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Take Positive Joint Preventive Action: What Causes Arthritis & Natural Alternative Suggestions

Arthritis: like heart disease, diabetes and obesity, Arthritis is often a preventable disease for most people, which normally begins as a result of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle (inactivity, no regular exercise). It is estimated that up to 70 million Americans will develop Arthritis within the next 20 years, so healthier dietary habits and regular moderate exercise can play a very important preventive role.

Arthritis like many degenerative type conditions or diseases, (heart disease, diabetes) also begins for most people as a result of too much inflammation occurring in the body resulting in the wearing down of healthy cartilage in between the joints. Healthy functioning cartilage acts like a cushion in-between bone joints that allows the ends of the bones in joints to smoothly glide over the cartilage which facilitates healthy bending, flexibility and allows pain free movement and exercising of joints in the knees, feet, hip, shoulders etc. Healthy cartilage in-between the vertebrae of the spine also helps allow for more flexibility and more pain free movement involving back, neck and spine mobility.

When inflammation begins to occur within the body, especially as often happens with aging and if a body joint has been over exercised or injured then the body produces harmful cytokines that promote continue inflammation.  There are a number of ways to prevent these cytokines or inflammation markers from occurring.

1. The first obvious way to help prevent joint inflammation and pain is not to do activity which overly exercises a joint and the surrounding muscles and tendons around a joint. This is one reason why regular exercise is so beneficial because it helps a joint to function better as muscles and joints that are regularly strengthened through exercise are less likely to become injured.

2. Also, regularly exercised joints and muscles help accommodate increased circulation and  blood flow, allowing nutrients to better nourish and to be able to help ‘bath’ the cartilage in important nutrients it needs to rebuild itself and to help maintain a soft but yet firm cartilage cushion so that the joints can easily glide over.

3. Eating a healthy diet (and regular moderate exercise), is the best overall combination to prevent degenerative arthritis called, Osteoarthritis (OA) from occurring in the first place.

Too many Americans today eat a diet that is high in added sugar food products and saturated fat that helps accounts for the fact that one out of every three Americans are either overweight or obese. Being overweight and especially being obese puts enormous extra weight and pressure on weight bearing joints and contributes significantly joint and cartilage degradation and  to excess cytokines (inflammation) occurring causing much more rapid joint and cartilage damage.  Eating added Sugar food and drink products (junk food, soda and Energy type drinks) not only promotes inflammation but helps lower  and weakens the body’s immune system response by up to one-half for a period of up to 5 hours. This means that the body then lacks the natural ability for the immune system to help stop inflammation within the body. This dramatically accelerates cartilage destruction, especially over a period of time.

Cutting back or eliminating many red meats containing high amounts of saturated fats and junk food and dairy products with high amounts of saturated fats (ice cream, whole milk and 2% milk) can help eliminate many inflammation contributing saturated fats plus unhealthy weight gaining high caloric intake. Instead reduce saturated fat intake by selecting skim milk or plain low fat yogurt instead of high fat dairy products and eating more healthy types of fish (Wild Alaskan Salmon, Sardines, trout, low mercury tuna) and moderate amounts of white meat of chicken and turkey (not fried). Also, eating those daily 5 to 9 servings of fresh or frozen vegetables and whole fruits not only helps provide wonderful antioxidants and nutrients to support the immune system and reduce inflammation, but they are also low in calories and high in important fiber which helps contribute to a feeling of ‘fullness’ and eating less which makes weight loss (along with regular moderate exercise) much easier.

Nutrients & supplements that have been shown to be joint helpful: and that  ‘bath’  the cartilage with healthy nutrients and provide joints and surrounding tissues and tendons with beneficial nutrients to help prevent untimely joint deterioration are:

1. Fish Oil with Omega 3’s. Eating more healthy fish (see above) 3 or more times a week and or taking at least 3 grams of healthy fish oil capsules daily has been shown in repeat studies to help lessen inflammation and contributes to better joint mobility and has heart, mental and circulatory benefits as well.

2. Glucosamine sulfate is a nutrient component of cartilage made from the amino acid glutamine and glucose that has been shown to help provide cartilage with what it needs to help maintain and repair itself and to even help regenerate new cartilage. This is especially true as long as a person has not waited too long or has already had too much damage to the cartilage and joint areas and while there is still cartilage remaining between joints,(so that an individual joint is not already bone on bone),

3. Chondroitin  sulfate is a mucopolysaccharide bound to proteins like collagen and is located in ligaments, tendons and cartilage and helps maintain cartilage to better serve as a ‘spongy soft cushion’ for  shock absorption when pressure is applied to the joints. Chondroitin sulfate is a nutrient in many joint formulas that has been shown to work synergistically well with glucosamine sulfate to help rebuild cartilage and to help provide more flexibility and strength to joints and surrounding muscular joint tissues.

