Knee Replacement Surgery

This past weekend I was at an event with my mother (double knee replacement 10 months ago) and my cousin (single knee replacement 6 weeks ago). I was amazed at how well my cousin was getting around after just six weeks. My mother, who could barely walk prior to her double knee replacement, is bemoaning the fact that she isn't back to her 40-year-old knees (do you think she is expecting too much?!) but she is getting along quite well. I expect her to be back on a pair of skies this winter. Prevention is the best medicine but if your knees have gotten to a point where recovery without surgical intervention is not possible, look into knee replacement.

Decreased Weight and Increased Activity to Help with Arthritis

If you wish to minimize joint disease, activity and weight reduction are key. A new survey discovered that Canadians have less joint disease and a lesser amount of arthritis-related disability than Americans. Analysts state the higher amount of obesity and lack of exercise in America is to blame for the variance.

This study was printed in the March 2010 issue of Arthritis Care & Research. The data came from from the Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health, and uncovered that the rates for arthritis for people in the US are about two percent higher than Canadians.

The most significant difference between the US and Canada had to do with physical inactivity. People in the US with arthritis were nearly three times as likely to report being sedentary when compared to Canadians with arthritis. The Canadian and American males were about the same in levels of weight and physcial exercise. The significant difference was noticed between the women. American females tend to be more obese and more physically inactive than Canadian females.

This study is no surprise, given that weight problems are a known arthritis risk factor associated. The good news is that, in contrast to genetic makeup, obesity can be changed. There is a large amount of research that backs the advantages of physical exercise for those with joint disease and most specialists state that people with arthritis can and should exercise. Low impact aerobic exercise are best. Talk to your medical professional regarding which types of exercises are ideal for you.

Thyme Oil to Decrease Inflammation

New analysis shows that thyme oil may assist in decreasing inflammation, a condition thought to participate in the development of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and other health conditions. In a recently released analysis, researchers discovered that compounds in thyme oil may restrain COX-2, an enzyme known to encourage inflammation.
In lab assessments, researchers discovered that mant essential oils (including rose and eucalyptus) lessened COX-2 expression in cells by at least 25 percent. Thyme oil proved far more efficient, lowering COX-2 amounts by nearly 75 percent. Utilized in aromatherapy as well as numerous other forms of alternative treatments, essential oils are powerful components extracted from plants and herbs and have been used in the treatment of many health ailments.