Category: Health

Osteoarthritis (OA)

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What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, estimated to affect 630 million people worldwide. [1]

  • osteo: meaning bone
  • arthro: meaning joint
  • itis: meaning inflammation

According to most medical sources, it’s a degenerative and progressive “disease” of the joint.  It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.  One can expect to have mild to extreme pain and discomfort (depending on the severity of the condition), symptoms of stiffness/tenderness, and reduced mobility/flexibility (or range of motion).   Some may also experience a “grating sensation” when moving, and even develop bone spurs around the affected joint. [2]

 

So what happened?

Well, first you have to understand is that the body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding itself.  Cells don’t last forever.  Depending on the individual cell and the load on that cell, they can live from hours to years.  The lifespan of white blood cells, for example, is about 3-4 days; whereas red blood cells get recycled every 120 days.  Your entire liver can regenerate in as little as 1 year, and even your entire skeleton is brand new after about 10 years. [3]

Are your bones alive?  In defining “alive”, the dictionary says,

“The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism.”

When you break a bone, it heals, doesn’t it?  So, in response to a stimulus (let’s say, a baseball bat), your bone will adapt and reproduce.  Did you go to the skeleton dealership and trade in your framework for a larger model as you were getting bigger?  No.  Your bones grew.

See, inside your bones, you have osteocytes and chondrocytes – cells responsible for producing and maintaining collagen and other substances that make up your bones and cartilage.  You also have osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells).  As required, your body creates and breaks down your bone and other tissues to adapt to its environment. [4]

 

As the body is confronted with toxins and time, it will try to repair.  If, however, you’re not providing your body what it needs (by way of nutrition and exercise), and otherwise getting in the way of the repair process (e.g. exposing your body to chronic physical, chemical and emotional stress) – you’re gonna wear out.

It’s pretty simple:

Rate of Repair > Rate of Wear = Health

Rate of Repair < Rate of Wear = Disease

 

Think of it this way…your body is in a constant tug of war between living and dying.  We want to make sure to maximize those things that promote health, and limit those thing that lead to disease.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

 

So, what did your doctor say? 

Well, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York (who is ranked #1 nationally in orthopedics, is the United States’ oldest orthopedic hospital, and who performs more knee and hip replacement surgeries than any other hospital in the US), here’s what you can expect… [5]

“Treatment is aimed at control of pain by decreasing inflammation in the joint and with analgesics; oral medications may be prescribed, or injections into the joint. With the help of the physician and literature from the Arthritis Foundation, patients should first educate themselves about the disease and the various therapy modalities, such as physical and occupational therapy, especially the importance of exercise. It is also wise to maintain good nutrition and, if you are overweight, to reduce your weight.”

Only at the end do they mention nutrition and exercise.  We’ll later reference studies and clinicians who assert that reversing OA naturally through nutrition, supplementation, chiropractic adjustments and exercise isn’t just possible, but likely.  But first, let’s investigate the medical system’s primary mode of care – to control your pain.  NOT to fix the issue.

 

What drugs are being prescribed?

Analgesics and NSAIDs

The first strategic onslaught to your body will be over the counter and prescription Analgesics, such as Tylenol; and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve.  Although effective in reducing pain and inflammation, these drugs introduce other effects that aren’t very desirable – most notably heart attacks and strokes, as warned by the FDA in 2005 and who further strengthened that warning in 2015. [6]  Your next concern should be your gut, as 71% of those who were exposed to NSAIDs for more than 90 days had visible injury to their small intestines (including erosion and ulcers, leading to indigestion and further bowel complications or dysfunction). [7]  Acetaminophen is known to cause liver damage, and is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the US and UK. [8]  Sign off your kidneys, too, as NSAIDs have been linked to kidney disease and acute kidney failure. [9]  What might be even more alarming (assuming you can live with the increased risk to your liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines, cardiovascular system and immune system), is that these drugs have been proven to not be effective in the treatment of OA and even accelerate the progression of the disease! [10] [26]

COX-2 Inhibitors

COX-2 inhibitors are simply a more selective drug than NSAIDs (where NSAIDs block both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, COX-2 inhibitors only block the latter).  They are touted as being just as effective at reducing pain, inflammation and fever, but allegedly without all the damaging effects on the gut.  However, studies show they are also just as dangerous as NSAIDs in causing heart attacks, strokes, and damage to your liver and kidneys; as well as to your stomach and intestines (albeit to an advertised “lesser extent”). [11]  Celecoxib is the only COX-2 inhibitor currently available in the United States. Rofecoxib (Vioxx – discontinued in 2004) and valdecoxib (Bextra – discontinued in 2005) are no longer available because they increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.  However, even with the voluntary withdrawal, some still think there’s a market for this deadly drug. [18] [19]  I mean, you may die from a heart attack or stroke, but at least your knees won’t hurt, right?  Two other products, Arcoxia (etoricoxib) and Prexige (lumiracoxib) are both prescribed in other countries, but have been rejected by the FDA.  Prexige was removed from the market in Australia and Canada due to related liver complications. [12]

Tramadol and stronger painkillers (oral and injections)

Tramadol (Ultram), an even stronger pain medication, is considered an opiod agonist – meaning it’s a narcotic.  It’s listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a “schedule IV controlled substance” (along with Valium, Xanax and Ambien) due to its addictive characteristics – even though the FDA believed it had low potential for abuse. [13]  Assuming you take it as directed, be prepared for side effects to include dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, upset stomach loss of appetite, insomnia, digestive distress, allergic reactions, difficulty swallowing or breathing, agitation, hallucinations, lack of coordination, sleep apnea, seizures and (oh yeah) cognitive impairment and slowed reaction times as well as serotonin syndrome. [14] [15]  Stronger painkillers (such as codeine and propoxyphene) come with a similar laundry list of trade offs, too – albeit none more serious than death.  A 2015 Australian study found codeine-related deaths more than doubled in 10 years, and the manufacturer even warns of the primary risk, hypoxia – even in moderate therapeutic doses. [16] [17]  Even the CDC Director, Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. went on record in 2011 saying, “overdoses involving prescription painkillers are at epidemic levels and now kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.” [20]  Which was later proven only to have gotten worse with the NIH recording over 19,000 American deaths from Opioid Pain Relievers in 2016. [21]

What your doctor might not tell you (or know)…is that a study in 2016 actually found that opioid use for pain management paradoxically and remarkably doubled the duration of pain and that prolonged pain is a consequence of opioid use in treating chronic pain. [23]  WTF!

A study out of the University of Colorado – Boulder also reported, that in one study of rats, they found that rats given morphine experienced postoperative pain for more than three weeks longer than the rats not given morphine.  In fact, the longer the mice that received morphine continued to get it, the longer their pain lasted. [24]  Professor Grace was quoted in that article, saying:

“Opiates are really effective for acute pain relief. There is no drug that works better. But very little research has been done to look at what it is doing in the weeks to months after it’s withdrawn,”

Look, if I’m in a car accident or fall off a building and break my back – gimme that pill!  But!  Opioids have no place in the treatment of chronic ailments.

Yet another article out of George Washington University in 2016 showed that opioid exposure is associated with reduced likelihood of healing. [25]  Yes.  This means that the pain meds you’re being prescribed (solutions offered by your doctor) will not only make the pain worse, but prolong it!

If the oral variety doesn’t help much, you’ll likely be offered localized injections of cortisone.  The “success rate” will vary from person to person, and if it does work to dull your pain, it likely won’t last for more than a week or two.  [22]  Unfortunately, like the other methods described above, this too has similar detrimental and counterproductive results.

Don’t worry, though!  There are much more safe and effective means to lower the pain!

But let’s see what your doctor will likely do next.

