Tag Archives: arthritis

Turmeric Tea to Manage Inflammation

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Turmeric Tea

Over the course of the last 2.5 years, I’ve been looking for natural remedies to manage my hip osteo-arthritis. Changing my diet was a big part of that. Although I have no cartilage in either hip and am looking to schedule hip replacement surgery in the fall, I don’t need pain medications such as ibuprofen to get me through the day. I only take my ibuprofen in the evenings before I go to sleep. I have stronger pain meds that I can take only when the ibuprofen doesn’t work, which is rare.

A friend in Michigan sent me a link for this tea and I love it. I drink it to help fight inflammation and it’s also a nice, warm, sweet relaxing drink in the evenings before bedtime.

http://www.doctoroz.com/recipe/dr-sanjay-guptas-calming-creamy-turmeric-tea

I’ve tweaked this recipe slightly. I use almost 1.5 C of almond milk because that’s how big my coffee mug is. I will sometimes substitute stevia for the honey to cut down on sugar which can cause inflammation. You could use any type of non-dairy milk for this, I would just make sure it doesn’t contain carrageenan, which is a red seaweed extract used for thickening and adding richer texture to foods. It can cause inflammation, and as you well know, reducing inflammation is important in managing any type of arthritis.

Turmeric Tea:

1 to 1.5 Cups Almond Milk (I use unsweetened vanilla flavor)

1/2 tsp turmeric (I have been using dried, ground turmeric, haven’t tried fresh yet)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp honey (I will sometimes use Stevia instead)

1/4 tsp ginger (again, I use the ground ginger)

I whisk all the ingredients together and heat in a small saucepan on the stove. If you use fresh turmeric or ginger, you might want to strain it before you pour it in a mug.

I also take turmeric capsules on occasion to give myself a break from the ibuprofen. This was my favorite night-time cold weather drink, but I’m feeling in the mood for it this week for some reason.

Encourage, don’t discourage

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I am always happy to see others succeed in their quest for health, especially those who have been unhealthy for most of their adult lives. It’s gratifying and encouraging when our Native people (or any group of people who suffer from similar health disparities as American Indians) find the motivation to learn about nutrition, physical activity, and how to incorporate both into their daily lives. However, I take issue with those new to the health scene calling others down for their lack of knowledge or motivation. I am thinking of specific examples where I’ve read about people on social media sites bragging themselves up and simultaneously putting others down for not being “on their level”….whatever that means. And the same people bragging themselves up and putting others down have just recently discovered their own good health.

Those people who engage in that type of behavior don’t realize that we remember how unhealthy they were 5 minutes ago. They are not in a position to judge others and their efforts, or lack of efforts. I also take issue with those who make condescending remarks or belittle those who are trying to be health and/or active. People don’t realize how fortunate they are to have grown up with sports or active families…..or to have grown up with parents/caregivers who cooked all the time and had basic healthy eating knowledge, and access to healthy/whole foods. I see kids in my own community whose parents don’t feel that sports are important, or they don’t get out and engage in activity with their kids. Also people don’t realize how fortunate they are to have healthy, fully functioning bodies….bodies without arthritis, without chronic injuries or illness, bodies that don’t prevent them from doing anything they want to do.

I will admit to being a running snob towards one or two people that I didn’t care for back in the day….I remember thinking and making a couple of comments about someone I had seen running for a few years, that with all their running you would think they might be a little faster or look a little lighter….the epitome of a running snob. But since then I’ve seen that there is no excuse for that type of behavior and snobbishness. We don’t know by looking at someone what their story is, or what their challenges are. Maybe that person whom I saw running at a snails pace for years has managed to keep from gaining 50 pounds and prevented diabetes with that activity. Maybe that person has some health issues that keep their running from looking like what we believe to be a runner’s pace/gait/form/body. Maybe the person NOT running and just walking is a former runner who physically can’t run anymore. Maybe the person who expresses their pride in running 3 miles has just done something they never thought they were capable of.

We don’t need to put others down in order to elevate ourselves. And we are in no position to judge another’s journey towards health.

We, as Native people, need to encourage others in our quest for health. We need to model the behavior that we want others to emulate. We need to do this so the generations that follow will be healthy and ensure our continued presence on this planet. And the people most secure and sincere in their own quest for health are the ones who are most encouraging to others. Be that kind of person. We can’t have too many of those in our communities.

Hip Dysplasia…..who knew?

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It’s official. All the cartilage is gone from both hips. And it’s time to look for surgeon and decide what surgery I want to have. Less than two years after my diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis, and two years of trying to figure out WHY my case of OA was so severe in someone as young as I am, I finally have a few answers.

