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Dear
KRS,
I recently started running again and my outer knee is hurting quite badly. I
stretch out before and after workouts so I just can't figure it out. Any ideas?
Knee Hurt Running
Dear Knee Hurt,
Eliminate running until your knee heals. Try
swimming and other activities that don't aggravate your knee. Then EASE back into it, walking slowly, then faster over time. Each day be sure to start your exercise gradually, giving
your muscles plenty of time to warm up. Follow
that advice for whatever exercise you do at every level.
You may have caused some damage by stretching before your
workout. Never stretch a cold
muscle! Save your gentle, slow
stretches for after your workout. You
might also want to strengthen the muscles around your knee. Here's one of the best exercises (no equipment needed!):
Sit on the floor legs together and in front of you, arms
slightly behind your hips, bracing you up. Lift your right leg off the floor so your heel is 6-12 inches off the
floor. Keep your knees straight as
you "pulse" the leg up and down about 2 inches while counting. Focus on contracting the muscles directly above your knee. More is not better - don't try to raise the leg high or swing wildly. Maintain control of the small movement and you will feel the
muscle working. Build up the number
of counts gradually. Repeat with
the uninjured leg to maintain structural balance and maximum healing.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I have been catching every illness that has been going
around lately. In the past six
months I have had the flu, strep throat (twice), and sinus infection. I am a
twenty-five years old and exercise at least three times a week. I stopped eating
beef a year ago and my mother insists that the reason that I keep getting sick
is because I am not getting the protein and vitamins that I need. What do you
think?
Always Sick
Dear Always Sick,
You are not alone. There
are more and stronger viruses then ever before and autoimmune experts are
desperately looking for answers. However,
the problem also lies in our increasingly vulnerable immune systems.
Autoimmune system diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome are growing
in epidemic proportions and are demanding our attention.
Part of the solution may be resolved in a laboratory, but it is also our
RED FLAG to start looking for internal solutions - how we live on emotional,
physical and spiritual levels. We
must watch how we use our energy as well as what we eat and how much rest and
exercise we get.
Check your stress level.
There may be a lot of stress you are carrying around that you don't even
realize. We tend to accept
unnecessary negatives in our lives and drag them around with us. This drains our energy and leaves our immune systems
vulnerable. Start being aware of
when you get sick and what happened in the preceding days or weeks.
Keep a diary for a while and you will be surprised how self-educated you
will become. Soon, you learn to
alter the activity and your reactions that contributed to your getting sick.
Don't worry about not eating beef - in fact, the less the
better as long as your diet is balanced. Go
easy on the refined carbohydrates like sugar and sodas.
A good multi-vitamin is a worthwhile investment for you and the whole
family. "Should you decide to
accept this mission" - this could be a noble and fascinating personal
journey.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I am a 46 years old, very obese and have arthritis in both
hips. I move very
slowly and have problems standing for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time. I want to know what kind of exercise I can
do to help me to get around much better without so much pain.
Truly need your help
Help for Arthritis
Dear Arthritis Sufferer,
I know you’ve probably heard this before but it would be
helpful for you to lose weight. Excess
weight increases the stress on your joints. The exercise I would suggest is swimming. It puts no extra stress on your joints and will let you get some
cardiovascular exercise. If you can’t
actually do swimming strokes at first, you can stay in the shallow end and move
your arms under water back and forth and also “walk” from one side of the pool
to the other – and you’ll get a workout! You might also try some of the aerobic machines, such as the bike, if
you have access to them. If not, you
can get used ones quite inexpensively. Just check your want ads. Be
patient and keep a diary. You’ll see
slow but steady progress over the weeks. Things can change for you – hang in there and don’t give up!
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
When I wake up in the morning I am always tired no matter how much sleep I get at night. How can I wake up refreshed? Also, I get headaches every day. Help!
Sick & Tired
Dear Sick & Tired,
Too many people live for years with uncomfortable symptoms such as yours that significantly and needlessly impair their quality of life.
The first thing I would check into is the possibility of allergies. Spend some effort finding a good allergy specialist (don't overlook alternative healers) and see what you find out. Many people have mild to moderate sensitivities to everyday environmental substances or foods (wheat or milk, for example). The good news is that after the substances are removed for a period of time, they can often be gradually reintroduced and tolerated quite well.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I'm in a high pressure job that requires I sit at my computer most of the day. I think I handle the stress pretty well but because of all the sitting my neck and shoulders ache, especially in the afternoons. Aspirin helps but I don't want to take it every day. Any suggestions?
