A new study conducted by the NIS Labs shows that acai juice intake is now being linked to reduced joint pain and improvements in the antioxidant levels in the blood.

The human body is composed of bones, specifically 206 for the adult body. These bones allow us to stand up straight since it serves as the frame work of the whole body. While these structures are important, the ability to move is just as essential. Every time we sit down, eat, exercise, play, and work, our body moves in different angles, ways and directions. A part of our body twists and folds and this is made possible by the joints located in the many parts of our body. Through our joints we can swivel, stretch and pivot because it allows movement in a certain spot.

The Pain of Joint Pains

Joint pain, or also called arthralgia, is a common health condition that can occur in not only one but also in other joints of the body, sometimes simultaneously. Most people point out that the reason for this kind of pain is because of old age. Though it may be directly related to aging, it can also be caused by serious conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), where there is a degeneration of the cartilage in the joint and is very common in people older than 45 years old, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the cartilage in the joints and could lead to stiffness and pain. Other common causes of joint pains include wear and tear, injury, fracture, sprain, and cartilage damage. Inflammation of the joint, metabolic disorders like gout and pseudo-gout, bone diseases, tumors and cancers near a joint can also produce joint pains.

Joint pains vary according to cause. Some will experience swelling and stiffness due to OA or RA. Joints that are affected may become swollen, red and very painful when touched and mobility of the joints becomes restricted because of the accompanying pain.

To keep the joints healthy and pain-free, living a healthy lifestyle and taking the right food is the best course to take especially those that are rich in calcium and Vitamin D. Exercise and meditation should be done regularly as well as precautions during vigorous activities. Wearing comfortable footwear will also keep your ankle joints healthy. Sitting at one place for 30 minutes should also be avoided and it is recommended that one take regular breaks as often as possible to stretch and to prevent stiffening of the joints.

Wonder of Acai

The Acai Palm is very common throughout northern South America, most especially along seasonal flood plains and in the river edges of Brazil. There, it is mostly widely distributed because of the numerous properties of the Acai fruit or the Acai berry. The Acai Palm produces a highly nutritious and edible berry 1-2 cm in diameter which comes from green to dark rich purple in color.

The Acai berry is considered as an herbal medicine by the Brazilians. Its oil is used to treat diarrhea and wash skin ulcers. The seeds are prepared for fevers. From the Acai berry also comes the Acai juice. It comes in a dark purple color extracted from the small round fruit. It is often served fresh and ice cold. It is a nourishing drink that is also used to produce mousses, liquor, ice cream and sweets.

It is no wonder that Acai berry and Acai juice are considered to be a treasure by those who drink it.  It is one of the most nutritious foods of the Amazon because it is rich with phytonutrients, as well as Vitamin B, minerals, protein and omega 3 fatty acids. The most abundant mineral found in Acai is potassium and that a small intake of it provides the body with more than what it needs. Acai berry is also rich in anthocyanins that are known to possess antioxidant activity. In a research known as French Paradox, it says that anthocyanins are the antioxidants that protect the French from heart disease. By the neutralization of free radicals, the Acai berry may actually help maintain healthy functioning of systems and organs.

However, there are a lot of circulating reports saying that this wonder berry is being used by scammers for easy money. A great deal of scammers nowadays are creating products with purple coloring and which tastes exactly the same as this wonder fruit, but does nothing to the body. If you are one of the people who are still interested in the health benefits provided by Acai berry, you need to be very cautious. Exercise caution and research a lot about the product, and only pick the ones that offer real Acai berry which can give you the full benefits that you deserve.

Acai Juice for Joints

A recent study has shown that a glass of Acai juice a day have been associated with reduced joint pains, alongside advanced antioxidant levels in the blood.

Consumption of 120 ml of Acai juice for twelve weeks were related to an increase in the antioxidant levels of 14 study participants and an improvement in physical well being according to results published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods.

14 old adults with varying degrees of joint pains were sought for the test by Dr. Jensen. Each of the 14 participants received 120 ml of Acai juice daily for a period of three months.

Dr. Gitte Jensen from NIS Labs in Oregon stated that the findings show a relationship between pain and antioxidant.

Specifically, results showed relief from pain and enhancement on the motion range in the spine and other extremities. Only two weeks from the starting period, antioxidant levels showed improvement and continued to rise throughout the 12 weeks of the study according to the researchers. However, no significant changes were reported to the inflammation marker, C-reactive protein.

Researchers from NIS Labs, Oregon-based Cascade Chiropractic and Rehabilitation and AIBMR Life Sciences performed the study which was funded by MonaVie LLC.

How to Promote Healthy Joints

Aside from Acai berry, here are other means to ensure that you keep your bones healthy:

• Keep moving. Because joints are meant for movement, keeping these structures fixed for long periods of time can cause weakness of the muscles that surround them.
• Lose the extra weight. Remember that those extra pounds can cause unnecessary stress to the joints and could lead to early wear and tear.
• Observe proper posture. Something as simple as picking up an object from the floor can lead to joint pain if done in a wrong manner as this can strain ligaments or impinge nerves which would eventually lead to immobility and joint stiffening.
• Take Supplements. Examples of supplements that promote joint health are Chondroitin and Glucosamine

Sources
familyhealthguide.co.uk
library.thinkquest.org
health-report.co.uk
nutraingredients.com
articlesbase.com

People running in high performance shoes put more torque on their knees than people running bare foot.

