Are you a weekend or Summer warrior? You know…someone who spends their weekdays behind a desk and their weekends running marathons, gardening for hours on end, building a deck or cycling across the city. While you may think that you can get away with saving your physical activity for the weekend, think again! In Canada, 35% of injuries occur during participation in some type of sport or exercise and studies show that weekend warriors are actually at a greater risk of developing an injury. Especially, warriors who are over the age of 30 and are not making time to exercise during the week. Weekend and summer warriors have a tendency of doing too much, too fast and that’s what puts them at extra risk for injuries like muscle sprains and chronic tendonitis. To avoid injury, it’s best to break your physical activity into smaller, more frequent sessions. Yes, this also goes for activities like gardening, building a deck or even house cleaning! Listen to your body. If certain activities cause your pain or discomfort like neck pain, back pain or joint pain, consider hiring someone to help get the job done. When it comes to exercise, consider a workout Read more…
1 in 6 Canadians over the age of 15 report suffering from arthritis. Are you one of them? Learn what arthritis is and natural ways you can prevent arthritis damage in this week’s blog! Signs & Symptoms of Arthritis • Fatigue • Joint pain & tenderness • Joint swelling • Joint redness • Joint warmth • Joint stiffness • Loss of joint range of motion What is Arthritis? To put it simply, arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints. It refers to hundreds of related conditions including: tendonitis, bursitis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. What Can You Do to Manage Arthritis, Naturally? The good news is there are natural ways to fight chronic inflammation and restore balance in your body. One way is to start including more anti-inflammatory foods in your diet. Foods like: Fresh Whole Foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds) Omega 3 Fats (wild salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil) Green Tea Garlic Herbs (basil, chili peppers, curcumin, turmeric, ginger, parsley, rosemary and thyme) If you need extra help, try a natural supplement. Natural supplements are a safe and effective alternative to prescription and over the counter medications. Always choose a high-quality supplement Read more…
Simple Ways to Relieve Tendonitis Pain
Swimmer’s shoulder Jumper’s knee Pitcher’s shoulder Tennis elbow You’ve probably heard one of these terms at some point or another. Though each term refers to a different body part, all refer to a common ailment: tendonitis. Tendonitis is caused when tendons (the thick cords that join your muscles to your bones) become irritated or inflamed. Any tendon can develop tendonitis, but most of time it occurs in the shoulders, elbows, heels and wrists. What are the Symptoms of Tendonitis? Tendinitis is known to cause acute pain and tenderness that often makes moving the affected joint difficult. Those experiencing tendonitis will usually feel a dull ache that is concentrated around the inflamed joint. The pain will often increase when that area is moved or if it is touched, and oftentimes swelling is present. What Causes Tendonitis? Tendinitis can be a result of: • an injury • repetitive movement • aging • disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis) That being said, the most common cause of tendinitis is repetitive action. Athletes or sport’s enthusiasts are often at a higher risk for developing tendonitis. Especially, those who play tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball, where the same actions are repeated over and over again. Those Read more…