| How to Straighten Your Back Posted: 16 Sep 2016 05:00 PM PDT A curved or hunched back can cause painful problems that will get worse over time. Doing your best to keep your back straight will help mitigate worsening symptoms as you get older. EditRecognizing Signs of Bad Posture - Know what good posture looks like. The first step to improving your posture is simply knowing what to look for in yourself. Make sure your shoulders are back, your stomach is in, and your chest is out. Stand sideways in a mirror and see if you can draw a straight line from your earlobe down through your shoulder, hip, knee, and ending at the middle of your ankle.
- Head and neck: Make sure that your head extends straight up from your shoulders. Many people tend to lean their head forward. If your ears line up with the front of your chest, you need to pull your head back.[1]
- Shoulders, arms, and hands: Your arms and hands should fall on the side of your body. If so, your shoulders are exhibiting good posture. If your arms fall towards the front of your chest, then pull your shoulders back.[2]
- Hips: Find a happy middle position between rolling your hips far forward or backward.[3]
- Recognize pain and discomfort. The most obvious sign of bad posture is back, shoulder, and neck pain. Poor posture causes your chest muscles to tighten, which forces your upper back muscles to compensate. This results in weaker back muscles in general, which produces pain and discomfort. Since all of your muscles work together, when one muscle set isn't functioning properly, the others are affected.[4]
- Not all people with poor posture feel pain or discomfort. Our bodies are fairly capable of adjusting and compensating.
- See if you have "over-pronated" feet. This is when the arch of your foot is almost completely flat. It is also often called a "fallen arch". Our feet are the lowest balancing mechanism of our bodies. If you have poor posture, you are forcing your feet to work harder to maintain balance. This causes your feet to gradually "flatten" so as to provide a sturdier foundation. If you improve your posture, your weight should rest nearly entirely on top of your heels, freeing up the remainder of your foot to have an arch.[5]
- While "fallen arches" are themselves a sign of poor posture, you may also experience pain in your feet, ankle, calf, knee, hip, and lower leg area in general.[6]
- Evaluate your mood. A study conducted at San Francisco State University asked students to walk down a hall in a slouched position or to stand upright and skip. The slouchers reported increased feelings of depression and general lethargy. While this may seem strange, think about it. Your body language often indicates your mood in general.You sit crouched in a corner with your arms crossed when you are angry or sad. You perk up when you are happy. So why can't your moods tell you something about your body posture? If you've been down in the dumps, consider improving your posture.[7]
EditImprove your Posture - Remind yourself to stand up straight. Set your phone or computer to alert you to check your posture. Place notes for yourself around your house, car, and office. Sometimes all it takes to keep good posture is constant reminders and reinforcement. You need to reprogram your habits just as much as you need to strengthen your back muscles.[8]
- Practice Yoga. Yoga is specifically good for improving your posture. Some of the best exercises include:
 - The cobra. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Make sure you point your fingers forward. Then, keeping your elbows close to your sides, try to touch your shoulder blades together. Be sure to stabilize your back by tightening your abdominal muscles. Then, slowly lift your chest to the ceiling, making sure to keep your neck long. Use your arms for support, but your back muscles to pull you up. Hold for 10 breaths, then lower yourself. Repeat 3 times. [9]
- Child's pose: Stand on your knees with your arms above your head. Palms should be facing each other. Then, exhale and slowly move forward. Lower your forehead to the floor and stretch your arms out in front of you, pressing your palms into the floor. Hold, and then return to the starting position. Repeat six times. [10]
- Mountain Pose. Stand straight with your feet on the ground, heels slightly apart. Be sure your weight is evenly distributed between your two feet. Lift the insides of your ankles so that your feet seem cupped. Then, extend your shoulder blades and try to touch them. Slowly release. Finally, raise your arms to the ceiling and gaze forward.[11]
- Do other exercises and stretches to improve your posture. These techniques should specifically focus on your abdominal and back muscles as these are the muscles that will help support your spine. [12]
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pretend you're holding a ball between your shoulder blades.Try to squeeze the ball by bringing your shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 seconds. This will help stretch the front of your shoulders, which will likely be tight from poor posture.
- Roll your shoulders. Roll one shoulder forwards, upwards, backwards, then back down. Imagine that you are sliding your shoulder blade down your spine. Then, repeat on the other side. This will help settle your shoulders farther back than they usually settle.
