Did you know that Queen Elizabeth II had health issues?
On September 8th, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 after an impressive and incredible 70-year-long reign. Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, gave a public statement in which he commented on the Monarch’s death.
He said that the day her Majesty died was the most depressing day for their country and he believes that every citizen feels a profound and personal sense of loss. She passed away at her Scottish vacation home, Balmoral Castle. All her family members were by her side after her health “took a turn for the worse,” according to the Associated Press.
We don’t have exact information regarding the cause of death, but we know for sure that the Queen didn’t feel well for the last couple of months she was alive. We wanted to know more about this topic that shook the whole United Kingdom, so we did a bit of research. Here are some hidden health problems Queen Elizabeth II had.
Did you know there are a few ways in which you can keep your immune system in top shape?
With all the disease outbreaks around the world and even with how aggressive some of the latest strains of seasonal flu have been, we all have to make sure our immune systems are in top shape! Not to mention all the other viruses and colds that are waiting right around the corner to get their hands on us.
Truth be told, while the COVID-19 pandemic taught us how to be more conscientious of our surroundings, all the disinfecting we have been doing and staying indoors for longer periods of time ended up lowering our immune systems. We haven’t been interacting with as many outside factors and definitely with way fewer bacteria and viruses. This is why we have to make sure we do everything in our power to boost our immune systems and get them back to 100%!
And this is easily achievable by slightly altering our daily habits and making some other minimal diet changes! Nothing that involves taking a lot of extra pills or vitamins, nor any other types of medication. Just a little bit of dedication and desire to be in the best shape possible!
Let us know which one of these habits you have already introduced into your daily routine!
We all know that having an active lifestyle and a healthy and balanced diet will help us be and feel our best, but regardless of all the recommendations experts give us, how often do you really exercise?
Experts recommend we aim for at least 75 minutes of dynamic aerobic exercise or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. However, your body also needs to be strong, so you’ll also need some resistance training, and experts say that you should have a strength-training session at least twice a week for maximum results.
…Do you know any types of exercise that are suitable for seniors?
Did you know how beneficial walking can be for you?
You might already be walking on a regular basis, whether you take your pet for a walk in the park, you pick up your grandkids from school, go to the shop right next to your house to get something really quick, and so many other things. However, are you actually moving your body as much as you should?
According to experts, an hour of exercise per day is only 4% of your day, which is not enough if you have a sedentary lifestyle apart from your 60 minutes of movement (sitting on a chair or on your sofa all day long). What can you do to avoid this? Move more!
And we’re not talking about doing another workout. Here’s where walking comes to your rescue. Adding more walking to your day might help you improve your life in so many different ways. If this sounds interesting to you, here are 8 surprising reasons why you should do it more often.
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1. Lower the risk of heart disease
Heart disease is a health issue that can happen to anyone, and even healthy people can be at risk. But a few studies have discovered that walking can help you ease that.
A group of researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University studied a big group of senior Americans and discovered that as the subjects aged, those who were more active, including those who walked a lot, had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
And if that’s not enough to convince you to get up from the couch and start walking, another study has discovered that walking at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, can help reduce the risk of getting coronary heart attacks by 19%. And if you want even more benefits, you can simply increase the duration and the distance you walk per day.
2. Lower the risk of depression and improve mood swings
Whenever you have a bad day, you feel overwhelmed, or you simply want to relax, a quick walk in the park is more than enough to boost your mood. Besides that, it might help you ease some of the effects of depression. That’s because walking gives you the opportunity to clear your mind, see things from a fresh perspective, think more in-depth about certain things in your life, and the list can go on.
Some experts say that walking in nature is more beneficial for your mind rather than walking in a big, crowded city. Even though it’s understandable that being surrounded by trees, birds, and fresh air is going to be more relaxing for your brain, you shouldn’t say goodbye to walking just because a park is too far from your home and you don’t want to walk around in the city.
While walking is not a magic cure for mood swings and depression, it’s definitely going to help you clear out your thoughts.
3. Boost energy
Trust us, we get it! There are times when you’re just so tired that the last thing you want to do is work out. But let us tell you that you’ll feel a lot more energized and relaxed after you’ve gone for a walk.
