The new treatment approach comes as osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease once considered a problem of old age, has begun showing up in more middle-aged and young adults as a result of obesity and sports injuries. Studies have shown that weight loss, combined with exercises aimed at improving joint function and building up muscles that support the joints, can significantly improve patients’ health and quality of life compared with medication alone.

“The most dangerous exercise you can do when you have arthritis is none,” says Kate Lorig, director of the Patient Education Research Center at Stanford University.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the spaces between the joints wears away. Strengthening the muscles around the knees or hip can help support the joints and take over some of the shock-absorbing functions played by cartilage, according to Harvard Medical School experts.

Stronger muscles can also hold the joints in the most functional and least painful position. Regular activity can also replenish lubrication to the cartilage of the joint to reduce stiffness and pain. And aerobic activity such as swimming that doesn’t put heavy stress on the hips, knees and spine can reduce inflammation in the joints, as well as improving overall fitness and weight control

This has been my advice for years. People with aches and pains especially in their joints are inclined to not exercise because it is uncomfortable. However, if they will get moving and participate in regular low-impact exercise, their muscles will get stronger. This, in turn, will help support the joints. Joint pain will decrease and the person will begin feeling better.

Reducing inflammation is also important. Many people with osteoarthritis tend to reach for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. But these drugs can cause numerous side effects. I encourage ANYONE with arthritis issues to add Fruit of the Spirit to their daily diet. 1-2 ounces twice a day helps reduce joint inflammation. This is due to the natural anti-inflammatory benefit of the High Antioxidant Whole Fruits in Fruit of the Spirit.

What about that light shining in many places as we serve as a mentor to our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews regarding our lifestyle choices? During the holiday season and beyond we can “walk the talk” regarding our diet, our activity, and how we nourish our spiritual and emotional health. Sweets are a wonderful holiday treat but we recognize the health risks associated with diet rich in sugar but limited in fruits and vegetables. Sugar can literally “paralyze” our disease-fighting white cells for several hours (footnote: Turina M, Fry DE, Polk HC Jr. Acute hyperglycemia and the innate immune system: clinical, cellular, and molecular aspects. Crit Care Med. 2005 Jul;33(7):1624-33). We want our children healthy and happy; their diet matters to their physical health, their behavior, and their learning ability. Nutrient dense diets (that is, diets rich in fruits and vegetables) provide nutritional factors that have many studies to back up their health benefits.

I was part of the generations whose mothers instilled eating your fruits and veggies was required; there was no leaving the table until the brussel sprouts disappeared. I heard:

While I yearned to be old enough to grow my hair long and straight, I marveled that science backed my mom up. Yes, there is a special antioxidant in the crusts of bread according to recent research CLICK HERE to read in further detail. How we marveled that mothers were never wrong!  We may have put little emphasis on the bounty of God’s garden rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds but moms knew this nutrient dense diet was essential for healthy growing bodies and minds.

This fall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told us that nearly 3 in 4 Americans fail to eat three or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Keep in mind, they even counted tomatoes and lettuce on a burger and the total was still short CLICK HERE to read in further detail. Harvard researchers have gathered the science to confirm that nine servings of fruits of vegetables may help to lower our blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers, lower the risk of eye and digestive problems and help to keep our appetite in check. Given that 1 in 6 American children is now labeled to have a learning or behavior disorder (from Philip Landrigan, MD, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine), we have every reason to take every step possible to improve the health of our children.

Let’s consider the research. A published study in the journal of the American Heart Association, Circulation, links eating fruits and vegetables as a child to healthier blood vessels as an adult. Click here to read in further detail http://www.newsroom.heart.org/index.php?s=43&item=1208. Let’s take a look at the fruits and vegetables our children commonly consume:

There is little doubt that mothers were right all along that fruits and vegetables including carrots, apples, and grapes would help us to grow up to be big and strong. Busy schedules and picky appetites are challenges for every parent to insure as many servings of fruits and vegetables each day are in their children’s diet. The annual meeting of the Obesity Society presented several studies about how parents can help children to grow to love vegetables. CLICK HERE to read in further detail. Try one step each month to reach the goal of 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables for your children this time next year.

