Berries are a delicious addition to any diet.  But,  taste is not the only reason to love them.  Here’s why you should add these  seven super-healing summer berries to your diet:

Blackberries

Loaded with vitamin C, blackberries also contain ellagic acid—an important  phytonutrient that protects skin cells from damaging UV rays. Ellagic acid also  prevents the breakdown of collagen in the skin that occurs as we age and is  linked to wrinkling.

Blueberries

Blueberries are phytonutrient powerhouses.  They  contain: anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechins, and salicylic acid.  If the latter sounds familiar, you may recognize it as the drug we’ve come to  know as Aspirin. That’s right—blueberries contain natural aspirin, but in this  beautiful and delicious packaging offered by Mother Nature, there’s no worry  about harmful side effects. What’s more, blueberries are proven to reduce heat  shock proteins that are linked with some forms of brain disease, making these  little marvels potent weapons in the prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s  disease as well as other neurological disorders.

By Michelle Schoffro Cook

Michelle Schoffro Cook, MSc, RNCP, ROHP, DNM, PhD is an international  best-selling and twelve-time book author and doctor of traditional natural  medicine, whose works include: Healing Recipes, The Vitality Diet,  Allergy-Proof, Arthritis-Proof, Total Body Detox, The  Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan,  and The Phytozyme Cure.  Check out her natural health resources and  subscribe to her free e-newsletter World’s Healthiest News at WorldsHealthiestDiet.com.

Image credit (loganberry): ndrwfgg / Flickr

Pineapple – either fresh (peeled & chunked) or canned in juice.  Just switched to canned because fresh gets a bit grody about day 5.

Parsley – a handful, washed

Ginger – an inch chunk or so, peeled

Spinach – organic, washed, a couple of handfuls

Greek Yogurt – plain, 0% fat, 3 large spoonfuls

Blend the first four ingredients, then add in the yogurt and blend one more time.  If you click on each ingredient above, you’ll link to their health benefits.  What you’ll find is the first four are all anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer foods, with a ton of other nutritional benefits.  The yogurt provides the protein.  I estimate this smoothie is about 300 calories; 1 cup of the yogurt is 140 and a cup of pineapple is 160.  A cup of Greek yogurt provides 24 grams of protein.  Perfect for breakfast!  If you’re doing intense training, you could add some protein powder too.

Quite a while ago I bought Cook Right 4 Your Type, a cookbook based on the best foods for each blood type.  My blood is B positive, which I know from giving blood.  The above ingredients are listed under the highly beneficial category for B blood types.  I’m a moderate health freak; have generally eaten very healthy my whole life, but I’ve also been known to wolf down a burger or a plate of nachos.  And I’m not a saint; I drink alcohol.  And I would never tell a woman not to eat chocolate around that time of the month; please eat the chocolate!  I subscribe to the ‘everything in moderation’ rule.  Or like Weight Watchers, if you eat right most of the time, you can have an extravagant meal or day (or weekend) and then go back to your normal routine and still maintain a healthy weight.

What’s better than making something that tastes delicious that you know is awesome for you?  Aspirin and prescription drugs have only been around for a little over a hundred years.  Before that, people used food, plants and spices to cure themselves.  I’d rather drink my smoothie than take an aspirin daily, which is hard on the stomach, or ibuprofen, which is hard on the liver, etc.  Food is a drug that can heal your body; as the saying goes, “You are what you eat!”  So here’s to your very good health.  Or as the French say, “à votre santé!”

Do you have an awesome smoothie recipe?  Please share it!

Mediterranean Diet

What is the Mediterranean Diet menu?

Most of us have heard or are familiar with a positive effect of Mediterranean diet menu on our health. We see it as the best researched anti-aging diet known to science as of today.

The Mediterranean diet menu, simply described, is a diet focusing on:

* Whole grains and

* Legumes

* Lean protein

* Fresh fruits and

* Vegetables, and

* High in omega-3 polyunsaturated    fatty acids (PUFAs)

* High in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

* High in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

* high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)]

* Low in carbohydrates

* Low in saturated fats (common in junk foods) and

* Low in omega-6 PUFAs (linoleic acid, common in most vegetable oils).

