Try this 'old-fashioned' remedy for sore muscles

March 2013

Greetings!

Do you find yourself walking with an extra bounce in your step lately? Find yourself smiling for no reason? No doubt it has something to do with spring being just around the corner!

The recent snow and rain has brought welcome moisture to parched soil and should allay farmers' concerns of another drought this summer. Farmers depended on the Old Farmer's Almanac in days gone by for a wealth of information - from when to plant certain crops to how to use some of those crops to cure their ailments.

One natural remedy that has been used for generations to soothe aches and pains is Epsom salts. Massage Therapist Katie Roach shared a tip with our editor on the benefits of soaking in an Epsom salt bath.

Kristi Watson gives us tips on which Dermalogica Masque to use to give your skin an energizing boost - just in time to brighten it for spring!

And meet our new aesthetician on staff, Kendelle Pelot.

Plank is a pose that is easy to get into but will challenge all but the strongest yogi. Nevertheless, its benefits are far-reaching as it strengthens and tones the core and arms - those very spots that will be bare during the coming warm months.

Check out our website and find a yoga, tai chi, tang soo do and capoeira class that interests you or a service to give you a pick-me-up.

Namasté,

Theresa Franklin, NCTMB, LMT, RYT, CMT

Olivia Kelly, NCTMB, LMT

Meet Kendelle Pelot

Kendelle Pelot is an aesthetician who recently joined our staff. A graduate of the Salon Professionals Academy in St. Charles, Kendelle can help you meet your skin care and beauty needs in all areas. In particular, Kendelle focuses on:

* facials
* body waxing
* air brush make-up

She is available Tuesday-Saturday. Contact Kendelle at 444-8695 to schedule an appointment.

Feature Article

Epsom Salts - Nature's Remedy for What Ails You

If you're of a certain age, you might remember your parents or grandparents soaking tired and aching feet in Epsom salt baths. This "old-fashioned home remedy" is still an effective way to rejuvenate tired muscles - and do so much more for our health.

Epsom salt isn't really salt. First discovered in Epsom, England, its scientific name is magnesium sulfate; the "salt" comes from the fact that it looks like table salt. But there the similarity ends.

Table salt has the benefit of providing iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain a healthy thyroid. Table salt also is a major player in increasing our blood pressure. Epsom salt, on the other hand, can actually help lower blood pressure.

Importance of Magnesium and Sulfate

Magnesium and sulfate play an important role in the proper functioning of our bodies but we don't get enough of either. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from the soil and cooking can further diminish any benefits. The typical American diet contains much less magnesium than previous generations' and the loads of fat, sugar, salt and protein we get actually works to speed up the depletion of magnesium from our bodies.

Magnesium helps regulate the activity of more than 325 enzymes in the body. It is an essential mineral for maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, keeping a healthy immune system, maintaining heart rhythm, and building strong bones. A deficiency in magnesium can lead to muscle spasms, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, migraines, osteoporosis, and cerebral infarction.

Sulfate aids in the formation of brain tissue and joint proteins and it can strengthen the walls of the digestive tract. It also plays an important role in muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

While eating magnesium-rich foods such as flax seeds and bran are vital to an overall healthy diet, magnesium and sulfate aren't readily taken in through the digestive tract. But they are easily absorbed through the skin and that's where an Epsom salt bath comes in.

Benefits of an Epsom salt bath

According to the Universal Health Institute in Chicago, some of the benefits of an Epsom salt bath include:

Improve heart and circulatory health
Reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries
Reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure
Improve the body's ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes
Flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
Improve nerve function by regulating electrolytes. calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
Relieve stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body.
Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well-being and relaxation.

Katie's tip

Massage Therapist Katie Roach offers this simple solution for athletes, runners, martial arts aficionados and others who are suffering from sore muscles:

Pour 2 cups of Epsom salt into a hot bath. Soak for at least 20 minutes.

Dermalogica's Powerful Problem Solvers

Dramatically enhance your regimen once or twice a week with powerful Dermalogica Masques!

