Tag Archives: arthritis

8 Natural Cures for Knee Osteoarthritis Aches

Five years ago, almost to the day, I was diagnosed with pretty severe knee osteoarthritis. I was a on the young side for this condition: I was still in my late 20s although my doctor said my knees were more like those of an 80-year-old. The good news was, and still is, that while I suffer from occasional swelling in my joints I don’t really experience much pain. This is part luck, and part careful planning. If you’re been feeling any extra aches or have a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis here are some tricks that have helped me minimize any discomfort and will allow me to put off treatment (i.e., a knee replacement) for as long as possible:

 

heels

1. Ditch the high heels. Funny but true: This was probably the hardest lifestyle change to make. I was living in New York where shoes are a real part of the dress code. But I had flashes of pain each time I walked down the stairs in them, or stood for long periods of time. If osteoarthritis is a wearing down of the cartilage between the bones I realized that this was one thing I needed to avoid in order to give my knees TLC.

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YogaHands Gets a High-Five When it Comes to Pain Relief

Are you one of the millions of people who don’t spend your days on your feet, but on your computer, giving massages, or playing a musical instrument? Repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, or tendonitis in the hands and wrists are enough to have you wishing you had a couple spare hands to get your job done.

yoga hands

The makers of YogaToes have recently introduced YogaHands, a new product that is similar, yet provides relief for your hands and fingers. Made to wedge in between your fingers, YogaHands offers the same tension-relieving stretch to your hands as YogaToes gives to your feet. (more…)

“Migraine Muffins” and “PMS Potatoes” on The Doctors

Tune in October 11 to The Doctors to see how your feelings of pain can be lessened not by medication, but by the foods you find in your fridge. Dr. Travis Stork promises that you can reduce pain, fight inflammation, and feel better without drugs. Could fighting chronic pain be a bite away?

First, The Doctors tell viewers about muffins created to fight the duration, frequency, and intensity of migraines, then they move on to a loaded baked potato with each layer strategically designed to fight PMS symptoms. Also on the menu are dill pickles that could ease arthritis and snacks to avoid because they may make migraines and earaches worse. (more…)

The Anti-Arthritis Diet Revealed: How to Tap in to the Healing Power of Food

By Gale Tern

Can arthritis be cured through diet? Is there such a thing as an anti-arthritis diet? Science and our own government have shown that almost every chronic degenerative disease acquired by Americans is the result of a nutritional deficiency. Many years ago, while researching the effects of nutrition on health, I ran across a stunning newspaper article with a heading that read, “21-Year Cover Up: Suppressed 1971 U.S. Report Linked Diet, Disease”.

This article explained how our own government through the USDA had suppressed a U.S. government report that had been released way back in 1971. The report was called Human Nutrition, Report No. 2, Benefits from Human Nutrition Research. This report was the culmination of $30 million worth of federal nutrition research and it revealed for the first time that all major health problems and killer diseases were the result of poor diet and nutrition.

The upshot of all this is that arthritis, like many other diseases, has its roots in nutrition. So what diet works for those who suffer from arthritis? Well arthritis is an umbrella term. The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation, but is often used to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic (inflammatory) diseases that can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. These diseases may affect not only the joints but also other parts of the body.

Thus, an anti-arthritis diet must be tailored to the condition you suffer. However, in the main I can tell you what has been found to work for most sufferers of arthritis. (more…)

Yoga for Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition defined by inflammation in one or more joints, coupled with stiffness, soreness and a limited range of motion. According to the Center for Disease Control, arthritis affects nearly 50 million Americans, and that amount is expected to rise. There are over 100 types of arthritis and the causes include but are not limited to obesity, lack of exercise, improper auto immune response, and the overuse of a misaligned joint.

However the painful condition has come about, the treatment and management of it is very important. Doctors recommend that arthritis sufferers get some moderate exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy weight.

Yoga, because it is a non-impact activity, is a very beneficial way to get some moderate exercise. Yoga poses strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints in a gentle way so the rate of progression of arthritis is slowed and moving becomes less painful. As a result, the symptoms of soreness and stiffness are more properly managed.

