When clients leave my office, they usually carry a snack-sized zip lock® bag of salt, with a request from me to take a bath with them. I give the salts away to relieve muscle and connective tissues soreness and to support the body’s chemical balance.
My first introduction to salt baths was when I was in karate. After an intense workout our sensei would suggest (in that commanding way that Senseis make any suggestion) a bath with one to two cups of Epsom salts dissolved in the water. He didn’t know why, but would recommend it for every ache and pain. I sometimes wondered if I should just dunk my head in the bathtub when I had a migraine.
Then I became a Hellerwork practitioner and after a few years in practice (and no more migraines, by the way) I referred a client to another Structural Integrator, who gave her a bag of Epsom salts after the session. My client told me that every place that was in the bath didn’t hurt and every place above the water line was sore. So then I started giving my clients Epsom salts, too.
Clients asked me why they should use the salt baths. It didn’t seem professional to say “I don’t know” or “It’s a good luck charm,” so I did a little research. At first, my queries led me to believe the salts helped flush toxins like lactic acid from the muscles. While that is one small part of what Epsom salts do, they are more important for what they add to the body rather than what they take away.
A friend who is an acupuncturist extolls the virtues of Epsom salts and recommends it to her clients. Doing a little research via the internet, we found the Epsom Salt Industry Council’s website. Epsom Salts are made of magnesium sulfate, MgSO4 and according to the Council, magnesium aids in chemical reactions, especially those of muscles and enzymes, and sulfates flush toxins and improve the absorption of nutrients. The U.S. National Library of Medicine credits magnesium with:
* Contraction and relaxation of muscles
* Function of certain enzymes in the body
* Production and transport of energy
* Production of protein
One day I was very sore after an intense session of yoga and went searching in the bathroom cupboard for Epsom salts. There were none. Oh no. Would sea salt work? After all, swimming in the warm ocean is therapeutic; perhaps because of the salt. However, the main component of sea salt is sodium chloride, not the minerals muscles need. A bit more searching under the sink produced a small bag of hand-mixed bath salts given to me by a client. This ½ cup of salts was better than nothing so I tried it and was amazed. Amazed!
This small bag of salts was much more effective than two cups of Epsom Salts. They were Dead Sea salts. The chemical composition of Dead Sea Salts is more complex than Epsom Salts. According to the Saltworks website, Dead Sea salts, Bokek® brand are comprised of:
Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2) 33.3 %
Potassium Chloride (KCl) 24.3 %
Sodium Chloride (NaCl) 5.5 %
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) 0.2 %
Bromide (Br-) 0.5 %
Sulphates (SO4) 0.15 %
Insolubles 0.03 %
Water of Crystallization 36.4 %
Perhaps magnesium chloride is more easily absorbed than magnesium sulfate or the addition of potassium and trace of calcium make the difference.
Recently I have new client with fibromyalgia who has been using Epsom salts mixed with fresh ginger. She finds that more effective than plain Dead Sea salts. So now my give-away baggies include a mixture of Dead Sea salts and Epsom salts, for the mineral formula from the Dead Sea and the boost of needed magnesium from Epsom salts.
Options for natural pain relief with therapeutic exercises to address back pain and improve spine health. Please note some articles include affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the link.
Showing posts with label muscle health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muscle health. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, July 25, 2008
DeTox Your Body with Diet
As part of a 9-day yoga intensive workshop, we eliminated sugar, alcohol, and caffeine from our diets. I decided to go a step further and stay away from dairy and gluten as well, since I know my digestive system is sensitive to these foods. After a week on the “diet”, I notice more energy overall and that my muscles and connective tissue are much more supple. That led me to wonder, how do sugar and gluten make muscles and connective tissue sticky, and how does a good diet make fascia healthy?
According to the 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Plan, when the body can’t fully digest food, it creates toxins that travel through the blood stream to other parts of the body. Also, when the body does not have optimal nutrition, its ability to eliminate waste is diminished, so the byproducts of muscle contraction like acids and calcium build up in the connective tissue.
Detox diets and regimens have become very popular lately, with wild promises and bizarre combinations. My father-in-law claims the best detox is to eat nothing but grapes for a day. I don’t think that you have to resort to coffee enemas or intestinal insult to clean your insides. Instead, I propose that there are two parts to a plan that reduces the load on our internal organs and allows them to function more optimally. Step one: eliminate foods that are hard to metabolize. Step two: make sure that the body is getting what it needs for optimal health.
It’s just common sense to avoid environments that are harmful, such as cigarette smoke, pollution, and noxious chemicals. Eating hard-to-digest food can clog up your system in the same way. According to Wikipedia, some foods to avoid when detoxing include caffeine, processed foods, sugar, and fried foods.
One of the advantages of eliminating junk is that you replace empty calories with more nutrient-rich food, but your body may need even more support. Water is essential for any cleansing process; the body depends on it for everything. Also, even with nutrient-rich food, many people need a vitamin and mineral supplement. Some people have found taking an enzyme supplement helps with digestion, making the nutrients in food more available. And, we can’t forget fiber, the colon’s vacuum cleaner. Dr. Weil gives reasonable diet advice, including an anti-inflammatory diet.
One more thing: if you’re asking your body to detox, it needs the energy to do it, and that means a good balance between activity and rest. Exercise enough to flush the waste products out of your muscles and stimulate your lymph system, as I outlined in a previous post, Detox Your Body with Movement. But also make sure you get enough rest, because that is when your body is best able to heal.
The liver, lungs, kidneys, intestines, skin, and lymph system are designed for daily detox. We can help them do the job with sensible eating habits. Be wary of extravagant promises though, as noted in the article from WedMd. The idea is to get healthier, not to deplete your system.
