Play the Hand You're Dealt

You have probably heard this statement before relative to a card game, or even to some of life's everyday challenges... but it also applies to your health.

The United States is now, according to the World Health Organization, the 37th healthiest (or unhealthiest, how ever you look at it) country in the world. Because of this fact, we need to begin to understand that we don't have to accept ALL the degenerative diseases that we live with in our society.

Sure, heredity and genetics play a role, if an immediate family member has arthritis, diabetes, heart disease or cancer, but now is the time to implement the healthy advice we talked about as part of your New Year's resolution. So, "play the hand you're dealt" and get started with your life style changes today...

The Leading Cause of Disability in the U.S...

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints in the body. It affects nearly 70 million adults in the United States, that is approximately 1 in 3 Americans. In recent data compiled by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. In 2001, 49 million Americans reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis and another 21 million reported having symptoms of arthritis. The term arthritis refers to more than 100 different rheumatic diseases that affect joints, muscle, bone, and other tissues. Research has shown a connection between food, nutritional supplements, and the three major forms of arthritis: rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, and gouty arthritis. Which Form of Calcium is Best For You? Findings suggest that osteoporosis, which is typically considered a female geriatric disease, could be prevented with the use of supplemental calcium at an early age. The Ohio State University Medical Center conducted a study in which they tracked calcium's effects on bone density in girls ages 8-13 for a period of seven years. The researchers found that calcium supplementation significantly increased bone mass development during their childhood growth spurt. Velimir Matkovic, the lead author in the study and director of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center, states "increased calcium use during adolescence can prevent fractures and osteoporosis later in life." Several articles have also been written regarding the importance of calcium among males. Osteoporosis is not a condition that is found only in women, it is a concern for men as well. About 20% of those who suffer from osteoporosis are men. According to an interview done by CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, men age 50+...