Prescription Painkiller Drugs Kill People

From an article, by Dr. Mercola, with the full title - "Prescription Painkiller Drugs Kill More People Than Murders or Car Accidents in the US". This article was important to me as I had abused Motrin for probably 20 years for my knee and back pain before I found a better solution other than just masking the pain. It used to be nothing for me to take up to three 800 mg Motrin's a day and now am so thankful that I don't have to take pain killers anymore. So whatever you think of Dr. Mercola, he has a lot of truth in his article (below):

Deaths caused by overdosing on painkillers now surpass murders and fatal car accidents in the US. America’s rising drug problem recently received renewed attention following the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The 46-year-old Oscar-winning actor died from a heroin overdose on February 2. Last year, Hoffman entered rehab when addiction to prescription painkillers led him to switch to heroin. US officials now acknowledge that narcotic painkillers are in fact a driving force in the rise of substance abuse and lethal overdoses.

Over the past five years alone, heroin deaths have increased by 45 percent– an increase that officials blame on the rise of addictive prescription drugs such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, codeine, and Fentora, all of which are opioids.

The reason for the resurgence of heroin is in large part due to it being less expensive than its prescription counterparts. According to Gil Kerlikowske, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy:

“The use of opioids — a group of drugs that includes heroin and prescription painkillers — is having a devastating impact on public health and safety in communities across the nation.

In 2010, approximately 100 Americans died from overdoses every day. Prescription painkillers were involved in more than 16,600 deaths that year, and heroin was involved in about 3,000 deaths.”

Prescription Medications Are the New Gateway Drugs

Many are still under the illusion that prescription drugs are somehow safer than street drugs, but it’s important to realize that prescription medications like hydrocodone and oxycodone are opioids—just like heroin.

As explained by Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin, morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone “are all classified as opioids because they exert their effect by attaching to the opioid receptor found in our brain and spinal cord.”

They also create a temporary feeling of euphoria, followed by dysphoria, which can easily lead to addiction. Some people end up taking increasingly larger doses in order to regain the euphoric effect, or escape the unhappiness caused by withdrawal. Others find they need to continue taking the drugs not only to reduce withdrawal symptoms but to simply feel normal.

Opioids also depress your heart rate and breathing. Large doses can cause sedation and slowed breathing to the point that breathing stops altogether, resulting in death.

According to a 2013 US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, nearly 80 percent of people who recently started using heroin had previously used prescription painkillers. As reported by WebMD:

“To break this link, the federal government has begun to crack down on ‘pill mills’ and doctors who over-prescribe narcotic painkillers. It has also developed education programs for doctors and patients on prescribing painkillers and disposing of unused prescriptions.”

Shocking Report: More Than 14 Percent of Pregnant Women Prescribed Opioids!

Do you ever occasionally wonder about the fantastic lack of common sense among prescribing physicians? According to one recent study, more than 14 percent of pregnant women were prescribed opioid drugs during their pregnancy.

The paper called for more research to assess the risks to the fetus, in light of such surprisingly high prescription rates. But truly, knowing the risks involved in adults, how could anyone in their right mind imagine the risks to an unborn child might be anything but harmful?

Back pain—a problem most pregnant women have to deal with—was the most commonly cited reason for the prescription. Narcotics were also prescribed for complaints of abdominal pains, migraine, joint pains, and fibromyalgia. As reported by Medical News Today:

“The study looked at data from a research database of more than 530,000 pregnant women enrolled in a commercial insurance plan who delivered their babies between 2005 and 2011. Their median age was 31… Of the more than 530,000 pregnant women, 76,742, or 14.4 percent, were prescribed opioids at some point in their pregnancy…

[A] US National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2005) found associations between codeine and other opioids with birth defects, including atrial and ventricular septal defects, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, spina bifida, and gastroschisis in newborns. Additionally, the US national study cites that when opioids are used long-term during pregnancy, ‘there is a known risk for neonatal opioid dependence and subsequent withdrawal symptoms in the first few days of life.’”

FDA Finally Clamps Down on Painkiller Prescriptions

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended tighter controls on painkiller prescriptions, and has announced its intention to reclassify hydrocodone-containing painkillers from a Schedule III to a Schedule II drug. The drug schedule system classifies medications based on their potential for abuse and addiction, as well as other medical criteria.

The reclassification will affect how hydrocodone-containing drugs can be prescribed and refilled. Doctors will only be allowed to prescribe a 90-day supply of the drug per prescription, and they will no longer be permitted to phone in refills; rather the patient has to bring the prescription with them to the pharmacy.

The new regulations are expected to take effect sometime this year. Ironically enough, while talking about the need for stricter controls and less addictive painkillers, it recently approved the first drug containing pure hydrocodone for the US market, called Zohydro ER (Zogenix). All other hydrocodone-containing painkillers on the market are mixed with other non- addictive ingredients. Zohydro ER was approved for patients who need around-the-clock pain relief. As reported by Bloomberg at the end of October last year:

“The approval came as a surprise since an FDA panel of outside advisers gave the drug an overwhelmingly negative review last year. The panel of pain specialists voted 11-2, with one abstention, against approving the drug. It questioned the need for a new form of one of most widely-abused prescription drugs in the United States. The approval also came a day after the FDA said it would support stronger restrictions on combination drugs containing hydrocodone.”

Do You Really Need a Narcotic Pain Killer?

I strongly recommend exhausting your options before resorting to a narcotic pain reliever. It’s quite clear that these drugs are being overprescribed, and can easily lead you into addiction and other, more illicit drug use. I strongly suspect that the overreliance on them as a first line of defense for pain is a major part of the problem. Remember, no matter what type of painkiller you choose, it will come with potentially serious risks to your health. I believe there are better alternatives. If you are suffering from pain, whether acute or chronic, I recommend working with a knowledgeable health care practitioner to determine what’s really triggering your pain, and then address the underlying cause. Remember, along with exposing you to potentially deadly risks, medications only provide symptomatic relief. They do NOT address the underlying cause of your pain.

13 Non-Drug Solutions for Pain Relief

The following options provide excellent pain relief without any of the health hazards that prescription (and even over-the-counter) painkillers carry. If you are in pain, try these first, before even thinking about prescription painkillers of any kind.

