How Alternative Medicine Can Take Your Health + Fitness to The Next Level

Introducing alternative medicine into your health and fitness routine can go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals.

Not only can alternative medicine speed up your recovery times and improve your performance, but it can also improve your mental outlook and relieve aches and pains after a tough workout.

Enhanced flexibility, natural pain management, and reduced inflammation are just some of the benefits of incorporating massage, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and chiropractic care into your regular routine.

Taking Your Health and Fitness to the Next Level with Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of alternative medicine that has been used to reduce pain, relieve stress, and improve mental outlook for more than 2,500 years.

According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture is a safe and reliable way to manage injury and pain while supporting general health.

In fact, acupuncture was widely used to prevent injury and relieve pain by athletes during the 2008 Olympics.

• Improve Your Mental Outlook

If you want to take your health and fitness to the next level, mental health can play a crucial role. When you’re suffering from anxiety and depression, you often don’t feel motivated to work out or eat a healthy diet. According to experts at the Yinova Center acupuncture clinic in Brooklyn, NY, regular treatments promote feelings of relaxation and reduce stress, which provides undoubted relief when struggling with mental health issues.

Acupuncture is also beneficial for correcting hormonal imbalances, which are a leading cause of depression. Incorporating acupuncture into a daily routine of eating a healthy diet and leading an active lifestyle can correct undiagnosed causes of chronic fatigue issues and improve your overall health in general.

• Support Your Weight Loss Efforts

Although receiving an acupuncture treatment will not result in immediate weight loss, acupuncture can support your weight loss efforts over time. Acupuncture is an excellent way to improve your digestive health.

Proper digestion is essential for overall health and energy levels. Even more importantly, poor digestion leads to cravings and overeating because your body wants to compensate for missing nutrients. Healing the digestive system with acupuncture therapy helps to curb food cravings that cause unhealthy eating habits.

• Natural Pain Relief

Back pain, joint pain, and sports injuries can all be treated naturally with acupuncture. Whether you’ve performed an exercise incorrectly, overdone your workout, or injured yourself during some other activity, acupuncture can relieve pain and encourage healing so you can get back in the gym sooner.

Sprains and strains are two of the most common types of injuries that can prevent you from working out. Although they often happen during fitness activities, they can happen just as easily during everyday activities. Acupuncture can reduce inflammation and pain, encouraging faster healing by improving circulation and blood flow to the injured area.

Incorporating Massage into Your Health and Fitness Routine

We all know that massages feel great, especially after a tough workout. They’re a great way to reduce stress and tension brought on by today’s hectic lifestyle. But there are also several ways massage therapy can help you take your health and fitness to the next level.

• Ease Muscle Pain and Tension

Massage therapy can reduce the tension in your muscles, which improves your performance during your workouts. Muscle tension also results in poor posture and back pain in everyday life. Relieving muscle pain naturally is a much safer and healthier alternative than downing a couple of pills after you’ve done too many reps or pushed yourself too far on the treadmill.

• Improve Flexibility

We all lose our flexibility gradually as we age unless we take steps to maintain it. Massage is excellent for restoring some of the flexibility in your tendons and muscles. Incorporating massage with a regular stretching routine (such as yoga) can actually reverse some of the natural aging processes and lubricate the muscles, joints, and tendons to bring back some of the flexibility you had when you were younger.

• Speed Up Post-Workout Recovery Times

Massage boosts blood and oxygen circulation, which helps your body heal faster after a workout. Your body needs the added oxygen and blood to rebuild your cells. Massage has also been shown to reduce muscle scarring after an intense workout. It can help heal muscle strain post-workout so you can get back in the gym sooner.

• Reduce Stress and Feel Better Mentally

Cortisol levels rise during an intense workout, which is excellent for performance, but it can leave you feeling a bit anxious or stressed. On the other hand, massage lowers cortisol levels, naturally reducing stress levels. Combining regular workouts with regular massage therapy sessions is a great way to get balance.

