Eating to Ease Arthritis Pain

Do aches and pains have you out of joint? Concerns culminating in the withdrawal of several selective Cox-2 inhibitors, like Vioxx, have many arthritis sufferers turning to the supplement aisle in search of relief. 

 

Could diet and exercise provide more reliable solutions? Here's a roundup of recent research into those foods that help support healthy joints: 

 

Pineapple: Bromelain is an enzyme that can help ease joint pain and relieve muscle soreness. Scientists at the Dole Nutrition Institute found that fresh or frozen pineapple has as much, if not more, bromelain activity than supplements. Pineapples also provide an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps promote collagen formation and improve iron absorption, and manganese, which supports metabolism and bone density. 

 

Cherries: a top source of anthocyanins that reduce inflammation and may protect against gout (an inflammatory form of arthritis). One study found that cherry consumption lowered blood levels of uric acid, which can accumulate in joints, causing pain. 

 

Broccoli: Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli contain sulphoraphane, which triggers the body's own antioxidant defences. New research suggests this process may help block effects of Cox-2 enzymes on inflammation. Broccoli sprouts are one of the most potent sources of these compounds, which you'll also find in cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. 

 

Red bell peppers: Just one contains more than 470 percent of your daily vitamin C needs (yellow peppers contain 450 percent and green peppers contain 190 percent). According to a Boston University study, people getting under 150 milligrams daily of vitamin C had faster cartilage breakdown. Other top sources of vitamin C are citrus fruit, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, kale, collard greens and sweet potatoes. 

 

Black cod: Move over, salmon! Black cod has even higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammation. Flounder, halibut and sardines also contain this healthy fat, as do flaxseed oil, pecans, walnuts, tofu and leafy green vegetables. 

 

Button mushrooms: an unexpected source of vitamin D, adequate levels of which decrease vulnerability to arthritis pain. Sunshine enables your body to produce vitamin D; other sources include oysters, sardines and fortified non-fat dairy.

 

Kale: one of the healthier sources of calcium, which helps hold the line against osteoarthritis by slowing bone loss. Be adventurous - try collard greens, arugula, soy and beans in addition to some of the better-known calcium sources. 

 

Tea: Green and black tea contain flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that may block the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation and pain. 

 

While the foods cited above have compounds with targeted joint health benefits, Harvard research found a more general link between high fruit and vegetable consumption and lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis. 

 

What to limit? Red meat. British researchers found that too much red meat increased the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Those who ate the most red meat were twice as likely to develop the condition than those who limited their intake to less than 1 ounce per day. 

 

Eating less meat and more fruit and vegetables also helps maintain a healthy weight - an important facet of managing joint pain. If you're among the majority of Americans who are either obese or overweight, slimming down can significantly slow progression of joint degeneration and ease pain. In fact, you can reduce knee stress by 40 to 80 pounds with a mere 10-pound weight loss.

Eating the Right Way

In our society, certain inappropriate eating habits have become routine. By attacking these habits, you can increase the likelihood that you will actually lose weight.

When you think about weight loss, what do you think of first? Which aspects of weight loss are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge. 

 

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to weight loss than you may have first thought.  

 

It probably comes to you as naturally as breathing the art of eating. However, you might never have been taught to eat well. This is critically important because, unless you learn to eat well, you may never master the art of dieting. In our society, certain inappropriate eating habits have become routine. By attacking these habits, you can increase the likelihood that you will actually lose weight.

 

To begin with, it is important that you learn to eat slowly. At first, this might be quite a challenge. We have been conditioned to live in a fast food world. We rush meals in order to have time to run to soccer practice, to a piano recital, or to school and work. We think that rushing saves us timeout such a routine can easily backfire, leaving us with unwanted pounds. Studies have shown that at least 10 minutes is required before the brain receives the message that the stomach is full. This means that you could be eating long after you are actually satiated. Your meal, whether it’s in the morning, afternoon, or evening should last at least ten minutes. Train yourself to lengthen your meal by engaging in conversation, resting your fork between courses, chewing slowly, and drinking plenty of water between courses. You should also wait at least ten minutes after your main meal before deciding if you need dessert. Within that period of time, you may discover that you weren’t really hungry after all.