1.Eliminate or radically reduce processed foods, grains, and sugars from your diet. Avoiding grains and sugars will lower your insulin and leptin levels and decrease insulin and leptin resistance, which is one of the most important reasons why inflammatory prostaglandins are produced. That is why stopping sugar and sweets is so important to controlling your pain and other types of chronic illnesses.

2.Start taking a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat. My personal favorite is krill oil. Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how anti-inflammatory painkillers work; they manipulate prostaglandins.)

3.Optimize your production of vitamin D by getting regular, appropriate sun or safe tanning bed exposure, which will work through a variety of different mechanisms to reduce your pain.

4.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a drug-free approach for pain management of all kinds. EFT borrows from the principles of acupuncture, in that it helps you balance out your subtle energy system. It helps resolve underlying, often subconscious, negative emotions that may be exacerbating your physical pain. By stimulating (tapping) well-established acupuncture points with your fingertips, you rebalance your energy system, which tends to dissipate pain.

5.Astaxanthin is one of the most effective fat-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than anti-inflammatory drugs. Higher doses are typically required and one may need 8 mg or more per day to achieve this benefit.

6.Ginger: This herb has potent anti-inflammatory activity and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.

7.Curcumin: In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility. A past study also found that a turmeric extract composed of curcuminoids blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively preventing the overproduction of a protein that triggers swelling and pain.

8.Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.

9.Bromelain: This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti- inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form but eating fresh pineapple, including some of the bromelain-rich stem, may also be helpful.

10.Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.

11.Evening Primrose, Black Currant, and Borage Oils: These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain.

12.Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

13.Methods such as yoga, Foundation Training, acupuncture, meditation, hot and cold packs, and other mind-body techniques can also result in astonishing pain relief without any drugs.



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Harold's Knee Pain

I received another e-mail from Harold, a 50 year carpenter-home repair specialist who I have been talking to about his bad knees and his health in general. Harold said ”I wanted to tell you that after two months of adding the Omega 3’s I feel better than ever. No doubt the Glucosamine helped greatly as my pain going downstairs is gone, but somehow I think the Omega 3’s is helping my knees too. I haven't got my cholesterol level yet, but will let you know. Thanks”

When I first started talking to Harold I suggested trying pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine that is optimized with Vitamin C and a highly bioavailable complex from Curcumin, before he gave in and tried a prescription drug or pain killer. He tried it for two months and found significant pain relief. 

Back and forth with Harold uncovered that he was an unabashed red meat eater,...almost every day.  I told Harold that he may want to add a Omega 3 supplement and try to reduce the large amount of Omega 6's he was getting in his diet, which he told me also consisted of alot of eggs and nuts.  He did not try an Omega 3 supplement at first until I mentioned that a quality Omega 3 supplement shows promise in clinical trials in reducing cholesterol levels and Harold had a cholesterol level of 240.     

Red meat, walnuts, cashews, eggs, vegetable oil and almonds are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids which combined with our low intake of Omega 3 foods (normal in the Western diet) will increase our Omega 6 to 3 ratios well past the recommended 2:1 ratio to sometimes as high as 40:1.

This imbalance of Omega 6 to 3 Fatty Acids is thought to increase oxidative stress and therefore free radical damage and resulting in inflammation which of course can affect the body anywhere and can as joint pain and a host of other symptoms.  

So even though Harold tried the Omega 3 supplement primarily for his cholesterol, he found out that it seems to also be helping with his knee pain which was his primary concern. 

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10 Surprising Dangers of Vitamins and Supplements

I came across this article by the Editors of Consumer Reports,........ More than half of American adults take vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other nutritional supplements. Some of those products aren’t especially helpful, readers told us in a recent survey, but that aside, don’t assume they’re safe because they’re “all natural.” They may be neither. Here are 10 hazards that we’ve distilled from interviews with experts, published research, and our own analysis of reports of serious adverse events submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, which we obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Read and be warned. MyAchingKnees advises "Read and use some critical thinking".

1. Supplements are not risk-free
More than 6,300 reports of serious adverse events associated with dietary supplements, including vitamins and herbs, streamed into the FDA from supplement companies, consumers, health-care providers, and others between 2007 and mid-April of 2012. The reports by themselves don’t prove the supplements caused the problems, but the raw numbers are cause for some concern. Symptoms included signs of heart, kidney, or liver problems, aches, allergic reactions, fatigue, nausea, pains, and vomiting. The reports described more than 10,300 serious outcomes (some included more than one), including 115 deaths and more than 2,100 hospitalizations, 1,000 serious injuries or illnesses, 900 emergency-room visits, and some 4,000 other important medical events.

The FDA gets far more reports about serious problems with prescription medication than about supplements. But there’s a big difference between the two, notes Pieter Cohen, M.D., an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts with a special interest in supplements. “These powerful medications with powerful side effects are actually saving lives when used appropriately,” he says of prescription drugs. “But when healthy consumers use supplements, there’s rarely, if ever, a powerful lifesaving effect.”

The FDA suspects most supplement problems never come to its attention, says Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., director of the agency’s Division of Dietary Supplement Programs. But those that do are still useful because they can raise red flags about a developing problem. For instance, last year the agency noted seven reports of serious health problems regarding consumers who took Soladek vitamin solution, marketed by Indo Pharma of the Dominican Republic.

When the FDA learned that tested samples contained vitamins A and D at concentrations many times the recommended daily allowances, it issued a consumer warning. Why not simply order a problem product off the market? Current laws make that so difficult for the FDA that to date it has banned only one ingredient, ephedrine alkaloids. That effort dragged on for a decade, during which ephedra weight-loss products were implicated in thousands of adverse events, including deaths.

Type the name of the supplement you’re interested in into the search box at www.fda.gov to see whether it has been subject to warnings, alerts, or voluntary recalls. If you suspect you’re having a bad reaction to a supplement, tell your doctor. You can also report your problem to the FDA at 800-332-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

I have a hard time believing that supplements cause some much problems, but given the fact that the vast majority of supplements are manufactured using food grade manufacturing processes rather than much higher standard of pharmaceutical grade manufacturing process, some of the issues with off the shelf supplements have to stem from toxins or impurities from the manufacturing.

