Is your low fat diet hurting your joints?
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ReneCSCS
Posts: 4
The link between Omega 3s and your knees!
http://hooperhealthoptimization.ning.com/profiles/blogs/omega3s
I have noticed a common yet alarming trend among my clientele, a low fat diet and problems with inflammation; whether an elite endurance athlete with constant inflammation from an “over use” injury, arthritis from a previous sport or the arthritis that sneaks up on them over the years. I want you to understand just how vital fat is to your diet. I strongly encourage you to be aware of and exhaust all possible natural remedies before emptying that ibuprofen bottle; and even worse, unnecessary surgery! Today, I want to share my knowledge of Omega 3 fatty acids as a remedy to inflammation and to explore other factors that could be the cause for your discomfort.
What are Omega 3 Fatty Acids?
Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids with a double bond located between the 3rd and 4th carbon. These fats are commonly found in marine and plant oil, not a whopper! Omega 3 Fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, meaning we must get them through our diet. Our bodies can not produce them on their own.
How can I include Omega 3s in my diet?
It is always best to get your nutrients from food, not a pill. Dietary choices rich in Omega 3s include fatty fish such as salmon, flax seed oil, flax seed, walnuts, navy beans and kidney beans. If you are already suffering from inflammatory issues, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc., fish oil capsules are an excellent way to ensure you are getting a therapeutic dose. The capsules are simply composed the oils of a fish into a dissolvable capsule; nothing to be afraid of here.
A simple recipe to get you started:
1 ) One healthy and DELICIOUS recipe for you to include into your diet given to me by a client:
-1 Activia yogurt (I prefer blueberry)
-2 Tablespoons Flax (highly recommend freshly ground)
The probiotics found in the Activia promote regularity of digestion. The magical combination will trick you into thinking you’re treating yourself to cheesecake with a delicious graham cracker crust. Try this with your kids!
How much should I get in my diet?
For optimal benefits regarding inflammation, as high as 5-10 grams per day shows the most improvement. I suggest incorporating 1 of the omega 3 food sources listed above at least once a day. If you are already suffering from inflammation, I strongly encourage you to also add at least 5grams of fish oil per day every day.
Omega-3 fatty acids treat the symptoms but do not fix the problem
Please recognize that nutrition is only one piece to the puzzle…consult with you physical therapist, manual therapist and/or your strength and conditioning professional concerning the cause of the problem. For example, is there a muscular imbalance or mobility issue that, if corrective, could alleviate the constant irritation and thus re-occurring inflammation of the joint? Although it is proven that Omega-3s will reduce inflammation, no amount of omega-3 or pain killers will alleviate stress on the joint during daily activity or sport. The pain and inflammation is simply your body’s cry for help. You have to discover the problem and treat the problem!
What is the real problem?
You have two options here: to stop moving OR to fix the problem. Let me revert back to an analogy used by strength and conditioning guru Mike Boyle. Let’s say I throw a rope with a noose around your neck and begin to pull. Where do you feel that? You feel it in your neck, of course. You will notice that as I release the rope your neck stops hurting. More often than not, we notice the pain not where the problem is. Nothing was wrong with your neck. Your neck was simply the end point of the pull. A very similar scenario is often seen with ITband syndrome. The ITband is a thick band of fascia that originates at your glutes, runs down the outside of your thigh and attaches just below the lateral aspect of your knee. Weak glutes (particularly glute medius) + repetitive movement (running, walking) will cause the ITband to tighten, placing a pull on the lateral aspect of the knee and thus knee pain. Weak glutes (specifically hip extensors) and/or poor ankle mobility will also result in a forward leaning squat. This results in a high amount of torque on the knees every time you go from sit to stand. These must me addressed through corrective exercise and/or manual therapy.
Diet + Exercise win again.
