Q: Being overweight naturally puts more stress on each disc. While it may be difficult to lose weight, especially at a time when you are in pain, pursuing weight control measures can make a difference in managing your existing pain, and preventing further problems Your spine needs enough calcium and vitamin D every day to stay strong and avoid developing osteoporosis. Most adults do not get enough from their diet. Ask your doctor about the amount of calcium and vitamin D you should consume each day, in addition to your regular diet. Natural sources for calcium and vitamin D include dairy products, green, leafy vegetables, and fortified orange juice. Your body also absorbs vitamin D from being exposed to natural sunlight. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this puts added pressure on the discs in your back. Try sleeping on a firm mattress, and on your side, with pillows arranged for added support if helpful. Avoid lifting anything heavy if at all possible. If you must lift something, bend your knees and squat, then use your legs to lift the weight. It’s also important to avoid any lifting or repetitive twisting motions first thing in the morning. Proper standing and sitting positions include a straight, upright, position with your shoulders back. Engage abdominal muscles to provide support for your back, and maintain your lower back in a flat or slightly arched position  To improve your balance, stand in a doorway, raise one leg high, bend your raised knee so your thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold that position for 20 seconds, then repeat with the other leg. Hold onto the wall or doorway if you need, but eventually you will be able to maintain the position without additional support.  Improve your overall alignment by standing one foot length away from a wall, then lean back until your buttocks and your back are against the wall. Keeping your head level, push it back until the back of your head touches the wall. Most people find they must tilt their chin up to get their head to touch the wall, which indicates poor posture. Push your head back as far as you can while keeping it level. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Eventually, your head should reach the wall, without the unwanted tilt. Regular seating causes a pelvic tilt that puts extra pressure on your discs. Sitting in this position for extended periods can contribute to back problems, like bulging discs. Many experts are now recommending seating options called “active chairs”. An active chair is designed to help you maintain spinal integrity, engage your muscles, and work on your posture, all while you are seated.  Several types of active chairs are available. A few examples include a Zenergy Ball Chair, Swopper Stool, Wobble Stool, Rockin’ Roller Desk Chair, and Humanscale Freedom Saddle Seat.  Although these chairs may be beneficial, keep in mind that it is also important to get up and move around now and then. Try setting a timer to remind yourself to get up for a couple of minutes for every hour that you sit. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to be sure this is safe for your condition. A therapy ball is similar to the large balls you may see in a gym or a physical therapy clinic. By softly bouncing for about five minutes each day, you improve the blood flow to the discs, bringing added nutrients and oxygen to the area. This provides for reduced inflammation, pain relief, and may help to prevent further problems. Specific types of exercise that target problems with back pain include flexion, extension, stretching, and aerobic exercise. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about developing an exercise routine that is safe, and helpful, for your condition. Keep in mind that everyone is different. Some people may respond best to back flexion exercises, while other people may respond best to back extension exercises. If you find that your back pain increases during any of these exercises, stop doing them immediately and see your doctor or physical therapist. Examples of low-impact exercise includes walking, swimming, cycling on a recumbent bike, meditation, or modified yoga. Depending on the position of the bulging disc along your spine, your age, weight, mobility, and other medical conditions you may have, your doctor and physical therapist are the experts on designing an exercise program that is suited for you. Manual or electric traction can be an excellent way to keep your discs healthy. Traction can help to reduce pressure on a disc, which is beneficial because that allows more nutrients to enter the disc. You can receive traction therapy at your chiropractor's office or physical therapy office, or use a home inverted traction unit. An economical choice for home therapy is a simple back stretcher with three levels of adjustment. Chronic pain can lead to anxiety, added stress, and depression, all of which interfere with your body's ability to heal. Take measures to provide support as you go through this difficult time. Find out about chronic pain support groups in your area. Keep in mind that this may be helpful to you, but you may also provide much needed support for others. Try activities such as massage, acupuncture, baths, walking, and meditation, to help you handle the physical and mental manifestations of dealing with both acute and chronic pain. Mindful meditation may produce improvements in chronic back pain that are similar to conventional treatments.
A: Maintain a healthy weight. Take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Sleep on a firm mattress. Use proper techniques when lifting. Pay attention to your posture. Choose a chair that provides support. Bounce on a therapy ball. Exercise safely and regularly. Engage in low-impact exercises. Try decompression therapy or traction. Seek out a support system. Develop a stress-relief routine.

Q: Anodizing works particularly well with aluminum, so, if careful, you can do it at home. Use small aluminum pieces to begin with so that you can submerge it in small quantities of acid.  You can find small aluminum parts for this purpose relatively affordably from most home improvement stores, as well as online. During this process, the part that you are anodizing will function as your anode. Choose a type of plastic that is extremely hard and durable. The exact size of the tub you will need depends on what you're working with, but it should be large enough to hold your metal piece and the aluminum and still have some extra room for the liquids. During the anodizing process, you can dye the metal almost any color using a standard fabric dye. This is the process Apple uses to color iPods.  You can also buy special dye for anodizing that may produce better results. You will need several particular pieces of equipment to anodize at home. Most of these items can be found at your local hardware or home improvement store. These include:   A degreaser product 2 lead cathodes long enough to overhang your plastic bin A roll of aluminum wire Enough distilled water to fill your plastic tub Baking soda Rubber gloves For anodizing, you will need several gallons of sulfuric acid (battery acid), lye, and a constant power supply of at least 20 volts. The battery acid may be hard to find; however, it is usually available at auto parts stores. A large battery charger should work as a constant power supply.
A:
Buy some standard aluminum alloy metal parts. Buy a thick plastic tub to submerge your metal. Find some clothing dye at a local craft store. Purchase the items you need for anodizing. Find places to purchase the hard-to-source supplies.