 

Another trick is to place serving dishes on the counter and leave them there. As a result, you’ll actually have to get up out of your seat in order to get more food. You may decide that it’s not worth the bother. Or you may find that you discover that you need no more food between courses. Also, do not eat directly from an ice cream carton, tortilla chip bag, or cracker box. Otherwise, you could find yourself easily overeating.

 

You should always eat at the table. This prevents you from trying to engage in multi-tasking, such as surfing the Net, watching television, or flipping through magazines while you eat. At the table, you’ll be forced to concentrate on how much food you are putting into your mouth. If you eat anywhere else, you may lose track of how much food you’re consuming.

 

Abandon the idea that you must clean your plate. It is simply not true. Research has shown that more than half of adults insist on cleaning their plates, even when they are already full. This means that you are overeating simply out of politeness. Such a habit only serves to add unwanted pounds. Instead of cleaning your plate, try eating only that portion of food that makes you feel full. You’ll be healthier and happier that way.

 

Do not keep food in plain view during the day. If the cookie jar is open or the pretzel bag is out on the table, you’ll have a tremendous urge to eat, even if you are not hungry. After a meal, put your food away in the refrigerator, inside your cupboard, or in the Lazy Susan. This way, you’ll actually have to do some work to get at food before you consume it.

 

If you happen to overeat, don’t spend a great deal of time sulking. Accept your mistake and move on. If you’ve veered off course, take corrective action and forget about it. Otherwise, you could find yourself eating out of frustration, or going off your diet entirely. It’s better to sabotage a single meal than a lifetime’s worth of meals. 

 

You may be self-conscious at first as you attempt to change your eating habits. Realize that your bad habits did not start overnight, so it will take some time to correct them. While it may seem an arduous task initially, it is well worth the effort. You’ll quickly find that your new eating habits have helped you to lose unwanted weight. Granted, such techniques as hiding your food and eating more slowly will not in themselves cause you to lose weight, but they will help you to curb your overeating over the long run. And you’ll be a better person for it.  

 

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

Eating the Australian Way

Australians are often divided into the haves, and the have-nots. 

 

But they're not always talking about money. 

 

These days, it's often the haves (too much body fat), versus the have-nots (not overweight). 

 

We can't seem to make up our minds whether to eat at McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and All-You-Can-Eat fast food restaurants, or whether to grab a protein snack, a freshly-squeezed fruit juice with wheatgrass and go straight to the gym. 

 

Women's Magazines have the same problem. A sample magazine from this month featured diet and exercise routines from three TV personalities and movie stars. Yet the back section of the magazine featured recipes such as luscious mocha fudge cake. 

 

The incidence of obesity in Australia rose dramatically in the 90s - 80% for women. And over 20% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Our eating habits are often unbalanced. 

 

Yet a trip to the local beach shows a large number of exceedingly fit bodies, often accompanied by personal trainers. Perhaps the rebellion has begun. 

 

Australian authors are now responsible for several internationally-known health and fitness books, such as the Sandra Cabot's Liver Cleansing Diet, the CSIRO WellBeing Diet, and Jennie Brand-Miller's New Glucose Revolution. 

 

So let's assume you've decided to improve your health and fitness, upped your intake of raw fruit and vegies (for Liver Cleansing), are monitoring your intake of white breads and potatoes (for Glucose Revolution), and planning a BBQ based around lean meat for dinner tonight (CSIRO diet). 

 

A November 2005 announcement from Jennie Brand-Miller is good news for the traditional Ocker image of throwing a shrimp on the barbie, while drinking a cold beer. 

 

Apparently moderate alcohol intake has been related to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. The new study looked at the impact of beer, white wine and gin on a carbohydrate-based meal. The result was that the alcoholic drinks, in particular the white wine, helped to lower the glucose and insulin response after the meal. 

 

So if someone criticises you for that pre-dinner drink this summer, just say that you're making an effort to avoid diabetes. They may just buy you another drink for being so thoughtful. 

Eating Out Wisely

Many people I know love eating out at different cafes and restaurants. They love trying out new places almost as much as they love returning to their old favourite spots. They love trying new menu items and discovering new ways to eat the foods they enjoy the most. Eating out can be both a wonderful and very dangerous thing.