2. Some supplements are really prescription drugs
Fabricant has said that dietary supplements spiked with prescription drugs are “the largest threat” to consumer safety. Since 2008 there have been recalls of more than 400 such products, mostly those marketed for bodybuilding, sexual enhancement, and weight loss, according to the FDA. We’ve seen many recalled products that have contained the same or similar active ingredients as prescription drugs, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and sibutramine (Meridia, a weight-loss drug that was withdrawn from the market in 2010 because of evidence that it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes). Others contained synthetic steroids.

Those adulterated products can cause some of the same side effects and interactions that consumers may have been trying to avoid by choosing supplements over drugs. The FDA has received reports of strokes, acute liver injury, kidney failure, pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung), and death associated with drug-tainted supplements. “A number of the spiked sexual enhancement products claim to work within 20 to 45 minutes,” Fabricant said on the FDA’s website. “When we see a product that makes claims above and beyond what a dietary supplement might do—above supporting health—and within a time frame of a few minutes, it tips us off that we might have a spiked product.” Slim down with diet and exercise.

Build muscles by weight training. And consult a doctor if you need help in the bedroom, since it could indicate an underlying health problem. If you suspect you’ve purchased a product that is tainted with undeclared prescription drugs or steroids, send an e-mail about it to the FDA, at taintedproducts@fda.hhs.gov.

More than half of American adults take vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other nutritional supplements. Some of those products aren’t especially helpful, readers told us in a recent survey, but that aside, don’t assume they’re safe because they’re “all natural.” They may be neither. Here are 10 hazards that we’ve distilled from interviews with experts, published research, and our own analysis of reports of serious adverse events submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, which we obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Read and be warned.

There it is again, the low, non regulated food grade manufacturing process. Ask the Olympic Committee why they don't recommend their athletes taking OTC supplements. Ask the Olympic Committee which Pharmaceutical grade supplements sponsors many of their athletes. Plus there are certainly many professional athletes coming up "hot" on banned substances who claim to be taking OTC supplements.

3. You can overdose on vitamins and minerals
Unless your health-care provider tells you that you need more than 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of a particular nutrient, you probably don’t. “It doesn’t make sense to me to take huge doses of vitamins and minerals unless there’s a diagnosed problem, because there is so little evidence that they do good and sometimes a possibility that they might do harm,” says Marion Nestle, M.P.H., Ph.D., a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University.

I know who I won't be asking nutritional advice from. The proof's in the pudding Marion, that 1- you cannot get all your required nutrients from today's food supply and 2 - there is an undenible link of nutritional deficiencies to the long list of degenerative diseases affecting us. And these degenerative diseases are hitting us when we are younger and younger,....is that because we are producing weaker humans? It is much more likley to be linked to terrible foods that we commonly consume today.

4. You can’t depend on warning labels
For one thing, the FDA doesn’t require them on supplements. There is an exception: Supplements that contain iron must warn about accidental overdosing and fatal poisoning in children.

Not only does the FDA not require warning labels on supplements, they donlt require food grade supplements to be produced to any guaranteed quality.

5. None are proved to cure major diseases
If you’re surfing the Internet for dietary supplements and find a site that claims its products can diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease, surf right off to another site. Such claims are off-limits to supplements, according to the FDA. “We’d like to see those things go away,” Fabricant says. “Those are a direct threat to public health.” Since 2007, the agency has sent dozens of warning letters to companies telling them to stop making those types of claims about their supplement products.

Earlier this year, for instance, the FDA sent a warning letter to BioAnue Laboratories of Rochelle, Ga., when these statements and others were spotted on websites: “Formula CX will reverse wasting disease,” and “Bovine cartilage stops tumor growth.” (The FDA said it’s still reviewing the company’s response. The president of BioAnue Laboratories told us it “complies with all U.S. laws.”)

We're not going to see any FDA sponsored or approved message concerning supplements and degenerative disease. If they did it would put a whole in the wallets of the drug companies. 

6. Buy with caution from botánicas
???? I'm only buying pharmaceutical grade products. I'm not buying from Botanicas, the local Vitamin Shop, nor from the Voodoo lady on the corner.

7. Heart and cancer protection are not proved
Omega-3 pills and antioxidants are widely thought to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, respectively, and millions of women take calcium to protect their bones. But recent evidence casts doubt on whether those supplements are as safe or effective as assumed. Calcium.

The latest blow against calcium supplements was a report by German and Swiss researchers who followed almost 24,000 adults for an average of 11 years. They found that regular users of calcium supplements had an 86 percent increased heart-attack risk compared with those who didn’t use supplements, as reported in the June 2012 issue of the journal Heart. On the other hand, there was a statistically significant 30 percent reduction of heart-attack risk among adults with a moderately high intake of calcium from food itself.

Omega-3 fish oil. The widely held view that fish-oil pills help prevent cardiovascular disease hit a snag when a study of 12,500 people with diabetes or prediabetes and a high risk of heart attack or stroke found no difference in the death rate from cardiovascular disease or other outcomes between those given a 1-gram fish-oil pill every day and those given a placebo, according to a June 11, 2012, New England Journal of Medicine online report. But the results may be clouded by the fact that participants were already taking other heart medication. Most people can get enough omega-3s by eating fatty fish at least twice a week.

The American Heart Association says that people who have coronary artery disease may want to talk to their doctor about omega-3 supplementation. Antioxidants. Far from reducing cancer risk, as a lot of people believe, high doses of some antioxidant supplements may actually increase it, evidence suggests. The discouraging news appeared in the May 16, 2012, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Based on current evidence, vitamins C and E haven’t been found to shield people from cancer; vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C don’t seem to protect against getting or dying from cancer; selenium doesn’t prevent prostate cancer; and there’s no convincing evidence that beta-carotene or vitamin A, C, or E supplements prevent gastrointestinal cancers. Still worse, the researchers wrote, “Some clinical trials show that some of these antioxidant nutrients may increase cancer risk.”

What skews these reports is the facts that people are consuming real crappy supplements. There is no doubt in my mind there would be a vastly different outcome reported if the testing and consuming was with quality supplements.

