Whole Story

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Soothing Summer Muscles

By Chris Jensen, July 2, 2011  |  Meet the Blogger  |  More Posts by Chris Jensen
Don’t let soreness, strains and pain get in the way of your adventures! Support healthy muscles and joints with homeopathic, herbal and lifestyle recommendations for an active summer. Dr. Tiffany Binder is a Naturopathic Physician with expertise in nutrition and supplements.

Arnica is a great tool for your first aid kit:
  • Arnica is a flowering plant with therapeutic benefits.
  • It is most often found in homeopathic medicines and can be taken orally in pellets under the tongue, or used topically in gels, creams, and lotions.
  • Arnica is helpful for muscle soreness, sprains, strains, bruises and other sports injuries.
Glucosamine and chondroitin formulas address joint pain by supplementing and supporting components naturally found in healthy cartilage.
  • Chondroitin Sulfate is actually a constituent of cartilage, while glucosamine is a building block of cartilage.
  • MSM ((Methylsulfonylmethane) is a naturally occurring sulfur compound that supports healthy joint function.
  • Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM are often taken in combination formulas.
Certain herbs are being studied more and more for their beneficial effects on inflammation in the body:
  • Ginger, turmeric, holy basil, green tea, and rosemary all promote a healthy inflammation response.
  • The benefits from these herbs are found when the herbs are taken in therapeutic doses.
Follow these guidelines for a healthy and active summer:
  • Increase water intake.
  • Eat fresh whole foods and limit processed snacks, fast food, sugar and trans fats.
  • Stretch daily (before and after workouts).
  • Take a multi-vitamin and EFAs for optimal joint and tissue health.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Remember the advantages of walking – it doesn’t have to be an hour of intense activity to see health benefits.
Category: Whole Body, Whole Body Podcast
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3 Comments

Comments

Jane says ...
I didn't know that whole foods has a blog!! How cool is this? Anyway, thanks for your great insight on helping my muscles. I think the hardest issue I have is stretching before and after workouts. That is really, really hard to do!
02/29/2012 10:24:15 PM CST
Megan says ...
@Marie Arnica is a natural plant. Depending on the arnica-based product, there might be other ingredients as well - such as the lactose base in Hyland's Arnica tablets. The packaging should contain all ingredient information. I hope that helps!
05/03/2012 11:12:04 AM CDT
Marie Halpin says ...
Is witch hazel an ingredient in Arnica?
05/02/2012 6:01:56 PM CDT