Natural Wa y to Health.pdf

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Approximately 21 millionAmericans suffer rompainul “wear-and-tear” joint

problems.

Along with the actual physicalsuffering these caused by these jointconcerns, they are also very painulto the pocketbook, both in terms omedical treatment costs and incomelost due to disability.

That’s why I’ve created this shortand simple guide — to help youprevent or minimize issues related toyour body’s many joints, particularlyas you grow older.

With painul joint concerns, even simpletasks such as writing, sewing, preparing meals,climbing stairs, arising rom the toilet, buttoning ashirt, or getting a good night’s sleep may becomeproblematic.

It’s important to understand that thesedegenerative changes around the joints usuallydevelop gradually. Weight-bearing joints (suchas your knees, spine, or hips) are most commonly

affected, although any joint in yourbody can become inflamed or painulSome people notice joint symptomsfirst in the small joints o their hands.

The word “arthritis,” literallytranslated, means joint inflammation.However, the simple degenerativechanges discussed in this reportshould not be conused with severeinflammatory and autoimmunearthritic conditions (such asrheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or otherdisorders), or which you should seekmedical supervision and treatment.

What Does Joint Inflammation Do toYour Joints?

Joint inflammation causes certain chemicalsubstances within the joints to irritate and wearaway the cartilage cushions at the ends o the bones.This can cause swelling and pain. Over time, thejoint may lose its normal shape and/or unction.Small bony growths or spurs may grow at the joint

Special Report:

A Doctor’s Guide to

Happy, Healthy Joints —At Any Age

Continued on page 2

Dr. David Brownstein’s

N W HAchieving & Maintaining Your Optimal Health

Special Issue


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Page 2 Special Issue

edges, particularly on the spinal joints.Signs and symptoms o common joint concerns

include:• Soreness or pain in the joints, either afer

overuse or inactivity• Joint stiffness, particularly in the morning• Joint swelling, redness, or warmth• Restricted range o motion o the joints• Enlargement o the joints (such as bony knobs

on the fingers)

•Grinding, crackling, or popping sensations orsounds in joints

• Sleep disruption due to joint symptoms

The Three-Pronged Approach to SaveYour Joints

In this report, I will give you some easy strategiesin three key areas to help minimize or prevent jointconcerns rom wreaking havoc in your lie.

The key strategies or joint health that you

should ollow include:Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is a publication of Newsmax Media, Inc., and Newsmax.com. It is published monthly at a charge of $49.00 per year and is offered online andin print through Newsmax.com.

Our editorial offices are located at 560 Village Boulevard, Ste. 120, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409.

The owner, publisher, and editor are not responsible for errors and omissions. Rights of reproduction and distribution of this newsletter are reserved.

Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution of information contained herein, including storage in retrieval systems or posting on the Internet, is expressly forbidden without the consentof Newsmax Media.

For permission, contact the publisher at: PO Box 20989, West Palm Beach, Florida 33416.

CEO Christopher Ruddy Health Publisher Travis Davis Author David Brownstein, M.D. Contributing Editor Greg Brown Production/Art Director Elizabeth Dole

To contact Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health send e-mail to: [email protected]/Customer Service contact 1-800-485-4350 or [email protected]. Send e-mail address changes to [email protected]

© 2010 Newsmax Media, all rights reserved. Please note that this advice is generic and not specific to any individual. You should consult with your doctor before undertaking any medicalor nutritional course of action.

Continued from page 1

HEALTHY JOINT

Bones

Cartilage

Joint cavitywith synovial

fluid

Synovial

membrane

Fibrouscapsule

DAMAGED JOINT

Synovial Joint


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1. An Anti-Inflammatory Diet2. Sae Exercise3. Targeted Joint Supplements

I will also include some bonus tips at the end tocomplement these three key strategies.

