Soothe muscle aches

Hey there, mamas

I’ve been practicing yoga for a couple of weeks now, doing it alongside my usual rebounding exercises and (very occasional!) high-energy home DVDs. I’m loving yoga, the feeling of calm it gives whilst still really pushing my muscles and body to stretch and open up.

But with any form of exercise comes muscle ache. We’ve all experienced it after a gym session, dance class or just even an extra long walk. Our muscles have been worked, and whether we feel it the same day or (more commonly) the day after, these aches need to be eased.

Don’t reach for the ibuprofen tablets though – there’s a fruit that naturally can help with muscle aches, and it’s a sweet one too – the cherry!

Cherries – Nature’s Anti-inflammatory

Cherries contain anthocyanins, which are a natural anti-inflammatory aid. They work to speed up the oxygen we receive via the blood system, getting more oxygen to those tired muscles and helping reduce any carbon dioxide buildup which causes cramps. Cherries, and dark-pigmented foods (such as blackberries etc) reduce muscle inflammation, and act like an ibuprofen or aspirin would, but without the tummy upset and potential kidney damage these pills can cause.

Eating a handful of cherries or having a small glass of natural cherry juice can really boost muscle recovery and minimise workout pain. Eat them either before or after a workout session, or have some in the fridge if you know you’ve got a physically strenuous week ahead – moving house, menstrual pains, lots of gardening/DIY to do, training hard!

Hope this handy tip works for you, let me know below, I’d love to know

With my mama daze love,

Laura x