8. Pills can irritate the esophagus
Really? Then take them with water.

9. Some ‘natural’ products are anything but
Vitamin pills can be synthetically, and legally, produced in a lab. Synthetic ingredients are even allowed in multivitamins that bear the Department of Agriculture’s “Organic” seal. But the FDA has said that synthetic copies of botanicals don’t qualify as dietary-supplement ingredients at all. “Vitamins can be synthetic because, by definition, a vitamin doesn’t have to come from nature,” says Fabricant at the FDA. They just have to perform the biological activity of vitamins, he added, whereas a “botanical” means that it was alive at some point. In other words, botanicals and their extracts must come from actual living plants, not a test tube.

Some nutrients are best in a synthetic form. And there are some, like Melatonin for instance, which the body produces, but the form we take as a sleeping aid is synthetic. This reminds me of a gent I was talking to about his sleeping problems. He said he never gets more than 3 hours at night. He also drank three Monster Energy drinks through the day. He could not see the link between his energy drink consumption and his lack of ability to sleep, so he was seeking a sleeping aid. I told him about a pharmaceutical grade Melatonin that worked for several of my clients. He asked me if it was "natural" because we would not take anything "synthetic" (although he could pump massive amounts of Monster!). I told him "No, this Melatonin was farmed from dead bodies,......just kidding, of course, it is synthetic." He ended up declining to try it. Last thing I heard is that he went to a tarot card reader to see what his sleeping problem was all about.

10. You may not need supplements at all
If you are already getting the recommended amount of nutrients by eating a variety of fruit, vegetables, cereals, dairy, and protein, there’s little if any additional benefit from ingesting nutritional supplements.

Ok, I'll take Consumer Reports word that they may not need supplements, but at 53 years old with no more knee and back pain, 140 cholesterol level, BP at 118/82, fasting blood sugar at 80 or less, I'll stick to taking quality supplements.

Read the original, and long, Consumer Reports article here.

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Exercise for Better Knees?

Richard wrote and asked if machine weight exercises can help his aching knees. "Dear Myachingknees, a friend of mine who is an avid gym rat told me that I could help ease the pain in my knees by doing several sets of knee extensions and hamstring contractions on a weight machine, using light weight an 16-20 repetitions per set. What is your experience with weight training to reduce knee pain?"

Richard, I believe weight training and other forms of exercise can help strengthen the muscles supporting and involved in the extension and contraction of joints. Exercise, be it weight training, swimming, biking or a hundred other forms can also aggravate your aching joints depending upon existing structural damage, health of the joints and their supporting cartilage and ligaments. I would first find out why your knees are hurting. Is it from an old or newer injury? Age, past use and stress placed on your knees and other joints can bring about general pain and arthritis or arthritis type symptoms.

If your body isn't getting the nutrients for cellular repair and health then I would tend to think that even the most benign form of exercise, walking, may increase your knee pain. It is a shame that people my age, mid 50's, and older think that knee and other joint pain, and eventual immobility, is inevitable. I am just a believer in maximizing the benefits of nutrition,….eating right and taking the best supplements, to ensure your cells and therefore your joints obtain the nutrients necessary for optimal joint health.

In any event, begin new exercise gradually, building your work load slowly and be aware that pain tells you something is wrong.

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Do We Need More Fat?

I read this article on Yahoo! HealthyLiving. I have previous written several posts on the benefits of an Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acid Supplement. Read this article then my comments at the bottom.

When you hear the word "omega," you probably think, "healthy!" However, just as we've been learning over the past few years that all fats are not created equal, turns out, neither are all omegas. William D. Lassek, M.D., a public health doctor and the co-author of Why Women Need Fat, says there are two types of polyunsaturated fats that are essential to your health and must come from your diet: omega-6 and omega-3.

"Both types are required by our bodies and both are found in large amounts in our brains," explains Lassek. "Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are unquestionably beneficial, because they reduce both weight and inflammation and are very critical to healthy brain function," he says.

However, while our bodies do require some omega-6, Lassek says the excessive amount in the average American's diet has been shown to increase appetite and weight, and also promote inflammation in your body tissues. "Our extraordinarily heavy dose of omega-6 is not good for us," he says, noting that inflammation plays a critical role in coronary disease.

What is it about the modern diet that's leading you to eat too much omega-6? Like omega-3, omega-6 fats occur naturally in small amounts in plants and in the meat of animals that eat plants, while nuts and seeds tend to have more omega-3. "In the diet of our Stone Age ancestors, there was probably more omega-3 than omega-6," says Lassek. "The problem for us today is that there is more than 20 times as much omega-6 as omega-3 in the American diet."

The culprit? Industrially processed vegetable oils, like corn and soybean oils, which according to Lassek, are added to most prepared foods. Marjorie Nolan, RD, national spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, agrees that the average American is consuming excessive amounts of omega-6. "A problem arises when the balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is off," she says. "Omega-6 is easily found in the standard American diet, while omega-3 is not."

According to Nolan, your body needs a ratio of 1:1 omega-6 to omega-3, yet she says the typical American consumes at least 15 times as much omega-6 as omega-3.

Yikes! So what should you be eating so you're getting enough omega-3 and not consuming an excess of omega-6? According to Lassek, your best bets are wild-caught seafood (which has lower amounts of mercury than farm-raised); eggs from chickens fed diets enriched in omega-3; and meat from grass-fed animals (corn-fed supermarket meats are high in omega-6). Other good sources include flaxseed, canola and walnut oils, as well as dairy products from grass-fed cows.

And step away -- far, far away -- from that package of chips, especially if you're trying to lose weight. According to Lassek, who's a big fan of the Mediterranean-style diet, "Cutting way down on prepared foods and increasing foods rich in healthy and slimming omega-3 fats should help most women to gradually return to more natural weights."

MyAchingKnees comments:

The sources I use articulate an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratios of 2:1, while the average western diet has a ratio of 20:1 to 40:1. This imbalance can affect prostaglandins produced within the body which are like chemical messengers between the cells. When these prostaglandins are out of balance inflammation can occur increasing our susceptibility to degenerative diseases. Because our western diets are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids and we consume relatively little Omega 3 Fatty Acids, westerners have a tendency to have a higher imbalanced ratios of Omega 6 to 3.

