Have you ever wished there was an easy solution for life’s discomforts? While I can’t promise that all pain will disappear from your life (unless there is some special spell that works!), I can share with you some daily relief methods that may ease those bothersome aches and pains. After all, I know what pain feels like. I suffered from severe back pains for two years during the pandemic. I was living in Cagayan de Oro at that time and I had this on and off terrible pain on my back that radiated to the right side of my groin. I had myself checked; even had my OB looked into my girl parts down there (I had a transvaginal ultrasound) just to be sure but she couldn’t find anything. So I endured… again, as I said, for two years.

Now that we’re living in Oslob, which is just 3 hours of car ride away from Cebu City, we have more access to health-related services and products. So October of last year, I went to see a chiropractor (Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinics). I bought a package costing almost P60,000. I had 19 vouchers for it, 17 of which I’ve already used throughout these months whenever we’d visit Cebu City. While the sessions I had with my chiropractor did give me relief and the severe pains never happened again (so far — hurray!) which I’m really thankful for, there are still minor discomforts and pains I experience from time to time and I realized that doing these things I’m going to share with you below help a lot as well. The chiro clinic is asking me if I want to get another package with them at a discounted price but I’m still thinking about it. I think if I do good on my health practices which I’ll enumerate below, I won’t have to do my chiro sessions anymore. Yes to more savings, right?

After every chiro session, they give me this relaxing back massage. It really helps too!

Now, for those tips that don’t cost as much as getting those chiro sessions:

Rise, Stretch and Shine!

Did you know that your body has its own alarm system? From stiff necks and slight discomfort in the morning, all the way through to stretching routines that work wonders for relieving tension in muscles that have played Twister while sleeping; starting your day right with gentle stretching routines will do wonders for both you and your body! So let’s trade those morning grumbles for gentle stretches – and watch how quickly your body responds with thanks.

We recently bought 2 new mountain bikes, one for me and one for Tuz, our 7-year old boy, so we can bike around and up the mountains just like Mahal who has been mountain biking since our Cagayan de Oro days. We stretch first before we go biking/hiking. This is a fun way to do our rise & shine!

Catch Those Zzz’s! 

At the age of 45, with most of those years spent with only a little sleep, I now know that sleep is more than an escape, it is the source of all life! I now sleep as much as I can because my heart can no longer handle the stress of no sleep! I’ve been getting alarming notifications from my Garmin smart watch saying that my heart is beating abnormally so I am now more mindful of how I live and work. Sleep allows our body to reset itself by healing damaged cells, strengthening immune responses and replenishing heart and cardiovascular systems. If you’ve been skimping on restful snoozes lately (don’t be like me!) it may be time to make sleep a top priority; just one good night’s rest can soothe aching muscles and reduce inflammation; try replacing late-night screen scrolling for a calming sleep routine; otherwise results may vary between levitation.

Tuz and I have the same body clock. We’re on US Eastern Time Zone. So we sleep during the day here in the Philippines and we’re awake at night. As I type this, we are attempting to permanently go back to Philippine Time Zone for health reasons. Wish us luck!

Unleash the Power of CBD Oil! 

Who could have predicted that one plant could create such an uproar? From celebrities to your next-door neighbor, everyone seems to be singing praises of CBD oil – perhaps because its benefits extend far beyond just wellness! In essence, it serves as the Swiss Army knife of wellness! Its widely acknowledged for its anti-inflammatory properties, helping ease everyday aches and pains while simultaneously relieving anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbance. Apply it directly onto temples or massage it into sore muscles before adding some drops to evening tea as an addendum treatment plan. Remember, even small doses go a long way with CBD oil! In no time you may join the CBD fan club! 

Embark on the Magic of Movement

While Netflix binging may be enjoyable, our bodies don’t appreciate being immobilized for extended periods. Exercise is a wonderful way to stave off everyday aches and pains! Don’t feel like training for a marathon? Even simple exercises like walking, stretching and dancing to music can do wonders for your health! Regular physical activity helps keep joints supple, improve posture and strengthen muscles while decreasing the risk of pain. Exercise also releases endorphins – natural painkillers and mood boosters produced by your body – making you not only feel better but happier as well. Remember it doesn’t need to be perfect downward dog or setting deadlift records in gym; just get moving – move from the couch, do a shimmy and revel in movement magic!

Conclusion 

While I may not be a magician (although that would be great!), I believe in the magic of everyday habits that can help ease some of life’s discomforts. Remember, life doesn’t need to be one long struggle against pain – here’s hoping for less discomfort and more comfort for all our pain warriors out there!