Posted 10/16/2015 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,
This morning I was reading through a Dr. Mercola article and he mentions some important reasons for stretching.
Many of us already know how important daily stretches are for our tightness due to our fibromyalgia, but it's also nice to know that there are other reasons stretches are good for the average person. Here is part of the article:
By Dr. Mercola
One of the greatest joys of life is to not only be healthy, but also pain-free with unrestricted range of motion. Being able to move around with ease is a factor that plays a major role in your quality of life.
To this end, you'd be wise to incorporate flexibility training in your fitness regimen. For example, did you know that tight ankles might be the cause knee problems? Ditto for your iliotibial (IT) band.
As noted in the featured article,1 stretching is not just for athletes and competitive runners:
"... t may come as a surprise that it also helps patients with conditions such as diabetes and depression," Dr. Timothy Miller writes.2 "In fact, recent studies by my colleagues at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center show that stretching during yoga classes can even benefit women who are battling breast cancer."
The reason why stretching is an important part of fitness is because it actually does more than just elongate muscles and tendons. It also:
Boosts blood flow through your tissues
Increases oxygen levels
Helps deliver nutrients to your muscles
Facilitates the removal of metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide, ammonia, and uric acid