First, let’s talk about how diet and nutrition

affect your joints…Avoid the SAD Diet at All Costs

The Standard American Diet (or SAD)is heavy on refined carbohydrates and otherrefined products, and sets the stage or nutrientdeficiencies and a weak immune system. This sadexcuse or a diet (pun intended) ofen leads tothe development o chronic health conditionslike joint concerns. It also promotes obesity,accelerates the aging process, and leads to

excessive inflammation in your body.We need some inflammation. In act,

inflammation is one o your body’s ways oprotecting you rom harm, so it isn’t all bad.Sometimes, however, this process spirals out ocontrol, causing your body to attack its own healthycells or tissues. Additionally, when your body doesnot get the proper signals to stop the inflammation,you may suffer rom a low-grade, chronicinflammatory process. Such chronic inflammationcan lead to many health problems.

Eat to Minimize InflammationEating an anti-inflammatory diet is one o the

healthiest things you can do or your joints. Here aresome crucial steps or you to ollow:• Ditch refined carbohydrates, including anything

made with white sugar or white flour (pastries,cookies, doughnuts, cereals, pasta, white bread,tortillas, pancakes, soda, etc.).

• Eat more unrefined carbohydrates rom whole

oods, such as vegetables (munch lots o darkleay green vegetables) and whole grains.• Choose carbohydrates that have a low

glycemic index and thus do not raise yourblood sugar level excessively, including most vegetables and some whole grains. You cansearch or a list o low glycemic index oodsonline.

• Don’t all or the low at myth. You needhealthy ats in your diet! A very low at diet

or eating the wrong type o ats will elevateyour risk or joint problems and otherdegenerative issues.

• Avoid trans ats (rench ries, margarine, potatochips, microwave popcorn) and consuming toomany hydrogenated omega-6 ats, which areound in most vegetable oils (corn, sunflower,safflower, canola oils) and common productssuch as crackers, cookies, and pasta.

• Use butter instead o margarine and cook withextra virgin olive oil. Additionally, use coconutoil or high heat cooking. Get more omega-3atty acids in your diet by taking fish oil or byeating cold water oily fish (sardines, salmon,mackerel), flaxseeds, walnuts, or olive oil.

• Up your fiber intake, as this will help your bodyfight the inflammatory process.

• Avoid eating too much red meat as it promotesinflammation. Particularly avoid eedlot-raisedmeat or processed meats. Stick to lean cuts romorganic, ree-range animals that were not edantibiotics and hormones.

• Decrease, or better yet, avoid dairy products.Over hal o Americans have some sensitivity todairy products. Milk is a very common allergenthat can trigger an inflammatory response inthe body.

•

Use healthy spices and herbs i you cantolerate them. Herbs and spices with anti-inflammatory properties include garlic, ginger,

David Brownstein, M.D., is a board-certified family physician

and one of the foremost practitioners

of holistic medicine. Dr. Brownstein

has lectured internationally to

physicians and others about his

success with natural hormones and

nutritional therapies in his practice

His books include Drugs That Don’

Work and Natural Therapies That Do!Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You

Can’t Live Without It; Salt Your Way To

Health; The Miracle of Natural Hormones; Overcoming Arthritis

Overcoming Thyroid Disorders; The Guide to a Gluten-Free Diet

The Guide to Healthy Eating ; and The Guide to a Dairy-Free

Diet. He is a medical advisor for Medix Select and the medica

director of the Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield

Mich., where he lives with his wife, Allison, and their teenage

daughters, Hailey and Jessica. For more information about Dr

Brownstein, please go to www.MedixSelect.com/brownstein.


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Special Issue Page 5

turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, blackpepper, and cinnamon. Use them resh whenyou can find them.

• Opt or organic products as much as possible,including resh organic vegetables and ruit, andorganic eggs.

• Avoid artificial sweeteners, which can increaseyour risk or inflammation and have manyother unhealthy effects. Use stevia or a littlesweetness, or indulge occasionally with anaturally sweet piece o ruit or antioxidant-loaded piece o dark chocolate.

• Dine in instead o out or more healthul meals.It should go without saying that ast ood isparticularly unhealthy and pro-inflammatory.

• Use less rying (stir-ried oods are OK), lesshigh-temperature grilling and broiling, and less

microwave cooking, in avor o more steamingand poaching.

Hydration: A Key Factor forHealthy Joints

I know, everyone says it — because it’s true: Youneed to drink more water. This is especially true iyou want to save your joints!

In my clinical experience, nearly every patientI’ve seen with chronic health concerns is dehydrated.And, in a vicious cycle, those health concerns worsen with inadequate water intake.

