Secrets of the nutritional and physical game

They may not have won as many medals as the United States in this year’s winter Olympics, but the general population of all Canadians, especially the woman, are less likely to have arthritis. It seems, according to the researchers, that Canadian females are VERY physically active whereas most American females…not so much.

Did you say “Hockey” … let’s not go there!

Knee pain?
10 million adults a year end up wearing down the cartilage which results in pain, swelling, stiffness and limited movement.

Hip pain?
There are more than 320,000 hospital admissions per year for hip fractures due to weakening of the bone from lack of mineral density.

These joints are critical because they bear the body’s weight during movement and motion with direct impact on longevity and vitality.

Can you decrease joint pain without medication while improving integrity, motion, stability and strength in your hips, knees and ankles?

The solution!
Here are some extremely current facts about getting healthy and staying healthy – fast!

“The Training Effect”
Without it, you are wasting your time …
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) makes the following recommendations and should be used on a sliding scale for the healthy adult within the context of participant’s needs, goals, and initial abilities:

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Composition
1. Frequency of training: 3-5 wk.
2. Duration of training: 20-60 min of continuous or intermittent (minimum of 10-min bouts accumulated throughout the day) aerobic activity.
3. Intensity of training: 55/65%-90% of maximum heart rate – lower intensity values, i.e., 40-49% is most applicable to individuals who are quite unfit.
4. Mode of activity: any activity that uses large muscle groups, which can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmical and aerobic in nature, e.g., walking-hiking, running-jogging, cycling-bicycling, cross-country skiing, aerobic dance/group exercise, rope skipping, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, skating, and various endurance game activities.
Muscular Strength and Endurance, Body Composition, and Flexibility

Resistance (Weight) training:
1. One set of 8-10 exercises using major muscle groups
2. 2-3 days per week
3. 8-12 repetitions of each exercise
a. Older and more frail persons (approximately 50-60 yr of age and above), 10-15 repetitions may be more appropriate.

Flexibility training:
1. Should stretch the major muscle groups and be performed a minimum of 2-3 days per week.
2. Stretching should include appropriate static and/or dynamic techniques.

Super news:
A brand new (Feb. 2010) study in Arthritis Research & Therapy revealed significant improvements with pain and inflammation when combining effortless walking exercises with 1500 mg of glucosamine sulphate, a nutritional supplement.

If this will improve the cartilage that covers the surface of bone, can you imagine what this could do for all your joints?

And you thought Teflon cookware was the hottest thing!