Yes, it may not be what you wanted to hear but its the truth, being over-weight adds extra load onto our joints that were never intended to bear. Also several forms of arthritis are said to be genetic and are strongly linked with the presence of a specific gene shared by 70% of arthritis sufferers: HLA-B27. Which has caused many specialists to believe that arthritis is an ailment that cannot be prevented but one that can be controlled and treated. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis which affects the load-bearing joints of the body such as the hips, spines, and limbs and results from the inflammation of the joint’s connective tissues or cartilages. Inflammation may stem from direct traumatic injuries, malnutrition, dehydration, and other sources of excess pressure to the joints. The most common cause of osteoarthritis in Americans is obesity. Being overweight places added pressure onto these joints inducing pain and lessens overall mobility and flexibility of the joints.

An early treatment for curing osteoarthritis consists of an effective weight loss program combined with a healthy and nutritious diet, which is strongly recommended by doctors.

An early treatment for curing osteoarthritis consists of an effective weight loss program combined with a healthy and nutritious diet, which is strongly recommended by doctors. Obesity or being overweight has to do with the presence of excess fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, sodium, and sugar in the body and may even cause a series of other diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. A healthy diet that involves correct portioning of food will help reduce weight and keep the weight off:

Fat
We all know that fat keeps foods tasty and keeps us feeling full for a longer time. However, most fat often found in meat, cooking oils, butter, eggs, and others come with the added cholesterol that not only makes you gain weight but can clog your heart with cholesterol as well.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates often associated with bread and rice also appear in various foods and the most effective weight loss programs and diets include lessening the intake of carbohydrates.

Sodium
Sodium is basically salt that is commonly present in preserved foods to keep them fresh for longer and to add flavour. Sodium in normal amounts is ok but sodium in large quantities must be avoided by people especially by the overweight or those who are on weight loss programs because sodium is known to trap water within body which adds to a person’s weight. Packaged preserved foods in the groceries are often loaded high in sodium.

Processed foods, pastries, candy, sweet foods and even fruits contain sugar which not only adds significant calories to weight gain but is also a leading source of diabetes.

Sugar
Processed foods, pastries, candy, sweet foods and even fruits contain sugar. Only fruits contain minerals and vitamins that balance with sugar intake while the others are full of empty calories. Sugar not only adds significant calories to weight gain but is also a leading source of diabetes.

Regular exercise goes hand in hand with a healthy diet. It keeps your body strong and burns calories to keep the weight off. Exercise that involves a lot of cardio workout burns your body’s stored fat and carbohydrates which causes weight loss and keeps your heart and joints healthy. Stretching exercises and other flexibility exercises help keep your joints in motion and will make them stronger with time.

Alternative Treatment
For short term treatment, NSAIDS (Celebrex), Ibuprophen etc. can provide short term pain relief from arthritis but the associated health risks are familiar to all of us through countless warnings in the news. Another alternative, which is safer is created for long term use is Glucosamine supplements such as Synflex Liquid Glucosamine. Used widely in the treatment for osteoarthritis, Synflex consists of a combination of ingredients such as shark cartilage and chondroitin which not only protects but also strengthens your joints with adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals such as essential fatty acids and vitamins A and E to slow the progression of osteoarthritis and keep your immune systems healthy. Synflex glucosamine supplements are very effective because they come in liquid form which allows faster, more complete absorption (98%) and digestion of the minerals to the body’s cells.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Maniago

10. Your posture is ruining your joints! That’s right, the way you sit and stand throughout the day most likely impact the way your knees and feet hurt. If your posture is awful you will place additional pressure on your back and lower extremities because your spine is not in proper alignment.

9. You may have arthritis and not know it. Several suffer from joint pain all over their body because of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. According to the CDC, 46 million Americans suffer from arthritis. Also, one in 250 children are born with some form of arthritis. See a doctor if you think you could have arthritis.

8. There are natural substances that can assist you. Omega-3’s, glucosamine, MSM and Hyaluronic Acid have been scientifically confirmed to help restore joints and reduce pain.

7. Your lifting could be killing your joints. Heavy lifting and bad form in and out of the gym has led to a severe increase in joint-related pain and consequently, a rise in the purchase of joint relief formulas.

Be careful when performing lifts. Do not place extra pressure on elbows, knees and the back when weight training.

6. Stretch AFTER your workouts! It’s okay to warm up on Cardio and do a quick stretch before an exercise, but stretching a cold muscle will decrease force production and could cause an injury to joint connective tissue. Stretching has been a source of confusion for years. But research shows static stretching is best done after a workout, when the muscles and joints are warm and primed.

Your shoes are most likely lacking in arch support and cushion, which could be causing strain on your knees, hips and back.

5. Allergic to shellfish? Don’t take glucosamine. Joint formulas that include glucosomine and krill oil may be useful for alleviating joint pain, but you should stay away from these compounds if you have a shellfish allergy. Most supplement manufacturers derive these formulas from crustaceans. What should you do? Opt for Omega-3’s to lubricate those tender joints.

4. Your shoes are killing you! That’s right, your shoes are most likely lacking in arch support and cushion, which could be causing strain on your knees, hips and back. Look into a health shoe store for a shoe specifically designed for your needs. Or, if you hate lame-looking shoes, get an insole, which can help support those aching feet and give your body assistance.

