I recently received a press release that caught my attention. The subject line was “Get a Perfect Brazilian Butt.” (Well, wouldn’t that have gotten your attention?) As I read the release, I imagined myself dancing the salsa at next year’s Carnival, shaking my perfect posterior while wearing a skimpy costume that barely covers my Brazilian wax as my hair flies sexily, thanks to my recent Brazilian hair straightening treatment. (Yes, I have a wild imagination but you have to admit that we are enamored of all things Brazilian, especially when it comes to beauty. Thank you Gisele Bundchen and your ilk for influencing the tastes of a nation.) I couldn’t wait to get my hands on that book …
Several days later, a book titled 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back written by pain expert Esther Gokhale, arrived at my door. Huh? Did I get the wrong book? I combed through the pages to find the information about how to get a Brazilian butt. The glossy pages were filled with a plethora of beautiful color photos of indigenous people and clear illustrations of exercises with a step-by-step plan to eliminate back pain forever. A side benefit of Gokhale’s method is the transformation of a saggy rear end into a perfectly round Brazilian butt. I read on …
Gokhale offers simple (but not always easy) techniques to achieve a healthy posture. Gokhale, who suffered from a bad back and had unsuccessful surgery to correct it, grew up in India and traveled extensively. She found that back pain is common for people in industrialized societies but is often an anomaly for those living in, for example, the villages of Burkina Faso, Africa – despite commonly accepted reasons for back pain including aging, a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight and stress. By studying people who live in the villages of India, Portugal and Africa, Gokhale developed the theory that back pain is actually a cultural phenomenon that stems from bad posture. She observed that in small towns, ancient body wisdom is passed down from generation to generation. People learn how to walk, carry babies and sit using good posture. The book is loaded with illustrated exercises that are designed to strengthen muscles to encourage good posture. And, says Gokhale, what we know about good posture is often incorrect. In fact, according to Gokhale the majority of Americans have misconceptions about proper posture, including the following myths:
• Myth #1 – Stand up straight: How many times have you heard this or said it yourself to your children? According to Gokhale, standing up straight is usually accompanied by muscle tension and distortion of the spine. It quickly leads to discomfort and fatigue, causing most of us to return to slouching.
• Myth #2 – Tuck your pelvis under to protect the back: Um, under what? Nearly everyone from fitness instructors and dance teachers to medical professionals makes the mistake of recommending a tucked pelvis. However, this is discordant with our natural structure; anteverting (tipping) the pelvis preserves the natural shape and protects from disc damage.
• Myth #3 – Keep your chin up and your chest out: Not only does this create tension, it exaggerates the cervical and lumbar curves, hindering circulation to these areas and potentially pinching nerve roots.
• Myth #4 – Good posture takes mental and physical effort: The body wants to heal – and good posture feels good. As you practice new movements, they will become increasingly natural to your body. You also do not need to be young, strong, flexible or physically fit to have good posture.
• Myth #5 – It’s too late to change my posture: I’m counting on this one being dead wrong. Gokhale says the body is resilient and adaptable and that it’s never too late to change your posture.
Besides what seems like logical good advice, scientific evidence to back up her theories and the aforementioned beautiful photographs, the book is filled with testimonials from people of all ages and walks of life who attest to the success of Gokhale’s techniques. She lays out, in easy to follow steps, the proper way to walk, sit, stand and even sleep for good posture that will eliminate pain and lead to a healthy back.
I’m going to heed Gokhale’s advice, learn her techniques to protect my back – and I’ll see you next year in Rio where I’ll be happily – and painlessly – shaking my perfect Brazilian butt! Ola!
8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back is available at egwellness.com for $24.95 or from Amazon.com.
