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Article #166: What Can You Do About Joint and Muscle Pain?

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






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