Omega-3s are found in various foods including concentrates of free fatty acids of fish oils:

* Cold-water fish such as bluefish

* Cod

* Herring

* Mackerel

* Salmon and sardines

Adapting the above components in our own Mediterranean diet recipes would be a major improvement of our anti-aging diet effort.

One of the primary reasons for that is that this diet is found to be a very powerful anti-inflammatory diet 

click here to find the benefits of this diet:   Anti-Aging Diet

Inflammation is running rampant in this country, even in our children!! And it’s not just the people who have food allergies or chronic stress who are suffering with too much inflammation in their bodies. What you eat, what you put on your skin, what you breath in, all of it is playing a part.

What is inflammation anyway?

Inflammation plays an important role in helping your body heal.  If you’ve ever jammed your finger, scraped your knee, or sprained your ankle, you’re already familiar with acute inflammation. Your body suffers an injury, it swells up and hurts; that tells you that you are supposed to rest and support it until it heals.  Inflammation is part of your body’s response to nearly any type of physical injury and is critical for health.

However, inflammation is not always as obvious or benign as the above examples. It can silently involve every cell in your body and, over time, negatively affect your health and abilities. Chronic inflammation is our enemy.  Chronic inflammation puts your body’s immune system in overdrive and in the process, healthy cells can be damaged.  An overactive immune system can lead to cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, Alzheimer’s, type II diabetes, arthritis, lung disease, cancer or autoimmunity.

Here’s an excellent description of inflammation for anyone looking for lots of readable science and details: Exactly what is inflammation?

How can you tell if you have chronic inflammation?

The levels of certain chemicals in your blood are known to increase with increased levels of inflammation. One of these chemical markers for inflammation is a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is often measured in conjunction with other blood tests, and normal values are well established. From a clinical standpoint, a CRP level of less than 5 milligrams per liter of blood is considered normal. “Normal” may not be optimal, though. Many medical researchers believe that even slight elevations of CRP are tied to increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and many other diseases.

Note: If you’d like to have your CRP measured, consult your physician, who can order a simple blood test.

What Inflammatory Foods Are You Eating?

If you have a food intolerance, those items are activating your immune system when you eat them.  You need to stop eating them or try a rotational diet. In addition, whether you are intolerant, allergic or not, the following foods are have inflammatory affects in the body and should be consumed with awareness and limitation:

1. Sugar – BOO HOO!  It wasn’t until I tried to remove added sugar from my diet that I realized how much I ate!
2. Alcohol – this one bums me out the most I think!
3. Conventional (feed lot) meat – cows/sheep/weren’t designed to eat corn, and their feed changes the composition of their cells making them high in omega 6′s and low in Omega 3′s.  They also are laden with growth hormones and antibiotics.
4. Polyunsaturated oils like corn, soybean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed and other vegetable oils because they are high in Omega 6′s and so many prepared foods are cooked with them.
5. Transfats -Watch out for packages that claim to have zero grams per serving-that means there ARE transfats in the item, just less than they need to report (PER SERVING) – and who eats the serving size anyway?!
6. Dairy products – it’s estimated that up to 60% of the world’s population can’t digest dairy, and it’s a common allergen that triggers inflammatory responses.
7. Processed meats -this includes anything smoked, salted, cured, or chemically preserved.
8. Refined grains (i.e. white flour, white rice, bread, pasta, baked goods.)

Nightshades, such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant are no-no for people who suffer from joint, digestive and nerve-muscle problems.

Now, I’m not really ready to give up alcohol and sugar, while I’ve cut down on the added kind, will forever be in my diet because I love things like dried fruit and it’s so portable and satisfying I’m not nixing it.  So I have to somehow increase my inflammatory fighting ability to combat those two little evils!!  (We’ll get to that a little later)

What is it with the Omega 6 and Omega 3?

