One step ahead of osteoarthritis

One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis book cover smaller One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis, Frances Ive, published by Hammersmith Health Books, available at Waterstones and Amazon.

Winter time and damp weather can prompt aches and pains.  As many as 8.75 million people have osteoarthritis and I am one of them, but I wasn’t prepared to give in to it. I wanted to carry on playing tennis, do yoga and tai chi. So as any health journalist would do, I researched osteoarthritis and found there were loads of things I could do and now I’ve put them in my book, One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis.

To have a look at the first chapter go to:  book2look.com.

Professor Sir Sam Everington, GP in Tower Hamlets, Chair of NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, board member of NHS Clinical Commissioners,  wrote in his Foreword to the book: ‘This book is not just about length of life, it is about something much more important, a happy and healthy life, whatever is thrown at you. It is about self-motivation and well-being. It should be prescribed on the NHS by all doctors. It can’t be, but if you have osteoarthritis or want to live a happier and healthier life, buying this book is the best investment you could ever make.’

The aim is to stay mobile and active and continue with a good quality of life.

So what can you do?

  • Diet: Look at what you eat and drink, perhaps trying a new way of eating and cutting down on acidic foods that may be aggravating osteoarthritis.  Use turmeric in cooking – see The Spice of Life.
  • Exercise: Ensure you do regular exercise or activity that is right for you, and try exercises that are specific for osteoarthritis in the knees, hips and hands. The purpose of exercise is to build up muscles to protect the joints they surround.  Swimming, walking, Pilates, yoga, tai chi, and many more activities are good for osteoarthritis.
  • Weight management: It makes sense that the more you weigh, the more pressure you put on the lower part of your body – particularly feet, knees and hips.  Just losing a few pounds can make a big difference.
  • Supplements: There are choices and people tend to find that one works better than another. We’re all different so try them out – turmeric, rosehip, glucosamine, Boswellia (Indian frankincense), and many more.
  • Therapies: If you can afford to have acupuncture, massage, osteopathy, chiropractic or visit a herbalist, these therapies can relax  your joints and get your circulation moving.
  • Cider vinegar: it may not taste nice but it turns from acid to alkaline in the body and can help to reduce inflammation in arthritic joints when taken daily in water.

One Step Ahead of Osteoarthritis, Frances Ive, Hammersmith Health Books. Forewords by Professor Sir Sam Everington & Barbara Cousins; Good health and osteoarthritis; Looking at weight loss; Finding exercise to suit you; Protect and strengthen your body: pilates, t’ai chi, yoga, Alexander technique; What is ‘healthy eating’? Food and drink – acid or alkaline? Supplements and herbs; Helpful complementary therapies; Practical solutions; The power of sleep and the weather; Lonely, depressed and stressed; Emotional support; Soups, juices and meals with turmeric and ginger; Further information
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Relaxation tips

Now more than ever people are suffering from anxiety and depression. Mental health problems have soared during COVID-19, due to lockdown, fears about jobs, loneliness, a feeling of hopelessness, fear and much more. Now is the time we really need to take care of ourselves.

1.relaxing bath WALK: Go for a walk – 20 minutes or so alone and preferably in countryside or in a park.

2. BATHE: Lie in a hot bath for 20 minutes with a fantastic combination of a handful of Epsom salts, (or other pure salts), half a cup of bicarbonate of soda, and 10 drops of lavender oil (or other soothing oil like geranium or ylang ylang.

3. YOGA: Stretching helps the body to stay flexible, but yoga has other elements as well. Relaxation and breathing mean that a yoga session is calming too.

4. BREATHING:  Try yoga breathing – alternative nostril breath or simply lie down, breathe in through the whole diaphragm to a count of four, and breathe out for a count of four.

5. MEDITATION: Learn to meditate. Just close your eyes, sit still and repeat a mantra or even one, two, one, two to keep your mind focused.

5. CALMING: Take Rescue Remedy after a shock or when you’re feeling generally anxious or stressed. The pastilles are good.

6. DRINKING & EATING:  Try to avoid stimulants with caffeine in (coffee) and too much alcohol. Eat healthy meals with plenty of fruit and veg.

