Natural Ways to Prevent and Manage Arthritic Pain
Arthritis is a leading cause of disability for people over the age of 15, and is an umbrella term for over 100 types of arthritic conditions. The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, occurs naturally with age, leaving us all susceptible to the affects of arthritic pain. Life style changes and diet can slow down the deterioration of joint materials, as well as greatly assist those already suffering with the disease.
Arthritis occurs when the cartilage and the synovial fluid (nutrient rich joint lubricant) begin to deteriorate, leaving no buffer between the bone ends in a particular joint. The resulting bone-on-bone interaction creates pain and inflammation. The pain can grow so severe that common activities such as walking, typing or cutting your food can become extremely difficult.
The most common methods of treating arthritic conditions are with medications such as:
NSAIDS (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) known commonly by names such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These drugs work on pain by targeting enzymes which cause inflammation.The most serious side effects of these drugs are kidney failure, liver failure, stomach issues and ulcers.
COX 2 Inhibitors are the prescriptions class strength NSAIDS. And although "easier on the stomach" and help with pain, there are many questions surrounding heart safety while on these medications that have created concern about their use.
DMARDS (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs) work by slowing down the arthritic disease and prevent permanent damage. This is done by blunting the immune system, which in turn blunts the inflammatory process. Blunting the immune system also increases susceptibility to infection and other diseases.
Some cases of arthritis grow so severe, that surgery or total joint replacement is needed for mobility.
So what can you do to prevent arthritis naturally? And if you have arthritis and are currently on medication, how can you protect and improve your overall well-being thru your diet?
Adding anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich foods onto your plate, can greatly reduce inflammation and provide your body with many health benefits. Foods rich in Omega-3, in particular EPA and DHA, have been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the entire body and are found in natural sources such as wild salmon, flax seeds, cod (cod liver oil) and walnuts. For more on Omega 3 benefits, visit one of my favorite websites at http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84
Also, foods rich in bioflavonoids such as apples, cinnamon, cocoa, grapes, cranberries and various teas (notably green tea, black currant, and black teas) provide an anti-inflammatory benefit, as well as powerful protection against heart disease and many other ailments. Numerous studies have been completed on the efficacy of bioflavonoids, concluding them as powerful antioxidant, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory agents.
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Jennifer is currently studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and can be contacted via her website http://www.medicinalnutrition.com/
Friday, March 6, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A Look At High Fructose Corn Syrup
What could tomato paste, chocolate milk and cold medicine (amongst countless other supermarket products) potentially have in common? The answer is corn, and more specifically, High Fructose Corn Syrup (also known as HFCS). Perhaps you have seen the ads for HFCS or maybe you have spotted this commonly used ingredient on your food package. Some believe that HFCS is a contributor to the growing rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes in our country. While others, including the FDA, claim it is a completely safe product to consume. What are the facts about HFCS and should you eat it?
HFCS is made (in brief) by processing corn starch to corn syrup and further processing that corn syrup using genetically modified enzymes. This enzymatic process yields a high fructose mixture, to which additional corn syrup is added, ultimately creating what we know as a high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Despite the lengthy process to make it, HFCS was invented as a cheaper alternative to sugar and is now used in countless processed foods. It is an estimated 30% cheaper than the cost of both honey and sucrose, with the added benefit of extending the shelf life for many products. This economic advantage of HFCS has been credited to our government subsidy programs for corn farmers. Many believe that this constant (and arguably excessive) supply of corn greatly helps to suppress the cost of HFCS for major food companies.
When consumed in moderation, sweeteners such as fructose, glucose or sucrose won't necessarily hurt you. In fact, glucose (also known as blood sugar) is essential for brain function and needed from food sources to supply energy to the body. HFCS is essentially a mixture of fructose and glucose molecules and moderate consumption shouldn't pose a direct harm on your heath. It is when over consumption of these simple carbohydrates increase, when adverse health affects are more likely to occur.
The stress on moderation of consumption is the pivotal point in the HFCS debate:
Although HFCS contains anywhere from 42-90% fructose*, with the remaining content comprised of glucose, the strongest argument against HFCS is not nutritional content, but that it is excessively used in many foods today. It is argued that consumption is escalating to dangerous levels because it is cheaper for food companies to use HFCS in their products and in turn packaged, processed foods are more affordable and easy to prepare for the consumer.
Although moderate levels of glucose are needed by the body; excessive amounts can create detrimental health concerns such as weight gain, nutritional deficiency and insulin resistance. As a result of long term spikes in blood sugar and excessive weight gain, insulin (our glucose regulator) could begin to fail. When this occurs, the body has less control over the rate in which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream and the risk of developing diabetes potentially increases. Fructose on the other hand, is not regulated by insulin and is absorbed at a slower rate than glucose. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, it is stored in the body as fat.