Antidepressants

I mean, no wonder you’re depressed!  What’s been prescribed so far has only made the problem worse.  Your pain hasn’t gone away, the outlook hasn’t gotten any better, and now they want to talk about surgery.

The standard method of care has failed to correct the issue.

Your body has been under stress for decades due to poor nutrition, lack of movement, substandard sleep, and constant emotional fatigue.  Now your body is being chemically altered – drug after drug – only to undermine its physiological safeguards, and impede its ability to safely adapt to a toxic environment.  This just leads to more pain, a greater risk of disease, and…well, yeah…depression.

But hang in there!  Heading Healthy is here to help you take back your health!

 

 

 

What’s the final recommendation by your doctor?

Surgery, of course.  If it’s worn out – rip it out and put in a new one!  Why not?

Just know that this is what the leading expert hospital has to say about going on to surgery. [27]

“Keep in mind that surgery relieves pain more than it restores range of motion. Thus, the decision to undergo surgery is one more of personal wishes than of medical priorities.”

So, again…not going to fix your problem – but there won’t be any pain.  Confronted with excruciating pain, I can’t fault anyone for going this route – especially when left with no other options.  But when your doctor tells you that you need surgery…remember this quote!

Just know that your implant won’t last forever!  Unlike your body (which can heal itself), science has yet to find a repairable metal or plastic.  Since the underlying issue hasn’t been addressed, you can anticipate going through another replacement surgery in as little as 10 years from now. [28]  You might also be among the 44% of individuals who are falsely advertised to benefit from surgery – those of whom noticed little to no change post surgery. [29] [30]  That said, most patients were satisfied with the surgery and derived substantial benefits for daily functional activities. [31]

Even though most hospitals are quick to site that implants are expected to function for at least 15 to 20 years in 85-90% of patients, they also are quick to qualify that statement; stating that, “over time, general wear and tear will loosen the implants and may cause pain, loose particles, infection and instability – requiring more surgery.” [32]  As always, do your research and ask yourself if the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits.  These risks may include bleeding, infection, blood clots, stiffness and continued pain. [33]  From my research, most of the opinions I’ve found on total knee replacements seem to agree that if you’re someone with severe functional limitations (e.g. unable to walk long distances, climb stairs, or otherwise use the knee to function), then surgery may be worth the risks.

As a side note, don’t let your orthopedic scare you by saying, “it’s bone on bone.”  If you can move it – in any way – it’s not bone on bone. [56]  The joint can regenerate and the bone spurs be reabsorbed.

 

But!

 

What if there was another alternative – a safer, no-risk option that, not only healed your aching joints, but had the added benefits of losing weight, increasing energy levels, improving mood, even reversing other conditions you may have!

Wouldn’t that be ideal?

First, we have to truly understand what’s going on when your body correctly adapts to its environment, presenting as osteoarthritis.

Before that, however – repeat the following…

  1. The body is smart,
  2. It doesn’t do things by accident, and
  3. It will adapt to preserve life

If we assume the above statements are correct, then osteoarthritis is not a “degenerative and progressive disease.”  Instead, it’s your body’s brilliant and astute adaptation – a biological wonder in self-preservation.  The body isn’t providing “symptoms” – rather, CLUES!  It’s your body’s way of communicating with you.

 

 

Inflammation

The first thing you need to know about inflammation, is that it’s your body’s way of healing and protecting itself.  I know it’s annoying, but the redness, swelling, heat, and pain (although uncomfortable) is your body’s defense mechanism. [34]

Inflammation = Repair

So, why on earth would we want to take a drug that interrupts this process?  Know that, when you reach for those meds, you’re choosing short term relief at the cost of long term damage.  If inflammation is the body’s immune response to a stimulus, wouldn’t it make more sense to listen to our body, identify the stimulus, and fix it?

If the stimulus is not identified, fixed or removed, chronic inflammation will result.  Chronic inflammation is bad, “Mmm-kay?”

For example:

Let’s say you have a pebble in your shoe.  I can’t imagine walking around all day, every day, with that level of discomfort and pain.  But people do it all the time!  How?  Drugs.

Numbing the pain doesn’t fix the problem…it just makes the pain more bearable.  The problem is still there.  The pebble is still perceived by your brain.  You just don’t feel it.  And remember, that pain med you took is also actively blocking your body’s natural means of healing.

So, you’ve gone a few months like this.  Now the pain is no longer acute – it’s chronic.  Your body needs to adjust.  You certainly aren’t listening to the subtle clues, so it’s got to ramp up its efforts to preserve and protect itself.

Confronted with chronic pain, your brain begins to change! [35]

Modifications in the regions involved in cognitive and emotional modulation of pain occur – perhaps explaining why people with long-term chronic pain often develop anxiety and depression.

One pain condition develops into another – people with inflammatory or degenerative joint disease, for example, are almost four times as likely to also have fibromyalgia.

Chronic pain syndromes, such as chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), irritable bladder, pelvic pain, and others, cluster together in an individual; and they shift over time, trading off as to which one is more dominant at any given time.

You’ll develop alterations in sleep patterns (e.g. poor sleep), leading to fatigue and disruptions in cognitive function as well as mood disturbances.

Presenting multiple symptoms leads to more doctor visits.  Your general physician will refer you to multiple specialists, leading to multiple tests, and ultimately multiple diagnoses.  Of course, the standard methods of care for these issues is not to investigate and fix the problem – but to numb the patient and make them comfortable — more drugs.

More drugs, likely not researched for adverse interactions, cause more adverse effects – leading to more pain and further complications.

All the while, your sympathetic nervous system’s going nuts and responding by, [36]

Rousing up the adrenal glands to spit out hormones (e.g. epinephrine, adrenaline, cortisone, cortisol et cetera),

Leading to physiological changes such as elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, rapid breathing, elevated blood sugar, and high levels of cholesterol, reduced digestion…all great when trying to outrun a tiger, but destructive to the body when chronically exposed.

More importantly, while the “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous) system’s stuck in the ON position, the “rest, digest, and repair” (parasympathetic nervous) system’s muted.  Remember at the beginning of this article when we talked about the rate of wear being faster than the rate of repair, and what happens?  The body breaks down.

Constant consumption of resources by the body, without being replenished, leads to depletion.

Constant demand from the glands and organs, without given the chance to recover, leads to the deterioration.

Now.  If only we would have thought to take that little pebble out of our shoe!  Maybe then we wouldn’t have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, diabetes, depression, pain, and all the side effects from the multiple medications so irresponsibly prescribed by the medical community.  All that from a tiny little pebble!

 

 

Osteoarthritis, and other forms of bone and joint discomfort (heck, all “syndromes” and “diseases”) are not something you catch.  They don’t just appear over the course of days or weeks.  They are conditions, onset by systemic and chronic inflammation, over the course of years.  The underlying cause, however…the pebble…is still there!  Until we identify the stimulus, then fix or remove it, we have no chance at becoming healthy again.

 

 

What could be the root cause?

If you take a more holistic approach to the problem, you will see that,

  • The joint is part of the body, and as such, is subject to the physiological wellness of the body (if the whole is sick, the parts will be sick)
  • The joint is part of a biomechanical chain consisting of nerves, bones, joints, ligaments and muscles (if one’s off, they’ll be off)

Physiology

Now, although easy to see the correlation between a person’s weight and the resultant forces exerted on their joints, obesity also has unseen triggers (e.g. hormonal and cellular dysfunction) when it comes to arthritis. [37]  In fact, links between osteoarthritis and the metabolic syndrome are growing stronger and greater in number.  Some research even shows that metabolic diseases have a direct systemic effect on joints – siting the obesity-associated inflammation as a key factor in osteoarthritis severity and progression. [38]  One article goes so far as to say, [40]

“Current information suggests that osteoarthritis shares a similar biochemical and inflammatory profile to the metabolic syndrome. Mounting evidence exists to call attention to the fact that osteoarthritis deserves a seat at the Metabolic Syndrome ‘table’ of disorders.”

