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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Longevity: Live Long Without Arthritis

I've been meaning to incorporate some of my reading into the blog for awhile, so here's my first attempt. This is from a book called "Secrets of Longevity" by Dr. Mao Shin Ni.
More than 40 million Americans, one out of six, have some form of arthritis- but you don't have to be one of them. Recent studies show that osteoarthritis is not an inevitable part of the aging process. Here's your program: maintain an ideal wight; get regular low-impact exercise; eat a diet rick in antioxidants such as viatamins C, A, and E; get some sun for vitamin D; eat lots of enzyme-rick foods containing bromelain, like papaya and pineapples; take supplements such as glucosamine and chrondroitin that support joing and cartilage health. and use the herbs ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon, all of wihich can help reduce inflammation and increase circulation. Additionally, some people may find it helful to avoid foods from the night shade family , which contain a plant alkaloid called solanine. These include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers.
I don't necessarily endorse all of these suggestions (I was planning on making "escalivada" for dinner with roasted potatoes...) I haven't been convinced by the studies on glucosamine and chontroitin. I was at a conference where a rheumatologist quipped, "Eating glucosamine and chondroitin for your joints is like eating brains to get smart." But studies don't always tell the full story.
I would also add that Meir Schneider, a movement specialist in San Francisco says that where there is flexibility, there is no arthritis, submitted for your consideration.
Info on my practice here.

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