Another great way to get an additional 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in your children’s diet each day but keep it tasty, convenient, and affordable is one ounce (2 Tablespoons) of Fruit of the Spirit, a whole fruit puree many physicians use in their clinical practices. It can be used to add flavor to water, to applesauce, to a fruit smoothie, or make a frozen fruit pop as a healthy treat. We add it to unflavored yogurt for a breakfast drink at our house. There are no leftovers and every parent feels good to share the nutritional blessings of God’s garden with their family.

Many a magazine cover will be emblazoned this month and next with titles that promise to tell us the inside tips for a healthy holiday. Every article will mention fairly consistently the following:

• wash your hands often
• get check-ups and vaccinations
• manage stress
• eat healthy and be active
• travel safely
• handle and prepare food safely

Washing your hands and making your healthcare providers wash their hands is critical to stop the spread of infection and prevent antibiotic-resistance from flourishing when antibacterial sprays and wipes are used. If you travel to see family during the holidays, wash your hands before meals, meal preparation, after using the bathroom and even after you get off a train or plane.

Beware of the hype to buy antibacterial soaps, wipes, and sprays. There is a growing body of evidence thanks to groups like the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics that we set the stage for more bugs to be resistant to antibiotics with the liberal use of antibacterial products. Also, be mindful of the animal products you consume this holiday time of year. Choose ones where animals were not fed antibiotics. It does make a difference. Labels like “keep antibiotics working” are one measure you can use to make wise food choices.

These steps will insure your meal preparation remains healthy and contaminant free. I have one cutting board for meat and one for fruits and vegetables. Cross-contamination resulting in GI distress can be a bummer when everyone else is enjoying the holidays. Don’t forget sponges and dish rags can be sources of contamination if not regularly washed in hot, soapy water.

One of the most important things you can do for your immune system (and bones, and heart, and mind, and skin) is to have your health care provider check your Vitamin 25-OH D level and supplement to keep your level optimal. Every tissue in your body has a receptor for vitamin D which is a pro-hormone precursor essential for optimal immune system balance. Also keep in mind that recent studies found you are more likely to suffer from wrinkles and aging from the sun if your vitamin D level is not optimal. We find vitamin D in cod liver oil, mushrooms, and some fortified foods. Most experts agree vitamin D supplementation is important to consider. At the equator where vitamin D deficiency is unknown, we would get the equivalent of 5000 IU daily of Vitamin D3.

Our Creator had a wonderful plan to not only nourish our souls but also our bodies. Paleontologists such as Dr. Loren Cordain who wrote “The Paleo Diet” teaches us lean protein, fruits and vegetables in season, with good fats from fish and plant sources is the ideal diet for keeping each one of our cells healthy. Are you getting the optimal 9-11 servings of fruit and vegetables a day? It is one of the basic “top 5” steps you can do daily for your body’s health. While all of us say we are too busy especially during the holidays, I routinely take one ounce of Fruit of the Spirit every day to add an additional 5 servings of fruits and veggies to my diet and provide lots of antioxidant-rich whole fruits from a puree with special minerals and herbs. As a busy family member tells me “I can tell when I don’t take Fruit of the Spirit each day.” Fruits picked at the height of their ripeness contain naturally-occurring plant chemicals that are fascinating. Pick up Jean Carper “The Food Pharmacy” over the holidays and you will be amazed of the healing benefits created from foods grown in God’s garden. Cranberries alone will help keep bacteria from sticking to our teeth, our urinary bladder wall, and our GI tracts. I try to keep cranberries on my table all year round. Frankincense or boswellia is an herb with profound anti-inflammatory effects.

