All my spoons are in all the right places, if you know what I'm talkin' about...
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Massage reduces inflammation in muscles
Most of you know by now that I’m a major supporter of things that many people like to call “alternative medicine”, and that I’m frequently irritated by the many people who try to group things that are blatantly dangerous lies (homeopathy) and legitimately good health decisions.
Well, it’s always a score for the good team when the science behind these treatments is made plain and public. A while back I posted about meditation, and tonight I’m happy to be posting similarly about massage!
More and more insurance companies are adding things like massage and acupuncture to their plans and it’s a damn good thing!
For many of us, our chronic pain is caused largely by inflammation. Of course, this wouldn’t be of help for joint inflammation, but when muscle inflammation is an issue there is no question-massage can help to alleviate the cause of the problem.
Vitamin D and Lupus/Chronic Illness
(BTW, I will eventually get around to all the major necessary Vitamins/Minerals but I want to start with those most frequently tied to Lupus because, well, this blog is about Lupus)
To start, Vitamin D, unlike Magnesium, is found in very few foods and is mostly absorbed through the sun’s rays. Which is why many people with Lupus often find themselves at a disadvantage in maintaining healthy levels.
The function of Vitamin D that you are likely familiar with is that it is essential for Calcium absorption. So, when your D levels go low, so will your Calcium, which will lead to brittle bones.
But you might not know some of the other functions of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation [1,3,4]. Many genes encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis are modulated in part by vitamin D [1]. Many cells have vitamin D receptors, and some convert 25(OH)D to 1,25(OH)2D.
You see what I’ve highlighted for you, fellow sickies? That right there is why we need to pay attention to our bodies.
Now, like I mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is not found in many foods. If you find yourself in a deficiency, or are trying to avoid one, your best bet is taking 1 Tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil a day. I promise, there are brands available that will not taste like shit. Other than that, Salmon is the best source.