Computer Pains
Dear Computer Pains,
You may not be handling the pressure quite as well as you think. Unfortunately, your body is paying the price by absorbing the overload.
When the body is stationary for a long period of time muscles tend to tighten and when you add stress they tighten even more. Prolonged muscle contraction can limit circulation and even "pull" vertebrae out of alignment, exacerbating the headache, backache and exhaustion cycle.
The solution? Movement (for circulation) and stretching (to lengthen muscles before trouble has time to "set"). Don't sit for more than 20-30 minutes without moving, if only to stand up, do a few shoulder rolls and sit down again.
Establish built-in breaks, so it's part of your routine: get a glass of water, go to the rest room or how about walking or jogging the stairs to the next floor and down again (it only takes a minute or two). The point is to keep circulation moving and keep the muscles somewhat warm and flexible. Also change the height of your chair and alternate using the mouse with right and left hands. This will offset the repetitive cycle that causes pain.
A wonderful de-stressing, posture-enhancing stretch for you: (standing or sitting) clasp your hands palm to palm behind your back at hip level, keeping your elbows straight. Then raise them up as your chest and shoulders open. Hold for as long as it feels good. You might hear a little "crack" or two as the vertebrae realign themselves.
Another desk stretch: Sitting straight, simply drop your head down, chin to chest. Breathe and let the muscles in your neck and shoulders release. Stay in the stretch 10-30 seconds and don't try to force it.
KRS
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Dear KRS,
Could you shed any light on TMJ? Is there anything that relieves the pain?
This is a very painful jaw disease and any relief is welcomed.
TMJ Pain
Dear TMJ Pain,
TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) disorder involves the jaw joint and surrounding muscles and often causes pain in the jaw, head or neck area. The muscles tighten and sometimes spasm and can cause pain when chewing and difficulty opening the mouth normally (some people experience a "click" in the jaw joint when opening).
TMJ caused by certain dental work, arthritis or a trauma to your head but, perhaps most commonly, by clenching your teeth while sleeping (or even during waking hours). Stress is the usual culprit for this bad little habit.
When you are stressed, negative energy "backs up" without an outlet (unless you have some skills). To cope with the bad feelings associated with this negative energy, people with no skills unconsciously create their own ways of coping such as smoking, biting their fingernails, eating or clenching/grinding their teeth. It's really quite sad, because it is such self-abusive behavior. The good news is that there are techniques to replace these negative coping methods.
This is a relatively simple technique that I find works very well:
As you are going to sleep, gently but firmly tell yourself that you are not going to clench your teeth tonight. Tell yourself that you deserve better and that you are not going to hold your problems in your jaw or anywhere else in your body. Visualize the jaw getting more and more relaxed. Feel the healing rays of the sun warming your jaw and "baking" out the toxins of stress.
Come up with more images of your own if you like. Your body is craving to "unlearn" the bad habit it has, so practiced with consistency your clenching habit will stop. Put a note on your bedside table to remind you.
KRS
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Dear KRS,
I am 48 years old and have been in a
regular exercise program for 6 months. Gradually, I have been
experiencing lots of aches and pains relating to the sciatic
nerve. It is almost
constant and affects sleeping.
My doctor has prescribed exercises to relieve pain, but this
does not seem to help. Would a chiropractor be more inclined to
relieve this pain?
My Aching Back
Dear Aching Back,
It doesn't seem fair does it?
The thanks you get for exercising regularly is back pain.
This is an unfortunate but common scenario that can put a
halt to the best intentions.
Fortunately, the solution is easy -
STRETCH!
Exercise tends to "shorten" muscles so it is
necessary to stretch them back out AFTER you exercise while your
muscles are still warm. You
need to tune in and find (or invent) the stretch that pinpoints
the pain and gently releases it.
Stay in the stretch at least 30 seconds
and allow yourself to sink into the stretch as you allow the
tension to melt. Don't
over stretch and don't "bounce" in the stretch.
Do your stretch(es) twice a day with
warm muscles (after a hot bath or shower in the evening before
bed is a good time). In
two weeks or less you should find relief.
