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.