The problem with Omega 6′s is not that they are BAD per se, it’s that we eat to many of them with a typical American diet.  This makes our consumption ratio way off mark.  We actually need both Omega 6′s and Omega 3′s. Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are building blocks of anti-inflammatory hormones, and Omega 6 is for pro-inflammatory hormones (now I bet it makes sense why you have to have the right ratio!)

Here’s what I found on what ratio you should shoot for: “The World Health Organization recommends a ratio of 5:1 to 10:1 omega-6 to omega-3. While a ratio between 1:1 and 4:1 is often considered as being optimal.”

Click here for a short list of how much of each are in a bunch of the foods you might eat.  An even more comprehensive list can be found here.

After looking over the lists I am certain you can see there’s no way to eat even a healthy diet without supplementing with Omega 3′s.  We just eat too many Omega 6′s.  Even if you eat a LOT of fish, you’ll still can have an imbalanced ratio.  Especially if you don’t know what your farm-raised fish are eating. Farmed fish that are fed fish meal or algae supplements are still good, but like cattle, some fish are fed on grains and soy meal.  As a result, they have more short-chain ALA and less long-chain EPA and DHA. (Basically, that means they don’t have as much Omega 3′s and have more Omega 6′s). Farm-raised salmon had color added to it’s food because it’s diet is so off, it would be the color of flounder without the food dyes!  And if that’s not bad enough, a popular fish in our country, Tilapia, may be one of the worst.

It’s Not Just Food

Clearly what we eat is very important to help our body combat inflammation, but it’s not just what we eat.  Endocrine disruptors present in our environment are also being linked to developing autoimmune responses, respiratory illness, such as asthma and cancer.  Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides as well as things like BPA, parabens, phthalates are all examples of hormone or endocrine disruptors.  You would find these and other chemicals in shampoos, lotions, sunscreens and household cleaners.  We rub them on our skin and breath them in as well as eat them when they contaminate our food (i.e. BPA lined cans, bottles, plastics).  These chemicals aren’t regulated as manufacturers say the levels found in their products are within safe limits.  What no one seems to think about is cumulative exposure.  How much is safe? If I use a shampoo and conditioner with methylparaben and ethylparaben, am I at my limit?  We don’t have answers yet, but I hope that we do soon since endocrine disruptors also affect fertility!  Our kids will be paying the price and we may be grandchild-less because of it

It’s not just a guess or a hunch that these chemicals are bad news.  We know that they are.  A 2004 study in Toxicological Sciences found that the link was scientifically proven when they:

“…demonstrated that endocrine disruptors directly enhanced autoantibody production by B1 cells. The increased incidence of autoimmune diseases such as SLE and ITP for several decades may possibly be attributed to accumulated endocrine disruptors. B1 cells, because of their high sensitivity, may also provide a good tool for evaluating biological significance of endocrine disruptors for the development of autoimmune diseases.”

How to boost your anti-inflammatory powers

Now that you are thoroughly freaked out by how much damage you do to your body every day, you may be wondering how to undo it.  The first step is obviously to limit your exposure and consumption of things that increase inflammation.  This includes reading labels on your soaps, lotions, shampoos, etc. along with limiting the foods listed in the top 10 worst foods above.

Next, increase consumption of foods, herbs, spices that decrease or fight inflammation.

Here is a list of some really good ones:

Turmeric:
One of the most powerful antioxidants with scientifically verified anti-inflammatory effects.
Try eating it in your salad dressing, in soups, on meats, sprinkled on your morning egg, on veggies. Aim for 1 tsp a day or look for a supplement with 95% bioavailable curcumin*
*active ingredient in turmeric

• Turmeric and other natural anti-inflammatory herbs
• Kelp
• Green Tea
• Blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries (pesticide free of course)
• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cauliflower
• Sweet potatoes
• Dark green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, collards, swiss chard
• Monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocados
• Wild salmon, sardines and anchovies, Pasture-raised, grass-(only) fed beef, goats and sheep
• Omega-3 enriched eggs
• Fish Oil with a DHA:EPA ratio of 1:2
• Wild rice (which is actually a grass)
• Flax seeds and oil
• Black and Kidney beans have the best 6-3 ratio of beans

We can’t forget about stress and it’s effect on our immune system. Without getting into the science behind it, suffice it to say that if you are living a stressful life, you need to find a way to chill-ax and just let go of some of it.  Chronic stress causes chronic inflammation.  Meditation, walking in nature, exercise, singing, dancing, gardening, fishing, biking, going to the beach, really what ever it is that gives you some enjoyment and piece of mind on is what you need to find more time for.

