Do you have RSI ( Repetitive Strain Injury) because you happen to work with computers that your right arm (or left if you are a lefty) often sleeps, tingle and hurt when it's winter? The shoulder of the arm you use for typing gets stiff the moment that mercury in the thermometer descends and it's just autumn? I did.
It was autumn when I moved to the Netherlands and my body was shocked at how cold this place was. The plane I was in, landed in the afternoon and the very moment I stepped out of Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, the chill made every hair on my body stand up. My lips quivered uncontrollably, the wind was crisp it cut the skin on my face. I thought I have geared up enough wearing a cardigan, a dress, a camisole under it and a black sheer tights ... as it turned out - they weren't enough.
It was just dusk when we got home but it was already pretty dark, I had chills on my neck when I got out of the car. "Brrrr~~", I squeaked after experiencing hyper- sensitivity on my teeth - I had to shut my mouth. Then my right shoulder stiffened - it felt like a cramp. I thought it was just the cold - that it would go away once it's warm again. Unfortunately it didn't.
It wasn't just working with the computer that caused it. Being the eldest of three girls in my family, I used to do all the house chores after we could no longer afford paying maids back in the Philippines when I was twelve. Yes, I had a tough high school life and I hated every house chore there was specially washing and ironing every uniform in the house. My mom had five, my youngest sister had 5 , my younger sister and I had three and they were either a blouse and a skirt or a long dress. I'm a righty so my right arm and shoulder took the beating. The RSI must have been there for years according to the doctor. The cold just triggered it to hurt.
For years, I had to go to a masseuse specialized in releasing clogged energy in the meridian points twice a month. It's pretty costly here but it really works plus saves me from the dread of the thought of going to sauna or being poked by huge needles (they say - acupuncture is painless).
Every time I go to my masseuse she keeps telling me to take ginger tea or turmeric tea instead of just warm water. Move a lot and work out. She also advised me to CUT BACK ON SUGAR AND NIGHT SHADOW PLANTS. Sugar - not a fan but I wasn't sure I could break up with chocolates, ice creams, fruit pies and cakes. CUT BACK THE NIGHT SHADOW PLANTS - I thought.. . you're kidding right? Vegetarian and stubborn - her advice again ... just went in one of my ear and out of the other. . I didn't hid her advice - I was too busy trying to adjust to my environment and to understand the way of life here - I've managed to bare the pain.
It's there - I just pushed it aside but it was getting worse - to the point that half of my back is already stiffening. I tried every over the counter liniment but nothing works. They even sometimes cause skin burns. Neither hot nor cold plaster helped.
So I finally hid my masseuse's advice. . I JOINED MY HUB DOING ZUMBA. Yes, he was doing that before I did. I was 46 kilos when I got here - sweating would make me loose more when it's gaining some weight I actually needed~ so I thought. Hub also shared about HAVING MICRO-BREAKS and not sitting for long hours in front of the computer - I had to give in as I was desperate of being pain free plus that part was easy to do.
I CUT BACK ON NIGHT SHADOW PLANTS AND BROKE UP WITH EVERY CHOCOLATE THAT HAS LABELS THAT READS SUGAR FIRST, THEN MILK . I QUIT EATING ICE CREAM. THE ONLY SUGAR I TAKE IS THAT FROM FRUITS, HONEY AND THAT OF WHAT'S IN A 85% PURE CHOC. IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO DO - I JUST NEEDED TO WILL IT.
And finally, I DECIDED TO TAKE GINGER AND TURMERIC TEA but... Ginger tea - yum! Turmeric tea - yuck! I bare - it does warm the body up. I followed through for months. That "Achieve your goal within 30 days" I learned from my hub which he picked up from seminars somewhere - felt like torture but at least, it eased the pain on my lower back - it's just my shoulders I have to worry about.
Then one day, I got pretty sick and tired I decided to spice my banana breakfast smoothie with both - ginger and turmeric. Guess what - it was DOUBLE YUM! Plus ~ - for a year and half now, I haven't gone back to my masseuse and said goodbye to autumn and winter days back aches (because it's not only in winter that it snows and freeze here - some summer days and weeks feel like autumn here).
A friend from India also said that turmeric and black pepper give a soothing effect to muscle pain so lately, I've been adding some to it. So let me share my Banana Ginger Turmeric Breakfast Smoothie for everyone who is suffering from severe muscle pain like I did so YOU CAN ALSO FREE YOURSELF FROM RSI, MUSCLE ACHES AND RECCURING CRAMPS. It's pretty easy really.
You're going to need a deep beaker, a hand blender, a fruit knife and a chopping board. The ingredients ... pretty affordable :)
2 ripe bananas (never use a young banana or one that is almost ripe)
2 inch ginger
2 inch turmeric
a pinch or two black pepper (optional)
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
HOW TO PREPARE:
Peel one banana and slice diagonally and evenly. The bananas here are the size of the Philippine eggplants. I buy organic ones because that means they didn't get soaked into chemicals that slow down their ripening process and keep their peel flawless. Plus they are surely not a GMO. Throw into the beaker.
Peel the turmeric with a fruit knife and slice into very thin pieces. Let 'em join the banana slices. The turmeric would stain your palms that's why I peel and slice it before the ginger. You'd better wash it off as it would stain anything you touch.
Do the same with the ginger.
Peel the last banana and slice diagonally and evenly. Throw them into the beaker.
Add in the yoghurt.
Add in the black pepper.
Blend till thick and smooth but don't over blend. Over blending would burn the enzymes of the fruit and the rhizomes. We don't want that. As seen on the pic below - bits of ginger and turmeric are still visible.
Serve with your favorite breakfast.
Hub and I always take them first before any other meal we have for breakfast. I learned from my friend that taking any enzyme in an empty stomach allows the enzyme to work for your body.
When we have the luxury of time to enjoy breakfast, we wait half and hour after taking the Banana Ginger - Turmeric smoothie before taking another meal in - to allow the enzyme to work.
ACCORDING TO RECENT STUDIES, SOME PEOPLE MAY ACTUALLY HAVE GINGER ALLERGIES. IF YOU DO - YOU MAY ALSO BE ALLERGIC TO TURMERIC, ONIONS AND GARLIC SO YOU MIGHT WANNA HAVE THAT CHECKED FIRST. THERE IS NO THERAPEUTIC CLAIMS THAT THE BANANA GINGER TURMERIC SMOOTHIE- ALONE DID THE WORK. If you reread my post you'll see sentences in caps - I did all those plus this and I was determined to achieve a winter - proof muscles. I do think all of those somehow - helped me rid RSI.
Thank you for reading!