The essenTial secreTs to MainTaining sTrong JoinTs and recovering from JoinT inJury

Discl aiMer

While the authors and publisher have strived to achieve complete accuracy of the content in this report, they assume no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions. Additionally, you should use this information at your own risk. The information provided in this e-book is intended as a general guide only, not as a tool or replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment; Always consult a medical professional for advice suited to your particular condition.

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Plus: insider Knowledge the Pharmaceutical companies Don’T WanT you To KnoWI

Do you enjoy jogging or playing tennis, walking your dog or coaching your kids’ soccer team?

From recreational activities and competitive sports to the simplest daily actions—such as getting dressed, writing a note, or gripping grocery bags—your joints are the unsung heroes. When they’re strong and healthy, you physically engage with the world without even thinking about it. You type on the computer, take the stairs, chase your kids, mow your lawn, jump in the pool, go to the gym—all without considering the effort behind these movements. (Or, at least, the wrong kind of effort.) But when your joints are inflamed, ordinary activities can come to a screeching halt, leaving you to wonder, What do I do now?

Millions of people suffer from joint pain and inflammation as the result of injury or illness—often for longer than they have to. The truth is that most of them are missing a key piece of the puzzle: knowledge. Once you know the essential secrets for maintaining strong joints and recovering from joint injury, you can become an active participant in your own recovery. In other words, you’ll be armed with the tools you need to jump back in the game—even if “the game” is just daily life. What’s more important than that, anyway?

siMPle secreTs for MainTaining sTrong anD healThy JoinTs—Naturally

If you own a car, you know that it’s easier—and, in the long run, much cheaper!—to take it for regular maintenance than it is to tow it to the dealership for repair once it’s broken down. The same is true for your joints: it’s easier to maintain healthy joints than it is to correct them once inflammation has set in. The good news (and a well-kept secret) is that half the tools you need may already be in your pantry.

The hiDDen PoWer of DieTOne of the simplest ways to maintain joint health is to incorporate sufficiently high levels of powerful antioxidants and other essential nutrients in your diet. This will include a range of healthy oils, vitamins, and minerals.

Vitamins are organic compounds that perform diverse biochemical functions in the body, such as supporting our immune system and regulating cell and tissue growth. In some cases, they may even act as antioxidants.

Antioxidants are important molecules that stop harmful free radicals dead in their tracks. They protect us from degen-erative tissue damage caused by these highly reactive atoms, molecules, or ions that constantly cascade throughout our bodies, destroying cells and the different tissue they come in contact with—including bone and cartilage.

Free radicals are well known and extensively researched for their role in premature aging, as well as their ability to cause inflammatory disease throughout the body. Avoiding them as a whole is impossible, as they are in the air we breathe, food we eat, and are continually produced in abundance throughout our bodies by the very act of breathing. However, if they go unchecked, they will become a major contributor to damage, discomfort, and pain in your joints.

By loading your diet with vitamins and oils that act as antioxidants, as well as the correct minerals, you’ll help your joints stay strong from the inside out. Among all the information (and misinformation) out there, here’s what you need to know:

C vitamin c (ascorbic acid) does double-duty, because it’s also an antioxidant. It clears the body of harm-ful free radicals, is essential for the development of cartilage and helps maintain the structural integrity of bones, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. The best way to consume any vitamin, where possible, is through food, rather than supplements. For the right daily dose—aim for about 75-100 milligrams—reach for citrus and fresh foods. Try grapefruit, oranges, raspberries, mangoes, pineapples, and tomatoes, as well as vegetables such as red peppers, asparagus, and broccoli.

C vitamin D (calciferol) increases the body’s absorption of calcium—another weapon that should be added to your arsenal. Calcium, a mineral, promotes strong, healthy bones that protect your joints from undue stress. To reap all of its benefits, shoot for consuming between 1,000–1,200 milligrams a day through dairy products—such as milk and cheese—yogurt, and orange juice. Pump up the effects by increasing your intake of vitamin D. By getting a little morning or afternoon sunlight, your skin can naturally synthesize vitamin D, but if you are avoiding the sun, vitamin D can also be found in foods such as shitake mushrooms, sockeye salmon, sardines, mackerel, and cod liver oil. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, then supplements can be extremely beneficial as a boost to correct your levels. We recommend a simple blood test to check your vitamin D levels, as many people now have deficiencies in this important vitamin.