- Stretch your chest. Find a rolled up towel or piece of fabric and stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Grip the fabric so that it is taut and your hands are also shoulder width apart. Inhale and lift your arms to shoulder height. Then, exhale and pull your arms up and back as far as you can. Hold for two inhales and exhales, then lower your arms and repeat.[13]
EditMake Adjustments in your Daily Life - Choose an appropriate bag. Choose a purse, book bag, or backpack that will help evenly distribute weight throughout your back. Choose something that has broad, padded straps that can be positioned on both shoulders. [14]
- Choose supportive shoes. Consistently wearing high heels or flimsy slip ons will put extra strain on your back. Look for shoes with a supportive sole, square toes, and a less than one inch heel. Larger heals force more of your weight forward, which will encourage you to slouch or to overcorrect, which is equally bad for your back.[15]
- Learn how to sit at your desk. Your feet should touch the floor, your back should be straight, and your neck should be in a neutral position. This will help alleviate back pain as well as straighten your back. You can also buy ergonomic chairs that will encourage you to sit up straight in order to be comfortable. [16]
- Adjust your sleeping habits. Consider sleeping on your side, with your hips flexed about 30˚. Bend your knees at about 30˚ as well. Finally, move your neck slightly forward on the pillow to help elongate your spine.
- If you sleep on your back, consider putting a pillow under your knees and a rolled towel under your back. This will help relieve pressure on the back, alleviating back pain and encouraging back lengthening.
- If you sleep on your side, consider putting a pillow in between your knees to help keep your hips aligned.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach. Sleeping face down puts unnecessary strain on the spine, and can lead to spinal degradation. It can also lead to chronic neck pain and lower back pain in the future.[17]
- Practice proper lifting techniques. Lifting and carrying heavy objects incorrectly can lead to serious back pain. If you consistently do lots of heavy lifting, consider wearing a back support belt, which will help you maintain good posture while lifting. In addition, be sure to maintain proper form:
- Bend at the knees, not the waist. Your leg and stomach muscles are designed to help you carry and lift things, but your back muscles are not. When you go to lift something, be sure to bend completely at the knees instead of bending over to avoid straining your lower back.
- Keep the objects close to your chest. The closer the object is to your chest, the less work your back will have to do to hold it up. [18]
EditSeeing a Professional - Visit your doctor. If you have a severely curved back or spine and you find it difficult to stand up straight, consider talking to your doctor. You may have scoliosis or a number of other spinal-related issues.Your doctor may ask you to wear a back brace. Only in the most extreme cases will the doctor recommend spinal surgery. There are many other methods of improving back pain.[19]
- See an egoscue practitioner. Egoscue professionals specialize in posture therapy. He will focus on your symptoms (if any), your posture, your gait, and a range of other issues. He'll teach you how to stretch your back — focusing on your problem areas. He'll then create an exercise and stretching regiment that you can do at home.[20]
- Most of these exercises will be geared towards increasing your range of motion in your hips and elongating your spine, releasing any tension compacted along your spinal column.[21]
- If your problem is less severe, consider just working with a personal trainer. Tell your trainer that you want to focus on those muscles that lead to better posture (primarily your lateral muscles). They'll show you sets of general exercises and stretches to improve your posture.[22]
- Consult a chiropractor. He'll take a series of x-ray images of your back and spine. Afterwards, he'll be able to measure the exact curvature of your spine to indicate if you have a serious issue. Your chiropractor may also be able to examine your individual vertebrae for malformations, slips, or misalignments. Many of these issues can be treated in office, but if your chiropractor discovers a more serious issue, he'll refer to you a specialist.[23]
- Get regular massages. Stress and constant tension can lead to tight back muscles, and therefore a hunched back. If you lead a stressful life, consider working regular massages into your daily life.[24]
- Alternatively, sitting in a massage chair regularly will relieve stress, but it won't be able to give you the specialized tension in those areas that require it most like a trained masseuse would be able to do.
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| How to Tame a Cockatiel Posted: 16 Sep 2016 09:00 AM PDT Tame cockatiels can be great fun for petting, playing, or even dancing to music, but it can take some time and effort to get to that point. When taming cockatiels, it's important to proceed slowly, training him or her in short sessions and in a quiet area. If your cockatiel is young, you are likely to have more luck and move faster in training. EditSocializing a Cockatiel - Stay quiet and unobtrusive around a new cockatiel. Do not attempt begin taming until it has spent a few weeks getting accustomed to its new environment. Keep the cockatiel in a quiet, calm area.
