How do you keep your joints healthy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I eat a tablespoon of turmeric every day. It has wonderful anti-inflammatory properties amongst other benefits. I workout 6 or 7 days a week and although I've lost about 120 lbs I'm still about 20-30 pounds over weight. No injuries. Love this spice!

NP here. How do you eat the tbsp of turmeric? Are you making a tea, or eating it raw, or taking a pill?

[Anonymous]

Don't give up running--it is a myth that it is bad for your knees.

[Anonymous]

11:25 and 19:19 have the best advice. Unless you've had some extreme injury, you shouldn't have joint damage at your age and any aches and pains you feel come from misalignment due to tight muscles, ligaments, tendons and/or fascia. Regular massage, proper stretching, rolling, etc. are key.

[Anonymous]

I'm not at all flexible (ie: never been able to touch my toes during stretches). Is there any hope for me with yoga?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thanks everyone. Regarding yoga - how often do you have to do it to get the benefits? Also is there a place to go where they do a truly good job of teaching a newbie? I have a bad back, and I worry that improper technique will make it worse. I work in Georgetown and live in Falls Church.

Giving up running sounds awful. I really love my cardio. Nothing else feels like a decent workout.

I highly recommend Rodney Yee's 30 minute "Yoga for Back Care" DVD. It's amazing. I do his routine 2-3 times a week and it has changed my body...no more back pain! I'm the 11:25 poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:thanks everyone. Regarding yoga - how often do you have to do it to get the benefits? Also is there a place to go where they do a truly good job of teaching a newbie? I have a bad back, and I worry that improper technique will make it worse. I work in Georgetown and live in Falls Church.

Giving up running sounds awful. I really love my cardio. Nothing else feels like a decent workout.

I highly recommend Rodney Yee's 30 minute "Yoga for Back Care" DVD. It's amazing. I do his routine 2-3 times a week and it has changed my body...no more back pain! I'm the 11:25 poster.

Good to know - I see this on Amazon and also the Beginners one. As a healthy fit person, but my only yoga experience having been prenatal yoga, can I jump right into the "Yoga for Back Care" or do I need to start with the beginner one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:thanks everyone. Regarding yoga - how often do you have to do it to get the benefits? Also is there a place to go where they do a truly good job of teaching a newbie? I have a bad back, and I worry that improper technique will make it worse. I work in Georgetown and live in Falls Church.

Giving up running sounds awful. I really love my cardio. Nothing else feels like a decent workout.

Try rowing at Thompson Boat House. Great all-body work out with none of the twisting and pounding.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend Rodney Yee's 30 minute "Yoga for Back Care" DVD. It's amazing. I do his routine 2-3 times a week and it has changed my body...no more back pain! I'm the 11:25 poster.

Good to know - I see this on Amazon and also the Beginners one. As a healthy fit person, but my only yoga experience having been prenatal yoga, can I jump right into the "Yoga for Back Care" or do I need to start with the beginner one?

Yes, you can jump right in, shouldn't be strenuous at all and you don't need to know yoga at all.

[Anonymous]

Definitely learn to stretch/massage your IT bands, which go from your lower back to the balls of your feet (it is a group of muscles, not a single muscle). Tight IT bands can cause a lot of different pains and problems.

Read up on minimalist running shoes and think about whether they would be a good choice for you. The super cushioned running shoes cause (most) runners to land a lot harder on their heels, and the impact is transferred to the knees, hips, and back. Children and barefoot runners have a different stride and don't land as hard (and strike further forward) or with lower impact to their joints.

Look into Half Moon Yoga studios, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I eat a tablespoon of turmeric every day. It has wonderful anti-inflammatory properties amongst other benefits. I workout 6 or 7 days a week and although I've lost about 120 lbs I'm still about 20-30 pounds over weight. No injuries. Love this spice!

NP here. How do you eat the tbsp of turmeric? Are you making a tea, or eating it raw, or taking a pill?

I mix it into my oatmeal along with a teaspoon of cinnamon. You can also mix some earth balance butter, raisins and almonds to make it tastier. You could mix it into a drink but like gritty liquids at all. Turmeric is not a bad tasting spice. Takes some getting used to in that quantity but after my success with it I down it with no problems. I started with a teaspoon and worked my way up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not at all flexible (ie: never been able to touch my toes during stretches). Is there any hope for me with yoga?

One of my favorite tongue in cheek quotes about Yoga (strictly from the asana or physical practice perspective) is:

Saying you can't do Yoga because you aren't flexible is like saying you can't eat because you're too hungry.

[Anonymous]

Yoga is great but it can also lead to pretty serious injuries if you're not careful. I have a friend who had to have a hip replaced because of repetitive yoga injuries. My physician says he sees as many yoga injuries as running injuries. Contorting, extreme stretching, certain positions are unnatural. I do yoga, but its not my primary form of exercise and I'm careful.

[Anonymous]

Along with tumeric, alkaline your body=zero inflammation storage (among other benefits).