I saw an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement last week. My biggest question to date was wondering what caused my hip osteoarthritis. He took one look at my x-rays when I asked him if my OA was simply from wear and tear, and he said, “I can tell you why you have OA….you have hip dysplasia.” Hip dysplasia is a condition where the hip joint is malformed. Typically the socket of the joint isn’t large enough, one side is shorter than it is supposed to be. Or the shape of the head of the femur is a little off. Either way, it’s a condition people are born with. And the wear and tear on the hip joints and cartilage is similar to how a tire tread wears out. If the alignment of the two front tires is off, if the tires are curved in slightly at the top, the tire treads will wear out faster. The hip dysplasia causes irregular movement of the joint, which causes the cartilage to wear out. It also causes the joint to try to grow new bone in an effort to correct the movement, which is why I have the bone spurs at the top and bottom of the hip socket that are causing the impingement and have limited my range of motion. And similar to a tire trying to run out of alignment for years, the tires will blow out eventually. So that’s me….the hip dysplasia has blown out my hip cartilage. Osteoarthritis is an inevitable outcome of hip dysplasia.

I had been doing some research on hip replacement and hip resurfacing, and my next question for the doctors was, “Am I a candidate for hip resurfacing?” Instead of removing the top of the femur and replacing with a metal rod and ball joint (either ceramic or metal), the resurfacing smooths down the head and neck of the femur and caps it with a metal alloy, and also lines the interior of the hip socket with metal. This smooths out all the bone spurs, preserves the bone for future hip replacement surgery, and is typically a better alternative to younger patients who are active. I found an NHL hockey player who returned to pro hockey after having hip resurfacing, so I was hoping I was a candidate. I am not. Hip resurfacing is for people with larger, thicker bones. I am not big enough. Shaving and smoothing the head and neck of my femur (making it thinner than it is now) would put me at-risk for future fractures.

So total hip replacement it is. Then I wondered about the typical recovery time from hip replacement surgery. I was advised by my orthopedist here in town to look for a surgeon that used a direct or modified anterior approach. That approach doesn’t cut through any muscle tissue, it moves the muscles apart to get at the bone and joint, so the joint remains stable and the recovery time is quicker (less time for muscle and nerve tissue to repair itself). The joint replacement specialist said 1 day in the hospital for the surgery, 2-3 day stay post-surgery, then a total of 6 weeks off work. THREE MONTHS TOTAL RECOVERY TIME!!! He said 3 months until I am back to my old self. I had thought it would be closer to 6 months total recovery time. I am also looking for a ceramic ball joint, preferably one that is a larger size so I can still be active. The doctor advised against running and jumping sports in order to preserve the life of the artificial joint, so I didn’t bother to ask him about shawl dancing. But I fully intend to return to shawl dancing. Running I’ve found I can live without, especially if the choice is between running and shawl dancing. Shawl dancing will win every time. I can run in water and I can do the elliptical. I will maintain my Olympic style weight training regimen. I’ve found other effective ways of training.

And speaking of training, after a few months of my emotions and my motivation moving in steep waves as I’ve had to wait on my consults, it’s time to put a stronger emphasis on my training and eating. I want to plan for this surgery and the recovery time. I want to be in very good condition whenever I schedule to help facilitate a good surgery and as easy a recovery time as I can. And it will help me deal with the wait time for my 2nd consult with a highly recommended surgeon that I can’t get in to see until March 31.

My goal before my recent consults was to preserve what hip cartilage I had left and to manage the pain. Now my goal is to get my weight down and get as strong as I can to help with the surgery and recovery. It helps in ways I can’t describe to finally know what caused my OA and why it was so bad in someone my age. Now that I know I can keep an eye on my daughters and get them checked for hip dysplasia when they are in their teens. Hopefully by then, if they do have it, technology will come up with a good treatment to correct it so that my girls won’t have to go through what I am going through. It feels good to have hope again, and to have very clear goals. My life won’t be the same, but that is just the nature of life. It changes. It helps us grow usually by putting us through things we wouldn’t wish on others. My life won’t be the same but it will be better in so many different ways….no pain, range of motion back, and more experiences to share that may help others. I truly feel that I have been blessed far more than I deserve. 🙂

Something is Working…..

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So far this end of summer/fall season has been extremely busy. I was asked to up my hours at work and I received a contract to be an adjunct instructor at the tribal college where I have taught a diabetes class for years. I’m also taking a nutrition course online at through K-State Distance Learning. But with the hectic schedule, I’ve been making time to do something everyday, even if it’s just a walk.