7. LYING DOWN:  Lie in the semi-supine position (knees bent and a couple of paperbacks under your head). This is an Alexander Technique position, better done on the floor or a massage table. Close your eyes and let your muscles relax.

9. SLEEPING: At night put lavender drops on a tissue to calm you down and help you have a restful sleep.

10. T’AI CHI: Take up t’ai chi – moving meditation, which energises you and makes you feel calm.

TIP: When you’re feeling really panicky, try A. Vogel Stress Relief. It helps you to feel more normal without making you drowsy.

See Relax, Relax, Relax. 

UTI tips

One in three women get cystitis in their lives and some get recurrent attacks, but doctors can only provide antibiotics as a solution. It can be quite complex as some people get cystitis symptoms, others have a more general UTI which is a urinary tract infection.  Many others get bladder discomfort without getting an infection, and the medical profession is not really sure what to do about it.
 
There are plenty of ways of trying to prevent cystitis and UTIs and natural solutions when you’ve got it.  At its worst cystitis can be excruciating.There are a number of symptoms and some can be present without the others:

•  burning sensation on passing water
•  pain in the lower abdomen
•  pain in the lower back, the kidneys and in the ureters   – the tubes from the bladder to the opening.

Often the vagina itself feels inflamed and there may be general malaise, depression and fever.

The woman may have to go to the toilet regularly and as this is a painful experience it makes it even worse. The urine becomes cloudy, smelly and often contains blood streaks, although these may not be visible to the naked eye. The pain can be so severe that you feel like pulling your hair or sticking your nails in your palms – this is danger point and requires medical attention.

It is vital that if someone is in severe pain and has a temperature that they see a doctor immediately because it can spread to the kidneys and become very serious. At this stage self-help may not work.

Repeat attacks

Some women are particularly prone to cystitis and bladder discomfort, which may not involve an infection but means that going to the loo can feel uncomfortable afterwards with pain in the bladder situated in the lower abdomen or in the back.

The medical profession has found little to no solutions to repeated cystitis and bladder discomfort. Common treatment is by antibiotic which will certainly take away an infection fairly quickly but often has the effect of giving thrush as well. It is possible that the antibiotic you get doesn’t fight the specific bug and you have to go back to the GP and get a different one.

Antibiotics don’t help to prevent further attacks and unfortunately if someone has cystitis regularly repeat prescriptions eventually wear down the immune system making them more susceptible to everything!

Prevention is the answer

As there’s no medical cure self-help is the only answer.

• Drink plenty of water to flush out the infection
• Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol which are all diuretics and make you go to the loo even more
• Eat a healthy diet – try to avoid processed foods and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, preferably organic to avoid pesticides
• As germs come from the anal area wipe from front to back with toilet paper
• Don’t use soaps, shower gels, bath lotions contain chemicals
• Go to the loo immediately after intercourse and wash in a bidet or bath
• Wear cotton pants
• Ask your partner to wash his genitals before sex – often embarrassing!

Intercourse triggers attacks

Intercourse is one of the most common causes of bladder problems and it may be the position of the bladder and the womb that cause it in some females and not in others. Most women don’t want to give up sex for the rest of their lives so they need to find an answer!

Cystitis is caused by bacteria going up into the bladder and causing infection. This is often because the penis causes bruising to the vaginal walls and bladder and the bruising sets up infection. If the woman is using spermicides or the cap it is more than likely that these will aggravate the condition as does menopause when the vagina becomes dryer.

One of the reasons why women suffer from this debilitating problem rather than men is the position of the genitals. The anus is full of germs and is situated very close to the vagina, which is near to the ureter so it is easy for germs to move from one to the other.

Candida

Sometimes repeated attacks of cystitis are due to candida, a yeast infection that takes a hold on the system. There are plenty of symptoms of candida including fungal infections (thrush, athlete’s foot), digestive problems, bloating, tiredness, lethargy. See our article on Candida in Women’s Health.

Natural remedies

There are a several over the counter solutions, many of them based on bicarbonate of soda which aims to neutralise the acid in the urine. There are also plenty of herbal and homeopathic solutions:

  • Uva ursi – a herbal remedy for urinary infection
  • Echinacea – boosts the immune system and can help to prevent an attack when the first twinges start
  • Taking regular probiotics such as Acidophilus helps to keep the gut replenished with healthy bacteria which reduces chances of infections
  • Cranberries – contain PACs (proanthocyanidins) that attach themselves to the bacteria – mostly E-coli – preventing them from attaching themselves to cells in the body. Supplements can be good but choose a juice that has no artificial sweeteners or sugar in
  • D-Mannose, made from the bark of the spruce tree, is a compound which is present in the urine to fight bacteria, but by providing more in a supplement it can ease cystitis
  • Cantharis – homeopathic remedy when there is a burning sensation on going to the loo
  • Witch-hazel squeezed on a piece of cotton wool at the opening to the ureter so that it can be felt right up into the tubes or held in the vagina to soothe inflammation
  • Gokshura and Shatavari are Ayurvedic herbs for urinary discomfort with pain on passing water, urgency, dribbles, burning and blood streaked urine


Complementary therapies

Naturopathy – looks at lifestyle and the causes of the problem which could be emotional as well as finding herbal and other natural solutions. People with bladder problems are said to be holding on to the past or they may be feeling out of control in their lives (literally!).

General Council and Register of Naturopaths & British Naturopathic Association, 01458 840072,  www.naturopathy.org.uk

Reflexology – particularly helpful during an attack because the reflexologist can work on the bladder area and can help it to go away entirely.

Association of Reflexologists, 01823 364951,  www.aor.org.uk

Nutrition – unhealthy eating habits won’t help sufferers of cystitis to get better. A nutritionist can be more specific, but generally it may help to eat organic food so that chemicals aren’t irritating the bladder and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. As the problem may stem from candida, an overgrowth of yeast, avoiding bread and sugar may help.
 

The British Association of Nutritional Therapists, 0870 6061284,  www.bant.org.uk
The Institute for Optimum Nutrition, 020 8614 7800,  www.ion.ac.uk

Emotional Freedom Technique – where tapping the ends of the meridians helps to get out emotional causes for illness.

The Association for the Advancement of Meridian Therapies: www.meridiantherapy.org

Chinese Herbal Medicine – herbs have to be boiled up and drunk twice a day as a tea to build up the ‘chi’ or energy in the kidneys.

Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine, www.rchm.co.uk,  01603 927420

 
Uralix herbal complex with D-Mannose, turmeric, pumpkin seed, green tea, Boswellia Bluegreen Health 60 capsules
Cantharis 30c Ainsworths 120
Uva Ursi A. Vogel (Bioforce) 50ml
Echinaforce Echinacea A. Vogel (Bioforce) 50ml
Bio-Acidophilus Forte Biocare 30
 

Government pressured over Vitamin D for COVID

Sun skyThe government is being pressured about Vitamin D deficiency in  people with Covid, and many experts believe it should be recognised in the treatment of the virus. LBC reports that  Professor Angus Dalgleish, Professor of Oncology at St George’s, University of London, has seen data this weekend (9/10 January 2021) that Finland has one of the lowest infection rates. It is also the only country that provides Vitamin D.  Professor Dalgleish said, “Why haven’t they (the Government) addressed this one thing that if you do get infected then it is the most effective way of making you least likely to go to hospital and dying?”

An article in the Observer magazine indicated that David Davis, MP has been pushing Matt Hancock to recognise Vitamin D’s role in Covid and how many of those who have died had low levels.  He wants there to be a free supplement scheme to provide Vitamin D to British people, because deficiency can lead to catching Covid-19 more easily, and getting a serious case  and potentially dying.

Vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, are now being offered Vitamin D supplements.  Known as the sunshine vitamin, Vitamin D is made in the body when the skin is exposed to the sun.  those who live in care homes often stay inside all the time and are deficient in Vitamin D. The rest of us think we top up in the summer, but only if we expose our skin to the sun and by the autumn the levels are diminishing.  This year many people have been shielding inside from COVID-19 and have not had much exposure to the outdoors.