Opponents of HFCS correlate these listed health concerns with the increase of this product in our food supply and the growing rate of obesity in our country. At the very least, it is argued that many foods containing HFCS are high in sugars and lower in overall nutritional value, which can on the most minimal level compromise nutritional needs in exchange for empty calories.
Perhaps the policy in which the food industry thrives, the over-consumption of food and a life style that has grown so fast have all contributed to the birth and growth of High Fructose Corn Syrup. It is up to you to look at the label of what you eat, chances are you will find an ear of corn somewhere in the ingredients.
*Fructose is found naturally in fruit, but as a large scale sweetener, wasn't a part of our food supply as a genetically modified product until about 1970. High Fructose Corn Syrup can be listed under various names including HFCS 90, HFCS 42 (number is based on fructose concentrations)
This is a great movie to check out:
http://www.kingcorn.net/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HFCS is made (in brief) by processing corn starch to corn syrup and further processing that corn syrup using genetically modified enzymes. This enzymatic process yields a high fructose mixture, to which additional corn syrup is added, ultimately creating what we know as a high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Despite the lengthy process to make it, HFCS was invented as a cheaper alternative to sugar and is now used in countless processed foods. It is an estimated 30% cheaper than the cost of both honey and sucrose, with the added benefit of extending the shelf life for many products. This economic advantage of HFCS has been credited to our government subsidy programs for corn farmers. Many believe that this constant (and arguably excessive) supply of corn greatly helps to suppress the cost of HFCS for major food companies.
When consumed in moderation, sweeteners such as fructose, glucose or sucrose won't necessarily hurt you. In fact, glucose (also known as blood sugar) is essential for brain function and needed from food sources to supply energy to the body. HFCS is essentially a mixture of fructose and glucose molecules and moderate consumption shouldn't pose a direct harm on your heath. It is when over consumption of these simple carbohydrates increase, when adverse health affects are more likely to occur.
The stress on moderation of consumption is the pivotal point in the HFCS debate:
Although HFCS contains anywhere from 42-90% fructose*, with the remaining content comprised of glucose, the strongest argument against HFCS is not nutritional content, but that it is excessively used in many foods today. It is argued that consumption is escalating to dangerous levels because it is cheaper for food companies to use HFCS in their products and in turn packaged, processed foods are more affordable and easy to prepare for the consumer.
Although moderate levels of glucose are needed by the body; excessive amounts can create detrimental health concerns such as weight gain, nutritional deficiency and insulin resistance. As a result of long term spikes in blood sugar and excessive weight gain, insulin (our glucose regulator) could begin to fail. When this occurs, the body has less control over the rate in which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream and the risk of developing diabetes potentially increases. Fructose on the other hand, is not regulated by insulin and is absorbed at a slower rate than glucose. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, it is stored in the body as fat.
Opponents of HFCS correlate these listed health concerns with the increase of this product in our food supply and the growing rate of obesity in our country. At the very least, it is argued that many foods containing HFCS are high in sugars and lower in overall nutritional value, which can on the most minimal level compromise nutritional needs in exchange for empty calories.
Perhaps the policy in which the food industry thrives, the over-consumption of food and a life style that has grown so fast have all contributed to the birth and growth of High Fructose Corn Syrup. It is up to you to look at the label of what you eat, chances are you will find an ear of corn somewhere in the ingredients.
*Fructose is found naturally in fruit, but as a large scale sweetener, wasn't a part of our food supply as a genetically modified product until about 1970. High Fructose Corn Syrup can be listed under various names including HFCS 90, HFCS 42 (number is based on fructose concentrations)
This is a great movie to check out:
http://www.kingcorn.net/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, November 6, 2008
...that's a way to spin it....
'advertisement'- Definition
1- the action of making generally known; 2-a calling to the attention of the public:
example: 'The news of this event will receive wide advertisement'.
DEVIL IN DISGUISE -watch out for what you are being sold
Yesterday, was a historical day for frontline news, I picked up the Wall Street Journal on way to work. Sat on the train, reading, smiling...a day in history we will all remember.
I turn the page to reveal a full color advertisement for Monsanto which reads:
"How can we squeeze more food from a raindrop?"
There are three full color pictures on the ad, one of corn, one of soy and one of a raindrop on a corn husk.
And here is an excerpt (full ad attached):
"Farming feeds the world, but it depends on vital natural resources....we'll need to get more from each drop of irrigated water...we'll also need to do more with the solution nature already provides: rain...that requires advanced hybrid and biotech seeds that ...can help farmers use 1/3 less water per unit...conserving more...sustainable agriculture...that's what Monsanto seeds are all about".
UM, ....WHAT?.....
After I picked up my jaw and got over my shock, I started to seriously worry. Worry more than I ever have about GMOs, about Monsanto and what they are doing with their power. Monsanto has taken the development of hybrid and genetically modified seeds to crazy new heights, is now 'selling' them as a better option for the environment. Oh, that makes cents. (mis-spelling intentional)
What about the many fertilizers and pesticides NEEDED (I repeat, needed) to make these seeds grow? How do they affect the environment? The ocean and marine life? How do these chemicals (which kill the nutrients within our soil) constitute as "sustainable agriculture"? These seeds could grow in the desert with practically no water at all! (and I am not joking).
