Joint Pain Issue

Joint pain relief is the topic that my grandma want me to post because she’s currently suffering from joint pain. She is currently taking medication prescribed by her doctor. My grandma is already 79 years old and will turn 80 this year but she’s still active like she’s just 55 years old if she has no joint pain. Yes, she’s still as active as her offspring.

People are more cautious to take medication nowadays and my grandma is not exempted from them. They want to know some alternative ways to get rid the pain without the help of prescribed medicines. I told my grandma that what she is thinking is great but she still need to follow her doctor’s advise too of course.

If we talk about bone deterioration, food rich in antioxidants helps a lot to prevent tissue loss and in repairing damaged cartilages and bones. Great example of these antioxidants are vitamin A, C and E.

Omega-3 fatty acids can also fight against inflammation like arthritis aside from its great advantage in lowering cholesterol level that’s why lots of old generation population love to eat food rich in omega-3 or take it as supplement.

There are natural supplements too that are already gaining popularity as an alternative medication for joint pain. But, some people still stick to homemade remedies. They use herbs like ginger and grape seed extracts as poultice to be relieved from pain.

Whether you take subscribed medications or use alternative medicines, change of diet is very much helpful to get rid of joint pain.

Nutrients We Should Not Take in Excess

Too much of good things is bad. This saying is true especially if we talk about vitamins and other nutrients that could harm if taken in excess.

Harmful level of certain vitamins and minerals is impossible to attain if such nutrients are taken only by eating nutritious foods, and is very possible when it is taken in supplement form. Thus, the right way to get our body’s needed nutrients is by eating various nutritious foods than taking them as supplement.

Here are some of the supplements that you must not take in excess:

IRON. Too much of iron stored in the body could cause headache, fatigue, low blood sugar, liver problems, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, testicular problem in men, or even coma.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
men: 8 mg/day
women: 18 mg/day
women 51 y.o. and over: 8 mg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 45 mg/day

VITAMIN A. Too much of vitamin A in the body could lessen bone mineral density (could lead to osteoporosis), liver damage, disorders in central nervous system and risk of birth defects.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
men: 3,000 IU/day
women: 2,310 IU/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL):
10,000 IU/day

VITAMIN C. Too much of vitamin C could upset the gastrointestinal tract and could even cause diarrhea.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
men: 90 mg/day
women: 75 mg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 2,000 mg/day

CALCIUM. High level of calcium in the body could interfer the absorption of other important minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus, and could impair the functioning of our kidneys.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
adults 19-50 y.o.: 1,000 mg/day
adults 51 y.o. and over: 1,200 mg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 2,500 mg/day

VITAMIN E. Vitamin E is a natural anticoagulant thus too much of it in the body put the individual at risk of bleeding problems.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 22.5 IU/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 1,500 IU/day
NOTE: 400 IU/day or more increase the risk of death

VITAMIN D. High level of vitamin D in the blood could raise blood calcium level too that may cause changes like confusion. Poor appetite, constipation, weakness, nausea, vomiting and weight loss are some of the symptoms of high level of vitamin D.

Adequate Daily Intake (AI):
70 y.o and below: 400 IU/day
71 y.o. and over: 600 IU/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 2,000 IU/day

ZINC. Too much of zinc in the body could weaken the immune system and lower the good cholesterol (HDL) level and alter iron function and copper levels.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
men: 11 mg/day
women: 8 mg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 40 mg/day

SELENIUM. Too much of selenium in the body exhibits symptoms like hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, white blotchy nails, irritability, garlic breath odor, and mild nerve damage.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 55ug/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 400ug/day

VITAMIN B6. If it is taken at high doses but lower than 500mg/day, it could cause nerve damage to the legs as well as on arms.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA):
19-50y.o.: 1.3 mg/day
men 51 y.o. and over: 1.7 mg/day
women 51 y.o. and over: 1.5 mg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 100 mg/day

COPPER. Too much of copper could damage the liver and kidneys, and could cause neurologic problems. The following are symptoms of too much copper in the body: abdominal pain, weakness, insomnia, diminished concentration, learning disabilities, memory lapses, stuttering, hyperactivity, seizure, and delirium.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 900mcg/day
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): 10,000mcg/day

Important Nutrients that Some of Us Are Lacking

One reliable survey showed that many people are lacking of some important nutrients I’ll be mentioning today. The sad fact is that all of these nutrients could be taken from plant sources. Does it mean that lots of parents nowadays prefer to provide processed foods to their kids rather than wholesome ones?