Some experts even say that a walk in the afternoon might be the best way to get over a slump, even more so than a cup of delicious coffee. Plus, it will help you sleep better at night, given the fact that coffee might mess with your sleep schedule and make you jittery.
4. Increase focus and creativity
You believe that taking a bit of time out of your work day to exercise might sabotage your productivity, right? Been there, done that. But let us tell you that you are wrong because taking a few minutes to walk will allow your brain to relax and to properly think.
This means that your mind will be more alert and focused, and you’ll be more creative as well. So, the next time you feel like your mind isn’t working the way it’s supposed to, instead of forcing yourself to come up with a genius idea, it’s best to press pause and go for a short walk. Not only will you have more steps at the end of the day, but you’ll also be more focused, alert, productive, and creative.
…Have you ever tried walking when you felt like you couldn’t concentrate on your tasks?
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5. Ease joint pain
Are you looking for different remedies to ease joint pain? Then walking should be your go-to. Besides being a great way to relax after a long and stressful day, walking can help protect your joints, including the hips and the knees. That is because it helps strengthen and also lubricate the muscles that uphold the joints.
It is believed that people who are diagnosed with arthritis and walk on a daily basis don’t feel as much pain compared to those who are sedentary. And if you’re looking for a way to prevent arthritis, try to walk 5 to 6 miles a week. It will do wonders for your body!
6. Tone your body
Walking acts as a great cardio workout, and it strengthens your muscles at the same time. So if you want to have toned and strong legs, make sure to get those steps in! In order to build more strength and endurance, find a hilly area and walk over there, or hop on a treadmill with an incline.
And don’t hesitate to take those stairs whenever you can because it’ll tone up your thighs and your buttocks area. Plus, make sure to engage your core and your lower body muscles in order to make the best out of it.
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7. Burn calories
If you want to start a healthy lifestyle and be more active, but you don’t know where to start, or you have a health condition that doesn’t allow you to do a lot of physical effort, we have a simple suggestion for you: start walking!
You don’t need any special equipment (just some comfy clothes and shoes and a bottle of water), you don’t need to go all out, and you get to relax and to think about everything you want, to listen to a podcast or catch up with a friend… all while you burn a lot of calories!
Experts recommend that you should aim for at least 10,000 steps a day in order to maintain a healthy weight or to lose some body fat. However, if this is too much for you, start with 5,000 steps and work your way up!
Walking is a cardiovascular type of workout, which means that your heart rate is going to be up, you’ll burn fat, build strength, and tone up at the same time! Once you get the hang of it, you can increase the intensity of your walks by going up a hill or by increasing your speed. You’ll burn even more calories!
8. Lower blood pressure
It’s not exactly brand new information that walking can help lower the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol levels, but what’s very interesting is the fact that a fast-paced walk can actually have the same health benefits as running, according to some recent studies.
Researchers analyzed over 30,000 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and more than 15,000 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study. The study was quite long, and they came to the conclusion that over a period of 6 years, there were comparable reductions in risk for having high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol in both groups.
In simpler words, this means that even if you skip a few running sessions, make sure to add more steps into your daily routine in order to maintain those health benefits.
…Do you like walking? Tell us in the comments down below!
Do you have any tips on how to be healthier and happier as you age?
It seems like these days, everyone talks about aging and how to do that without facing all the side effects, such as feeling ill, tired, or unhappy. While dreading some saggy skin or wrinkles is not that big of a deal, there’s actually a lot more when it comes to aging well.
Basically, everyone who’s over their mid-40s thinks about how to age gracefully, enjoy, and live their best life. Beautifully aging isn’t about making huge lifestyle changes, copying younger people’s habits, or trying to look and act like a 20-something. It’s about doing things that make you happy and having the physical and mental strength to fully appreciate it.
It may sound like a cliché, but you can actually improve yourself with age if you properly take care of yourself. Keep reading along with us to find out what the best 8 things you can do to age gracefully are!