C vitamin K (phylloquinone) is not often spoken about, but don’t forget this important vitamin; it is needed for bone mineralization and rebuilding—critical for maintaining healthy joints. It can be found in leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, as well as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and aspar-agus. If you have recently been on antibiotics, you may want to eat some natural yogurt or take some pro-biotics first. A proper intestinal flora is required for this vitamin to be absorbed in any meaningful amount.

As for foods rich in antioxidants, you have plenty to choose from! Salmon, oatmeal, brown rice, berries, prunes, raisins, plums, red grapes, alfalfa sprouts, onions, and beans are all packed with free-radical fighting powers that will keep your joints healthy.

Want extra help in keeping joints strong? Turn to essential fatty acids (Omega 3,6, 9). There is always some level of stress, irritation, or inflammation occurring in our joints, and these essential fatty acids will help reduce this underlying inflam-mation. Foods containing these “good fats” include salmon, sardines, and herring, as well as avocado, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Remember—you have full control over what you put into your body. Changing your diet is the single most beneficial—and all-natural—thing you can do now to protect your joints for years to come.

liKe a liTTle helP?If you know that diet is not going to be your biggest strength in your strategy to naturally maintain joint health, supple-ments could be your ace in the hole—especially if you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions.

For joints, an extra boost can come in the form of a glucosamine-based dietary supplement. glucosamine is naturally present in the cartilage of your joints; it’s that cartilage’s “building block.” Around age 40, our glucosamine synthesis becomes impaired, causing an aging effect on our joints. (Ever complained about your ankles or knees when you climb out of bed in the morning?) Hundreds of studies since the 1980s have shown that glucosamine supplements can coun-teract some of this natural wear and tear. These supplements may also help those who are already suffering from osteo-arthritis or other joint injuries. An ideal dosage is 500-1,000 milligrams per day.

You can also look for supplements containing bromelain, MsM (methyl sulfonyl methane), and quercetin. Each of these ingredients is all-natural: bromelain is extracted from the stems of pineapples; MSM is a sulfur-containing compound naturally produced by the human body; and quercetin is a compound found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains. They are all natural anti-inflammatory agents (they do exist!) that can help your joints function at optimum levels. Try looking for supplements containing 100 milligrams of bromelain, 133 milligrams of MSM, and 100 milligrams of quercetin. One major pro of trying natural anti-inflammatories is avoiding the nasty side effects that are associated with pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories (see “The Truth About NSAIDs,” below).

a naTural reMeDy you’ve hearD abouT froM MoMRemember all those times your mom told you to sit up straight—“shoulders back!”—? As it turns out, good posture does more than help you look respectful and attentive; it ensures you’re evenly distributing weight among your spine, mus-cles, ligaments, and tendons. If this alignment is off, your joints take on an unhealthily heavy role in keeping you upright.

Poor posture is one of the easiest habits to adopt and one of the most difficult to break, simply because it’s so uncon-scious. But those with good posture experience better balance, agility, and physical performance and decrease their chances of injury. If they do become injured, they recover more quickly and often with less pain. With the long-term benefit to your joints, it’s worth practicing good posture now—even if it is uncomfortable at first.

To determine whether you are practicing good posture, take a quick self-inventory:

C Do you experience chronic neck, shoulder, back, or knee pain? Is it worse during or after certain activities, such as when you sit down for meals or stand up for extended periods of time; or at particular times of the day, such as after work? If so, you may be your own worst enemy by repeating the same tasks with bad posture.

C are most of your daily activities sedentary (sitting at a computer) or active (stock-ing shelves)? If sedentary, do you crane your neck toward your computer (poor posture) or sit with your hips, shoulders, and head aligned with a straight neck (good posture)? If active, does your body share the load as you bend, putting equal pressure on your thighs, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and upper back (good posture)? Or do you find yourself leaning forward, putting too much weight on your lower back (poor posture)?

C When you stand still, is your body in alignment from your hips to your head (good posture)? Or does any one part bend or lean away from the others (poor posture)?

No matter where you fall in this self-inventory, there is always room for improvement.

five siMPle—anD overlooKeD— Ways To iMProve your PosTure

To keep your spine aligned and balanced, look no further than these simple, easy tricks:

1 Don’t slouch! (Again, Mom was right.) Imagine there is a string connecting the top of your head to the ceiling, with just enough pull to keep your chin lifted and your neck and shoulders upwards and relaxed; this is what your resting position should resemble, sitting and standing.

