Likely the word “diet” has a Greek or Latin origin, but for those who have been on the diet merry-go-round a couple of times, the first three letters of the word speak volumes.

Whenever a new calendar is slapped on the wall, many of us swear off carbs and commit to kale all-day-every-day, or decide this spring we’re going to do our first triathlon even though we get out of breath jogging to the bus stop and the only time we wear a swimsuit is to wade over to the swim-up bar.

Right now, if someone were to hand you a survey which asked when you last suffered from chronic pain, and you were able to answer “never,” count yourself lucky as 100 million Americans are not able to say the same. When doing the math, this number is greater than those dealing with diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer combined. That’s huge.

The whole concept of New Year’s Resolutions and some of the crazy (and possibly unhealthy) things people decide to take on worry me at times. I understand that a new year presents a “fresh start,” but there’s a lot that goes into making change stick, so let’s get started and see if we can set you up for success in 2017.

Did the title of this article just give you the urge to stretch or massage your lower back? Maybe you’re shifting around in your chair, trying to make your position more comfortable. If you’re a yogi, you might currently be in child’s pose on the floor. (Once you’re done, please come back and continue reading!)

When we worry about aging, many of us focus on things like greying hair, or developing wrinkles in our skin. But in addition to our external body growing older, our insides — including our muscles, skeleton and organs — also experience wear and tear over time.