Two of the three legs of the stool of good health are spiritual and emotional health. Only one focuses on physical health. Our bodies can store the molecules of stress and they can affect our immune system (think of the flu when you are run down during the holidays), our heart (emotional attacks can be as real as a heart attack according to cardiologists), our skin, and so on. Don’t forget a time of daily peace. For many of us it will be prayer; for others it may be mindful meditation or gathering our thoughts during a walk. The stress of what you don’t have time to do will look much different after a short 30-minute walk. Walk five minutes after each meal and in one year you will have covered the distance between LA and San Francisco. That’s a great new year’s resolution.

Many of us will mention family members who are travelling during the holidays in our prayers. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father has many, many scientific studies to confirm the health benefits. Harvard researchers even state our brains are “hardwired” for spirituality.

The most important tip of which I know to stay healthy in the holiday is the perspective of why we celebrate this time of year. His love for all of us and the gift of salvation puts “finding the right gift no matter what the cost” in perspective. How blessed we are for the gifts we have received. Celebrate, enjoy your family and friends, and give thanks for “the reason for the season.”

John D. Young, MD

As a family practitioner, I not only have the blessing to listen and learn from my patients but the opportunity to be an observer of the results of our distinct American lifestyle. We eat fast, fat, and processed foods all too often, get little regular physical activity, and life’s stresses have a profound effect on our physical and emotional health. For the past few years, I have made it a routine practice to look at vitamin D levels among the patients in my clinical practice. While the literature states that as many as 75% or more Americans do not have optimal vitamin D levels, I find vitamin D deficiency may go beyond that shocking statistic.

I am blessed with a busy practice and have seen only about 1% of my patients test optimal for vitamin D status. What’s optimal? I have studied the work of Michael Holick, MD of the vitamin D research lab at Boston University, the gathered research of the vitamin D research council thanks to John J Cannell, MD, and have listened to experts including Robert Heaney, MD on the topic. While labs have a normal range of usually 26-50 ng/ml when testing vitamin D 3 hydroxy, the European literature states optimal may be 70-100 ng/ml. Dr. Holick has observed the average lifeguard population usually has a vitamin D 3 level of around 100 ng/ml. Could it be that our normal range is too low given the fact that ¾ or more of the American population is vitamin D deficient?

Every one of my patients with chronic pain has low vitamin D levels. And indeed, the research states vitamin D deficiency is linked to chronic pain. Every one of my patient who face cancer or an autoimmune disorder such as multiple sclerosis have a low vitamin D level, usually very low (less than 10 ng/ml). The few patients I have who are healthy and want to remain so test in the 70 ng/ml range for vitamin D. One 80+ year-old-patient states emphatically “I feel better when my vitamin D level is closer to my age.” She must be right; she looks and moves like someone decades younger than her chronological age. Dr. Colleen Hayes at the University of Wisconsin Madison has found the higher the latitude, the more vitamin D deficiency, and believes multiple sclerosis may be vitamin D deficiency in some patients.

Vitamin D more properly a pro-hormone precursor than a vitamin may affect one in ten of our genes. It is essential for proper immune system balance and function. It may be as important if not more important than calcium for bone health and is linked to balance and a lowered risk of falls which is critical for all of us as we age. The lower the vitamin D level, the higher the risk and the more aggressive a growing list of common cancers including breast cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, and many more. Vitamin D is linked to brain function, reducing our risk of type II diabetes that is related to carrying our weight around our middle, a reduced risk of the flu, and a reduced risk of gum disease. Vitamin D may also have a relationship to conditions such as autism as well as multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

I am amazed that no patient has yet to tell me their cancer doctor, their oncologist, has tested their vitamin D level. No patient seeing a rheumatologist for autoimmune disorders has reported their doctor tested their vitamin D either. I sometimes think if I did nothing more for my patients that optimize their vitamin D more than half of them would think I had done something great for their health.