When it comes to your joints, I’ve ound thatjoint stiffness (particularly in the early morning)is one o the cardinal signs o dehydration. Youneed water in your joints to flush out toxinsand keep your joints lubricated. In act, it willbe impossible or your joints to heal withoutadequate water (and salt, which I’ll discuss next).

I you have pain in the joints o your backor neck, you should know that the degenerative

changes in your spine will be worsened bydehydration. Your spinal discs are composed o75% water, so chronic inadequate hydration willallow the discs to dry up and degenerate, leading toabnormal bony changes.

Additionally, muscle spasms in the backand elsewhere in the body are ofen due todehydration. I recommend you drink 32 ounceso water immediately i you eel the onset o anymuscle spasms.

Here are some suggestions to ensure you receiveproper hydration:

1. Drink the proper amount o water or you.Divide your weight in pounds in hal. Thenumber you get is your recommended waterintake in ounces. For example i you weigh 160pounds, you need to drink 80 ounces o water

per day. You can then divide your number oounces by 8 to get the number o glasses o water per day you need. In this example, 80ounces divided by 8 means you should drink 10glasses o water per day.

2. Decrease your caffeine consumption — coffee,caffeinated tea, and sof drinks (which youshouldn’t be drinking anyway). Caffeineis a diuretic which can cause or worsendehydration.

3. Minimize your intake o alcoholic beverages. A

little red wine is fine or most people.4. I recommend using a water filter that removes

fluoride and chlorine as well as bacteria andparasites. Bottled and tap water have their owndownsides, but using them is better than notdrinking enough water at all.

Salt Is OK — Really!(If You Use the Right Kind)

Most doctors believe that salt use can lead to

elevated blood pressure. However, salt is essential topromote good health.Salt can actually help improve your joint

mobility. Salt that is stored in your joints’ cartilageattracts water through osmosis to aid in thelubrication and easy gliding o joint suraces.

However, refined salt — even the iodized saltyou find in the grocery store — is lieless andunhealthy. The refining process has removed theminerals present in unrefined salt, and has a high

Common Signs You CouldBe Dehydrated

• Joint sness

• Fague

• Dry skin or skin with poor elascity

• Dry or coated tongue

• Vercal ridges on your nails


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aluminum content that contributes to manychronic disorders.

I recommend you use unrefined sea salt (suchas Celtic sea salt), which you should be able to findin any health ood store. In act, start your day witha small pinch o sea salt ollowed by a glass o wateror the health o your joints.

Keep Your Joints MovingWhile a certain amount o exercise is crucial or

maintaining good joint health, do not all prey tothe “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Do not orce anymovement beyond a range comortable to you, andmake sure you pace yoursel. And don’t orget to warm up or 5 to 10 minutes with light stretching orslow walking beore exercising.

You should try to incorporate several different

orms o exercise into your daily lie, including basicrange o motion (ROM) and stretching, strengthtraining, and cardiovascular conditioning or aerobicexercise.

Range o motion exercises help preserve yourjoint unction and should be easily tolerated. Youcan even do them in bed beore you get up in themorning to get your blood flowing and decreasethat morning stiffness. As you lie in bed, start withthe joints in your eet. Flex and extend your toes andankles slowly, and do the same or all the joints o

your body as you move up rom your knees to yourhips, and then the joints o your arms and hands.Turn your head slowly rom side to side. You cando “circles” with some o your joints, such as yourankles, wrists, and shoulders. Adding some simplestretches to your routine will also improve yourflexibility.

For strength training, you can use exercise bandsor tubing, or lif light (1-2 pound) weights. Youcould even use a can o soup rom your kitchen

or some exercises! Start with 5 repetitions o eachexercise, and slowly increase with practice. You canalso perorm isometric exercises, which strengthenyour muscles without involving your joints.Examples o isometric exercises include pressingyour palms together or pressing your hand againstyour orehead and your orehead against your hand.

