The best healing and wellness support system we have is Nature. Yes, Mother Nature!
Here is the latest edition of 1 thing I’m doing, 2 things I’ve learnt and 3 things to explore lovingly created so you can live a happier, healthier and longer life. Much love, Sandy xx
1 THING I’M DOING
Good Morning Fascia
Mornings are magical! If you can perfect the first 60 to 90 minutes of your day – the difference it makes to the rest of your day is phenomenal. After some trial and error, I have found a wonderful routine that works for me. As a fellow Unstoppable you’ve heard many of these already; hydrate first up, morning walk during sunrise, invigorating cold shower. But something you haven’t heard about before is my morning stretch time.
This is a yoga inspired Salutes to the Sun routine which I’ve put together. I usually do these outside, barefoot on the grass and grounded – unless it’s raining of course. I can’t tell you how good this routine feels. It’s like a breath of fresh air for my insides. The stretches feel glorious as I create space around my organs, tendons and muscles so they can all breathe and giggle more.
Innately, I knew this routine was good for me – it felt just too damn good not to be. But who knew that there was a lot more going on inside that I wasn’t aware of? That stretching was so good for you? Because of something to do with a mysterious thing called fascia?
Studies have shown that stretching is a gentle, “non-pharmacological intervention that could become an important component of cancer treatment and prevention” reducing both tumour growth and breast cancer growth.
You can read all about the ins and outs of fascia below. Just know stretching is something we should all make time for each day. It’s quick, free, and totally personalised just for you. You just stretch as far as you can. There’s no competition, race or expectation. Just breathe, stretch, and let that sunshine come on in.
✔️ Action Item – Add some stretching time to your day. Find a routine that works for you, or feel free to email me if you’d like some suggestions.
2 THINGS I’VE LEARNT
The Fascinating World of Fascia
Fascia is our incredible connective tissue network, surrounding all our muscles and organs. It wraps around our entire body acting like our body’s scaffolding and glue – holding us up and all together. Fascia wraps and intersects with every cell of our body, enabling our cells to communicate with each other. And if that wasn’t enough, fascia has recently been coined as the “metasystem” of our body, by Helene Langevin from Harvard University, celebrating vital role in connecting and influencing all of our twelve bodily systems—from our lymphatic and musculoskeletal system to our digestive, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and nervous systems – fascia connects and talks to them all.
Initially we thought fascia was this passive structural part of us. But now we know it is much more than that. Sending and receiving information and communicating through our body all the time – it’s almost like another brain inside us. It transmits light, heat, vibration, and frequency, helping all our other systems perform at their best.
Fascia is not just everywhere; it communicates everything. It holds our emotions and imprints memories; it stores our traumas and life experiences. This connective tissue is our richest sensory organ, boasting over 250 million sensory receptors—more than our eyes and skin. This makes fascia our organ of perception, responsible for how we process and deal with everything happening within us.
The ability to notice what’s happening inside of us, like when we are hungry or thirsty or tired is called interoception. The beauty of interoception is it enhances our ability to feel. So, fascia is now being considered our richest sense organ and being referred to as our sixth sense. Fascia is our sense of feeling – helping us feel what’s going on inside us.
So why is all of this so important?
Life is so busy and distracting – we have lost touch and connection with our body, our feelings and the messages it is trying to tell us. And during all of this time we have a superpower inside of us, that is available at any time called fascia.
If you want to navigate life better, getting in touch with this part of us is so powerful. Fascia is the system of our body that connects and helps us be more present.
Whilst we may not want to admit it, we all like to shove the hard things that we don’t want to deal with if life under a rug. The fascia is that rug – but within our body – and many of us are just sweeping life’s crap underneath it. We need to love our fascia. And just like any real rug, we need to tidy it, clean it and nurture it. It will reward us tenfold with the joy of health, wellbeing and vitality.
As we try and live a more balanced and beautiful life, it’s time to get better acquainted with our whole body-wide communication system and best friend called fascia. Let’s start paying attention to this remarkable system we have and tap into its incredible potential.
✔️ Action Item – Get to know your fascia better. Start incorporating some daily fascia love and care into your routine. Simple practices like gentle stretching, foam rolling, and mindful movement can help maintain the health of your fascia. Dedicate a few minutes each day to these activities, and be conscious of how you and your body feels.