- Talk to the cockatiel from outside the cage. You may say anything you like, as long as your voice stays calm, without sudden changes in volume. Also try to speak softly, not loudly. Lower yourself to just above the cockatiel's eye level if you are taller than its cage, putting yourself in a less threatening position without appearing submissive. Keep this up for a few days before you make any attempt to train the bird.
- Make sure your bird is comfortable with you. At some point, now that your bird is used to the sound of your voice, he or she will begin to move toward you when you sit down to talk to your cockatiel. At this point, you can begin to train your bird, but only very slowly.[1]
- Offer the cockatiel a treat. A spray of millet is commonly used to train cockatiels, since the birds are typically enthusiastic about the food, but you may use any cockatiel-appropriate food in small amounts. Hold it through the bars of the cage, but not directly at its face. This encourages the bird to make its way toward you voluntarily. Keep it steady as the bird pecks once or twice, or let it peck for up to five seconds when it demonstrates unusually good behavior.[2]
- Only use the spray of millet, or whichever treat you chose, as a treat. The cockatiel may be less motivated for training if it can eat the same food without working for it.
- Repeat this routine daily. Each day, set aside some time to talk to the cockatiel, keep your hand steady near the bird, then give it a treat if it calms down. Spend no more than 10 or 15 minutes per session, one or two times a day, to avoid making cockatiel anxious. At the end of each session, make the cockatiel move closer to your hand before it can get the treat.
- Even if a young bird is willing to play with you and appears happy, keep these sessions to no more than 15 minutes, as a young bird needs to return to its cage to eat and rest frequently.
EditTeaching Your Cockatiel to Step Up - Open the cage only when the cockatiel is comfortable. Once the bird is comfortable around you, it will stay calm as you approach it, and may even eat the treat directly from your hand. This may take weeks or months for an adult bird that is not used to close human interaction. Once you've reached this stage, you may convince the cockatiel to leave its cage, although some older birds that did not grow up socialized may not voluntarily do this.
- Make sure all windows and doors in the room are closed, and no other pets are present, before you open the cage.
- Continue moving your hand closer during training sessions. Once the bird will approach you and eat from your hand, start approaching it in a similar way with an empty hand, extending two fingers horizontally. Hold the hand in position until the bird calms down, rewarding a bird with a treat if the cockatiel remains calm. Again, keep these sessions to 10 or 15 minutes, once or twice each day.
- Get the bird to step onto your finger. Eventually, move your hand directly to the bird's perch, or touch its feet. Once you can keep your hand there without agitating the bird, gently push the bird's lower chest with your fingers. A light nudge should be enough to slightly knock the cockatiel off balance, and cause it to step on your finger with one foot.
- Encourage the behavior. Each time the bird starts to step up, say a short command such as "step up" or "up." Praise the bird and give it a small treat when it does this. Praise again when bird steps with both feet. Keep training sessions to a few minutes at a time, making sure to always end on a positive note.
- The cockatiel may use its beak to test the stability of your finger. Try not to jerk your hand away when the beak touches your finger.
- Teach the cockatiel to step down and ladder. Once the bird will step onto your finger on command, teach it to "step down" onto another perch using the same method.[3] Reinforce these behaviors by teaching it to "ladder," or repeat the "step up" command from your left hand to your right and back again.[4] Train the bird to perform these movements daily, until it will do so on command without a treat.
- You do not need a special command for laddering. Repeat the "step up" command instead.
EditTraining for Other Tricks - Consider clicker training. As the training gets more complicated, your bird may have trouble figuring out why you are giving it a treat. Try using a "clicker," or make a distinct, short sound by tapping a pen, each time the bird displays good behavior. This gets the bird's attention while you fetch a treat. Once the bird is well trained, you can use just the sound of the clicker or pen as a reward, but until then the treat is still a vital part of the training.
- A clicker or other distinct sound is recommended over a verbal command, because it sounds the same each time and is unlikely to be encountered outside of training.
- Continue using clicker training for additional tricks. Clicker training remains an excellent tool for training pets. Whenever you start teaching the cockatiel a new command, use a clicker or make a distinctive noise by tapping a pen at the moment it shows good behavior. Fetch a treat immediately afterward, and continue daily training until the cockatiel will respond to the command with just the clicker as a reward.