Concentrated and powerful, Dermalogica Masques deliver a dramatic boost to skin, whether you have concerns with aging, are in need of purifying, hydrating, recovering from sensitivity, inflammation or environmental damage.

Masques used to be used to tighten skin - sometimes only delivering that tightness by drying it out! Advancements of ingredient technology have progressed the benefits of skin masques: they can now help skin recover from damage, infuse skin with vitamins, even clear away breakout-causing bacteria!

Masques are super concentrated and powerful, which is why you only need to use them two to three times a week. The benefit of a masque can be seen almost instantly, as they give the skin an energizing boost. Masques dramatically benefit skin, so they are the ideal supplement to your regimen, delivering cleansing, hydration, or help with skin aging in just 10 minutes.

Not sure which Dermalogica Masque is right for your skin?

Call Kristi (Dermalogica Certified Skin Therapist) at 462-3900.

Asana Zone

Plank Pose

Kumbhakasana

koom-bahkAHS-anna

Kumbhak = breath retention

Plank is a basic pose but don't let its simplicity fool you! Used in both yoga and sports, many will recognize it as one component of Sun Salutation or the up position in a push-up. Breath retention comes into play as we hold our breath briefly before we Chaturanga or move into a low-position pushup. Practice Plank to build your stamina. It also strengthens the back and abs which are important for spinal support and good posture.

How to do it

Start in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog). Then inhale and draw your torso forward until the arms are perpendicular to the floor and the shoulders directly over the wrists, torso parallel to the floor.

Alternatively, you can start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders. Tuck your toes and step back with your feet, bringing your body and head into one straight line.

2. Press your quadriceps up toward the ceiling while

lengthening your tailbone toward your heels. Contact your

abs - you don't want a sway back. Keep your neck

aligned with your back and keep your gaze forward.

3. Hold for 30 seconds or longer. To release, slowly lower

onto your knees, then press back into Child's Pose.

Do:

keep your shoulders aligned directly over your wrists.
keep the space between your shoulder blades wide while broadening across your collar bones. This action helps to prepare you for deeper arm balances, like Crow Pose.
tighten your abs
keep your elbows soft by engaging your biceps and triceps, creating a "micro-bend" in the joint.

Don't:

allow your hips and butt to sag too low or poke too high - it's important to keep your body in one straight line, from shoulders to heels.
lock your elbows - doing so can lead to hyperextension and injury.
hunch your shoulders. Extend them so they're away from your ears.

Benefits

Builds endurance and determination
Tones all of the core muscles of the body, including the abdomen, chest, and low back.
Strengthens the arms, wrists, and shoulders
Strengthens the muscles surrounding the spine, which improves posture

Contraindications

History of degenerative low back problems
Carpal tunnel syndrome

Variations

There are a number of variations you can do to make Plank easier or more challenging.

If you aren't strong enough for full Plank yet, try lowering your knees to the floor (Half Plank). Be sure to keep your head and spine in a straight line, lengthen your arms but don't hyperextend them or lock your elbows.

For a tougher challenge try one of these variations:

Raise one leg parallel to the floor, pressing through the raised heel and lengthen through the crown of your head. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, exhale the foot to the floor, then repeat with the other leg for the same length of time.
Lower yourself to your forearms. Remember to keep your abs tight and engage your glutes so your back doesn't sway.

Be Well Now

is a healthy lifestyle center that offers a range of holistic experiences to unite your mind, body and spirit. Bring harmony to your life through the practice of heart-centered yoga and meditation. Explore our Namasté gift shop with books, CDs, candles, teas, skin care and gifts.

Stop by and check us out!

Be Well Now

(618) 462-3900

The Be Well Now newsletter is edited by Danette Watt. For suggestions, comments or concerns about the newsletter content, contact her at dmwatt33@gmail.com.

In This Issue

Meet Kendelle Pelot

Sore Muscles?Try This Cure

Problem-solving Masques

Asana Zone

New Tai Chi Session

Interested in Teaching?

List of classes