2 Don’t lock your knees when standing; keep them slightly bent.

3 support your lower back while sitting by not leaving a gap between it and the back of the chair; if necessary, use a pillow to fill this space.

4 Move around. If you sit at a desk all day, get up and walk around your office. Get a glass of water. Stretch. It’s important to keep your muscles limber.

5 Try incorporating yoga or pilates into your fitness regime. With a focus on core strength and alignment, they can also help shift your mindset so that you are more aware of your posture throughout the day.

The facTs everyone shoulD KnoW abouT JoinT inflaMMaTion

Even those with the best diet, posture, and lifestyle habits can fall victim to joint pain and inflammation. It can be the result of a variety of causes, including injury—such as sprains, tears, and fractures—and conditions such as arthritis, bur-sitis, tendonitis, and Baker’s cysts. The discomfort can be no less than debilitating, limiting your range of movement and interfering with your daily activities.

The first thing—maybe the most important thing—to understand about inflammation is that it is actually your body’s attempt to protect itself against harmful stimuli or irritants; it is the body’s first recourse toward healing. In other words, inflammation itself is not the enemy; it’s trying to defend your joints from whatever is attacking them . . . and it has two phases you must learn how to distinguish between if you hope to recover quickly.

is your inJury acuTe or chronic—anD Why Does iT MaTTer?

acuTe inJuryWhen your joint injury is acute, you can realistically hope for a complete recovery in most cases if you take the correct steps. This is when it is most crucial to do everything you can to expedite your joint recovery and avoid it becoming chronic. There are three phases of an acute soft tissue joint injury that you should understand.

Acute inflammation is the first phase of healing, you may notice redness and/or swelling, as well as feel pain and/or heat. This first phase typically lasts between 24-72 hours and is the time you should immediately apply the four principals of R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). This will substantially minimize the amount of swelling in the damaged tissue.

The second and third phases of your body’s healing process are called repair and remodeling. Repair typically occurs three days after the acute inflammation recedes. In this phase—typically lasting up to six weeks from the time of injury—your body starts forming connective tissue to replace the damaged tissue. Remodeling kicks off about one week after the repair process and continues alongside repair. This is the phase that strengthens the new repaired tissue and can last for several months to a year.

chronic inJuryNow, when the inflammation phase continues unabated alongside repair and remodeling for eight weeks or longer, it is then considered a chronic injury, and a full recovery becomes less likely as time goes on.

What leads to chronic inflammation? In short, ineffective treatment and/or no treatment at all. If you continue your daily routine, trying to ignore the pain, the repetitive motion will continue to set off the inflammation phase, damaging your tissue and prolonging the healing process. This is when scar tissue, or excessive connec-tive tissue, forms.

Connective tissue is composed of collagen, a fibrous protein already present in bones, ligaments, and cartilage. The inflammation process produces collagen in order to form connective tissue; therefore, it falls to reason that if inflammation is chronic, continually destroying tissue even as it tries to heal it, it will result in more connective tissue formation.

Unfortunately, when the connective tissue is excessive, it is also shortened. It is tight and resistant to movement, as well as 20 percent weaker than the original tissue; this means it’s easier to continue irritating it through movement.

It is important to resolve your injury as soon as possible to avoid any or additional formation of scar tissue, which would result in further irritation and inflammation to the joint and lead to additional irritation and pain.

exPeDiTe your recovery—naTurally: The crucial Do’s anD Don’Ts

ThaT everyone shoulD KnoWYou’ve heard the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Well, so is the road to prolonged recovery and further injury. Do yourself a favor and read this list!

1 Don’t try to push through the pain. A lot of personal trainers and coaches try to get you to push through injuries because it serves their pur-pose, rather than encourage you to take a long period of rest during which they will not benefit from your business. This “man up” approach is the #1 enemy of a successful, expedient recovery! Don’t make the mistake of thinking the joint will naturally (perhaps magically) heal itself if you keep working it. The logic here is as faulty as staying in the cold when you have pneumonia! It exacerbates an already painful condi-tion, which can lead to further injury, a longer recovery period, and the possibility of permanent damage. The best—and easiest—thing you can do for your joints is to stop performing the action that causes you pain. Give the joint a rest.

