The fascia: Why do we need it? How to support it.

Here’s to a new body, ya’ll! 😜 Coming from a woman that’s been in 6 major car accidents through her life on top of all the other things, trust me, you need to work with your fascia.

What is the fascia?

Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. Fascia is a stringy, white substance made mostly of collage, and is soft, loose and made up of multiple layers. A liquid called hyaluronan is between each layer. The hyaluronan helps your fascia stretch as you move, but inflammation and trauma can dry up the hyaluronan and damage your fascia. When your fascia tightens, it can restrict the movement of your muscles and tissues, causing pain and other health issues.

So how can you tell if you're experiencing fascial damage?

Deep pain in a muscle.
Pain that doesn't go away or gets worse.
A tender knot in a muscle.
Trouble sleeping due to pain.
A general feeling of being not well
Fatigue

How can you keep your fascia healthy?

Stay active: Get moving, and exercise. Don't just be a couch potato.

Stretch frequently: Stretching makes your fascia more flexible. This can help lessen pain and inflammation as well as promote relaxation and flexibility. Yoga is great for this!

Sit up straight: Focusing on your posture and not slouching can help with fascia pain.
Self-myofascial release (SMR): This involves using tools like foam rollers, massage balls, or massage sticks to apply pressure to specific areas of the body.
Hydration and nutrition: Staying hydrated and consuming a plant based diet will provide your body with needed nutrients like collagen, vitamins, and minerals can support healthy fascia function and repair.
Meditation: Meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and tension, which can contribute to fascial tightness.

The good news is that you can release your fascia at home. Start at the inside edge of one shoulder blade and roll towards your spine and then back again. Keep breathing throughout the movement. After about 15-30 seconds of rolling, switch sides When you're experiencing a tender spot, sink into that tissue with slow, gentle pressure, and do not force yourself to push through pain. You can use a foam rollers, massage balls, or massage sticks to support you with applying pressure and massaging it all out.

Two things I use to support my fascia:

I use a fascia roller tool to support the lymphatic system, fascia, and promote blood flow. You can find it here.

Food for the blood is the truth! This blend supported me with releasing inflammation, and promoting blood flow that came through for me when doing the fascia massage. I consume this 2x a day and can feel my energy levels rise and gets my body and blood moving! You can find it here.

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