medicine Archives - Page 2 of 2

History Lesson: For thousands of years, tiger bones were used medicinally in China. In the late 1800s, a dying Chinese man asked his sons to complete his life’s work. The Aw brothers completed the herbal mixture known today as Tiger Balm in Burma. Manufactured and imported from Singapore, Tiger Balm now contains menthol and camphor as active ingredients, as well as four other oils and some other ingredients to add volume. It’s named after the man who helped develop the marketing strategies that made Tiger Balm so popular throughout Asia, and it’s made its way to the United States.

Why do I know so much about Tiger Balm? Because I use it for everything, nearly everyday. I buy it in bulk online and there are many different products for different purposes. The three that are in the house right now are: Large Pain Relieving Patch, Fast Relief Muscle Rub, and Ultra Sports Balm.

If you have congestion, put some under your nostrils. For a cough, apply it to your chest and throat. Headache, put some on your neck and temples. Stomach aches and digestive problems, apply to your abdomen. Even put it on really bad mosquito or fly bites to relieve the itching sensation.

However, the reason I made this post because this is hungry and fit, is related to muscles and working out. Aside from the other specialty products like shoulder and neck rub, red, white, arthritis, etc. the three listed above are the ones I prefer from experience.

Tiger Balm Muscle Rub: Before workouts, I apply a small amount to my muscles that are going to be pushed very hard. I massage it in vigorously and allow the cool burn to set in before starting my workout. I use it before strength training, hard runs, really anything very intense. I also use it before swims even though you’re not supposed to mix these products with water, i.e. showers and swimming without some time in between. If I have any muscle pains while standing (see glossary), then I’ll apply a bit if it’s a knot or something acute.

Tiger Balm Sports Balm: This is my drug of choice, since I don’t drink alcohol (more than one serving), smoke cigarettes, or do any actual drugs. This is what I apply to various body parts when they are not feeling well, see the list above. I also apply it to my joints in a generous amount before a workout. I will also treat joint pains with this while standing. For a leg workout, I will apply this to my knees and ankles. I would recommend everyone keeps it away from their pelvic/groin/hip area. This product burns much more and is VERY pungent.

Tiger Balm Pain Patch: I use this for when I am in extreme pain, typically in my lower back, or any part of my back really. Sometimes I will throw one on my stomach if I’m in extreme pain. They stick relatively well, but don’t last for extremely long, so don’t try to walk around with one. Although, if you’re using one of these you shouldn’t be walking around.

So, I recommend trying something different and going on Amazon and buying some Sports Balm at the very least. I honestly believe everyone should have a tin of this. If you’ve been lifting heavy for the first time and you’re form isn’t great you’ll start to develop early tendonitis like symptoms. Throw some of this on your elbows before hitting the bench press again and keep those elbows tucked in, and you’ll feel much better.

Perhaps you’ve recently picked up one of the many thousand illnesses that seems to be going around. Throughout my family, there has been the flu, the cold, costochondritis, bronchitis, Bell’s Palsy, and more! This is really making you want to spend time with us, right? Anyhow, so you’ve picked up a bug, the cold, something and you’re wondering whether to workout. You were all set on your New Years Resolutions and then you get slammed with a cold, but you still want to keep up progress. What do you do?

Chris with an 104 fever during our vacation

It depends. It depends on what you have and what your body is able to do. Say it’s the first or second day of your sickness…that’s going to be hard. Let’s go through a few sicknesses going around…

Poster encouraging citizens to “Consult your Physician” for treatment of the common cold (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You have the common cold. You are feeling tired, stuffy, head pressure, and congestion. You may be wheezing a little, sneezing a ton, and coughing a few lungs out. With colds, you can workout depending on the severity of the cold. Like I said earlier, it depends on what day you are on the cold and how severe it is on your body. If you can barely lift your head off the pillow, don’t workout. Instead, rest the day and maybe in the late afternoon, bundle up and go for a walk around the neighborhood. It will wake your body up a little bit and give you a chance to breathe fresh air.

English: Mimi & Eunice, “Viral Patent”. Categories at the source website: Economics, IP, Suffering. Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Say you’re sluggish, may be a little congested, do a workout that fits your condition. Feeling really stuffy? Don’t do heavy cardio. Instead do a light bike workout and then some strength training. It is vital vital vital to keep hydrated and take plenty of rest time, even if you normally don’t. After your workout, you will leave feeling a bit more refreshed and revitalized. However, stay warm especially if you sweat. If you feel like you can’t do something, then don’t do it. This is a vital time to listen to your body.

You have the flu. Now this one is a bit more risky. It is, again, very dependent on how bad it is. Say it’s the flu without any stomach problems. However, if you have a fever, do NOT workout. This will completely throw your body off as it is desperately trying to fight off the infection (thus, has a raised temperature). You will be helping to defeat your body’s immune system if you workout with a fever. However, if you’ve gotten your fever down to a reasonable temperature (98 degrees region), go ahead and do some light workouts–slow cardio and light lifting. Only if your body is up to it.

Flu Wants You! (Photo credit: alachia)

You have the stomach flu. This should be a no-brainer. DO NOT WORKOUT. You don’t want any…accidents coming out of either ends while you’re on the elliptical or the leg press. Stay home, drink fluids, and eat crackers.

In general, if you are going for gains in muscle workouts, don’t workout while sick. Why? Because when you are trying to gain that mass, or create lean muscle, you are breaking down muscle fibers which will then need to be repaired through your body. Your body will need to go through protein synthesis to repair these muscle fibers and guess what? Your body can only do so much at once. When you’re healthy, your body can devote 90% to repairing itself. When you’re sick, maybe only 10% can be devoted, leaving you not only feeling sick, but incredibly sore and unable to workout because your muscle fibers are still torn.