Foods to Help Your Muscles and Body

Most of the time we can address and take care of  many of our aches and pains by eating the correct foods. Yet often times we go to the store first too hungry to make healthy intentional selections. I know for myself if I've missed a meal before going food shopping I tend to purchase foods which are quick and easy. These choices often lack variety and generally are not balanced nor taking into consideration what is going on in my body outside of hunger.

Before I really started to think of food as medicine I generally didn't know what types of food to buy to target what I wanted to change in my body. I mainly purchased items to make a salad because a salad is healthy, right? I'd get some supplements because supplements will balance me out, right?

Now I'm a bit more aware. I try  to consider the season I'm in and how my body is reacting to that season. I notice if I need to decrease inflammation or prepare for the flu season. I'm aware if I can't warm up my feet and hands. Then I go for foods to address these issues.

I can go into more detail at another time about seasonal eating but for this write up I'm going to focus on herbs and spices that can help your body.

1. Turmeric: is not only for curry. It is one of the leading medicine foods and has been for decades.
                     It is a great anti-inflammatory
                     It is a strong anti-oxidant
                     It is an anti-coagulant
                     It helps improve brain function
                     It helps improve endothelial function
                     which plays a role in decreasing heart disease
                     It's an anti-cancer

       To improve the effectiveness of Turmeric we must enhance the absorption of it's chemical  Curcumin. This is done by combining it with ground black pepper.                

       Note: most research finds Turmeric to be an estrogen inhibitor. However, there have been a few articles that state too much turmeric can increase the levels of estrogen in the blood. Therefore, to be cautious, I try to limit the amount of turmeric and forms of turmeric in a day. In one day rather than adding it to a smoothie, drinking it as a tea, eating it as a curry and taking it as a supplement, I choose one or two of these options. This is true for any thing we consume; too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. 

       

     
2. Ginger: most widely know for is benefits to help reduce nausea and stomach upset.
                  It helps blood flow and circulation with helps
                  the body thermo-regulate
                  It's an anti-inflammatory
                  It's an anti-cancer
                  It helps break down and release mucus
                  It improves the immune system
                  It decrease plaque build up in the arteries

3. Cinnamon: is not just for baking
                 It helps reduce blood sugar levels
                 It supports blood platelets and thus
                  helps improve blood clotting
                  It helps reduce blood pressure

4. Mustard : not just for your sandwich
                 It is great as a quick combatant of muscle spasms
                 It helps reduce muscle pain
                 It helps improve nerve impulses

5. Cardamom: not just for rice pudding
               It helps detox the kidneys
               It's an anti-inflammatory
               It helps reduce muscle spasm


All of these to some degree are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-vital.

As with any medicine not every one should use these as a medicine, meaning take them at high levels on a daily basis for an extend period of time. For instance someone who is prone to gallstones should not take turmeric. Someone on blood thinners should not take the one's promoting anti-coagulation.

Always consult your Naturopath or other health care provide when seeking to change your system's regulators.            

Foods Good to Ease Muscle Cramps

Want a few none pill forms of natural remedies for muscle cramps? Here you go...
1. mustard 
2. Pickle juice 
3. Bannas 
4. turmeric 
5. pineapple 
6. avocado 

Remember all things in moderation. Too much of a good thing can be bad. You want to create balance. Most of the foods listed you want to take daily for a couple of months to get better results. Pineapple is best less frequently and you want to remember it is an acid so drink water with it to protect your teeth. Mustrad, a couple of spoonfuls, will help muscle cramps in about 30mins. Turmeric is good ground and you can add to warm milk at night.
Let me know how this works for you 

Medicinal Benefits of Hops as Related to Your Muscles

Most of us know Hops as it is related to beer. But there is more to hops than just giving beer its taste, and going along with pizza and sporting events.

I was originally introduced to the benefits of Hops from a friend who told me about an old wives tale of adding beer to Epsom salts and hot bath water to help decrease muscle pain.  This was long before I started practicing massage or even receiving massage.  One night after a hard day of work and coming home with sore muscles I decided to try this remedy. To my amazement, I ended up falling asleep in the tub and waking feeling like a wet noodle. I dried off and went right to bed. I felt great the next morning and now use this remedy anytime I need fast relief and cannot get a massage. Sometimes I’ll even use it after a massage just to ensure better results for myself.

Though there is not much conclusive research about the medicinal benefits nor exactly what aspects of the plant’s chemical make-up help reduce muscle pain and support joint functioning, recently the International Society for Horticultural Science did publish a study that does support its medicinal uses.

Hops is named after its fruit. It is related to the cannabis family and is native to the Northern hemisphere.

What I can gather, Hops has a high source of Vit B3 (Niacin), Vit C, Manganese, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Valerianic Acid.  The aroma of Hops can enter the limbic system.  It would be the combined work of Hops’ Valerianic Acid and its ability to affect the limbic system, that a person can become drowsy. The hops can also cross the blood brain barrier which is another route to the limbic system. The Vit B3 affecting the peripheral circulation can help bring new blood and oxygen to the muscles. While Vit C can help decrease inflammation and help with muscle repair. The Minerals can all help with regaining electrolyte balance and help ease muscle soreness. When combined with Epsom salts, which also contains Magnesium and hot water, we achieve a synergistic affect and more benefits occur.

I have not yet tried buying dried hops and boiling them to add to hot bath water and Epsom salts but I think it would have the same effect as using beer. I have been told you can put the hobs in cheese cloth and add that to the bath water allowing it to brew in the tub. I use what I consider cheap beer, but you can use whatever is handy.

Now you have some idea of other uses of your beer.

As always, make sure to consult your doctor before using any plant or substance that can affect your health. And also remember that if a medicine you already take achieves the same result, taking a plant on top of that will increase any positive or negative effects. Therefore, only use one and if possible go the natural route especially if you have the support of a Naturopathic Doctor.