Natural Ways to Relieve Muscle Pain After Exercise

For those of us who aren’t in the pinnacle of physical health, the thought of exercise can elicit a tremor of fear! It’s probably safe to say that most of us don’t mind the actual exercise, as this can be overcome by the reminder that it will all be over soon. The muscle pain that can follow, however, can be a lot tougher to deal with. Muscle aches and pains that result from exercise can sometimes last for days, making everyday functions—like bending over or squatting—can feel like chore.

Relieving muscle pain associated with exercise recovery naturally is the best and healthiest option for getting around muscle aches.

Before we address the natural ways of relieving muscle pain due to exercise, let’s discuss the reason why healthy doses of exercise can create such discomfort. When we exercise, particularly when building muscle by lifting weights or performing “toning” movements, the muscle groups being exercised sustain micro-tears within the fibers. This sounds terrible, but it’s quite a natural process. New muscle fibers then grow and knit together to fill in the gaps where the muscle has torn. Unfortunately, this does cause the muscle areas to become achy until they have healed completely. Recovery from a vigorous workout can take up to five days for the muscles to fully recover.

As mentioned before, this is simply the natural and only way to build muscle; therefore we shouldn’t get too excited and give up our exercise routine just yet. Relieving muscle pain associated with exercise recovery naturally is the best and healthiest option for getting around muscle aches. One natural muscle pain relief method is a substance called D-ribose. D-ribose is an organic compound that has many uses in nature and in the human body. Although D-ribose is a simple sugar, there is nothing simple about the job this compound performs. Not only is it the backbone of RNA and a vital component of genetic make-up, but it also speeds up the body’s repair and recovery process. This comes in great for building muscle, plus it also encourages the body to build a greater level of endurance. If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of D-Ribose, please go to the post “Ribose Natural Energy Enhancement“.

For those of us prone to unsuspected bouts of muscle cramps after exercising, the likely cause is due to a deficiency in calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is easily lost but not always fully replenished. Because this vitamin is so vital for muscle stimulation, a deficiency in calcium can lead to painful cramps or uncontrollable muscle movement such as twitching. Calcium may not be the only mineral deficiency at work here, though. Magnesium is another mineral that contributes to muscle pain because it is responsible for aiding the body in the absorption of calcium. If the body is getting enough calcium through the diet but there is not enough magnesium to help the calcium be absorbed, the result can be the same as if the body weren’t getting enough calcium—because in essence, it isn’t.

We all know the dangers associated with dehydration, but did you also know that it is another leading cause of muscle pain? The recommended amount of water that should be consumed on a daily basis is eight glasses. When one is participating in an exercise routine, several additional glasses of water should be consumed throughout the day to replenish that which is lost through sweat. This will ensure that the body doesn’t become dehydrated and also that the muscles don’t endure any painful cramping!

The last method of natural muscle pain relief we are going to talk about is food. While water, calcium, and magnesium are important aspects of preventing muscle cramps, the body needs a little more than these three elements to repair itself at a healthy rate. Consuming light but vitamin and iron-rich foods after winding down from an exercise is a terrific way of ensuring that one’s body gets a much-needed boost of nutrients. This not only replenishes the energy used up during an exercise workout, but it also keeps these nutrients at the ready to be used as the muscles are repairing and building themselves.

Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “Weight Loss Using Whey Protein”, “30 Minute Exercises for Weight Loss” and “Fun Exercises That Can Help You Lose Weight”.