Our bodies are designed to make quantities of about 20,000 IU when exposed to sufficient sunlight for about 20 minutes. That is, it is more difficult to get sufficient sunlight in Boston than in Tampa because of its latitude or distance from the sun. Vitamin D deficiency is unknown at the equator. Because our cell membranes are no longer optimal due to changes in our diet and lifestyle during the last 5 decades, I have concluded that only a small percentage of people optimally produce their own vitamin D in sufficient amounts. Our cells are designed to convert the mechanical energy from the sun to chemical energy. The chemical is vitamin D. However, 85% of Americans are fatty acid deficient according to noted Harvard researchers. Every cell membrane is composed of fat and protein. We replaced the good fats in our diet with lots of bad fats like trans and hydrogenated fats that affected our cell membranes. We also focus on carbohydrates in our diet and very few of my patients get normal amounts of protein (one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight). It is little wonder even getting some sun exposure every day; too few of my patients have optimal vitamin D blood levels.

The days are getting shorter. Physicians like Norton Fishman, MD have discovered seasonal affective disorder, SAD, may be undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency. Ask your doctor to test your vitamin D hydroxy level and make sure your level is optimal for flu season, cancer protection, and good health.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws12fQo8E10

1)   Nutrition Matters.   

A minimum of 5 servings of Fruits & Vegetables VERY  important  for good health.  More is  always better.  Drink Fruit of the Spirit to help. 

2)  Health is more than Test Results.   

Health is a balance of physical, spiritual &  emotional factors.  Don’t focus solely on your test results  as a measure of your health & well being.  Self evaluate the state of your Mind, Body & Soul regularly.

3)   Don’t Forget Protein. 

Did you know your bones are 40% protein?  Your  immune system is 100% protein.  Healthy bodies need 1 gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight (if you weigh 120 lbs, you need 60 grams of protein a day) every day.  It’s truly hard to get that in the typical American Diet.  If  you don’t get this from food, supplement it in a shake in the morning and add Fruit of the Spirit to get added anti-oxidants. Your body will Thank You!

4)  Remember ALL Carbohydrates turn to Sugar. 

Processed sugars will adversely affect your immune system.  Limit your processed sugar intake.  Don’t overlook the fact that fruit juices often have a tremendous amount of added sugar. Cut back on sodas in small steps. Even one less soda a week adds up over a year.

5)  It is IMPOSSIBLE to stay healthy without Alkaline Minerals.

Over acidity in the body becomes a dangerous condition that weakens  all body systems and leads to disease.  A  pH balanced body is VITAL to maintain your health.  Our food is lacking in minerals today so we need to find alternative methods of getting the needed amount.  Minerals are crucial for the body to make bones, digest food, make hormones, repair tissue, and oxygenate cells.  Fruit of the Spirit is a great source of Alkalinizing Minerals.   This is one of the reasons I recommend every single one of my patients drink Fruit of the Spirit daily.

Written By Dr. Mark Pedersen

Medical experts continue to remind us about the importance of eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables to maintain overall health.

What if you could get the benefits of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables by drinking just 1 ounce of a great tasting, whole food puree?

Fruit of the Spirit, a whole food puree of 13 superfruits and healing plant roots offers exactly that.  It gives maximum antioxidant power in a great tasting, liquid form.

Just 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of Fruit of the Spirit contains an average of 2500 trolox units (also called ORAC – a measure of Anti-Oxidant levels).  An average serving of fruit or vegetable contains about 500 ORAC units.

This means that Fruit of the Spirit’s formula contains the antioxidant equivalent of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in that single ounce!

Fruit of the Spirit takes the super in superfruits to a whole new level by including not only the pulp of the fruit or root but also the skin and seeds.  This is where the real healing, energizing and antioxidant power of the ingredients reside and what makes Fruit of the Spirit much more than just a fruit juice.

All of this is made possible by combining the healing and energizing fruits and roots that go into Fruit of the Spirit with the latest in proprietary technology to make a whole food puree that is complete and great tasting!

Learn more by visiting www.FruitSpirit.com.