Now, get off the computer, rest your eyes and try to relax your mind for at least 5 minutes before you start thinking about what parts of your diet and lifestyle you plan to adjust first!

Wishing you health and peace

For the past several months, anything that has anti-inflammatory properties is something I have been seeking since I am having issues with my eyes. So when these posts popped up on my FB page, I checked them out. Each list has 10 foods and reasons why these foods are or are not beneficial in helping the body fight inflammation. I’m glad I like foods on the “good” list! Just ate some sweet potatoes, broccoli, and olive oil!

Top 10 Inflammatory Foods to Avoid Like the Plague

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You’ve Got to Know

Our amazing Earth produces a wide variety of SPICES and HERBS that contain thousands of plant chemicals that are

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

and

POWERFUL ANTIOXIDANTS

ginger – turmeric – cinnamon – cloves – oregano -

parsley – rosemary -

thyme -mint – tarragon – dill

Top 10 Anti-Aging Spices & Herbs

So spice up your food and know that your are fighting against aging!

Let us know what your favorite spices & herbs are and how you use them in your kitchen!

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Long term studies have consistently shown that people who eat nuts several times a week have a 30-50% lower risk of heart disease!

Eat your nuts People!

The type of nut you eat doesn’t make a huge difference,

but some have more heart-healthy goodness than others.

Walnuts. Almonds. Hazelnuts Nuts. Brazil. Pine Nuts. Pecan. Pistachio. Cashew.

 GOOD GOOD GOOD!

Eating Nuts Regularly

• lower the LDL :: low-density lipoprotein/ bad cholesterol in their blood.  Remember, high LDL is one of the primary causes of heart disease.

• reduces risk of developing blood clots :: can cause heart attacks.

• improves the lining of the arteries

  
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The Good Stuff In NUTS

(The amounts vary from nut to nut,

but nearly every nut has some level of each of these nutrients.)

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Fiber :: plays a role in preventing diabetes

• Vitamin E ::  stops the development of plaques in the arteries – plaque narrows the space blood can flow – plaque can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or heart attack

• Plant sterols ::  some nuts have this and it lowers your cholesterol.  Often times this is added to orange juice and other products, but it occurs naturally in nuts.

• L-arginine :: shown to make the walls of the artery more flexible and less prone to blood clots.

• Unsaturated fats :: YOU NEED THESE good fats – monounsaturated & polyunsaturated – lowers bad cholesterol

  Slow down the aging process by controlling inflammation and

  eliminating  free radicals from your body through your diet!

  Let us know how you like to eat your nuts.

  What’s your favorite nut?

  Share your recipes!!!

  
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And when I came home, I had two meals:  first, a huge bowl of fruit salad and some bites of almond butter, and, three hours later, several hot helpings of lima beans.  I had told myself when I had the first meal that I would probably be eating again in three hours, and I was.  Everything is running right on time!

I am eating fairly healthily, with lots of fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts — mostly non-animal products (meat, dairy, etc), no alcohol, and very little sugar.  I do eat fish.  And I will have a burger when the need arises, which tends to be once a month (makes sense to my female brain).  Also, I will indulge in a comforting, inflammatory meal when the emotions win out, which is acceptable and fine and part of this balance I keep.  But, overall, my effort is to help bring levels of inflammation down in my body.  There is a strong correlation between the foods I eat and the health of my skin and lack of aching in my joints.  I can tell the difference within hours, sometimes.

