END PAIN AND POSTPONE OR AVOID SURGERY WITH THIS NUTRITION THERAPY
CATEGORY: 1: Simple Malnutrition
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTS: Glucosamine, Monavie Active, Beta Carotene, and Lecithin
As an infant you are born with 300 to 350 bones. As you grow, some of them fuse together, thereby decreasing the overall number until it drops to 206 in adulthood. There isn’t strict agreement on the number of joints in a human body. The answers range from no one knows to a couple hundred. We can agree that you need a lot of joints to hold together 206 bones.
| Definitions: A Joint is the spot where two or more of your 206 individual bones are joined in such a manner as to permit flexibility and movement of the musculoskeletal structure. Joints are held in place by Ligaments, tough elastic tissue that connects bones and cartilage to the joint. (Tendons connect muscle to bone.) |
Osteoarthritis (OA) assaults your joints and cartilage, and affects more people than rheumatoid arthritis, the “other” arthritis, which is an auto immune disorder. OA is the number one cause of chronic disability in the United States, and accounts for one in four visits to a primary physician. Meaning, that if we could get control of this disease, we could greatly reduce chronic disability, and eliminate the costs associated with 25 percent of primary care visits.
It is believed that some people have a genetic propensity that causes them to contract OA. Even so, you can always trump genetics with nutrition. Always. It’s not the family genes that are at fault, but the family diet that is passed on to succeeding generations.
OA is also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, simply because as the disease progresses the joints actually degrade, erode, and slowly disappear in places. The polite term is “narrowing.” OA symptoms include acute pain, chronic stiffness, fiery burning sensation, swelling from water retention, bone spurs, crackling sounds (crepitus) when joint is used, and enlargement and misshaping of the joint. Naturally, any combination of these can lead to a loss of mobility. There are lucky people who do not have symptoms, despite x-ray evidence of OA.
| Definition: Bone Spur: It is caused by the same inflammation that causes swelling from water retention, and most of the pain and burning. This inflammation stimulates the overgrowth of bone cells, causing them to deposit too much bone in the area of the arthritis. The extra bone accumulates until there is a noticeable bony outgrowth called a spur. Bone spurs are one reason for the enlargement and misshaping of an arthritic joint, and are directly related to inflammation. |
PREVENTING CARTILAGE DEGRADATION AND LOSS IS THE FOCUS FOR TREATING OSTEOARTHRITIS
OA is not a complicated disease despite its debilitating affect on your body. It can be successfully treated with nutrition that targets the resultant symptoms, and also the trigger itself, which is wear and tear. OA results directly from the loss of cartilage, the spongy protein substance that “cushions” the joints and keeps the bones from bumping into each other as you move.
Humans are always seeking “cushions” in life. We want the cushy job. We are told it is wise to have a financial cushion in case of hard times. Chairs are padded with cushions for our butt’s comfort. Your car’s bumper cushions it from other, inept drivers. Take that natural desire for cushion to a biological level. Each bone has the same need. It needs a cushion to keep the other, inept bones away from it.
A large part of the cartilage cushion is dependent upon water content and other joint components like Glucosamine. If you don’t give your body the building nutrients it needs to repair cartilage, it will dry out over time and become less resilient. As the cartilage dries it provides less and less of a cushion for the adjoining bones. If the cartilage dries out completely, the cushion is lost and the bones collide with drastic results.
A great loss of flexibility and mobility occurs when the cushion collapses and bones start grinding against each other. Movement becomes painful and sometimes impossible. With a loss of cartilage, joints can actually lock in place. The stress on the joint from the disintegration of cartilage causes inflammation. Once inflammation is present the other symptoms show up as well.
ALL JOINTS ARE AT RISK FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS
OA can affect any joint but it usually presents in hands, feet, hips, knees, spine and lower back. The medical industry tells you that osteoarthritis is simply a natural result of aging. That you should go ahead and expect your joints to wear out before you’re done using them. Joint replacement surgery has become routine.