Researchers at the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have analyzed hearing test results of U.S. teens gathered during the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination) survey. They found the results of hearing tests from 1988-1994 and 2005-2006 indicated hearing loss among teens aged 12-19 has increased a significant thirty (30) percent. Quality of life issues aside for a moment, those results have alarming consequences for the generations to come as they age. Just imagine a movie theatre in years to come with a 30% increase in volume so those in the audience can hear the movie!

While pondering this fact, most of us think of the thumping car next to us at the stop light with deafening hip hop music, the noise from I-pods, cell phones, ear phones, and all the myriad sources of mobile technology used today. As we walk down the street and see 20 and 30-some year olds talking (to themselves?) with ear-buds into their smart phones, it appears noise is plugged directly into our ears nearly every waking hour. Peace and quiet seemingly has gone out of fashion as we are plugged into technology at earlier ages than every before. Toddlers in front of game boxes with cell phones on their ears are increasing common. Theme parks have kiosks that sell character phones for children to attract their attention.

We may have overlooked that lifestyle choices affect hearing health as well as heart health. There has been intriguing research from the Armed Forces Research Lab and that of Dr. Michael Seidman of Henry Ford Hospital that has linked antioxidants to hearing health. Navy researchers actually developed a tiny catheter to deliver antioxidants directly into the ear canal of those afflicted with combat-related hearing loss. Click here to read about Dr. Seidman’s work http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/4527.php. This research has focus on loud noise as a free radical that can negatively impact the cilia (delicate projections) that line the auditory canal. Antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, and magnesium have been infused into the ear canal to those exposed to loud noises from combat sources with excellent results. Click here to read in further detail http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Medical/cures/cures.htm#antiox. It appears that antioxidants can help prevent hearing loss and even reverse it if administered within 4-8 hours of a combat-related hearing loss.

Some studies have indicated that magnesium administered intravenously along with vitamin C has great benefit to prevent and even reverse hearing loss. There is now a move to formulate a pill of antioxidants focusing on n-acetyl, cysteine (a precursor to an important antioxidant, glutathione) to address the oxidative stress of loud noise. The combination of a fast, processed American diet often lacking in antioxidants in conjunction with loud, continual exposure to noise from technology appears to be deadly to our ability to hear. The major antioxidants used to address hearing loss include vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, magnesium, n-acetyl cysteine as well as folate (see below).

There has been so much enthusiasm for the work of using antioxidants to prevent and even restore hearing loss; a firm has embarked to develop a proprietary medication of an antioxidant to address hearing loss from loud noise and from chemotherapy agents. Click here to read further http://www.soundpharmaceuticals.com/technology.html There is also interesting research that natural folate acid along with the other B vitamins, thiamine and B12, may have benefit to prevent and even reverse hearing loss. Click here to read further http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/35960 and http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/38972. Keep in mind there is a growing body of evidence that just as there is a difference clinically between synthetic beta carotene and the natural mixed carotenoids, there is a difference between synthetic folic acid and natural folate. It appears that the use of natural folate may have far superior results in terms of human clinical use.

It is a tragedy that there is little focus on lifestyle education regarding hearing health. The modest use of ear-buds along with optimizing antioxidants to protect the delicate cilia that line our auditory canals may be an excellent preventive action for all of us to take to preserve the health of our hearing. The exciting news that hearing loss may be reversed using antioxidants has been overlooked by the mainstream media. The most important take-home message may be optimize your diet every day with fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants that have healing properties. These are true blessings from God’s garden that are based in science reducing our risk of:

• heart disease
• diabetes
• accelerated aging
• cataracts and age-related macular degeneration
• hearing loss
• diseases associated with oxidative stress such as asthma, Parkinson’s disease, and the like

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is considered by medical researchers to be one of the single most important factors to avoid diseases associated poor lifestyle choices as well as maintain normal weight, a healthy heart, and avoid cancer.  For those of us who try to eat well but sometimes feel we could do better, many of us turn to aids like a serving of Fruit of the Spirit each day. It is a convenient, cost effective, tasty, and science-based way to optimize our antioxidant intake each day. As noted above, nutrients in a natural form as in a whole fruit puree such as Fruit of the Spirit avoid the down-side of synthetic beta carotene and folic acid.