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1. Take care of your diet
We hate to admit it, but if you want to age beautifully, the first thing you should pay attention to is your diet. According to The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should consume lean proteins, such as beans and fish, a lot of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole-grain cereals, rice, a bit of pasta, yogurt, cheese, and milk.
Food can affect the way your skin looks and also the way you feel, so it’s important to take good care of what you put inside of it. Trust us, we love eating chocolate, cake, ice cream, chips, and junk food in general, but it’s best to try and consume them once a week tops.
Another thing you should do is to keep your salt intake to a minimum in order for your blood pressure to be down and at a normal level. It might be hard at first, but after a short while, your taste buds will change, and you won’t feel the need to add any extra salt to your food.
2. Say goodbye to stress
There’s never a good time to welcome stress into our lives, but if you want to age gracefully, you should learn (if you don’t know that by now) how to stay calm in every situation. Stress is messing with your body in different ways, from premature aging and lots of wrinkles to a higher risk of getting heart disease.
We know it’s easier said than done, and it feels like everyone’s middle name is stress nowadays, but there are a few techniques you can try to keep this annoying feeling at bay: having an exercise routine, doing yoga, meditating, trying breathing exercises, getting enough sleep through the night, and talking to someone.
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3. Be active
If you’ve never had a workout routine when you were younger, don’t worry, it’s not too late to start one now! There are many benefits of physical exercise, such as sleeping better, having more energy, being happier and more relaxed, keeping stress at bay, improved blood flow, and so many other things.
If you want to age gracefully, you should take care of your body from the inside out, which means that you have to put in the work! Moving your body will help your skin look better, more toned, and firmer, so you shouldn’t neglect to prioritize it!
You can take long walks, jog, try yoga, find hiking or a biking trail and spend time outside, or try some strength training exercises, such as squats, lunges, and pushups! If you want to run after your grandkids, you’ll need a lot of strength and resistance to keep up with them!
4. Find a new hobby
…If you need an extra push on why you should pick up a new hobby, here it is!
Gracefully aging means happiness, comfort, and confidence, and a new hobby might give you all of these! Finding a new hobby you absolutely enjoy will help you maintain a purpose in your life, and it will keep you engaged and entertained.
Several studies have discovered that senior people who are engaged in different hobbies, leisure, or social activities are more confident and joyful, can live longer, and have fewer depression symptoms.
5. Go to your doctor
It’s always better to prevent something rather than treat it, so your health should always be your first priority! Going to the doctor for a regular check-up will help them find issues early or before they even start developing.
Your age, background, lifestyle, existing health issues, and family history are things that can influence the frequency with which you should enter the specialist’s office. Ask your doctor how often you should go in for usual tests, and don’t be afraid to go there anytime you notice any concerning symptoms!
6. Give up smoking and limit alcohol intake
We know that some celebrities make smoking and drinking seem like something fancy and glamorous, but the reality is nothing like that! A lot of studies have discovered that cigarettes and alcohol are one of the main factors that cause premature aging. And moreover, they can increase the risk of diseases.
We know it’s hard to quit smoking, but it’s not impossible at all! And if you have a hard time knowing how much you should drink on a daily basis, we are here to help you out. Experts say that a drink per day is enough for a woman, while men shouldn’t consume more than 2 drinks daily.
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7. Get your Zzz’s in
People who make it a priority to age gracefully make sure that they get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. That’s because when you’re sleeping, your body has the chance to relax, wind down, and repair itself.
And if you need more reasons why you should neglect your resting period, here they are: getting enough Zzz’s in will help reduce depression, stress, and inflammation, improve concentration and focus, lower the risk of obesity, and makes your heart stronger.
…Moral of the story? Get enough sleep!
8. Don’t neglect your oral care
Neglecting your teeth not only ages your look and your smile but also puts you at risk for several health issues, including gum disease. Even though this might not seem like such a big deal, the truth is that if you don’t treat it, gum disease can lead to bacterial pneumonia, heart disease, and even stroke.
You should brush your teeth daily, both in the morning and before sleep, and use dental floss and mouthwash every night. A trick we’ve learned at the dentist is that you should wait at least 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth.
