Food as Tylenol?

Recently I was asked an interesting question... "I have a lot of pain in my joints, especially when it gets cold outside. In my knees, hips, fingers, everywhere.  What can I do to help the pain?"

What made it interesting was I received this inquiry from a 19 year old male who is in excellent health, exercises 5 days a week and is not overweight.  First thought is arthritis, but how could that be? Although many first think of arthritis as a diagnosis for older generations, it is very common for active teenagers and adults.  Arthritis is basically joint inflammation and can be caused by many things including injury, surgery, and over use.

Here are a few foods that can help reduce pain that you may be having due to joint inflammation no matter what your age.

Walnuts. These nuts contain Omega 3's which are fatty acids that curb inflammation. Not a fan of walnuts? Try salmon, flax seeds, sardines and some green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale.

Colorful fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are what they sound like, they fight toxins, commonly known as free radicals. They fight them by protecting and repairing damaged cells. And think the brighter the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more antioxidants. Raspberries, Sweet Potato, Mangoes, Mustard Greens, Beets and more.

Brussel Sprouts.  Recently I heard a nutrition expert describe fiber as what makes our vegetables stand up. Interesting visual, and extremely helpful. Cabbage, broccoli and eggplant are all vegetables that are high in fiber and can stand up all on their own.  Not getting the visual? Think of romaine lettuce, which is lower in fiber, and how it can wilt... See it now?

Eating the right foods has tremendous health benefits and by
choosing the ones mentioned above, you can also help reduce your pain due to arthritis.

If you are interested in learning more about  arthritis, visit http://www.arthritis.org/.

H2Oh...I need to drink more water.

Drink more water. How many times have you heard this health tip? Surprisingly, this has been incredibly consistent over the years. So one would think that the majority of adults would be drinking enough water? Surprisingly, no. According to the Rockefeller Study, only 34% of adults meet the recommended amount. And even more shocking, 10% don't drink any water on a daily basis.

One may ask themselves, How much water do I need? Well, funny enough, there is no simple answer, although there are general recommendations. Most of us have heard of the 8 glasses of 8 oz. water rule? Although this is easy to remember, it is not 100% accurate. According to the Institute of Medicine, a male should drink 3 liters of water daily, which equals approximately 13 cups and for women it's 2.2 liters, approximately 9 cups. These numbers are for all fluids which includes water from both beverages and foods. But how do you know what's right for you? Here are a few general tips to help and your body will thank you.

Drink water to match any other beverages. By following this, it will allow you to not fill up on the high caloric and tempting juice or sodas. And when you do take a swig of something other than water, it will taste 100 times more delicious.

Drink 1 large glass of water before every meal and continue to drink water during your meal. Save the other beverages for snacks.

Drink a large glass of water if you start to feel hungry.  Often times, hunger is masking thirst and by following this tip, you will be one step closer to your daily goal while saving you unwanted calories.

My Nalgene. 

Keep a refillable water bottle around you at all times.   On your desk at work, in your car, in your gym bag, on the kitchen counter, everywhere and keep it full.  And what type of bottle works best? The one you like and will use on a regular basis.  My two favorite water bottles are Life Factory and Nalgene.

Soda Stream

Bubbles anyone? Not champagne, silly, but sparkling water. Soda Stream is a great product that allows you to eliminate a tremendous amount of waste while flavoring it to your liking. Try adding a lemon or lime slice, or frozen berries.  After drinking regular water all  day, this will taste like a special treat.

Try writing down how much water you drink for a week or two and rating how you feel each day.  Personally, my goal is 96 oz a day and I came to this number after much trial and error yet consistently listening to my body. I don't always meet this number, but when I do I feel great and my body thanks me.