I began eating an anti-inflammatory diet when I awakened one morning last month with aching joints.  This was the first time I had felt this way and it scared me enough to make an immediate change.  (Rheumatoid arthritis just struck my sister, so I wanted to head it off if I could.)  So, more days than before, I am eating very healthy foods.  Luckily, it feels good in general!  I feel lighter, cleaner, can eat more bulk and not gain weight — it’s a nice way to be, knowing that most things I am eating are actually “food medicine,” substances that improve the health of my body.  Cravings disappear when I’m eating fruits and vegetables and nuts and beans and fish.  I used to cave to cravings for carbs, sugar, fat . . .  I beat myself up for not being able to not eat them.  I blamed myself for having an eating disorder.  Now I don’t think I do have one.  No need to shame myself — those food-stuffs are mostly harmful and addictive to me, so I’m glad to make them 2% of my diet these days instead of 98%.

I am sticking to my three (or four, or so) meals a day and am not feeling deprived anymore.  This is exciting.

Inflammation & Oxidative Damage

These are two processes that happen within our bodies that contribute to almost every degenerative disease.

They are involved in…

• cancer
• diabetes
• obesity
• heart disease
• Alzheimer’s
• cognitive decline
• other, less serious diseases that affect quality of life

They can…

• damage cells
• damage the delivery system for oxygen and blood

Inflammation:

the body’s response to injury or irritation.

Acute inflammation occurs so that the body can recover from injuries, colds, or infections.  This is all good… the body’s healing agent!

Chronic inflammation is not so great.  Over time, it does damage that goes unnoticed because of the lack of symptoms.  For this blog post, I am referring to inflammation as a result of a poor diet, stress, smoking and the lack of exercise.

Oxidative Damage:

 I’m talking about free radicals.  These rogue cells attack your good cells and actually damage your DNA.  Simply put, they affect the way your cells repair and rebuild…

Research suggests that free radicals may contribute to pre-mature aging, wrinkling of the skin, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer.

THE GOOD NEWS!

Unfortunately we can’t completely eliminate inflammation and free radicals from our body, BUT we can significantly reduce them!

• We can add foods filled with anti-inflammitory properties to our daily food routine
• Reduce the amount of chemicals that come in contact with your body.

For the next 2 weeks I will be talking about a new SUPER FOOD each day that will help fight against inflammation and free radicals!

Take this journey with me and invite your friends!

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:  “Turmeric has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and wounds.  Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant.”

Remember Curcumin is the phytochemcial that give turmeric its color.

And Eat This! has a list of 20 Health Benefits contributed to Turmeric including;

-When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

-Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

-May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

Well, I’ve had it for a while now and I really like the flavor.  I’ve added it to soups, to veggies, and to meat.  You know my standard ground turkey and whatever veggies I have?  Well, it really makes that taste wonderful.  I had cooked broccoli, mushrooms, and ground turkey for dinner a few nights ago, today I decided to have the leftovers in a tortilla.  Since we have a few cucumbers I decided to use some up by slicing it really thin and putting it in the tortilla with the meat and a bit of parmesan cheese.  WOW!  The turmeric and the cucumbers were a party-in-my-mouth flavor.  It was really good.  So now I am going to serve cucumbers with my turmeric ground turkey.  Many people can describe flavors, I can sometimes, but I cannot describe the flavor or turmeric.  I would say that it is somewhat mellow so it won’t necessary overpower what you are using it with.  It is not hot or bitter.  I think it can be used with anything savory.     
 
Wiki says “it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell” but I don’t agree.  Maybe I will give it the mustardy smell, but not off the top of my head.

But there is a problem with turmeric.  It dyes everything yellow!  I now have several bowls and utensils dyed yellow because I used them to stir, serve, or store something with turmeric in it.  It is just as bad as tomato sauce when it comes to dying things!

I am familiar with turmeric in its powdered form, but it is a root like ginger, so if you get it in root form you can use it just as you would ginger.  You could chop it, grate it, cut it up . . . the same as ginger. 

