Relieve muscle pain and inflammation

It doesn't matter what your lifestyle is, we've all, at one time or another, experienced the pain of an overused or inflamed muscle. Whether it's at school bent over books for hours on end. Very demanding for the neck that becomes stiff and throbbing. Or hours spent at the gym and the pain that follows? We strain the muscles by sitting too long without doing anything.

A quick solution to all these ailments is often a painkiller to mask the real problem. Not only is this harmful to our bodies but it doesn't help anyway. This article will show you how to get pain relief the natural way, how to determine the source of your muscle pain (the cause), and how to prevent it!

Ergonomics & Performance Tips

• Buy an exercise ball - if you spend hours sitting during the day, you may want to take the chair out of the way!

For many people, it's a little uncomfortable, and anyway, an exercise ball is so much more fun and you'll get the added benefit of strengthening your abs (doing crunches at work? Why not!?).

Stretching - Taking the time to stretch after a workout (not necessarily before), during the day, and when you know certain muscles are tender - will do you a huge favor. Among other things, you decrease the risk of injury, relieve muscle tension following physical activity, improve blood circulation and increase your range of motion while decreasing the resistance of your muscles during certain activities. This is especially effective since some sensitive muscles tend to lack oxygen and nutrients due to decreased blood flow, resulting in sore muscles and that stiff feeling. Stretching will improve mechanical efficiency and overall performance.

• Listen to your body - If we learn to pay attention and listen to our bodies, we can often avoid injury. Whenever you experience severe pain, weakness or dizziness during an exercise, pay attention and assess whether you need a break or even finish what you are doing for the day. It is important to give your body the time it needs to rest and recover. Also, if you work in an office environment, take note of any sore spots in your body and adjust the ergonomics of your workstation to correct the situation.

Relieving pain naturally

Land Art has just launched a new product, the ReFlex is a unique blend of essential oils, herbs with therapeutic concentration components to offer you instant pain relief, right where it hurts. It's a convenient spray that you simply apply to the area of pain for an immediate effect. It doesn't work like traditional painkillers that turn off the pain receptors internally (thus affecting other functions at the same time), but rather works by creating a cooling effect to distract from the perception of pain. In other words, it is a anti-irritant and acts to distract the pain receptors with a cooling and refreshing effect (opposite sensations), so that you no longer feel the pain and inflammation (redness and heat)!

Excellent for relieving neck pain during school and muscle pain due to overexertion during physical activities. You can combine this with magnesium to reduce muscle spasms, Collagen Extra to work preventively with anti-inflammatories, taking salt baths (also containing high levels of magnesium, which is absorbed by the skin), a good anti-inflammatory diet (see examples below), and learning how to prevent injuries (with ergonomic tips).

Among the many studies demonstrating the benefits of topical analgesics:

• Martin et. al (1991) demonstrated the significant effects of topical analgesics from essential oils such as Clove, Eucalyptus, Menthol and Camphor oil, and their ability to relieve mild to moderate cases of myalgia and neuralgia.
• Taylor et. al (2011) support this research with their findings of improved microcirculatory effects due to better oxygenation (increased oxygen pressure in the skin) after application of these oils.
• Pergolizzi et. al (2010) have further demonstrated that topical analgesics play an increasingly important role in the management of acute and chronic pain while acetaminophen, NSAIDs and opiates are under closer scrutiny.

Product Information - ReFlex:

Reflex spray provides deep relief for your muscle and joint pain with an effective formula developed to our exacting standards.

DOSAGE: Use for adults, teenagers and children 2 years and older - spray and massage the area of pain 4 times a day.

MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS: Camphor 3% / Eucalyptus essential oil 0.72% / Menthol 2.5% / Methyl salicylate 12% / Clove oil 0.3%.

NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS: Isopropyl alcohol, purified water, magnesium chloride, polysorbate 80

PRECAUTIONS AND WARNINGS: in case of accidental ingestion, call a Poison Control Center immediately - Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes - Keep out of reach of children - Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding - Do not use if you are taking blood thinners - Discontinue use if irritation and/or burning sensation occurs.

Foods to reduce inflammation

Inflammation is one of our body's responses to heal itself naturally and in fact, it is due to a reaction to external stimuli - either through injury, environmental toxins, disease or poor dietary choices - these are just a few examples that can trigger this automatic response. While this is a good response to some situations, it can also be damaging to the body. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is a constant state of inflammation that creates damage to joints causing pain, bone erosion and eventually joint deformity. Since we want to avoid this, here are some examples of anti-inflammatory foods that can help you reduce and control inflammation to speed up the healing of a muscle injury:

• Turmeric - work in the body by turning off the NF-kappa Ba protein that helps regulate the immune system responsible for triggering inflammation.
• Berries and cherry pies - Particularly rich in anthocyanins (giving them a bright color), berries and cherries (real cherries - NOT maraschino cherries) are powerful antioxidants for fighting inflammation throughout the body.
• Garlic and onions - known for their immune-boosting properties, garlic works in a similar way to NSAID drugs (like ibuprofen), altering the pathways that lead to inflammation - but WITHOUT the harmful effects. And onions contain anti-inflammatory elements (such as the phyto-nutrient quercetin and allicin, which breaks down to produce free radicals - thus fighting sulfenic acid).
• Whole grains (e.g. brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat) - eating whole grains, unlike refined grains, are a wonderful substitute for reducing inflammation. Since whole grains contain less sugar and are higher in fiber, they have been shown to lower Protein C levels. Reactive Protein, an indicator of inflammation in the blood.
• Leafy green vegetables - one of the best sources of vitamin E, with examples being kale, broccoli, spinach and leafy greens. Vitamin E plays an important role in protecting the body from pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines! They also tend to contain higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals (such as calcium, iron, and phytochemicals), than lighter colored vegetables (e.g. Iceberg lettuce, which contains almost none).
• Nuts (the good fats!) - FULL of antioxidants - especially almonds, which are high in fiber, calcium and vitamin E, and walnuts, which are high in alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 fat). Eat a handful a day as they are real little anti-inflammatory machines. If you've ever heard of the benefits of a Mediterranean diet (known to reduce inflammation in 6 weeks), walnuts play an important role.

DISCLAIMERThis article is not intended to replace the advice or treatment of a health care professional.

References

Martin, Randall L., Michael Jamond, Mark Bush, and Tim Cotie. "The Efficacy of Preoperative Vs Intraoperative Placement of Epidural Catheters for Acute Postoperative Pain Relief." The Clinical Journal of Pain 7.1 (1991): 43. Web.

Pergolizzi, Joseph V., Marco Pappagallo, Robert B. Raffa, Chris Gharibo, Reed B. Phillips, Stéphane Desjonquères, and Aaron Tabor. "Preliminary Observations of a Novel Topical Oil with Analgesic Properties for Treatment of Acute and Chronic Pain Syndromes." Pain Practice 10.3 (2010): 201-13. Web.

Taylor, Robert, Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Marco Pappagallo, Chris Gharibo, and Robert Raffa. "008. Preliminary Observations of a Novel Topical Oil with Analgesic Properties for Treatment of Acute and Chronic Pain Syndromes." European Journal of Pain Supplements 5.S2 (2011): 510. Web.