More and more people are seeking a natural approach by using alternative medicine to treat joint pain. Our team at Peter’s Choice Nutrition Center has compiled a list of our top 5 options for joint pain and what the existing research says about them to help you find the best option for you.
Did you know that in the United States, 23% of all adults—over 54 million people—have arthritis? As you get older, painful joints become increasingly more common, but it’s important to determine the cause so you know how to address the pain. Joint pain may range from a mild ache to a severe, burning or sharp sensation in one or several joints. In some instances, joint pain is associated with other symptoms, like joint swelling and stiffness, overlying red and warm skin, and whole-body symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, or fever.
While you might be likely to pop a painkiller for relief, it won’t address the underlying cause of the pain and can actually cause it to worsen over time. It is very important to seek professional advice to determine the type of joint pain you are experiencing before treating it. In any case, we believe with lifestyle modification, proper diet, and anti-inflammatory measures will help improve joint pain regardless of the cause. To make your search a little easier our team has compiled the following 5 best options to help ease your joint pain.
1 Turmeric Root Extract (Curcumin)
Shown to reduce joint pain and swelling in patients with active RA better than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Native to southeast India, the herb for thousands of years has been used as both a spice and as a medicinal treatment in India and Asia. Dr. Mercola says that curcumin is better than drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. That is quite a testament to its effectiveness.
2 Green Tea
Yes, Green Tea! It has a rich source of polyphenols. Studies suggest that long term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols offers protection against the development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases (1). Diets rich in polyphenols are powerful antioxidants. Green tea’s good source of epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) which happens to be a type of polyphenol with potent antioxidant effects, helps block the production of molecules that cause joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
3 Boswellia (Serrata Extract)
Anti-inflammatory has shown to reduce inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and bursitis symptoms. Boswellic acids (the active components) has strong anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. It is also shown to help prevent cartilage loss. According to Harvard Health Publishing, people in the “clinical trials who took 100 milligrams (mg) of B. Serrata daily for three months said their pain was moderately lower and their functioning slightly better, compared with those who took the placebo” (2).
4 Devil’s Claw
One study concluded that Devil’s Claw worked about as well as an anti-inflammatory drug diacerein, to treat knee or hip osteoarthritis (3). To learn more about Devil’s Claw, check the video below from Dr. James Meschino’s advice on the “Nature’s Very Scary Anti-inflammatory”.
Available in our LA store! Phone order also!
5 Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
One of our personal favorites, MSM short for “Methylsulfonylmethane”. MSM is basically a source of sulfur, which is a mineral that is essential to life. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that plays an important role in making collagen and glucosamine, both vital for healthy joints. MSM is actually 34% sulfur making it the richest source of this essential nutrient.
This all sounds too good to be true, but we find it fascinating that such simple products could have such a profound effect that benefits the body so well.
Try: Peter's Choice MSM+ POWDER
To learn more visit us at www.vites.com
PETER’S CHOICE NUTRITION CENTER
4879 Fountain Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90029
To Your Health!
Peter Gillham
Last week the UK Daily Mail dropped a bombshell when they published an article stating super-fit people are more likely to have pacemakers later in life. If you love to exercise, and are in peak condition, you mind find this disconcerting. Is there any truth to the statement “exercise causes changes in the body that can disrupt electrical pulses in the heart causing abnormal heart rhythms” ? Yes, there is. But what the article isn’t telling you, is that there is a simple solution to this problem. And no, you don’t have to give up exercise, or even slow down.
In our body we have something called “electrolytes”. These are substances that conduct electrical impulses in our bodily fluids. The 8 major electrolytes are: sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, phosphate and sulfate. It is necessary to have the right balance of electrolytes in order to remain healthy. Your muscles depend heavily on electrolytes to function properly. Your heart is a muscle. Muscle cramping and arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) are severe signs your body is deficient in electrolytes. Though you don’t have to be an athlete to become low in electrolytes, athletes are much more prone to having a deficiency because electrolytes are lost during physical activity and sweating. Low levels of electrolytes over time can damage your heart.
We do not recommend sports drinks that are full of sugar and other chemicals. They will damage your body in other ways. One of the best way to ensure you never run out of electrolytes is to take a liquid trace mineral formula. Trace minerals can also be found in tablets but for faster assimilation, liquids are better. If you are running a marathon in severe heat, it is also a good idea to take extra salt and potassium to replenish what you are excreting in your sweat. You can either use sea salt tablets or put some good quality sea salt in liquid and drink. You can find potassium in either a liquid or tablet form. Ultra marathon runner, John Radich, has been using Peter’s vitamins and minerals for over 30 years and swears that he couldn’t do the marathons without them. John even does one of the most grueling marathons in North America – the Badwater Ultra Marathon in Death Valley, CA . (Death Valley is known for being one of the hottest spots on earth.) We supply John with a lot of liquid minerals before his marathons. Enjoy being an athlete and do not worry that you might be damaging your heart. Just ensure you take the proper nutrients on a regular basis to prevent any future problems.
To your Health!
Peter Gillham
]]>There are literally hundreds of reasons to avoid sugar. Sugar eaten regularly can inflict more damage on your body than almost any other substance. Millions of people know they shouldn’t eat it, but still do, because of its highly addictive properties.
Sugar (specifically fructose), is an enemy to your skin. It causes a condition called “glycation”. This is a process in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins forming harmful new molecules called “advanced glycation end product” or AGEs. Now that is a pretty easy acronym to remember, isn’t it? Fructose and sugars cause inflammation which then creates AGEs and speeds up the aging process.
AGEs can affect all organs and tissues in the body. When they affect the skin, they cause premature aging. AGEs attached to proteins. Collagen and elastin are proteins which are very important for firm and elastic skin so when sugar molecules attached to them, the result is a loss of elasticity. By the time we hit our 30’s, our collagen and elastin regeneration is already slowing down. AGEs will prevent the collagen and elastin from repairing themselves which worsens the situation. High blood sugar levels speed up the rate of glycation and the result is wrinkles and dry, unhealthy skin. You must also avoid processed foods like refined carbohydrates that turn to sugar in your body. Love fruit? That is fine in moderation. There are a lot of healthy nutrients in fruit. But make sure to eat the whole fruit with the fiber.
AGEs also promotes dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs. According to Dr. Richard Johnson, author of the book “The Fat Switch”, fructose causes the body to accumulate fat. Low fat diets are dangerous. If a person does not get enough healthy fat they will start to eat more carbohydrates – usually the kind that raises blood sugar levels such as starches and sweet treats.
Sugar is causing obesity, not fat. More and more evidence has been surfacing in recent years to indicate that a healthy diet consists of protein, fat, non-starchy vegetables and small amounts of fruit. According to many medical professionals, a very low carb diet is extremely beneficial for a person. Diabetes, hypertension and many health conditions can be completely cured once the diet has been changed to a low carb one.
The growth of fat cells around your vital organs are indications of future degenerative conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Sugar and fructose increases your insulin and leptin (hormone in the body that controls hunger and satiety) levels and decreases the sensitivity of the receptors for these crucial hormones. The result is excess insulin and leptin in the body which causes obesity and diabetes.
Whether you want to avoid wrinkles, fat or degenerative diseases, eliminating sugars from your diet is the key to your success. We know it isn’t going to be easy. Sugar may be the most addictive substance on the planet. Stop eating it!
To your Health!
Peter Gillham
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