Metabolic syndrome, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a cluster of conditions (including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels) that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. [39]

Didn’t we just show how those “conditions” are normal adaptations of the body to a stimulus?  Keep in mind, too, that you don’t need to be obese to be diagnosed with “metabolic syndrome.”  One can’t make the argument of “excessive loading on joints” in the hands (where arthritis also occurs).  I mean, unless you’re walking around on your hands all day.  The link, however, between chronic inflammation and joint health is unavoidable.

Biomechanics

Biomechanics, or how the body moves, relies on input and support from multiple systems (e.g. the nervous system, muscular system, skeletal system, et cetera).  Upsetting any one of these could mean tipping the scales in the favor of inflammation, wear and disease.

Biomechanical factors play an important role in the health of your joints.  Altered joint loading (associated with obesity, misalignment, trauma, and/or joint instability) will likely lead to joint degeneration, whereas exercise and weight loss have generally been shown to promote beneficial effects for osteoarthritic joints. [41]

The key term being instability.  In fact, the severity of cartilage degeneration has been found to increase linearly with the degree of instability. [42]  This instability may stem from muscle imbalances around, or a misalignment of, a joint – even loose ligaments charged with supporting the bone and muscle connections. [43]  Strengthen those muscles around the joint by using them!  And don’t just target the ailing joint.  Weak butt muscles can lead to unstable knees.  Overdeveloped calves can lead to poorly developed muscles in the surrounding areas – leading to unstable knees!  Balance is key.

So, in the event that the body deems a joint “unstable,” it must take preventative measures to protect itself.  It does this by laying down more bone in attempts to fuse (or stabilize) the joint. [44]  Folks with osteoarthritis may be more familiar with the term, “bone spurs.”

Other causes of instability may come from surrounding joints that have become compromised due to weak postural muscles or inadequate exercise, becoming misaligned for a multitude of reasons. Instability may also arise from dysfunction of the nervous system!  In other words, what presents as a “knee problem” may not actually be an issue with the knee at all!  Instead, knee pain may simply be referred from the feet, the hips, or even the low back. [45]

 

 

How to prevent and reverse osteoarthritis

Finally, right!

Know that the knee, along with the spine, feet, and other joints, don’t get their nutrients in the way that normal cells around the body do.  Joints are under remarkable loads, and normal blood vessels simply can’t survive the level of compression in this environment.  Instead, joints are “lubricated” through movement.

Without movement, joints can’t get the nutrients they need through the synovial fluid.

However, even with movement, if the blood is toxic or not carrying sufficient amounts of nutrients required for the body to undergo repair, the joint will starve.  In other words – if the blood is sick, the body will become sick.  In order for the blood to carry the proper nutrients throughout the body, one must first consume and absorb those nutrients!

So, for preventing and reversing arthritis one must,

  1. Optimize the blood, then
  2. Deliver that blood to the affected area

And here’s how we do that!

 

Provide your body with proper nutrition

You simply MUST provide your body with the building blocks it needs to thrive.  Without the proper nutrients, your body will fail to recover as fast as it breaks down.  This means, following a Heading Healthy nutrition plan – focus on eliminating foods that cause harm to your body, and prioritize foods that bring it health.

Foods that cause inflammation (like sugar, alcohol, trans fats, processed foods, et cetera) must be avoided.

Foods rich in nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and anti-inflammatory properties (anti-oxidants and omega-3s, like organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, et cetera) should be sought after.  Support a healthy gut!

Although beneficial to everyone, if you’re dealing with joint problems, you may want to concentrate on sulfer-containing foods (like onions, garlic, asparagus, sauerkraut, and cabbage), bone broth (which contains collagen, proline, glycine and glucosamine), and fruits containing bromelain (like pineapple) – all shown to be beneficial to joint health. [54]

Spices you’ll want to make sure you include in your recipes are turmeric, basil, rosemary, ginger, and cayenne – all shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body. [55]

Not sure of where to start?  Check our our Heading Healthy Road Map!

Reduce joint stress with proper alignment and support

Go see a good corrective chiropractor.  He or she should analyze your spine and nervous system with (at minimum) x-rays and an exam, identify the underlying problems that are producing your symptoms, and fix those problems through proper chiropractic techniques that will reshape the structure of the spine, reverse degeneration, and get you back to a healthy life. [46]

The goal, here, is to find the stress points in your body that have been plaguing it for decades.  This may be anything from a lack of (or excessive) curvature in your spine causing poor nervous system communication; to pelvic misalignment leading to biomechanical compensations throughout the body; to poor patella tracking (e.g. misaligned knee cap) causing instability in the knee; to weak intrinsic muscles of the foot causing flat feet and poor posture.

 

Only once the cause is found, can the solution be identified. 

 

 

 

Advanced steps to prevent and reverse osteoarthritis

When faced with pain from years of dealing with inflammation, simply changing your diet and going to see a chiropractor might not be a drastic enough change.  However, without following a healthy nutrition and ensuring your nervous system isn’t impeded, one can not expect to heal completely.  You have to first remove the stress from the body before beginning to heal.

That said, there are a few “power ups” that I’ve found to be helpful in dealing with joint problems.

Supplements

Niacinamide (also known as Vitamin B3), has been shown to reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis in as little as 3-4 weeks, with 100% reduction in joint pain at around months 3-4. [47] [48] [49]   Doses advertised to produce such results are 1,000mg, 3 times per day. [50] [51]
 

Omega-3 fish oil, with it’s anti-inflammatory effects, will help offset the inflammatory diets so many of us are accustomed to.  Ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3, in the 1:1 to 1:2 range, have been found to be beneficial to health.  Ratios above 3:1, however, is where we start to see an onset of disease.  People who consume the typical “Western Diet” are more likely at ratios exceeding 20:1, likely explaining the current epidemic of inflammatory diseases. [52]  Fish oil is one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids and has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, while also helping to reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain, arthritis, and chronic skin ailments like eczema. [53]  The best fish oils are in liquid form, as they absorb up to 3 times faster than pill form and are easier to take in the recommended dosages.  Don’t worry.  If processed properly, there won’t be any fishy odor or taste, but you have to keep it in the refrigerator.  From my research, most agree that 1,500-3,000mg per day is sufficient, but it’s best to spread it out to at least twice per day.  If you’re not used to it, your system could struggle with that amount of oil in one shot!  Dr. William Davis, in his book Undoctored, recommends a little more at a daily dose of 3,000-3,600mg.  Just remember, that it’s EPA+DHA amounts that are recommended, not the amount of fish oil.  

 
 

  

Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2, will ensure adequate absorption of Calcium and transportation of it from soft tissues (like arteries and joints) into hard tissues (like bones and teeth).  I’d also steer clear of Calcium supplements.  Calcium supplements appear to have a negative risk-benefit effect due to increased gastrointestinal side effects (including a doubling of hospital admissions for these problems), a 17% increase in kidney stones and a 20-40% increase in risk of heart attack. [59]  Why?  Because we all get enough Calcium!  However, we don’t get enough Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 to effective and efficiently use that mineral!  Plus, I doubt you have a Calcium deficiency if your laying down new bone!  We absorb enough Calcium from our diet as long as we get appropriate amounts of Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2.  I, personally, have been supplementing with 10,000 IU of Vitamin D along with 100 mcg of Vitamin K2 for almost a year – with good results. 

