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just washes away, and what used to be a dreaded chore has become something we look forward to. That’s what we want for our kids, too — for fall to be a time of anticipation and joy (not anxiety) and something they can look back on fondly. We wish we could be a Norman Rockwell painting, but that’s just not real life. Maybe in the end, we’re not slowing down so much as we are making an effort for all of us to experience life together — and that’s always fulfilling.
forever, so we need to make the most of them while they’re here.
For example, when our backyard is covered in fallen leaves, our first thought is to clean up the mess as quickly as possible. The kids naturally want to play in the leaves, and it would be easy to tell them we don’t have the time for games. But we’ve found that putting aside the adult worries and spending an hour with the kids jumping and playing is a truly life-giving experience. Allowing ourselves that flexibility
and freedom is good for our souls. At the end of the day, cleanup takes longer than it would have otherwise, but we’re all happily tired and laughing. The stress of the season
–Sierra & Kevin Bennett
STAY FLEXIBLE WITH HEALTHY FASCIA
3 TIPS FOR LESS PAIN AND MORE MOBILITY
You know your body has muscles and bones, and you’ve probably heard of tendons and ligaments. But what about fascia? Though it exists throughout our bodies, most people don’t know what fascia is or what it does. Fascia essentially holds your body together. It wraps around your organs, muscles, and just about every other internal part of your body. Most experts compare the structure of fascia to a citrus fruit. If you peel an orange, you’ll find fibrous white material separating the fruit into wedges. Inside each wedge, there are still more, thinner stringy parts giving the fruit its structure and holding in the juice. Just like fascia, it keeps everything in place. Fascia is flexible, so it moves and stretches along with your body when it’s healthy. When it’s unhealthy, fascia becomes stiff, limiting flexibility and potentially causing pain. As you age and become less active, the risk of fascia seizing up increases, and you may start to lose mobility. So, what can you do to protect or restore your fascia? Stay hydrated. Fascia is a mobile structure and requires moisture to stay flexible. Much like a peeled orange wedge left out to dry overnight, improperly hydrated fascia will
become stiff and brittle. To keep your fascia ready for movement, consume water regularly throughout the day.
Keep active. It won’t matter how much water you drink if you don’t move your body regularly — your fascia will still become tight and inflexible. If you spend too much time dormant (for example, sitting at a desk), your fascia will start to bind together and limit your mobility. Cardio exercises, yoga, and stretching are all ways to keep your fascia in good shape. Seek professional help. If your fascia has tightened to the point where you are in pain or lack your full range of motion, it won’t get better on its own. Physical therapists are experts on how your body should move, and they have a lot of experience treating tightness and pain. A physical therapist can prescribe exercises and treatments like foam rolling to improve your fascia’s health and restore your flexibility. Whether your fascia is still in good shape or giving you trouble, healthy habits will keep you mobile well into your golden years. Start today — treating your fascia right is the key to greater flexibility and comfort.
2 kentucky.seniorhealth.pro
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