How Swimming Can Change Your Life

Aloha,

One of the most important parts of my healthy lifestyle choices I owe all to my mom. She was a high school swim coach and put me in the water when I was only two weeks old. However, my mom’s example goes far beyond just teaching me to swim.

My grandma suffered from strokes and had a hard time walking. I can remember my mom and aunts would take my grandma to the pool to re-teach her to walk. It helped with her coordination, balance, and posture. They would walk up and down the pool which showed me how water buoyancy not only benefits our health at any age, but also how it can be used to heal various injuries.

Suffering from neuropathy after chemotherapy has been one of my biggest physical struggles. The pain of walking along with stiff muscles, I used the same low-impact workout my grandma as I would swim or walk in the water. From the water buoyancy, the gravity on your bones and muscles are reduced creating less pressure on your body’s injuries and a stress-free workout to relieve pain.

What are the other benefits of swimming?

• Elevates heart rate up but relieves impact stress on your body

• Builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness

• Helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart, and lungs

• Tones muscles and builds strength

• Provides an all-over body workout since majority of muscles are used

• Induces a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise

• Alleviates stress

• Improves coordination, balance, posture, and flexibility

• Provides good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions

While swimming, your entire body is getting a great workout. Unlike other cardio workouts, swimming use both upper and lower body muscles at the same time. According to a Time article:

“Your body is working hard when you’re in the pool. Water is denser than air, so moving through water puts more external pressure on your limbs than out-of-water training, studies have shown. Even better, that pressure is uniformly distributed. It doesn’t collect in your knees, hips or the other places that bear most of the burden when you exercise with gravity sitting on your shoulders.” (Heid, 2017)

My mom would tell me how she swam every day during her pregnancy with me since it is the best low-impact workout during pregnancy. She always said swimming was what made childbirth and recovery so much easier while making her muscles healthy and strong.

If you don’t feel like you are a strong swimmer, remember to relax and be patient. Practice makes perfect and remember you can always walk or join a water aerobics class. There are many ways to incorporate this great exercise into your lifestyle. Start small and work your way up, you won’t be disappointed with the workout you can get and how amazing you will feel! It's my way to rejuvenate, heal, and get a killer workout!

Keep Smiling,

Melissa

Finding Natural Remedies

Aloha,

I am amazed by the various natural remedies available to help with countless health problems. The knowledge passed down from generation-to-generation of the power of plants and essential oils is incredible. Many still use these forms of treatment to alleviate health symptoms today along with modern medicine.

I thought it would be great to discover a few of the natural remedies we can use for several symptoms:

• Aloe Vera - This natural remedy plant is found everywhere, especially by beaches (conveniently used for sunburns). The gel not only helps with skin irritations, but helps the digestive tract and improves liver, kidney, and gallbladder functions while maintaining healthy tissue.

• Apple Cider Vinegar - Have you heard of anyone making a drink or apple cider vinegar in the morning? This can help with weight loss by flushing out toxins, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and preventing infections.

• B-Complex - Vitamin B complex helps with energy levels, cell metabolism, brain function, digestion, muscle tone, healthy appetite, and cardiovascular health.

• Bee Pollen – Not only is bee pollen an immune system builder, it is a protein rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. It can help improve alertness and concentration.

• Cayenne - This hot pepper boosts metabolism, reduces hunger, lowers blood pressure, helps digestive tract, and benefits circulatory system.

• Chamomile – Historically, chamomile was used for scent and the Egyptians used it to help with fevers. This tea is still used for eczema (or itchy skin), stress, sleep, digestion, immune system, hair, and heart.

• Cinnamon Essential Oil - Not only does it smell amazing, it has its own health benefits such as improving respiratory issues, cleansing the body, and assisting with blood circulation, urinary, immune, and metabolic functions.

• Cranberry - Cranberry juice can help urinary tract infections as it kills bacteria in the bladder walls and urinary tract. It can also help prevent kidney stones, if used regularly.

• Fish Oil - Contains Omega-3 which helps with inflammation and heart disease. 

• Lavender Essential Oil – Personally, I love using lavender oil for stress, but it can also help with sleep and skin imperfections.

• Lemon Essential Oil - Lemons can improve good mood and improve digestive tract.

• Peppermint Essential Oil – It is commonly used in gum, toothpaste, mints, and mouthwash because of its antiseptic properties to help with bad breath. It can also help with stomach pains, nausea, and headaches.

• Rosemary - Is an herb used for centuries as a fragrance and to fight viruses and bacteria.

• Thyme - Can be used to improve digestive tract, respiratory infections, sore throats and coughs.

• Wintergreen Essential Oil - A scent you can find at spas for its natural methyl remedy added to medications and balms to alleviate joint pains and sore muscles. This oil produces a soothing, warm sensation when applied.

This is a small list of natural remedies that can improve your health without other medications. We can follow the ways of our ancestors to heal some of our health issues. Be sure to visit with your primary physician regarding other options available. It’s your choice what you put in your body to cure illnesses. I would love to hear of any other remedies you have used in the comments below!

Stay healthy and keep smiling,

Melissa