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Healthy Living Guide

Whole Potential Living

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Healthy Living Guide

Introduction:

In the U.S. alone, some 40 million persons, one out of every seven people, suffer from the degenerative joint disease called osteoarthritis (OA). Most of the OA sufferers are over 40. OA is a major cause of chronic, worldwide disability leading to poor quality of life, lost wages and productivity because of sick days, and significant health care expenses.  Weight bearing joints like the spine; hips; knees; ankles; and the joints of the hands are commonly affected.

Most sufferers continue to seek partial and temporary relief through nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin; ibuprofen; Motrin; or pain relievers like Tylenol. Serious side effects of NSAIDS are not limited to gastrointestinal bleeding and ulceration, but also include hypertension; congestive heart failure; edema; and renal failure.  Just averaging two aspirin a day from the age of 25 to 64 increases your chances of kidney disease by 900 percent! The bottom line is that each year, 20,000 die and tens of thousands more are hospitalized because of these medications.  NSAIDs have also been well documented, but less widely known, to increase the acceleration of cartilage loss.  The preponderance of evidence shows that NSAIDs have no beneficial effect on articular cartilage in OA and accelerate the very disease for which they are most often used and prescribed.  Some of the effects of NSAIDs on the articular cartilage in OA include inhibition of chondrocyte proliferation, inhibition of synthesis of cellular matrix components, glycosaminoglycan, collagen, and proteoglycans. The net effect of all or some of the above is an acceleration of articular cartilage breakdown. The problem especially with high dose NSAIDs is that they shut down the COX-2 enzyme too much.  It turns out that the inflammatory products produced by the COX-2 enzyme are needed to stimulate the chondrocytes to produce more cartilage.   You see inflammation is not always bad, it has a purpose, such as cleaning up the debris left behind from an injury.   It turns out that those same inflammatory products feed back to the chondrocytes to produce more cartilage.   So the idea that, inflammation causes pain so let’s just shut it down, is naïve at best, the body is much more complex than that. [1]

More and more people are becoming aware of the ever-growing number of natural alternatives for arthritis such as joint nutra care, and the popularity of these drug-free alternatives is increasing.

This healthy living guide is focused on the prevention of arthritis, but will also help with the prevention of many other diseases as well.  This is obviously a very large topic to cover and I don’t propose to have all the answers, or be able to cover all the topics.   It is my hope that by following the advice here the reader will not only reduce arthritis pain but feel better than they have ever felt before, and of course if you have any serious medical condition seek medical attention.

Causes of arthritis:

There are many types of arthritis with osteoarthritis OA being the main one followed by rheumatoid RA.   OA can be divided into two categories, primary and secondary. In primary osteoarthritis, the degenerative process occurs after a person turns 40 or so. There comes a time in middle age when the processes that break down joint structures (catabolism) outpace the process that renews and repairs joint structures (anabolism). When this occurs, our joint health begins to decline, and is referred to by anti-aging specialists as arthrocline.   Primary OA is therefore a classic disease of aging.   During the arthrocline, the collagen matrix breaks down the cartilage faster than it can be repaired.   Below you will find ways to minimize the effects of the aging process.

Secondary osteoarthritis is associated with macro-trauma from injury or micro-trauma from chronic, often minor misalignments or motion aberrations.   Such joints tend to become “old” before their time, but the degeneration, though hastened, is believed to be essentially the same as with aging.  Physical therapy can help with correcting the muscles imbalances and/or lack of range of motion etc.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system gets out of control and starts attacking the joints.  This guide is more geared towards OA, but supplements such as fish oil, Vit. D, and natural anti-inflammatories can also help with RA.