There have been reports and research that those low in Vitamin D are more at risk when they catch COVID, and as dark skin absorbs less of the vitamin than lighter skins, this is a particular problem for the BAME community.

Nutritionists advise that taking Vitamin D, Vitamin C and zinc can help the immune system to cope with viruses better.  In theory, you can ask your doctor about having a Vitamin D test, but at the moment this is unlikely to be done if you don’t have a related health issue.It should be said that the levels being handed out by the Government are quite low – 10 micrograms (400IU), which is the minimum amount required. You can safely buy 1,000 iU in spray or tablet/capsule form.  (See recommended properties at the end of this post).

Why we need Vitamin D

This vital vitamin is responsible for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, effective muscle function, and keeping the heart and nervous system healthy, and enabling the blood to clot properly.  Vitamin D has also been linked to preventing colds and maintaining a healthy digestive system.  If you cannot get a Vitamin D test from the doctor you could pay for one.  Yorktest do an Essential Health Test which includes Vitamin D levels.

You can take Vitamin D supplements, and this is certainly a good idea in winter, and you can get it from food – oily fish, fortified cereal, dairy products and fortified margarine. But it is natural to have sunlight on our bodies. It’s good to be cautious with the sun, but not extreme!

You can either take a daily spray of Vitamin D: Better You DLux 1000iu D3 spray (15ml),

or tablets/capsules:

Better You DLux 1000 oral vitamin D3 spray 15ml.

FSC Vitamin D 2500Iu 60 Tablets.

Health Aid Vitamin D3 10,000iu, 30 vegicaps.

Higher Nature Vitamin D 500iu, 60 capsules.

To purchase these, go to www.superfooduk.com and put in the Healthy Soul promotion code: HSoul1 to get a 5% discount.

 

See Vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sun

How to help ourselves during COVID

Echinacea flower
Echinacea flower

There’s no panacea for avoiding COVID apart from following all the social distancing, masks and handwashing rules, and of course more recently the vaccination.  However, we can keep ourselves in tip top condition so we are more able to cope with it if we do get it. Some people are very ill, while others seem to breeze through it with very few symptoms, while others are asymptomatic.

Healthy Soul asked Ali Cullen, nutritional practitioner and consultant at A. Vogel, herbal manufacturers, to give us some advice. She is a nutritionist and herbalist and the following is what she recommends for staying healthy.

Support the immune system naturally:

• Get plenty of sleep.
• Drink alcohol in moderation only.
• Quit smoking.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy weight – being overweight or obese can risk changing the number of healthy bacteria in the gut and encourages inflammation in the body, both of which can leave you more vulnerable to illness or infection.
• Get out in nature daily if possible.
• Minimise unnecessary screen time.

What to eat

Ensure your diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, specifically those containing vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, red and green peppers and broccoli, and beta-carotene (vitamin A), such as red peppers, carrots, spinach, and yellow fruits such as apricots and mango – these nutrients help keep your respiratory tract healthy so that it is better able to fight infections.

Ensure you include sources of zinc in your diet, such as meat, shellfish, cheese, bread, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and fortified cereals – zinc helps to keep the immune system functioning normally and is essential for wound healing.

Use herbal support

By supporting the immune system, Echinacea helps to maintain the body’s resistance to infection.

Echinacea is a plant native to America but is now cultivated extensively in Europe. Up to 10 species of Echinacea have been identified, but only three (E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida) are used medicinally. Echinacea purpurea has been most widely researched, and recent research flagged up its potential use against new coronaviruses.1 (See details of research at the end).

