Women: Easing Post-Workout Soreness

I know that for years I've been screaming "ICE," but Dr. Weil, founder of the program for integrated medicine from University of Arizona, informed me of some alternatives.

Although the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) will go away in anywhere from 2 to 5 days, many people will take Advil or Motrin to relieve their pain. You know my thoughts on medicine&em;there has to be a better way! Why not take a hot bath following an intense workout to increase circulation and help remove metabolic wastes, easing soreness? Swedish massage is helpful in decreasing inflammation and speed muscle recovery immediately following a workout. If you can't get a professional massage, having someone rub your muscles will be just fine. You may also try a few supplements: 5 grams of D-ribose before and even after a workout. This simple sugar may help speed recovery by energizing muscles. You may also want to try calcium and magnesium&em;together, these minerals act as mild muscle relaxants, easing exercise-related soreness and preventing painful muscle cramps. Women should take 500 to 750 mg of calcium and exactly half as much magnesium.