Well, it all comes down to proper diet and exercise once again. Do be sure to incorporate Omega 3s into your daily diet. I hope you enjoy the Activia recipe as much as I have. It is human nature to seek the quick fix, salesmen are keenly aware of this! I’m here to tell you to invest your time and money wisely. Do not waste either seeking a quick fix. It’s going to take some detective work. Never underestimate the power of proper nutrition and exercise. Keep at it with the guidance of a professional and your body will thank you.
http://hooperhealthoptimization.ning.com/profiles/blogs/omega3s
I have noticed a common yet alarming trend among my clientele, a low fat diet and problems with inflammation; whether an elite endurance athlete with constant inflammation from an “over use” injury, arthritis from a previous sport or the arthritis that sneaks up on them over the years. I want you to understand just how vital fat is to your diet. I strongly encourage you to be aware of and exhaust all possible natural remedies before emptying that ibuprofen bottle; and even worse, unnecessary surgery! Today, I want to share my knowledge of Omega 3 fatty acids as a remedy to inflammation and to explore other factors that could be the cause for your discomfort.
What are Omega 3 Fatty Acids?
Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids with a double bond located between the 3rd and 4th carbon. These fats are commonly found in marine and plant oil, not a whopper! Omega 3 Fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, meaning we must get them through our diet. Our bodies can not produce them on their own.
How can I include Omega 3s in my diet?
It is always best to get your nutrients from food, not a pill. Dietary choices rich in Omega 3s include fatty fish such as salmon, flax seed oil, flax seed, walnuts, navy beans and kidney beans. If you are already suffering from inflammatory issues, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc., fish oil capsules are an excellent way to ensure you are getting a therapeutic dose. The capsules are simply composed the oils of a fish into a dissolvable capsule; nothing to be afraid of here.
A simple recipe to get you started:
1 ) One healthy and DELICIOUS recipe for you to include into your diet given to me by a client:
-1 Activia yogurt (I prefer blueberry)
-2 Tablespoons Flax (highly recommend freshly ground)
The probiotics found in the Activia promote regularity of digestion. The magical combination will trick you into thinking you’re treating yourself to cheesecake with a delicious graham cracker crust. Try this with your kids!
How much should I get in my diet?
For optimal benefits regarding inflammation, as high as 5-10 grams per day shows the most improvement. I suggest incorporating 1 of the omega 3 food sources listed above at least once a day. If you are already suffering from inflammation, I strongly encourage you to also add at least 5grams of fish oil per day every day.
Omega-3 fatty acids treat the symptoms but do not fix the problem
Please recognize that nutrition is only one piece to the puzzle…consult with you physical therapist, manual therapist and/or your strength and conditioning professional concerning the cause of the problem. For example, is there a muscular imbalance or mobility issue that, if corrective, could alleviate the constant irritation and thus re-occurring inflammation of the joint? Although it is proven that Omega-3s will reduce inflammation, no amount of omega-3 or pain killers will alleviate stress on the joint during daily activity or sport. The pain and inflammation is simply your body’s cry for help. You have to discover the problem and treat the problem!
What is the real problem?
You have two options here: to stop moving OR to fix the problem. Let me revert back to an analogy used by strength and conditioning guru Mike Boyle. Let’s say I throw a rope with a noose around your neck and begin to pull. Where do you feel that? You feel it in your neck, of course. You will notice that as I release the rope your neck stops hurting. More often than not, we notice the pain not where the problem is. Nothing was wrong with your neck. Your neck was simply the end point of the pull. A very similar scenario is often seen with ITband syndrome. The ITband is a thick band of fascia that originates at your glutes, runs down the outside of your thigh and attaches just below the lateral aspect of your knee. Weak glutes (particularly glute medius) + repetitive movement (running, walking) will cause the ITband to tighten, placing a pull on the lateral aspect of the knee and thus knee pain. Weak glutes (specifically hip extensors) and/or poor ankle mobility will also result in a forward leaning squat. This results in a high amount of torque on the knees every time you go from sit to stand. These must me addressed through corrective exercise and/or manual therapy.
Diet + Exercise win again.
Well, it all comes down to proper diet and exercise once again. Do be sure to incorporate Omega 3s into your daily diet. I hope you enjoy the Activia recipe as much as I have. It is human nature to seek the quick fix, salesmen are keenly aware of this! I’m here to tell you to invest your time and money wisely. Do not waste either seeking a quick fix. It’s going to take some detective work. Never underestimate the power of proper nutrition and exercise. Keep at it with the guidance of a professional and your body will thank you.
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