 
 

  

Apple Cider Vinegar has been proven to help regulate blood sugar levels, enhance weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and relieve symptoms of acid reflux.  It can also help balance your body’s pH, enhance circulation, aid in digestion, and boost your gut health. [61]  This makes it a key staple in recovering from a toxic lifestyle.  Apple Cider Vinegar has also been shown to lessen the pain and swelling of arthritic joints, help re-mineralize the body, and act as an antioxidant. [60] [62]  You can mix it in a glass of water (and drink it with a straw to protect your teeth from the acid), and even add some lemon juice to make it more palatable if you need.  I, personally, just take a shot of the stuff.  Try starting off with 1-2 ounces twice daily (once in the morning and once in the evening) and see how it makes you feel.  And be sure to stick with raw, organic, unfiltered.

 

For a list of other supplements and products recommended by Heading Healthy, please visit our Recommendations Page.

 

Exercises

Weighted leg swings might be the best exercise you can do to increase supply of synovial fluids into the joint.  This distracts the knee joint, creating (in a sense) a “vacuum,” that draws nutrients into the joint and lubricates the surfaces of the bones – relieving pain and stimulating repair.  It’s as simple as sitting on a table, weighting your food (with either ankle weights or a kettlebell), and lightly swinging your foot back and forth from the knee.  Here’s a video demonstrating what I mean.

Walking, 30 minutes every day, will help get the joints moving – lubricating them and stimulating healing.  Walking has also been associated with improving your overall mood! [57]  Be sure not to load the joints too much, however, as more wear will just occur.  If the joints have degenerated too much, you might want to consider less stressful forms of exercise like biking or swimming.

Calf stretches, done by standing on a 2-3″ block (under the ball of your foot) and then pushing the knee forward (over the toe) while keeping your heel on the ground, will help loosen the muscles of the calf and allow adequate flexion of the foot.  Tight muscles mean an imbalance of the skeletal structure, which can lead to overcompensation of opposing muscles.  This also allows for proper movement of the soleus muscle – which acts like a pump to restore blood flow to your lower extremities.  You should do these static stretches for 30-60 seconds (each side) at least 2-3 times every day.

Foot exercises – like playing “rock, paper, scissors” with your toes; picking up marbles; alternating “gas pedal exercises”; folding towels; or “sweeping” with the feet will all lead to increased brain stimulus and muscle development in the feet.  As the foot becomes more stable, the joints and muscles above it (e.g. knee, pelvis, et cetera) can become more stable as well.  If the foot is unstable, poor posture and unbalanced movement will occur – stressing muscles, joints, and tendons which rely on “firm footing” to operate.  <– See what I did there?  Try getting at least two, 20 minute sessions in every day – and you can even do them while watching TV or working at the office.

Physical therapists are another great resource that you should consider when recovering from joint pain.  They should be able to assist you in developing exercises that meet the needs of the body for proper function, while being sensitive to your physical limitations.

 

 

 

It seems you CAN heal and reverse Osteoarthritis naturally!!

Here’s one success story (based on the methods above) you need to hear!

 

Healing is possible! 

 

Bottom line

By giving the body what it needs (e.g. proper nutrition, movement and rest) and removing inflammation causing elements (e.g. physical, chemical and/or emotional stress), the body will find its way back to health.  Hopefully, now, you can start to appreciate that the body is intelligent, and by understanding what it’s trying to tell you, you can find health again!  You don’t need to be a doctor to understand what’s going on.  You just need to listen to the clues.

 

 

 

Don’t know where to start?  Check out our Heading Healthy Road Map!

 

 

 

[1] https://www.hss.edu/osteoarthritis-research.asp

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925

[3] https://www.medicalsciencenavigator.com/physiology-of-self-renewal/

[4] https://courses.washington.edu/conj/bess/bone/bone2.html

[5] https://www.hss.edu/osteoarthritis.asp

[6] https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm451800.htm

[7] https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/aga-ssl010305.php

[8] https://www.medicinenet.com/tylenol_liver_damage/article.htm#just_how_much_acetaminophen_is_safe_to_take

[9] https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/adverse-events-associated-with-nsaids

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26564576

[11] https://www.rxlist.com/cox-2_inhibitors/drugs-condition.htm

[12] https://www.verywellhealth.com/cyclooxygenase-cox-1-and-cox-2-2552188

[13] https://blog.iodine.com/tramadol-the-most-dangerous-drug-in-the-world-5500450d6cc6

[14] https://drugabuse.com/library/the-effects-of-tramadol-use/

[15] https://www.verywellhealth.com/tramadol-10-things-you-should-know-190537

[16] https://www.nps.org.au/news/codeine-related-deaths-a-cause-for-concern

[17] https://www.rxlist.com/codeine-sulfate-drug.htm

[18] https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/21/vioxx-startup-comeback/

[19] https://web.archive.org/web/20120417053059/http://www.merck.com/newsroom/vioxx/pdf/vioxx_press_release_final.pdf

[20] https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p1101_flu_pain_killer_overdose.html

[21] https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates

[22] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387479/

[23] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27247388

[24] https://www.colorado.edu/today/2018/04/16/opioids-after-surgery-can-paradoxically-prolong-pain

[25] https://smhs.gwu.edu/news/new-study-finds-chronic-wound-patients-who-never-receive-opioids-heal-faster

[26] http://journalofprolotherapy.com/the-acceleration-of-articular-cartilage-degeneration-in-osteoarthritis-by-nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs/

[27] https://www.hss.edu/conditions_osteoarthritis-faqs.asp#How_is_osteoarthritis_treated?

[28] https://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement-surgery/outcomes-statistics-success-rate#2

[29] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24974958

[30] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25132662

[31] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25609443

[32] https://www.hss.edu/condition-list_knee-replacement.asp

[33] https://regionalorthopedic.com/total-knee-replacement-surgery-performed/

[34] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072482/

[35] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4530716/

[36] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

[37] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788203/

[38] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28072592/

[39] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916

[40] https://journals.lww.com/co-rheumatology/Abstract/2010/09000/Getting_to_the_heart_of_the_matter__osteoarthritis.9.aspx

[41] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3266544/

[42] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295950/

[43] https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/4/289

[44] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6ssKQLk2JE

[45] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZWMsS5JXm0&t=2195s

[46] https://www.drjohnbergman.com/faq/

[47], [50] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR2NTaYo7TQ

[48] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8841834

[49] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10608273

[51] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1534/niacinamide

[52] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/

[53] https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/good-fat-bad-fat-facts-about-omega-3#1

[54] https://draxe.com/effective-all-natural-treatments-for-arthritis/?utm_campaign=Live-May-2017&utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube&utm_term=arthritis

[55] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWj5GuYitN4

[56] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCqJNKS-v8E

[57] https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20485587/benefits-from-walking-every-day/

[58] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gei4_8ZAvo

[59] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26174589

[60] https://www.stanfordchiropractic.com/blogs/rethink/how-apple-cider-vinegar-relieves-arthritis.html

[61] https://draxe.com/apple-cider-vinegar-uses/

[62] https://www.naturallivingideas.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-arthritis/

 

 

Featured Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash

Tobias’s Journey – Part 6: And the Journey Really Begins

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If you’re just showing up and would like to start at the beginning, please go here!

After hearing the news that two of my closest family members were just diagnosed with incurable diseases, along with years earlier finding out that another dear family member was diagnosed with an even worse, terminal condition – I’d had about enough.  It was now going to be my mission to uncover, not the cure, but the science behind the cure.  I had read about how Americans were getting sicker by the month – but now my own family was coming under attack.  It was hitting too close to home, and it was about to get even closer.