According to the 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Plan, when the body can’t fully digest food, it creates toxins that travel through the blood stream to other parts of the body. Also, when the body does not have optimal nutrition, its ability to eliminate waste is diminished, so the byproducts of muscle contraction like acids and calcium build up in the connective tissue.
Detox diets and regimens have become very popular lately, with wild promises and bizarre combinations. My father-in-law claims the best detox is to eat nothing but grapes for a day. I don’t think that you have to resort to coffee enemas or intestinal insult to clean your insides. Instead, I propose that there are two parts to a plan that reduces the load on our internal organs and allows them to function more optimally. Step one: eliminate foods that are hard to metabolize. Step two: make sure that the body is getting what it needs for optimal health.
It’s just common sense to avoid environments that are harmful, such as cigarette smoke, pollution, and noxious chemicals. Eating hard-to-digest food can clog up your system in the same way. According to Wikipedia, some foods to avoid when detoxing include caffeine, processed foods, sugar, and fried foods.
One of the advantages of eliminating junk is that you replace empty calories with more nutrient-rich food, but your body may need even more support. Water is essential for any cleansing process; the body depends on it for everything. Also, even with nutrient-rich food, many people need a vitamin and mineral supplement. Some people have found taking an enzyme supplement helps with digestion, making the nutrients in food more available. And, we can’t forget fiber, the colon’s vacuum cleaner. Dr. Weil gives reasonable diet advice, including an anti-inflammatory diet.
One more thing: if you’re asking your body to detox, it needs the energy to do it, and that means a good balance between activity and rest. Exercise enough to flush the waste products out of your muscles and stimulate your lymph system, as I outlined in a previous post, Detox Your Body with Movement. But also make sure you get enough rest, because that is when your body is best able to heal.
The liver, lungs, kidneys, intestines, skin, and lymph system are designed for daily detox. We can help them do the job with sensible eating habits. Be wary of extravagant promises though, as noted in the article from WedMd. The idea is to get healthier, not to deplete your system.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Magnesium, an Important Mineral for Muscle Health
The most recent issue of Fibromyalgia Aware magazine (December 2007) includes an extremely interesting article on the importance of magnesium written by Margy Squires. Her well researched piece tells how magnesium deficit coincides with many diseases including arthritis, asthma, chronic pain and fatigue, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, pre-menstrual syndrome, and, of course, fibromyalgia to name a few. An internet search adds to the list with mitral valve prolapse and cerebral palsy.
Magnesium is necessary for the body to produce and coordinate energy production and to synthesize protein, according to a National Institutes of Health website. Energy and protein are the basic components for healthy muscles.
The Trigger Point Manual notes several minerals that are necessary for normal muscle function: calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Magnesium helps muscles contract and plays a role in many enzyme reactions—more than 325 reactions according to the National Institutes of Health as noted in Squires’ article.
It’s not surprising that one cause of muscle cramps can be low levels of calcium and magnesium, most of which is stored in the body’s bones. If you experience on-going cramps, it’s a good idea to see your health care provider and get your mineral levels checked.
Muscles aren’t the only beneficiaries of adequate magnesium. Maximizing the Arthritis Cure recommends calcium and magnesium and 7 trace minerals as “important adjuncts to the arthritis cure.” It’s another example of how the body works as an integrated whole. What’s good for the muscles is good for the bones is good for the heart is good for the endocrine system . . . you get the idea.
Foods high in magnesium include dark green vegetables, whole grains, soybeans, halibut, nuts, peaches, apricots, bananas, and avocados. Adult females need 310 milligrams a day and adult males need 400 milligrams. Too much magnesium can cause loose stools (think Milk of Magnesia). Maximizing the Arthritis Cure recommends taking magnesium and calcium together in proportion to minimize intestinal problems.
Resources:
Fibromyalgia Aware Magazine http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_awareMagazine
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002423.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003193.htm
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp
Trigger Point Manual (Travell, et al, Williams & Wilkins)
Maximizing the Arthritis Cure (Theodosakis, et al, St. Martin’s)
Magnesium is necessary for the body to produce and coordinate energy production and to synthesize protein, according to a National Institutes of Health website. Energy and protein are the basic components for healthy muscles.
The Trigger Point Manual notes several minerals that are necessary for normal muscle function: calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Magnesium helps muscles contract and plays a role in many enzyme reactions—more than 325 reactions according to the National Institutes of Health as noted in Squires’ article.
It’s not surprising that one cause of muscle cramps can be low levels of calcium and magnesium, most of which is stored in the body’s bones. If you experience on-going cramps, it’s a good idea to see your health care provider and get your mineral levels checked.
Muscles aren’t the only beneficiaries of adequate magnesium. Maximizing the Arthritis Cure recommends calcium and magnesium and 7 trace minerals as “important adjuncts to the arthritis cure.” It’s another example of how the body works as an integrated whole. What’s good for the muscles is good for the bones is good for the heart is good for the endocrine system . . . you get the idea.
Foods high in magnesium include dark green vegetables, whole grains, soybeans, halibut, nuts, peaches, apricots, bananas, and avocados. Adult females need 310 milligrams a day and adult males need 400 milligrams. Too much magnesium can cause loose stools (think Milk of Magnesia). Maximizing the Arthritis Cure recommends taking magnesium and calcium together in proportion to minimize intestinal problems.
Resources:
Fibromyalgia Aware Magazine http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_awareMagazine
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002423.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003193.htm
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp
Trigger Point Manual (Travell, et al, Williams & Wilkins)
Maximizing the Arthritis Cure (Theodosakis, et al, St. Martin’s)
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