Then don't forget to continue your stretches at least
once a day.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I was told I have fibromyalgia. It involves the nerves
and chronic pain almost every day for the rest of your life. There is no known
cure for this, so I have tried to live with it and accept it. Is there any
new information out there that I haven't tried?
Living With Fibromyalgia Pain
Dear Living with Pain,
You're not alone. It's estimated that 3-6 million
Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. First, let me try to give you a little hope. While a
certain attitude of gentle acceptance helps the healing
process, I also believe in the "never give up"
mentality. There may be no conventional medical cure for
fibromyalgia, but please start resourcing the
ever-evolving alternative healing modalities such as
acupuncture, healing visualization, herbs, homeopathy
and others. For example, natural anti-inflammatory
alternatives include evening primrose oil or quercetin.
Find out what has worked for others (contact others
through the Web or the National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
and Fibromyalgia Association, P.O. Box 18426, Kansas
City, MO 64133. Tip: Spend less time swapping symptoms
with your contacts and more time seeking wellness, as
health is a state of mind, as is the case with illness).
Be sure you have a good conventional M.D. who has
experience with fibromyalgia (again, ask others who they
like), as there are doctors don't really understand it
and believe it's "all in your head." Eliminate
caffeine and gently introduce exercise into your life to
help regulate your sleep. One of the lessons
fibromyalgia has to offer is in understanding your own
very fascinating energy system. By learning where and
how energy is blocked in your body, you can better
unblock it, eliminate pain and illness and return your
system to it's natural energetic flow.
(To help you with the pain you may find benefit in my
audios "Defeat Pain." If insomnia is one
of your symptoms, you may like my "Sleep Through
Insomnia" audio).
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I have chronic depression, chronic back pain,
migraines and a few other chronic conditions.
How do I get motivated enough to become involved
in any exercise? My stress level has peaked
years ago and I am only 39 years old. Please
help with some solutions!
Chronic Conditions
Dear
Chronic,
Stress is very likely the cause of all your
chronic conditions. When one is stressed over a
long period the immune system is weakened. A
weakened immune system is like having the
foundation of a house made out of Jell-O. The
whole house becomes unstable. You need to focus
on strengthening your immune system and the
first step is to reduce the stress in your life.
Spend
quiet, thoughtful time planning how you can
eliminate/modify some or all of your stressors.
This is a tough assignment, but it is ultimately
very rewarding. You may need to change jobs,
relationships or even cities. (One person I know
was in a state of chronic stress after the
earthquake in Los Angeles. After two years, he
finally got the courage to sell his house and
move out of state. His stress level dropped
dramatically and he feels much better. His only
regret is that he didn't make the move sooner.)
People
often get stuck living "lives of quiet
desperation" when it's completely
unnecessary. Break free of old thinking and make
some changes. Exercise will help reduce your
levels of stress but it sounds like thinking
about it causes you even more stress. Think of a
moderate form of exercise that you will enjoy
such as scenic walks or bike rides in nature.
Check some of the letters in our "ASK KRS"
library for more solutions to some of your
specific chronic problems, such as how to
meditate for migraine relief. Then get started
with one little positive change at a time so you
don't feel overwhelmed.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I suffer from severe headaches. I have them
almost everyday. They start as sinus headaches
and later turn into migraine headaches. I'm
miserably sick and my doctors can't figure out
how to help me other than prescribing pills. I'm
tired of having this pain all the time. HELP!
What can I do? Thank you.
Migraine Sufferer
Dear
Migraine Sufferer,
I always suggest people get at least two or
three different opinions (from doctors in
different offices) on chronic ailments such as
this. Also consider seeking out alternative
practitioners in acupuncture or homeopathy. Be
sure to pre-interview them and check them out
thoroughly, just as you would/should any M.D.
There
are many possible variables that can cause
patterns of pain such as migraines. Allergies
and chronic stress are two such variables and
are not exactly "black and white"
issues. They involve both the mind and body,
which we now know dance an inseparable dance.
Also, the "habit" of pain sometimes
gets established, leaving the original cause of
the pain in the dust. The point is, this is
going to take some introspection and effort on
your part. Whichever professional you choose,
consider yourself as an equal partner in your
"healing team" and be committed to
doing your own work with it on a daily basis.