I would set my alarm hours before I needed to get up, just so I could have a chance to consume more information.  I’d read books on everything from losing weight to fighting Alzheimer’s Disease.  My mission was to digest as much information as I could, so that I could be armed in the battle against time.  I knew my family members didn’t have a lot of it, and I was scared.

I’d stay up late trying to make sense of all of it.  Trying to connect the dots – find the patterns – uncover anything that could lead to the eradication of pain and suffering they were going through.  But, ironically…it didn’t seem to help.  Even though I had pages of data, mountains of studies, endless examples – they just didn’t want to hear it.  How could this be?  I had finally (in my mind) found the anecdote – and I’m getting turned down?  What!

Is it just too hard?  To change?  To fight?

Well, I (personally) am about to be put to the test.

See, I’ve (for over two years or so at this point) been regularly testing my cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, ketone bodies, et cetera.  I’m really fortunate to have doctors that humor me (and an insurance program that allows me) to track my values.  It’s a great experiment, actually!  I change my nutrition – let’s say I want to change my macros for this 6 months – and see how that affects me.  I can see how my triglycerides go up or down, or how my blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels fluctuate based on varying factors that I control.  I’m my own little guinea pig, my own little science experiment.  Needless to say, the folks in the lab and I are on a first name basis.

Anyway, I was just assigned a new doctor and asked for the usual chemistry, liver function, and lipid panels.  She was more than happy to oblige, and ordered my blood work for the following day.  All seemed normal.  “Hey Joan,” I smiled as I entered the lab, “Back again for my monthly stabbing.”  They like me in the lab.  I have really easy, big veins for them to siphon out of.  I notice, however, this time there were more vials than usual.

After a few days, the results were in.  I was happy to see all my levels were right where I thought they’d be, but there were other results I hadn’t expected – along with a note from my doctor.

You had an abnormal finding in the blood work:
– Low thyroid activity and the presence of thyroid antibodies consistent with hypothyroidism (Hashimotos)
I recommend taking thyroid hormone called Levothyroxine.  You are being prescribed a medication called Levothyroixine 50 mg tabs. Potential side effects of this medication include palpitations, tremor, and headache.  You should have a laboratory test to evaluate your thyroid function in approximately 6 weeks to make sure you are getting enough of this hormone.  I am starting at a very low dose and expect to increase dose as you tolerate it.

Well, this sucks.

I was so excited to see my results – sure of my health…then I get a message that I’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition?  How long has this been going on for?  Did it just start?  Have I had this for a long time and just never noticed it?  I don’t seem to have any of the symptoms.

And I even get the party line…

The treatment for hypothyroidism is to take thyroid hormone pills. You should start to feel better in 1 to 2 weeks, but it can take several months to see changes in the TSH level.  Most people need treatment for the rest of their lives. 

But I just got done learning about how medications don’t solve anything when it comes to chronic conditions – they only mask the condition (in a best case scenario) and may make things worse.

So, now I have a new mission.  I am going to overcome this hurdle like so many other’s I’ve learned about.  Surely, I can use this knowledge to my own advantage and beat this thing back to remission.

And I am.

It’s been almost 6 months now, and I’ve stabilized most of my labs.  I’ve shown reductions in all my numbers, and even lowered my TPO antibodies (a measurement of autoimmune function) by 15%.

My doctor thinks I’m nuts.  What’s the real surprise there?  According to her (and most of the medical community), my prognosis is to take artificial hormone medication for the rest of my life – but I’ve convinced her to let me give this a go – without meds.  It’s been scary at times.  Honestly, I feel alone; and at times, even I think I’m nuts.  My core beliefs are being challenged, but I need to have faith.

My numbers haven’t always trended in the right direction, but overall the direction is towards healing.  It’s an ongoing battle, and will likely be for some time, but I’ll get there.  I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and fight this thing naturally.  I’m going to prove to myself and to others that it can be done.  I’m going to make a believer out of my family, who laugh at me when I say that diagnoses aren’t predictions – that outcomes can be changed.  I’m going to be an example.  I’m going to make a contribution.  I’m going to re-Start my journey to Heading Healthy.

Featured Photo by Steven Coffey on Unsplash

Tobias’s Journey – Part 5: Helplessness

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If you’re just showing up and would like to start at the beginning, please go here!

Conversations around us tend to gravitate towards health related topics, eventually – either by someone asking us about a specific condition or by us volunteering some new data we just came across.  I mean, I absolutely LOVE talking about this stuff!  It gives me a chance to learn more, dig more, and help.  There’s a fine line, though – between offering welcome information and violating the sanctity of beliefs.  I try to tread carefully, because…let’s face it…it’s not easy to hear that the foundation of what you know about health has all been a ruse.  So, when a family member asked for input on their current medical condition (more specifically, their medications) – I was honored, and jumped into action.

Still in the learning phase about medications – I took the list of their medications and researched everything I could about them.  I wanted to know the brand name, the molecular compound and its mode of action, the common dosages prescribed by doctors, the advertised usages and reasons they were prescribed by doctors, even the manufacturer-admitted side effects, precautions and interactions.  Next, I needed to find out “why.”  What was the true harm of the symptom these drugs were being prescribed to stop?  Finally, how does this ONE medication react to all the other medications this individual is taking?

I visited common medical journal sites, pharmaceutical company pages, medical informational sites, even nursing exam studying guides to find out all I could.  The most challenging part, was to manage all the information poring in.  I had to start a spreadsheet to keep it all straight.  It was turning into a complex web, of sorts.  Everything was interconnected, and MOST of the symptoms experienced seemed to be a direct result from the medications.  Could the compound effects of multiple drug interactions from the medications actually have been making them sicker?

Then, I came across this article [1],

  • Prescription drugs rank as high as stroke, to be the 4th leading cause of death
  • Properly prescribed drugs cause 1.9 million hospitalizations a year
  • 129,000 Americans die each year as a result of taking medications as prescribed
  • 840,000 hospitalized patients are given drugs that cause serious adverse reactions
  • 328,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe die from prescription drugs each year

And also found out that drug to drug interactions go up exponentially the more you take.  For example, if an individual is taking 3 medications and each of those medications have 3 possible side effects, they are at risk of over 27 (3 to the 3rd) different reactions!

All of which, may have been treated with safe and natural remedies.  But, why do we not hear about safe and natural remedies?  Because there’s no money in it.  Natural compounds in nature can’t be patented.  The only way to make money is to construct a proprietary blend of natural ingredients, or to create a chemical that alters some natural process within the body.

Aggravation was starting to set it.  I was getting more and more frustrated.

I was then asked to review two other family member’s medications, and the results were more of the same.

I start having more and more conversations like this:

Me: “Why’d he go to the hospital?”

Individual: “He was complaining of being tired, having shortness of breath and had difficulty climbing stairs.”

Me: “Oh.”

Individual: “He also felt a weird tingling sensation in his fingers and toes.”

Me: “So, did they figure out what was wrong?”

Individual: “Well, they said his vitals were fine.  They increased his meds and now he seems fine, but they are keeping him [at the hospital] for further evaluation.  They can’t seem to figure out why his B12 numbers are low.”

Me: “That’s funny.  Isn’t he taking Nexium?  I just got off their website, and they say that a B12 deficiency increases if taken every day for a long time (3 years or longer).  How long has he been taking it?”

Individual: “About 9 years.”

Me: “Really?  Wow.  So, just so you’re aware, common symptoms associated with a B12 deficiency include: feeling of strange tiredness despite sufficient sleep, shortness of breath, heavy breathing while climbing stairs, pins and needles feeling in extremities, and numbness in fingers and feet.”

It’s becoming more and more evident – there appears to be a systemic problem with…the system.  People are quick to take a pill to fix what’s “broken.”  Only, it’s not broke!