Score for Monsanto for being able to "patent" mother nature and get away with it-but I ask again, what are these seeds exactly? Mutated plant DNA? Petrochemical? A little of both actually, but I will get into that another time. The bottom line is that "terminator seeds", "GMOs" and frankenfood of the like... are certainly NOT natural. It is crazy to think these seeds and crops do not and will not affect our bio-chemical makeup and more important, the future of our planet.
DO YOUR PART
I urge all of you to take a look at this ad and think about what Monosanto is slowly doing to our food- and to our world. Corn and soy are two of the top GM (Genetically Modified) two terminator crops that started with Monsanto...Round-up ready...anyone? Monsanto is spreading like wild fire. In fact, the world is already burning. They have invaded our domestic farms, and aim to modify and reproduce crops from all over the world, breaking down the livelihood and ecosystems of those farmers too. All the while convincing the world that they are doing something good. It is dispicable.
I wonder where the point of corporate responsibility will kick in...cause we we can't hold our breath for the FDA to take public safety seriously. We need to educate ourselves and see through fancy ads like these that claim Monsanto is doing 'good things' The entire Monsanto website is a complete spin on their very-very-very bad industry (hey, it's my blog) and this new campaign, launched this past Septmber (www.ProducemoreConservemore.com) is VERY scarey. YIKES!
It is so important for our future that you become familiar with GMO's, Monsanto and the affects on our health and future.
If you have some time, please watch -and share- this video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4499930634181592531&hl=en
Here is a link to the full article I have quoted above:
http://www.monsanto.com/pdf/sustainability/advertisement.pdf
1- the action of making generally known; 2-a calling to the attention of the public:
example: 'The news of this event will receive wide advertisement'.
DEVIL IN DISGUISE -watch out for what you are being sold
Yesterday, was a historical day for frontline news, I picked up the Wall Street Journal on way to work. Sat on the train, reading, smiling...a day in history we will all remember.
I turn the page to reveal a full color advertisement for Monsanto which reads:
"How can we squeeze more food from a raindrop?"
There are three full color pictures on the ad, one of corn, one of soy and one of a raindrop on a corn husk.
And here is an excerpt (full ad attached):
"Farming feeds the world, but it depends on vital natural resources....we'll need to get more from each drop of irrigated water...we'll also need to do more with the solution nature already provides: rain...that requires advanced hybrid and biotech seeds that ...can help farmers use 1/3 less water per unit...conserving more...sustainable agriculture...that's what Monsanto seeds are all about".
UM, ....WHAT?.....
After I picked up my jaw and got over my shock, I started to seriously worry. Worry more than I ever have about GMOs, about Monsanto and what they are doing with their power. Monsanto has taken the development of hybrid and genetically modified seeds to crazy new heights, is now 'selling' them as a better option for the environment. Oh, that makes cents. (mis-spelling intentional)
What about the many fertilizers and pesticides NEEDED (I repeat, needed) to make these seeds grow? How do they affect the environment? The ocean and marine life? How do these chemicals (which kill the nutrients within our soil) constitute as "sustainable agriculture"? These seeds could grow in the desert with practically no water at all! (and I am not joking).
Score for Monsanto for being able to "patent" mother nature and get away with it-but I ask again, what are these seeds exactly? Mutated plant DNA? Petrochemical? A little of both actually, but I will get into that another time. The bottom line is that "terminator seeds", "GMOs" and frankenfood of the like... are certainly NOT natural. It is crazy to think these seeds and crops do not and will not affect our bio-chemical makeup and more important, the future of our planet.
DO YOUR PART
I urge all of you to take a look at this ad and think about what Monosanto is slowly doing to our food- and to our world. Corn and soy are two of the top GM (Genetically Modified) two terminator crops that started with Monsanto...Round-up ready...anyone? Monsanto is spreading like wild fire. In fact, the world is already burning. They have invaded our domestic farms, and aim to modify and reproduce crops from all over the world, breaking down the livelihood and ecosystems of those farmers too. All the while convincing the world that they are doing something good. It is dispicable.
I wonder where the point of corporate responsibility will kick in...cause we we can't hold our breath for the FDA to take public safety seriously. We need to educate ourselves and see through fancy ads like these that claim Monsanto is doing 'good things' The entire Monsanto website is a complete spin on their very-very-very bad industry (hey, it's my blog) and this new campaign, launched this past Septmber (www.ProducemoreConservemore.com) is VERY scarey. YIKES!
It is so important for our future that you become familiar with GMO's, Monsanto and the affects on our health and future.
If you have some time, please watch -and share- this video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4499930634181592531&hl=en
Here is a link to the full article I have quoted above:
http://www.monsanto.com/pdf/sustainability/advertisement.pdf
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