Vogel’s Immune Support provides:A Vogel Immune Support

• Vitamin C sourced from acerola cherries, which contains up to 100 times the amount of vitamin C found in lemons or oranges. Vitamin C is extremely supportive of immune function, and that found in acerola is more readily absorbed and used by the body.
• Nasturtium extract which contains glucosinolates that have an affinity for the lungs, and is also a very rich source of vitamin C.
• Zinc which is immune supporting.
• Vitamin D, also an immune supporting nutrient.

http://www.avogel.co.uk

LEARN MORE:

The science behind Echinacea:  

Echinacea has been shown in numerous studies to be effective in relieving symptoms of colds and flu. In 2004, Goel et al published a trial that demonstrated the efficiency of Echinacea purpurea extract in the treatment of colds and flu, when it is used as soon as a cold starts. At seven days, 95 per cent of the subjects using Echinacea were free of symptoms compared with only 63% in the placebo group.2

In 2005, Goel published another trial showing that volunteers taking Echinacea purpurea extract at the onset of a cold had a greater decrease in their daily symptom score than a placebo group.3 Both studies by Goel involved ethanolic extracts of Echinacea purpurea extract produced from freshly harvested plant material, as in our Echinaforce drops.

In 2006, a Cochrane Report reviewed 16 controlled clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of several different Echinacea preparations for treating the symptoms of common colds. They concluded that some preparations based on Echinacea purpurea (including the aerial parts) might be effective for shortening the duration or decreasing the severity of cold symptoms in adults if taken after the onset of those symptoms.4

Max the vitamin content of your meals

Numerous studies have shown Vitamin C to be beneficial for the immune system. In research, it has been shown on several occasions to reduce the severity and duration of the common cold.5

In one study, participants were given a tomato juice rich in lycopene (another antioxidant which helps to prevent against cell damage) and Vitamin C. Results found that, after consuming the tomato juice, markers of inflammation (associated with infection and disease) amongst participants went down, and the level of antioxidants went up.6

Vitamin C is also thought to be helpful in reducing fever. Consumption of fruits that are rich in Vitamin C is thought to help people recover more quickly from a fever, as well as reducing the ‘hot flush’ feeling that occurs when the body reaches a high temperature.7 Whilst high temperatures are useful at the initial stage of an infection, a persistent high temperature is uncomfortable and dehydrating.

As well as contributing to normal function of the immune system, Vitamin C helps to protect cells from the oxidative (chemical) stresses we face daily, helping us to feel less tired. It also helps the normal formation of collagen which is important for the functioning of our blood vessels, bones, joint cartilage, gums, skin and teeth.

Zinc contributes to normal functioning of the immune system, and a deficiency in zinc may lead to a weakened immune response. Zinc supplements are known to play a role in reducing oxidative stress (which can increase the risk of illness and infection). One review of several studies found that 80-92mg per day of zinc may reduce the length of the common cold by up to 33%.8 In addition, zinc supplements have been found to reduce the risk of infections and promote immune function in older adults.9 Zinc also plays a critical role in wound healing and is commonly used in hospitals to treat burns, certain ulcers and other skin injuries.10 This is because zinc is required for collagen synthesis and the body’s inflammatory response, as well as immune function, all of which are crucial for wound healing.

Another key nutrient in Immune Support is Vitamin D. Vitamin D has a role to play in various bodily systems, including the immune system which it helps to support function normally. As vitamin D deficiency is a fairly common occurrence across all population groups, this could be a contributing factor in regular bouts of sickness, colds and flu.

Biologically active forms of Vitamin D contain calcitriol which acts as a cytokine, a chemical produced by infected cells to help mobilise immune cells into fighting the infection. Low levels of vitamin D are, therefore, associated with lower levels of cytokine activity. This means that, when the body is under attack from pathogens and viruses, it is less able to call on the help of immune cells.

Vitamin D can sometimes be hard to come by in the winter months when we don’t get sufficient access to sun light – a key source of vitamin D. At this time colds and flu can be more abundant so it is especially important to ensure you get enough vitamin D, either through your diet (although these sources are fairly limited or by taking a gentle supplement.

RESEARCH:

1 Signer, J., Jonsdottir, H.R., Albrich, W.C. et al. In vitro virucidal activity of Echinaforce®, an Echinacea purpurea preparation, against coronaviruses, including common cold coronavirus 229E and SARS-CoV-2. Virol J 2020; 17: 136.
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14748902/
3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16177972/
4 https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000530/full
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23440782
6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17640421
7 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2003.10719272
8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28515951
9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702361/
10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4413488/
4 Tobler M et al: Characteristics of whole fresh plant extracts. Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur GanzheitMedizin, 1994