That’s because the digestive process starts immediately after you’ve had a bite, and if you brush your teeth during that time, it might affect your enamel. In addition to that, you should go to your dentist every 6 months for a regular check-up. That will help them spot if there are any infections, nutritional deficiencies, and other types of issues.
…When was the last time you went to the dentist?
CONCLUSION
Remember that in order to age gracefully, you have to take care of your body from the inside out, which means going to the doctor for a regular check-up, eating healthy and nourishing foods, drinking plenty of water, having an active life, quitting unhealthy habits, such as smoking and drinking, and sleeping enough every night.
There’s no quick fix for aging, but making small changes every day will help you make sure that you’ll reach your best version of yourself!
Did you know that yoga is perfect for your mental and physical health?
It seems like the majority of people believe that yoga is all about stretching and relaxing your body, but it’s actually way more than that. It includes a lot of moves that are meant to strengthen and lengthen your muscles, and it also includes a lot of breathing exercises and meditation.
Whether you are a pro at working out or you just want to start being more active, yoga is great for your body. You’ll relax, strengthen your body, and energize or wind down after a long day – depending on the intensity of your session or on the time of the day you practice – you’ll protect and make your joints stronger, and so many other benefits.
There are many variations and yoga types, as well as modifications, so you shouldn’t be afraid to try it! And no, you don’t need to be as flexible as a cat to start your own yoga journey.
Have you ever tried yoga? If not, here are 10 reasons why you should immediately give it a go! Roll down your mat, and let’s flow!
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1. Stress relief
According to The American Psychological Association, roughly 84% of American adults stated that they feel the impact of too much stress in their lives. Even a short session of yoga practice is great for stress relief, especially if you decide to do asana.
There are plenty of amazing trainers with tons of guided practices on YouTube or on fitness apps if you don’t have access to live a yoga class. The majority of them include a combination of self-disciplinary and contemplative practices, such as breath work, chanting, meditation, auditory rituals, prayer, or mantra, which are known for promoting relaxation and calmness.
2. Reduces inflammation
It’s not very hard to notice the sign of inflammation in your body. If you catch a cold, for instance, you’ll have a runny nose, a fever, and a migraine. This is a great example of how you can see your body getting inflamed and fighting infection.
However, chronic inflammation is different, and it’s harder to deal with it. This usually happens when your immune system is out of control, and it can lead to major health issues, including arthritis, heart disease, Crohn’s disease, and diabetes.
You can ease the symptoms of inflammation and make yourself feel better by constantly practicing yoga, even if it’s for only 10 minutes. Several studies have discovered that regular yoga practices in different durations, intensities, and styles are linked to minimizing the number of biochemical markers of inflammation across severe health problems.
3. Improves flexibility
It’s very important for your body to be both strong and flexible, and yoga is a great ally for both of them! There are many intensities and styles you can choose from, whether you want something more relaxing or something that will raise your heart rate.
When you get older, your body starts to lose its flexibility, making you feel more stiff and tired. It seems like yoga is helpful for improving flexibility, especially for adults who are over the age of 65.
It doesn’t matter if you choose asana or yoga sculpt (a type of yoga that uses light weights and incorporates more strength training moves), because all of them are linked to increased flexibility and blood flow throughout the body.
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4. Improves mental health
Researchers believe that major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most usual mental health disorders in the world. They found that yoga-based treatments, which include both movement and breathing-based practices, are efficient in improving the MDD symptoms.
…If you ever feel stressed out and anxious and you have no idea what to do to make yourself feel better, you can try a short yoga session that will calm your body and your mind at the same time.
5. Improves physical strength
While the majority of people associate yoga with stretching and flexibility-building exercises, some types of yoga classes are also great for building strength in your body. This depends on the level that you’re at and the instructor’s approach.
Asana and yoga sculpting are incredible for building strength in both your upper and lower body, due to the fact that it includes light weights and compound exercises, such as push-ups, lunges, squats, and crunches variations.
Researchers found that yoga is also great for building strength in children, people diagnosed with health conditions such as breast cancer, and even older adults.
…Did you know that yoga can make both your body and your mind stronger?