While I agree with the gist of the article to eat better and consume more foods with natural Omega 3, this just isn't possible for most people hence the need for supplementation of Omega 3's through nutritional supplements. However, with the supplementation of Omega 3 Fatty Acids the need to consume the highest quality product is doubly important as Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements usually come in the form of fish oil and fish oil is thought to be the highest contaminated supplement with PCB's, mercury and other contaminants being found at a higher percentage than the toxins and impurities normally associated with food grade, off the shelf supplements.

There has been dramatic increases in the behavior of ADD/ADHD children when placed on Omega 3's; adults will sometimes feel a better cognitive function when taking high quality Omega 3's; joint health can be enhanced with Omega 3, not because they provide nutrients to the joint but because they decrease the Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio and therefore inflammation which can results in many conditions including joint, particularly knee pain; lastly, Omega 3 can help lower cholesterol levels and be a good choice for people concerned about cardio-vascular and heart health.

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Do Orthotics and New Shoes Help Reduce Joint Pain?

I had a discussion the other day with an law enforcement professional in his late 30's, we'll call him Pedro, who is also an avid runner. He is experiencing arch, ankle and knee pain and someone directed him him to me to discuss what he may be able to do for it. And as it turns out, he is not interested in taking supplements and to his credit he does not even take pain killers or anti-inflammatory drugs, which in his profession, and even with the general population, is rare.

This guy runs sometimes five times a week, 3 to 8 miles at a time. Not a skinny guy, there is much pounding on the pavement that is absorbed in his feet, ankles and knees.....even his hips and back, but those are not hurting him yet.

He did see a Doctor who advised him on getting some cushioning orthotics and recommended ice and Motrin after each run.

My advice to Pedro was:

Find a foot specialist, better if they work in the smaller niche of sports related foot injury. I have had good experiences with orthotics, not just for running but for daily use;

Contacting Road Runner Sports about their diagnostic work on running shoes that could result in a good recommendation for running shoes based on the client sending their used shoes in for an evaluation. Buy two pair of the same shoes and rotate them for each run to give their soles enough time to decompress,...sometimes that takes up to 48 hours.

Reduce the running, in frequency and even maybe distance. Use speed work or fartleks to make up the different in aerobic workload. Rest and reduction in work load can stave off chronic injuries.

I also believe that fixing the problems with his feet will also help the ankles and knees, but probably not to the point where the pain is diminished to discomfort. Any time you have actual pain, then something is wrong and a trip to the Doctor is in order. Just keep in mind that Doctors tend to treat using medications and that is usually treating the symptoms and not the pain. And lastly I told Pedro that he really needs to consider a high quality Glucosamine to see if this nutrient will help the type of knee pain he has. It would be a cheap and non-invasive way to determine if his knee pain problem was a nutrient deficiency issue rather than a structural problem.

All in all, the solution for most problems is one single thing,...it's usually a combination of small changes.


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Creatine Hurt My Joints

MyAchingKnees.com received this comment from Anonymous, our previous post Link between Creatine and Chronic Joint Pain?:........"I have absolutely concluded that cycling creatine for 4-6 weeks for me has caused terrible knee pain, when i cycle off creatine my knees feel great, then when im back on it starts to hurt again, so for me ill get off of it for good this time and yes yes yes I drink plenty of water."

I used to take Creatine as well as alot of other "supplements of the week, month or year". I experienced pain in my elbows and knees and concluded that it was the Creatine. I stopped the Creatine and the pain went away. One of my close friends works out like a fiend and takes a lot of different supplements.....NOS, Amino Acids, all sorts of protein drinks and powders, herbal energy products, etc. We finally came to the point in our decades long experiment with our bodies, exercise and supplements that what a person really needs is an daily advanced dose of quality nutrients in order to give our bodies the nutrients it's needs for an functioning immune systems and restorative process.

Sure there are other products that can help as well,...we call them optimizers,...like the pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine which I attribute to my knee and back pain going away. I also take an alike quality Saw Palmetto product and I have seen by PSA level go from 3.9 to 0.8

Anyway, beware of the latest fad in supplements....and these are mostly targeted towards athletes, like body builders, who spend a great deal of time , effort and oney on building muscles. I just don't think they do a person much good unless that person gets the required daily nutrient's in their proper amounts to have a healthy functioning body.


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14 Year Old Baseball Player with Bad Knees

A Sports parent send me this question: ”Dear Myachingknees, my 14 year old son plays baseball and is very good, however the sport is taking a toll on his knees. He has to ice his knees after every game then he is stiff for 24-48 hours. Do you think the Glucosamine you recommend can help him? Dan, Phoenix , AZ. ”

At 14 years old I am not sure if all the bones, tendons and connective tissue is mature enough to handle the strain of sudden sprints, twisting turns, impact and other minor trauma on athletes. I would certainly consult with an orthopedic specialist on the pain or discomfort your son is experiencing. When I was 15 years old and playing summer ball (at 3B), I turned to my left suddenly to go after a ball and torn some cartilage in my knee – too me out for the summer. The spikes or cleats on the shoes can add to this problem.

I think the Glucosamine would help with cartilage health but would be maximized by ensuring your son received all the nutrients, in the proper amounts, for optimum cellular health. I see many people taking or wanting take just optimizers where the first priority in my opinion would be a complete nutritional formula, again in the right amounts (dosages) to provide what they body needs. So I would suggest trying a complete nutritional supplement and glucosamine optimizer for maybe three to six months,……maybe add in a Omega 3 Fatty Acid source as well,....really all you would have to lose is a small amount of money.

I would caution you on taking off the shelf supplements. Buy the best you can, pharmaceutical grade is best. I have no other reason, but pharmaceutical grade supplements, to attribute my greatly diminished knee and back pain and overall great health to.

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Natural Foods for Joint Pain?

MyAchingKnees.com received the following question: My friend and I are both women in our late 40's and have been working out in a gym for the past month. Neither on of us is much overweight, but can't we all lose a few pounds? I do mostly cardio and some really light weight workouts. My knees in particular are hurting for a couple days each time I use the treadmill. Another woman at the gym mentioned that there are some foods I should eat to reduce the knee pain. What do you think about that? Is there some natural foods I can eat to help my hurting knees? I'd rather not take pills. Kathy J.

