Hi everyone! How’s that water intake coming?? Here’s a tip for you drink a huge glass of water when you first get out of bed in the morning. You are dehydrated after sleeping so drinking water immediately in the morning is one of the best things you can do for all of your body functions. It also helps set your mind towards healthier habits. Relax! You can have your coffee afterwards! Actually, some people drink hot lemon and water in the mornings in place of coffee and it helps to clear mucous from their sinuses as well as stimulating peristaltic motion. For those of you that struggle with constipation, that is a beautiful thing!
Okay, I promised I would talk about instant pain relief today. So let’s start with a brief anatomy lesson. The primary function of the muscles in your body is to create movement. They do this by contracting or shortening. Stress and poor posture cause the muscles to develop patterns of contraction. When your muscles stay in a state of constant contraction it limits the blood flow to the area. Healthy tissue is very much tied to healthy circulation. This is true for your entire body because the blood is what carries the nutrients and oxygen that your muscles and organs require to function properly and to stay disease free.
There are many things you can do to enhance your circulation but we’re only going to talk about one today. Stretching! Okay, I saw those eyes roll! Stay with me here! I love showing people ways to get the most results for the least effort so I’m going to show you how to get some maximum results for your stretch time. Now I know I’m talking to a pretty smart group of people here, so you ARE aware that our youthfulness is tied to our ability to be flexible in all things! LOL! But our focus today is going to be on your muscles and joints.
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have at least a few stretches that they do periodically, but do you ever take a hot Epsom Salt bath before you stretch?? It will make a HUGE difference in your results! Epsom Salts are cheap, cheap, cheap and basically made of magnesium salts. The fancy ones come from the Dead Sea, but any type will serve the purpose. Here are some benefits:
Magnesium is a natural relaxant. It benefits every part of your body from your heart to your nervous system to your muscles. It is a natural sleep aid, also.
The Salts pull toxins out of your muscles. Remember toxins irritate tissues and cause pain!
The warm water heats your body so that when you stretch, you are already relaxed and more flexible. This gives you faster more noticeable results! It also guards against injury. Cold muscles are more prone to injure when stretched.
f you want to really, really relax OR have sleep issues, try adding a few drops of Lavender essential oil. It is a great stress reduction, relaxation and sleep aid tool. Take the bath in the evening, stretch immediately, drink a glass of water and go to bed! You’ll sleep like a baby!
If you are in a state of chronic pain, I recommend taking an Epsom Salts bath and stretching everyday until you get some lasting relief. You can Google stretches for specific body parts if you need help with what and how to stretch.
If you’re experiencing back and hip pain; try stretching your Achilles Tendons (these are then tendons that connect your calf to your heel) at least twice a day and see if this will give you some extended relief. A long time client of mine had a problem with her left low back and hip for several years. We could make it go away through massage and stretching for periods of time but once she began stretching her Achilles Tendons several times per day, the issue has pretty much disappeared! I can even feel the difference in her hip and back and back muscles.
Okay. That’s it for today! My next post will talk about a couple of natural anti-inflammatories that are not pills. They are topical and VERY effective!
Good luck with homework! Let me know if you have any questions.
Yours In Health,
Renee