2 Do use supportive braces, straps, and pads.While you’re healing, one option for not putting stress on inflamed joints is using supportive braces, straps, and pads. Types of braces, and their uses, vary. If you have a knee injury, for example, involving torn cartilage or ligament sprains, or are recovering from surgery, you might use a hinged knee brace. If your pain is caused by tendonitis, bursitis, or arthritis, you should look for a slipover brace; it will promote healing by keeping the joint warm while it provides support.

Depending on your diagnosis, you may wear a brace for as little as several days or, in some cases, over the course of months or years. They may not look pretty, but they are non-pharmaceutical and can be very effective in relieving pain. Caution should be taken, however, not to rely on braces, straps, or pads to the detriment of surrounding muscles. Talk to your health care physician about how you can continue condi-tioning the muscles through massage or physical therapy.

3 Don’t eat foods that cause inflammation.While inflammation is your body’s first step to healing, it also damages tissue. Joints do enough work before injury without also fighting the effects of inflammation-inducing foods. Stay away from fast foods (normally full of trans and saturated fats—instead, enjoy fresh whole foods); margarine (or spreads with partially hydrogenated oil); processed meats (normally full of nitrites—grill some chicken fillets or salmon instead); saturated and trans fats (found in biscuits and crisps—time for some fruit instead); cream cheese (try goat cheese); processed foods (most things boxed or bagged); high sugar foods (sugary cereals are a good example—outmeal is a good alternative); and other foods that you know to cause allergic reactions.

4 Do keep surrounding muscles strong.Taking the pressure off an injured joint too completely can cause the surrounding muscles to atrophy—as well as put undue pressure on additional joints. To avoid this well-intentioned pitfall, keep surrounding muscles strong by practicing good posture, engaging in gentle stretching, and consulting with a physical or massage therapist for more intensive treatment.

5 Don’t go straight to pharmaceutical treatments.Yes, some of them can be effective in reducing swelling and pain, but they also come loaded with a litany of short- and long-term side effects. The truth is that pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in you using their products, so the advice to treat joint pain and inflammation will often steer you there first. Be wary. Ask questions of your physician. Do your own research, and save the pharmaceutical approaches for a supplementary role to natural treatments only if there is a demonstrated need.

6 Do try natural therapies.If you have tried other treatments without success, needed to stop treatment because of side effects, and/or seek a natural alternative, natural therapies such as the OSMO Patch may offer a solution.

The OSMO patch is a new, non-invasive, and 100 percent natural approach to reducing swelling and relieving pain associated with a number of inflammatory joint conditions. Many patients find it a welcome alternative to invasive procedures, as well as drug treatments with long lists of side effects.

The OSMO Patch, which works while you sleep, does not possess anti-inflammatories, steroids, or any other drugs, and is also suitable for individuals that may be currently using medications for blood pres-sure and diabetes. The OSMO Patch shouldn’t be considered a “cure” for any underlying condition but, rather, an effective, natural alternative to existing treatments for inflammation. You should still talk to a specialist to determine what is causing the joint inflammation so that you can complement the relief from the OSMO Patch with the appropriate lifestyle changes or additional treatments. For more information, visit www.osmopatch.com.

The secreTs PharMaceuTical coMPanies

DoN’t WaNt you to KNoWA basic Google query will yield hundreds of articles on how best to pharmaceutically treat joint inflammation. Many of them seem to present conflicting information, making it difficult for the typical patient to decide on the best course of action. The most important advice here is do not self-diagnose. Treatments vary depending on the cause of your joint inflammation, and what works for one diagnosis may prove ineffective or even harmful for another. If you are suffering from joint pain or inflammation, especially if it is chronic with no immediately identifiable cause, you should see a special-ist. He or she will be able to diagnose you and guide you to the best treatment path for your condition.

It is important, however, to be informed on the most common treatments that are available. The truth is that, barring improved surgical procedures, there has been very little advancement in the types of treatment for joint inflammation in the past 10-20 years. Many doctors will suggest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for joint injury and inflammation, while others will recommend injecting anti-inflammatory drugs—such as steroids—directly into the source. If there is an infection involved, a doctor will first prescribe an antibiotic. If pain is severe and chronic, a physician may prescribe painkillers, and—as a last resort—surgery may also be an option.

While some individuals may find that these treatments offer relief, many others will find little to no benefit at all. In fact, there a few things you probably will not be told about the medications likely to be prescribed.