There are a myriad of multiple vitamin and mineral formulas on the market to protect our vision. How long will it take for formulations to appear to protect our hearing? The baby boomers that rocked often losing their hearing for 30 minutes after a rock concert along with the current generation of teens plugged into their I-pods on a continual basis may appreciate lifestyle choices to preserve and protect their hearing.

Jordan Holmes

Marion, IL

A new German study, from Rudolf Wild GmbH and CRO, reveals the potential role of polyphenols to boost immune function. What are polyphenols? God’s garden is a rich variety of fruits and vegetables, nutrients, flavors, and health benefits now found in scientific laboratories to contain certain natural chemicals called phytochemicals.  Polyphenols are one class of these natural plant chemicals found in all fruits and vegetables given some of them their distinct color. Polyphenols are also known for their antioxidant ability. Antioxidants are the balance to free radicals in the wisdom of God’s system of balance, described in detail in Scripture. Weakness is balanced with power, joy with sorrow, and faith with despair.

Polyphenols are found in green tea, chocolate, apples, onions, citrus fruits, soy, berries and cherries. There are several sub-classes of polyphenols including catechins or flavonols (tea is a rich source), anthocyanins (berries are a particularly good source), flavonoids, phenolic acids such as ellagic acid, tannins (think nuts), lignans (think flax seed), to name but a few. Hundreds of chemicals have been identified from plants that populate the polyphenolic category. Many of these polyphenols are unique. Think of the unique polyphenols in cranberries that help prevent bacteria from sticking to our mucous membranes (mouth and bladder to prevent gum disease and bladder infections).

When our immune systems are stressed with free radicals, we can balance their effect with antioxidants from dietary sources and supplementation. God’s garden of fruits and vegetables are rich supplies of phytochemicals that have anti-oxidant properties. Many degenerative diseases are now termed to be those of oxidative stress, that is, we lack the anti-oxidants to balance the stress of free radicals. Asthma, diabetes, cancer, cataracts, Parkinson’s, heart disease are but a few of the disease conditions associated with oxidative stress. Many physicians believe the incidence of diseases of oxidative stress has increased because the typical American diet is full of processed foods rich in trans fats, processed grains, and sugars lacking in antioxidants, minerals, and other nutrients. We no longer eat as God provided to nourish our bodies as we read in Scripture.

This new German study studies the role of polyphenols as an immune booster. Nearly hundred people suffering from the common cold consumed either a polyphenolic-rich drink or a control drink two times a day over 10 days. At the end of the study, the difference between the two groups according was “highly significant” according to the researchers. There was significant decrease in stuffy noses, sore throat, headache and joint aches, hoarseness, cough, and general feeling of sickness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes the average American suffers from 4-6 bouts of colds and flu a year. Preventing those colds or limiting their suffering is a true blessing to millions of Americans.

The German researchers made their polyphenolic-rich drink of green tea, grape seed and grape skins, as well as shiitake mushrooms. We all can have easy access to a nutritious drink rich in the blessings of plant chemicals including polyphenols. Fruit of the Spirit contains whole purees of grapes, bilberries, as well as other fruits and alkalinizing minerals. Grapes, apples, and bilberries are particularly rich sources of polyphenols. Because Fruit of the Spirit is the whole fruit puree (skin, seeds, and the fruit), you can count on it as a good source of the polyphenols that tastes good, is affordable, and has the highest quality. Flash pasteurization of Fruit of the Spirit (in less than 10 seconds) preserves nutrients such as polyphenols and other antioxidants. Contrast that with broccoli cooked in a microwave now known to destroy nearly 90% of its liable nutrients.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables raises our tissue stores of important nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals. It is the single most important thing we can all do to nourish the temple of our body each day.  Nine to eleven servings a day is optimal. We can all add five servings each day with a single serving, just one ounce of Fruit of the Spirit. What a blessing for our good health!