Fascia 101: What Is Fascia and Fascia’s Functions
Our fascia is composed of mostly water and collagen. The collagen is arranged in a triple helix formation. And this triple helix formation creates nano-sized small tubules, sensitive to quantum phenomena. These nanosized collagen tubules are lined with EZ (exclusion zone) structured water. (You can see last week’s newsletter for a little refresher on this one). This special water also surrounds our fascia and flows through the inside of it. Our fascia, is also just like a quartz crystal. It can create an electrical current when compressed – which is called piezoelectric. We are beings of light, water and magnetism and fascia encompasses and embraces all three.
Like an antenna receiving and emitting information, our fascia is vital to our health and just like a conductor, it communicates with all our other systems, making sure they are working in harmony and in tune.
In fact, recent research found that the fibroblasts in our fascia can sense danger signals and direct the immune system and inflammatory state in response. How clever is that? It is intimately connected with our lymphatic system, and enhances our ability to detox and adjust to the signals from our environment.
At a high level, our fascia has four main functions:
- Shapes our body – it provides structure and shape
- Facilitates movement – fascia plays a key role in the level of muscle tension that is necessary for movement
- Nourishes our body – fascia plays a key role in the exchange of vital nutrients between different areas of our body and facilitates the elimination of toxins
- Facilitates neurologic communication – over 80% of all nerve endings are to be found in the fascia!
Now that we are all fascia friends, fans and fanatics, it’s time to acknowledge the wonderful healing work it does for us and to show our fascia some love back.
3 THINGS TO EXPLORE
5 Exercises That Are Good for Your Fascia
Ready to show your fascia and that “rug” some love. Here are 5 exercises that your fascia will love:
- Hydration and Movement: While this isn’t an exercise per se, staying hydrated and regularly moving throughout your day plays a crucial role in fascia health. Simple practices such as walking, light stretching during breaks, or even dancing can keep your fascia hydrated and pliable, preventing stiffness and pain.
- Yoga: Practicing yoga helps elongate your muscles and fascia while promoting relaxation and mental focus. Poses like Downward Dog, Cobra, and Forward Bend stretch different fascial lines in the body, enhancing flexibility and reducing stiffness.
- Pilates: This low-impact exercise focuses on core strength, flexibility, and mindful movement, all of which are beneficial for maintaining healthy fascia. Pilates exercises like the Hundred, Roll-Up, and Leg Circles help in lengthening and strengthening the fascial tissues.
- Dynamic Stretching: Unlike static stretching, dynamic stretching involves active movements that mimic the exercise or sport you’re about to perform. Examples include leg swings, arm circles, and torso twists. These movements warm up the muscles and fascia, preparing them for more intense activity.
- Foam Rolling: This self-myofascial release technique uses a foam roller to target and release tension points within the fascia. By rolling different parts of your body such as your back, legs, and arms, you can improve blood flow, reduce muscle soreness, and enhance overall mobility.
✔️ Action Item – See if you can incorporate some fascia friendly exercises into your daily routine. You’ll get to enjoy better fascial health and experience a greater sense of wellbeing and joy.
Nutrition for Healthy Fascia
The food we eat is literally the building blocks for our body so let’s dive into how nutrition can work wonders for our fascia. We’ve talked about stretching and movement, but what we eat is just as crucial for keeping our fascial system in tip-top shape. With the right nutrients, we can boost our fascia’s strength, speed up healing, and keep pesky inflammation at bay. Ready to munch your way to healthier fascia? Let’s go!
Collagen-Rich Foods
Think of collagen as the glue holding everything together. It’s a key protein in our fascia. So, to keep our fascia happy and healthy, adding collagen-boosting foods to our diet is a must. Bone broth, anyone? It’s packed with easily digestible collagen and a bunch of other amino acids that are great for your connective tissues. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are bursting with vitamin C, which is crucial for collagen production. Don’t forget your greens! Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants that help in collagen synthesis. Throw these into your meals, and your fascia will thank you.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Inflammation is the bad guy when it comes to fascia health. It can make things stiff and achy. But guess what? We can fight it with our forks! Ditch the processed sugars, refined carbs, and trans fats—they’re just going to add to the inflammation. Instead, bring on the omega-3 rich foods like fish, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. These are superstars at reducing inflammation and keeping our tissues healthy. Plus, spices like turmeric and ginger are natural anti-inflammatories and can be easily sprinkled into your dishes. By making these simple swaps, you can keep your fascia happy and flexible.
✔️ Action Item – Let’s make these small but mighty changes to our diets and feel the difference in our fascia. Your fascia, which means your body, will love you for it! And if you are looking for a handy anti-inflammatory foods list that you can pop on the fridge, in the pantry or take with you shopping, it’s right here!! 🍊🥬🍣
Courage
“The trick to life is to have the courage to walk down the path that’s lit up in your heart.” – Atticus
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