To help, we list ways to help you reduce pressure on your body while continuing to present your best self. What could be better, than looking younger AND feeling younger?
1. Low Quality Shoes
Shoes are one of the easiest ways to switch up your look. Going to a party after work? A pair of dressy heels does magic. The beach? Flip flops or boho wedges with a little pop of colour do the trick.
With so many choices out there, it’s not hard to want more footwear – especially if they’re on sale or sell for cheap. If you’ve been suffering from chronic heel, hip, or back pains and can’t figure out why, however, your shoe choices might be the cause.
Avoid shoes with poor arch support – especially flats and flip flops that have really thin soles. Overly thin soles reduce shock absorption and because such shoes do not bend the way your feet do, can throw postures out of whack.
Aside from pain arising from posture problems, you could also develop foot conditions like bunions – bony and potentially painful bumps at the base of your big toe. Your feet will become worn out and lose their youthful appearance before their time!
The solution? Reduce the extra pressure with stylish, orthopaedic footwear – or sole inserts that you can place into your favourite pair of ballerinas. These might be a bit more costly, but can last years if properly taken care of! Shoe retailers you can try include The Shoe Co.
2. Inadequate Support
Trying to squeeze yourself into your favourite pair of jeans that no longer quite fit, and determined to do so at all costs? You might succeed, but you do so at the cost of nerve compression, acid reflux, abdominal discomfort and heartburn. Besides, you would have another problem to deal with: muffin tops.
If you really want to wear those jeans and must wear them now, why not enlist the help of quality shapewear from brands such as D’Elegance?
Made especially for the Asian woman’s physique, using high quality and breathable fabrics, our pieces provide support and gently shape problematic areas to make them firmer.
With use, coupled with regular exercise and a healthy diet, your figure and body posture will improve over time. That’s a double win, if you ask us.
3. Heavy Jewelry
This doesn’t come as a surprise, probably – we all know how wearing chunky statement pieces can cause neck discomfort and headaches. Our bodies tilt forward and our neck muscles (the back ones) tense to compensate for their weight.
The stiffness that results can make us feel slow and tired – and feeling achy and stiff all the time.
Try swapping out a few of your chunkier pieces of lightweight accessories made of materials such as silk scarves or felt. You’ll look stylish, but not at the cost of your health.
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/452119250085577186/
4. Ill-fitting undergarments
Many women think that finding a well-fitting bra is a myth, so they’ve learnt to live with the issues that plague them every day — problems such as digging straps, uncomfortable underwire, and baggy cups.
While these feel like minor annoyances, they really shouldn’t be disregarded. Digging straps alone can lead to deep grooves in your shoulders, as well as headaches and even nerve problems!
The best way to avoid this is to get properly fitted for bras that suit your breast shape and size. Don’t make the mistake of wearing your favourite bras even when they’re raggedy and overstretched, either: ideally, they should be swapped out every 6-9 months.
Bonus: Avoid Having A Pain In The Neck
Okay, this doesn’t have anything to do with what you wear, but is something to pay attention to if you’re constantly on your phone (and wearing heavy neck jewellery).
Are you bending your neck forward excessively to peer at your phone screens?
This puts you at heavy risk for what is known as “text neck”, a term used to describe a type of repetitive stress injury. According to physiotherapist Stuart McClymont, the extra force exerted on your muscles when your head leaves an upright posture can go up to 6 times the norm!
Continued text neck can cause long term effects such as slipped discs and even early arthritis.
If you’re starting to worry, fret not: there are simple exercises you can do to help, at home or even at your office desk. Taking hourly breaks will also help greatly!
As we age, our bodies do too. If we aren’t careful, we accelerate this process with what we choose to wear. It’s never too late to improve, however, so why not make some style changes today?
Looking good starts from the very basics – and that requires us to take care of our body and minimise the stress we put upon it, consciously or otherwise. As the adage goes, “a stitch in time saves nine”, so let’s take good care of our bodies for a more relaxed and healthier lifestyle!