by Don on January 31, 2010
Livermore is happening in the downtown resturants and bars!
Last night I had the opportunity to meet with friends at Eddie Papa’s American Hangout on First Street in downtown Livermore. The place was packed as we had to wait about 45 minutes for a table but time flew by as we enjoyed cocktails and conversation at the bar. As no surprise, I bumped into a couple of patients of mine that I had not seen in a while in my office who were also enjoying the ambiance and food and drinks of this newer restaurant in Livermore.
After dinner, we slipped in next door to the newest lounge in Livermore called Sanctuary Ultra Lounge. I was so pleased with the warm soft couches, large flat screen televisions and friendly service. Again, we bumped into old friends and Don’s former clients of Lifestyle Fitness. As we were enjoying conversations, beverages and their chocolate cake I realized that Livermore downtown was thriving and people were supporting the businesses of downtown. It was great to see the enjoyment seemed to be having.
The night didn’t end at Sanctuary, we couldn’t say no to our friends who wanted to enjoy the music and dancing across the street at Sapphire Restaurant and Lounge. The vibrant club-like atmosphere was already going by 10pm! People were on the dance floor busting out their moves and once again, we bumped into some friends. This restaurant/lounge/club is not only beautifully decorated, but they also had a great DJ and a band that keep the crowd entertained.
As a business owner of downtown Livermore and member of the community for 5 years now, I was pleased to see all the many faces enjoying the great businesses of downtown Livermore.
by Dr. Haque on January 24, 2010
Neck Pain Relief in 5 easy steps
Living in our world of computers, every day stress and the too often rear-ends that take place on our freeways, it is no shock that neck pain is the most common complaint I hear as a Chiropractor in Livermore. Most American’s will suffer from some type of neck pain or injury sometime in the course of their life.
Neck pain can really affect your life as it affects your range of motion, can cause headaches and can even cause pain to radiate into the shoulders and sometimes into the arms and hands. Many cases of neck pain can be resolved easily before it becomes a full-blown problem by these five easy steps:
- Stretch your neck regularly-Adding some easy range of motion stretches to your daily routine can make the difference in stiff muscles and neck injuries. I recommend waking up and stretching for a couple of minutes in the morning and stretching half way through your work day especially if you are sitting in front of a computer for more than 3 hours. For some easy stretches check out www.stretching.com .
- Use the right pillow- A supportive pillow is crucial to protect the life of your neck and to prevent bad posture and arthritis. Our neck has a natural C-shaped curve that should be supported by a curved pillow. Not only will it aid in posture but it can be preventative in neck pain and injuries.
- Don’t ever sleep on your stomach-This position is the one of the worst for both your neck and lower back. Sleeping on your stomach puts too much rotation and pressure on the neck muscles and therefore the nerves. If you already have a habit of sleeping on your stomach, force yourself to start off on your back or side and place pillows around you to help block you from rolling over onto your stomach. It can take weeks for you to break the habit but don’t give up!
- Practice safe posture-Sitting too far forward in the car, at your desk and watching television all adds up on reducing the normal curve of your neck which will then add too much stress to the neck and upper back. Catch yourself when you are in bad posture and stretch for a minute. Then focus on keeping perfect posture (head back and shoulders back) so that you can begin to correct the problem.
- Visit your chiropractor-Just like going to your dentist on a regular basis to keep healthy teeth and gums, seeing a Chiropractor will keep your spine and joints lasting longer and help avoid crisis neck pain and injuries. Most often when pain strikes the underlying condition has been there for quite some time. Don’t wait until it’s hard to turn your neck, get your spine and joints examined regularly so that you can keep moving and living your active life.
For more information on preventing neck pain and neck pain relief, email me at drhaque [at] haquechiropractic [dot] com