Over the summer I noticed that I was developing a forward lean in my gait. The lean was due to hip joint pain and stiffness. I would get very stiff sitting at my computer at work, and even getting up and walking around didn’t relieve the stiffness. It was painful to stand straight up and walk, so I compensated with the lean. After gaining 5 pounds during our summer travels at the end of July, I came home with determination to change things. Attending an obesity conference at the beginning of August for my work did wonders for my motivation. So, August 1, I focused on consistently taking my Omega-3 supplement and a glucosamine/condroitin supplement. I also started taking turmeric regularly again. I had always heard that the glucosamine helped arthritic joints feel better and needed to be taken for about 2 weeks before you could feel a difference, but I had never taken them long enough to notice anything.

We went to a powwow in Oklahoma the first weekend in August and then traveled there again for another powwow 2 weeks later. By the third weekend that month, I noticed that I was standing up straighter. My joints weren’t as stiff and I could walk fully upright with no joint pain. I also noticed that when my joints would get stiff sitting at my desk, that they loosened up with a short walk around my department. I danced pain-free for the first time since the beginning of June. 🙂

I have worked out with my trainer Travis for 8 sessions now. I’ve more than doubled the number of regular pushups I can do (went from 3 to 10) and yesterday I pushed a prowler (sled) with 110 pounds on it, 6 times, each time in under 2 minutes (the prowler weighs 75 lbs by itself, for a total weight pushed of 185 lbs). I find myself sitting up more straight at work, and standing taller. I am beginning to see definition in my arms and more definition in my legs. Walking around campus at my job is much easier than a couple of months ago. And my heavy white beadwork feels slightly lighter now….not as light as I would like just yet, but I am being patient and know it will continue to feel lighter as long as I continue to put in the work.

I ask my diabetes course students to keep a food journal near the middle of the semester and I am required to keep one for my nutrition course at K-State. So I began last week to journal in earnest, and I have been consistent. It helps remind me to get my veggies and fruits in and to keep an eye on my carb count. The week before school started, I began to double the amount of dinners I cooked and freezing one batch. That has helped immensely on the nights where I am too tired to cook or don’t have time to grocery shop. We just have to thaw and heat and we can eat a homemade meal.

So something is working….lol. I feel better, I am walking upright without pain and I am getting stronger. I set a beginning goal of losing 18 pounds and I have lost 6 of those. My clothes are fitting better. I feel better. I just need to stay consistent.

Weight Training Update

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I wanted to give an update on the strength training and the T25. 🙂 I have temporarily shelved the T25, but have plans to return to it once I get stronger. I found that although it didn’t bother my hip, it was starting to bother my knees….which I found strange. Again, I think it’s the strength issue. I think my joints need more muscular support from all the “helper muscles” to keep my joints stable when going through the T25 routines. Also the extra weight I am trying to lose is a factor in any joint pain from the lower back and hip on down. So for now it’s shelved but I will pick it back up again.

I did start lifting at work like I had planned. Kirmayer Fitness Center at KU Medical Center has an awesome weight area, two areas in fact. I headed for the machine area and I loved all of them. I had to overcome my inherent shyness because I picked the busiest day of the summer (when they were holding a student resources fair in Kirmayer) to begin my weight training and both areas were very busy. But I didn’t let it deter me and I felt good about making the effort.

Then my sister found a personal trainer here in town that used to work at Haskell as their certified trainer for their athletic department. She visited with him and discovered he was running an intro special on individual training sessions. He does Olympic-style weight lifting, something I didn’t have a clue about but was interested in. So Sharon set us up with an appointment last week and I’m heading into my 3rd session with Travis.

I was able to visit with him before we started our first session and I told him my health history and my goals. He did an excellent job of explaining how Olympic-style weight lifting will benefit me and my hip OA. He is very personable and very encouraging. You can tell immediately how knowledgeable he is about his work. From what he shared with me, Olympic-style weight lifting is all about learning how to do the “Clean and Jerk”, and I am fortunate that he is acquainted with a power lifter who has gone through total hip replacement surgery and still returned to lifting heavy

My sister and I are doing 2 individual training sessions per week with Travis. It’s fun working out with my sister again, so I am very grateful to her for finding this and encouraging me to try it. Right now we are all about learning technique and proper form. I really like how I can feel the different muscles in my back firing as well as the muscles that I know need to be strengthened around my hips and legs. We are learning at a good pace where I can tell later that day (or the next day) that I’ve put in some work, but I can still move around. My favorite thing about this is that it’s brand new to me….so it’s really interesting. I’m learning something new and it’s helped immensely at getting me motivated to lift again.

