Mundane superfoods – part 4

What is a foam rolling? A foam roller readily available from the likes of TK Maxx is a tool for self massage.  Foam rolling is basically a cheap and easy way of keeping your muscles flexible. How do you foam roll? You place the foam roller under the area you’re targeting and use a gentle, flowing backwards and forwards motion to apply pressure to the area. How does it work? You know how if you visit us for a massage, we apply pressure to release the knots in your muscles.  You use the same principle with a foam roller except you use your body weight to apply pressure. Are there any downside to foam rolling? While I fully recommend foam rolling it will never replace the precision and experience of a massage therapist.  It can be difficult to target small areas with a foam roller so a spikey ball is a better alternative. How often should you foam roll? The simple answer is as much as you can.  When exercising a foam roller should be used both before and after exercise for best results.  Please try to remember foam rolling isn’t a chore it’s a therapy you will gain benefits from it!

Mindfullness is very trendy right now because it is claimed to help you cope with anxiety and stress and build resilience.  But does it help you if you are depressed?  This is the question that researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine tried to answer in a recent study. During the study, 31 women most of whom had done nothing to help themselves to deal with their depression in the last 12 months, participated in an mindfullness group.  They practicied mindfullness meditation and yoga on average 150 minutes per week.  Before starting the study 45% said they had no experience of mediation and 71% said they had never tried yoga. The primary outcome, depression and secondary outcomes (stress, mindfulness, functioning, well-being and depression stigma) were assessed at start of the study and then again at weeks 8 and 16 weeks .  The depressive symptoms significantly decreased during the study, in addition the stigma of depression increased from the start of the study to 8 weeks and then significantly decreased between 8 to 16 weeks of the study.  A significant decrease in stress and significant increase in mindfulness was found at week 8 and the end of the study when compared to the start of the study.  In addition, the women reported increased sense of well-being including self-acceptance and growth. In conclusion mindfulness medication can reduce levels of depression and stress as much as powerful drugs and psychotherapy do. Reference I E Burnett-Zeigler, M D Satyshur, S Hong, A Yang et al, 2016, Mindfulness based stress reduction adapted for depressed disadvantaged women in an urban Federally Qualified Health Centre, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice;  25; 59 - 67 see >> http://www.ctcpjournal.com/article/S1744-3881(16)30072-X/abstract

A lot of clients visit it us in clinic with tense muscles, which over time can lead to achy muscles and this in turn can then lead to episodes of muscle pain.  Muscle tension refers to the condition in which muscles of the body remain semi-contracted for an extended period.  Muscle tension is frequently caused by the physiological effects of stress.  Massage is well documented to reduce muscle tension  (see top two references).  In addition what is also known to help are

1. hot baths
2. yoga
3. stretching

• Introduction to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
• Why does delayed onset muscle soreness vary so much?
• How to prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
• More tips on how to prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness