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Grease That Squeaky Joint!

Just like a squeaky wheel should be greased, the joints in your body need regular maintenance and lubrication to operate effectively and pain-free.  As we age, the wear and tear on our cartilage, tendons, ligaments and bones mounts up and can lead to debilitating joint deterioration and arthritis.  Those joints carrying the most weight, like the hips, knees and ankles, are especially vulnerable, particularly if we’re carrying more pounds than our lower limbs were originally designed to lug around.  Obviously, lightening the load on our legs can do wonders to save our joints and that’s remedied with proper diet, exercise and a willingness to lose weight.  But what else can we do to protect and strengthen our joints in an effort to maintain mobility and reduce arthritis pain and inflammation?

Arthritis is a complicated ailment.  We don’t necessarily know what causes arthritis but we do know what activities and conditions can contribute to the onset and progression of arthritis, especially pertaining to osteoarthritis.  And thankfully, we do know effective ways to treat arthritis that are both non-invasive and fairly easy on the wallet.  With treatment however, it’s most important to start early and take it seriously.  It’s very difficult to reverse course once joint damage has been done.  Rather than waiting to the point where joint replacement surgery is your best option, doesn’t it make sense to try some failsafe measures to prevent joint damage now?

For years, doctors and health care professionals have recommended the supplement combo of glucosamine and chondroitin for repair and maintenance of the joints.  These two molecules are the building blocks for cartilage formation, repair and resiliency.  Adequate cartilage between bones is vital to cushion and lubricate the joints for ease of movement and to reduce pain in the joints due to osteoarthritis and bone degeneration.  As such, glucosamine and chondroitin act in concert to replenish what we lose in the natural process of aging.  Athletes, whether professional or of the “weekend warrior“ variety, are especially susceptible to joint damage.  And as we’ve mentioned, those of us carrying extra weight should be vigilant in not only losing weight but adding joint supplements to their daily regimen to combat the effects of arthritis.

Now, new attention is being given to the benefits of fish oil supplements as a treatment for osteoarthritis.  Fish oil has long been recommended for the reduction of inflammation experienced in the debilitating condition of rheumatoid arthritis.  But recently, research has shown significant improvements among osteoarthritis patients who take daily supplements of EPA and DHA, both omega-3 essential fatty acids found in fish oil.  According to Dr. Sheldon S. Hendler, co-editor of The PDR for Nutritional Supplements, summarizing a new pilot study on fish oil supplements, “Osteoarthritis patients reported significant improvement in overall pain and reduction in NSAID (pain relievers) use, with no ill effects from the fish oil.  Fish oils inhibit the synthesis of substances that contribute to inflammation.  Osteoarthritis mainly involves the breakdown of joint cartilage associated with aging, not inflammation; but as it progresses, some components of inflammation appear that may be inhibited by fish oil, which may also prevent the breakdown of cartilage.”  So, what does all that science-speak mean?  It means fish oil supplements can help reduce pain and inflammation brought on by both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis!

Again, we can’t always pinpoint the exact causes of degenerative joints or osteoarthritis.  In addition, we cannot completely alleviate the effects of aging on our joints.  What we can do is supplement our diet and lifestyle with quality, all natural joint supplements to enhance our body’s ability to fight back.  So, grease those wheels with joint supplements! At the Institute for Health Living you can shop for the highest quality bone and joint supplements.  Find your solutions to healthy living today at www.shopihl.com.

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It turns out that kohlrabi is a member of the Brassica family of plants, related to cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli and others.  It’s taste and texture can be described as a cross between cabbage nad turnip.  Nutritionally it is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium while also providing good amounts of vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium and copper.

I learned that Kohlrabi can be eaten raw so I cut some up into small pieces and put it into my salad greens.  The texture was somewhat like water chesnuts and didn’t have  much flavor.  I also learned that cooking intensifies it’s turnip-like flavor so I tried this very simple recipes to help me decide if kohlrabi is something that I might include into our annual mix or discard as a lesson learned.

Fortunatley I can honestly say I had stumbled upon another little utilized veggie that tastes GREAT and found myself again wondering why we don’t incorporate more of it into our diet.  This is the exactly type of food  we need more of in the American diet to alleviate some of today’s all too prevalent health concerns.

I hope you will try this nutritous and great tasting root vegetable and if you enjoy it half as much as I did it may just become a regular addition to your shopping list.  Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

4 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper  to taste

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C)

2. Cut the kohlrabi into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each of the slices in half. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread kohlrabi in a single layer on a baking sheet.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven to allow the Parmesan cheese to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

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[Quizzin 465]

Green is Good!

It’s popular these days to go green. We can recycle, conserve and be generally mindful of our impact on the planet. There’s nothing wrong with contributing to develop a healthier and cleaner environment.

There is also a way of “going green” that can benefit our individual health. Green tea has been the drink of choice in the orient for thousands of years. Its medicinal uses have been known by Asian cultures throughout recorded history. Here in America, we are more familiar with black tea, and that is what we see on dinner and restaurant tables most of our lives. So, what is different about green tea and what does it do for our health?

It may surprise you to find out that all tea comes from the same source. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant produce black tea, green tea and oolong tea. These most popular types of tea are processed differently, giving them unique properties and qualities as a result of their respective fermentation processes.

Green tea, unlike black and oolong, is not fermented and thus, keeps its green appearance. This lack of fermentation also keeps the natural polyphenols locked into the leaves. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that give green tea its most valuable attribute as a free radical fighter. Scientists believe free radicals in the body cause cell damage alter DNA and even contribute to cell death. Environmental conditions are increasingly being cited as contributors of cell-damaging free radicals. Despite our efforts to control what goes into our bodies, we are still sometimes subject to damaging factors outside our control. Hence the need for us to fight back with free radical fighting compounds like polyphenols, from green tea.

There are several different ways we can incorporate green tea in our diets. We can drink it in the traditional way or we can opt for the more convenient method of consuming green tea by taking green tea supplements.  Of course, there’s nothing wrong with doing both! Taking green tea supplements assures you are getting a controlled supply of the recommended amount. Green tea supplements offers a concentrated and pure form of the antioxidants occurring naturally. Green tea is also helpful in increasing energy and used as a natural weight loss supplement. It’s never been easier to practice ancient Chinese secrets to be healthier and live longer.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, green tea has been found to be helpful in treating the following:

Atherosclerosis

Drinking just three cups of tea per day can reduce heart attack risk by up to 11%, due to its cholesterol and triglyceride-lowering benefits.

Cholesterol

Green tea helps to lower overall cholesterol levels and raises HDL “good” cholesterol levels.  Studies suggest that polyphenols in green tea promote better intestinal absorption and elimination of cholesterol, before it can become a problem in the bloodstream.

Cancer

Green tea and its antioxidant components are increasingly finding favor with those seeking to lower risk of developing cancer.  Prevention is key when it comes to cancer and the polyphenols in green tea are a leading component in preventing cell damage and cell death, throughout the body.  As unlikely as it may seem, green tea has shown promise in reducing risks of cancers as diverse as lung, bladder, skin cancer, ovarian and breast cancer.

Diabetes 

Controlling blood sugar levels is critical in Type 1 diabetes patients and green tea seems to help in the body’s efforts to regulate glucose.  Of course, green tea could never be used as a substitute for insulin dependent medications.  But since research suggests it is helpful in supplementing treatment, this little green leaf should be embraced by those concerned about maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

The list of ailments and conditions positively influenced by the consumption of green tea and green tea extracts goes on and on and includes contributions to liver health, weight loss and even for treatment of digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

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