 

In America we are blessed to have restaurants dotting the streets of many streets in towns and cities of all sizes. We are rarely at a loss for places to eat out. One of the greatest things about eating out is that it saves time that many busy people do not have to waste. After spending long hours at our workplaces, few people have the time or energy to return home and cook a gourmet meal. Eating out seems to be a great solution at the end of a long, tiring day.

 

Eating out can also be great because we can try a wide variety of foods and drinks that we don't have the ability to make ourselves. No one loves eating the same basic foods over and over again, so eating out can be a good way to give our tastebuds something new.

 

However, if we are not careful, eating out can also be dangerous for a couple of big reasons. First, we must use caution in eating out for the sake of our health. Most restaurants and cafes offer huge portions of items that are unhealthy to eat and drink. Eating out often means filling up on appetizers, a main course, a few high calorie beverages, and a dessert to finish off the evening. Think about how many calories you can consume during a meal like this. I am not, of course, saying that we should never enjoy eating out. I am, however, saying that we need to be careful, for our health's sake, about eating out too frequently. We must be careful to watch our choices when we are eating out. Choose healthier items or commit to only eating half of the meal you choose. There are ways of eating out healthily, it just takes conscience effort.

 

Another huge reason to be careful about eating out too often is your pocketbook and budget. It is no secret that eating out costs more, on average, that cooking meals in your own home. It is easy to accumulate large bills, especially at nicer places. So be careful that you stick to a budget when you make plans for eating out.

 

Beware. Eating out can be one of the greatest pleasures or one of the most dangerous things. Enjoy it, but do it with caution.

Eating Greens

Eating a lot of greens can have many health benefits to you. You may not know all the good things that greens can do for you, so read on.

 

A substance that is found in all plants is Chlorophyll. What it does is it acts as a blood detoxifier, which helps increase circulation to all your organs. It does this by dilating blood vessels and it is also a natural deodorant because it helps reduce offensive body orders. Wow, two in one cannot beat that. 

 

Super green foods come from young cereal grasses like wheat, barley, rye, alfalfa, oats, kelp, chlorella and many others as well. These have a whole lot of nutrients in them; they even have more nutrients than spinach, eggs, broccoli, chicken in calcium, iron, protein and all of the other categories as well. So it would be better for you to opt for super greens.

 

Did you know that super green foods are the only vegetables that can help animals maintain their weight, strength and good health even if it is consumed alone? Super greens can help boost your immune system they are powerful antioxidants, that can help you grow and have many another health benefits as well. Bottom line is super greens are one of the greatest things you can do to your body. They do so much for our bodies, so we don’t have to worry do much about being healthy. 

 

Also another good thing is that there is no harm in eating super green foods, they give us so many nutrients and are the most natural way of getting everything your body needs to function and be healthy. So go out there and start eating more greens, after all you want to be healthy right? Don’t forget to tell everyone you know about the benefits of greens as well so they can make that same decision as well.

Eating For Life

Eating is an essential part of life. We cannot sustain life for long without eating, so it is important that we take the time to learn how to eat well in order to have the best life possible. Our views of eating and the eating practices we adopt will affect our lives and our health in significant ways in the months and years ahead. Eating well can literally change everything.

 

Eating can be both a blessing and a curse. Many people struggle with eating because they cannot keep it in balance. They end up eating too little or too much and do not live healthy lives because of it. We all know the dangers of eating too little. Probably everyone has at least one friend that struggles with an eating disorder of some kind. That friend just cannot seem to get a grip on their eating patterns and they are unhealthy because of it. They think about or talk about food almost constantly.

 

Other people struggle with eating too much. Eating more food than we need to live is something that the majority of people, at least in the West, struggle with. Eating is associated with most kinds of social activities and events and therefore people learn to eat for reasons other than to satisfy hunger or prolong their health. Eating becomes a way to experience pleasure or to numb the pains of life.

 

The bottom line is that whether people struggle with eating too little or with indulging on food too much, they are not using food in ways that are healthy and life-promoting. Eating, while it is definitely meant to bring people pleasure and satisfaction, is primarily to be a means of sustaining a healthy life. Our problems begin anytime eating is neglected or indulged in beyond what is necessary.

 

Take a look at your eating patterns. You may be surprised to see that you have established unhealthy eating habits over the years. Perhaps your schedule for each day is centred around when you can have meals or a snack. If so, there is a high chance that food has become a bit too high of a priority. Anytime that your thoughts are consumed with food, whether with restraining yourself from it or with consuming more of it, you are thinking of eating and of food in unhealthy ways.