- Teach the cockatiel to be comfortable in a towel. If the cockatiel is comfortable outside its cage, put it on a white or beige towel on floor each day during its training session. Gradually bring up the corners of the towel, but stop if the bird struggles. Repeat the process each day, rewarding the bird when it stays calm, until you can fully enclose the cockatiel in the towel.[5] This training will make it much easier to bring your cockatiel to the vet, or remove it from a dangerous situation.
- Teach the cockatiel to talk. Repeat a phrase a few times, with an animated facial expression and tone, at a time when the cockatiel is relaxed and happy. If the cockatiel looks at you and demonstrates a reaction, such as cocking its head or dilating its pupils, it may be interested in that word. Repeat that word frequently, but stop if the cockatiel gets bored. When it attempts to mimic you, reward it with a treat.[6]
- Male cockatiels can make more sounds than females, since they use more complex calls to attract mates. Female cockatiels can still talk, but the voice may not be as clear.
- Most cockatiels can talk around eight months of age, although you can attempt to teach them as young as four months if the bird appears interested.[7] It can be harder to train an adult bird not used to speaking.
- Encourage the bird to whistle and dance. While watching the cockatiel, bob your head or rock your finger back and forth to music with a steady beat. When it starts to rock back and forth, reward it with a clicker and a treat. As you continue this training, and find music that gets the cockatiel's attention, it may sway more energetically and raise its wings while doing so.[8] Similarly, whistling during these dance sessions may encourage the cockatiel to make sounds of its own.
EditDealing with Biting - Try not to react when bitten. If the cockatiel bites you, try to keep your reaction to a minimum. Jerking away violently, responding loudly, or ending the taming session can encourage the bird to bite again. This can be difficult to avoid due to the painful bite, so try to avoid serious bites in the first place by leaving the cockatiel alone when it is hissing, when it has fully extended its head crest, or when its crest is flattened against its head.[9]
- Wear thick gardening gloves if biting is a recurring problem.
- Don't try to punish the cockatiel. Cockatiels do not typically understand what you are doing when you attempt to punish them. They may enjoy it when you shout at them, return them to their cage, or otherwise react to bad behavior. Focus on praising the cockatiel during good behavior instead, or use mild forms of punishment such as ignoring the bird, or gently withdrawing the jewelry it is nibbling.[10]
- Only pet the cockatiel if it remains calm. Many cockatiels will only let you pet their crest or beak, and some dislike any form of petting. Pet slowly, and withdraw slowly if the bird hisses, nips at you, or flattens its crest.
- Train the bird in a quiet area with just the two of you around, to minimize distractions.
- Cockatiels test things that catch their interest by using their beak and tongue. If the cockatiel's crest is half-raised, and the beak is exploring rather than pinching shut, the behavior is likely a sign of curiosity, not hostility.[11]
- Never grab the bird forcefully, especially from behind. Cockatiels are capable of turning around to bite you.
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| How to Cook Asparagus Posted: 16 Sep 2016 01:00 AM PDT Fresh asparagus, packed full of potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C, is a nutritious complement to nearly any meal. It tastes best gently cooked to preserve its light, fresh taste and a hint of crunch. For a full understanding of the capacity of asparagus, try cooking it in a variety of ways to find the method that fits your taste. EditPrepping Asparagus - Choose thick or thin spears. Thin asparagus cook quickly and tend to have a crisp exterior and soft center, while thick asparagus take a bit longer to cook and have a bulkier texture. Either type of asparagus is excellent no matter how you cook it, with the main difference being the final texture. Just be sure to choose asparagus that's fresh, green and firm - not floppy or discolored - when you're picking it out at the market.
- Thick asparagus often has a slightly woodier stem, which you may want to peel before cooking. To peel an asparagus, just take a vegetable peeler and lightly stroke it from the middle of the asparagus to the base.
- Thin asparagus is a good choice for use in salads or stir fries.
- Wash fresh asparagus under cool running water. Asparagus is grown in sand, so it might have some sandy residue left in the cracks and crevices. Hold it under running water for a few moments. If sand is hiding in the tips, fill a large bowl with cool water, then dunk the asparagus in the water until the sand is removed.
- Break off the ends. The base of the asparagus is tough and woody, and not very tasty when it's cooked. The easiest way to figure out how much to take off is to feel it by hand. Hold each asparagus spear with two hands and gently bend it until you feel the spot where it gives, then break the spear. Discard the tough, white end.