The TruTh abouT nsaiDsNSAIDs are commonly prescribed to treat joint inflammation for what seems like obvious logic: they possess anti-inflam-matory properties. However, there is a lack of notable scholarly data on their efficacy. in fact, it has been found that people find little to no sustainable benefit from using NSAIDs—their results have been compared to placebo. In addition, by blocking the mechanism required for inflammation, NSAIDs may actually prolong the healing process. At the same time, while seemingly alleviating the discomfort of one condition, NSAIDs may create or exacerbate other health issues. Serious risks include heart attack, stroke, and related conditions (except for low-dose NSAIDs, such as aspirin), serious stomach and intestinal bleeding, kidney failure, liver failure, and ulcers. Naturally, these risks increase the longer you take this medication or the higher the dosage you consume. Risks are also higher for those who are 65 or older and already have heart, stomach, kidney, liver, or intestinal disease. Scary, right? Again, that’s why it is so important that you try natural remedies first!

sTeroiDs: WorTh The shorT-TerM benefiTs?

For chronic inflammation, a doctor may sometimes prescribe oral steroids to reduce swelling. Oral steroids are non-narcotic, but like narcotics, their use is intended to be short-term. For this reason alone, they are not the most effective treatment for someone with long-lasting or recurring joint pain. If that isn’t enough, they also come with serious side effects, especially for those who find themselves needing to take them for more than one short round (one or two weeks) of treatment. Patients may experience stomach ulcers, weight gain, and osteoporosis, among other complications. Oral steroid are also not recommended for diabetics, as they increase blood sugar, or those who already have infections, as they can exacerbate the condition.

For a localized area of inflammation, such as occurs with bursitis or tendonitis, many physicians will recommend an injec-tion of cortisone, a steroid, directly into the area. While they are not “pain relievers,” per se, steroids can help reduce pain by lowering the inflammation. Pain relief is usually felt more rapidly than with oral anti-inflammatory medications, since the cortisone is being applied directly to the area of inflammation. Some side effects associated with oral medications—such as stomach upset, in particular—are also reduced, since the medicine bypasses the stomach entirely. The short-term side effects to steroid injections, about which you will likely be informed, may include pain and redness at the injection site, increased aggravation of the inflammation (postinjection flare), tendon ruptures, and facial flushing.

A fact that pharmaceutical companies hold close to their chests is that steroid injections are normally only a temporary fix and that a patient should not receive more than four shots in a 12-month period. If the process continues over a long course of time, patients may experience thinning of the skin, easy bruising, weight gain, puffiness of the face, acne, elevation of blood pressure, cataract formation, and even thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). As with oral steroids, you should be especially cautious about steroid injections if you have diabetes or existing infections. Do the risks outweigh the benefits? That’s up to you to decide.

coMPelling reasons To avoiD The neeDle anD syringe

If you’re like most people, you have a natural aversion to needles. However, for conditions such as bursitis and baker’s cysts, a physician may suggest aspiration of fluid from the joints using a needle and syringe. Bursitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) lying between a tendon and skin or bone. Some experience bursitis temporarily, while oth-ers suffer from it chronically. Bursitis is typically experienced in the shoulder, hip, knee, or elbow, and it can be caused by injury or underlying inflammatory conditions. Baker’s cyst, meanwhile, is a buildup of joint fluid—or synovial fluid—behind the knee. Both conditions may be temporarily relieved by extracting the excessive fluid to reduce swelling and its associated pain. If infection is present, the fluid will be examined in a lab to determine the best course of action.

The procedure is relatively quick—about a minute or two—but it is not comfortable and, in fact, can be extremely painful. Your physician may first numb the area with an initial injection before using a larger needle to extract the synovial fluid. Other than pain during and after the treatment, there are two notable drawbacks to this procedure: first, there is a risk of infection in the joint, and secondly, the joint normally re-fills with fluid soon after the aspiration. As with steroid injec-tions, many patients find themselves disappointed by the prompt need to repeat the process.

The nuMbing Dangers of PrescriPTion PainKillers

Let’s get one thing straight: prescription painkillers are very good at what they do—numbing pain. They require no addi-tional effort than simply taking a pill and can bring immediate and significant relief. For this reason, they are often people’s first choice in pain management. The rationale is that they will be able to continue their daily activities while avoiding additional expense associated with physical therapy or massage. Prescription painkillers are a “quick fix.”

