This edition will look at three  topics :

• calf and foot cramps with ideas on how to treat this common affliction 
• Colds and flu and ways to strengthen the immune system

And a couple of weeks of closure of the clinic from Sat 17 June to reopen ion Tuesday 4 July

 

Also, as of 15 June I will no longer have a business land line - 9436 0306. Instead please use my mobile number to contact me and make appointments. 04247192436

Calf and foot cramps causes and cures

 

 

 

Have you ever had calf and foot cramps either during or after exercise or in bed in the middle of the night!  Very painful but why?

• You may be dehydrated - Do you drink 2L of water a day or 8 250mL glasses of water. Cut back on the caffeine and alcohol as these are dehydrating.
• Maybe you are low in Magnesium. 300mg a day of a powder or tablets help.
• Vitamin B complex will help mood and nerve function, sleep patterns and the production of serotonin a mood enhancing hormone.
• You may have a compressed nerve in your lower spine which can tighten the muscles in its path into the legs.

OR Maybe it is your micro circulation that is not good. As we get older the walls of our arteries get stiffer and our blood pressure increases. This is also true of the smaller blood vessels, the arterioles and venules found in the calves and foot area. We need flexible walls to increase the circulation of the blood which carries oxygen, food and waste to the muscles. 

So how can we help to improve our micro circulation? 

By using the 8 point dietary plan:

1. Increase nitrate : Green leafy vegetables like Chinese greens and baked or juiced beetroot. 
2. Cocoa: 85% chocolate 20g/day
3. Berries: 60-100g/day of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or cherries 
4. Fruit and vegetable juices such as: beetroot, ginger, celery, apple, banana, pineapple and ginger.
5. Green tea or hibiscus tea - several cups a day
6. Garlic fresh 1-2 cloves raw a day
7. Fibre: especially 30g/day of freshly milled linseeds. LSA, wheat or oat bran are good too.
8. Reduce salt to 3g/day

Increase potassium by eating one banana/day or 300mL of coconut water.

On top of this we need to have a Mediterranean type diet - low in saturated fats, sugars and salt with just a little red meat.

Now if you do not want to eat this huge array of foods you can take it as a supplement. Called 'Polyphenol Circ Support' it contains beetroot, cacoa, blueberries,green tea, cucurmin,ginger, grapeseed extract plus more. It is a powder and definitely helps to reduce the incidence of cramps after 6 weeks of use.  All these herbs are anti oxidants, anti inflammatory , circulatory stimulants and help to decrease blood pressure. 

In the massage area it is important to massage your legs before bed and even earlier in the afternoon. Also, stretch your calves, hamstrings, hip flexors and back to reduce tightness around nerves. 

If you want any help with how to stretch the body or use the herbs please give me a call. 

Colds and flu season - how to prevent the flu by strengthening your immune systemem

Even if you follow these guidelines you may still get a cold or flu but these measures can reduce the incidence. 

Prevention

1.  Hygiene by washing your hands and use alcohol wipes too. 
2. If your Vit D or Zinc levels are low, both are often low in Ausatralia, add vitamin D and zinc  as they both help to strengthen the immune system.
3. Vitamin C can be depleted a lot if we are stressed so taking 500mg a day will help the immune system plus higher  doses if you get a cold or flu.  
4. Take Echinaceae from April to October. 5mL 1X/ day or 1 tablet 2X a day. Echinaceae is a great immune modulator herb. 
5. Take 1 probiotic capsule a day. 
6. Do a lifestyle inventory - Do I need to make changes re diet, drink, stress, work/.life balance? 
7. Having a massage at least 1x a month helps to relax the muscles and nervous system and reduce stress.

Early onset of symptoms - Sore throat, blocked sinuses, muscular aches and pains etc

1. Lots of rest and warm fluids. 
2. Andrographis complex tablets or a liquid formulation or Echinaceae 5mL 3X a day till symptoms abate. 

Bronchitis

Treatment for bronchitis depends very much on the symptoms, whether it is a mucousy cough or a dry cough. Whether in the upper or lower lung. 

Diet 

Whilst any cold symptoms are present avoid all white coloured foods as they are mucous producing e.g. Bread, flour, rice, alcohol, cakes, chips, bananas, plus also caffeine and chocolate 

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Quote of the Quarter

' I could write volumes about Mothers, indeed there have been volumes already written. So I will just say ........the World needs Mothers'. From 'Outback Wisdom' by Sara Henderson

Housekeeping

To advise that the clinic will be closed from Saturday 17 June and will reopen on Tuesday 4 July.

Keep active and warm over these cooler months. Moving your muscles and joints will help to reduce any arthritic pain there.

Kind Regards

Penny Wade

Massage Therapist and Herbalist