Ski the Whistler Peak-to-Creek in the morning, and finish the day with an afternoon round of golf at the Westwood Plateau Golf Course; this is the reality that is possible in the Fall and Winter on our beautiful West Coast. How can we ensure that our bodies are in tip-top shape throughout the seasons in order to enjoy our everyday outdoor activities?
If you are active year-round, then you should have no trouble transitioning into Fall and Winter activities. Always do some warmup and stretching that is specific to your choice of activity, be it a winter stroll, some stick-and-puck at the rink, or swimming at the indoor pool. Check with your trainer or an applied fitness and health expert to see what is best for you. Also, make sure you are fitted appropriately in terms of outerwear and gear. It is always ideal on the West Coast to layer with wicking layers (ie. clothing that allows your sweat to escape and breath starting with the innermost layer), as well as waterproof outerwear and footwear (ie. something that prevents wind or rain from seeping in but allows your sweat and moisture to escape, such as “Gore-Tex”, “HyVent”, “OmniTech”, “OutDry”, etc.). Staying dry is the key to preventing frost-bite. Note that “water-resistant” is not the same as “water-proof”. Appropriate, waterproof footwear plays a role in minimizing risk of injury relating to falls, gait, as well as preventing fungal infections. Good compression socks will help improve circulation and minimize fatigue; Sigvaris has comfortable, customizable, prescription and non-prescription options for your favourite sports such as thin ones for hockey, or Merino Wool ones for hiking.
Always stick to a balanced whole-food diet; it is best to aim for variety, and focus on adequate protein, high fibre veggies, and keep the fats and carbohydrates low. This will ensure you have the nutrients for exercise and recovery, as well as maintain healthy metabolism and gut motility. Having branched chain amino acids and electrolytes before, during and after exercise can help prevent muscle breakdown, and minimize risk of cramping. An easy, delicious option is TruMe, which comes in an easy-to-mix powder in 5 flavours (eg. sour watermelon, pink lemonade, ginger-lime).
Taking a good glucosamine supplement with or without collagen will keep your joints in tip-top shape and allow them to be resilient as you stay active. Recovery by Purica and CanPrev are excellent places to start; they offer very clean formulas with all the necessary ingredients for maximize therapy. Check out our recent articles for details or speak with us at Cloverdale Pharmasave and Pharmasave Steveston Village.
If you are prone to getting muscle and joint aches, fatigue, or cramping, then consider trying Traumacare, which is an arnica based formula with many other homeopathic ingredients to alleviate pain, bruising, and inflammation. It are available as oral tablets and topical creams and ointments. Being truly homeopathic, Traumacare can be used as often as needed without worry of side-effects or interactions. As a family, we rely heavily on Arnicare and Arnicare Sport during the ski season to minimize muscle fatigue, soreness, and speed recovery. They are theorized to accelerate the removal of lactic acid from muscles. We have seen much benefit in all these homeopathic formulations in pets and humans alike.
Hopefully, by practicing some of the above tips, you will be more inclined to do less hibernating and more active living this Fall and Winter. Be sure to access your trainer and integrative pharmacist or physician to discuss options to supplement a healthy diet to maximize your health and lifestyle.
Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother integrative pharmacist team at their unique, family-operated Pharmasave stores in Cloverdale and Steveston Village, B.C. They specialize in integrative remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use. Everything mentioned in their article is available In-Store.
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