The information is out there, and I need to make it available.  I know most people aren’t going to understand or even care about this stuff – until it’s too late.  Maybe I can help by translating the information out there?  Maybe I can help by evaluating individuals’ medications for them and offer suggestions based on the information that’s out there.  Maybe I can save a few people from these diseases that result from chronic exposure to these meds?

And then I get the call.

“Tobias.  I’m afraid I don’t have good news.  We just got back from two doctor appointments.  Your dear family member has just been diagnosed with Alzhiemer’s Disease.  And it get’s worse.  Their spouse has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.”

Click here to continue on Tobias’ journey:  Part 6: And the Journey Really Begins

[1] https://ethics.harvard.edu/blog/new-prescription-drugs-major-health-risk-few-offsetting-advantages

Featured Photo by Kyle Johnson on Unsplash

Tobias’s Journey – Part 4: Fox Guarding the Hen House

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If you’re just showing up and would like to start at the beginning, please go here!

So, at this stage in my journey, I’m starting to realize how simple foods can either be the root of the problem or the hallmark for healing.  I’m also starting to realize that these “diseases” our bodies develop are actually coping mechanisms to battle our toxic lifestyles.  Think about it, why is there a need for your blood pressure to go up?  Well, if you aren’t getting enough oxygen and nutrients to the cells, your heart has to pump harder to get those life supporting molecules to where they need to go.  It’s a physiological adaptation of your body.  The fact that your blood pressure is high, is a sign that your body is trying to cope with something – high blood pressure isn’t the problem in and of itself, and in fact, it’s what’s keeping you alive.

Through my research, I’m now finding dozens of people throughout the world who have overcome their challenges with (previously considered incurable) disease.  Not just managing the symptoms, but reversing the disease.  And we’re not talking just blood pressure, here – I mean Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, et cetera.  Doctors are telling people, “I’m sorry, but you have an incurable (sometimes terminal) disease.  There is no cure.  You’re going to have to take medication for the rest of your life.  You should start getting your affairs in order.”

Wait a second!  “No cure?”  “Terminal?”  “Medication?”

In today’s technologically-advanced society, it’s easy to share information.  Some can be good, and some can be bad.  But, what we’re finding, is that you DON’T have to have a medical degree to understand the body.  You don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical school to learn about medicine.  If you have an internet connection, you have access to the same information as your doctor.  In fact, one could argue that some janitors, engineers – you know…”normal people” – could know more about their body (and by extension others’) than doctors do.

If there’s no hope to cure these diseases – then why can you find people like,

Colin Potter, who founded www.fight-parkinsons.org and who’s helped thousands of people with Parkinson’s, or

Mary Newport who mainstreamed the efficacy of MCT oil and a Ketogenic diet for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, or

Vita, who records her winning fight agains with Hashimoto’s, or

Logan Sneed, who recovered from Stage 4 Glioblastoma Brain Cancer – BRAIN CANCER, people!

The doctors gave them the same prognosis – “it’s hopeless.”  Are their genetics bad enough to give rise to disease yet they’re lucky enough to swing back from it?

No.

They took matters into their own hands.  They rose to the challenge and fought back.  They knew deep down that IF there was a way, that they were going to find out what it was, and they were not going to fall victim and become a statistic.  They managed to tap into what makes us human – the ability to think.  What they found, was that diet alone is at the core of health.  Eliminate toxic exposure from your environment and provide your body what it needs to be healthy, and it will be healthy.

Now, I’m seeing that there are no excuses.  There’s no reason to sit back and take pity for a “bad break.”  Sure it sucks!  Yes, it’s horrible.  But there is SOMETHING that can be done about it!  It’s just not what everyone thinks it is.  It’s not where everyone is looking.  It’s not found inside a pharmacy – it’s found inside YOU.

So, why then – are doctors prescribing medications…for life?  Not just for disease – but for blood pressure, cholesterol, heartburn, allergies, headaches and on and on.  If these are normal reactions of your body to cope with stress, is it a good idea to challenge the body?  Is it a good idea to take a drug to alter that innate intelligence at will?  I mean – what could go wrong?

The more I learned about the body, the more a burning question started to develop inside my head.  If most of the issues we experience are due to toxic lifestyles, and all disease can be reversed through eliminating toxic exposure…what is medication for?  Is it any good?  Is it any help?  Or, is it just more of the very toxins we’re trying to eradicate?

Then, I came across an article by Donald W. Light, Joel Lexchin and Jonathan J. Darrow, Institutional Corruption of Pharmaceuticals and the Myth of Safe and Effective Drugs. [1]

  • Between 2002 and 2011, only 8% of new drug products offered some advantage – but 15.6% of those new drugs presented more risk of harm than benefit.
  • 92% of medications out there are as effective (or more harmful) than a placebo.
  • 1 in 5 of NMEs (drugs that are marginally different than previous drugs) eventually cause enough serious harm in patients to warrant a severe warning or withdrawal from the market – 1 in 3 if those were “priority drugs” that were reviewed in half the normal time.
  • Employees of drug makers wrote to Congress, arguing that “requiring companies to make honest claims about safe drugs would put thousands out of work.”

This can’t possibly be true.

Has greed of money endangered our well being?  Surely the FDA has something to say about this.  After all, they test these things out, right? [2]

WHAT THE %&*@!

Now, I’m concerned.  Not only are doctors missing the root cause of our ailments, they are prescribing dangerous drugs that are only going to make us sicker?!  No wonder the medical community is a loss for an answer – it’s part of the freakin’ problem.

Click here to continue on Tobias’ journey:   Part 5: Helplessness

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24088149

[2] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/specialfeatures/ucm279676.htm#2

Featured Photo by Sam Mgrdichian on Unsplash

Homemade Body Butter

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Have you ever looked at the ingredients in commercial lotions and moisturizers?  Many companies put alcohol in their lotions to dry your skin out faster and make you keep coming back for more.  There are also a lot of toxic chemicals found in many skin care products, many of which have been banned in other countries:

  • Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA):  found to disrupt normal reproductive system development and thyroid hormone levels
  • Oxybenzone (found in sunscreens):  found to cause irritation, sensitization, allergies and low birth weight
  • Parabens:  an estrogen-mimicking preservative used in many products, found to disrupt your endocrine system, as well as cause liver damage and stomach cancers
  • Petroleum:  Often contaminated with cancer-causing impurities, since it is produced in oil refineries at the same time as automobile fuel, heating oil and chemical feedstocks.
  • Retinyl and Retinols:  Sunlight breaks down vitamin A to produce toxic free-radicals that can damage your DNA and cause skin lesions and tumors

Ewww.

I spent months trying to find an affordable off-the-shelf product that didn’t contain harmful ingredients.  When that failed, I started making my own at home, with ingredients found in my kitchen.  I now know exactly is getting absorbed by my skin.  I use this lotion every day, even on my face, and I no longer have dry skin (I only apply once a day) or any facial skin issues.

What you need:

  • 1 cup shea butter
  • 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 10-15 drops your favorite essential oil (optional)

What to do:

Place a large mason jar in a small pot filled hallway with water (essentially making a double boiler) and heat over medium heat.

Place all ingredients into the mason jar and heat until everything is fully melted, stirring frequently.

Carefully remove mason jar from pot (or wait till it’s cool), and place on the counter (or in fridge) to cool.  Stir body butter every few hours as it cools to maintain smooth consistency until it becomes solid.  Enjoy!

Notes:

If when cooled it is grainy in texture, reheat to liquid again and re-cool, stirring more frequently this time.

After its fully cooled, if it is too liquidy, reheat and add in more shea butter, and recool.