 

Giving eating a rightful place in our lives without allowing it to become consuming is the key. Make an effort to keep your perspective about eating balanced and healthy. Your life will be better and longer because of it.

Cayenne Pepper Could Help Stomach Ulcers

Cayenne pepper can increases the flow of digestive secretions from the salivary, gastric and intestinal glands, without aggravating peptic or duodenal ulcers.

If you suffer from a peptic or duodenal ulcer, the last thing you might consider taking is hot Cayenne Pepper. This goes against everything you've ever heard about what aggravates an ulcer, the facts are that most "spicy" foods do just the opposite. Capsicum can reduce pain which serves as a local aesthetic to ulcerated tissue in the stomach and can even help to control bleeding in the stomach.

 

Some individuals may be bothered by eating "Red Pepper" or spicy foods, these foods do not cause the formation of gastric ulcers in normal people. An interesting note is that people suffering from ulcers usually avoid Cayenne Pepper, in fact those people may actually benefit from its therapeutic action.

 

Taking Capsicum may significantly reduce the risk of ever developing a peptic ulcer. A Chinese study published in 1995 stated, "Our data supports the hypothesis that the chile used has a protective effect against peptic ulcer disease."¹

 

Another 1995 study found that Capsicum can even protect the stomach lining from aspirin induced ulcers.² Aspirin can cause stomach ulceration in certain individuals or if taken with too little water or juice. Researchers have concluded after experimenting with human volunteers that the capsaicin content of capsicum has a definite gastro - protective effect on the mucous membranes of the stomach.³ Eighteen healthy volunteers with normal gastrointestinal mucosa took chile and water followed by 600 mg of aspirin and water. The study was conducted over a period of four weeks. Endoscopy results showed that taking 20 grams of chile before the aspirin definitely demonstrated a protective action on the stomach lining.⁴ Capsicum has the ability to rebuild stomach tissue. Capsicum has the ability to bring blood to regions of tissue at a faster rate boosts the assimilation of foods that are consumed with it.⁵ Several clinical studies support this phenomenon. It has been thought that Capsicum stimulate the release of substances which increase secretions in the stomach and intestines plus can increase an abundance of blood to the stomach and intestines.⁶ In fact, Capsicum can increases the flow of digestive secretions from the salivary, gastric and intestinal glands.

References:

 

1 J. Y. Kang, et al. "The effect of chile ingestion of gastrointestinal mucosal proliferation and azoxymethane-induced cancer in the rat." Journal of Gastroenterology-Hepatol. Mar-Apr. 1992: 7 (2): 194-98.

2 K. G. Yeoh, et al. "Chile protects against aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury in humans." Dig-Dis-Sci. Mar. 1995: 40 (3): 580-83.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 L. Limlomwongse, et al. "Effect of capsaicin on gastric acid secretion and mucosal blood flow in the rat." Journal of Nutrition. 1979: 109, 773-77. See also T. Kolatat

Cause of Asthma: Asthma Cough Treatment Variant

Natural Asthma Cure: The best approach of all focuses on reducing the self-generated level of toxaemia, cleansing to remove deposits of old toxaemia, rebuilding the organs of elimination and digestion to prevent the formation of new toxaemia, and then, to alleviate the current symptoms and make it easier for the patient to be patient while their body heals, the healer raises artificially and temporarily the vital force with supplements, herbs, acupressure, etc.

An attack of asthma is an agonising experience, and none there are who would willingly go through a further attack if they knew of any means whereby such attacks could be averted. Unfortunately for the asthma sufferer, Medical Science offers no means of treatment whereby the condition can be really cleared up and the possibility of future dread attacks banished once and for all. Medical methods of dealing with the disease centre solely around the employment of certain drugs to bring relief to the sufferer during an attack, and no more. But such drugs are highly dangerous in the extreme, and the relief they bring is purchased at the cost of the further deterioration of the health of the sufferer. So that asthma treated along orthodox medical lines invariably tends to become worse and worse under treatment. 