If you like the flavor it seems like a great thing to add to just about everything.   Since it is touted as an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, help in the treatment of  inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), helps treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, improves liver function, prevents some cancers, lowers cholesterol, helps treat and prevent Alzheimer’s, reduces risk of childhood Leukemia among other things — why not add it to things?

Do you cook with Turmeric?  If so what do you add it to?

Since I was able to get some rehab under my belt, I wanted to share what I can with others. Getting the right care, support and tools are crucial to salvaging what’s left of the old life, and build a foundation for a good ‘new’ life post-injury.

I’ve been out with several headaches and migraines this week and jokingly thought the first post would end up being on ice packs…oh how exciting! Wouldn’t be prudent! Yesterday was a good enough day for me I could tolerate not only washing, but juicing and thought it’d be a good foundational post to start with.

For me, nutrition has been a pretty big deal because of discovering food allergies as an adult. Recently I’ve learned with the inflammation that’s been terrorizing me that I could be doing myself a favor and look into foods that have natural anti-inflammatory properties.

That brought me back to juicing. It’s something I did every day for my dog and I while she struggled with Cancer. I called it her, “Puppy go juice” and making it for her gave me a strong sense of purpose. It did make a huge difference in her energy and may have not only extended her life, but gave her a much better quality too.

The produce in this photo is mainly from the CSA, with kale and parsley from our garden, and apples from the store. Got to love those colors, oh my gosh! Chard, beets, carrots, eggplant, apples, green peppers, cucumber, zucchini, etc…I’ll juice pretty much anything that can be juiced in the fruit and veggie family.

This is my juicer, it’s a Breville fancy schmancy, can’t remember the model, it has two speeds and so far works really great.

I can vouch for the LaLanne juicers as well as that was the first one I’d had, it lasted a couple years of daily juicing. I think they’re both very good. I bought this one off of eBay (it was a display model) and the LaLanne one I had earlier was a Costco purchase.

Because I’m not much of a cook and would like to maintain some decent nutrition and produce usually went bad before I consumed it, juicing was a good option for me.

I’m no nutritional saint by any means, I was raised on cakes, cookies, and all sorts of yummy fatty things, so still have a sweet tooth that is probably pretty dang hard wired. Cake is a weakness for me as my Mom worked from home before it was cool to do so and decorated cakes for a living. I like to say, “I’ve never met a cake I didn’t like.” Same goes for most sweets, really!

I figured Jack LaLanne has outlived a lot of people I know and as a non-veggie person thought if I could drink the greenest juice he had in his recipe book that came with the juicer, I’d have it made. I didn’t like the drink, I drank it all, and the funniest thing? I started craving veggies after my body got over the initial shock!

I’ve been told it’s important to stay hydrated and eat well, especially with Brain Injury. For me, I’ve found juicing helps me do both.

It is a big investment in time, energy and money, but, a good return on the investment. I have heard of people who bought juicers and do not use them. If juicing is something you’re curious about, I’d suggest doing research first and maybe purchasing a lower end juicer on the secondary market to see if it’s something you enjoy.

Arthritis affects people of all ages and economic status. And while juvenile arthritis does occur, and arthritis symptoms can develop suddenly or very slowly,  the vast majority of arthritis sufferers start becoming affected as they age. When you’re looking at whether or not you are at risk for developing arthritis, the simple fact that you are aging can make you prone to the disease.

However, there are other risk factors of which you need to be aware:

1. Overweight.  If you are overweight you have a higher chance of developing arthritis. This is because excess weight puts more stress on the back, knees, and hips.

2. Joint injuries. If you have experienced an injury to a joint, whether it be a knee, a hip, an elbow, or even in the hands and wrist, your risk for arthritis in that joint increases.  This is mainly due to damage, or wear and tear of the joint cartilage. And it doesn’t matter if the joint injury was from an accident, or from chronic stress to the joint from an activity.

3. Eating certain foods. While eating or not eating certain foods does not, in and of itself, cause arthritis, if you are prone to gouty arthritis, you’ll want to try to prevent flare-ups by avoiding foods that contain purine, such as sardines, legumes, poultry, fish, red meats, and organ meats such as liver and kidneys.

