Very funny—right?
If you recall experiencing that kind of overstrained
pain, you probably found it no laughing matter.
One culprit, whether you’re practicing curtsies
or working out, is lactic acid. As it builds up in muscles, lactic acid creates the
soreness that we associate with overexertion. If your body’s in good working order,
however, it quickly purges this excess waste product, usually within an hour.
Soreness that comes a day or two after you exercise
has a different source. The delayed ache is caused by tiny tears in the muscle that become
inflamed. Fitness experts call it delayed-onset muscle soreness, but you probably know it
as plain old pain. It’s a signal from your body to slow down and take a rest.
It’s also part of the recovery process that actually results in stronger muscles.
You can prevent sore muscles by warming up before
you exercise and cooling down afterward, advises Jacob Schor, N.D., a naturopathic doctor
in Denver and president of the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors. Include at
least a few minutes of movement with each of the major muscle groups—the calves,
thighs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, and arms.
Once the damage is done, says Dr. Schor, you can
treat the muscle with alternating hot and cold packs after the first 24 hours. The
contrast in temperatures works like a pump to increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients in
the muscle. It also provides a flushing action to remove the tiny fragments of protein
generated by the torn muscle.
While popping an aspirin or rubbing on a topical
cream will help mask the pain, you may need much more to speed healing and help soothe the
inflammation. Fortunately, Mother Nature provides an array of possibilities, and many of
these natural pain soothers are in supplement form.
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- Home-Style Ibuprofen
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- For all-over muscle pain, take ginger,
says Dr. Schor. "It’s kind of like a home-style ibuprofen."
G inger is
well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Like bromelain, it also contains an enzyme that can break down protein, says Dr. Schor. In
ginger, this enzyme is zingibain.
G inger has more, including various antioxidants,
which help neutralize the free-roaming, unstable molecules called free radicals that play
a role in causing inflammation. As a supplement, you can take ginger in tincture or capsule form. If
you’re in acute pain, take six 500-milligram capsules of the concentrated extract per
day, says Dr. Schor.
- Because your muscles produce more free radicals when you exercise, you should take supplements of vitamins C
and E, says Mark Stengler, N.D., a naturopathic doctor and author of The Natural
Physician: Your Health Guide for Common Ailments. A healthy supply of these nutrients will
help minimize pain the day after your workout and will speed the healing process as your
body rebuilds its muscle tissue.
To test the effects of
vitamin C in preventing muscle soreness, researchers at Western States Chiropractic
College gave 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C to a group of students. Another group of
students received placebos. After both groups had been taking pills for three days, the
students who took vitamin C developed significantly less muscle soreness after exercising
than the group that took the placebos.
Vitamin
C is also needed to help
make collagen, the "glue" that holds muscle cells together. Following an injury,
even a minor one like a sore muscle, the body needs to make more collagen to repair the
damaged tissue.
Vitamin E helps reduce muscle soreness,
prevent cellular damage, and repair muscle tissue. To get your dose of pain prevention,
take 2,000 milligrams of vitamin
C in divided doses each day, along with 400 international units of vitamin
E, says Dr. Stengler. |
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Product
Recommendations |
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- Ultra Bromelain 1500 is the
highest potency and highest quality Bromelain supplement ever formulated. Each tablet
supplies an unprecedented 1500 mg of pure pineapple source Bromelain concentrate. It has
never been easier to receive the numerous benefits of this powerful proteolytic enzyme.
 Research
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- 99.9 % Pure DMSO 90%
Concentration with 10% Aloe Vera
- $6.99
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- Tiger Balm Ultra Strength - Non
Staining. Pain Relieving ointment for Sore Muscles, Overexertion, Joint pains, Backaches,
Arthritis, Stiffness, and Sprains. The key ingredients are: Oil of Cajuput, Cassia, Clove,
Mint, Menthol, Camphor.
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