Prayer helps us identify and acknowledge our gratitude and personal concerns. Written prayers can inspire us to pray in new ways.
Read more at the source: Dear God
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Online prayers.
Osteoarthritis Help
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| Photo by Dreamstime |
I love to hike. It’s one of those activities that feeds my soul. But when my knees started hurting a few months ago, I went to see an orthopedic doctor who took x-rays and gave me some shocking news: I have osteoarthritis in my knees. I was shocked because I’d always associated arthritis with people who are elderly. But the more I talked to him and did my own research, I realized that I’m not alone.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common of all joint diseases. It starts in the 40s and 50s but will mostly likely affect everyone to some degree by the age of 80. The most common joints affected are the fingers, base of the thumbs, neck, lower back, big toes, hips, and knees.1
My symptoms went right along with the diagnosis: pain (worse in the morning and after activity), stiffness (also worse in the morning), limited range of motion, swelling, and my knee “giving out” at times.
At first I planned to not tell anyone but family that I had OA. But in the three months since my diagnosis, I’ve discovered some things that have helped me and just might be of to help you if you also have this condition:
Physical therapy: A physical therapist can provide massage, ultrasound and heat treatments that help reduce pain and inflammation. He or she can also get you started on a customized program that can make a big difference in the amount of pain and mobility you experience.
Exercise: Although it may hurt to daily exercise a sore joint, being immobile will actually worsen your condition. Your doctor or physical therapist can suggest an exercise program that will help heal rather then further damage your joints.
Stretching: This is also a daily must. Once again, your doctor or physical therapist can suggest what’s best for you. Stretching will keep you limber and strengthen the area around your joints.
Diet: As with any ailment, it’s important for those with OA to eat a healthy diet. If you’re not sure what that entails, meet with a nutritionist or do your own research. Basically, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins will do your body more good that refined foods.
Sleep: Getting adequate sleep gives your joints time to heal and your body hours to recover from the stress and discomfort of the day.
De-stress: It’s a know fact that stress can exacerbate OA. So take a look at your life and find ways to alleviate your stresses, or ways to mange those that are a part of daily life.
Anti-inflammatory medications: These can be helpful temporarily, but first check with your doctor in order to find the best medication and correct dosage for you.
Positive Attitude: This is new to my personal list. We were created with minds that greatly affect or bodies. I’ll admit that there are days when I want to have a “pity party” for myself because I want to do an activity that my knees won’t allow me to. So on good days I will rejoice, and on painful days I will literally take life one step at a time.
I can’t make the OA go away, but I can do my best to manage it and live my life to the fullest—in spite of limitations.
1. Online Merck Manual, Osteoarthritis
Read more at the source: Osteoarthritis Help
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Healthy Living.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Every morning, many of us jump out of bed and never think about how we are going to cross the floor or button a shirt. We just do it. However, there is an estimated 1.3 million rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sufferers in the United States who are challenged to take on what we do with ease.
What is RA?
Our joints are usually made up of two bones that meet and are held together with tendons, cartilage and muscle. Within the joint area is a special tissue called synovium. This tissue produces a lubricant called synovial fluid and it helps to keep our joints moving.
In this disease, certain white blood cells from the immune system attack us. These cells induce swelling in the joint. The swelling causes the synovium to become thick and it damages and/or destroys the cartilage and bones. This is why sufferers experience warmth and redness in the area, weakness and pain. Fingers and wrists are commonly affected. Other symptoms include anemia, neck pain, dry eyes, and in rare cases, inflamed blood vessels, lining of the lungs and/or the sac that holds the heart.
What causes RA?
Researchers are not too clear on the exact causes but there may be several areas to consider.1
Genes. Researchers have identified several genes that are associated with RA. However, there are some people who have one or more of these genes but they never get the disease. On the other hand, there are other people who do not have these genes and they get the disease. More research needs to be done to help determine the role genes play in RA.
Environment. Researchers believe there are factors within our environment that increases our risk of the disease but they are not clear on the culprit. They suspect that a virus and/or bacteria infection might play a role. The exact agent has yet to be identified.
