http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis_information/arthritis__daily_life/sports_injuries.aspx#non
I was such an athlete when younger, and a stickler about my health. I don't know what happened. Maybe I got lazy, or disillusioned, or tired, but I quit being a stickler and now I am suffering the consequences. I was climbing towers all week for my job, and I was in the deep south which was in the deep freeze, but as a result my left knee is swollen to twice the size of my right knee, and all the reading I am doing is scaring the crap out of me. I suppose this means it is time to get back with the program.
Maybe this was about fitting in. The desire to be loved and to fit in has been the bane of my existence. A wise old astrologer once told me that nope, it would never happen. Why? Uranus square Sun. So this peace loving Taurus periodically goes through revolution. Fine. I have learned to recognize signs and symptoms so it can be an even keeled change instead of things blowing up. Seems to me that things blow up when I refuse to acknowledge what I need to do. Geez-Louise. A life long reading task I suppose. Back to the knees. Maybe I carry the weight to feel protected as a life long empath - but there are better ways. Back to learning about energy and empowerment.
I am linking several good websites I found this morning. From the reading I have done, seems that the best thing I could do for Osteoarthritis is to loose the weight. Still at 162 pounds, and I went to David's Health Food store and did some reading. He has some wonderful calculators, and I have linked them for you. Apparently for a medium frame the normal weight is 121 pounds to 135 pounds. My BMI is 27, which puts me solidly in the overweight category; my normal BMI (Body Mass Index) would be in the 18.5 to 24.9 range. I also reread things I knew years ago, and here I am circling around again. An Anti-Inflammation diet will help with weight loss and joint pain, and I pulled out Dr. Perricones book again (very good book) to read up. I am also reviewing my "Fit for Life" Book. Dr Mehmet Oz has written eloquently on the subject, and I pulled out some of the information form that as well. There are no easy fixes are there, but when three different people or sources of information repeat the same thing to you over and over, it is time to pay attention is it not? The nice thing about following an anti-inflammation diet, is it will increase mental clarity. So, although I may give up the "French Frie" I do not have to immediately give up the potato (whole food). I do know however, that Potatoes are a night shade, and nightshades and milk (dairy) are linked to inflammation and aggravating arthritis.
I am not into being hungry. It is a scary thing. I am however, willing to eat the right things. The right things are fruits, vegetables, tree nut, legumes, rice. Fish or Chicken instead of red meat and pork. I think this all takes planning however, and that is what I have to think through.
I am off to buy Proteolytic Enzymes (Bromelein) - which have been shown to help with joint flare up and knee problems. I also have to find a doctor I suppose. But the first thing he will do is to tell me to loose the weight. My theory is I took a fall in November, aggravate and hurt the knee, I have not been eating right lately but have been eating for comfort and emotional nourishment, which never works, so this is all linked to some of these big changes I need to make in my life. Where I live and how I am earning a living. This goes back to stepping up to my leadership abilities, which brings me back to my power issues, which circles me back around for my need for mental clarity on the subject.
I refuse to say I am giving up everything permanently, but I can say I can be good for six to seven weeks to help the swelling go down while I look for a doctor. Watch for further posts on my emotions toward all this, as they will be there, but the thing I need to keep repeating, and what I knew so well when young is food is for nourishment, not to fix your problems. Your problems have to be fixed through your actions, efforts and goals, and it is what it is. I did not write the ground rules, I simply have to figure out what they are, and live in a health way. Now off to David's Health Food store in Columbia - it looks great.
I will update this post later - but for now enjoy the articles I have linked.
http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21671
David's Health Assessment tools
http://www.davidsnaturalmarket.com/common/adam/HealthTools.asp?storeID=CF1D83C59A914DEEB1F49F78C9BE5747
http://www.davidsnaturalmarket.com/common/adam/DisplayMonograph.asp?storeID=CF1D83C59A914DEEB1F49F78C9BE5747&DocID=33_000163
The one about Diabetes and tendinitis scared the crap out of me. My fasting blood sugar one year ago was 100. Not prediabetic yet, but borderline. Once again, I have to pay attention to what I eat and to what I weigh. This blog I suppose is to help with feeling like I am not so alone in this, and to take my power back.
http://ard.bmj.com/content/48/3/211.abstract
http://books.google.com/books?id=HoK997rgO-4C&pg=PA145&lpg=PA145&dq=knee+doctor+enzymes&source=bl&ots=0a8WyJJ7Je&sig=qsFY1K9_ksr5eJ7VSQv65fkl24E&hl=en&ei=ZoJWTeSdIsSblgf7u4HqBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=knee%20doctor%20enzymes&f=false
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/tendinitis-000163.htm
The University of Maryland has a great complementary medicine web page, and finding this gives me hope about maybe staying in Maryland.
From the webpage
Signs and Symptoms:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Pain that gets worse when you move the affected limb
- Warmth and redness
- Crepitus (crackling)
I can make these changes, I simply have to know what they are and follow through. Sometimes we have to learn to stand alone in order to set a good example. A lot of people look up to me for whatever reason. I seem to have lost my mojo (Mars) for a bit - I am going to bring him back. Jupiter is in Aries now, so that should help.
All the best,
Kat