This medical information is confirmed by your own observations. When you look around you see most people over 45 with some symptom of OA. They complain that certain joints have become tender and achy. Or that they’re beginning to experience stiffness. Maybe a little swelling now and then? That’s the beginning of OA. But today you also hear 23-year-olds complaining about OA, while some 90-somethings show no signs of the disease. OA is no longer a disorder associated strictly with aging. Now it’s a disorder also associated with a profound lack of nutrition, regardless of your age.
The truth is that evolution designed your joints to operate efficiently for over 100 years, if supplied along the way with the nutritional building materials they need to make repairs and maintain their integrity. But after decades of use without enough nutrition, sure, they’re going to fail prematurely. They’re going to wear out.
Think of a favorite pair of shoes that you wear every day for months. They’re comfortable and you love them because they make you look cool. After a while the heels and soles show signs of wear and tear. Your first impulse, since these are your favorites, is to take them to a repair shop before they fall apart and you can’t wear them anymore.
Same thing with your joints. If you expect to get extended use out of them, you have to take steps to ensure they can fulfill the 100 year warranty. Your joints are in use more or less constantly. Even when you’re asleep, you can’t turn over in bed, scratch your ear, or reach for the annoying alarm without using many of your joints. Everything you do, your mobility itself, depends on actions by your joints. Without healthy joints you would become an immobile stick creature like Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, before Dorothy saved him with the oil can. If you supplement your diet with specific nutrients, your joints will have the building materials they need to make repairs and maintain stability.
THE SUPPLEMENTS
Glucosamine Sulfate or Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCL) both do a good job of repairing and forming new cartilage inside joints. Glucosamine is a component of joint tissue and important to the production of synovial fluid, which keeps the joint lubricated. Your body produces Glucosamine, but the levels fall as you age and fail to add it as a supplement to your diet.
There is disagreement on which Glucosamine works better, the sulfate or the hydrochloride form. You’ll have to experiment to see which works best for you. For a long time I used sulfate and it worked fine, but then I noticed that taking it caused irritation in some joints, especially the knee. When I switched to hydrochloride the results improved. I can promise you that Glucosamine will rebuild the cartilage cushion in your joints, but your individual factors will decide which is best for you. Don’t lose heart if you try one form and it doesn’t work for you. Simply switch to the other to get relief.
While Glucosamine is the accepted supplement for rebuilding cartilage and preventing future loss of it, Monavie Active, which has a potent Hydrochloride form of Glucosamine, is very effective and highly recommended.
Lecithin is an emulsifier. It smoothes out the cartilage being constructed by the other supplements, and keeps the joint clear of organic debris that is the cause of a lot of the pain experienced by those who have OA. Like Dorothy’s oil can, Lecithin helps keep the joints lubricated and mobile.
Beta Carotene reduces free radical activity and thereby calms inflammation. It also reduces pain, burning, swelling, and misshaping of the joint through bone spurs.
Vitamin D3 supports Beta Carotene in its inflammation fighting function. If you take Beta Carotene without Vitamin D, you will deplete your stores of Vitamin D and develop a Vitamin D deficiency. That’s why you should always take Vitamin D when taking Beta Carotene. Vitamin D3 is recommended because it more closely replicates the Vitamin D made naturally on your skin from contact with the sun. If you can’t find D3, take straight Vitamin D.
Ibuprophen eliminates 90 percent of the stiffness accompanying OA. The pain, burning, and swelling will end if you take the supplements discussed above. But if stiffness is still a problem, regular daily use of Ibuprophen makes a huge improvement. You’ll stop feeling like you’re already 100.
