Where I live in Oregon, I’m happily surrounded by a prolific selection of fresh berries— those in the wild and commercially grown. My childhood was rich with berry foraging while playing in the woods—red and blue huckleberries, salmon berries, thimbleberries, elderberries and blackberries. And living in Oregon, we are rich in thousands of acres of […]
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Osteoarthritis of the knees can cause pain, stiffness, and diminished function. Conventional treatments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Ibuprofen, analgesics such as acetaminophen, corticosteroids, corticosteroid and non-steroid injections, muscle relaxant medications, opioid or narcotic medications, physical therapy and joint replacement. Natural treatment interventions included diet and exercise plans, massage, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, physical therapy/manipulation, […]
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Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and women have much higher rates than men. Women face a quadruple threat for osteoarthritis: hormones, biology, a genetic predisposition and more recently, obesity. About 60% of the 27 million individuals in the U.S. that have arthritis are women. Prior to age 55, more men tend to […]
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Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis and involves the joint cartilage. The inflammation and degeneration can result in pain, swelling, decreased range of motion and mobility and even changes in the shape of the joint and abnormal bone growth. The knee joints are one of the most […]
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A great deal of confusion has been stirred up in the last few months about the potential harm of too much calcium intake. As is often the case, there are studies that reveal conflicting results. Examples of this include the following summaries: 1) Calcium from food does not appear to raise the risk of cardiovascular […]
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Posted in Botanicals, General, Osteoarthtritis on Sep 29th, 2010
One-hundred and seven patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee were studied and included those with knee pain on a scale of at least a 5-10 in intensity, radiographic osteophytes and at least one of the following features: > age 50, morning stiffness < 30 minutes in duration and crepitus on motion. The majority of […]
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Posted in Bone Health, Osteoarthtritis on Nov 30th, 2009
I have recently been introduced to a new product, shea nut extract, for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Shea nuts have been used in food and Traditional African Medicine for generations, in West Africa in particular. A Danish company has developed a method to greatly concentrate and enhance the triterpenes found in shea nut, yielding a […]
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Pycnogenol in reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. 100 patients older than age 25 (14 men and 36 women in the pycnogenol group and 18 men and 32 women in the placebo group) suffering from mild OA (stage I […]
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