yoga – watercress words by Dr Aletha

I no longer have an affiliate relationship with these companies; not because I don’t like them but because I’m simplifying the sources of funding for my blog and emphasizing other avenues.

So you should still be able to access these products through these links, they just won’t pay me a commission; and that’s ok, if you like them, use them.

What is Juno Active ?

For one thing, it’s a woman owned, woman ran company, dedicated to empowerment of their employees and their customers.

It all started at a YMCA aerobics class in 1995.

Founder Anne Kelly was busy breaking a sweat when she looked around the room and wondered where all the plus size women were finding good plus size workout clothes that weren’t just made from cotton. She soon realized they weren’t finding any good clothes built with technical fabrics or specially tailored for plus size women’s bodies.

Fresh from finishing her business degree in London, Anne was inspired to start a plus size activewear company to fill the gap in the activewear industry and meet the growing needs of active plus size women everywhere.

Junonia®, was founded in 1995 as a catalog company. Rebranded as Juno®Active™ in 2012, the company is now exclusively an online plus size swim and activewear retailer.

“Our swim and activewear styles are custom tailored for plus size women; we focus on fabric performance and design so our customers always look and feel empowered.”
Anne Kelly, founder

What their website says

“At JunoActive we believe that every woman deserves what she wants and needs, like stylish plus size activewear that looks as good as it feels and performs.We design, create and provide styles that last longer than an annual gym membership, with high-tech fabrics, tailoring for performance and athletic styles that flatter real, curvy bodies.

With SoftWik hoodie pullovers, compression bike shorts, yoga leggings and so much more, find all your essential spring season activewear right here. Our plus size athletic wear ranges from XL to 6X.”

JunoActive short sleeve plus size tops and tees. Get 3X tees, 4X tops, 5X shirts, and 6X short sleeve tops you can only find here

The JunoActive Blog

And you don’t have to buy anything to check out the JunoActive Blog with articles about work out tips, an active lifestyle, inspiration, workout fashion, and travel. Here’s one about working out in 6 feet of floor space.

Plus size shorts in many styles. Bermuda shorts, gaucho shorts, bike shorts, and more plus size women’s shorts.

Aaptiv– an app for that

With the proper activewear you can make use of the Aaptiv fitness app. I’ve been working out with Aaptiv for a year now and it has met and exceeded my expectations. Whether you are beginning to get serious at exercise or a long time fitness guru, you can find an Aaptive workout and trainer to meet your needs. ( I still use the app, even though it’s no longer an affiliate of this blog.)

Aaptiv is an app that offers work out sessions led by professional trainers who talk you through a routine with background music. You might think that would be difficult without video. But in the past when I tried to work out with videos, I found I was often turned the wrong direction and couldn’t see what the trainer was doing.

By listening to and following the trainer’s spoken instruction, my workouts are more focussed and efficient. Aaptive added visual workout guides showing some of the positions used in yoga, stretching, Pilates, and strength training. You can also choose from ellipitical, treadmill, outdoor running, stair climber, and indoor cycling. There are also recordings for relaxation/meditation and to help you with sleep.

You can choose from a variety of activites characterized as beginner, intermediate, and advanced; these refer to the level of the work out, not necessarily your level of fitness. So you might be an advanced yoga practicioner, but if you’re new to elliptical, you probably should start with the beginner workouts.

Doctors know that physical activity is beneficial for almost everyone and can help manage many health problems. But if you have any health issues or physical challenges that might make exercise unsafe for you, discuss with your physician before starting. Or if you’re not sure if you do, talk to your doctor.

As you’re working through a routine, you may find it a little too challenging. No problem, you can stop and try a different one. Or continue, but move at a slower pace, or do fewer repetitions. You should avoid any movement that causes pain; you should feel challenged but not injured.

If you feel unwell during exercise, such as lightheaded, dizzy, chest discomfort, or extreme short of breath, stop all activity until your doctor determines it is safe to resume.

Aaptiv also publishes an online magazine filled with articles on fitness, eating, and health, like easy ways to cut waste in your kitchen.

exploring the HEART of fitness with physical activity

I hope this post inspires you to continue or start working out, a sport, or other physical activity. And if you use affiiate links in other posts on this blog, you’ll create revenue that helps us share the HEART of health all over the world.

Dr Aletha

In a previous post I talked about non-drug methods to manage pain in the spine-neck and back. You may want to review it now, but reading this one first is fine. This post will focus on other painful conditions.

While people often discover methods to relieve pain that work for them, I am focusing here on treatments that are supported in the medical literature or recommended by knowledgeable professionals. For this post, I reviewed many articles which summarized current studies.

