Dealing With Sports/Workout Related Injuries

So many people I know have injuries from soccer or weight lifting or hockey it is almost ridiculous. It seems as if everyone who is active has some kind of injury.

They seem to tie back to three main reasons:
1. Just plain not being careful
2. Not warming up or stretching muscles first
3. Not using proper form

So what if you did not follow those steps and you have an injury?
Well, I learned a few things this past summer when I helped my boyfriend get over a tear in his shoulder muscle. As a man, he was able to take IGF-1, which is a form of human growth hormones that is taken from the velvet of a certain type of deer. Sounds crazy I know, and can be expensive. However, pro-football players have used this and it is even up for consideration as to if it should be legal or not. Some say it gives athletes an unfair advantage because it heals their muscles so much quicker. If you are a woman, however, don't take it, because it can mess up your hormonal balance.

What about directly after the injury?
Arnica has been known to reduce inflammation and help the healing process. Last spring, I hurt my hand at gym class. Another player kicked the ball with all of his might and it slammed right into my right hand. It turned deep purple from the bruise and I could not move it without intense pain. I took Arnica internally and externally and it healed-up pretty well! It definitely reduced the swelling and pain.

Ice and Aloe Vera always are helpful with pain, if it's a gash or cut, also try to apply Manuka Honey to the wound. It is known to kill bacteria and create a protective barrier.

So if you get an injury, try these things out! They work for me and my loved ones!

Fun In the Sun

Beach season is just around the corner, and people are going to be flocking to worship the sun. Pretty soon you will be hearing that speech again about how the sun causes skin cancer, ageing, hyper-pigmentation etc. Dermatologists will be hurrying you over to your sunscreen isles, or if you're a woman, to your protective moisturizer/make-up aisles.

 Before you go grabbing products full of chemicals that will be baked into your skin, why not consider a natural option? Now I don't burn, even theough I am light-skinned with blonde hair and blue eyes, I was blessed with Italian genes. However, a good number of my friends burn the second they walk into the sunlight. So what is one to do?

The best product I have ever used so far, is Aubrey Organics Green Tea Antioxidant Sunscreen. It protects and feeds your skin with nutrients at the same time, greatly reducing your chances of being burnt.

The Sun is actually good for you! It gives you plenty of vitamin D! However, the ozone layer is thinner than it used o be, which causes more harmful rays to blaze through! Be kind to your skin, and don't forget (healthy) sun screen! Your skin will thank you!

Motion of the Ocean

Have you ever been carsick? That queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach that makes you want to throw up? Or have you been on a roller-coaster and afterwards felt like you scared your breakfasts right out of your gut? Or perhaps you've been on a ship and the motion of the ocean was just too much for you!

What causes motion sickness? According to WebMD,

"Motion sickness occurs when the inner ear, the eyes, and other areas of the body that detect motion send unexpected or conflicting messages to the brain. One part of your balance-sensing system (your inner ear, vision, and sensory nerves that help you keep your balance) may sense that your body is moving, while the other parts do not sense motion. For example, if you are in the cabin of a moving ship, your inner ear may sense the motion of big waves, but your eyes don't see any movement. This leads to a conflict between the senses and results in motion sickness."

So is there a quick, easy, and natural way to get rid of it? YES!
Did your grandma ever tell you to drink some ginger ale or ginger tea when you're stomach was upset? Well grandma was right! However, most ginger-ale doesn't have natural ginger in it anymore.

If you're feeling a little queasy, you can pop a few ginger pills and you will feel relief quickly. My mom is partially deaf, so she gets dizzy and queasy easily, whenever she does, she downs a few ginger pills and feels a lot better afterwards.

Beach Season? No problem!

Beach season is coming up soon and it always seems like people are scrambling to get in shape this time of year. The top two issues I have discovered are abs and buns.

I spoke about  abs before,so in this post, I will tell you how to get your buns toned for swim-suit season.

I'm sure you have heard of "Brazilian Butt Lifts" and other programs like that which promise quick results, for any woman (or man) out there. However, what they fail to take into account is different body types. What is someone is skinny and they want a bigger butt? What if the person has a lot of excess pounds and they'd like to slim down?

Your glutes are broken down into three different parts: The Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus. All three muscles should be worked out to create optimal atheistic and strength.

My personal favorite glute workout is a good, old-fashioned squat. I don't squat with a bar, however, because I always end up hurting my back/neck. Instead I try to find a machine that I have to push the weight up vertically (as opposed to horizontally). This exercise really helps add good mass, and reduce bad mass (AKA fat).

The machine looks a little bit like this: 

What also is really beneficial is building up the back of your legs using a single leg curl machine. They look like this: 

Now these exercises are not done at home, but if you want quicker results, than a quick workout at the gym is necessary. However, if you just do not have time to go to the gym. There are some alternatives, but they will take longer and will not have such potent results.

