Drug Free Tips to Deal with Aches & Pains

Like you, I’m a woman in mid life who sometimes struggles with aches and pains. I’ve been living with autoimmune issues since my early twenties. I've had several car accidents and more bike crashes than I care to remember. According to pharmaceutical claims, medical publications and the media, I should be in pain, have brain fog and be overweight. Do I ever feel pain? Yes, but I work at keeping my body and brain as healthy as possible while also enjoying life. I’d love to share my secrets for getting out of pain.

Allow Yourself to Feel

If you wake up and you feel your back is sore, do you pop an ibuprofen and just move on with your day? The ibuprofen will lessen your symptoms but not remove the source of your pain. Sometimes we need pharmaceutical intervention. But if we listen to what our body is telling us, we can usually solve the problem and remove the pain naturally and perhaps permanently. Noticing what your body is feeling can be a way to help yourself lessen or eliminate aches and pains. If you are under a lot of stress, you may find that breath work will help get rid of tension headaches. Low back or neck pain? A MELT Hand or Foot Treatment can lessen those symptoms while also helping hydrate your connective tissue and take some pressure off those sensory nerves. Merely masking your pain with medications may not be the most helpful solution. Here’s an example, just two days ago a client came in and told me she woke up with her back seizing up. She had trouble putting her shoes on. She told me she thought about canceling but knew we would work through what was going on and she’d feel better when she left our session. This is what she texted me that afternoon.

“I woke up this morning with life's stresses seizing my lower back. Couldn't tie my shoes.

Hardly could get into the car. After my 1 hr MELT session with you today... I'm pretty sure I won't have to cancel my pickle ball play today! Unbelievable how 60 minutes of self care with MELT and mindful breath helped relax my body. thank you, THANK YOU!!”

Can you get these results for yourself? YES! Learning how to tune into your body and help yourself is a skill just like learning any activity. Can I tell you a secret? I asked my client when was the last time she did a MELT Foot Treatment. She said, “It’s been a while.” The very first thing we did was a Soft Ball Foot Treatment. After just that one ten-minute sequence, her back was already starting to feel better. My new favorite quote I’d like you to remember is, “A Foot Treatment a day keeps back pain away.”

Read more about how The MELT Method works here.

Give Yourself Rest

We all fall prey to being busy. Our bodies were not built to go for hours and hours on end without rest. I often say, “Our DNA was not meant for the way we live our lives today.” We weren’t built to sit at desks and look at screens for hours on end. Much like our circadian rhythm, our bodies have something called an ultradian rhythm, a biological pattern hardwired into our DNA. These are a function of our “clock genes” which dictate how our bodies function in time. Our bodies are meant to wake in the morning, work or focus for about 90 minutes, have a rest then get in another 90 minutes, then rest and so on. While we are resting, our body is recovering. The problem in today’s busy culture is we don’t work along with our ultradian rhythm. Many of us push through from early morning till evening and then collapse or crave processed carbs, sugar or coffee for energy. You’re not lazy if you take a few breaks throughout the day. In fact, you’re smart if you do. Ignoring our bodys’ signals can lead not only to burnout but inflammation, digestive problems, mood swings, sugar cravings, imbalances in blood sugar and insulin response and more. If we go days, weeks or months ignoring our body’s need for rest, we can end up with, you guessed it, head, neck and back pain as well as accumulated fat stores around the belly, hormonal imbalances and accelerated aging. Just take a few breaks throughout the day to rest. Step away from your computer and stare out the window, take deep breaths or daydream. If you sit for long periods of time because of work, taking a quiet walk especially in nature or doing some gentle stretching can be the break you need. Twenty minutes is ideal for letting your body recover and reset, but even five to ten minutes can have positive effects. Read more about ultradian rhythms here.

Breathe and Rehydrate Your Tissues

Breath work can help decrease pain in our bodies. There are many helpful breath work patterns to help minimize head and neck pain as well as low back pain. Just lying on your back with your hips and knees bent at 90 degrees and focusing on diaphragmatic breathing can be a game changer. You can also try a couple more specific breath exercises which will help build load share for your spine. Click here to join my Free online community and learn Supine 90/90 and Crocodile Breathing

The MELT Method is a go-to for me. Learning the Rebalance Sequence along with the Hand and Foot Treatments which I mentioned above can make systemic changes in your body.

When you work with me either privately or in a workshop setting, I teach you these techniques and more. I want you to have control. I want you to be able to get yourself out of pain and keep it that way. There is no magic pill. Having your own simple, self-care program that can be done in minutes a day can be life changing. Email me at mariarigo@boundlessbalance.com to set up a time to chat. We’ll talk about what your goals are and I’ll explain what I would recommend and how I can help you minimize your aches and pains.