I you are not amiliar with these types oexercises, you can buy an inexpensive exercise videogeared toward the older population. Some websites

also offer ree workout routines: www.arthritistoday.org or www.exercise.about.com. Additionally, youcould pick up a book at your local bookstore ororder one online. A ew potential titles include:• “Exercises or Arthritis: A Sae and Effective Way

to Increase Strength, Improve Flexibility, Gain

Energy, and Reduce Pain”• “The Fit Arthritic: Fighting Knee and Hip

Arthritis With Exercise”• “Yoga or Arthritis: The Complete Guide”

Or take advantage o exercise classes in yourcommunity geared toward seniors or those withlimited mobility. You could also ask your doctorto prescribe a couple o sessions with a physicaltherapist to get you started with a proper homeexercise program.

You need cardiovascular or aerobic exercise tomove your large muscle groups and strengthenyour heart. Good cardiovascular exercises or those with joint concerns include walking, swimming,using a stationary bicycle, or aquatic exercise. Onestudy ound that walking or about 30 minutesat least 3 days per week resulted in a reductiono joint symptoms. However, make sure you getyour doctor’s approval beore starting any exerciseprogram.

Other exercise regimens that can be beneficialor joint issues include tai chi, gentle yoga or pilates,qigong, and “un” activities such as dancing.

Targeted Supplements to SupportYour Joints

I you already suffer rom joint concerns, or aremiddle-aged or older, a healthy diet and exercisemay not be enough. That’s why I recommendcertain targeted nutritional supplements and

Risk Factors for Joint Concerns

• Overweight or obesity

• Age (usually aects middle aged to elderly

individuals)

• High inammatory diet

• Injury or overuse

• Genec predisposion

• Muscle weakness

• Female gender


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vitamins as the third strategy to help promotehealthy joints.

BOSWELLIA SERRATA. Also known as Indianrankincense, this herb has been used in theAyurvedic healing system or many centuries.Modern research has demonstrated that Boswellia

extract promotes healthy joints by repairingcartilage, lowering inflammation, and decreasingpain. Additionally, it may help promote liverhealth, support healthy cholesterol levels, andhelp certain respiratory concerns. New extractso Boswellia show even better results in termso bioavailability and overall effectiveness atprotecting against collagen breakdown.

GLUCOSAMINE. You may have heard o glucosaminein the news. With aging, our bodies lose the

ability to produce enough glucosamine, anatural compound ound in joints. This leads todehydration and degeneration o the cartilagecushions at the ends o bones. Fortunately, clinicalstudies have shown that supplementing withglucosamine helps support healthy joint unctionand joint repair, primarily by promoting healthycartilage and reducing inflammation.

CHONDROITIN. Like glucosamine, chondroitin is

also a major component o cartilage in the joints. Ithelps maintain proper hydration o cartilage, similarto glucosamine. It also provides the basic buildingblocks to produce new cartilage, stimulates cartilagerepair, and reduces cartilage destruction. Studieshave shown that chondroitin helps reduce jointpain, swelling, and stiffness. Both chondroitin andglucosamine need to be used or a period o timebeore ull benefits can be experienced.

BROMELAIN. This extract rom the pineapple plant

contains a mixture o enzymes that digest protein.Research indicates that bromelain helps reducepain, swelling, and inflammation in joints. It is alsoused to treat musculoskeletal sports injuries andinflammation due to surgical procedures.

TURMERIC. This spice used in Indian curry dishesis also responsible or the yellow color o mustard.Evidence suggests that curcumin, the activeingredient in turmeric, is a powerul antioxidant.

Antioxidants help fight the ree radical moleculesthat damage cell membranes and DNA, and causecell death. Additionally, turmeric helps lowerthe production o prostaglandins — compoundsthat produce joint inflammation, swelling, andpain. Because bromelain increases the anti-inflammatory effects o curcumin, the two are

commonly used together.

GREEN TEA EXTRACT. Long used in China as aremedy or various health concerns, green tea is nowbeing studied by modern researchers. The majorbiologically-active component o green tea, EGCG(epigallocatechin gallate), helps protect cartilagecells rom inflammatory damage. Plus, green tea isalso a very potent antioxidant.

PIPERINE. The spiciness o black pepper is due to the

compound piperine, which reduces joint pain andinflammation and combats joint damage. Piperine isalso an effective antioxidant, and helps increase theabsorption o curcumin.