Travis has just created a website for those in my area that may be interested. Here is the link:
http://www.travisbarrett.com/

He also has a Facebook page, Barrett Sport Performance LLC.

I’ll update this later as I progress through this individual training program. I have another session today and I’m looking forward to it. 🙂

Trying a New Exercise Regimen: Focus T25

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I love to run. L.O.V.E. it. But with my hip arthritis its been a challenge to run consistently. I’ve been trying several different activities, seeking an alternative to running that’s easier on my joints but gives me as much satisfaction as running has in the past. Also trying to find an exercise regimen that will get me in shape for powwow season. Although I enjoy biking, it hasn’t really clicked with me yet, and walking for too long bothers my hip. I can’t always get to the stadium to walk the stairs either. I miss being able to just run out my door and around the neighborhood when I find myself with a spare 20-45 minutes. P90X is very time-intensive. I love to swim but getting to the pool is proving daunting as well. And even though I L.O.V.E. Bikram yoga, I can’t afford to go as often as I would like. I tend to have some “All or None” tendencies, so finding a healthy balance is also a challenge.

So….at a powwow in Ann Arbor, MI recently, I noticed that I am struggling to carry my old school flat-fringe shawl and my new beloved floral beadwork through 2 contest songs. The shawl and beadwork are both surprisingly heavy, and I need to get stronger just to wear them for contests. At the powwow I also noticed how in shape one of my shawl dance sisters appeared to be. So I complimented her on her conditioning at the end of the powwow. She immediately recommended Sean T’s Focus T25. She said she tried Insanity the year prior but as a busy mom and studio owner, she didn’t have the time to do an hour per day, and she said she felt tired all the time. She liked T25, said it didn’t bother the knee that she has trouble with, and said I would notice a difference after 1 week.  She had been doing the workouts for 10 days and said she felt alot better dancing during contest. So I came home and promtly ordered the workout series. Lol.

I am going to blog about my T25 experience because I think I need to share my struggles with wellness, with the challenges I have been presented with in terms of physical limitations, time, children, work, and finances. A few of my friends believe that I’ve never had a weight problem and that’s it’s “easy” for me to maintain my weight. It’s work, like everything else in life is. I’m concerned about maintaining lean muscle mass as I get older (I just turned 46 a few weeks ago) especially with not being able to train like I did 10-12 years ago. And if I can bring my weight lower it will ease some of the stress on my joints and make my arthritis easier to manage without getting cortisone shots. I have alot of reasons for wanting to do this, all of them for me and wanting to feel better and be able to continue to do the things I love to do….and modeling the behavior I want my children to emulate.

Focus T25 is a 10-week program. 5 workouts per week, the first 5 weeks is the “Alpha” series, the 2nd 5 weeks is the “Beta” series. And it’s just 25 intense minutes per day. That’s the draw for me. I received a nutrition guide and it looks as though I will need 1600 calories per day. The 5-Day Fast Track has a more limited calorie amount to get fast results in the first 5 days. All whole foods, except that they push BeachBody’s “Shakeology”. I am not going to buy into the Shakeology, I feel I can come up with plenty of good things to eat without the powdered meal supplement. Plus it’s too expensive….but I really just want to do this with my own whole foods. I had to take a “Before” picture and am promised a free t-shirt if I follow the program and submit my “Before” and “After” photos.

I just finished Day 2 of Focus T25. Yesterday was Core Cardio and today was Speed 1.0. Both workouts were very intense…but I was able to do almost all the exercises right along with Sean T and company. I had to modify 1 exercise yesterday and 1 exercise today because I couldn’t do them with my hip…but they have a lady that shows the modifications throughout the entire workout. Speed 1.0 actually had some moves similar to fancy shawl dancing…lol. That similarity is what helped me power through the tough parts of the workouts though.

The first workout, although intense, left me feeling energized. I was very sore yesterday, but not sore enough to avoid today’s workout. I experienced the same feeling of having energy. I still have that energy….I just feel good today. And I was so happy to discover that the exercises do NOT bother my hip!!

I’m looking forward to the next 3 days of my Week 1. I’m also hoping that blogging about it will help keep me accountable and help keep me consistent. I have no excuses, it’s only 25 minutes per day!! I did it the past 2 mornings before my kids got up for school, tomorrow I have the day off and can relax a little and do it after my kids go to school. I’m optimistic and excited about this.

So stay tuned for progress reports…..lol.