3. Were you told you have fibromayalgia? Do you have joint pain? This author was told he had fibromayalgia for three years until he was correctly diagnosed with arthritis. Fibromayalgia is often diagnosed when the pain cannot be attributed to anything specific.

2. Move away from the painkillers. Doctors prescribe Prednisone and NSAIDS (non steroidal anti-inflammatories) often without regard for the long term side effects. Ibuprofen and Aleve can lead to stomach bleeding and exacerbate joint pain because of their contribution to leaky gut. This is a condition where bacteria in the digestive tract leaks into the blood steam and can deposit in joint tissue, increasing inflammation. Try natural anti-inflammatories like Omega-3’s and circumin, rather than relying on painkillers and steroids.

1. Change your diet. The foods you are eating could be causing you joint pain. Certain foods such as gluten, saturated fats, and animal protein can cause inflammation and make joint pain intolerable. Try to eliminate foods that are known to be pro-inflammatories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Covell

Joint mobility training involves actively moving your joints with the goal of maintaining or restoring your mobility. This therefore improves joint flexibility by reducing the excess tension surrounding the joints and by recovering the coordination of more efficient movement.

Usually people only move to a point where it is pain-free, not pushing through areas of tension. By working within these guidelines, you can reduce tension in the muscles surrounding the joints, speed recovery from exercise, and restore lost motion from past injuries.

This works through increased control over your movements you can restore proper posture and increase your movement efficiency. Emphasis placed on posture and controlled movement will help to re-educate the nervous system.

Moreover this can also help you deal with previous low back pain and avoid it from reoccurring. Also if you have had neck or shoulder injuries and problems in the past, this can reduce pain and release tension.

By moving every joint or groups of joints in an isolated way this will help restore or maintain mobility. This can be performed in a standing position to enhance posture. Simple rotations to start and then progressively more complex patterns involving multiple joints.

Additional moves such as Tai Chi, yoga, dance and the martial arts will further help the joint or group of joints, and then for movements that involve multiple joints.

By means of progressing from basic rotations to more difficult figure 8 patterns, your nervous system is provided with greater stimulus, which as a result adapts to this stress in a positive way.

Additional moves such as Tai Chi, yoga, dance and the martial arts will further help the joint or group of joints, and then for movements that involve multiple joints.

The foundation for joint mobility training lies in two areas. One, it works with your body’s reflexes to repair lost motion due to stress, poor posture, injury, and lack of movement. It seems that reflexes can impair joint function long after the threat of harm is gone.

Reflexes that were meant to protect the body, but are still active at a later time. The muscles adjoining a joint will tighten or reflexively spasm to protect a joint from anymore injury.

Meaning, movement has to be retrained following injury to restore proper function. Proprioception, which is the body’s ability to sense and feel where it is in relative to movement, is often impaired after injury. It needs to be re-educated in order to work correctly.

Therefore Joint mobility work does an outstanding job of retraining proprioception (re-educates the nervous system). By moving at a speed it can manage, in a range of motion that is pain-free, avoiding unnecessary tension, movement is progressively restored. Your movements become more capable, because you have greater control over them.

In summary according to Dr. Eric Cobb, you need to balance tension and relaxation in the muscles for optimal performance. While that may seem rather obvious, it’s a perfect example of how our multifaceted bodies often function in a straightforward manner.

Brian Morgan has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) since 1993. He is also a massage therapist, with 5 years experience working in rehab settings with people of all ages. For more information, go to http://www.brianmorganfitness.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Morgan

Omega 3 fatty acids used for joint health is gaining in popularity as ever more people are opting for healthy, natural remedies over risky side effects laden pharmaceutical drugs.

The question is: do omega 3 fatty acids benefit joint health, stiffness, and aches and pains?

Omega 3 fatty acid help ease tender joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Although numerous studies have been researched, and not all of them conclusive, in general it appears that omega 3 fatty acids does help ease tender joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

This may actually help people who were relying on corticosteroids to reduce what they need to use.

Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in high quality fish oils, act as anti-inflammatories which, as anyone with arthritis or stiffness knows, is often caused or worsened by inflammation of the joints.

Despite omega 3 fatty acids derived from fish oils used for the health of joints can be useful, there is another natural substance that has been confirmed to be much more beneficial.

What is this natural substance?

It’s the green lipped mussel from New Zealand. This in New Zealand is renowned, however less well known in the United States even though it can be purchased or obtained by people living in the US.

Green lipped mussel also contains omega 3 fatty acids. In addition to certain research of people using omega 3 fatty acids showing reduced morning joint aches, and joint tenderness, green lipped mussel has been shown to lessen joint stiffness, improve walking pace in people with osteoarthritis, and enhance the strength of grip for sufferers.

Such a study can be found at prestigious universities in the United States, such as the University of Maryland Medical Center: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm is one of the pages if you’re curious.

One downside reported at the University of Maryland Medical Center website is that in some participants using green lipped mussel, the symptoms can worsen temporarily before they improve. Which is a common trait with remedies for other conditions as well.

On the other hand, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that omega 3 fatty acids may “reduce the activity of enzymes that destroy cartilage” when “cartilage-containing cells” were studied in test tubes.

In addition to the possible benefits for joint health and stiffness, omega 3 fatty acids also have many other well researched benefits that include brain and heart health as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Ho by Dan Ho

A Study Revives a Debate on Arthritis Knee Surgery