Don We Now Our Aching Fascia
It makes more sense if you sing it.
“Fascia does all the work; muscles and bones get all the credit”—me
Soreness, aches, pains, stiffness. We all have them one time or other, but do we know what’s really hurting? We might say we’ve “pulled something” (perhaps a muscle?) or, as we get older, we blame our creaky joints. More often than not, however, the pain and discomfort might originate in our connective tissue.
To better manage these inconvenient and bothersome sensations, we need to give connective tissue the attention it deserves.
What is connective tissue?
Connective tissue is one of the four main tissue types in the body, and it is found between—ostensibly, “connecting”—every other type of tissue in the body, even nervous tissue. This fibrous tissue is essentially what holds everything together, and it includes ligaments, tendons, cartilage, adipose tissue, synovial fluid, and fascia.
Fascia is made of collagen and hyaluronic acid, among other things; and when it’s healthy, we generally feel great (all other things being equal) and move well. Unhealthy fascia can cause pain, discomfort, lack of mobility, fatigue, and susceptibility to injury.
When I was doing my yoga teacher training, we were required as part of our Anatomy unit to watch this very entertaining and interesting video about connective tissue; it’s well known as “The ‘Fuzz’ Speech”. If you have a few minutes, I highly recommend watching it, as it helps to explain what happens when we don’t move our bodies (TRIGGER ALERT: Gil Hedley, the narrator, uses real human cadavers in this video; if that freaks you out, skip it)
What causes unhealthy fascia?
* a sedentary lifestyle
* poor posture
* dehydration
* overusing or injuring your muscles
* unhealthy eating habits
* poor sleep quality
* stress
Yep. The good news, though, is that all of the above is manageable (stress being the toughest one, but we can do our best to mitigate it). As the internet and social media have helped to popularize various fitness methods, more attention has been given to taking care of the fascia and connective tissue. Wellness is not just about lifting weights, doing cardio, and otherwise exercising vigorously (all good things to do in moderation, of course). We also have seen increased interest in things like deep stretching and yin yoga, and more teachers and trainers offering classes in these modalities, or offering them as part of their workout sequences.
You can read more medical information about fascia in this article from Johns Hopkins: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/muscle-pain-it-may-actually-be-your-fascia
This is why I have always promoted yoga practices such as restorative/yin yoga:
and more recently, gravity yoga (ignore the warning message)
as part of the programs I offer clients and students. Be sure to spend time each week taking care of your fascia, and I guarantee you’ll start to notice a difference pretty quickly!
Meditation isn’t easy
Shout out to fellow Substack writer Edith Zimmerman, who has a delightful newsletter of drawings and links called (you guessed it) “Drawing Links”. She recently posted a comic about the challenges of meditating, and it really landed for me. Hope you enjoy it; if you do, consider subscribing to her newsletter too!
TOFU PAD THAI
PREP 15 MIN; COOK 10 MIN
(from chef Palisa Anderson )
INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
3 1⁄2 oz flat rice noodles
1 tbs kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) (or gluten-free equivalent)
1 tbs light soy sauce (or gluten-free equivalent)
1 tbs tamarind concentrate
2 tsp coconut oil
1 large egg lightly beaten
9 oz firm tofu cut in 1 x 2 inch batons
1 cup (1 1⁄2 oz) bean shoots washed
1 tbs unsalted peanuts roughly chopped
1 tbs chives roughly chopped
1 lime cut in wedges
METHOD
1:Soak noodles in water for 10 minutes, then drain.
2:Combine sauces and tamarind in a bowl and set sauce aside.
3:Heat half the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until hot. Add egg, tipping to cover base and cook for about 2 minutes until egg has just set. Remove from wok, roll up, thinly slice and set aside.
4:Without washing the wok, add remaining oil and heat until hot. Add tofu and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to evenly brown all over.
5:Stir through noodles and sauce and continue to toss until noodles are evenly coated and sauce has thickened.
6:Stir through sliced egg, bean shoots, peanuts and chives.
7:Serve immediately with lime wedges.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Based on 1 serving
Energy (kJ): 2082
Energy (cals): 497
Protein: 23.6g
Fat: 19.7g
Saturated Fat: 7.1g
Carbs: 52.8g
Sugar: 11g
Fiber: 8.8g
That’s all for this week. Please consider subscribing, or sharing with a friend. Be well!
Laura
Thanks for the good info AND that recipe! Also, I've been an Edith Zimmerman fan for a while now - happy you found her! I hope she follows YOU!