However, as a person ages the body generally needs more help fighting inflammation and requires more external nutrients from either diet or supplements as the body with time, usually stops producing or reduces production of some important joint nutrients in sufficient quantity for comfortable joint movement. Signs of Osteoarthritis may begin to appear in the late 20’s and by the time of age 60 up to one-half of American adults begin to experience joint and muscle concerns or discomfort.

4. Hyaluronic acid is another nutrient that should be included in most joint formulas, particularly as a person ages. Hyaluronic acid is required to help produce the synovial fluid in-between joints that that helps moisturize cartilage and helps joints better glide over the cartilage. Think of synovial fluid as oil being provided to a rusty or squeaky hinge that just needs that extra fluid to enable it to close effortlessly and to help the hinge do its work friction free without being worn away.

The body tends to produce less glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid as it ages which is why supplementing with these 3 nutrients and other anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants can be increasingly important as a person ages.

5. MSM: is a sulfur based compound which cartilage also needs to help fight inflammation and to help prevent cartilage damage. Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM are found in many joint type formulas and these three ingredients may work for many but not people in their 30’s 40’s and maybe even 50’s. However, with time and for younger active athletes and or for adults who want maximum optimal joint health along with healthier looking skin and increased anti-aging antioxidant protection other important joint and muscle nutrients become vital.

Other anti-inflammatory nutrients & antioxidants for healthy joints:

6. Anti-inflammatory nutrients like the herb, Boswellia serrata (or its more anti-inflammatory concentrated nutritional derivative 5 LoxinR), has been shown in studies to help stop inflammation within the body and thus help prevent cartilage destruction and improve joint function.

7. Turmeric comprised of 95% curcumin extracts have also been shown to be very effective inflammation fighters. When these nutrients are used with the additional antioxidants below they can not only be effective against inflammation but may also be helpful anti-cancer type nutrients that help bolster the body’s immune system as well.

8. Pomegranate &
9. Grape Seed Extracts and
10. Quercetin also help stop inflammation naturally and are also powerful antioxidants that can dramatically help increase cellular strength and elasticity of individual cells.. This becomes especially important for people at any age who do hard physical work and orstrenuous workouts including athletes. Antioxidants are also important for people for who want their muscles, tendons and tissues surrounding joints to function and recover better after being stressed or during vigorous exercise and want to remain more youthfully active so they can age gracefully without joint discomfort and pain.

Additional helpful natural anti-inflammatories are:
11. Bromelain, an enzyme from pineapples and the enzyme
12. Papain from papaya. Bromelain, especially taken in-between meals,  has been shown in double blind clinical studies involving athletes to help promote healing of bruised or torn tissues twice as fast as those injured athletes not taking bromelain. When bromelain and papain are taken with meals they act more as protein digesting enzymes.

13. Vitamin C and
14. Citrus bioflavonoids are also very helpful antioxidant collagen rebuilders of muscle and surrounding joint tissue, including cartilage which is important for anyone concerned with healthy joints, healthy skin and healthy aging.

Last but not least several herbs such as:

15. Ginger,
16. White willow bark, and
17. Nettle leaf are also important herbs which can help naturally battle inflammation. Ginger is also an important digestive herb and can actually help calm upset stomachs and calm the digestive tract.

The good news is that there are some natural Joint and Muscle type formulas on the market that actually have 4 to 6 of the most important first listed 6 beneficial joint and muscle nutrients all in one product.* Even better is that I have found one very effective product for me and for my Joint & Muscle concerns called: Doctor Greens: Joints & Muscles which is a nutritional supplement that contains all 17 of the above nutrients and some additional important joint supporting minerals and vitamins All in One Product.*  I exercise a lot and have been doing so for many years so this one product makes joint & muscle support recovery much faster, removes my discomfort and makes it unnecessary to have to buy and open five to eight different supplement bottles for joint and muscle support concerns.* Also, by having all these excellent nutrients in one bottle I also don’t have to figure how much of each bottle I should take and which can additionally become quite expensive.* You can find economical and convenient Doctor Greens: Joints & Muscles at www.doctorgreens.com * Here’s to Your Best of Health and Start Feeling Better Now.* Sincerely, Hal Decker

*The statements on this product(s) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product(s) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always read product(s) label fully before taking and get your doctor’s approval before beginning any new nutritional product.

About the Author

Hal Decker is Founder and CEO of Doctor Greens, an organic and wholesome vitamin, supplement and greens company in Portsmouth, NH. Hal has has lectured to thousands about the importance of proper nutrition and diet to people around the country. Hal will have a book coming out titled "Start Feeling Better Now", due out in 2009. If you would like to hire Hal Decker for your next speaking engagement, visit http://www.doctorgreens.com

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