Read on to learn about a few basic guidelines to adhere to when practicing yoga with arthritis. Always remember to check with your doctor before embarking on a new type of exercise. In addition, speak with your instructor to learn about modifications you might find useful.

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Eat Fewer Tomatoes to Reduce Arthritis Symptoms

By Delia Quigley for Care2.com

“If nightshades can be eaten or used sparingly, arthritis can be slowed in developing.” The Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation

Summer gardens are bringing forth an abundance of nightshade foods destined for your dinner plate, your fresh tomato salad, or scattered across a slice of hot cheesy pizza with peppers. Nightshades or the Solanaceae family, cover some 2,800 species of plants, herbs, shrubs and trees, but the nightshade foods you most often consume include:

  • Eggplant
  • Potatoes
  • Peppers (hot and sweet)
  • Tomatoes
  • Tomatillos
  • Paprika
  • Cayenne
  • Pimentos (more…)

Relieve Gout Attacks Fast Without Prescription Drugs

This guest post comes from Gale Tern, author, alternative health proponent, and blogger at Arthritis Pain Central.

Gout is usually thought of as the big toe disease since one of its most common symptoms is acute pain in the big toe. Gout is actually a type of arthritis. Here is how the National Institutes of Health defines gout: “Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the bodily waste product uric acid is deposited as needle-like crystals in the joints and/or soft tissues. In the joints, these uric acid crystals cause inflammatory arthritis, which in turn leads to intermittent swelling, redness, heat, pain, and stiffness in the joints.”

What Causes Gout?

The major risk factors for gout are:

  • Family history. Genetics seems to play a role. If your parents or grandparents suffered from this disease there is a high likelihood that you will as well.
  • Weight. Being overweight also increases the risk of developing gout. Some researchers suggest that due to having more tissue mass that can breakdown inherently leads to even greater production of uric acid.

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Eat More Ginger to Reap Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Ginger is a calming spice that has long been touted not only for its ability to add a powerful punch of flavor to both sweet and savory recipes, but for its nutritional and anti-nausea properties. Now, doctors and experts are saying that it may be a powerful weapon to help combat certain types of inflammation that cause pain.

Because ginger contains dozens of phytonutrients called gingerols, it is a powerful agent to help fight inflammation, including the kind that causes arthritis pain. According to the Huffington Post, Japanese researchers recently reported in the Journal of Medicinal Food that red ginger is used in Indonesian traditional medicine as a painkiller for arthritis.

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Arthritis Risk Higher with Early Bad Nutrition

It is estimated that 46 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. With that many people suffering from the painful ailment, could their hope lie in the hands (well, hooves) of the moose?

Many of the moose of Isle Royale, located in the northwest of Lake Superior, have been found to suffer from arthritis and scientists say that the origin of their arthritis may help explain human osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis.

According to 50 years of research, the moose ended up with arthritis due to bad nutrition early in their lives. The scientists believe that this may mean that people can link their arthritis to not only nutrition in their childhood, but even back to the womb. (more…)

Strengthen the Hip with These Six Exercises

Hip pain is a common injury and somewhat confusing because there are so many causes. The hip joint is a synovial joint, which means that it is one of the most movable joints in the body, and its main function is to support the weight of the body in both static (standing) and dynamic (walking) postures. The hip has seven main movements, making it so susceptible to injury. These movements consist of extension and flexion on or from spine or thigh, abduction and adduction of the femur, internal and external rotation of the pelvis, thigh, or spine, and lastly circumduction (circular movement) of the femur or pelvis.

Hip injuries again have several causes, such as: (more…)

4 Best Exercises for Preventing Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder pain is another big issue and it is definitely not something to take lightly. The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body and very vulnerable due the unstable range of motion. The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint which allows for the wide range of motion. There are many causes of shoulder pain, but the one of the most common causes is arthritis.

Arthritis is the breakdown, or wearing out, of cartilage in the joints. The result of this is joint pain and stiffness. Preventing this issue is almost inevitable, but through proper exercise and medication you can decrease the severity. (more…)