May Healthy Hint

According to most health experts, stretching is one way to lessen pain, sleep better and avoid strains and sprains of too tight muscles. Part of magnesium's job is helping muscles relax so low magnesium levels in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue may contribute to that "too stiff to move" feeling. Here's an easy, pain-free start up for your stretching routine. Get yourself a little rubber ducky and start in the bath! It may sound like a strange way to get moving but here's the naked truth, so to speak. Purchase a bag or carton of Epsom Salts (named for a town in England) which is common magnesium sulfate (magnesium salts). Some stores even have the 5 pound economy bag! Scoop out a couple cups of salt into bath water that's just a little warmer than body temperature. You should be able to sit comfortable in the water without being chilled. Adding a little lavender oil for calming or rosemary oil for muscle aches may be helpful, too!  As the warm water and magnesium salts relax muscles, do slow and easy motions from a sitting or lying down position. Gently flex heels and point toes. Clench and unclench fingers to palm. Do wrist circles. Shrug shoulders up to ears and down. Keep movements slow and low as to not cause "tidal" action. You can even soak a hand towel in the water and wrap gentle around your neck, a common spot for tension. Redip and rewrap the towel if it gets too cool. A twenty minute soak and you'll get out feeling a little more limber and a lot more relaxed. Some mind-body experts suggest staying in the bath and letting the water run out, imagining that your pain is going down the drain as well. Follow with a nice fluffy towel down. This relaxing routine is especially good just before bed! And don't forget to take Fibro-Care™ to help those magnesium levels, plus drink water to rehydrate post-bath.