HOLY BASIL. In the Ayurvedic tradition, holy basilor tulsi, as it is also called, is widely used as a tea tobring body systems into balance. Clinical researchdemonstrates that this herb contains various anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that

provide significant joint support.POMEGRANATE EXTRACT. The pomegranate ruit hasbeen revered or centuries or its healing properties.Extracts o the pomegranate ruit not only containhighly potent antioxidants, but also help combatinflammation by lowering the levels o enzymes thatcause cartilage damage and deterioration.

MULTIVITAMINS AND MINERALS. I recommendyou take a basic multiple vitamin and mineral

supplement daily. Maintaining an adequate level obasic vitamins and minerals is essential to preventingand overcoming any chronic health concern,including those affecting the joints. In particular, vitamins C and E are important antioxidants thathelp protect the joints rom the ravages o ree radicaldamage. Vitamin C helps stimulate the productiono collagen, a key component o cartilage. VitaminE also stimulates the growth o cartilage cells anddemonstrates anti-inflammatory properties.


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Please note: All information presented in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medicaadvice for any individual. All answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented in Dr. DavidBrownstein’s Natural Way to Health should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basisof this publication’s contents. Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. While theinformation found in Dr. David Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgmentreaders who fail to seek counsel from appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed in Dr. DavidBrownstein’s Natural Way to Health do not necessarily reflect those of Newsmax Media.

What Else Can Help Your Joints?While exercise is great or managing your joint

concerns, you should also learn to read your body’ssignals and rest when necessary. Stress reductionand relaxation techniques may also be helpul orchronic pain. Epsom salt baths, or hot or cold packs(20 minutes on and 20 minutes off) can also work

wonders or some people.Losing weight when necessary is critical to

reduce stress on weight-bearing joints and avoidurther joint problems.

Other holistic treatments that can be beneficialor joint concerns include acupuncture andchiropractic.

I have ound that many individuals with jointconcerns also have allergies complicating theirhealth status. These allergic substances couldinclude anything — certain oods, chemicals,cigarette smoke, perumes, or environmentalactors. For these people, I ofen recommenda natural allergy elimination technique calledNAET, which is sae and effective. While NAETdoes not help in all cases, I have ound itsuccessul about 75% o the time to help mypatients overcome many types o allergies. Findmore inormation at www.naet.com. Additionally,most allergic conditions can be helped byincreasing your water and salt intake to lower

your histamine levels.You probably noticed I did not include drugs

(prescription or over-the-counter) among thethree-pronged approach or healthy joints. As a

holistic medical doctor, I try to steer clear o drugs when possible, especially when so many naturalcompounds are available to get at the root o jointconcerns. And especially when medications suchas NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs),the first-line treatment or joint concerns, canlead to serious side effects, including GI bleeding

and stomach ulcers. You probably are not awarethat long-term use o NSAIDs has been shown toactually worsen joint issues.

You may want to work with a holisticallyoriented doctor to develop an effective regimen tohelp your joint concerns and determine whethermedication would be indicated. Make sure to tellyour doctor about any supplements you are using.

I have researched the little-known connectionbetween inection and certain types o arthritic

conditions, which goes beyond the scope o thisreport. In some cases, I have prescribed antibiotictherapy when I suspected an inectious componentto the joint problems. For more inormation, I reeryou to my book, Overcoming Arthritis.

As I stated at the beginning o this report,certain types o arthritic disorders such asrheumatoid, lupus, psoriatic, and others requiremedical monitoring and comprehensive treatmentapproaches. While the three-pronged approachaddressed in this guide could be helpul orany type o joint issue, it is not a substitute orproessional medical care.

Final ThoughtsOver 20 million Americans report being

physically limited by their joint concerns. Thatmakes this a major health issue, particularly orolder individuals.

I you suffer rom concerns related to yourbody’s joints, I hope this brie guide has given you

some simple and actionable strategies in three keyareas to minimize and protect your joints romurther damage — and help you lead a more activeand vibrant lie.

Lile-Known Carlage Facts

• Carlage is 65-80% water. That’s why hydraon is

so important.

• Carlage heals very slowly because it has a poor

blood supply.

• Carlage doesn’t contain free nerve endings, so

joint damage may not become painful unl itbecomes somewhat advanced.


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