Movement is Medicine and Medicine is Medicine

I was out of commission and could barely walk! 

Here’s the story: 

Last weekend I felt a little sore in my knee - I had taken a yoga workshop a couple days before, so I thought maybe I just overdid it a little. 

I was out hiking with friends and doing fun fall activities like picking apples on Saturday. 

And then the next day, my knew blew up! Swollen, red, and I could barely move it. 

I must have injured it somehow, I thought. 

So, did I stay off my feet, with Rest and Ice and pain killers? 

No! 

The newer evidence is that some of those older protocols are not the most efficient way to heal! 

Even the guy who created the R.I.C.E. protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) recanted his position in later years. 

What’s known is instead of immobilizing an injured area, you need to find ways to move. The healing mechanisms of our body flush out the inflammation and increase blood flow to the area by moving! 

And even though I’m an advocate of ice baths, ice is NOT the recommendation for healing either. Heat is better. It encourages more blood flow to the injured area which promotes better and quicker healing. 

So, gentle consistent movement, heat, compression, and some elevation were my priorities as well as anti-inflammatory foods (lots of fruits and vegetables) and eliminating any inflammatory foods such as sugar, gluten, alcohol, etc… 

All that, and by Monday, I was feeling worse! 

Then I got the intuitive hit… This isn’t an injury (I couldn’t actually figure out how I got injured anyway) This was Lyme! And sure enough, after a visit to the clinic, I started on a round of antibiotics. 

Within a couple days I was 80% better. 

Still I’ve been continuing my movement and nutrition protocol (which isn’t too different from my normal daily life, just ramped up a little) 

And the point of this whole writing is this: movement is necessary - almost always - for healing and, of course, for daily life. And sometimes actual medicine is just as essential. 

So use your movement to keep your body healthy. And use all the miracles of western medicine at your disposal when it’s the right course of action. 

Stay well! 

Patrick 

This is me just being super happy to be feeling better and hiking again in this gorgeous fall weather.