Kathy, this reply will be a repeat of what I sent you on e-mail yesterday. Yes, there are some foods you can eat that may help a little with your knee pain,...not because these foods specifically target knee or other joint pain but because these foods are high in nutrients which you body needs to have a healthy immune system to fight off oxidative damage which can manifest itself in knee pain, joint pain or many other problems. And in fact eating healthy is one of the legs of the Chair of Health.

I like fresh darker fruits like blackberries, blue berries, dark grapes and fresh vegetables - buy the veggies you like so you'll be more inclined to eat them. Boiling or high heat cooking leaches many of the nutrients out of the fruit or vegetable. It is really hard to buy fresh produce high in nutrients unless you gt to a local farmers market. In some cases frozen vegetables and fruits are better. Some manufacturers freeze the produce right after it is picked therefore controlling nutrient loss.

Foods like olive oil, fish, and some grains like flax have a higher concentrate of Omega 3 fatty acids which is particular good for the joints. Omega 3 is a standard ingredient in my joint pain supplement routine and optimizes the Glucosamine I take daily.

I don't understand why you don't like pills. Did you have a bad experience with a supplement or medication in the past? Do you have a hard time taking pills or tablets? I put one of my clients on our supplements when he had a stomach tube. He crushed up his tablets and got them into his gut that way. He was pretty hard core, refusing additional chemo treatment and determined to make himself healthy in a more natural way.

Since it sounds like your knee pain started when you started at the gym,..it lasts for a couple days after the exercise that puts the most strain on them, then goes away, I think you would benefit from the pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and maybe even the Omega 3 fatty acids that I take. I'll never go without them for the rest of my life - that is how much they have changed my life for the better. You may think about ice and heat therapy after your cardio periods as well....but this is more to manage pain then to make those joints better. Anyway - good luck to you.


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Busser’s Back Pain Reduced By Wearing Strange Shoes

A gentleman who did not want his real name used was telling me that he was augmenting the back pain reduction he was experiencing with the pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine product by wearing a specialized footwear sometimes know as “Skeleton Toes” or “Five Finger shoes”.

In the past two months I have seen quite a few people wearing this type of foot wear where each separate toe has it’s own sleeve.

Some of the more common manufacturers and names are: Merrel Barefoot shoes, Vibram Five Fingers and Bikila, and, Fila Skele-toes.

Make no mistake about it, these “shoes” if you can call them that, are not your house slippers. Although some versions are made for water use and could be used around the house. Some of these versions with a several millimeter thick abrasion resistant vibram sole and EVA midsole are made for running and hiking.

Some of the advantages of wearing footwear like this is the separation of the toes which can help circulation and minimize rubbing of the toes and therefore formation of blisters and corns.

Busser tells me that his lumbar back pain, especially walking on the concrete, has been further reduced by wearing these shoes. He also told me that for the first week your feet and calves will be a little more sore but that’s a good thing as you are strengthening your foot and lower leg. Busser’s knee pain, which went away almost totally using the pharmaceutical Glucosamine, came back in a different fashion with wearing these shoes, but he said it must have been muscle releated as it went away with the calf and foot soreness. I guess they just take getting use to.





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Weight Loss Can Help Ease Joint Pain,....but Don't Trust That Weight Loss Pill, Jay!

MyAchingKnees.com received this question from a reader: ”I’d like your opinion on this product I am going to be trying. I am overweight, about 40 pounds accordingly to my Doctor who told me that I would reduce the pain in my knees if I lost some weight. So I have found this product called (name deleted) which is advertised to help me lose 21 pounds in a month without dietary restrictions, without gym needed exercise sessions and will increase my energy and testosterone up to 49%. Have you heard of this product and do you know anything about it? - Jay”

Here’s the deal Jay.......I have not heard of this particular product until your question popped into me. I am not using the name for three reasons,...1 – I don’t need a bunch of complaints when I write about this product; 2- I don't feel like advertising this product, because even a negative comment is advertising; and, 3 – there are thousands of products just like this. Manufacturers of these products rely on thousands of people basing a hope for a better, pain free life or quick weight loss and throwing their money at it.

Your Doctor is half right saying that weight loss, when you are overweight, can help reduce joint pain, or in your case knee pain simply because with less weight you are placing less stress on that joint(s). If you have a mechanical injury such as soft tissue or bone damage, then it probably won’t help. However, I highly suggest losing any excess weight simply for your health. Better health can decrease joint pain because better health (getting more quality nutrients and minimizing bad foods and toxins) will allow your body’s immune system to function better and start to abate the damage from free radicals which can manifest itself into many problems, including joint pain.

It is problematic to me that the supplement you are thinking of taking advertises a “49%” increase in energy. How do you measure that? I can see measuring testosterone through a blood test,....but energy? And weight loss without “dietary restrictions”? What if you took this pill but still ate 5 lbs of ice cream a day? Would you still lose weight? Plus the promise to lose weight without “gym needed” exercise? You need to read some of my articles on the Chair of Health where eating right, taking high quality supplements, getting some physical exercise and avoiding toxins are the “legs”, or the four areas you need to work in to achieve health.

Since you are wanting to lose weight to see if that relieves your knee pain, I am sending you information on our five day program to re-set your health with had a side effect of safe weight loss with an average of 5 lbs in 5 days. This is only effective if you start trying to be more healthy through proper eating, taking high quality nutritional supplements, getting some exercise and avoiding toxins. I’ll be in touch via e-mail.


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Reader Question on Knee Pain

Shashi has left a new comment on the MyAchingKnees.com post "Lovaza – Prescription Omega 3 Supplement": “My wife is having pain on knees. When she goes for morning walk she told me that a knocking sound is coming from Joint. She told me that OMEGA DEC3 capsule is good medicine for joint pain that she has watched in TV program. At present I am staying in NEW BHUJ of GUJRAT. Kindly guide me the nearby medicine shop where i can get this capsule.”

MyAchingKnees.com response: Greetings Sashi who is in NW India. I think that Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a supplemental component to knee and joint pain and not the principal nutrient for your joints problems. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a great nutrient to take as it helps combat oxidative stress, but I would also be looking to provide your knees and joints with Glucosamine.