Finding trustworthy medical information

How do doctors know what works and what doesn’t? Since medical knowledge has changed since we went to medical school , how do we know what is current information?

We read literature pertinent to our fields on a regular basis, attend conferences, and talk to other doctors. But when we need a specific question answered , we do what you do-we Google it.

shelves in a library with adjacent computers — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Library, located on the organization’s campus, in Atlanta, Georgia. The CDC collections span the field of public health. Print and electronic resources cover such topics as disease prevention, epidemiology, infectious diseases, global health, chronic diseases, environmental health, injury prevention, and occupational safety and health. The main library in Atlanta and selected branch libraries are open to the public. used courtesy CDC/ Emily Weyant; MSLIS; ORISE Fellow

One of the most frequently reviewed is PubMed listing more than 28 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. The service is free and anyone can use it. PubMed is a service of the National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical library in the world ,located in Bethesda, Maryland,

Another major reference is the Cochrane Library, a collection of databases in medicine and other healthcare specialties ; a fee is charged to use this service.

Basic points about complementary treatments for pain management

We should use medication and surgery when appropriate, but when these can’t be used or are not helpful, we can consider alternative methods, or what I and other doctors prefer to call complementary or integrative treatment.

This post focuses on symptom relief, not necessarily curative treatment.

Herbals and supplements are drugs and can be effective for certain conditions, but this post will discuss non-drug treatments only.

Many cases of pain improve spontaneously with no specific treatment.

Almost everything works sometimes.

There are few if any down side to any of these treatments. Used under supervision they are unlikely to have adverse side effects or result in long term complications.

The most important ingredient in managing a chronic or persistent condition is having a therapeutic relationship with your physician and other healthcare professionals- physical therapist , mental health counselor, nutritionist.

SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MANAGE CHRONIC PAIN-WATERCRESSWORDS.COM

Migraine

Migraine is more than just a bad headache; it is a disorder of the brain which causes pain as well as other common symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise. Dizziness, numbness, and loss of vision occur less frequently.

diagram of the human brain. — The major parts of the brain, including the pineal gland, cerebellum, spinal cord, brain stem, pituitary gland, and cerebrum are labeled. I photo courtesy of Source: National Cancer Institute Creator: Alan Hoofring (Illustrator)

Most people with migraine require some type of medication for relief, but non-drug treatments can supplement meds and can be helpful for prevention. Integrative treatments that work according to studies include

acupuncture
biofeedback
CBT-cognitive behavioral therapy
exercise
meditation
relaxation training
yoga

Fibromyalgia

I mentioned fibromyalgia in my post about back and neck pain, but include it here since it causes pain in other body areas.

Fibromyalgia seems to be a disorder of nerves which makes them super sensitive, leading to diffuse muscle and joint pain that can become disabling. Complementary treatments recommended include

Mind-body-guided imagery, hypnosis, biofeedback, mindfulness meditation , relaxation
Tai chi
Hydrotherapy, balneotherapy

Osteoarthritis of the knees (degenerative arthritis)

It is likely that arthritis in other joints responds to these therapies but there aren’t enough large studies to confirm.

Acupuncture,
tai chi
walking and strengthening exercises
Balneotherapy-bathing in hot water mineral baths

people in a gym exercising — photo courtesy Amanda Mills, CDC.gov, Public Health Image Library

Tessa Frank discusses how she became frustrated when increasing doses of opioids didn’t relieve her chronic pain, and what she’s doing now to manage her pain.

How I’m Managing My Chronic Pain Without Opioids

“While I no longer use opioids, I do use non-opioid prescription medications and a spinal cord stimulator to provide pain relief for my CRPS, complex regional pain syndrome, a chronic, debilitating neuropathic pain condition.

I’m also hyperaware of how stress triggers my increased feelings of pain, so to mitigate stress, I personally have found relief in meditation, relaxation and yoga among other approaches.” (excerpt)

If you didn’t read it earlier, here’s a link to the previous post about treating pain, along with a brief excerpt.

Surprising effective ways to relieve back pain

“Pain in the spine results from many medical conditions, ranging from minor to life threatening. Most cases are due to routine or excessive physical activity or a minor injury causing strain of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and will go away with no or minimal intervention in less than 12 weeks.”

The affiliate product links in this post are for illustration and information only, and do not imply endorsement.

I am grateful when you like and share this post on social media.

Please consider helping support this blog by using my affiliates. You’ll find links in the side bars, on the home page, and on the resource page.

In a future post I will talk about non-drug treatments for other conditions.

always exploring the HEART of health with you.