How to Control or Prevent Arthritis

      Diet:

A book called the China Study came out a few years ago and what that study found was that in areas of china where the animal protein consumption was low (less than 10% of the diet) there was much less diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis and many other diseases.  All of these diseases are more prevalent in the west and in areas of China that have high animal protein intact.  When these people move to the west they start to get the same diseases here.  Now some would argue this could be due to the processed foods we eat and the lack of minerals in our soils etc.  But there are good reasons to reduce animal protein apart from this study, one of which is to raise your blood PH.  When there is excess protein in the diet (especially animal protein as it is high in sulfur content) the body has to break it down and this causes the PH to become more acidic.  An acidic PH, some believe, can contribute to an increase in all the major health problems we see in the west.  Also a low or acidic PH is corrected by the body by excreting calcium, which is one of the reasons for the higher osteoporosis rates in the west in spite of the our high dairy intact.  This doesn’t mean you have to become a vegan but may mean instead of eating animal products at every meal, reduce it to one or two meals a day or even better one or two meals a week.  However, even eating meat once or twice a week can increase the rate of OA as seen in the Adventist health study, [2]   There are some things in meat and dairy that are not found in vegetables , one of which is vitamin B12.  If on a pure vegan diet supplementing with B12 is a necessity.   B12 is also found in certain algaes  such as spirulina and chlorella.   For more information on a plant based diet I urge you to watch, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/food-as-medicine/  by Dr. Greger M.D., an excellent video explaining the effects of a plant based vs animal based diet.

Try to eat less highly processed foods, especially with refined grains and lots of added sugar and preservatives. When grains are refined all the minerals and vitamins are removed.  Minerals such as silicon, manganese, copper and zinc, are all very important for healthy joints.   Besides the vitamins, there are many other beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants and fiber that are removed in refined foods.  So always choose brown rice instead of white rice, and whole grain breads etc.

Be careful with added sugars like high fructose corn syrup and white sugar, which can increase blood sugar levels.  If you are going to use sugar choose raw sugar as there are compounds and minerals in raw sugar that are good for you.  High blood sugar levels cause damage to the body by forming advanced glycation end products commonly referred to as AGEs.  As we age our structural proteins are damaged by a process known as glycation.  This process is an uncontrolled, non-enzymatic reaction between proteins and sugars that significantly alters the structure and function of proteins.  In this process a sugar molecule attaches itself to a protein molecule resulting in the formation of a non-functioning glycated protein structure or AGEs.  Research over the last 20 years has implicated AGEs in most of the diseases associated with aging.

Action items:

  1. Consider a more plant based diet reducing meat and dairy to once a day or less
  2. Reduce refined food intake and refined sugars

     Inflammation:

Some inflammation is necessary as part of the healing process but when it becomes chronic it interferes with the healing process, by producing compounds that result in the breakdown of cartilage and connective tissues. In addition to producing AGE’s high sugar levels are also pro- inflammatory.  A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition took 250 women and assessed their glycemic index (how much sugar they were eating) and took blood tests to determine their level of inflammation.  What they found was that the women on the high glycemic diet had twice the inflammation levels as those on the low glycemic diet. [3,4] This could be one of the reasons why diabetics who have difficulty controlling their blood sugars heal at a much slower rate.  Besides lowering overall sugar load, try to reduce simple sugars, such as soft drinks and deserts with refined sugars that are absorbed much more quickly.  Complex carbohydrates such as in beans corn bread and rice break down slower and are a better choice (especially beans).  But choose the whole grain varieties because the extra fiber helps slows digestion, and the vitamins and minerals are not lost in the refining process.

We all know now that partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats are harmful, but even vegetable oils (Omega 6’s, such as corn soybean, safflower and canola oils) that are exposed to high temperatures will have some trans fats.  The deep fryers in restaurants are especially bad about this.  Trans fats block the production of Type 1 and 3 prostaglandins (PG), which are derived from the omega 6 and omega 3 fats respectfully. These prostaglandins help you fight inflammation as well as benefit your hormonal and nervous system.  However, they do not block the Type 2 prostaglandins which are derived from dairy, meat, and shellfish.  These fats increase inflammation.  So you can see now how a diet high in partially hydrogenated fats not only increases inflammation themselves, but they block the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, further promoting inflammation and disease.

Instead of Omega 6 oils use extra virgin olive oil (an Omega 9 oil) for frying at home it is less prone to heat breakdown and has anti-inflammatory properties.  It is one of the components of the Mediterranean diet that has become famous for its health benefits.  But even with olive oil it is important to keep the temperature as low as possible to avoid breakdown of the oils and the anti-oxidants in the oil.   Coconut oil is even better as it doesn’t break down at all under heat and coconut oil has a lot of health benefits, with many books written on the subject.

Most people consume an excess of omega-6 fatty acids from which the body synthesizes hormones that promote inflammation (and some prostaglandins that help fight it). These fats are found in oil-rich seeds and the oils extracted from them, which are used in almost all snack foods and fast foods.  Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect and are found in oily fish, walnuts, flax, hemp, and to a smaller degree in soy, black beans, canola oils, green leafy vegeables and sea vegetables.   In reality, the ideal dietary ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids is 1:1, or an equal intake of Omega-3s compared to Omega-6s.  Unfortunately, the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio of the typical American diet is an extremely unbalanced 25:1.

The imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may also contribute to obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity and even a tendency toward violence.  Bringing the fats into proper proportion may actually relieve those conditions, according to Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., a psychiatrist at the National Institutes of Health, and perhaps the world’s leading authority on the relationship between fat consumption and mental health.

Action items:

  1. Watch what you eat and avoid trans fats and excess levels of Omega 6 fats
  2. Cook with olive at low heat if possible and or coconut oil
  3.  Reduce refined sugars and refined grains, say no to that morning donut.

Fish oil and Omega 3’s:

             After WWII scientist started to study the diet of eskimos and fisherman that ate a lot of fish and seal.   What they found was that cases of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, and heart disease were practically nonexistent. [12] This went against the conventional wisdom at that time, which was that all animal fats were bad.

            Fish contain Omega 3 fats which have so many health benefits: it’s good for your brain, your heart, it speeds up metabolism so it helps with weight loss, it reduces inflammation so it helps your joints, it improves your immune system, it lowers triglyceride levels, and it improves HDL levels. [13]  So Omega 3’s are an essential oil, unfortunately there aren’t a lot of sources in the plant or animal kingdom.  Flax seeds, hemp, chia seeds and walnuts (and other nuts) are the best sources but also lesser amounts are in black beans, soy beans and green leafy vegetables.  Chia seed is a superfood from central America, which is believed responsible for the extraordinary feats of central American Indians.  Plant sources have what is called ALA (a type of omega 3) or alpha linoleic acid which the body converts to DHA and EPA.   Fish oil has mostly DHA and EPA.  DHA and EPA are the omega 3’s that the body uses the most.

A single table spoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds have 2.5 grams of omega 3’s, However, the conversion rate to DHA and EPA can be low, 10% or less, and high insulin levels can reduce this conversion rate further.   The conversion rate to DHA can be lower in men to as low as 0.5%.   Nature may have provided a higher conversion rate for women due to importance of DHA to the development of the fetus.   For this reason, it is advisable especially for men, to get some fish oil in their diet and also supplement with plant based omega 3’s.

One tablespoon of flax seed will convert to about 250 mg of DHA and EPA, depending on your conversion rate,  which is almost equivalent to one 1000 mg table of fish oil.  (one 1000 mg gel gap of fish oil will contains 300 to 450 mg of DHA and EPA depending on the type of fish used).   Both flax and chia seeds contain potent antioxidants as well.  If you choose to eat your flax seeds be sure to grind them up, because the whole seeds are not absorbed well.   A coffee grinder will do the trick.   Chia seeds don’t have to be ground up.  Chia and flaxseeds can be added to things you already eat like oatmeal, cereal, salads, and yogurt.

If you use fish oil it is important to get a variety that is molecularly distilled to remove mercury and pollutants.  However, studies have shown that these supplements still have some contaminants such as PCP’s mercury etc, see (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-distilled-fish-oil-toxin-free).   Fish oils from smaller fish such as anchovies will have less contaminants then larger fish like tuna and salmon.  There are also fish oils from from Krill, which is even smaller than a small fish and should have less contamination.   Krill is much more expensive but has a higher absorption rate (25-50% higher).  Krill also has a powerful antioxidant called asthaxanthin.  There are also algae based fish oils which are even safer, see (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/algae-based-dha-vs-flax-2)

Action Item:

  1. Start taking more omega 3’s in the form of flax seeds or other plant sources (3-5 tablespoons), and fish oil from anchovies, krill or algae based products. (3-5 thousand mg fish oil tables or equivalent amount of krill oil or algae based products)

      Stress:

Chronic stress, whether from over-training, lack of sleep, ingestion of too much caffeine or refined sugar, or an emotionally unstable job or relationship, leads to chronically high levels of cortisol. Cortisol is an important hormone in the body and is what helps wake us up in the morning.  It is part of the flight or fight response that the body has.  The problem is if we are always in that state via stress we produce too much cortisol.  Some of the bad effects are increase fat storage especially in the abdomen, depressed immune system, increase break down of collagen, loss of brain cells in the brain, increased insulin and blood sugar levels which reduces GH release which reduces production of DHEA a precursor of estrogen and testosterone, increased blood pressure, increased break down of telomeres on the ends of chromosomes a biomarker of aging.  In a nut shell, chronically a high cortisol level is very bad for you.

Stress can also increase inflammation.  For example look at this study by Emory University.  They took 25 men took blood sample to check for markers of inflammation and then put them in a stressful situation.  They collected blood samples again and found that the inflammation markers had gone way up.  In another study published in the Archives of Internal medicine in 2006 they found that anxiety often precedes arthritis.

So how do we handle stress, besides the obvious of moving to a desert island. We can reduce stress by getting aerobic exercise which releases endorphins that make us feel good.  Aerobic exercise also helps release growth hormone as we will see below. We can pray more and/or meditate based on your religion.  We can remember that “things” aren’t what is important in life, but our relationships are what’s important.  We can have a glass of wine or beer once a day to help relieve stress.  Draft bear is best as it hasn’t been heated and more of the enzymes and antioxidants are preserved.  Red wine has resveratrol which is an important anti-aging get enough sleep and try to get good sleep by not eating right before bed.   Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.

Action Items: Look at ways to reduce stress by:

1:  Getting more aerobic and/or anaerobic exercise 20 min every day or every other day minimum

2:  Spend quite time in prayer and bible study or meditation depending on your religion

3:  If you like beer or wine try to one a day after work, preferably draft bear or red wine.

4:  Get a massage by spouse or professional.

  1. Consider life changes, if overworking then reduce your workload
  2. Work on improving the quality of your relationships

      Growth Hormone:

As part of the aging process growth hormone (GH or human growth hormone HGH) levels decline.  In primary OA the anabolic processes that renew and rebuild joints are outpaced by the processes that break down joints. The most important endocrine anabolic hormone that stimulates cartilage growth and repair is GH.  Growth hormone levels have usually declined dramatically by middle age.   By age 50 GH levels have fallen to 1/3 or less from there levels in the early 20’s when ageing starts.  Not unsurprisingly, there are many anecdotal reports from those who have enhanced their GH levels in or past middle age, that joint functions were much improved.   Apart from injections of actual human GH which is costly and dangerous, how can GH levels be increased naturally?

There are many natural ways to increase GH release, one of which is not only free, but actually saves money, which is fasting.   Reducing food intact for one or more days can greatly increase the release of GH.  One study found that fasting for 1-5 days increased GH release by 300% for 1 day fast and 380% for a 5 day fast. [5].   Fasting frees the liver from the work of digestion and other things, and allows it time to handle toxins, which helps cleanse the body.  I know from personal experience that after a one or two day fast my mind is clearer and I feel great.  A water only fast is very difficult.   I haven’t gone longer than 3 days fasting with water only.   But if you allow for some juices and a little cheating it isn’t so bad and you still get a lot of the benefits.  When fasting use lemon and ginger water as it not only helps to cleanse the body, but also somehow makes fasting easier.  Fasting can also have spiritual benefits.  From the bible we learn that we are not just a body, but a body soul and spirit.  When food intact is reduced, the body is suppressed, and the spirit can more easily connect to God.

Another way to increase GH release is to reduce insulin levels.  Insulin is produced when sugar or glucose levels go up, which is another reason to reduce sugar intact and to reduce snacking between meals.   Some even advocate eating 2 meals a day instead of 3 to allow glucose (sugar) to go to lower levels and stimulate GH release.   Most GH is released at night which is why it is not good to eat a large meal right before bed.  GH release is also reduced by high cortisol levels.  Cortisol is a hormone that is released when the body is under stress, which is another reason to reduce stress levels.

Another way to increase GH release is through aerobic and anaerobic exercise.  .  Anaerobic means without oxygen, which means to exercise at an intensity where you become out of breath.   Anaerobic exercise produces lactic acid build up in the muscles, whereas aerobic exercise does not.  Aerobic means to exercise with oxygen and so you don’t get out of breath.  GH is increased with both types of exercise but must more dramatically with anaerobic, which shows an increase in GH release of up 285% over baseline when at 75% above lactic acid producing levels of exercise. [6,7]   This produces a burst of GH release that lasts about an hour post exercise, where as a fasting GH release would be higher over a whole 24 hour period.  So it is difficult to say which is better.  Both are good, however you can’t fast every day, but you can exercise every day.   Middle-age adults need to slowly ease into high-intensity anaerobic exercise.   Even well-conditioned athletes, who can jog for miles, need to slowly build up to more intense exercise to avoid injury.  Physician clearance should be obtained before beginning any type of high-intensity training.

Another way to natural increase GH release is by taking certain amino acids and herbs.  The amino acids most commonly used are arginine, ornithine, glysine, lysine and glutamine.   A typical blend would be 4 grams of arginine, 1.5 g ornithine, 0.5 g glycine, lysine, and glutamine.  Also herbs such as Velvet bean, also known as Mucuna pruriens and Chlorophytum borivilianum, also known as Safed Musli, both are known for their many therapeutic applications within Ayurvedic medicine.  These two herbs in combination have been shown to increase HGH release by 950% above baseline [8].  These two herbs can be found together in a product called “Powerfull”.  I take one capsule before bed along with St John’s Wort, which is another herb that is a strong GH releaser.  St John’s Wort also elevates all the neuro transmitters in the brain and is used as a natural anti-depressant (more in Europe than the US).  If you have a hard time sleeping you can add valerian root, which is a natural sedative and also stimulates GH release.  I take either the amino acids or the herbs on a given night before bed, but they could be combined and many products on the market do have such combinations.  I get the amino acids in powdered form which is cheaper.  I think you will find that sleep is much deeper and that you feel more well rested in the morning after taking a GH releaser before bed.  I would recommend cycling these products such as 2 weeks on and one week off, or one week using amino acids and one weak using herbs, just in case there are any negative long term effects.

Action Items:

  1. Consider some free ways to increase GH release through diet, such as reducing sugar intact, not eating late at night, reducing snacking between meals, or fasting 1 day a week or for 2 days once every month.  Use lemon and ginger water during a fast.
  1. Consider an exercise program that includes anaerobic exercise of 15-20 min a day. If knee pain prevents running then use biking, swimming or an upper body bike.
  1. Consider taking a natural GH releaser product before bed

     Stem Cells:

It has been shown that once people are over the age of 30 their natural stem cell migration slows by 5 % per year.   Stem cells are needed to repair the body as it naturally breaks down from every-day living. The human body seems designed to increase stem cell numbers when we are more active. This makes great sense if you consider that the more active that we are the more new cells that we’ll need as we are likely to lose more of our older cells by exercising.  Recent research has shown that exercise increases the number of adult stem cells.   Exercise has been shown to increase neural stem cells in a growth hormone dependent manner.  Which means exercise will increase both GH and stems cells to the same decree. [9].

Fasting has also been shown to increase stem cell release as well which makes sense because we know that fasting also releases GH. [10]

There are also some nutraceuticals that have been shown to promote growth of stem cells in a laboratory.  One research study looked at many whole foods and compounds.  The ones that showed the most benefit were, blueberries, green tea, carnosine, vitamin D3, and catechin.   Catechin is a type of flavonoid found in many foods such as cocoa, prunes, peaches, and green tea. With the highest by far found in cocoa (or chocolate).  Carnosine is a compound naturally found in the body made from two amino acids beta-alinine and histidine.  It is also found in higher levels in athletes that perform anaerobic exercise.  A combination of the above foods or compounds showed the best results with up to 63% increase in stem cells produced.[11]   So eat your chocolate, blueberries, drink green tea, and take your vitamin D3 (5000 IU is the recommended dose for optimal Vit. D levels), or get some sun.  When eating chocolate chose dark chocolate because the milk in milk chocolate destroys the beneficial flavonoids.

Action Items:

  1. Another reason to get exercise and try to fast a day or two a few times a month
  2. Eat more blueberries, green tea and dark chocolate and get adequate levels of Vit. D  through supplementation or being in the sun.

     Allergens:

Sometimes elimination diets help with a misdiagnosed OA and RA that is really an allergic or food-sensitivity problem. Some foods trigger joint pain an example of this is arthritis caused by “night shade” vegetables (potatoes, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and tobacco).  Certain food sensitivities, or allergies, can flare arthritis, especially the autoimmune type, like rheumatoid arthritis.   Food elimination diets are often the best approach in such cases.  Often with allergen sensitivities during a fast the joints feel lot better and this is a good indication that some allergen is responsible.  Here are the top ten food allergens:  milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, (walnuts, cashews, etc), fish, shellfish, soy, wheat(gluten), tomatoes, corn.

Action Items:

  1. If you feel you may have an allergen problem try an elimination diet where you eliminate certain foods and see if your symptoms improve.

     Vitamin D and C:

Vitamin D has also received increasing attention over the past few years.  In part, because recent studies suggest that nearly half the U.S. population may be vitamin D deficient [14], especially in the northern parts of the country and those with darker complexion.   Every cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor.  Vitamin D really is more like a steroid then a vitamin.   It has documented benefits to preventing cancer, reducing inflammation, and in elevating moods, as well as the best known benefit of keeping our bones strong,  Dr. James Dowd, MD of the Arthritis Institute of Michigan and author of the eye-­‐opening book, “The Vitamin D Cure”, is putting this vitamin D arthritis research into practice.   He recently told about a patient who cured her arthritis solely by taking vitamin D supplements. Dowd says, “It sounds almost magical.  But in fact it’s Just common ­sense medicine based on good science; the sort that has eluded many physicians for decades.”  Recently the most optimal levels recommended are 5000 IU a day, and or try to get out in the sun for 30 min minimum with 25% or more skin exposed

Linus Pauling the Nobel Laurete in Chemistry made Vitamin C famous as he realized the importance of this very important vitamin for many health conditions.  Vit. C is an important anti-oxidant and helps lower inflammation.  It is also necessary for making connective tissue via hydroxylproline synthesis.   500 Mg to 1 g a day is an optimal dose with some recommending 4-5 grams a day to help reduce aging.  As with any vitamin it is always best to get as much as you can with whole foods because when you eat an orange you not only get Vit. C but also many other compounds called bioflavonoids.   So a supplement that has added rose hips is a good choice.   Eat a little of the orange or lemon peel as well to get extra bioflavonoids.

Action Items:

  1. Eat plenty of citrus with the pulp and supplement with 500 to 1 g vitamin C with rose hips.
  1. Get vitamin D supplements 2000 to 5000 IU/day and or get in the sun at least 20 min a day.

     Other essential vitamins:

B vitamins were actually the first treatment for OA back in 1935, when William Kaufman MD Ph.D. treated OA with high doses of B complex.  Today it is known that people with RA have lower levels of B6 and B12. [15] Some studies also suggest that people with RA may need more vitamin B6 than healthy people because chronic inflammation may lower B6 levels.  B6 has been shown to lower inflammatory markers in people with RA. [16]   B6 and B12 are often found together in sublingual tablets along with folic acid.  Some people as they age decrease their ability to absorb B12 in the intestines, and they will get better absorption sublingually.  It is a good idea to take a multi vitamin with all the B vitamins and minerals etc., and take a sublingual for B6 and B12 especially if on a vegan diet.

An interesting fact about B12 is that humans and animals both don’t make B12, but it comes from microbes in the soil.  Humans don’t get enough because we don’t eat off the ground and we wash our vegetables.   I know from personal experience that if I don’t take a multivitamin with B complex I start to feel tired.  You can also get the B vitamins along with many other compounds using stabilized rice bran, which can be found at any health food store.  I mix it in with Trader Joe’s supper green mix along with my flax seed and other things, and mix it with water or juice.

