Advice for Healthier Joints (April 3, 2013)
Optimizing Health Part 18: Joint Health
Dear Readers,
Arthritis is a real pain in the joints — and nearly 30 million Americans have to deal with it.
27 million of us deal with pain and stiffness from the wear-and-tear of osteoarthritis, where the cartilage that covers and cushions the ends of your bones becomes thin or disappears, and your bones rub together and hurt.
Another 2.5 million endure the red, hot, swollen and painful joints of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to mistakenly identify your cartilage and bones as foreign invaders (like viruses) — and attack them.
Arthritis isn't an "equal opportunity annoyer." It picks on seniors (65% of people over 65 have osteoarthritis) and on women (7 out of 10 people with rheumatoid arthritis). With so many folks afflicted, you'd think modern medicine would offer some good, safe solutions for arthritis pain. Think again.
The most common class of pain-relieving drugs — nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — hospitalizes more than 100,000 Americans a year from bleeding ulcers, and kills more than 16,500!
Adding joint insult to digestive injury, NSAIDs don't slow the progression of arthritis — and may even speed it up!
The best advice? Take steps to optimize joint health, so you can minimize the chances of developing joint problems in the first place. And there are three easy ways to do just that.
Love & blessings,
Dr. T
Research Briefs
Hidden Reasons You Always Feel Cold
Some people seem to always feel cold, no matter what the temperature is. Dr. T visited NewsMax Health recently to discuss some of the reasons why.
Read more and watch the video »
For Less Joint Pain, Try Tai Chi
Tai chi is an exercise of slow, gentle, fluid meditative movements. A small study out of Korea showed that people with rheumatoid arthritis who took up tai chi had less pain, tenderness and swelling in their joints. They also improved their balance and felt more confident about their ability to control pain.
If You Want a Second Heart Attack, Take an NSAID
A new study shows men who had a heart attack and were taking one or more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) had a 40% higher risk of a second, deadly heart attack.
Death by Tums Strikes Again!
In this new JAMA study, calcium (found in antacids such as Tums) was associated with a 20% increased risk of men dying from heart attack or stroke.
A better alternative? Use chewable antacids that contain a mix of magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K, along with the calcium to make them more heart healthy.
Cool Stuff
Touched By a Gorilla
A band of Silverback gorillas enters a tourist camp for a surprise visit. One (fearless) man has a very special interaction.
Funny Stuff
"Plumber of the Year" Award
What would we do without plumbers? These heroic people toil daily making sure our faucets don't drip, and our toilets keep on flushing. Let's take a look at these nominees for Plumber of the Year.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
