Tag Archive for: fluids

The Simplest Solution for Joint Pain

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Every joint in your body has a joint capsule and within the capsule is a liquid called synovial fluid. It’s made by the inner lining of the capsule and provides nutrients to the joint cartilage and other structures. It also provides cushioning to the joint. Even when we stand, the fluid in the knee joint prevents bone from touching bone—unless there isn’t enough fluid in the joint capsule.

You can probably guess where this is headed: the simplest solution for reducing joint pain is to drink more water. The less water and fluids we consume, the more likely cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and other structures will become brittle. In addition, there will be less fluid in the joints, which could allow nerves to be pinched in the spine and bone-on-bone contact in the hips and knees. And that does not feel good.

Joint pain is a complicated process, and inflammation has a significant role to play. The cumulative damage that we’ve done to our joints over the course of our lives has consequences; they may not heal as well or as completely as they should. There may be no permanent solution short of surgery to repair or replace structures.

The primary goal for any type of joint pain is to reduce pain levels. Drinking more fluids cannot repair the structures of a joint, but it can help improve the fluid levels within the joints so they get more nutrients and increase the natural fluid levels. That could decrease pain levels somewhat, allowing us to move more freely.

As I said when I begin this week, sometimes the simplest solution is the correct one. Drink up!

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

The Simplest Solution for Migraines

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Let’s continue with the theme of the simplest solution often being the correct one. Migraines are a devastating form of headache. While most causes are unknown, people have identified triggers from chocolate to sounds to odors and more. My pretend daughter Jamie suffers from them on a regular basis.

As I researched how to deal with migraine headaches years ago, I found a pilot study that examined whether subjects could reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines by drinking more fluids. The researchers asked the subjects to drink 1.5 liters of water per day for 12 weeks. The subjects managed to increase their average intake to only one liter per day, but total hours with migraines and the intensity of those migraines decreased.

Will it work for everyone? Most likely not, but because there’s no harm in simply drinking more water every day, it will help those who were unaware that they were dehydrated; that’s not the first cause we think of when we think of migraines. It’s worth spending a month drinking more water to see if it has the same results for you or someone you know. For more potential solutions for migraines, see The Bottom Line on Migraines at the DrChet.com Store.

One more simple solution on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Reference: Eur J Neurol. 2005 Sep;12(9):715-8.

 

The Simplest Solution for Fatigue

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One of the basic tenets of health and disease that I’ve learned is this: often the simplest solution is the correct one. Think of it this way. Whether we want to be the healthiest we can be or we have something that afflicts us, we think in terms of elaborate solutions. Instead, think of building a foundation to prevent or cure what ails us.

Let’s begin with something that can affect us all at times and that’s fatigue. The possibilities include an underactive thyroid, an adrenal issue, or pre-diabetes. But before we look at the complex, start with the obvious: drink more fluids. It may be a simple case of chronic dehydration. The lack of fluid can change the ionic balance inside cells, which can inhibit the production of energy by just about every cell including the brain and the muscles. Those two organ systems are most associated with fatigue.

Symptoms of dehydration vary. If an elderly parent seems unusually confused or a small child is drowsy and irritable when he or she is usually going full blast, try fluids first.

Before you try the elaborate solution, begin with the simplest. Drink more fluids, whether coffee, tea, plain water, or even eating more vegetables instead of refined carbohydrates. The simplest solution for fatigue may just be a glass away.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

 

Getting Rid of Constipation

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Adults, children, even infants get constipated, and no one likes it. Over time, I developed a combination of nutrients that seems to work for many people—not every person but most. Is it based on absolute science? I would be hard-pressed to say that the research on occasional constipation is definitive. There are over 22,000 citations in PubMed for every type of cause and medication for many types of constipation, but there’s no solid research on occasional constipation. I developed this combination based on the physiology and biochemistry involved, combined with years of experience.

The solution I . . .

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Sports Nutrition During Your Workout

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There’s probably more research on what sports nutrition products to use during workouts than any other area. The critical factor is to maintain fluid balance while working out; water is an essential part of these products but that’s not all.

The critical factor is to keep the brain, the nervous system, and the muscles all functioning during workouts; the longer the activity, the more important fluids become. We lose fluids readily as we work out. Part of that is our cooling mechanism, but another is a by-product of making energy using oxygen. Whether you burn carbohydrates or . . .

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The Two O’Clock Fade

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See if this sounds familiar. If you work a typical 9-to-5 job, and somewhere around two o’clock in the afternoon, your body is there but nobody’s home. If you work a second shift, adjust the time to a couple hours after lunch. You can stare at the computer screen or the telephone, know what you have to do, but have no mental focus to get it done.

My philosophy is that the simplest solution is often the correct one. Odds are this fade is caused by dehydration. Make sure you drink two to three cups or . . .

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Exercise and the Heat

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How do you know if you should exercise outdoors during the day in the heat and humidity we’re having this summer? I’ll make it simple for you: don’t.

Unless you can exercise in the morning before the sun rises, stay indoors. When I ran in Austin this past weekend, it was before the sun came up and the day was overcast to begin. It was in the 70s but not hot.

Our cooling mechanism is the problem when exercising in the high heat and humidity. If the outside temperature, combined with the humidity, is too high, your . . .

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Heat, Water, and Sports Drinks

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While I was in Austin doing a seminar this past weekend, I posted a thought on Facebook about drinking fluids when it’s hot. And it was hot in Austin; the temperature topped out at 100 degrees. It’s also been hot in Grand Rapids with temperatures hitting the 90s with some humidity to make it even worse. If you’re going to work outside in that type of heat and humidity, you have to drink fluids.

Water is important but when you sweat, you lose sodium and potassium as well. You should alternate four ounces of water with four . . .

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