Action Items:

1:  Get a multi vitamin with the full B complex.   There are many other good sources available

2:  Get a sublinqual B12 preferably with B6 and folic acid.  Or supplement with spirulina or chlorella

Super foods and antioxidants:

There are many more foods and herbs that help with arthritis.  Broccoli has a phytochemical called sulforaphane that has been known to block inflammation and also reduce damage to cartilage.  Researchers have identified that sulforaphane provides the benefits against osteoarthritis by blocking certain enzymes in our system that cause inflammation and joint destruction.  [17,18] There are many other vegetables that contain high doses of sulforaphane.   Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, collards, mustard, turnip, and radish are all good sources of sulforaphane.  They also contain Di-Indoly Methane (DIM), which helps metabolize estrogen to healthier metabolites, which is important for men and women.  Here is a link if your interested  ( http://www.naturodoc.com/library/hormones/diindolymethane.htm).   They also provide healthy levels of vitamin K which is important for OA prevention.  One good way to take these vegetables is through juicing or blending into smoothies.

Ginger root is known to exhibit a variety of biological activities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidation.   It can be found at any grocery store as it is a common spice.   A good way to use it is to make a tea from it.  [19] Here is a good link that describes all its benefits.  (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72)

Curcumin is another spice that has a lot of health benefits.  Curcumin is the extract from the root tumeric.  Tumeric is the spice found in curry.   It also has anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.  Scientists aren’t sure what makes turmeric work so well, but they do know it blocks an inflammatory protein known as NFkB.  It can be found in Asian markets in its root form, and can be made into a tea along with ginger.  Here is a good link that talks about all its health benefits (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78).

Anti-oxidants help combat what is called a free radical.  Free radicals are produced in the body from natural processes.  When free radicals damage tissue it causes an increase in inflammation.  The body has internal anti-oxidants that the body produces on its own, but it gets help from anti-oxidants consumed in food.    Vitamin E is an important anti-oxidant that works well in combination with fish oil.  Vitamin E can be found in raw nuts like almonds and walnuts.  Of course there are many more antioxidants such as grape seed extract, blue berries, asthaxanthin, pomegranate, acai berry and many more.   It is important to get as much of these antioxidants as possible.

Green tea was mentioned above as a stem cell releaser it is also an antioxidant.  It is also anti-inflammatory and inhibits growth of cancer cells.  Green tea is better than black tea.  Black tea is green tea where the leaves have been dried or fermented and so the polyphenol content is lower.

Pineapple and papaya have enzymes which have been shown to decrease inflammation and pain in joints.  They also help with digestion, these can be found very inexpensively in chewable pill form or you can just eat the fruit.

I will end with the best part.  Maybe a little red wine is good for you.  Red wine has resveratrol, which has some amazing properties.  It was discovered when scientist were investigating the French paradox, which is why the French are healthier than Americans when their diet is roughly the same.  Well it could be all the red wine they drink.  Resveratrol it is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and has anti-cancer properties.    It helps repair mitochondria and slows aging in mice.  In the lab it down regulates production of cartilage degrading enzymes.   It also stimulates chondrocytes to produce more proteoglycans.   [20] It also was shown to slow the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration [21].  However, there are no clinical studies for arthritis yet.  Here is a good link for resveratrol (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/resveratrol)  A typical supplement amount is 20 mg and the amount obtained with a single class of wine is only 0.5 mg.  So a supplement is a better way to get higher levels.  It has not shown to have any negative side effects when supplemented at very high levels.

Action Items;

  1. Try juicing and eating various greens including kale and broccoli.
  2. Make ginger and turmeric tea
  3. Drink green tea
  4. Eat nuts (best raw) to get Vit. E, and or take Vit. E supplements, mostmultivitamins include Vit. E., and eat other antioxidant rich foods
  1.  Eat more pineapples and papaya or get the enzymes in chewable form
  2. Have a glass on red wine occasionally and/or supplement with resveratrol

     Obesity and osteoarthritis:

Obesity has been shown to increase rates of arthritis, not only in the obvious places like weight bearing joints but also in non-weight bearing joints like the hand.  Because having extra weight results in more inflammation for the whole body.  Many of the action items above will help in weight loss such as eating a more plant based diet, getting more omega 3’s which speeds up metabolism, getting more exercise, fasting, and reducing stress.  All these things will help with weight loss.  But there are other ways to help with weight loss that are outside the scope of this guide.  Talk to your doctor and therapist for additional advice on weight loss, but most importantly take action.