You can use any essential oils you prefer.  For the family lotions, I make a neutral scent with a combination of mint and bergamot. When I make some just for myself, I use lavender or jasmine.

Tobias’s Journey – Part 3: A Deeper Understanding

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If you’re just showing up and would like to start at the beginning, please go here!

It’s hard starting out – in anything, really.  Sometimes, you just don’t know where you want to go.  You may have an idea, but that place may be so far away that getting there seems endless, daunting, impossible.  Like, if your destination was on the other side of the planet.  Which direction do you start walking?  Hundreds of paths will get you there – some more work and treacherous than others.  How long will it take?  What documents, luggage, personal effects will you need for the journey?  There are just so many unknowns!

That’s why it’s important to have mentors in life.  People who you can relate to, who have done it, who can share what they’ve learned about their journey.  The insight they can provide will help you shape your goal and manage the process in which to get there.  The key point there, is process.  Everything in life is a process.  To get from “A” to “Z,” you have to go through the entire alphabet.  I know, everyone wants to find ways to skip letters and just get there already, but that’s generally not how it works.  Most of the time though (albeit longer than what we’d like), the steps to get there have already been laid out.  You just have to follow them one step at a time and believe.

I would scour the internet for people who looked like what I wanted to look like.  I’d model what they are doing thinking, “if it worked for them, it has to work for me.”  I would read magazine articles, blog posts, books – hell, I’d take advice from strangers.  There’s no faster way to make a “bro-friend” than to say to a dude in the gym, “Hey, bro.  You look really buff.  How’d you do it?”  It is a little awkward, however.  And they never seem to know what really got them there.

The worst part about combing the internet for advice, though, is the endless opinions you’ll get on pretty much anything and everything – and how often those opinions contradict one another.  It can be really aggravating.  One person tells you to go left while the other tells you to go right.  One will tell you to avoid carbs, while another will say to eat only that.  Maybe you decide to go see a “professional.”  After all, they should know what to do, right?!  Yet, when you meet them you see they either don’t know how to follow their own advice, can’t, or worse yet DO but seem to gain weight faster than you are.  Who to trust?  Who to listen to?

Then, I stumbled on to Dr. Berg.  I remember the first video of his that I watched on YouTube.  It was on cravings.  I had been struggling with my reduction in calories methodology for losing weight (which I cover in my previous Journey articles), and I simply had to find a way around it before I fell off the wagon.  In his video, Solutions to Any and All Cravings (Dr. Berg), Dr. Berg doesn’t just lay out “substitution foods” or lecture you on mantras to repeat in order to get through some withdrawal symptom.  Instead, he lays out the threads connected to (literally) “Any and All Cravings.”

It was while watching this video that I realized, food isn’t just food.  Calories aren’t all equal. Hunger isn’t just a feeling you go through to make you eat.  Your body is smart, and is constantly trying to communicate with you. You just need to learn to listen!  Cravings, my friend, are your body’s way of telling you that it is deficient in something.  And it ain’t chocolate!

It may very well be, however, a chemical component of that chocolate you are craving.  Perhaps your adrenals are burnt out, you’re stressed, or your body is low on serotonin.  Instead of digging into a sugar-laden Twix (or two or three), consider taking some Magnesium or L-Tryptophan supplements to give your body what it really needs. Once your body receives the core nutrition it requires – I guarantee you, your cravings will go away!

Dr. Berg was that “Ah Hah!” moment for me.  It was that elusive bridge between feelings and science that I was missing.  No longer was it about diets and fads and “bro science.”  It was about biology.  FINALLY!  I was getting to the why!  Finally, I was uncovering the cause to effect.  It was starting to make sense.  

  • It’s a lack of potassium, not too much sodium that’s bad for you – and how that potassium deficiency leads to high blood pressure.
  • You can take all the calcium supplements you want, but without vitamin D it won’t be absorbed properly.  It’s likely a vitamin D deficiency leading to your joint pain, cataracts, asthma and allergies, not the effects of “getting old.”
  • How an imbalance of Omega 6 fats to Omega 3 fats leads to disease.
  • How acid reflux, heartburn, and gerd is a result of the body not having enough acid – not too much of it.

It was all so fascinating!  I had a new mission – to really understand the my human body.  I started to learn all I could about the body – about cellular structure, different body systems, hormones, organs, processes.  How they are all interconnected!  I would read everything I could get my hands on and watch every video I could find on the topic.  I even considered going back to school for a medical degree, I was having so much fun!

Now, I could make my own decision on which way I needed to go to reach my goals – the confidence behind each decision coming from an understanding of the science beneath it.  It wasn’t about blindly following edict anymore.  It was about systematically stepping through each day, experimenting with cause and effect, changing single variables and measuring the results.  I was my own little science experiment, and (as an engineer) I was loving it!

Click here to continue on Tobias’ journey:  Part 4: Fox Guarding the Hen House

It’s Not Your Fault

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It’s simply unfair.

Over one third of U.S. adults are obese [1], and listen – the cards are stacked against you.

It’s extremely hard, these days, to decipher what is healthy and what is unhealthy; what nutrients you need, and heck, what nutrients are!  One day, saturated fats cause cancer, and the next day they are the cure all.  Should I eat eggs or not?  What the heck is cholesterol?  But one thing is for certain, FOOD is good for you.  Food-like products…well, they really aren’t.  And I’m certain you already know this.

Take a look at the images below.

 

Which choice do you feel would be best for your body?  In other words, which could your body use to help make new muscle or help heal ailing joints?  Notice, I didn’t ask you which one you WANT, nor did I ask which one makes you hungry…that’s a topic for another post down the line, and believe me, the science behind that is amazing!

 

So, back to the topic at hand… According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Obesity results form a combination of causes and contributing factors, including individual factors such as behavior and genetics.  Behaviors can include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use, and other exposures.  Additional contributing factors in our society include the food and physical activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing and promotion.” [2]  See!  They are admitting that what and how you eat are directly being affected by your environment.  So, what’s the big deal?

 

Well, what are you constantly reminded of?  How many fast food joints surround your local grocery store?  How often do you see an advertisement from local farmers’ markets?  And be warned, unless you prepared your food from scratch – and by that I mean you started with real, whole food that you cleaned and cut and cooked your self – you forfeited your decision making abilities about your well being to whomever you bought it from.  Do you think they had your best interests at heart?  Do you think they care about you?  Or perhaps, more plausibly, do their core values center around making money?  After all, they are a business, right?

 

According to a 2016 article on NPR, “American kids see, on average, three to five ads for fast food per day.  And about 50 percent of all ads directed at children are for food.” [3]  Adds for fast food aren’t just on TV, either.  They are littering our landscape with billboard ads and popping up all over our internet feeds.  And it must be working, because BIG food industries (especially fast food companies) are spending BIG money on it!  According to Fast Food FACTS (Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score) 2013, a total of $4.6 BILLION was spent on all advertising by fast food restaurants in 2012 (and 8% increase over 2009).  McDonald’s spent 2.7 times as much to advertise its products as all fruit, vegetable, bottled water, and milk advertisers combined. [4]  When was the last time you saw a commercial about broccoli or kale?

 

The truth is, the food industry knows that you know what’s good and not good for you.  They know (if given the opportunity, exposure and choice) between their food products and actual, real food – you’d pick the food.  So they spend all this money to convince you otherwise.  They have brainwashed you into feeling “lost” without your Grande Caffe Vanilla Light Frappaccino Blended Coffee in one hand and that Grilled Breakfast Burrito Fiesta Potato in the other – all while trying to navigate bumper to bumper traffic with thousands of other hungry zombies on the way into work.  And, let’s face it – they are doing an excellent job.