6. Boosts immunity
One of the main factors that affect your immune system is chronic stress. When your immune system is out of control, you are more likely to catch a cold or a more severe illness. As we’ve previously mentioned, yoga works great as an alternative form of treatment for stress.
Researchers are still looking for more details regarding this topic, in order to be sure about the effects yoga has on immunity, but they found that people who constantly practiced yoga over the long term have stronger immune systems, compared to those who didn’t try yoga at all. This happens due to the fact that this type of workout has the ability to fight inflammation, making your body keep bacteria at bay!
7. Improves balance
You don’t just need balance in your yoga class when the instructor asks you to stand on one leg in a tree pose. It’s an essential thing in your day-to-day life, in all the movements you do, such as walking up and down the stairs, standing up, picking something up off the floor, or reaching up to take something off a shelf.
Many professional athletes stated that constant sessions of yoga have helped them improve their performance. Older adults who don’t take good care of their health can fall and develop severe injuries. In addition to that, falling is also a risk factor that can lead to death.
If you have a health condition that doesn’t allow you to move your body very much, you can stick to adaptive or chair yoga. Both of these are very helpful and suitable for people who suffer from injuries or for those who are less mobile.
8. Improves sleep
Up to 70 million American citizens say that they suffer from insomnia every year. This affects their capacity to fall and stay asleep. Healthy eating and working out are two well-known natural remedies people can try to balance their sleeping schedule, but these two are not enough.
Moreover, researchers found that yoga is another tool that can help people improve their sleeping cycles, helping them to fall asleep faster and to stay asleep longer. This is mainly because exercise interferes with the chemicals in our brains, helping us feel more relaxed and ready for the resting period.
…If you have trouble falling asleep, there are many wind-down yoga videos on YouTube you can try!
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9. Improves cardiovascular functioning
As we’ve already stated in this article, “yogic breathing”, also known as pranayama, is a significant and meaningful aspect of yoga. Several studies have discovered that yogic breathing can improve the way some of the organs in our bodies function.
There are many organs that benefit from controlled breathing, such as the cardiovascular system, which can further notice changes in stroke capacity, contractility of the heart, arterial pressure, and heart rate.
In addition to that, pranayama is believed to have a positive influence on the brain’s cardiorespiratory center, improving its functioning.
10. Improves bone health and density
There are many poses in yoga that contain isometric contractions, which means that the length of the muscles that are engaged in the pose don’t change, even though they are fully working.
During the plank pose, for instance, your body stays in an upper pushup position, which means that your core, your quads, your buttocks, and your arms are fully engaged, but your muscles don’t shorten or lengthen as they would if you were doing a complete pushup.
When you hold a position in Warrior II, for example, and you stay with the lead leg bowed at the hip and knee, this is a type of isometric exercise. These types of workouts have been shown to promote bone density, especially when performed with the joints in flexion.
Asana is a type of yoga that is known for improving bone loss linked to osteoporosis and osteopenia. A few studies have discovered that only 12 minutes of yoga per day can do wonders for your body and it will help improve your bone health.
…Have you ever tried yoga? Tell us in the comments down below!
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. The disease is caused by wear and tear on the articular cartilage, the tissue that covers the ends of the bones and helps move the joints. In advanced form, cartilage can disappear completely, leading to bone friction and bone remodeling.
Osteoarthritis occurs as a result of the gradual deterioration of the cartilage of the joints.
The cartilage is a hyaline tissue, alive, without blood vessels and without nerves, slippery, with a thickness of 2-3 mm, which allows the line of the joints to be lowered, by attenuating the frictional forces and shock absorption. If the cartilage is destroyed, the bone will rub directly on the bone.
Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, but it is more common in the joints that are more exposed to stress, such as hip or knee. Osteoarthritis is also found in the joints of the hand and the cervical region. Joint damage causes pain that generally increases with exertion and decreases with rest.
Symptoms often worsen by the end of the day. Although osteoarthritis is considered to be a condition of wear and tear that occurs with age, in reality the disease can occur at any age, even if it begins more frequently after age 50. It is more common among women.
