Do you regularly get sore after pushing it in the gym? Do you have a chronic achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis that is taking the fun out of walking let alone jumping about in a fitness class? I would suggest you try Taumeel ointment, it helped me tremendously on various occasions. Find out which issues I have sorted out apart from DOMS sore muscles from exercising and Ankylosing Spondylitis related pain.
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What I like about the Zone exercises is that they integrate mind and body both of which affect each other. Studies have shown that emotional tension is held in different areas of the body depending on what they relate to. Some people carry their tension in their shoulders others in their lower back. Zone related movements can help release and balance tensions a person holds which means you can also affect your posture in a positive way by practicing Zone exercises. You do not have to understand how it works or believe in the approach for it to work. If you prefer to just see this as a gentle exercise routine you will still experience great benefits as you practice with consciousness and awareness of how you body responds to each movement. It is about being in the moment, getting to know your body and listening to how it feels. If you are not ready for traditional still sitting meditation you might find the Zone exercises are a good intermediate step on your way to integration more mindfulness in your life without causing yourself the emotional stress that the thought of still meditation might trigger for you.
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Like many of you, I have over-exercised by running too many miles and instructing unhealthy numbers of exercise classes each week; none of which resolved my body image/ weight issues and largely contributed to my mental and physical ill health. Yes I know, it is commonly prescribed to exercise more and to eat a lot less, but does it work? Does it make you feel good, is it sustainable long term, will it change your body shape permanently? Well – no, generally it does not. There is a limit to what your body can cope with in the long run. If you keep doing several intense classes at the gym or running many miles each week you will eventually experience symptoms of over training see the list
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Are you planning a long haul trip this year? Worried about your health? Today I will share what I did to stay healthy and well on my recent trip from the UK to Tokyo. How I managed my Ankylosing Spondylitis pain during the long plane journey, how I avoided ear ache and dvt as well as catching a travellers cold, getting affected by gluten exposure, food poisoning and parasite infections.
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You have probably seen and heard of minimalist trainers or barefoot shoes. They have been around for a while now. I’d like to explain to you why wearing barefoot shoes is not just a trend or fad but something that you should explore yourself if you care for the health of your feet and anything that lives above them i.e. ankles, knees, hips and spine. All of us have made some bad shoe choices at some point in our life. For some it has grater repercussions than just brief foot pain and blisters. Let’s get to the point looking at the different factors that need to be considered when choosing shoes for activity and fitness in particular although this post should give you enough food for thought to also re-think how you treat your feet outside the gym.
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Sometimes I am asked why I do not include crunches in my FAB ABS group fitness classes. I have done considerable research on the best and safest ways to strengthen your core and this post should explain my reasons for omitting them and exactly what my class is designed to achieve. So are crunches bad for you? Crunches aren’t necessarily bad; they’re just terribly overused. Doing some crunches is fine when done on a Swiss ball that supports going through the full range of movement, letting the rectus abdominus (six pack) stretch on extension. The main job of your abs is not to look good, but to switch on at the right time to support the spine in complex daily movement or sports and protect it from injury.
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If you suffer with AS, you will be well aware that sleep is essential. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis would probably pay for sleep if you could buy it… Now I am not suggesting taking sleeping pills but it is worthwhile to look at ways of making sleeping more comfortable. I would like to share my personal sleep tuning practices that have helped me get through difficult AS pain times.
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