They are also extremely dangerous.

Along with seeming to eliminate physical pain—“seeming” because the pain is only temporarily concealed, while the source remains untreated—their side effects lend themselves to addiction.

Unlike other treatments, prescription painkillers create effects that are, on the surface, quite pleasant. Opioids—or morphine-based painkillers such as Vicodin, Darvocet, and OxyContin—cause euphoria, relaxation, and a numbness of emotional pain. The elimination of physical discomfort, coupled with these side effects, can easily become addictive. Quite without meaning to, people begin reaching for painkillers even when the physical pain has diminished. Dangerous in itself, the problem is intensified by the fact that tolerance to opioids builds quickly. This means a higher and higher dosage is required to achieve the same physical and psychological effects. Once tolerance increases, addiction is most often already present. Scarier still, most people fail to recognize it.

Addiction to prescription painkillers has a number of decidedly unpleasant effects, both physically and psychologically. Physically, people who overuse painkillers may experience worsened pain. They assume, again, that they need a higher dosage, when in fact the increased pain is a result of over-consumption. By simply numbing the original pain, there is no motivation to seek improvement of the source condition. Thus, posture may worsen, because positions that once hurt do not when taking painkillers; exercise, stretching, or massage also falls by the wayside as a result of the relaxing effects of most prescription painkillers. Worse, those who realize these effects and attempt to reduce their use of painkillers experience physically and psychologically painful symptoms of withdrawal.

Weaning off prescription painkillers can create effects such as strong drug craving, tremors, chills, sleeplessness, anxi-ety, flu-like symptoms, depression, hallucination, delirium, extreme irritability, and muscle and bone pain comparable to, if not worse than, the original symptoms. These effects can last for weeks and create serious disruption to your life. If you are suffering from severe or chronic pain, you should explore other options before taking prescription painkillers; the risks far outweigh the benefits.

surgery: a lasT resorTBefore considering surgery, you should always explore every possible option for a less invasive treatment. However, if you are experiencing severe and/or chronic pain and have followed your physician’s recommendations without success, as well as explored and eliminated all of the natural solutions, you should then consult an orthopedic surgeon and learn about your options. Ensure that you speak to more than one orthopedic surgeon before making a decision, and never be pressured by them. It is always good to speak to others who have had the same procedure, asking those with successful results for referrals; as with any profession, not all surgeons are equal! If surgery is required to improve your condition, there are things you can to do prepare for surgery and minimize discomfort associated with recovery:

C Ensure your house is clean and absent of any items you may trip over. This may include children’s toys, rugs with upturned ends, and cords. Widen your pathways by moving furniture, and place any frequently used items within easy reach.

C Assume you will not be able to easily perform physical daily functions, such as walking the dog, and pre-pare someone else to absorb these duties until you recover range of movement.

C Prepare your household for a week of inactivity: grocery shop, mow the lawn, freeze meals, and arrange childcare.

C Manage expectations; talk to your surgeon about what you can expect of your recovery period, as well as what is required in the days leading up to surgery.

Most importantly, if you do need surgery, approach it with a positive mindset. Trust that your surgeon (whom you will have chosen with care) prioritizes your wellbeing, and allow your friends and family to help you as needed. They will be more than willing to lend a hand and optimize your recovery.

The TaKe hoMe Message: ensure sTrong JoinTs noW

anD inTo The fuTureBe active in your own health maintenance. Take care of your joints now by eating foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants and practicing good posture. Listen to your body. If you start experiencing pain or inflammation, do not try to push past it; shuck off the “advice” of anyone telling you to man up! Talk to your physician about what may be causing the inflam-mation, and determine whether it is acute or chronic—then give your body time to rest! At the same time, while rest is important, make sure to get joints moving again as soon as possible to avoid muscle atrophy. Recovery is all about bal-ance. Consider using braces, pads, or straps to offer support and stability.

The sooner you can begin effectively treating your joint condition, the more likely you will be able to avoid chronic inflammation and painful scar tissue. Remember to carefully research and consider all your treatment options before choosing one—don’t buy into everything you’re told by those trying to sell pharmaceutical approaches. Always opt for natural, non-invasive options first, using pharmaceutical methods as secondary solutions only if absolutely necessary. Take a balanced approach to maintenance and recovery, and remember: prevention is always easier than recovery!