Other Causes. More women are diagnosed with RA than men and researchers suspect that hormones might play a role. For example, RA may flare up after pregnancy or during breastfeeding. In addition to hormones, other substances involved in swelling, may also play a role.
RA Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of RA is somewhat difficult because there is no one test that doctors routinely use and symptoms can differ from person to person. However, if there is suspect of RA, check with the doctor to help diagnose the problem. Most likely, he or she will perform a medical examination that will include blood tests. These tests may look for an antibody called rheumatoid factor, and/or check the white blood cell count. Other tests may check for anemia and/or measure the C-reactive protein – this helps to determine the disease process in the body.
Once diagnosis has been established, one or more treatments may be recommended.
Medication is one way to help prevent early damage, minimize or eliminate pain and prevent or reduce inflammation. For example, analgesics help relieve pain, corticosteroids and nonsteroidal drugs help reduce inflammation, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs help to slow the disease process. Other drugs help to block certain white blood cells that cause inflammation while others block body compounds that play a role in producing these white blood cells. Doctors can help make the choice on whether or not to use medications such as these.1
Lifestyle changes may also help ease symptoms and progression of the disease. If overweight, losing weight can help reduce the stress on the joints. It can also reduce body fat, which also reduces the production of inflammatory compounds. Moderate exercise helps with weight and overall health maintenance. Reducing stress has also been shown to reduce the symptoms associated with RA.
Changes in the diet may help reduce symptoms and progression of the disease. Recently, researchers reviewed 15 studies involving 837 subjects and various diets. They reported that these studies might have some bias but subjects reported reduced symptoms in one vegetarian study and one Mediterranean study.2
Another article in Arthritis Today reported that in a test tube study, researchers found a higher count of antibodies in RA subjects who consumed cow’s milk, pork, codfish, cereal, hen’s eggs and pork than in non-RA subjects. Researchers suggest the best way to determine whether or not a food increases antibody production is to go back to basics. Consume a plant-based diet that includes whole foods for a month and gradually add other foods to determine which one causes the symptoms.3
Several foods have been studied and show promise of symptom reduction.
• Omega-3 fatty acids have been studied for their role in helping to produce compounds in the body that reduce inflammation. Consuming about 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids for more than 12 weeks showed a reduction in inflammation. Eating fatty fish such as tuna or salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Other foods such as flaxseed and walnuts contain a different form of omega-3 fatty acids called alpha linolenic acid that may also be helpful.
• Some omega-6 fatty acids may play a role in increasing inflammation. Increasing the omega-3 fatty acid intake and reducing the omega-6 fatty acid intake could help reduce inflammation. Reducing vegetable oil consumption, baked goods and poultry can help lower omega-6 intake. 4, 5
• Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), another type of oil, may also help reduce inflammation. Evening primrose, borage and black currant oils contain GLA. The research shows benefits from GLA but the results are preliminary.
• Sweet Bing cherries provides several plant chemicals that may help reduce inflammation in some people. In one study, 18 healthy adults ate cherries for 28 days. Researchers reported that C-reactive protein and nitric oxide, two marker compounds for inflammation activity, were significantly reduced. 6
• Nightshade vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers contain a compound called solanine. This compound is thought to increase inflammation and some people report that alleviating these foods from the diet reduces pain. However, research to support this is lacking.
• Herbal supplements are also used to find relief from symptoms but the research is lacking to support many of the herbs used. Some herbs are promising and early research shows that there may be some benefit. Turmeric contains curcumin and may protect joints from inflammation and damage. Boswelia contains a resin that prevented inflammation activity in animal research. Human studies are still needed to confirm this action. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds and may be shown to be beneficial.
This article is only an introduction to the information available on this subject. There are other options beyond the scope of this article that could be considered for treatment. Several organizations provide additional information for RA sufferers. If more information is needed, please stop by and visit the following web sites:National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-877-22-NIAMS
The John Hopkins Arthritis Center
1. Handout on Health: Rheumatoid Arthritis. 2009. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_info/Rheumatic_Disease/default.asp Accessed 3/18/2010.
