Healthy Aging Naturally, Providing Juice for the Joints

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Healthy Aging Naturally, Providing Juice for the Joints JoAnn Guest Jan 20,

2005 21:19 PST

By: Karlene Karst, Dietician

Source: Health N Vitality Magazine

Date Published: July 2003

 

Aging Process

 

We live in an aging population. By 2020, the proportion of the

population aged 60 and over is projected to reach: 23% in North America,

17% in East Asia, 12% in Latin America and 10% in South Asia. Europe

will retain it's title of " oldest " region in the world. By 2020, 25% of

Europe will be over age 60. Although it is inevitable that we will age,

a question often asked is how can we age healthily?

 

Normal aging represents the universal biological changes that occur with

getting older. The World Health Organization has said, " the process of

aging is strongly influenced by the effects of environmental, lifestyle

and disease states that in turn, are related to or change with aging but

are not due to aging itself. " Successful aging can be defined as the

ability to maintain low risk of disease and disease related disability,

high mental and physical function and active engagement with life.

 

Nutrition plays a major role in determining our state of health and our

susceptibility to many diseases. By improving nutritional practices,

many diseases could be potentially delayed including, arthritis,

osteoporosis, cardiovacular disease, and stroke, thus saving billions of

dollars in annual health care costs. Nutrients such as multivitamins, B

vitamins including folic acid, antioxidants including vitamin C and

vitamin E, calcium and vitamin D, and essential fatty acids (EFAs) have

the potential for improving health and delaying the onset of many age

related diseases.

 

Arthritis- EFAs can Help!

 

The Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia released the results

of a new study showing that 70 million (or one in three) Americans

suffer from arthritis. More than four million Canadians live with this

disease that can lead to disability, deformity and even death. While

arthritis can affect people of any age, there seems to be a connection

to the aging process.

 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis affects 60-65% of people over age 65, and with the aging

baby boomers, this population is expected to grow 30-50% over the next

20 years. Osteoarthritis is really the case of too much stress on a

normal joint or normal stress on a damaged joint. People whose jobs

require them to put strain on the joints, athletes or people with excess

weight are at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. Obese people are

twice as likely as people with normal weight to suffer from

osteoarthritis. There is a range of pain involved from mild to severe

and disabling.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

The second most prevalent type of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, is an

autoimmune disease. The body's immune system forms antibodies that

attack the synovial membranes and the fluid that lubricates the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis can progress gradually but in 25% of sufferers it

will hit hard and fast. Rheumatoid arthritis shares similar symptoms

with osteoarthritis,

swollen joints and stiffness or pain that is more apparent in the

morning.

 

Causes of Arthritis

 

Osteoarthritis is present in 70% of the elderly; however, it is not

completely inevitable or unavoidable. Other factors come into play and

if they are addressed, osteoarthritis may never arise. Guard against

repetitive use or damage to joints due to occupation, injury or

athletics.

 

Poor nutrition, dehydration and environmental or food allergies can

aggravate osteoarthritis progression. Excess weight puts even more

strain on the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is suspected to have a number

of potential causes that include heredity and obesity, but may also be a

result of bacterial or viral infection, an overactive immune system,

vaccines, nutritional deficiencies and stress-induced hormonal

disruption.

 

Conventional Treatment Options:

 

Arthritis Drug Dangers

Present conventional treatments aim to reduce or alleviate the pain and

inflammation of the affected joints and improve mobility. These

treatments include analgesics, salicylates, non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids and reconstructive

surgery. The most widely prescribed are NSAIDs, ranging from ASA

(Aspirin, Entrophen, Novasen) to ibuprofen (Motrin).

 

These drugs are associated with a large number of side-effects, such as

gastric ulcers (salicylates, NSAIDs), renal failure (NSAIDs) and

immunosuppression (corticosteroids).

 

A new family of NSAIDs called COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex and Vioxx) work

by attacking inflammation (they block the COX-2 enzyme that produces bad

prostaglandins).

 

The COX-2 inhibitors were initially believed to be much safer than

standard NSAIDS, yet long-term use and research are showing some serious

concerns.

 

Health Canada issued a warning advisory in 2002 for Celebrex, stating

that hundreds of serious adverse reactions have been reported with

nearly 70 cases of stomach bleeding and 10 deaths since its release in

1999.

 

Natural Treatment Options: Juice for the Joints

 

Research demonstrates that essential fatty acids affect levels of pain

mediators and suggests that EFA supplementation may be potentially

useful in decreasing the pain associated with arthritis, by working in a

similar way to NSAIDs. Thus, through slowing destruction and damage to

cartilage and joints, decreasing inflammation and preventing

inflammatory-induced destructive processes from occurring, and possibly

affecting levels of pain mediators, EFA supplementation can help chronic

inflammatory degenerative diseases of joints.

 

Marya Zilberberg reports that gamma linolenic acid (GLA, found in borage

and evening primrose oil) is not only safe, but it is also an effective

natural therapy. In her review of close to 40 clinical papers on GLA,

Zilberberg noted that GLA consistently reduces inflammation and joint

stiffness without any of the serious side-effects associated with

pharmaceutical drugs.

