Thursday, May 27, 2010

Keeping Your Muscles Healthy

We spend a lot of time here at the Sore No More! Blog talking about chronic pain and ailments and what you can do to manage them. Be it sore muscles after a long day of hiking or the arthritis that's been bothering your knees for the past ten years, everyone hurts sometimes. This week we'd like to deviate from the norm and talk about what makes muscles healthy. While keeping your muscles healthy won't solve all of your problems, it can keep you from developing new ones, and perhaps even help the symptoms of your current ailments. There are two key compacts to muscle health that we're going to look at today; exercise and nutrition.

Exercise
Most of us know that exercise lends itself to healthy muscles. Cardio gets your blood pumping, resistance training helps your muscles become firm and strong. While you might be inclined to get right to pumping iron to bulk up or tone up, you should keep in mind the benefits of a good brisk walk. Blood nourishes all of our systems, and our muscles need a lot of nourishing. Cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow which results in more nutrients being brought into the muscles and more waste being taken out. Both of these are very important to muscle health. So next time you hit the gym, make sure to spent 15-20 minutes taking a walk or on the treadmill beforehand.

STRETCH! Always stretch your muscles before you begin a workout session. Stretching muscles keeps them limber, and reduces your risk of tearing or otherwise damaging them while you exercise. Yoga is an excellent way to keep those muscles toned and moving.

Resistance training will encourage muscle growth and strength. You want to make sure that you're using the right weights for your goals and body type. It might be worth meeting with a personal trainer just once (or many times if you're so inclined) to learn what a good starting point for you is.

What's the real key here? Keep your muscles moving and you'll have a happier body. (Don't forget your Sore No More! when you start hitting the gym, you'll most likely be sore for a few days.)

For an interesting slide show visit this link.


Nutrition
It's no easy feat to learn about good nutrition for your muscles. If you google it you're going to come up with many links about how to eat and what supplements to take to bulk up and build muscle mass. But what if you just want to have healthy muscles? What nutrients are going to support that goal? Let's see if we can't lay some basic ground rules out here.

B Vitamins. They're a pretty amazing thing. Recommended by nutritionists for discontents from depression to, you got it...muscle health. B vitamins play an important role in energy conversion in the body and your muscles need that energy to keep you moving. They also keep your cells healthy and everything in your body is composed of cells. B vitamins can be taken in supplement form or via diet. Some good sources of B-vitamins include; Spinach, Broccoli, Sunflower Seeds, and Eggs.

Fish Oils. As we just mentioned, everything in your body is made up of cells, including your muscles. Fish oils contain Omega-3 fatty acids that can keep your cell membranes in good working order (which in turn regulates cellular nutrition and waste removal.) There are a variety of fish oil supplements available at most grocery stores if you're not a big sea-food fan.

Potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus play an important role in muscle contraction and generally work together. While you can get these in supplemental form at most supermarket, it's best to consult your physician first, as most of these in excess can be detrimental to your health. You should be able to get most of these nutrients by consuming a well balanced diet.

Also, keep in mind that water is important to the function of all of your body systems, so to keep those muscles healthy, consider upping your H2O consumption by a couple of glasses per day.

To really find out what type of diet and exercise regime is right for you, you're going to want to meet with a dietician, nutritionist, personal trainer, or even your regular doctor. However, getting a little bit of exercise every day and having a well balanced diet should get you well on your way to keeping your muscles happy and healthy for life.


*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. *  

Sore No More
150 East Center Street Moab,
Utah 84532 T
el: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Ingredient Investigation :: Capsaicin


You may come across Capsaicin in our list of ingredients and pass right over it, discounting it as another unknown ingredient. It might surprise you to learn that Capsaicin is a common chemical compound found in chili peppers. It's what makes them spicy and is thought to act as a protective agent, keeping animals from eating the plant.

It is this warming action that makes Capsaicin useful in topical analgesics like Sore No More! Capsaicin helps relieve pain by effecting the nervous system. It inhibits pain transmissions to the brain, and is also thought to decrease the inflammation response (which is also controlled by the nervous system.)

Capsaicin has been associated with a variety of other health benefits, making it a bit of a holistic wonder. It is thought to boost metabolism, kill bacteria in the stomach and could potentially stop heart-attacks as they occur. Here's to hoping that more solid research is done on Capsaicin in the near future. Until then, we'll just have to enjoy its benefits in Sore No More!

For more information, visit the following links


*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. *

Sore No More

150 East Center Street
Moab, Utah 84532
Tel: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Alternative Therapies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Last week we explored what Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is and what causes it.  
Now the question is; what can you do about? 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can require medical treatment and often results in surgery, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other options available.  There are many alternative therapy techniques that can relieve carpal tunnel symptoms and improve over all function and mobility of the wrists and hands.These include, but are not limited to; Reflexology, Herb Treatment, and Exercise.

Reflexology is the application of pressure to specific locations on the hands and/or feet that are believed effect various other parts of the body. Performing reflexology on points relating to the arms and wrists can potentially provide some relief from CTS.

The following links can provide you with more information regarding reflexology for CTS:
http://www.aznetnews.com/story.php?storyid=316
http://ezinearticles.com/?Hand-Reflexology-and-Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome&id=2246080


There are also supplements that are thought to improve carpal tunnel syndrome. These include vitamin B6, B12, and Arnica amongst others. Consulting an herbalist, naturopath or nutritionist can help you decide what supplements may be right for you.  Be sure to consult with your physician before introducing any new supplements to your diet.

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do at home to manage your CTS is exercise. Stretching your arms and wrists (gently) and doing range of motion exercises, as well as self massage and relaxation can decrease the amount of pressure on the median nerve and subsequently relieve symptoms.



Many people who suffer from CTS wear wrist braces while performing repetitive wrist movements such as typing.  Our customers have reported that applying Sore No More! to their wrists, especially while wearing the braces improves the over all feeling of their wrists and hands. 

As with all exercises and alternative therapies, make sure to stay in your comfort zone. Do not over stretch or apply too much pressure, start small and work your way up to more intensive exercises. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome should be managed under your health care provider's supervision.


*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. *  
Sore No More
150 East Center Street
Moab, Utah 84532
Tel: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Give your mother the gift of a pain free Mother's Day!

Check out our Facebook Page for a special Mother's Day discount!


*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. * Sore No More 150 East Center Street Moab, Utah 84532 Tel: (435) 259-5931 Toll Free: (800) 842-6622 www.sorenomore.com

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the supporting fibrous tissue in the wrist swells, applying stress and pressure to the median nerve. It can result in tingling, pain or lack of sensation in the hand and fingers on the affected side.

Carpal Tunnel is common in those who use repetitive wrist movements in their daily lives. Some vocations that lend themselves to the development of carpal tunnel are; massage therapy, hair styling, data entry (or any job where one spends a lot of time typing), etc.

There are some conditions that can encourage or aggravate carpal tunnel. Some of these conditions include pregnancy, hypothyroidism and arthritis.

Check back next week to learn some alternative treatments for carpal tunnel. Until then, try applying some Sore No More! to the wrist that is bothering you; many of our customers have told us that Sore No More! has decreased the pain and irritation that they experience due to carpal tunnel.



*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. *
 
Sore No More
150 East Center Street Moab,
Utah 84532 T
el: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com