2. Hagen KB, Byfuglien MG, Falzon L, et al. Dietary interventions for rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jan 21; (1): CD006400.
3. Mann DL. Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet: RA and Food Allergies. Arthritis Today. www.arthritistoday.org. Accessed 4/3/10
4. Calder PC. n–3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, inflammation, and inflammatory diseases1,2,3. 2006. Am J Clin Nutr. Vol. 83, No. 6, S1505-1519S.
5. Kremer JM. N-3 fatty acid supplements in rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;(suppl 1): 349S-351S.
6. Kelley DS, Rasooly R, Jacob RA, et al. Consumption of Bing sweet cherries lowers circulation concentrations of inflammation markers in healthy men and women. J Nutr. 2008;136:981-986.
7. Rheumatoid Arthritis and CAM. NCCAM, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2009.
Read more at the source: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Healthy Living.
People Need People
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Dr. Karl Menninger was once asked, “If you knew a person was heading for a nervous breakdown what would you suggest?” Everyone expected that the famous psychiatrist would say, “Make an appointment with a psychiatrist as soon as possible,” but he didn’t. Instead he said, “Lock your door, go across the railroad tracks, and help someone in need!”
This answer is profound. It’s the outgrowth of God’s second greatest commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the essence of what separates the sheep from the goats at the final judgment when the king says, “When I was hungry you fed me; thirsty, you gave me something to drink; a stranger, you took me in; naked, you gave me clothes; sick or in prison, you visited me.” It’s the gospel in action—the Good Samaritan helping the hurt man on the highway.
God designed the human operating system to function best when serving others. We are wired for relationships. Basically, people need people if they want to be healthy!
Research supports this. If physical habits such as eating breakfast, keeping a proper weight, not smoking or drinking, sleeping adequately, and exercising affect longevity, what about social habits? In a survey, there were four items on the questionnaire that might give an indication as to a person’s social health: if married, having close family and friends, membership in a church, or belonging to a social club. The results were startling. Those individuals who had these strong social networks lived longer than even their physical health habits would predict.
People who complain about being lonely as often people who are depressed. They may be married or single but they keep to themselves; they don’t join into social activities; they’re not outgoing. Instead, they’re self-centered.
If this description fits you—and you want to avoid the blues and live a little longer—volunteer your services to a nursing home, community service, or soup kitchen.
Isn’t it ironic! The hardest thing to do when you’re depressed is the very thing that can help you the most: Get up, get out, and get busy helping others.
What can you do today to strengthen your social network—and your health?
Excerpted from Fit Forever, compiled by Kay Kuzma, copyright © 2005 by Review & Herald Publishing.
Read more at the source: People Need People
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Healthy Living.
Winning the Losing Game
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12 principles for safe and effective weight management
Trying to lose weight? Check out these 12 principles for safe and effective weight management. As always, before staring a weight loss venture, check with your personal physician to make there aren’t any problems.
1. Set a realistic goal to lose no more than 4 to 8 pounds a month.
2. Move it, to lose it. Regular daily exercise is essential for weight management.
3. Cope with anxieties, frustrations and depression without turning to food.
4. Establish new eating habits. Make permanent lifestyle changes.
5. Avoid snacks and junk foods. Eat less fatty foods and sweets.
6. Enjoy low-fat, fiber-rich meals. Eat vegetables and fruits.
7. Eat smaller portion sizes and avoid second helpings.
8. For long-term success, eat a diet predominant in slow-digesting complex carbs.
9. Don’t avoid fat altogether. A little fat helps to satisfy hunger better.
10. Think and talk positive about your efforts for weight management.
11. Start the day with breakfast. Avoid long periods without food. Drink lots of water.
12. Don’t go it alone. Let your support group motivate you to achieve your goals.
Read more at the source: Winning the Losing Game
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Healthy Living.