| Healing and Preventing Osteoarthritis QUICK GLANCE CHART | ||||
| Supplement | Breakfast | Dinner | Brand | Strength |
| Glucosamine Sulfate or HCL (capsules only) | 2-4 capsules | 2-4 capsules | Puritan’s Pride #4173 for Sulfate; #11822 for HCL | 1000 mg |
| Monavie Active | 2 ozs (mandatory) | 2 ozs (optional) | Monavie | NA |
| It’s important to shake the Monavie bottle well each time before you use it. Consume everything that comes out of the bottle. Sometimes you will see grit, or small chunks of puree. Don’t discard any of it. | ||||
| Lecithin (softgels, and granules) | 5 softgels, and one heaping tablespoon | 5 softgels | Puritan’s Pride #303/ #1064 | 1200 mg |
| Lecithin granules are best used sprinkled over salads, fresh fruit, and cereals, and mixed in with blender drinks. To count toward the daily dosage you must consume it uncooked. | ||||
| Beta Carotene (softgels only) | 25 softgels | 25 softgels | Puritan’s Pride #1223 | 25,000 IU (equivalent to 15 mgs) |
| Vitamin D3 (softgels only) | 2 softgels | 2 softgels | Puritan’s Pride #15605 | 1000 IU |
| Ibuprophen | 2-3 tablets | 2-3 tablets | Generic | 200 mg |
IF YOUR KNEE JOINTS ARE THE PROBLEM IT’S IMPORTANT TO EXERCISE THE MUSCLES THAT SUPPORT THE JOINT
Make no mistake, if you’re aiming for zero tolerance you have to take all of the supplements recommended above. But if you follow the instructions and find that you still have discomfort, weak muscles might be the problem. You need strong muscles surrounding the knee to hug the joint and hold it in place. If the muscles are weak they permit too much movement in the joint which leads to an instability. Your knee stability will improve shortly after doing the following exercises.
The focus here is on the muscles on either side of the joint. It’s a good idea to do these exercises at least three times a week on a regular basis. The directions begin each exercise with the left leg, but you can switch it up if you want to.
The directions also instruct you to switch back and forth from the left leg to the right leg. If you prefer you can do all the exercises for one leg before moving on to the other leg.
OUTER KNEE MUSCLES
STARTING POSITION: Begin all three exercises lying on your right side, supporting your head with your right hand and bent elbow, with your body bent at the hip so that you are in the shape of an “L.”
EXERCISE 1. Keeping both legs straight and your left foot flat and parallel to the floor, lift your left leg about eight inches and drop it back down gently. Do 25 reps. Up and down. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
EXERCISE 2. Keeping both legs straight, lift your left leg a few inches and point your toes. Keeping both knees in alignment, one above the other, bend your left leg and swing it back gently, until it makes a 90 degree angle with your upper thigh, and straighten it again. Do 25 reps. Back and forth. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
EXERCISE 3. Keeping both legs straight, and your foot flat, bring your left knee toward your chest as far as you can, and return it to a straight position. Do 25 reps. Up and back. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
INNER KNEE MUSCLES
STARTING POSITION: Begin all three exercises sitting on the floor with your legs spread in front of you in a V-shape. Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the floor. Lean to the left and rest your weight on your bent elbow with your left hand against the floor. Rest your right arm on your bent leg.
EXERCISE 1. Your left leg is still where it was originally in the V-shape. Turn your left leg so that the inner leg is facing up. Keeping your foot flat and the inner side facing the ceiling, begin to bob your leg up and down about four inches. Do 25 reps. Up and down. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
EXERCISE 2. Your left leg is still where it was originally in the V-shape. Turn your left leg so that the inside is facing up. Keeping your left foot flat and the inner side facing the ceiling, bend your left knee, bringing your heel close to your body. Push out and down gently, leading with your left heel. Do 25 reps. In and out. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
EXERCISE 3. This exercise is almost identical to the one above. Your left leg is still where it was originally in the V-shape. Keeping your left foot flat and the inner side facing the ceiling, bend your left knee, bringing your heel close to your body. But this time kick out and away, while leading with your pointed toes. Do 25 reps. In and out. Change sides and repeat for right leg.
Please be nice to each other, and look for my next blog: Blog 26: Essay 1: Why Nutrition Can Heal and Prevent Any Physical Disorder
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