Those of you who already suffer from rheumatoid arthritis will want to stick to anti-inflammatory foods to help keep symptoms at bay. You can find examples of anti-inflammatory foods here.

4. Genes. While positive proof of genetic inheritance of arthritis has not yet been found, many studies indicate there is an association for some forms.  For example, a genetic link has been found for rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers at Manchester University have discovered a variant that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis which may determine who develops this condition and the extent of their disease.

The bottom line is to live as healthy as possible, especially regarding diet and exercise. And give your hand and finger joints an assist by using an ergonomic pen when you write. The UGLee Pen will help you lessen repetitive stress during writing, which will decrease one of your risk factors for getting arthritis in your hands.

Image Credit: doctortipster.com

Extra-virgin olive oil – an unrefined type of olive oil – contains a substance called oleocanthol that interferes with two enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) involved with inflammation in the body. In fact, a 2005 study in the journal Nature found that oleocanthol inhibits inflammation in a way that’s identical to the painkiller ibuprofen.

Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been found to have both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Scientists say the presence of this compound may help explain the so-called “French paradox” as to why the French –who drink red wine with most meals – can eat a diet that’s actually quite high in saturated fats and yet have healthy arteries and hearts.

Generally, any beverage that is high in water content will have anti-inflammatory qualities, and tea is a great choice. Teas such as white tea, oolong, and green tea are full of catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce artery plaque and inflammation. Tea also has been linked to reduced risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

If you’re eating beef that’s not specifically sold as “grass-fed,” it means the cows were fed a high-calorie diet of corn and grain in an effort to fatten them quickly. Corn and grain are full of omega-6 fatty acids, which have been linked to inflammation. Grass-fed cows are leaner, and their meat is rich in healthy compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.

You’ve probably seen bottles of fish oil supplements in your pharmacy or grocery store, but you can get the same healthy boost from going straight to the source, as well. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna are fish that have fatty oils throughout the fillets and in the area around the gut, rather than just in just the liver. Experts say eating one to two servings of these fish per week can reduce inflammation and also decrease your risk for heart disease and sudden death.

Cocoa contains anti-inflammatory compounds called flavanols, substances that reduce both blood clotting and inflammation in the body. Enjoying a cup or two of hot cocoa per week can help reduce inflammation, particularly if it’s made with skim or low-fat milk to keep down the drink’s content of saturated fats. Keep in mind, however, that trying to get your cocoa in the form of candy will load you up on saturated fats.

Cranberries are a powerhouse food, with studies linking the red berry to such benefits as inhibiting cancerous tumors and lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol. Scientists say the fact that the berries are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants contribute to their healthful effects. As a bonus, cranberries also contain tannins, substances that can act as a natural antibacterial agent to fight urinary tract and E. coli infections.

A 2004 study in the medical journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology found that people with stable coronary disease lowered the amount of inflammatory markers in their blood by drinking Concord grape juice. This finding was likely due to the presence of resveratrol in the grapes’ skins, which inhibits inflammation and may even help to fight cancer. Eating grapes – and not drinking them – also adds fiber to the grapes’ benefits and eliminates any added sugar.

Walnuts contain the “plant version” of omega-3 fatty acids, a substance known as ALA, which reduces inflammation in the body. In a 2004 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, scientists found that people who ate at least 2.3 ounces of walnuts and flaxseed (which also contains ALA) daily had reduced levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), a major indicator of a person’s risk for heart disease.

Broccoli is a virtual disease fighter, rich in such healthy compounds as beta-carotene, vitamin B folate, vitamin C, and the inflammation-fighting flavanoid kaempferol. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane, which experts say helps the body cleanse itself of cancer-causing compounds.

Muscle soreness; we’ve all been there.  Sitting turns in to more of a graceful fall, you avoid the stairs at all costs, and you’d rather buy a new pen than pick one up off the floor.  In your quest to get fit and healthy, you’ve jumped into a new exercise routine with enthusiasm, and have woken up feeling sufficiently stiff and sore.