One
goal is to break the pain cycle, another is to
develop skills to "be with" the pain
with less suffering. On my audio
"Defeat
Pain" I describe many techniques. One is to
be aware of the very inception of pain, in your
case, just when you are starting to feel the
sinus discomfort. The usual reaction (especially
the longer you've had the pain) is to fight it,
which only keeps the cycle alive. Instead of
resisting the pain, practice letting it be
there. Quit fighting it. Surrender into it. Let
all the muscles and thoughts relax. Be willing
to be with the sensations of pain in a peaceful
way--and they will eventually break up and, with
it, the fear-induced "habit" of pain.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I'm
a 36
year
old woman with a very busy schedule!
Occasionally (usually during my time of the
month), I get migraine headaches, which I've
been able to keep under control with Imitrex
injections. They work, but they are expensive,
even with an insurance plan. I've recently tried
estrogen patches, and they didn't make much of a
difference either. I find that I also am more
likely to get them when I have a sinus infection
or don't get enough sleep, (which is most of the
time). I guess there is probably no one
"cure" to prevent the headaches, but
can you make any other suggestions as to what I
could be doing to keep them at bay? By the way,
I don't smoke or drink alcohol; and have cut way
back on my caffeine intake. Also, I have no
known allergies. Any thoughts you might have
would be warmly appreciated!
Thanks,
Seeking Migraine Relief
Dear Seeking
Relief,
There are SO many alternatives to drugs that one
should consider for most any health problem,
including migraines. You actually self-diagnosed
yourself in your letter. Stress (i.e. lack of
sleep and infection) brings on - in your case -
migraines. For another it might be asthma,
arrhythmia, ulcers or back pain. The answer is
the same for all: tune in to your body and ask
what it needs. Then, love yourself enough to
take the time and care to help yourself. In most
cases, it is easier, less expensive, less
damaging and ultimately more enlightening than
artificial alternatives, such as drugs (which
only mask the underlying problem).
For
example, can you see the irony in your choosing
to take a potentially damaging drug (most all
drugs have some negative side effects) rather
than simply getting the sleep you need? Please
examine why you would make such a
self-sabotaging choice. If you are making that
kind of choice for this relatively big issue,
imagine how many other similar harmful choices
you are making for yourself in a number of other
less obvious areas. Once you bring this behavior
pattern to consciousness, it will help you make
more positive choices in all areas of your life.
The migraine is just a bright red flag of
awareness waving in the breeze to catch your
attention. You may laugh, but it could actually
be a good thing in the long run if you listen to
it's lessons.
With
the guidance of an alternative practitioner, you
might try acupuncture or supplements such as
magnesium - both of which have worked
wonderfully for many sufferers. Learn meditation
techniques to relax the muscles in your head and
neck area, surrendering to the pain instead of
tightening against it [you may like my
"Defeat Pain" audio]. Also, visualize
your hands getting warmer and warmer when you
start having pain. This technique has helped
many reduce the pain of migraines. Know that you
have a vital role in conquering the pain. It can
actually be quite exciting and empowering to
realize.
KRS
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Dear
KRS,
I
have been working
out for quite some time now. My husband has
decided that it might be in his best interest to
start walking and doing some exercise. He has,
however had an injury to his legs from years
ago. The doctor he has to see twice yearly has
always told him, and still stresses that, in
order to not hurt himself again, exercise will
be fine but he must wear pantyhose to keep his
leg muscles under control and to not damage
them. He is quite leery to do so. His doctor
says lots of guys are wearing hose to promote
good leg muscle health. We haven't heard of this
before although the doctor insists that in a
large number of places, men are out jogging in
them as well as biking and attending exercise
classes in them. What is your opinion, is this a
good thing used by the doctor and we are a bit
closed minded or what? We are just curious.
Pantyhose for Husband
Dear Pantyhose,
While I'm not sure what injury your husband has,
I must admit I have not heard of the
"pantyhose prescription." If support
is needed, there are many "hipper"
options, such as sports leggings for men and
women made by leading sports manufacturers. All
kinds of exercisers wear them, including
bicyclers and runners
I
would suggest going to a specialist in this area
who has a more pro-active approach. For example,
how about thinking in terms of building up the
leg muscles so support isn't necessary. Also, if
any advice you are given, including medical,
doesn't ring true, trust your intuition and keep
looking until you find someone with whom you are
better in sync.
KRS
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Knee
Hurt Running
