Better Results in Less Time
Posted by Admin
When someone is experiencing the feeling of pain within their body, this feeling is a signal from the brain telling them that homeostasis or balance in their body is being threatened. This pain signal can result from stress hormones, muscle imbalances or weaknesses, or can be the result of an injury or a constant strain being put on the body. When someone experiences pain at any level, it is the body’s way of telling us that something needs to be changed.
At Whole Family Health we recommend seeking the advice of a medical or holistic health practitioner as soon as the pain starts, so it can be treated quickly and effectively.
However, in our busy lives, we often ignore the onset of pain and just “deal” with it until it becomes a chronic issue, which can take longer to treat. Fortunately, at any stage of pain, there are ways to get effective results with massage or acupuncture, by taking charge and making positive changes to your health in your day to day life in between treatments.
Coping with Stress
When stress hormones are released in the body, the bodies nervous system goes onto “fight or flight” mode, which wreaks havoc on our body’s immune system, our muscle tissue, and it can be a major cause of imbalances within the body, bringing up new physical issues as well as past injuries. Finding ways to cope with your stress, be it mediation, deep breathing, going for a walk, or even just taking a break when you are feeling overwhelmed, can make a huge difference in the results you see from your treatments.
Strength Training
Injury, pain, or tension in the muscle tissue, is generally a result of a muscle weakness or imbalance. By strengthening the muscles in our bodies, it will improve your posture, create alignment, improve the density and strengthen your bones, and reduce the risk of any further injury. Canada’s Fitness guide recommends doing a full body strength training workout 2-4 times a week.
Stretching
Our bodies are able to move and function, by the contraction of our muscles. Every time our muscles contract, it creates a shortening of the muscle, which if not stretched creates tension. Stretching will help the muscles to relax and elongate to reduce tension, improve flexibility, and again reduce the risk of further injuries. Canada’s fitness guide recommends full body stretching 7 days a week. I personally recommend stretching twice a day, every day, for optimal results holding each stretch for 30-60 seconds. Always warm up the body, by walking or moving around before stretching so you avoid straining cold muscle tissue.
Diet
Our diet hugely affects the way our bodies function and cope. A diet high in unhealthy fats, sodium, sugar, and processed foods, will create unwanted weight gain and edema, resulting in imbalances and added strain on the body, as well as many other health concerns. Fuelling your body with LOTS of water, whole grains, lean meats, legumes, nuts, seeds, and brightly coloured fruits and veggies, will keep your body functioning optimally and help your body to heal faster.
By taking control and making your health and wellbeing your number one priority, and making these adjustments in your life, you will see quicker and more effective results with your massage and acupuncture treatments.