- If you don't have the time to break each spear, place the bunch of asparagus on a cutting board and chop off about from the bottom of the spears.
- If you choose to peel the asparagus, just chop about off of the ends.
EditBlanching, Steaming or Boiling - Blanch the asparagus. This is a common way to quickly cook asparagus to perfection and serve it cold in salads or as a luncheon side dish. If you'd prefer to serve the asparagus warm, skip the ice water bath. Here's how to blanch asparagus:
- Boil a large pot of water and 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Place the asparagus in the water and let it cook for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes.
- Test an asparagus spear for doneness - it should still be crispy, not limp.
- If you wish, plunge the asparagus in a bowl of ice water to cool it down.[1]
- Steam asparagus in a vegetable steamer basket. For a quick, flavorful side dish, steaming is the way to go. it preserves the asparagus' nutrients and crisp texture.
- Place about of water in a saucepan, and place a steamer basket in the pan.
- Heat the water to a boil.
- Break the asparagus into lengths that easily fit in the steamer.
- Place the asparagus into the basket, cover and steam for 5 to 7 minutes, until they're bright green and still crisp.
- Boil asparagus. This is an easy way to cook asparagus, but you have to be careful not to overcook the spears. They can quickly become limp and mushy if you aren't careful.
- Place a few inches of water and 2 teaspoons salt in a saucepan.
- Bring the water to a full boil.
- Place the asparagus spears in the boiling water.
- Once the water returns to a boil, cook for 5 minutes.
- If you wish, use a microwave-safe cooking dish to boil asparagus in the microwave. Fill the cooking dish with 1/4 cup water, then add the spears and place the lid on the dish. Cook the asparagus on your microwave oven's high power setting for 3 minutes, then open the door and stir. Finish cooking until the spears are just barely tender, about 3 to 4 more minutes.
EditSautéing - Cut the asparagus or leave the spears whole. If you want to make a stir fry, slice the spears into 1 to 2-inch pieces for stir-fry, making the cuts diagonally.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Place about 1 tablespoon of oil or butter in a saucepan, and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Add the asparagus to the pan. Carefully place the asparagus in the pan. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir-fry it until it's tender, about 3 to 6 minutes. The asparagus is ready when it's bright green with a few charred spots.
- If you're making a stir fry, add other vegetables to the pan at the same time. Carrots, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms are all delicious served in a stir fry with asparagus.
- Season the asparagus. Sauteed asparagus is delectable with lemon juice and butter drizzled over the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the oven is completely preheated before you put the asparagus inside - otherwise they'll steam instead of roasting.
- Place the asparagus spears on a baking sheet. Arrange them in a single layer so that they'll cook evenly.
- Drizzle olive oil over the spears. The oil will help the asparagus stay crisp. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the spears on the baking sheet.
- If you'd like to ensure the spears get evenly coated, you can toss them with the olive oil in a bowl, then arrange them on the baking sheet.
- Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over the asparagus spears. To take the dish up a notch, grate some Parmesan cheese over the asparagus, too.
- Roast for 12 minutes. Place the asparagus in the oven and roast it for 12 minutes, until it turns bright green and appears charred in a few places. Take care not to overcook it, as it will quickly burn if left in the oven for too long.
- Enjoy!
- An herb butter is delicious on asparagus prepared any way. To make a simple herb butter, place 1 tbsp. of boiling water in a small bowl. Stir in about 1/2 tsp. (2.5 g) of your favorite dry herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, basil or tarragon. Add 4 tbsp. (60 g) softened butter and stir to mix.
- Purchase firm asparagus spears with tightly closed tips. Fresh asparagus is deep green, and doesn't appear wilted or soft.
- To store asparagus, wrap a moist paper towel loosely around the bottom of the asparagus. Place the asparagus in a plastic bag, then store in the vegetable drawer in your refrigerator. Asparagus has the best flavor if used within 3 days after purchase.
- To make asparagus salad, combine 1 lb. (0.5 kg) of cooked, cooled asparagus with a sliced tomato and a small, thinly sliced onion. Toss the asparagus salad with oil and vinegar, or use your favorite Italian salad dressing. Chill, then serve cold.
EditThings You'll Need - Large bowl
- Saucepan
- Vegetable steamer basket
- Microwave-safe cooking dish with lid
- Knife
- Wok or skillet
- Cooking oil
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