VITAMIN E. This antioxidant helps boast the immune system and fight off harmful invaders, especially free radicals by maintaining the integrity of our skin.

Excellent Food Sources: spinach, mustard greens, Swiss chard, raw sunflower seeds,almonds, turnip greens, wheat germ and its oil, papaya and olives

VITAMIN C. This antioxidant is important in reviving a sluggish immune system, in synthesis of collagen and in fighting from free radical damage.

Excellent Food Sources: Red bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges, guava, honeydew, broccoli, cauliflower, parsley, lemon juice, strawberries, romaine lettuce, kale, cantaloupe, and grapefruit.

FIBER. We need this to keep our cholesterol and sugar level on normal range and to support us for a regular bowel movement.

Excellent Food Sources: Apples, whole-grain products, pears, turnip greens, raspberries, broccoli, Swiss chard, raw celery, kidney and pinto beans, brown rice, squash, strawberries and asparagus

MAGNESIUM. It strengthens our muscles and bones, keep our blood circulation smoothly and protect us against heart disease.

Excellent Food Sources: Nuts, Swiss chard, wheat germ, spinach, squash, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, black beans and navy beans

VITAMIN A. It promotes healthy skin, keep immunity strong, and preserves and improve eyesight.

Excellent Food Sources: Raw carrots, corn on the cob, broccoli, sweet potatoes, asparagus, cantaloupe, spinach, kale, tomato, romaine lettuce, mango, apricots, red bell peppers

CALCIUM. It relieves menstrual symptoms, supports nerve and muscle function, ward off osteoporosis, and may help maintain normal blood pressure.

Excellent Food Sources: Sesame seeds, spinach, greens (mustard, turnip and collard), broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, and other green leafy vegetables

POTASSIUM. It could prevent us from kidney problems, help our nerves and muscles to function properly, and in maintaining blood pressure.

Excellent Food Sources: Banana, prune juice, Swiss chard, spinach, avocado, crimini mushrooms, lima beans, avocado, pinto beans, papaya, carrot juice, orange juice, lentils, eggplant, beets, strawberries

Eating various fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and nuts than taking those nutrients as supplements, is the best way to get the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients our body needs for us to stay healthy.

Health Benefits of Fish Oil

I love to eat oily fishes since childhood days. Tuna, salmon and mackerel are just some of my favorites. It tastes so favorably on my taste buds and love it even more since I learned that oily fishes are rich in omega-3 oil. But, some people are worried of contamination of fishes with toxic chemicals because of some illegal dumping of toxic materials into the seas thus they prefer to eat animal meat as their source of protein and could not avail the tremendous benefits of fish oil from oily fishes.

Thanks to fish oil manufacturing companies, because of them it is not necessary for us to eat oily fishes just to avail the health benefits of fish oil. Not just that, they make sure that fish oils they produce are of good quality and free from any possible contaminants from the ocean where oily fishes resides. Fish oil supplements are usually blended with vitamin E. Aside from being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin E prevents fish oil to become rancid.

The two components of omega-3 in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), provides notable health benefits. Aside from it could fill in nutritional gap, regular consumption of fish oil could lower cholesterol level, lower blood pressure, it improves cardiovascular health so as the liver. It could also help people who are suffering from asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis and cancer. Studies also showed that it could help those who are suffering from depression, bipolar disorder and ADHD.

We have no excuse for not availing the awesome health benefits of omega-3 from fish oil now. Whether you are like me who loves to eat oily fishes or not because there are fish oil supplements that are available now in the market. For pure vegetarians, flaxseed and flax oil are great alternative for fish oil when we talk about omega-3.

Diet, Exercise and Water For A Healthier Body

While other people are struggling to lose some weight, losing weight and maintaining it is so easy for me. It’s just a matter of diets that work, exercise and water intake.

Choosing the kinds of food to eat plays the biggest role. If you love to eat fatty, sweet, preserved and processed foods rather than fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, better not expect to lose some weight.

Yes, you may lose some weight if you just take it in in small amounts but there’s a big tendency for you not to maintain your desired weight. A healthy low-fat and sweets diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and grains could not just help you lose weight but also not to worry about gaining pounds back. You just need to make it part of your lifestyle so as exercise.

Water is of great help too in lossing weight aside from diet that work and exercise. Drinking 1-2 glasses of water at least 30 minutes before meal could make you feel full, making you eat less while it helps your body burn fat more efficiently and wash the toxins out of your body. So, better practice to drink at least 8 glasses of plain water a day.