| One of the most common questions I receive: | | | | Have your hormone levels checked. A few |
| "I'm having pain in my knees and joints. My | | | | simple blood tests will let your doctor know |
| knees even hurt when I get on the bikes at | | | | if you are hypothyroid (be sure to run free |
| the gym. Is there a certain exercise that can | | | | and reverse T3/T4 - many doctors only run |
| help in strengthening my knees, or any other | | | | TSH, which is not adequate) or if you have |
| advice you can give? Someone said to take | | | | other hormonal issues. Resolve those first. |
| fish oil." | | | | |
| | | | Again, and I cannot stress this enough, many |
| Osteoarthritis, or "wear and tear arthritis", | | | | hormone issues are resolved naturally through |
| is actually common at any age, although more | | | | exercise and nutrition. Trust me, as I have |
| common as we get older and remain physically | | | | ALL of them. My hormones took an early |
| active. | | | | nosedive in my 20s. Even though I require |
| | | | natural hormones to make up for a defective |
| May people suffer joint pain because of the | | | | pituitary, my hormone requirements are now |
| opposite - inactivity. In fact, I believe | | | | less than half of what they were. Through |
| this is the root cause of most joint issues | | | | training and eating properly, I have managed |
| that have nothing to do with injury. Like | | | | to cut my medications in half from the time |
| anything else, we either use our joints or we | | | | when I was obese. That's the power of |
| loose our joints. Over the years, if you've | | | | exercise and nutrition. |
| lived a sedentary life, you'll find that the | | | | |
| body shifts its biochemistry to support only | | | | Let's assume that your hormones are fine. |
| what you are requiring it to do. | | | | What if you're just having "natural" wear and |
| | | | tear? Well, there are some great places to |
| One of the things I speak about is how the | | | | start before you go diving head-long for the |
| body and mind work together. Unfortunately, | | | | cortisone injections. |
| this is one of those times when the mind has | | | | |
| a mind of it's own. I'm going to go out on a | | | | First, do consider fish oil. Fish oil (EPA |
| limb here and voice my enthusiastic opinion | | | | DHA in the correct ratios, such as in |
| on what's going on. Some doctors will pitch | | | | Carlson's Brand) works wonders for the joints |
| and scream about this, but others back me | | | | and connective tissues, as well as being one |
| 100%. I'll let you decide. Then I'll give you | | | | of the healthiest substances you can put in |
| some great solutions for helping knee and | | | | your body. Fish oil has been shown to reduce |
| joint pain that's not being caused by a | | | | inflammatory markers related to heart |
| chronic injury. | | | | disease, reduce blood pressure, lessen the |
| | | | likelihood of stroke, and even control blood |
| First, there's our old friend calcium. | | | | sugar levels. Many Type 2 diabetics have |
| Calcium is touted heavily for conditions such | | | | removed themselves (under a doctor's care) |
| as osteoporosis - however, the media is only | | | | from medication with the help of fish oil, |
| giving you one segment of the story. The real | | | | exercise and proper nutrition. |
| culprit here is your hormones. As you age, | | | | |
| unless you remain physically active (even | | | | Again, "proper nutrition" is not a |
| more-so than when you were young), the body | | | | one-size-fits-all prescription. If you're 55 |
| alters its hormonal production. Thyroid | | | | and obese, you do not want to role model a |
| levels and testosterone levels decrease. Low | | | | 25-year-old personal trainer whose only fat |
| testosterone has been directly linked to | | | | resides between his ears. Listen to someone |
| problems with bone density. The lower the | | | | who's been there. That makes for certainty, |
| levels, the more brittle the bone can become. | | | | and certainty is the key to success. |
| | | | |
| Enter osteoporosis. | | | | Next, look into a three-supplement "stack" I |
| | | | recommend to some of my clients who really |
| These hormones also cause a drain on the | | | | suffer from joint pain: MSM |
| body's nutrients, including calcium. However, | | | | (Methylsulfonylmethane), Glucosamine and |
| replacing calcium will no more cure the | | | | Chondroitin. Each works is a slightly |
| problem in many cases than, say, replacing | | | | different way. Glucosamine has the most |
| water from a bucket with a hole in it. You | | | | amount of medical research behind it, but MSM |
| have to plug the hole - and that is best done | | | | is deemed as a "miracle cure" for a lot of |
| through hormonal management, dietary shifts, | | | | people. For others, it has limited use - but |
| and exercise. | | | | the 'stack' is the best natural approach I've |
| | | | found, when combined with fish oil, for |
| Let's take thyroid: the Mayo Clinic published | | | | relieving joints and muscles from |
| an article just last week on the connection | | | | non-injury-related pain. |
| between low thyroid and joint problems and | | | | |
| muscle pain. I overcame hypothyroidism and | | | | Dosages vary, but a good start would be: |
| the associated joint pain that accompanied | | | | |
| it. You can, too. It takes some work, and in | | | | Glucosamine: 1,000mg per 100 pounds of body |
| some cases some medical intervention, but | | | | weight |
| often thyroid levels can be managed | | | | |
| naturally. | | | | Chondroitin: 400mg 2-3x per day |
| | | | |
| A friend of mine, Jackie Lee, at age 72, | | | | MSM: 1,000mg 2x per day |
| looks 52 at best - and acts 22. She still | | | | |
| tumbles, dances, teaches yoga, competes in | | | | Fish oil: 2-4 grams per day in liquid form |
| figure and even bodybuilding shows - and | | | | (Carlson's lemon-flavored fish oil actually |
| she's been hypothyroid for decades. She | | | | tastes good) |
| manages it through a combination of specific | | | | |
| amino acids, her lifestyle nutrition plan | | | | Again, be sure to pass these recommendations |
| (she's a vegetarian; I am not), and of course | | | | by your physician. |
| exercise. Her story is quite inspiring. | | | | |
| | | | Last, but not least, move. You may want to |
| Now, since we know that thyroid, | | | | start with Yoga, believe it or not. Yoga can |
| testosterone, and other bodily hormones have | | | | relieve joint and muscle pain like you would |
| a lot to do with joint and muscle pain, | | | | not believe. I used Yoga stretches when I |
| doesn't it make sense to start there and work | | | | injured my lower back in 2002, and the |
| our way outward to a solution? I think so. | | | | healing was remarkable. |
| | | | |