 

Heading Healthy is a movement dedicated to the awareness, education and guidance of just how out of touch we are with ourselves.  Big food, big pharma, the medical industry, even some educational establishments all have one thing in common – investors.  Their goal is to make money for their shareholders, and you see what they are willing to spend to make sure that happens.  Who do you have backing you up in your corner?  That, my friend…is us.  We want to share the information with you, so that you can finally make informed decisions.  We’re not going to try and convince you of feeling one way or another, either.  We are simply going to submit the facts to you so that you can come to your own conclusions.

 

So, the next time you’re heading through the drive through, be aware.  Are you making a conscious decision that has yourSELF in your best interests…or, are you falling victim to a corporate monster marketing scheme that’s designed to make you hand over a few more bucks?  Take a hard look at that dollar (or card) as you reach over that counter (or out your car window).  Before you put it into the pocket of some shareholder, consider investing it back into yourself.  You’ll be a lot happier you did.

 

What Is Your Goal?

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Don’t say “to lose weight”.  I want you to think deeper.  How did I know that lose weight is your main goal right now?  As of January 2018, 70% of Americans were considered overweight or obese.  2/3 of Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic.  “Lose weight” is the number one New Year’s Resolution every year, so we know a lot of people are worried about it.

When I ask a client, “What is your goal?” What I am really asking is for them to dig down.  “Lose weight” isn’t specific enough.  Even saying “Lose 40 pounds” isn’t much better. That number on the scale is a helpful tool in tracking progress, but it doesn’t really tell you much.

I’m looking for “I want a six-pack” or ”I want to fit into the clothes I wore when I was 18” or “I want to get off my medications” or “I want to no longer have diabetes/high blood pressure/high cholesterol” because those goals are simple trackable goals.  But let’s take that at step further.  All goals, without a timeline, are just dreams.  Make all your goals SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound).

Don’t get me wrong, I weigh myself every morning, and I write it down.  But I don’t put much stock in that daily number.  I use it to keep myself accountable, and to monitor trends over time.  But that number is based on so many things at once, it really won’t tell you anything on its own.

So find a celebrity you want to look like, or a fitness goal you want to be able to do.  Do you a big event coming in your life, or maybe someone you want to get healthy for? Figure out what you see as your best self, and let that start to help you define your goal.  For a timeline, it’s up to you, but set a date.  Here, at Heading Healthy we only recommend that you lose weight safely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean slowly.  Once you start feeding your body the right foods that it needs, and you commit to drinking more water every day, and moving as much as you can, you will forget all about that “lose weight” goal.  The weight loss will be a side effect as you focus on something so much better.  Feeling happy, healthy, and living without chronic issues and medications.  All the while working towards that ever changing and growing goal.  Are you ready?

Healing Foods

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You’ve probably heard it called many things: the Leaky Gut Diet or the Anti-inflammatory Diet, but what it comes down to is simply giving your body whole, good, healthy, real food to help it heal and rebuild itself.

Following a healing diet like the one mentioned below will put your body on the right path to healing.  Progress may start to be seen in as little as 2 weeks!  Some autoimmune issues and lifetime chronic conditions will take longer to cure, and results will vary per person.  Of course, always check with your doctor before you reduce any medications, even as your symptoms decrease. You may have been prescribed medications been based on previous health concerns. This diet will improve overall health, and continuing to take medications when there is no need may result in unintended consequences.  Please make sure to work with your doctor to reduce any medications as the need for them goes diminishes.

Vegetables
(Eat lots of frozen or fresh veggies (not canned or packaged with seasonings, breading or sauce). Can be eaten raw or cooked. Beans must be dried beans, not canned)

Eat as much as you want of the following:

Asparagus Eggplant Parsley
Bell Peppers Garlic Radishes
Broccoli Ginger Root Snow Peas
Brussel Sprouts Green Beans Spinach
Cabbage Green Lettuces Sprouts
Cauliflower Kale Yellow Squash
Celery Mushrooms Zucchini
Collard Greens Mustard Greens Onions
Cucumber

½ cup serving per day is allowed:

Artichokes Lentils Black Beans
Beets Okra Kidney Beans
Carrots Peas Pinto Beans
Chick Peas (Garbanzo) Pumpkin White Beans
Legumes Squash (acorn, butternut, winter, spaghetti) Lima Beans
Leeks Tomatoes Olives

Nuts & Seeds
(whole nuts, not nut butters. Roasted and salted is fine, but not flavored. Peanuts are not included because they are toxic to a healing body.)

Almonds Pecans Cashews
Walnuts Macadamia Nuts Brazil Nuts
Pine Nuts Pumpkin Seeds Flaxseeds
Chia Seeds Sunflower Seeds

Fruits
(1 small piece of fruit a day, or ½ cup berries)

Strawberries Blueberries Raspberries
Blackberries Cherries Lemon
Lime Apples Pears

Fats & Oils

These:

Butter Coconut Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grapeseed Oil Flaxseed Oil Fish Oil
Cod Liver Oil Avocado Oil Sesame Oil
Walnut Oil

Not These (Very harmful and inflammatory):

Vegetable Oil Canola Oil Safflower Oil
Crisco Margarine

Meats/Protein
Fatty meats with the skin left on are preferred.  Meats should not be purchased already seasoned or breaded.  Bacon, lunch meats, and sausages are not included as they often contain harmful cancer-causing additives.  Try to get organic, grass-fed/finished or wild-caught when possible, of the following:

Beef Chicken Eggs
Fish (avoid Tilapia) Lamb Turkey
Venison Wild Game

Seasonings/Condiments
(use to season veggies and meats as you need to)

Sea Salt Black Pepper Red Pepper Flakes & Cayenne
Oils (see Fats & Oils above) Apple Cider Vinegar Red/White Wine Vinegar
Herbs Natural Spices (not store-bought spice mixes) Avoid products that have been processed and/or contain sugar

Power-ups
More things to add in daily to promote healing:

Homemade Bone Broth Sauerkraut Ginger
Cinnamon Peppermint Turmeric (Curcumin)
Garlic Fish Oil Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes Other fermented vegetables

Beverages

  • Water (preferably with lemon or lime)
  • Tea (Black or Green, Hot or Cold, unsweetened)
  • No Dairy (cream or milk)
  • Avoid all sweeteners

Helpful Tips:

  • All meals should be cooked at home to ensure all ingredients promote healing.
    • Cook larger meals so leftovers can be frozen and used later in the week.
  • Everything should be made from whole foods, not packaged processed foods.
    • Generally, if it has a label and/or multiple ingredients – don’t eat it.
  • Drink lots of water throughout the day, preferably with lemon or lime.
  • If you aren’t hungry, don’t eat, especially when you first wake up.
  • Limit eating to 1-3 times per day. Eat large enough meals to eliminate need for snacking in between meals.  If hunger sets in before the next meal time, increase fats and vegetables during the next meal.  If you eat enough fats, you will NOT be hungry to snack.
  • Consume at least 25 grams of fiber every day.
  • Aim to use ingredients together to make meals more satisfying:
    • Soups (made with homemade broth, meat and lots of veggies)
    • Big, fatty salads (with tons of dark green, leafy veggies topped with meat and healthy oils and vinegars)
    • Grilled meats, with large sides of raw, sautéed, or steamed veggies
    • Eggs cooked how you like them, with veggies sautéed in healthy fats

Things to Avoid:

  • You must stay away from the following to encourage healing, as these foods are very damaging to the body and cause inflammation and chronic issues:
    • Sugar (even natural sugars, like honey) and artificial sweeteners
    • Grains, whole or floured (wheat, corn, rice, quinoa)
    • Processed foods (ingredients you can’t define or pronounce)

Here is a handy printable of all the above information