Sciatica : What You Should Know

Ever get a sharp pain in the back of the leg? A leg cramp that won't go away? You might have sciatica. 
There a lot of issues people come in to the Backrub to remedy. One of these such issues is sciatica- an ailment some people do not even realize that they have. So, what is it and how can you get rid of it?

Sciatica generally comes from pressure on the discs that cushion the bone- a "pinched nerve".  The nerve might be pinched inside or outside of the spinal canal as it passes into the leg. 

Aging wear and tear also can contribute, with sciatica effecting people aged 30 - 50.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot- A constant pain on one side of the rear
- A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up
- Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
- Burning or tingling down the leg

The main goals you want to reach when you're looking to treat sciatica is to reduce the inflammation and muscle spasms. Luckily there are ways you can do this without heading to the doctor:

Icing and Heat: Ice your lower spine area and around your hips for about twenty minutes - this will lessen the inflammation. Follow by applying heat, either through a hot bath or heating pads - which will increase your circulation and quicken the healing process.  

Stretching and Core Muscle Strength: Although you may not want to, a few stretching moves will help release muscle spasms and help prevent sciatica pain in future. Try this short helpful video for a stretching guide.

Massage Therapy: If stretching is out of the question, a massage can get you immediate relief. The Backrub practitioners offer deep tissue massage - for sciatica that means calming the muscle spasms and restoring the "numb" feeling you may have in your legs and feet. Regular visits also contribute to restoring your balance and body structure, an important component to healing many body ailments including sciatica. 

Come into The Backrub today for a session to help restore you body's natural balance - we're open 7 days a week! Walk-ins or booking available - 651-698-4567

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Winter Hibernation: What to Eat

The holidays are over for the most part and we've had some time to sit back. This is also the time of year when we feel the winter slump. We can't sleep well, yet the gloomy cold just makes us want to wrap up in our duvets and stay in bed all day. Our diets, which is one thing that we start focusing on after the holidays, can help us gain some energy as well as help us fall asleep faster. We've compiled a list of what to munch on during the day for a more restful sleep.

Nuts: Grab a handful of nuts during the day and not only will it give you a healthy boost of energy, some of them can also help aid sleep. Walnuts contain their own amount of melatonin, an important hormone that helps regulate sleep. Almonds help muscle relaxation through their source of magnesium, also present in Brazil nuts and sesame seeds.

Fruit: There are certain fruits with components that promote a healthier sleep- Bananas are packed with melatonin and potassium- a nutrient that is another natural muscle relaxer. A handful of dates are high in carbs and L-tryptophan- the amino acid that helps you crash after a big meal. Cherries also naturally boosts levels of melatonin in our bodies. 

Fish: Vitamin D is important to achieve optimum perkiness during the day. Salmon, trout, anchovies and tuna are an excellent way to ward off daytime sleepiness and welcoming a better sleep come bedtime. Check out this link from Fitness Magazine for 34 delicious healthy and quick fish recipes. Avoid protein-rich foods too close to bedtime though - try having your last big meal 3 hours before you sleep.

Tea: Head to the grocery store and you'll find a few brands of tea that promote sleep. If you've tried and tested these and are looking for something a bit different, a few other types of teas can do the same job: Steep some Passionfruit tea for a more sound sleep, or Magnolia Bark tea to calm nerves and anxiety. Even the ritual of sipping some tea before bedtime can aid the relaxation process. 

Food is also known to effect our moods. While some foods, like the ones above, can promote relaxation and less anxiety, others can have the opposite effect.
 Have a look at this article for how some foods can make us touchy and even angry:
Food Swings- Can Food Make You Angry?

What rituals and snacks do you try before bedtime? Let us know in the comments below! Want to keep in touch? Like us on Facebook or pop into The Backrub - we're open 7 days a week! 

Winter Hibernation: Intro

During this time of year a lot of us get into a rut- our bodies are missing the warmth of the sun, our hard-earned cash is stretching thin and our diets have fallen short due to approaching holidays. It's hard to know how to stop the circle of stress and frustration!

Here at the Backrub we believe relaxation is one way to less stress and a better well-being. So what is the key to ultimate relaxation? A good old-fashioned sleep.

Sleep deprivation is the cause of many physical and mental declines, from basic break down of immunity to effecting our moods. It can lead to a poorer diet, more sick days from work and decreasing mental alertness.

Don't stress! The winter time is a perfect time to catch up on sleep - the nights are longer giving us a better excuse to go to bed earlier and the cold outside won't keep us far from our warm homes. Over winter we'll be getting deep into the science of sleep and sharing tips and tricks for a natural night of slumber. We've all heard the advice of turning off your tv, putting down the phone, getting off the computer before bed but we want to go deeper than that. 

What food helps to a better snooze? What stretches can we do to ward off insomnia? How do we let our minds "let go" before hitting the sack? We'll explore these and more, ensuring a winter hibernation fit for a bear.

Had a bad sleep last night? Here are a few simple but effective points on getting through the day:

Caffeine: taken in moderation, it has been proven to help the brain get a kickstart after a bad night. Listen to your body and try to watch when the caffeine starts kicking in - that's when you can slow down the intake.

Keep Hydrated: You are naturally balancing your body's vitamins, nutrients and minerals when you drink water, keeping you functioning and replenishing what you've used up. By drinking water through the day and especially before bed, your hormones, energy levels and muscles and joints become balanced. 

Keep Moving! You'll probably want to lay your head on the desk and take a snooze but getting up and moving around at regular intervals will help you pick up a little more energy.

Grab Some Sun: Making sure you get some sunlight will set your body clock back to where it should be and curb afternoon drowsiness. Bonus - the fresh air will give you a boost to get through the day.

How do you relax before bedtime? Let us know! Comment below or follow us on Facebook for more tips and tricks on relaxing.