Mild soreness 24 – 28 hours after your training session, commonly referred to as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), is completely normal.  It is caused by eccentric exercise, where the muscle is actively lengthening, which leads to small tears in the proteins that make up your muscles.  Exercisers may experience a range of symptoms including dull, diffuse pain and tenderness, stiffness, swelling, and decreased strength of the exercised muscle.  The severity of symptoms depends on the intensity and duration of training, but usually subside after a few days.

However, there are several ways to prevent and settle the symptoms of soreness.  Use these tips for a speedy recovery and you’ll be back to the gym in a flash!

Preventing Muscle Soreness

1. Ease into a new routine - Too much too soon can leave you feeling less than enthusiastic about your goal to get fit.  Better to ease into a new program by working at an appropriate intensity for your fitness level.  This will allow your muscles to adjust without causing extreme soreness.
2. Warm-Up - A good warm-up is essential before any cardio or weights session.  It primes your muscles for the work ahead by gradually increasing blood flow, and also helps to prevent injury.  Perform 5 – 10 minutes of light activity such as walking, jogging, or dynamic stretching such as arm circles.
3. Stay hydrated -  Your blood transport nutrients and waste to and from your muscles.  Dehydration can lead to a lower blood volume and effect this transport system leading to a decrease in performance and recovery.  Stay hydrated by drinking water before, during, and after your workout to replace fluid lost through sweat.  A good goal is to consume approximately 2 litres of water daily for optimal health.
   

   Drink up!

4. Cool down & stretch– An adequate cool down is just as important for recovery.  Take 5 minutes to walk and let your heart rate slow.  Follow this up with static stretching to lengthen the muscles you have worked.
   

   Stretch out your back with Childs Pose

5. Eat well – Proper pre and post workout nutrition can significantly speed up recovery time.  Before a training session have a small snack containing some carbohydrate and protein, such as a small bowl of cereal with milk, or half a turkey sandwich.  Then after your training session, plan to have another snack within 30 minutes, such as a whey protein shake mixed with fruit.  Follow this by eating a meal no more than 2 hours after training.  During this 2 hour window, your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients which aid in faster recovery and repair.  Check out my recipes for some inspiration!
6. Supplement with BCAAs – Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which makes up our muscles.  Branch-chained amino acids (BCAAs) include three main amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.  Research shows that supplementation has several benefits including reduced muscle soreness and fatigue associated with intense training.  More information on the benefits of this supplement can be found here.

Easing Muscle Soreness

1. Perform active rest – Although this may seem counterintuitive, performing low intensity exercise can help relieve muscle soreness.  Activities such as walking, swimming, Pilates, or yoga increase circulation of blood.  This is turn removes toxins and brings nutrients to muscles, aiding in their recovery.
2. Reduce inflammation – Micro tears in muscles lead to inflammation and pain. To combat this effect try adding more anti-inflammatory foods to your diet, such as blueberries, oily fish like wild salmon or sardines, and green vegetables like broccoli and kale.
   

   Reduce inflammation with oily fish & greens

3. Relaxation– A gentle massage can help relieve muscle pain and tension associated with DOMS.  Alternatively try soaking in a warm bath for 30 minutes.  Anything to relax and ease discomfort can be helpful.
   

   Relax in a soothing bubble bath

4. Rest – Recovery takes time so make sure to give your body adequate rest.  Ensure you are getting 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night.  Sleep is essential for proper hormone balance and muscle recovery so don’t underestimate it’s importance.  More tips on improving the quality and quantity of your sleep can be found here.

Hopefully these tips will help ease your aches, pains, and worries so you can get back to your active lifestyle.  Remember good things take time, so schedule in adequate rest days and active recovery sessions to allow for healing.  This way your body will be in tip top shape come training days, and you can perform at your best!

Questions:

• What supplements do you use to complement your training?
• When was the last time you booked in for a massage or other relaxing treatment?