 

" We saw about a 60-65% reduction in morning stiffness for these

patients, " said Zilberg. " In other words if you have two hours of

morning stiffness, there is a 1.5 hour reduction compared to a 6.7

minute reduction with a placebo. It is an extremely striking

difference. " These results demonstrate the importance of long-term

supplementation with large doses of GLA from borage or evening primrose

oil for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

GLA Reduces the Use of NSAIDs

Supplementing with GLA not only results in a decrease in the clinical

symptoms of RA, but taking GLA can reduce the effects of NSAIDs by

repairing damage to the stomach lining. Studies show that GLA protects

the stomach lining against gastric acid that could cause stomach ulcers

due to repeated or overuse of NSAIDs.

 

For example, as early as 1988, researchers confirmed that daily

supplementation with 540 mg of GLA from evening primrose oil could help

patients reduce their usage of NSAIDs and therefore protect their

stomach lining.

 

At the beginning of the study, 100% of patients were on their full NSAID

dosage; after three months of supplementing with evening primrose oil,

70% of patients were still taking NSAIDs, and after six months only 30%

of patients were still taking NSAID at full dosage. This is a remarkable

70% reduction in patients using NSAIDs.

 

GLA Reduces Symptoms

In 1993, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted a

randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 24-week trial with 37

rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients in the treatment group received

1.4 g of GLA from borage oil daily, and assessed their symptoms on a

daily basis. Treatment with borage oil reduced the number of tender

joints by 36%, the tender joint score by 45%, the number of swollen

joints by 28%, and the swollen joint score by 41%, whereas the placebo

group did not show significant improvement in any measure.

 

The researchers concluded that " Borage oil, in the doses used in this

study, is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for rheumatoid

arthritis. "

 

Start with two 1,000mg capsules of borage or four 1,000 mg capsules of

evening primrose oil with your meal. Increase the number of capsules up

to ten per day to achieve relief of symptoms. Some will need as little

as 2,000 mg per day for relief and others will require higher doses. If

diarrhea occurs, reduce dose.

 

Reduction of symptoms may be observed after one month of

supplementation. The full effects of GLA supplementation are seen over

longer periods. Studies have shown that borage oil and evening primrose

oil are safe and non-toxic, even in large amounts.

 

Fishing for Joint Health

The first scientific paper describing the use of fish oil for rheumatoid

arthritis was published in the 18th century. Since then, laboratory and

clinical studies have revealed the beneficial effects of fish oil in

various forms of arthritis. The benefits were attributed to the omega-3

fatty acids EPA and DHA.

 

EPA and DHA reduce the 'formation' of " bad prostaglandins " and regulate

" immune factor " production, which controls how long, how fast and how

much the immune system acts or reacts.

 

EPA produces the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (good guys). Fish

oils improve joint mobility and reduce the severity of pain and

inflammation without any short- or long-term side-effects.

 

A 1998 review of the research confirmed the beneficial effects of fish

oil in arthritis.

 

Fish oil, like GLA, reduces symptoms of arthritis, such as pain, number

of affected joints and morning stiffness, in a dose dependent manner.

Clinical benefits were seen after twelve weeks, with a dosage of 3 g of

EPA and DHA per day. Due to the relatively high doses required to obtain

clinical improvements, a concentrated fish oil supplement would be

recommended.

 

Just like GLA, it also appears that fish oil will help arthritis

sufferers reduce the amount of NSAIDs needed, and some may even be able

to discontinue usage completely.

 

Some research has studied the usage of EPA and GLA together and their

impact on reducing pro-inflammatory substances. A study at Wake Forest

University School of Medicine found that patients supplementing with a

combination EPA and GLA reduced production of pro-inflammatory

substances.

 

A healthy balance between omega-3s and omega-6s is important to reduce

the production of inflammatory immune factors. A combination of EPA and

DHA up to 3 g is recommended to reduce pain and inflammation. This would

be the equivalent of ten 1,000 mg capsules of a natural fish 18/12

supplement or six 1,000 mg capsules of a concentrated 30/20 fish oil

supplement.

 

EFAs Help Age Naturally

 

Although arthritis is a condition that we may face as we age, there are

natural options such as EFAs that can help ease the pain and suffering,

improve quality of life, and improve mental and physical wellbeing. A

healthy lifestyle including exercise, relaxation therapies and a

nutritious diet rich in essential fatty acids, will help provide the

juice our joints crave!

 

 

For more information, or references for this article, please contact

Karlene Karst at kka-

 

About Karlene Karst

 

Karlene Karst is the clinical research and education coordinator at

Bioriginal Food and Science Corp. She provides technical and regulatory

advice on EFAs, as well as educational seminars, lectures and

presentations on the role of EFAs in nutrition and health. Karlene holds

a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from the University of

Saskatchewan's College of Pharmacy and Nutrition. She is also a

registered dietitian and has previously worked as a clinical dietitian.

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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