Holy Jesus… my… everything… hurts….
After several days straight of hardcore exercise and errands, I woke up this morning barely able to get out of bed. Wait a minute! I thought…. How did I get so sore?! I wasn’t even doing thaaaat muuuchhh…. Oh wait… I was. I realized.
Call me crazy, but I don't prefer popping a bunch of pills to ease the pain. To me, that's not a solution, that's a temporary band aid that just adds more toxic shit to my body that I don't need. So, since I can just hear my workout buddy Super Dave saying to leave my excuses outside, I better put my big girl panties on and deal with this soreness instead of crying about it!
Massages
Massages
Well, I’m a massage freakazoid, so I’d say a massage is the solution for anything… On the real though, massage “reduces the inflammatory response as a function of the damage you incurred while you’re exercising,” according to author Simon Melov.
In addition to just making you feel all loosey goosey and relaxed, studies of massages performed post-workout have shown that this remedy reduces the amount of NF-kB in your muscle tissue (a protein that plays a role in creating inflammation) and boosts the amount of PGC-1alpha (another protein that aids in muscle energy generation and adaptation to endurance exercise).
Light Exercise
In addition to just making you feel all loosey goosey and relaxed, studies of massages performed post-workout have shown that this remedy reduces the amount of NF-kB in your muscle tissue (a protein that plays a role in creating inflammation) and boosts the amount of PGC-1alpha (another protein that aids in muscle energy generation and adaptation to endurance exercise).
Light Exercise
Getting your blood pumping and keeping your muscles moving (lightly) can be a great way to relieve some soreness. By delivering oxygen to the muscles, you’re actually promoting healing. Plus, keeping your momentum going means you’re less likely to lose speed all together and fall into the couch slob cycle. Try taking a walk outside on your lunch break or marching in place while you watch TV before bed!
The Cold Treatment
While most people turn to heat as the go-to remedy for muscle soreness, COLD is actually the more beneficial treatment. Take a cold shower, apply ice packs or jump into an ice bath to constrict the blood vessels, which in turn will reduce the blood flow and inflammation in the affected area(s). Also take a second to think about the effect that ice has on your body when you hurt yourself.... it's a numbing agent! Thus, you'll numb the pain while reducing inflammation.... wait a minute... isn't that the same thing pain killers/anti-inflammatory pills are supposed to do?!? It sure is! Except ice won't give your body all the added chemicals and side effects - WIN!
Epsom Salt Baths
Epsom Salt has been discussed before on Love Fit Life, mostly because it's a total bad ass budget friendly resource. Buy a huge carton of this stuff for like $5 or less (depending where you go) and it'll work wonders! Add some Epsom Salt to a nice bath and just soak it up baby... By doing so, your body absorbs the magnesium and sulfates through your skin, which helps improve circulation, eases muscle pains, flushes out toxins and relieves stress... among many other things!
Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Slims
The scientific explanation for this is....
As soon as these salty chocolate treats enter your mouth you will forget all about your inability to move and start thinking about how many more you can eat before the bag is empty.
This remedy works the best, obviously!
You're welcome in advance and please don't hesitate sharing them with me!
While most people turn to heat as the go-to remedy for muscle soreness, COLD is actually the more beneficial treatment. Take a cold shower, apply ice packs or jump into an ice bath to constrict the blood vessels, which in turn will reduce the blood flow and inflammation in the affected area(s). Also take a second to think about the effect that ice has on your body when you hurt yourself.... it's a numbing agent! Thus, you'll numb the pain while reducing inflammation.... wait a minute... isn't that the same thing pain killers/anti-inflammatory pills are supposed to do?!? It sure is! Except ice won't give your body all the added chemicals and side effects - WIN!
Epsom Salt has been discussed before on Love Fit Life, mostly because it's a total bad ass budget friendly resource. Buy a huge carton of this stuff for like $5 or less (depending where you go) and it'll work wonders! Add some Epsom Salt to a nice bath and just soak it up baby... By doing so, your body absorbs the magnesium and sulfates through your skin, which helps improve circulation, eases muscle pains, flushes out toxins and relieves stress... among many other things!
Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Slims
The scientific explanation for this is....
As soon as these salty chocolate treats enter your mouth you will forget all about your inability to move and start thinking about how many more you can eat before the bag is empty.
This remedy works the best, obviously!
You're welcome in advance and please don't hesitate sharing them with me!
I had initially raised an eyebrow when several gym buddies pointed me to a spa when I had first gotten into a more intense training regimen. I thought, “Why would I put myself through all the trouble of a hard workout if I’m going to be a wuss with the aches and pains?” After one trip, I realized that it was a good post-workout treatment. It not only helps relax the body, but also points out problem spots that made me more mindful of how I perform certain exercises to avoid injury.
ReplyDelete-Mathias Michelakis