• Decrease Inflammation

Minor inflammation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Inflammation occurs after a workout because tissues are damaged and white blood cells are sent to the area to help it heal and prevent further damage. This also causes swelling as a protective measure. However, if the inflammation is severe or chronic, it can lead to increased pain and stiffness in the area. Massage is highly effective for reducing inflammation because it improves circulation and speeds healing.

Herbal Medicine for Health and Fitness

Herbal medicine is a fantastic way to take your health and fitness to the next level. There are several herbs that can support your body and mind throughout your everyday life, and before, during, and after exercise.

• Turmeric

Turmeric is useful for supporting the body’s response to pain and inflammation. It promotes healthy function in the joints, and it also contains antioxidants that help to maintain your overall health and vitality. Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, supports the production of proteins that regulate the immune system.

• Boswellia

Boswellia is traditionally used in Ayurveda for its ability to relieve pain and encourage a healthy inflammatory response by controlling the production of certain enzymes. It also promotes blood circulation in the connective tissues of the body. Because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties, it also supports healthy gut function.

Boswellia also encourages apoptosis (natural cell death) while promoting the growth of healthy new cells and tissues. This herb is especially beneficial for runners and other athletes who participate in high-impact activities.

• Green Tea

Green tea has been consumed for centuries because of its ability to promote a healthy metabolism and support heart health, thanks to its naturally occurring antioxidants. For those who lift weights regularly, it may have muscle-building (anabolic) benefits and help maintain muscle mass.

• Maca

Maca root was used in the days of the Inca warriors for its ability to enhance performance without caffeine. It’s a root that comes from the Andes mountains of Peru. It’s an adaptogen that helps your body handle stress while supporting energy production and boosting stamina. It can also increase your focus during and after your workout. If you’re looking for a natural way to provide extra energy during an extended workout, this might be the herb for you.

• American Ginseng

American ginseng has been used by Native American populations throughout history, and its Asian counterpart is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine.

In modern times, it’s considered an adaptogen that supports oxygen levels in the blood and encourages the healthy metabolism of lactic acid, which is essential during and after a tough workout.

A ginseng supplement can be taken before your workout to boost endurance and stamina as well as speeding recovery after your session. Long-distance cyclists and runners can especially benefit from taking American ginseng.

• Eleuthero

Eleuthero originates from Siberia, and it is used as an adaptogen. It supports healthy blood sugar levels, promotes the metabolism of pyruvic and lactic acids, and encourages energy production. When lactic acid builds up in the body during a workout, it leaves your muscles feeling sore and heavy. Excess pyruvic acid in the system is caused by the breakdown of glucose. This herb is beneficial for high endurance athletes who need to increase stamina and reduce recovery times.

Incorporating Chiropractic Care into Your Health and Fitness Routine

Many people assume that chiropractors are only concerned with spinal health, but this form of alternative medicine actually considers the whole body. Sure, their treatments center around the spinal alignment, but the effects can be felt in the head, neck, back, and throughout the body. If you’re looking to take your health and fitness to the next level, chiropractic is a great place to start.

• Pain Reduction

During a chiropractic session, the spine is manipulated to improve mobility in the vertebrae. One of the most common benefits of this process is pain relief, especially in the joints, neck, back, and even the head. This is especially important for chronic pain sufferers who wouldn’t be able to work out otherwise.

• Strengthened Immune System

When the spine is aligned correctly, the central nervous system functions more effectively and efficiently, which results in a stronger immune system. When the spine is out of alignment, the central nervous system can’t communicate properly, and essential organs don’t operate as they should.

Conclusion

Alternative medicine offers a safe and non-invasive option for improving your overall health and achieving your fitness goals. It’s a great way to treat and prevent common injuries after a hard workout. Alternative medicine can also improve your endurance and focus during your training sessions, helping you achieve better results more quickly.

About Shannon Clark

Shannon holds a degree in Exercise Science and is a certified personal trainer and fitness writer with over 10 years of industry experience.