1. Lung forward with heavy weights in your hands for a long distance (like walking down your street).

2. Buy exercise bands, but them around your angles, step sideways, and squat.

3. Fill a back-pack with heavy books and lung (be careful to have the straps set correctly, or you can hurt your back). 

The Flu Has Flown

I'm not sure about your neck of the woods, but out where I live, there has been a nasty fly going around with symptoms like mono. Sounds scary-right? My brother, my mother and my uncle all came down with a form of it. How did I stay healthy?

Adrenals
Your adrenal glands are so important to your overall health. If your adrenals are fatigued or burned-out, you're going to be for susceptible to sickness. I used to get sick all winter long until just last year I restored my adrenal glads. What id I do? I used Drenamin® to restore them. It's an expensive product and only those in the medical field can get it for you, but it's totally worth it.

Hormones
Next thing you need to keep in-check are your hormones. When your adrenals aren't functioning right, your body puts out too much cortisol, which then makes you hormones unbalanced. Go to your doctor and get your hormones checked, especially if you're over the age of 20.

Gut
If your stomach and intestines are all out of whack, your body is going to be stressed. Make sure to take a good probiotic and to eat a lot of fermented foods, or drink fermented drinks like Kombucha tea.

Immune
I also boosted my immune-system naturally. I took:

• 6,000 IU of vitamin C
• 5,000 IU if vitamin D
• A whole-food multi-vitamin
• 1 Zinc lozenge (on a full stomach)
• Two Astragalus root capsules
• And plenty of water

Ever body is different, and some things work better for some people than others. I am not a doctor, I am only telling you how I have remained healthy.  

What if I still get the Flu?

If all else fails, the best product I have used is Boiron Oscillococcinum, it helps your body heal itself at a wonderfully quick speed. 

Lose Weight in 15 Minutes

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What is the quickest way to lose those extra pounds? 
 Maybe you have tried binge-dieting, or perhaps you've tried to run at the gym and you’re still not seeing the results you hope to see. Think about this, have you ever watched a soccer game, or perhaps a hockey game? Did you notice how in-shape the players are and how their bodies are drenched in sweat? I heard it once said that hockey goalies lose an average of ten pounds…in one game! One game! How do they do it? There is an exercise the experts have called “interval training.”

 What is interval training?
 It is basically what it sounds like! You run and rest in intervals! The best formula I have found is sprinting for 30-seconds and then walking for 90-seconds. How do I maximize my results? Every single day, for 15 minutes, go on a treadmill or walk outside and practice interval training. Studies show that interval training for 15 minutes is more effective than a whole hour of brisk walking, jogging, or plain running.

 What should I wear to interval train?
 Make sure you have sturdy running shoes that support your arch. I would suggest wearing breathable fabric.

 Options for women
 • yoga pants
 • running shorts
• tank top
 • underclothes that are sweat-wicking (cotton tends to cause irritation)
• moisture absorbent socks
• a bottle of water
 • running shoes

 Options for men 
• running shorts
 • tank top
 • moisture wicking t-shirt (or cotton)
 • underclothes that are sweat-wicking (cotton tends to cause irritation)
 • moisture absorbent socks
• a bottle of water
• running shoes

How should I recover afterwards?
 Make sure to drink a good amount of water, and to slowly cool down by walking under your breathing is back to normal. Then, make sure to stretch your body to avoid still joints.

Why You Should Buy Your Food From Local Farmers

You probably heard of the organic trend that has been gaining popularity. Some people think it's ridiculous, while others have jumped on the band wagon. What is organic? Organic is food in its original from, without anything added and without anything taken away. That's it! No pesticides, no GMOs, no hormones or antibiotics. The product is pure, untouched, and fresh!

Sometimes organic food is expensive, even though it is worth it, maybe your budget wont allow it. So what's the next best thing? Local, Farm-raised food! There is less of a chance for animal cruelty and you are supporting your community.

I don't think the population realizes how inhumane and unhealthy mass-produced food actually is! Here is a
link to an example!

I know after I watched this video, I was saddened and angry. Yes, you are eating these animals but for goodness sake, can't they treat them humanely when they are alive? This post made me understand why some people become vegitarian.  I have nothing against eating animal meet for nourishment, but meat in this form is not okay. 

This is a perfect example of why it is in both your, and the animal's best interest to buy your food local. Local food is not mass-produced, local food is more humanely raise and butchered, and there is less of a chance of disease. Buying local will also help your community. Farming isn't an easy career, and sometimes farmers really struggle financially. Buying local will encourage farmers to offer more and better products and will help the farmers live life a little less stressed. 

So eat organic if you can, but if you cannot, eat local! There are many websites that tell you where your local farmers are. Click here to find out! Have a great week!