Stop Joint Pain... Say NO To Arthritis
Have you ever ridden in a car with worn out shock absorbers? If so,
then you understand their importance. Our bodies too, understand the
need for shock absorbers. Nearly every one of our joints has a
cushion or shock absorber for all the daily bouncing and bounding
about that we do. If we didn’t, the bones of every joint would grind
each other to pieces.
Our shock absorber is called cartilage. (Animals have it too, and we
know it as gristle.) It covers the ends of the bones and is full of
water and elastic tissue. Every time you jump up and down, the
pressure exerted on your hips or knees is four to eight times your
weight, and the only way for the body to tolerate this load is for
the cartilage to absorb the enormous pressure by squeezing together
like a sponge and then rebounding to its original shape. It does
this over and over again for your entire life.
Problems begin as we age; our cartilage thins, we lose fluid that
helps our bones move freely within our joints and sometimes our
bones themselves change (spurs and cysts). This condition is better
known as osteoarthritis (OA) and it afflicts as many as 40 million
Americans. It affects more women than men and is responsible for 7
million physician visits per year. Women have OA of the fingers more
often, while men have OA of the knees and hips more often. Some
doctors believe that the lifestyles of both men and women account
for the differences.
In the early stages of the disease, the pain may feel like a dull
toothache or a throbbing. As OA progresses, the pain may become
sharp or you may notice a grating sensation that occurs during
activity. Some people will not experience any pain with the onset of
OA, but over time, they will notice a gradual loss of motion as
joints stiffen.
Jason Theodosakis, M.D. is the author of the New York Times #1 best
seller, The Arthritis Cure and is one of the leading osteoarthritis
specialists. He says, "OA is so widespread among those over 60 that
many people believe it is a normal part of the aging process – like
gray hair or wrinkles – but it’s not."
Q. Can the damaged cartilage in my joints regenerate?
A. Yes. If there is still cartilage between joints, it can be
thickened and improved based on results of a recently completed
clinical trial where glucosamine sulfate supplementation was shown
to actually increase the cartilage thickness by 37% as determined by
ultrasound. (Lancet, vol. 357:251-256, 2001)
Q. How long before I see results?
A. With glucasamine supplementation, most people will see results
within 4 weeks. However, the longer it is used, the more obvious the
results. The effects are cumulative.
Q. Are there certain foods I should be eating that may help?
A. Yes. Foods containing sulfur aid in repairing and rebuilding
bone, cartilage and connective tissue. These foods include eggs,
onions, garlic and asparagus. Pineapples, avocados, green leafy
vegetables, nonacidic fresh fruits, oatmeal, fish and soy products
are also excellent choices. Eating 20 tart red cherries, daily
(frozen ok) can help relieve the pain and inflammation so familiar
to arthritis sufferers.
Q. Are there supplements that have proven effective for rheumatoid
arthritis?
A. Consider omega -3 essential fatty acids found in salmon oil.
Additional benefits may be found in vitamins C and E, as well as MSM
(methylsulfon-ylmethane), a source of organic sulfur.
Q. Can herbs help?
A. Herbs, including tumeric, ginger and grape seed extract can aid
in the inhibition of the Cox-2 enzyme. This enzyme helps in the
unwanted production of prostaglandins, substances that cause joint
inflammation.
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