DO YOU HAVE TECH NECK? How to Avoid and Treat It
DIY HOLIDAY EGGNOG
Ingredients
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6 egg yolks
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1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract Cinnamon and whipped cream, for garnish
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2 cups milk
Americans spend an astonishing average of 5.4 hours every day on their smartphones. Whether you use yours more or less, if you’re like most people, you don’t hold the phone at eye level. That’s a lot of neck strain over a lot of hours. All that time on your phone can cause a repetitive strain injury, dubbed in recent years as “tech neck.” Of course, smartphones didn’t invent the phenomenon but just increased its frequency. The same effect can occur from reading books or other hobbies or work that involves a lot of looking down. Symptoms of tech neck include a dull ache in the back of the neck, which typically starts mild and gets worse with continued strain. Many people also experience reduced mobility due to stiffness in the neck and shoulders. If the stress causes a pinched nerve, headaches at the base of the neck can develop. And in the most severe cases, the nerve running from the bottom of your neck to your arms and hands can become damaged, resulting in numbness or tingling. As with all kinds of pain, it’s best to prevent tech neck before it starts. Your best course of action is to avoid neck strain by holding your phone at eye level. It’s also important to take frequent breaks and use good posture. Finally, regular exercise is essential because strong muscles can handle more stress than weak ones. In many cases, following these best practices will also reduce or eliminate tech neck that has already developed. But if your neck pain persists, you should seek out physical therapy before it gets worse. Physical therapy can treat the pain in addition to helping you develop good habits like proper posture to avoid re-injury. If you’ve got an ache in your neck, there’s no reason to suffer through the pain. You’re on your phone anyway — give us a call to schedule an appointment!
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a simmer. 3. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously and repeat, one spoonful at a time. 4. When most of the milk is whisked in, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. 5. Whisk until the liquid thickens slightly or reaches 160 F. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. 6. Pour the eggnog into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate. 7. When the eggnog has thickened, pour it into glasses, garnish, and enjoy!
Inspired by TastesBetterFromScratch.com
“When someone tells me ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean I can’t do it; it simply means I can’t do it with them.” –Karen E. Quinones Miller
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