Can Fascia be Causing Your Body to Hurt?
We all have aches, sometimes to the point of stopping us from doing the things we love, and it’s so widespread that we seem to accept or even expect them. Ready to shift your paradigm big time?! Whether the aches come from infections and viruses to arthritis, compression, or sleep deprivation (read that last one again!), there's no end to the ways or reasons our bodies can hurt. Fascia may not be the root cause of EVERYTHING, but it certainly has a brush point with a lot of things! And if you haven’t heard me say it before, let me say it again LOUD and CLEAR: FASCIA IS THE PRIMARY PAIN SENSORY ORGAN, so fascia is a great place to start.
When fascia is healthy, it’s flexible and free to glide over our muscles. It’s hydrated, with fluid flowing freely. The blood and the nerves that are housed by the fascia can flow and deliver messages properly. Fascia is also largely responsible for making sure our joints have range of motion and we stay elongated and symmetrical. Many of the “conditions” we might have could be the result of a slow deterioration of the condition of the fascia. It’s designed to protect us, but sometimes the “protection” comes in the form of tightening, thickening or even scarring. And since fascia is the primary sensor for pain… well, you can see where this could be a problem!
These characteristics can restrict and distort the body, AND since the fascia is also a communication system, when nerve and fascia signals get disrupted they can be interpreted by your brain as discomfort or worse. OUCH! That’s why it’s so important to treat your fascia with tender love and care. It’s not just FasciaBlasting, there are lots of other things you can do!
I’ve been studying and inventing on the topic of fascia for well over 20 years, and I deal with over a million customers! So you can imagine the amount of feedback I’ve received. Here are some things that I’ve discovered that help make fascia happy and healthy!
1. Visit the sauna and get hot and sweaty. Fascia loves heat, and it’s in the perfect state for any type of fascia care when it’s HOT from the outside! Infrared or steam saunas are my favorites.
2. Cardio is cardio, and for the fascia it’s a fantastic way to heat up your body from the inside. Cardio performed in an Ashley Black sauna suit rules for heating up! It also improves blood flow through the fascia to the muscles. Make sure your cardio is performed in proper alignment so the fascia system is not stressed. I personally love a recumbent bike or elliptical, because it’s biomechanically friendly.
3. Treat yourself with cold for 10 minutes after a workout to reduce inflammation. I use the word treat because most people hate cold, but it’s insanely awesome for you (ask any pro-athlete). My favorites are extreme - I love the cryotherapy chambers and old school cold tub dunks.
4. Stretching the fascia consistently will signal those fibers to loosen up and allow more range of motion. With my Fascia Yoga app, you can stretch and move and make that fascia extra happy. It’s specially designed to stretch lines of fascia in joint traction, so it will be something you’ve never done before. My favorite stretch is the deep anterior fascia line! Simply click the front of the hip box for the video in the app. If you need things simplified use the hashtag #FasicaYogaModifications
5. Hydrate. I repeat: hydrate! Think about how different your skin looks and feels when it’s hydrated versus when it’s dry. It’s similar for our fascia, so drink up! Make sure to use electrolytes. My favorite electrolyte elixir is water from a coconut with a little salt and lime! As a backup, NUUN tabs!
6. Remember that fascia cells are like any other cells in our body, so it loves good nutrition, good gut health, good neurotransmitters, good hormones, a happy outlook etc. So get a good health partner to make sure that your body is balanced, and hang around our social media for all the latest and greatest experts!
7. And DUH????!!!! Get out your FasciaBlaster tools and get blasting! With our tools, you’ll temporarily relieve minor muscular pain caused by fatigue or overexertion and increase local blood circulation. Literally life is better with regular blasting, sometimes we just need the “Ashley Momma reminder” My current obsessions are the MasterBlaster for the high hamstring and the Paddleblaster for full body! Remember, the peer-reviewed and published study showed a reduction in inflammation, so that alone should motivate you! It sure does ME! No excuses - get BLASTING!
So there you have it! Seven ideas toward making your fascia the happiest it’s felt in years. Be sure to post your FasciaBlasting experience with these tips on our Facebook page. Nothing makes me happier than seeing your transformation pictures and hearing how FasciaBlasting is changing your life from the inside out!
Happy Blasting with Love and Light to you all!
