Muscles

If you'd rather watch a video I did all about muscles, see below. {It may take a sec to load the video.} If you prefer to read, just keep scrolling! 

Our muscles have so many important jobs and they honestly do take a beating. Sometimes we do not realize how much we rely on our muscles until we are sore! They have the obvious job of moving our body with help of our bones, but they also move internally. Without certain types of muscle inside our body, we would never be able to move food through our digestive tract. Our muscles also help us maintain posture and generate heat within the body. 

Fun fact: There a over 600 muscles in body. 

There are 3 types of muscles within the body. Cardiac muscles are in the heart, and thankfully those are involuntary - meaning we don't have to think about moving them! They are responsible for pumping the heart. Skeletal muscles are attached to our bones and they move voluntarily. Walking and so many other daily tasks would be impossible without these muscles! Smooth muscles are another involuntary type that can be found in our digestive system and blood vessels. They are responsible for things like moving food through our intestines and making sure our blood is flowing in the correct direction. 

Foods that are good for our muscles include things like bananas, red meat, fish, and eggs. It's also important to eat a variety of foods as fresh as possible for overall health in general.  

Fun fact: Our strongest muscle is one we chew with called the masseters. 

Ways to Support Your Muscles

If you need to relax, or want to find a spot of tension, you might want to try progressive body relaxation. This is a practice where you tense different groups of muscles and hold for a few seconds, then release. You can even pair this physical release with a visualization of pain leaving your body as you release the muscles. {Our body is absolutely amazing and I am a huge believer in manifesting and visualizing. Read more about the brain here.} You repeat this process as you move up the body starting with your toes and going up to your face.

To really help relieve pain, loosen muscles, and get a reset, book a visit with a massage therapist. It's always nice to get one professionally done, but you can also work on muscles at home. Massages help decrease tension, increase blood flow and range of motion, and even help with stress! I love to pair massages with essential oils to get even more bang for my buck. Yes, I bring my own oils and ask the massage therapist to incorporate them into the session. I have gone to several different places and have never had a problem. Read more about essential oils here. 

Another great thing to do for your muscles is visit a chiropractor. Muscles and bones work together, and when bones are out of alignment, muscles can suffer too. Making sure that your bones are in the proper place goes a long way in keeping your muscles in their best condition. You don't want them overstretched or pulled too tight because a bone is out of place. Another bonus about visiting a chiropractor is that they are usually very naturally minded and love to share their knowledge of the human body. It's great to learn more about the body!

We love to incorporate yoga stretches into our daily routine. If I am having a hard time with my daughters focusing or I feel like we need a break, I'll look up some yoga poses to try. My daughters love the Cosmic Kids yoga channel on YouTube. 

Lastly, try to incorporate some type of movement throughout your day. Sitting for a long period of time is not good for your body, and actually can make you tired. Set a timer to remind you to get up each hour and walk around or stretch for a couple minutes.

Click here to check out how you can grab some products that are great for supporting your muscles!