Do not ignore the symptoms of chronic joint pain or stiffness of the joints – the sooner you get to the doctor, the sooner you will receive the diagnosis, the more treatment you will receive, and the better your quality of life. Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition, which includes 4 stages, where stage 0 means normal joint, and grade 4, severe osteoarthritis. The condition can stabilize before it reaches the last stage.
The structure of the articular cartilage is different compared to other tissues in the body; 95% of cartilage is a matrix of collagen fibers and special proteins (proteoglycans and other proteins), along wih water and only 5% cells – chondrocytes.
Chondrocytes are long-lived cells – similar to nerve cells and muscle cells that, due to the lack of blood vessels in the cartilage structure, feed by imbibition, absorbing nutrients, electrolytes and hydrating through the fluid in the intra-articular space.
The health and proper functioning of the articular cartilage depends on maintaining a good nutrition of the chondrocytes.
The mechanism that leads to osteoarthritis is not exactly known most of the time, but it can start with tissue damage due to overloading, an effort to which the joint is subjected, through a mechanical injury (for example a meniscus torsion) accompanied by the transmission of mediators of synovial inflammation in the cartilage, or due to a defect in cartilage metabolism.
Cartilage damage stimulates chondrocytes to repair the defect by producing extra proteoglycans and collagen, but also by stimulating enzymes that interfere with cartilage degradation and the production of inflammatory cytokines.
The excess of substances that mediate inflammation stimulates the inflammatory cycle through which the production of chondrocytes and synovial cells will be further stimulated, which will end up destroying the cartilage.
Once the cartilage is destroyed, the bone tissue becomes exposed and scleroses.
Attempts to repair bone tissue will lead to sclerosis and the appearance of osteophytes (small bony protrusions, “beaks”) that seem to appear as an attempt to stabilize the joint.
The synovial membrane becomes inflamed, it will produce more and more viscous fluid, the tendons and periarticular ligaments are affected, tendons or contractures appear, the muscles weaken.
Osteoarthritis usually occurs as a result of several risk factors. Among the factors that increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis are:
Old age. The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases with age.
Sexual orientation. Women are more at risk for osteoarthritis without knowing exactly why.
Overweight, obesity. Excess weight contributes to osteoarthritis. Heavy weight is a stress on the hip and knee joints. Adipose tissue also produces proteins that can cause inflammation in and around the joints.
Joint injuries. Some accidents, such as those caused by sports, can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Even those that have occured many years ago and appear to have healed can cause osteoarthritis.
Repeated joint stress. If, due to the nature of the job or sport you are practicing, you cause stress on your joints, you may develop osteoarthritis.
Bone malformations. Some people have birth defects of bone or abnormal cartilage. Some metabolic diseases. These include diabetes and hemochromatosis, an inherited disease in which the body absorbs and stores too much iron. Osteoarthritis mainly affects the joints of the hands, neck, knees and hips.
Spondylosis is the general name that refers to the degeneration of the spine, regardless of the causes that led to it. In the case of cervical spondylosis, you will feel specific symptoms, especially in the neck area, because it supports the weight of the head. Another type of spondylosis is lumbar, in which case the lower part of the spine is affected.
Coxarthrosis is represented by the slow degradation, the irreversible progression of the articular cartilage from the hip.
Gonarthrosis is osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a consequence of the pressure exerted on the cartilage of the wrist (joint).
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is the degradation of cartilage inside the shoulder joint.
Osteoarthritis of the finger joints, distal and proximal interphalangeal joints, causing nodules.
10 Early Signs of Osteoarthritis
1. Pain
Affected joints can hurt during or after movement. Pain is also felt when you apply pressure to the affected joint or area or when the joint is subjected to extra strain (for example, you need to support your body weight when you stand up).
If the knee joint is affected, even if only one of the knees is initially injured, over time the other knee will be affected (except when osteoarthritis occurs as a result of a knee injury). Pain occurs especially when you stand up, when you start walking or when you go up or down stairs.
If the hip is affected then the pain worsens when the joint is mobilized, but it can also affect you during sleep or periods of relaxation.
2. Stiffness
Stiffness of the joints is especially common when you wake up or after a period of inactivity. Usually, joint stiffness disappears after about 30 minutes of physical activity. Osteoarthritis of the hip affects the ability to make normal movements, you may find it difficult to put on your shoes or get in and out of the car.