Action Item:

  1. Make a plan of action to resolve weight issues and tell someone that will hold you accountable.

First steps:

Thanks for reading through this guide that is quite an accomplishment.  Now I would like to suggest what your first steps should be.  Probable the most important first step is to get some fish oil and some of the plant based omega 3’s.  Next is to get adequate vitamin D.   Next would be to start an exercise program.  Get aerobic and even better anerobic exercise as discussed above.  For joint specific excerises talk to your therapist about the joint nutra care program which has exercise programs for specific joints.

Next would be to change your diet to more plant based diet.  Avoid drastic changes and instead make a slow change that way you are more likely to stick with it.   For example, instead of eating meat and or dairy every meal, start to make one or two meals a day plant based only.  If you do this you will gradually start to notice less of a desire for meat and dairy, and at some point you won’t want to eat meat and dairy anymore at all, because when you do you’ll feel sick.   This is especially true with pizza for me as I guess that sudden influx of saturated fat makes me feel ill.  If you do eat meat try to choose fish due to the fish oil benefit and less saturated fat intake that comes with land animals.  Instead of meat use more beans and nuts, there are also many meat substitutes available, such a Vegeburger, and Rediburger, which are great substitutes for chili or spaghetti.  Get a vegetarian or vegan cook book and experiment with different recipes.  Many are concerned about adequate protein on a vegan diet but most people get too much protein on a meat and dairy diet.  There is adequate protein on a vegan diet as long as you get a mix of legumes (beans), nuts and grains during the day.

Eating out is often a challenge, but many places offer vegan items on their menu.  Even some pizza places like Pieology offer a vegan cheese.  Many places offer vegaburgers, but be careful as some use what is called a garden burger, which contains a lot of cheese.  When eating Mexican food you can usually ask for items with no cheese like a bean and cheese burrito ask for one with beans only or less cheese.  Asain food is easy because they offer tofu instead of meat. Italian is a little more difficult as everything has cheese in it.  But remember it is okay to eat meat and or dairy once in a while.

Finally consider the power of prayer for healing, not only others praying for you but praying for yourself as well.  I would suggest Captain Dale Black’s book Flight to Heaven.  It’s about a 19-year-old boy who was in a private plane crash.  His two friends were killed but he miraculously survives.  The book talks about the amazing miracles that occurred for the healing of his shattered shoulder and ankle.  At one point his ankle was going to be surgically fuzzed together but he refused the surgery and instead it was healed completely through prayer, where he was able to play football again.   It is very inspiring.  If you’re not a believer pray and ask God to reveal himself to you.  Read books such as The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and start attending a church and reading a bible.

About the Author, Jeff Hubbard MPT

I started out at Pacific Union College in Angwin Ca getting a BS in biochemisty.  I then went to medical school at Loma Linda University for 2 years.   Medical school had a little too much memorizing for me, and I had a love for chemistry and physics, so I took a leave of absence to study physics.   I ended up with a Masters degree in physics and worked in the aerospace industry on the space station freedom project, and then at the Proton Accelerator at LLUMC for 17 years.   While working at the Proton Accelerator  I decided to go to PT school because most of my shifts were in the evenings and weekends.  My real desire to go to PT school came from my chronic knee and back pain and a desire to find out the cause of it.  As I had been to ortho’s, chiro’s and PT’s and no one could help me.   I really enjoyed PT school and the profession and I have been working as a PT for last 20 years (and some as a physicist too), and yes I did find out what was wrong with my knee and back.   I got an interest in nutrition and supplements from my father who was a nutrition researcher at LLU, as a Ph.D. biochemist (he passed away in 2013).  He was inspiration for the joint nutra care product and this healthy living guide.

LEGAL NOTICES: While all attempts have been made to provide effective, verifiable information in this Book, neither the Author nor Publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.  If advice concerning medical conditions is needed, the services of a qualified professional should be sought. This Book is not a source of medical information, and it should not be regarded as such. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. The publisher is not engaged in rendering a medical service. If expert medical assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.  As with any medical advice, the reader is strongly encouraged to seek professional advice before taking action.

References:

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