I am not a fan of off the shelf Glucosamine or other nutritional supplements as there is no way to determine if they are pure, potent, bio-available or even dissolve adequately. If they were potent, pure and meet standards then they would be pharmaceutical grade products and therefore you could be assured of getting what is advertised. The products I used are not sold or available in India ; they are available in 14 countries, however I am sorry India is not one of them.

If your question was pertaining to Lovaza, a prescription Omega 3 Fatty Acids, then availability would be through your medical doctor if that prescription drug is available in India .

Good luck. Shashi.


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Do Herbs and Spices Help Your Health? Chronic Joint Pain?

A reader sent me link to an article written by Dr. Maoshing Ni on Yahoo! Health, entitled "9 Spices for Health, Energy and Longevity!" and asked me to comment on what Dr. Mao has written and the use of herbs and spices for health.

I am re-posting the article here (in italics) and my comments will be evident.

The colder weather is beckoning us back to our kitchens. Break out the spices to bring warmth, robust flavor, and a bounty of health benefits, including higher energy, increased immunity, and other life-enhancing surprises.

Considered to be dried seeds, fruit, roots or bark, spices have been valued for centuries by ancient cultures for their culinary and medicinal properties. For instance, a traditional Indian beauty trick was to spread turmeric paste on the skin to beautify it and prevent pimples. And Chinese doctors have used ginger since ancient times to cure aches and pains.

Here are some spices that you can start cooking with right away to elevate your longevity and health!

1. Garlic wards off heart disease

In addition to warding off Count Dracula, garlic, the spicy favorite in Italian fare, has been shown to improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure. According to the National Health and Medical Research Council, consuming half to one clove of garlic daily may reduce cholesterol by nearly ten percent. Your breath might suffer, but your heart will thank you. As an antibacterial, garlic is often used to treat minor infections.

I absolutely believe in garlic, not only for your health but for counter-vampire measures. The trick is to get raw and unprocessed garlic. Garlic like any other plant starts to lose potency once picked and removed from it's nutrient process. Whole garlic cloves, crushed or chopped and added to foods, without alot of cooking (heat) will certainly give your immune system a boost. But is not intended to replace either Rx medicines like antibiotics or high quality supplements. It is simply an additional tool for your tool box of health.

2. Spotlight on cinnamon


Another ancient spice to recently come under scientific investigation is cinnamon. In the United States, cinnamon is usually thought of as the delicious spice in apple pie filling, but in other parts of the world, especially India and Asia, cinnamon has been used as a healing herb for centuries. Research is finally catching up to the wisdom of the East; many clinical studies have linked cinnamon consumption to lowered blood sugar. Both in vitro and human studies show improvement in insulin sensitivity with cinnamon polyphenols, as well as improvement in total and LDL cholesterol. Cinnamon is also thought to detoxify the system and stimulate brain function. Its antiseptic properties give it the ability to fight bladder infection, and if taken in the first 48 hours, a cup of strong cinnamon tea might just nip a bladder infection in the bud. Keep in mind that mixed study results make it difficult to prove these benefits on paper -- but it doesn't hurt to sprinkle a teaspoon into your next bowl of oatmeal.

I think the best use of cinnamon is to replace other flavorings such as butter and sugar or (worse yet) the sugar surrogates. When added to oatmeal or steel cut oats, you are even doing better for your health, especially your cholesterol.


3. Curry for joint health

Are your aching joints not jumping for joy in these autumn days? Try sprinkling some curry on your veggie omelet. Curry, a staple spice combo in Southeast Asian cuisine, contains turmeric, the yellow spice that gives curry its distinctive color. The active component in turmeric is called curcumin. If you are a fan of curry, you will be happy to know that this substance is associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-amyloid properties; amyloids are plaque-like proteins that build up in brain tissue, and are responsible for diseases like Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis. In one randomized control study 107 patients with knee osteoarthritis received either 800 mg per day ibuprofen or 2 grams per day Curcuma domestica extract. Both groups showed improvement in pain on level walking and climbing stairs.

Joint Health - my favorite topic! I can't stand curry in foods, but my pharmaceutical grade joint supplement, called Procosa II, has turmeric extract which enhances the Glucosamine. This product is what I attribute my renewed joint health. Previously I had knee pain so bad, walking up stairs hurt. Runnning not so much, but stairs and kneeling caused a good deal of joint pain,...and it was chronic pain in nature. So I believe in Turmeric,....but I think my supplement is greatly enhanced by taking a high doses of pharmaceutical grade supplement of multi-minerals and anti-oxidants as well.


4. Star Anise aids digestion

As the name suggests, star anise is indeed star-shaped. Though it is not actually related to anise, star anise shares a similar licorice flavor, due to its content of anethole. Used to bring out flavor in slow-cooked meat dishes and long-simmered soups, this spice frequently makes an appearance in Indian cuisine and is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. Star anise has been used in a tea to remedy rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion.

I have do idea what Star Anise is! But I sometimes take a digestive aid (especially after big meals), but it does not include Star Anise. My product is called Digestive Enzyme and contains pharmaceutical grade alpha-amylase bromelain, protease, lipase, lactose, papin and cellulase as well as spirulina.

5. Cardamom improves energy

Found in curries, rice dishes, herbal teas, and breads, cardamom is the spice that gives chai tea its main flavor. In Asia, cardamom has long been valued medicinally for its ability to increase circulation and improve energy. Considered an aphrodisiac in the Middle East, cardamom may also improve digestion, asthma, bronchitis, halitosis, and even help improve a bad mood.

I have spent alot of time in the Middle East and Coffee (Gawa) made over there most often has Cardamon to flavor it up. I liked it, and you should try it, however I don't know about it's health related benefits.

6. Clove curbs cramping

A delicious addition to cooked fruit, roasts, sweet vegetable dishes, and teas, clove has been used since ancient times in India to improve digestive function. You may chew on some to alleviate toothaches, sore throats, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.


7. Cumin boosts immunity

An excellent addition to meat curries, stews, vegetables, seafood, and sauces, cumin is thought to boost the immune system and also to improve liver function, reduce flatulence, and aid in digestion.

