As a busy mom I always have a pain in the neck. At first I thought it was the kids driving me crazy. Then I realized there were many possible causes including poor posture, arthritis and muscle strain from doing things like picking up my kids in a clumsy way.

Sometimes neck ain can be serious especially if there is a severe headache, loss of balance, blurred vision, trouble swallowing, numbness in arms or a severe headache accompanying it. It can mean you have actually had a stroke so pay attention.

To prevent neck pain you should always warm up before and after sports, gardening or doing anything strenuous at all. I have started doing that just before I do housework as even that can be quite strenuous.

While at the computer I now remember to get up and stretch every now and then. I also work on my posture both seated and standing to keep my spine aligned naturally. A happy spine equals a happy neck. I have also invested in a designer ergonomic keyboard and desk and chair to help myself.

Another tip is to drink water to keep the disks of your spine hydrated. A lack of water can actually cause the disks to compress. This can get you in trouble and make you feel very crippled. Back pain in the lower back is related to neck pain in this way.

You can also prevent discomfort by avoiding cradling a phone in the crook of your shoulder, falling asleep on the arm of the sofa and sleeping on thin pillows that provide no neck support.

Of course the worst is picking up that screaming, kid in the crook of your hip and cradling the phone in the crook of your neck. That is hideous for your posture. You should also avoid NOT bending your knees when picking something up as this can strain your neck as well as your arms and spine!

Just one more tip – try to avoid wearing flip flops. They can hurt your back even more! I know that summer is over but some of us still wear them around the house. Apparently they can cause spinal alignments that can really hurt your neck.

If you do end up being in a lot of pain you might want to try an over the counter muscle relaxant, taking some yoga classes or just simply try rubbing a mentholated rub like Tiger Balm. Just be sure that you do not get it into your eyes!

If you’re wondering where those extra pounds are coming from it could be that treat you grabbed with this morning’s cup of java. Yes, they’re delicious, but many of the snacks you’ll find at the higher end coffee shops and other fast food restaurants have more calories than you think. In fact the foods with the highest fat might even look like the most natural choices.

For instance, if you go to Starbucks you might be deciding between the Blueberry Scone and the Double Fudge mini doughnut. Believe it or not the Double Fudge Mini Doughnut only has 130 calories and 8grams of fat compared to the 470 calories and 25 grams of fat in the Blueberry Scone!

At Tim Horton’s you are better off to choose the Strawberry Yogurt rather than just one Sour Cream Glazed Cake Tidbit. The yogurt has 140 Calories and 2.5 grams fat while the Timbit has 90 calorie with 4.5 grams fat. And can anyone ever eat just ONE Timbit?

At McDonald’s you might think having a Carrot Muffin instead of a Vanilla Cone makes sense. Wrong! The Vanilla one is only 230 calories with 7 gram of fat while the carrot muffin is 430 calories with 16 grams of fat.

At a Coffee Time outlet it is better for you to choose the Almond Hazelnut Biscotti over the Raisin Bran Muffin. The Muffin has 610 calories and 18grams fat while the Biscotti have 160 calories and 5 grams fat. However the redeeming factor with the muffin is that it does have 9 grams of fiber where the biscotti have none. On the upside with the biscotti again, it contains almonds which are high in Vitamin E and help lower cholesterol.

It’s a bit ironic but sometimes the healthiest sounding items are the worst culprits when it comes to their calorie, fat and sugar contents even if they do contain healthy things like flaxseed, bran or fruit.

You should also watch out for toppings like butter, peanut and margarine which can add tons of calories to fatty items such as scones, muffins and croissants.

As you can see it is important to check the nutrition information. Many snacks have more fat and sodium than you would ever think. Be sure to ask a clerk for information. If they do not have a brochure then go online to check the nutrition of what you are getting with some of these quick snacks. Don’t think they don’t count when it comes to counting calories! They do!