8 New Tips for a Faster Recovery in St. Charles IL

You know the basic exercise recovery tricks of protein drinks, stretching and water. Add some from the list below from our clinic in St. Charles IL to feel better faster.

Stay Healthy my Friends - Dr. G

Chill with This in St. Charles IL

• Ice has been a traditional recovery tool to reduce the expected swelling from your work out. I recommend icing your bendy spots, the joints, if they hurt. Place a wet cloth between you and the ice pack. Put it on a sore joint for 15 minutes. Repeat up to once per hour.

Heating Up This

• New research shows faster exercise recovery from a hot bath, sauna, or steam bath. After exercise, this increases blood flow and reduces the muscle recovery time

Chew on This

Include the foods on this list to reduce inflammation. They will help you feel less sore and speed up recovery. Eat up - your muscles will thank you for it!

• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Pineapple
• Apples
• Almonds
• Red pepper
• Papaya
• Walnuts

Roll with This

• Foam rolling can help reduce soreness from your workout like nothing else can. Not only will foam rolling help reduce soreness and tightness, rolling can also help prevent injuries and can make you more flexible.

Tips for Foam Rolling:

• Roll back and forth across the painful or stiff area for no more than 2-3 minutes per body part.
• Spend extra time directly over the knot or trigger point itself.
• Try rolling every day to help reduce soreness from workouts.
• For prevention of injuries, 2-3 times a week is recommended.
• Avoid rolling over bony areas.
• Always stretch the area following foam rolling

Remember: too much of a good thing is not a good thing. 

Take Some of This

These natural supplements keep inflammation in check and speed up recovery.

• Zymain containing Bromelain (found in the pineapple core) - Adding this to your diet aids in the digestion of protein. It is used to curb inflammation in athletic injuries.
• Inflavonoids with Turmeric - Turmeric contains curcumin, a more potent anti-inflammatory than aspirin, with none of it's side effects.
• Formula 303 - This is the most advanced natural anti-inflammatory/muscle relaxer on the market. It will reduce pain and help you sleep. Plus, it's a natural product and won't cause liver, stomach or kidney problems.
• Omega 3's - Omega-3 fish oil helps improve recovery time by reducing soreness and stiffness after a workout. Because omega-3 fish oil helps reduce inflammation, it combats muscle fatigue as well.

Reduce This

• Chronic stress like work deadlines, lack of sleep, and other obligations can make a substantial impact on how quickly you recover. Take steps to reduce your stress levels so you can bounce back faster. Do something you really enjoy, surround yourself with people you love, meditate and make yourself laugh

Get More of This

• During sleep, your body releases growth hormone and repairs the damage that has been done to your muscles during your workouts. Taking a 10-20-minute nap once a day is a terrific way to see faster results. That's right, we said take a nap! Taking the same amount of time and praying, meditating, or resting quietly focusing on diaphragm breathing has been show to be just as beneficial.

Exercise Like This

• The more mature athlete creates more human growth hormone, increases cellular hormonal sensitivity (a good thing) and maintains a higher level of metabolism, if they exercise vigorously, and take the next day off. Recovery days are essential.