You’re fed up with over-the-counter prescriptions. You’ve tried everything to combat your health issue, but nothing seems to be working. Or, you’re just interested in the alternative medicinal options out there.
You’ve come to the right place.
While the traditional GP, pharmacist, and hospital route should never be shrugged off, sometimes, people want to explore beyond their clinical surroundings and prescribed medicine to see if there’s something more they can do to help themselves, especially athletes. As a runner, you need to feel in top shape to perform your best. Luckily for you, there are several all-natural and healthy alternative remedies you can try to strengthen your endurance. So, behold. The alternative therapies that have been tried and tested – some for centuries, some for less. Perhaps you’ll find the answer you’ve been looking for in one of the practices below.
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting thin needles into different parts of the skin. However, due to its popularity and age-old practice, it is also used in Western medicine. The idea is to stimulate and trigger muscles and nerves to relieve pain (especially chronic) and relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Some people may think that this practice is the same as dry needling. However, acupuncture focuses on energy release (chi) and relieving physical pain. Meanwhile, dry needling is primarily used for just pain relief. So, if you’re deciding whether to go for dry needling or acupuncture, it’s best to consider the main goals you want to achieve from the therapy.
Side effect-wise, the practice affects people differently. Some people (depending on your pain threshold) can experience mild pain or discomfort, and some can experience bruising or bleeding at the puncture site.
2. Reiki
Reiki is a traditional Japanese practice that was developed back in the 1920s. It involves your practitioner placing their hands lightly on your body or hovering above you to rebalance your energy flow. Typically used for treating anxiety and depression symptoms, Reiki has also been known to help treat chronic illnesses or pains.
Due to Reiki being a spiritual practice and requiring no tools, there have been no reported side effects of the treatment. Instead, people find the technique extremely relaxing, which helps to increase mood and overall positivity.
3. Reflexology
Reflexology is another alternative healing practice used to help treat mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The technique is based on the thought that different points of your hands, face, ears, and feet are linked to different parts of your body via the nervous system.
During a session, your reflexologist will gently apply pressure to these trigger points with their hands, making it a very safe healing technique.
There are many studies crediting reflexology for reducing anxiety, especially amongst women in labor. One study, in particular, found that decreasing pregnancy and birth anxiety can promote a positive birth experience, influence mother-infant attachment, and protect postpartum mental health.
4. Yoga
Yoga is a spiritual practice with physical demands and is designed to increase self-awareness and improve muscle strength. You’ll work on breathing exercises, meditation, posture, visualization, and sounds, depending on the class’s difficulty level.
Many people practice yoga to improve their mental health, including treating stress, anxiety, and depression, and use it as a self-care method.
As well as emotionally, yoga improves muscle endurance because the poses generally require being held for periods and repeated. This is particularly important for women in pregnancy, as the pelvic muscles are strengthened.
Love Your Body
If you’re looking to improve your overall health as a runner, mentally and physically, any of these therapies are worth a try. From combating chronic pain to relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety, you’ll be well on your way to living your best life and feeling stronger during cardio.