Know Your Spine

Your spine is part of your central nervous system and is houses nerves that connect most of your body to your brain. The spine is also the primary structure that allow movement of the appendicular skeleton while supporting the body and organs. The spine consists of  24 total vertebrae- 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, and 5 lumbar vertebrae and extends from the base of the head to the sacrum. The spine itself moves in four basic directions:
1. Flexion
2. Extension
3. Rotation
4. Lateral Flexion
Unfortunately people don't use their spine much these days. Sitting in cars and office chairs will create an unhealthy spine. There is an old Chinese saying "You are only as young as your spine".

Proper stretching and Yoga are important supplements to an inflexible lifestyle (such as tv watching, car driving, and office typing). We were all meant to be mobile flexible hunter/gatherers, but now we aren't, so we must use exercise and flexibility training to mimic the lifestyle of our ancestors to keep us in good physical condition.

So when you stretch, think of your spine. It bends forward, it bends backward, it rotates, and it bends to the sides. It is a great goal of fitness to keep your spine strong and working in a good range of motion.

One thing is certain- Your spine is far more important than your phone bill, shining the rims on your car, sending money to an already wealthy tv evangelist, or whether or not your clothes have a wrinkle in them. Prioritize. What on Earth is more important than your brain and spine?

HERE is a site all about the spine.