3. Lack of flexibility
You cannot move your joint optimally during the movement that requires that joint. It is observed especially after periods of non-use of the respective joint.
4. Cracking sounds
You may feel the joint “crack” during movement. These sounds are caused by the bones rubbing against each other because there is not enough cartilage between them.
5. Inflammation of the joint
This can be caused by inflammation of the soft tissue surrounding the joint.
6. Bone spurs
The bone spurs are bony outgrowths formed on normal bone. Most people imagine something sharp when they think of a bony spur, but the bony spur is just an extra bone. It usually has a smooth surface, but it can wear out and cause pain if it presses or rubs against other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments and tendons in different parts of the body.
The most common locations of osteophytes are in the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees and legs.
7. Joints swelling
Swelling of the joints occurs when these tissues accumulate fluid, and these may be accompanied by pain and stiffness. You may also notice that the joint appears larger than normal or that its shape is somewhat irregular. When the joints swell, this can also be a symptom of a chronic condition or a sign of an injury that requires medical attention.
8. Location in the hands
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the hands are different from one person to another. Many symptoms depend on the joints that are affected by the disease, and most people will experience: a pain when using their hands; joint stiffness, which may be more pronounced in the morning, difficulty moving fingers, the fact that you grab objects with too little force, swelling and tenderness of the fingers and around the wrists.
9. Decrease of the synovial fluid
Under normal conditions, a small amount of synovial fluid is found in the joints, enough to ensure the proper functioning of the joints. However, when the synovial fluid level decreases, swelling, numbness and joint pain appear.
The decrease of the synovial fluid or the change of its viscosity leads to the appearance of arthritis in all its forms, and here we mention rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and gout.
10. Joint enlargement
Joint enlargement is closely associated with joint effusion. The joint swells as fluid accumulation continues.
Inflammation can be either a bad or a good thing. The good thing is that it’s actually vital for your body, helping it to deal with infections or injuries.
It’s basically your body’s own tool against invaders, letting you know that your immune system does everything to fend off any threat. On the other hand, the bad thing, also called chronic inflammation, can truly mess up your life.
You really should NOT ignore it since bad inflammation can cause many health issues like diabetes, dementia, obesity, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer.
Ignoring the symptoms and signs your body sends you will definitely increase your chances of developing a chronic inflammation-related disease.
The good news is that diet can actually help your body fight against chronic inflammation. We found some of the best anti-inflammatory foods meant to keep a broad spectrum of diseases and health conditions at bay, so get ready to boost your immune system.
…Continue reading to learn all about the BEST anti-inflammatory foods!
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a natural antioxidant that your body needs for several important functions. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t store it, so you can easily develop a vitamin C deficiency. One study showed that of the about 92% of Americans who have some sort of vitamin deficiency, more than 7% are vitamin C deficient.
The Covid19 pandemic turned the spotlight on the importance of vitamin C for your body as it can help boost your immune system. While vitamin C cannot prevent or treat Covid-19, it may help you recover faster. This also applies to common colds.
Here are some of vitamin C’s most important roles in your body:
It boosts collagen production, which is necessary to make tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and skin.
It helps wound healing.
It’s vital for maintaining bone health.
It can reduce the damage caused by free radicals and thus can lower the risk of conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Luckily, we can easily get the daily amount of vitamin C our body needs from different foods or supplements. The recommended daily dose for vitamin C is 75 mg for adult women, 90 mg for adult men, and between 15 and 75 mg for children. Keep in mind that those represent the minimum amount of intake of vitamin C necessary for your body to function properly.
I’m sure you’ve heard so many times that orange juice is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. I’m not gonna say it’s a myth, but surely it’s a bit of overrated healthy advice. Broccoli and strawberries, for instance, both have about 80 mg of vitamin C per cup, while one medium kiwi has about 70 mg.
Now, I’m sure you’ve asked yourself Am I getting enough vitamin C? If you’re worried that you might not be, then keep reading to find out several symptoms and subtle signs that show you have a vitamin C deficiency.