As something of a gym rat, I take my sneakers pretty seriously.  They have to be comfortable, they have to look cool, but more than anything else, they have to relieve stress.

Let’s face it:  When we exercise, we’re putting a lot of stress on our bones, joints and muscles.  Of course, our muscles and joints become stronger after proper rest (one of the many reasons why rest is crucial to every exercise regimen) but the activity itself—depending on the intensity—is no walk in the park for our bodies (unless it is, in fact, a walk in the park).

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to purchase far more good sneakers than bad ones.  But the bad ones I’ve purchased have been REAL bad.  One pair was so bad that my knees actually started to hurt whenever I ran or used an elliptical after a few months of wearing them.  At the time, I thought it was a mild case of tendonitis.  But I knew it was the shoes when I ditched those for a new pair.

With all the advances in sneaker technology, you’d think this wouldn’t be much of a problem, as sneakers surely are more packed with padding and support than they used to be.  But a new study says that some of these sneakers are causing more pain than pleasure.

A study published in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that some of the premiere sneakers on the market today put more torque on the knees than running barefoot or walking with high heels!

The study used several different indicators to determine how much of an impact runners were putting on their joints.  For example, electronic markers were placed on their knees so the researchers could actually see and measure what was happening as they were running (this, of course, required some highly sophisticated technology).

In addition to watching the participants run in a traditional setting, they also observed them running on what the researchers call a “glorified bathroom scale” in their bare feet.  This also measured the amount of torque that was placed on the knees and joints.

Surprisingly, they found that people running with shoes—the very shoes that are supposed to minimize torque and resistance—actually brought on more torque than running bare foot.  For example, in the part of the knee that often become arthritic in people with osteoarthritis, there was about 40 percent more torque among those running in sneakers than those running bare foot.

So, does this mean that you should kick off your sneaks and bare it all?  Not necessarily.

“I think people should run in what they feel most comfortable running in,” said the study’s lead researcher to LiveScience.  “Whether that’s in a pair of running shoes or in a minimum kind of running shoe, that’s fine.”

In other words, don’t get snookered into believing that if your shoe isn’t at least $150, you shouldn’t buy it.  Pay attention to how the shoe feels on your foot and mimic as best you can the way in which you run right there in the store.

For this reason, it’s best to shop at a store that has space for you to run in place or ideally around the store itself.  Stores that allow this usually employ specialists that can evaluate your gait and whether you over-pronate when you run.

Source:
msnbc.msn.com

What I’m about to tell you, though, may cause you to do a flip-flop of your own regarding your view on the flip-flop.  Confused?  Don’t be.

It might come as a bummer, but an Alabama study’s results should leave your flip-flops finished for the summer. That’s because flip-flops can incur serious damage on the two things that get you from here to there: your feet.

The study out of Auburn University (Go Tigers!) studied 39 college-aged men and women (a good sample, as there are lots of college-aged men and women who travel from class to class in flip-flops).  To test the effect of flip-flops on the participants’ feet, they had each participant walk on a special platform that measured the impact their feet made with the platform and the length of their stride when they walked. They also had them walk across the platform wearing athletic shoes to see if there was a difference.

According to the study’s chief researcher and author, Auburn graduate student Justin Shroyer, the participants’ altered their gait depending on whether they were wearing flip-flops or athletic shoes. When participants wore flip-flops, the length of their stride tended to be shorter and the impact with which their feet hit the platform was lessened compared to when they wore athletic shoes. This suggests that the participants were modifying their walking patterns because flip-flops don’t support the foot as properly as athletic shoes and they were trying to keep the flip-flops from flying off their feet. If the participants were to wear flip-flops with regularity – like throughout the summer months, for instance – it comes as no surprise that that lack of support will cause their feet to ache. 

The results of the study led doctors and the study’s researchers themselves to better understand why so many people develop foot and joint problems, such as plantar fasciitis and tendonitis.

Flip-flops are great for lounging around the house in the summer, fall, winter or spring. But if you’re using them for walking a length of any significance – even if that walking is in the mall or drug store – you’re using them for the wrong reasons. 

Remember the movie Forrest Gump? There’s a part in the movie where Forrest and his good friend Bubba talk to their platoon leader, Lieutenant Dan Taylor. At the end of their conversation, Taylor gives Bubba and Forrest the platoon’s two standing orders:  try not to do anything stupid, and take care of your feet. That applies to the non-soldier as well. If you take care of your feet, you’re protecting yourself from a lifetime of pain and aggravation that comes with arthritis and tendonitis. But if you wear flip-flops for the wrong reasons – like walking – you’re violating both of Lieutenant Dan’s standing orders.