front platform, which essentially reduces the relative toe-to-heel elevation. What this means is every time you take a step, your arches won’t collapse as much (the clinical term for this is pronation), because the relative angle of the foot is reduced. Less pronation means happier feet.

2.  Opt for a less severe point. 

Rounded toes are the preferred shoe here, but if you have to have a point, opt for a rounder point.  The pointier the shoe, the less room the toes have to wiggle around and move, which is essential for walking and balance.

3. Buy a half-size to a size up from your regular size. 

If you are planning to be on your feet for a prolonged period of time (e.g. dancing, or even at the office), your feet will love you more if you give them some breathing room. There is a tendency for feet to swell when we are on them for prolonged periods, and that bit of extra wiggle room from the larger shoe size will reduce the pressure the shoe will exert on the swollen foot.

4. Wear medical-gradient compression stockings.

These are not the saggy ‘support’ hosiery you see little old ladies in. These are sleek knee-highed or thigh-high stockings that help your veins and lymphatic system draw excess fluid up from your lower limbs. They are totally comfortable and look exactly like regular nylons.

Bonus: they also prevent varicose veins from forming, reduce leg fatigue, reduce foot and ankle swelling and make your legs look amazing. A must for the pregnant woman. 

 

5. Get custom orthotics designed for heels.

We should be wearing orthotics in most, if not all, our shoes. They reduce the impact of walking while simultaneously correcting our walking patterns. Heels are no exception ladies! You can get a custom orthotic designed to fit the stiletto of your choice (your chiropractor can measure and size the orthotic so that is slimmer and doesn’t create as much bulk inside the shoe). This way you can wear your shoes and know you are getting the support that your feet need.  

So there you have it. Some simple, super easy tips to implement while simultaneously loving your stilettos and your feet. If you are interested in finding out more about medical-gradient stockings, or orthotics, I am certified to custom fit for both of them, or I can direct you to a chiropractor in your area who offers similar services.  

Happy Walking!

Hi!!!!!!!!

Ahhhh the first post.  Nothing quite like it, right?  I have,
let's see, oh, about a thousand different ideas and topics I want to
just spring into - but first...the very important introduction...

This blog is
going to be *the* go-to source for all things that are fabulous *and*
related to your health.  Yes, the two worlds can and do co-exist!  I am going to make it possible.

I will be sharing with you topics like:

• how to live in your stilettos and not completely ruin your feet                                                       


• ways you can have great posture and have your over-sized slouchy day bags too                     


• fabulous recipes packed with super-foods for entertaining                                                            


• what are the chairs for your supporting your spine that are also architecturally stunning 

It is fashion & style meets health & fitness. It is going to be fabulous.

You can live a fulfilling, healthy and balanced life without having to be a health nazi about it.  In fact, this blog is going to help make you look effortlessly healthy, balanced and together. 

You will never hear from me that you can't buy
that pair of heels you have been lusting after.  You can (and must).

You might have to make a
few modifications to make them work - but I will never tell you to wear frumpy shoes, that the only approved carrying device is a back pack, or if you eat bread you have failed your diet.

My specialty is in the details.  I
have an extensive knowledge base from my training as a
chiropractor, acupuncturist, and fitness competitor.  I have lived in
big cities (New York, London, Toronto and Montreal to name a few) all my life and absolutely know and understand what women and men have to balance to live a full life.  I totally (totally) get it.

I think what sets me, and what I am trying to do here,apart from other approaches, is that I
am a young, ambitious, career-driven, modern woman.  But... I also adore my heels, bags, friends, dinners, and wine. I live a super healthy life -in my stilettos, slouchy bags, and have carbohydrates on a regular basis. 

So can you.

Dr. Stephanie

xo