Horwath Spa Consulting

We nourish our skin, our muscles and perhaps even our nervous system, but few think about providing nourishment for our skeletal system.  Many may not have to worry about this in that they consume a balance diet, but for many in our fast paced world, skeletal degenerative diseases such as Osteoporosis and Arthritis have become an issue.  Osteoporosis is a disease which robs up to 25% of your skeleton by the age of 50, and just increasing your calcium intake may not be the answer.  Diets low in calcium have been shown to have low incidents of Osteoporosis, while diets high in calcium have been shown to have high incidents of Osteoporosis.   It is thought that Protein rich foods are the main problem as they are acid forming and the body cannot tolerate substantial changes in acid level of the blood and neutralizes the effect through two mainly alkaline agents – sodium and calcium.  When the body’s reserves of sodium are used up, calcium is taken from the bones.  Therefore the more protein you eat, the more calcium you need, although studies seem to indicate that if you eat a high protein diet, no amount of calcium will correct the imbalance.

Arthritis, caused by the loss of synovial fluid in the joint, or an imbalance in the bodies calcium levels resulting in porous bones arthritic ‘spurs’, occurs for a number of reasons.  Irrespective these can reasons; most people will find solace in a combination of the following dietary considerations:

1. Dietary manipulation of the inflammation – Eating foods that will reduce the inflammation
Eat less meat, and avoid animal fat as a cooking medium as the chemical that sparks inflammation is derived mainly from animal fats.  The fats that block the inflammation come from GLA’s (gamma linolenic acids) which are found in borage, evening primrose, black currant (and can be taken as a supplement) and linseed oil.  GLA’s are also found in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seas, sesame seeds and should always be consumed in the whole form or as freshly ground to ensure minimal nutrient loss.  ALA’s (alpha linolenic acid) which are found in green leafy vegetables, wheat germ oil and oily fish such as anchovies and sardines, also assist in the blocking of the inflammation. It must also be noted here that changing to a complete vegetarian diet does not guarantee you will not suffer from Arthritis
Ginger will also assist about half of those suffering from arthritis.  Take 1 – 2g of powder or 25g of fresh ginger in any form on a daily basis for 3 – 4 months and you should see significant improvement.
2. Vitamin and mineral supplementation – A diet rich in the nutrients that will minimize the damage with taking supplements that will counteract possible deficiencies

It is important that your diet is high in antioxidants as well as Vitamin A, C, E, selenium and beta-carotene, so foods which should form a major part of your diet include: Fish liver oils, eggs, orange and yellow fruits, cherries, lemons, blackberries, and green leafy vegetables, chicken liver, lots of fresh RAW foods, avocadoes, peaches, broccoli, asparagus, olive oil, brazil nuts, lentils, red kidney beans, carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, rock melon.
3. Exclusion Diet – pinpointing and removing particular foods from the diet.
This should be undertaken with the guidance of a health care professional, and while there is no guarantee that food allergies have caused or worsened any arthritis, there are significant benefits from removing the trigger foods from your diet.  Possible foods that may trigger the arthritis include: Dairy products, Solanacae vegetables (capsicums, potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, eggplant), Citrus fruits (especially orange juice) and wheat products.
4. Weight control
Although no-one is quite sure why, excess body fat negatively effects joints, including the non-weight bearing ones such as fingers and wrists
5. Reduce Stress
While not a direct cause, it does not assist the condition, nor does an imbalance in the flora of the gut caused by an overgrowth of Candida Albicans.  If Candida is a problem, your diet should be devoid of all sugar and fermented foods (including vinegar).
6. Other considerations –
Regular gentle exercise or movement of the effected areas is important, so if exercise is ‘not your thing’, then regular physiotherapy visits are a must to maximize continued mobility.
Anti-inflammatory drugs while providing some relief do nothing towards reversing or slowing the condition.  Try GLA, Flax seed oil or EPA/DHA supplements instead.
Minimise stress on the affected joints.
Clear up all infections as some arthritis can be set off by bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter.  Weak immune systems also mean that your own body cannot react to inflammations as it should.

Always remember to consult your health care professional before embarking on significant dietary changes.

With the average person spending around a third of their life in bed, the quality of this time spent here can have a major impact on the rest of our day.  Poor or disturbed sleep can affect your work, concentration and ability to interact with others.  Good quality sleep enables physical and mental restoration ensuring you face each day fresh and alert.

The amount of sleep that each individual needs varies, with most needing between seven and nine hours.  Too much sleep, just as too little sleep will leave you feeling tired and irritable.  Babies and children spend longer periods asleep as it is while they sleep that growth hormones are released.  It is for this reason that as we grow older we need less sleep because the release of growth hormones diminishes significantly.

With natural chemicals in the body enhancing our sleeping, what we eat also impacts on our sleep.  A light stack before retiring can help to promote sleep but too much can prevent or disturb sleep as our body struggles to digest the food.  Small amounts of alcohol can also promote sleep, but as this is metabolized your sleep can become fragmented.  Any food that contains caffeine (a stimulant) can also disturb your sleeping pattern.  Warm milk and honey is a commonly recommended food to assist with sleeping, but a turkey sandwich can be just as good.  This is because both milk and turkey contain tryptophan an amino acid which not only is necessary for the production of Vitamin B3 (niacin) but also naturally induces sleep through its assistance in the production of serotonin.  The addition of carbohydrates (honey to the milk and the bread in the sandwich) facilitate the amino acids direct access to the brain.  Tryptophan is not available in all foods, but some of the best dietary sources are soy protein, brown rice, cottage cheese, fish, beef, liver, lamb, peanuts, pumpkins, sesame seeds, and lentils, but before you get too excited, for your body to utilize tryptophan fully, it is best consumed on an empty stomach.

Herbs such as chamomile, hops, lemon balm and peppermint can also assist in sleeping.

While exercise is important for a healthy body, strenuous exercise before sleep can be detrimental to sleep – stop exercising at least two to three hours before sleeping.  This also applies to eating, and definitely no heavy meals before you plan to sleep.  Avoid long midday naps and excessive mental stimulation before sleeping.  Ideally try to go to bed at the same time each day and reading, soothing music and meditation will assist you in your preparation for sleep as will the wearing of light, loose fitting and comfortable nightwear.  Keep your bedroom as quiet as possible, blocking outside noise or at least masking it with inside noise such as that of a fan.  Do not use your bedroom for work and definitely do not watch TV in your bedroom as in addition to the mental stimulation this causes, you have the added problem of the constantly emitting electrical field (even when the TV is ‘switched off’).  Try to deal with any problems or concerns you have before you go to bed – they will not allow for a restful night.

If you have tried all of the afore mentioned suggestions and you still find yourself tossing and turning, then do not try to force yourself to sleep.  Get out of bed and read a book or other meditative activity until you feel sleepy and then go to bed.  It is important that you still get out of bed at your ‘regular’ time.

If all else fails in your search for a restful nights sleep, a visit to your health professional may be in necessary to rule out heath problems like insomnia, obesity and sleeping dis-orders such as sleep apnea.  These require professional advice to be dealt with effectively.

Sweet dreams