Hello everyone,
For a HN1 (Health and Nutrition level 1) class I am to write a two page paper about any health topic. My instructor for this class has arthritis problems, to my knowledge mostly if not only in his knees. I do not wish to instruct him as at this point I am unqualified. However I would like to light his yogic candle if you will.
Does anyone have any links, publications, or knowledge on this subject that they would like to share?
Thank You in advance.
Most of these sorts of things can be addressed through diet. The problem typically is two-fold; the person has no idea how/what to eat and avoid AND the person is unwilling to make the requisite changes in their eating habits.
Most of the healing through foods information is not “medically proven” and would not serve the financial interests of certain very large and powerful industries.
Thank You, I appreciate it and will be sure to include proper citations.
I don’t know his eating habits other then his passion for cookies and his looking forward to a steak last night. He was a competitive volleyball player of some level for years so I’m sure he has a decent grasp on nutrition but perhaps from a much more western viewpoint.
When I eliminated dairy, wheat and corn my allergies cleared up along with inflammation throughout my body. Allergies and arthritis are immune condition. This can all be accomplished with an elimination diet then slowly adding foods back in, actually very difficult but there?re guidelines and programs to help decipher food allergies which usually don?t show up on skin testing, elimination diet is much better.
Saying western nutrition is much like saying military intelligence.
And Ray has exposed the tip of the iceberg above.
Get the chap off sweeteners, wheat, dairy, caffeine, and acidic foods, have him start juicing and eating organically grown fruits and vegetables in a balanced diet and that stuff in his knees (other than results from trauma) will go away.
But I’ve forewarned you. The issue isn’t if there are ways to deal with it. The issue is that most people don’t want to change in order to have what they fein wanting.
I have arthritis (not actually diagnosed but I’m sure that’s what it is) in my hips, knees (including a lot of fluid around the knees), hands and feet. I practise yoga 3 or 4 times a week and while I love it and really want to get better at it, I feel very discouraged because I’m in a lot of pain with many poses. I understand that the western diet is a huge contributory factor but I actually eat a very healthy diet comprising mainly fruits, salad, porridge, hummus and no wheat, caffeine or alcohol and only goat milk or yogurt. Does anyone have any advice for me? Thanks in anticipation.
I dont really have any diet advice though I do know that tomatoes and citrus are supposed to aggrevate arthritis. I too suffer but as you not diagnosed and find sitting on my heels impossible, I do find it discouraging as i am in pain in most of the poses, though I am still very new to yoga and I think I am incredibly stiff and tight which I hope will ease. I do hope you find your answers Im sure everyone will be as helpful to you as they have been to me in my short time on here. best wishes J
Rainbowj,
It is not that unusual to be very stiff and tight when you are a beginner. My advice to you on that is go slow and go easy on yourself. Do not push till it hurts. With stiff and tight, holding poses gently for longer, with only gentle strain on the muscles, moving deeper into each pose as the muscles loosen, will be your best plan of action. Don’t be discouraged. Know that what you are doing is making your muscles sing for joy, because they are getting blood and oxygen they haven’t had in a very long time! Soon they’ll begin healing and working like they should and you’ll have good strong flexible healthy muscles. Remember it’s a process, take each pose one breath at a time. 
Mmm thank you for that I think i am trying too hard as Im probably approaching it as I used to weight lifting and always trained hard … and it always hurt so i have bad habits to unlearn, my breathing does go to pot when Im in a difficult position, the ones that involve kneeling I find a real problem, I just have to have a new approach as I plan yoga to be a life long thing so little by little is fine I know, I think i just dont want to think im copping out so to speak. I do really appreciate your advice. I already have better mobility in my left knee which was well awful until two weeks ago, so slowly does it, again thank you. J
Hi Rainbowj
Thanks for your reply - it’s good to hear I’m not alone in my difficulties. Like you I find it impossible to sit back on my knees - the child’s pose which is supposed to be gentle and relaxing is a total nightmare for me!! Thanks for the advice about citrus and tomatoes - I’ve heard that before and do eat a lot of them so maybe I should cut them out of my diet for a bit. If you’re fairly new to yoga then hopefully it will get easier with time. I’m not new to it and sometimes feel that I’m no better or more flexible than I was a couple of years ago but I’m going to keep persevering as I know yoga has so many benefits. Thanks again Gill
Hello Gill,
I tend not to deal in labels like “arthritis” as it etches a certain thing on the consciousness of the person. In other words, whether you’re right or you’re wrong, you’re right. Or “what the mind conceives and believes it achieves”. Consider not believing it’s this or that and merely addressing the symptoms.
Relative to diet we would have to probe into the nuances to determine change. Some things are to be avoided and some things are to be consumed. For example you do not mention sources of protein or types of vegetables (other than a reference to “salad”). So it’s difficult to assist you in refining that part of the yoga.
Additionally there are some other nutritional aspects which should be conveyed by your teacher.
Physically, traction in the joints during practice may be helpful. Unfortunately it is only a small percentage of yoga teachers who are properly trained in such things. Joint pain often mandates a modified asana practice away from that which is yang and potentially aggravating toward that which is yin and calming (though this is not at all a reference to “yin” yoga which is something else altogether).
The meditation should be addressing the students blockages or unwillingness to change and move forward in their lives as the joints represent that forward progress. Again, this is something the teacher should be sharing with an interested, dedicated, and committed student - you in this case.
I suggest locating a well-trained, therapeutically oriented yoga teacher, spending some time with that person, and developing a custom tailored practice that will allow you to bathe in the joy of yoga without triggering flares in your physical body.
Hi Gordon
Thanks for your input. I completely understand where you’re coming from about not putting labels on things. I myself do not really think of myself as a person with arthritis and am not into getting it diagnosed, being put on drugs for it and so on. All I know is that over the last 20-odd years for whatever reason my joints have become stiffer and more painful to the point where walking downstairs although not impossible is becoming more challenging and painful. Having said that I’m a very active person, still working more or less full time and do a lot of walking and swimming.
Regarding diet, my main source of protein is chickpeas (in the form of hummus) and goat’s yogurt. The main veg I eat are lettuce, tomato, avocado, onions, garlic, carrots, broccoli and mushrooms.
I will look into finding a therapeutically trained teacher.
Thanks again
Gill
Thanks for that, Ray.
Gill
Thank you everyone for your information and participation in this post. I submitted my paper a few months ago and although I don’t know what grade I got on it, I did get an A in the class
Ray the yogapoint link you sent was actually one of the first sites that I took notes from. I am glad it has your seal of approval.
Gordan(?) InnerAthlete you’re consistently awesome if I haven’t already mentioned it.
David you’re contribution was very helpful for both my paper and as food for my brain
Everyone else I wish you the best. May you find what you seek in your practices
That is a great topic and good information provided! I may use this topic for one of my future projects in my research class.
Well, my post is not about yoga to heal arthritis.
I agree with Inner Athlete that a poor diet can cause arthritis. However, it is not the only cause. Many people practicing sports which strain the knees get osteoarthritis at the knees.
My post is about a new method of healing osteoarthritis, by stimulating your imune system.
http://www.vital3.com/how-vital3-works/how-vital-3-is-different
[QUOTE=gillyflower;63567]Hi Gordon
.
I will look into finding a therapeutically trained teacher.
Thanks again
Gill[/QUOTE]
Have a look at the book “Structural Yoga Therapy” by Mukunda Stiles.
You can find info on SYT (Structural Yoga Therapy) teachers, training etc here:
http://www.yogatherapycenter.org/structural_yoga_therapy.html
Thanks for this - I’m based in London Uk - this seems to be based in the US from what I can see.