Don't know about Cumin either. But anything that will reduce flatulence in my dogs, I'll sure try.

8. Fennel Seed soothes your intestines

Often used to spice up recipes with meat, beans, or legumes, fennel helps digestion in two ways: It stimulates the production of gastric juices and also soothes the nervous system, regulating the action of the muscles that line the intestine.

I have often heard of fennel seed being good for you. So I routinely use it when I cook meats. I have had no adverse reaction.

9. Ginger: Remedies aches and nausea

A perfect compliment to vegetables, marinades, and sweets, ginger is also delicious in tea. Ginger may help relieve nausea, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle soreness.

Ginger is another flavoring that can help one reduce sugars in drinks or other food based products. Give it a try,...start small as a little packs a hefty taste.

A word of warning: always discuss with your physician before treating conditions with spices to avoid any adverse interactions; for example, because garlic and ginger possess natural blood-thinning properties, individuals about to undergo surgery and those taking blood thinners should take extra precaution.

To maintain peak flavor, use spices within six months -- but the spice police won’t come knocking at your door if you keep them longer. They like to hang out in a cool, dark place in your pantry to preserve their oils and prevent loss of pungent flavors.

I hope you can use spices to make the most of your meals and your health! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

I think the missing point in this article is the overall fact that the consumer must understand that dried and processed foods, including spices and herbs, lose much of their potency after harvesting and through the processing procedures. If you could get a pharmaceutical grade source of herbs and spices, or grow them and pick them right before use, would most certainly greatly aid in the potency and purity in which you consume them.

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Sleep Aids for Chronic Joint Pain ??

MyAchingKnees.com received a request to look into the use of sleeping aides, such as Rx prescription sleeping pills, as a treatment for chronic knee pain. Apparently there are some blogs and forums that have people talking about the use of sleeping pills to get to sleep when their chronic knee pain is such that it keeps them awake. Again, this is treating the symptoms not the cause and furthermore the use of Rx Sleeping pills can be addictive and dangerous.

However there is one sleeping aid, Melatonin, that is naturally produced hormone specifically made in the pineal gland of the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement, although you should ensure that the supplement is a quality product. Pharmaceutical grade is best as there is a guarantee for the potency, purity (lack of toxins), bio-availability and dissolution.

I have tried a pharmaceutical grade Melatonin product (called Pure Rest), not to alleviate chronic joint pain since I don’t have any knee pain anymore, but to test the Melatonin out so I can either recommend it or not to my customers. Produced in 1 mg tablets which you put under your tongue to dissolve about 20 minutes prior to when you want to nod off to sleep, these Melatonin tablets worked pretty good for me to gradually let me fall into a sleep. I woke refreshed and wide awake the next morning. However, when I tried a larger dose of 2 mg (2 tablets), I woke up pretty groggy, probably as I only sleep about 5.5 hours and the Melatonin level was still fairly high in my body.

More information on Melatonin:

Your body, through an internal clock, controls your natural cycle of sleeping and waking hours. In effect, your body clock controls how much melatonin your body makes. The level of melatonin in the body usually begin to increase in the mid- to late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then drop in the early morning hours when you wake.

Time of the year with the changing available light will affects how much melatonin your body produces. During the shorter daylight hours of the winter months, your body production of melatonin will change somewhat. Melatonin levels slowly drop with age. Some older adults make very small amounts of it or none at all.

There are some organizations that are looking at melatonin as a supplement stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, reduce chronic headaches, and slow down the aging process. But these areas need more research.

Therefore MyAchingKnees.com subscribes to the belief that Melatonin, granted that is a quality product, is useful to help regulate sleep and may be a partial answer to people have trouble sleeping due to knee pain, but the primary answer has got to be to treat the cause of the chronic joint pain, and often that pain is either in whole or partially due to poor nutrition and lack of optimizers that are know to help achieve healthy joints and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.


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Low Vitamin D Linked to Knee Pain

I received a Health Nugget from Doctor Ray Strand, one of this Nation's leading experts in Nutritional Medicine. In this version, Dr Strand relates that low levels of Vitamin D are linked patients who experienced worse knee pain.

Dr Strand would be the first to tell people that if you are one who is experiencing knee pain, it is not as simple as buying a bottle of Vitamin D to supplement with. We all need to be taking advanced doses of quality nutrients (Vitamins, Minerals and Anti-Oxidants) so they can work in a synergistic fashion to combat free radicals and reduce the devastation of oxidative stress with our bodies. I also include alike high quality (pharmaceutical grade) Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids which I attribute to my greatly reduced, in fact almost eliminated, knee pain. Besides having the benefits of no sickness for the past 5+ years which I attribute to pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements.

Dr Strand's Health Nugget:

A recent study showed that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who also had low levels of vitamin D experienced worse knee pain and decreased mobility when compared with those who had higher levels of vitamin D. This research was based on studies that show that vitamin D influences both musculoskeletal health and neuromuscular function.

The researchers looked at over 100 men and women with osteoarthritis of the knee. Nearly half of the participants had vitamin D deficiencies. This deficiency correlated to the severity of knee pain and mobility.

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Common Knee Injuries - ACL and MCL tears

The following short video explains and illustrates most common knee injuries: tearing of the Anterior Cruciate and Media Collateral Ligaments (ACL and MCL); tears of the Meniscus, inflammation of the Bursa Sacks (Bursitis) and Tendonitis (overuse of the supportive connective tendons.

Introduction – Don’t Give Up and Accept the Pain!

If you are suffering from some sort of knee pain, you are one of approximatley 33% of Americans in their late 40’s or older to have this condition - which is decreasing their quality of life.

Many things may have caused or be causing this knee pain, among them: old or new injuries such as a torn or ruptured ligament or cartilidge, or, just a degeneration of the components of the joint.

Some knee problems may require a surgical intervention while others do well with medications, supplements or holistic type treatments.

Some people just don’t do anything other than living with the pain as it limits their activities. The purpose of the site is look at options to reduce knee pain and to maximize the chances of a pain free life in regards to your knees, as well as other joints.

Just don’t take pain for an answer! At least not until you have looked at and/or tried all remedies. I was fixated on living with knee pain and a degraded ability to do physical activities. I’m here to tell you it may not have to be that way.