Knee pain

Gentle Reader,   My knee complains. Knee pain from the old injury is caused by arthritis.  In the forest searching for chanterelles, my companions and I climb steeply to the plateau, second growth northwest forest of red cedar, western hemlock, Douglas fir, alder and vine maple. The understory is mossy in places, the green blanket providing …

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Keep Moving

Hello, Gentle Reader, In end every post with “be well, do well and Keep Moving.”  But I spend most of my day at the computer, sitting for hours.  What’s to be done?  You probably don’t move all day at your work, either.  I was talking with my hair stylist, suggesting a trip for her family …

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low back pain

Gentle Reader, Yicks!  Low back pain. Leg numbness.  JR, my twenty something trainer, moved me up to a new set of exercises last week.  I’m not the only ancient mariner at the Xgym by a long shot, but the way they schedule us in half hour slots for a 25 minute hands-on workout, I don’t …

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Eggplant bad for arthritis?

Gentle Reader, Is eggplant bad for arthritis?  Those of us who suffer the pain of arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, have the uneasy belief that night shade plants including eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers make the pain worse.  This article came across my desk thanks to Kate McCoy, LMT and friend.  I was delighted to see how many …

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OTC pain meds

Gentle Reader, The aftermath of my bike crash calls into question two of my closely held beliefs:  OTC pain meds are bad for you; keep moving, no matter what.  I was on the dunes path at Long Beach, WA with twelve Finneys of all ages.  Nothing like a little crowd around the beginning of the …

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bike crash

Gentle Reader, I did not write last week.  I had to let the effects of a bike crash at the beach take hold before I let you in on it.  I was off at the beach with the Finneys, my stepfamily, who turned out in big numbers to enjoy Long Beach, WA’s wave action, drift …

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Anti-aging

Gentle Reader, So much determines well-being:  good friends, love and happiness, nourishing food, a sense of spiritual fulfillment, a personal sense of purpose and meaning, deep restorative rest are at the top of the list.  When these ingredients are present over a person’s life, they seem to have an anti-aging effect.  Scientists and explorers have …

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resveratrol for joints

Gentle Reader, There is so much I could share about this past weekend at my alma mater, Bryn Mawr College, just outside Philadelphia on the MainLine.  In keeping with the goal of this blog, I will single out arthritic joint issues and focus on possible remedies for joint pain. Twenty-nine of my classmates came to …

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Alternative pain relief

Plants for Alternative Pain Relief Boswellia serrata Extracts of Boswellia serrata have been clinically studied for osteoarthritis and joint function, particularly for osteoarthritis of the knee. Positive effects of Boswellia in some chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease have been reported. A Boswellia extract marketed under the name Wokvel has undergone human efficacy, comparative, …

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Tai-chi for fibromyalgia

Gentle Reader Tai-Chi for Fibromyalgia: Should You Try It? If you have fibromyalgia and experience musculoskeletal pain, poor sleep quality and depression, you might try tai-chi — a martial art form combining meditation with slow, gentle, graceful movements. A small but important study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggests that tai chi may help …

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