By Dr. Christopher Lepisto
a 3-min read
My target patient that I can help the most has a classic picture of osteoarthritis. He wakes with stiff, “rusty” and painful joints, worsened by full athletic activity the day before. The dull and achy soreness has been replaced these days by sharper pains, often causing his muscles to give out suddenly. He notices that alcohol and caffeine cause more problems than usual, and he can’t get away with fast food or sweets like he used to. He usually knows that he needs to eat better, but the loss of activity is depressing, and he has trouble motivating to improve his nutrition and take better care of himself in general.
As he gets up and gets moving, his “rusty hinges” start lubricating and he feels better. He starts to feel more like he did for those many years of outdoor adventure that used to come so easily, and wonders what he really needs to change or even can change, to help his body perform better.
This is such a common story amongst my patients, and so treatable with natural methods, that the key is simply getting the right therapies chosen in a comprehensive fashion. In my office, this starts by performing baseline bloodwork, which I now draw regularly on patients.
A food-first treatment approach begins with the healthy joint basics of hydration, an anti-inflammatory diet of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, raw/fermented milk products and whole grains, while reducing the overall pro-inflammatory amounts of sugar, caffeine and alcohol in the diet. I then tailor supplements designed to move the body through inflammation, reduce pain, and increase the cushion/lubrication of the joints. Often it may include referral to a trusted chiropractor for at-home exercises to increasing mobility, or cold-laser treatments to speed recovery. I generally do not recommend Ibuprofen to reduce pain as it stops the naturally inflammatory response of the body attempting to heal from injury. Instead, I have helped several patients get off their osteoarthritis pain medications and utilize natural supplements such as the anti-inflammatory herbs turmeric or Boswellia, along with glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate, MSM, a multi-mineral formula, and more.
One lesson that surely applies everyone, is that everyBODY ages, especially over age 50. Athletics and injuries accelerate this process, and we need to stay on top of it with a complete plan, considering as much data as possible through laboratory testing, physical examination and a thorough history, all of which I conduct in my office. Because I help you create a new, tailored strategy, I can help you get back out there to the activity that you love. When you’re ready for a doctor who puts the big picture together for you and helps you to achieve your goals naturally using time-tested methods, give me a call. I’m here to help.
