This post is sponsored by Nature’s Way® Joint Movement Glucosamine®. ModernMom has been compensated for this post, but all opinions are my own.
I remember in my early twenties I would walk to work, workout at lunch and then dance the night away. I’d sleep for 6 hours and start all over. My body was never worse for the wear. Now a few (eh hem) years and two kids later, my body is not quite the same. I still workout and burn a ton of calories chasing after toddlers but no matter how much of a healthy lifestyle I try to lead, my body doesn’t always feel as spry as it once did. As we age, our strength and durability decline naturally. The wear and tear on our body is unavoidable. I know I definitely feel it more after a run then I used to.
But I’ve found two things that really help support my active lifestyle. The first one is stretching. The reality is a lot of people don’t stretch until they are already in pain, but stretching for 5 minutes a day 3-5 days a week keeps your muscles flexible, strong and healthy. This flexibility helps maintain a range of motion in your joints. It can also help increase your blood flow to your muscles by improving circulation. Better circulation can help your body recover faster. And maybe best of all, it can help relieve stress.
Here are three simple stretches that I try to do every day (even on the days when I don’t have time to exercise). It takes minutes and you’ll feel the difference. Trust me.
1) Hamstring stretch: Sit on the floor (or a mat) with your legs straight in front of you. Slide your hands down your legs as far as you can go. Don’t worry if you can’t touch your toes, this will come in time. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. You should feel some tension and maybe a slight burn, but you should not feel pain. Breathe into it.
2) Split your legs open in a V and bend your left knee in. Square your torso to the straight leg and reach for it with both arms. You should feel this in your hamstring and hip. Tuck your chin in gently. Hold for 10 breaths. Slowly release and then repeat the sequence with the opposite leg (bend your right knee in).
3) Hip stretch: Lie on your back and bend both of your knees. Bring your left ankle over your right thigh. Lift your right foot off of the ground, bringing your leg up to a 90-degree angle. Loop your hands between your legs and slowly pull your right knee toward your chest. Take deep breaths. Hold for 30 seconds and then slowly release. Now do the other leg.
The second tip is getting ahead of the body’s aging process by taking supplements, such as glucosamine. Glucosamine can help us maintain our active lifestyles and support good health. Did you know that Glucosamine is already produced naturally in our bodies and is pivotal in building cartilage (the tissue that cushions our joints)? Well it is. But unfortunately as we get older, the levels of glucosamine that we produce decreases which can lead to a gradual breakdown of cartilage. Since that sounds less than ideal, I decided to start taking Wellesse® Joint Movement Glucosamine® from Nature’s Way®. This supplement has key ingredients to support staying active plus promotes healthy bones and muscle function* like Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin D3. Why take Joint Movement Glucosamine? Four reasons.
1) It comes in an easy-to-absorb liquid formula. This simplifies your morning by not having to dirty a glass to take a pill. Although if you want to, you can mix the berry flavored liquid with water or juice. I just drink it as is. The liquid is fast-absorbing and the serving size is only 1 oz for a daily dose (it even comes with a dosage cup).
2) No refrigeration needed so it’s easy to keep by your bed or take with you when you travel. I keep it on the counter so it’s easy to take with breakfast.
3) It’s shellfish free, sugar free and gluten free. Yep, this Glucosamine is from a vegetarian source.
4) There are 2,000 mg of Glucosamine in Joint Movement Glucosamine, which is 33% more than the leading liquid competitor.
I take it in the morning with a healthy breakfast and then I feel ready to conquer the day. Remember, as much as we try to eat right and exercise, it’s always nice to give our bodies an extra little boost to help sustain our active lifestyle. Your body will thank you!