 

Happy, however, is the asthma sufferer who comes into touch with natural methods of treatment, for by such treatment his condition unless very severe and of long standing can be very much improved, if not definitely cured, in a large number of cases. Natural treatment does not aim at just trying to palliate the effects of an asthmatic attack; it aims at purifying the system of the toxic matter which is at the root of the trouble, and so effectually preventing the occurrence of further attacks. At the same time the whole general health-level of the sufferer is built up by the treatment, and many an erstwhile sufferer from asthma has been heard to declare that Natural Cure has made a completely new man of him, as well as ridding him of the nightmare of ever-recurring asthma attacks. To Learn how we can recover from asthma forever, please visit http://www.miracle-asthma-cure.com 

 

Asthma may be connected with other respiratory diseases in the same person, such as bronchitis, tuberculosis, etc., but many people suffer from asthma who have no other sign of serious chest complaint of any kind. Thus it can be seen that it is not chest trouble as such which is needed to set up an asthmatic condition in any given individual. 

 

The whole point about asthma is that it is a nervous condition affecting the breathing of the sufferer, and can be brought on from a variety of constitutional causes, the chief of which is disturbance of function of the digestive organs. The stomach and bronchi and bronchial tubes are connected by the vague nerve, and by reflex action digestive disturbance can so affect the bronchi and bronchial tubes that the passage of air through them is restricted, and an asthmatic attack precipitated. Obviously, a catarrhal condition of the bronchial tubes will tend to make the appearance of asthma more likely than otherwise, and a highly nervous and run-down condition of the system will also conduce to its development. 

 

Still, no matter what combination of causes there may be acting together to set up asthma in any given individual, the method by which the trouble should be tackled is quite simple and obvious really. What is needed is a thorough internal cleansing of the system (especially of the digestive organs and air apparatus), and the building up of the tone of the whole organism. In this way the asthma bogy can be laid completely in many cases, providing other serious complications do not happen to be present.

Carbohydrates and the Glycaemic Index

You may have heard about the glycaemic index and wondered what it is all about. The glycaemic index is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. It compares foods gram for gram of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates that breakdown quickly during digestion have the highest glycaemic indexes. The blood glucose response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycaemic indexes.

 

Foods with a high glycaemic index convert into sugar very quickly, with negative physical effects. Foods with a low glycaemic index turn into sugar gradually, helping maintain your body's chemical balance. In general, foods with a low index are preferable.

 

Glycaemic Load measures the amount of sugar a food actually releases in the body. Foods with a low glycaemic load usually have a low glycaemic index, yet still have a low glycaemic load. Other foods have both a high index and a high load. You should avoid high load foods as a regular part of your meal plan.

 

When you choose carbohydrate foods, check both their glycaemic index and glycaemic load. Detailed tables with this information are widely available. Use the chart below to get started.

 

High Glycaemic Index

 

Fruits and Vegetables

 

• Corn
• Cranberry juice
• Orange juice*
• Raisin

 

Starches

 

• Bagel
• Bread (white)
• Refined cereal
• Granola
• Muffin
• Pasta
• Potato
• Pretzel
• Rice
• Tortilla (flour)

 

Medium Glycaemic Index

 

Fruits and Vegetables

 

• Starches
• Apricot
• French Fries
• Grape
• Oatmeal
• Pineapple
• Pita Bread
• Watermelon
• Waffle

 

Low Glycemic Index

 

Fruits and Vegetables

 

• Apple
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprout
• Cauliflower*
• Celery*
• Cherry*
• Cucumber*
• Grapefruit*
• Green Bean*
• Green pepper*
• Kiwi*
• Lettuce*
• Onion*
• Orange*
• Peach*
• Plum*
• Spinach*
• Strawberry*
• Tomato*
• Zucchini*

 

* Low glycemic load foods.

 

Simply eating more fruits and vegetables is not the answer - they must be the right fruits and vegetables. Starchy vegetables such as peas or lentils (200 to 250 calories per cup) are healthy, but they contain more calories than you may want. If you need to eat more to satisfy your hunger, add low glycaemic load vegetables. For example, spinach and asparagus are better choices than higher calorie corn and peas. A cup of spinach topped with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce has only about 90 calories, but it gives you nutrients from two colour groups.

 

Why Not Brown and Beige?

 

When considering which foods to enjoy sparingly, also use colour as a guideline. Many brown and beige carbohydrates, like pasta, beans and potatoes, while healthy, also tend to be high in calories.