Stretching Exercises After Knee Replacement Surgery

So you have discussed knee replacement surgery with your doctor and you both agree that ending your everyday pain is a necessary solution to living life to the fullest. But you probably have concerns and fears about the recovery process and how long it will take. It's true that knee replacement surgery is an evasive surgery with the risk of complications and a possible long and painful recovery. But there are ways to cut the recovery time after your surgery considerably. One of those things are stretching exercises. Stretching is a great way to slowly limber up ligaments and tendons in the knee.

Your physical therapist will have a list of many exercises that will help. You can do stretching in the privacy of your own home to drastically decrease the recovery time after surgery. I just a few minutes a day, you can be preparing your new knee for your new life of pain free living. And stretching exercises can be implemented fairly soon after surgery to help get you back on your feet. The longer you wait to get moving about, the less stellar your results will be. Starting stretching exercises early also prepares your new knee for more intensive rehabilitation exercises.

Don't worry if you have never learned to properly stretch before. Your physical therapist will show you exactly what to do to keep you from putting too much strain and damaging your new knee. You don't want to rush into it too quickly and put yourself at risk. First thing in the morning will be the most productive time for your stretching. This will help you start your day with a healthy frame of mind. Working slowly towards getting your new knee moving again will decrease your recovery time and you'll be soon on your way to a pain free life.

Of course, you need to consult your doctor before starting any kind of stretching or exercise program to keep from damaging your knees. Too much, too soon could set you back, but just the right amount can get you back on your feet in no time! Your main goal is to increase flexibility and range of motion. This will help heal your new knees get used to an everyday life of mobility. Your doctor will help you every step of the way in getting the most range of motion from your knee replacement, but it's up to you to educate yourself on a healthy recovery.

Belly Dancing As Arthritis Treatment

Exercise is usually one of the common prescriptions of doctors for patients who are suffering from arthritis. Although joint pain could be persistent during times of movements, it is still highly recommended so as to increase one's threshold of pain while flexing the bones and muscles to reduce stiffness. It is dangerous to stay stationary when you have arthritis. This will only increase swelling and firmness.

There are various forms of physical exercises that helps ease arthritis symptoms. Tai chi, yoga, and water exercises are the usual alternative physical therapies. But to date, another addition is well liked and advised-belly dancing.

Belly dancing is a traditional Middle Eastern dance that emphasizes the belly through hip movements. Although the focus of the dance is on the hips and pelvic area, this dance involves every part of the body, thus a very good way of exercise for the joints. The head, neck, arms, hands, chest, waist, thighs, legs and feet are all moving while dancing.

Important movements that are involved in belly dancing are the following:

Shimmy - is the shimmering vibration of the hips. This is created by moving the knees past each other at haste. Some dancers also use contractions of the thighs. Shoulders can also be shimmered along.

Hip punches - is the basic move in belly dancing. This is done by alternating the weight on the legs and swinging the pelvis to the right and left like creating punches on the hips.

Undulation - is the rotating movements of the chest forward, up, back and down. This creates an impression of riding a camel.

Aside from these basic movements, there are other actions such as swaying of the arms from the shoulders to the fingers like a snake, bending of the back, rotating movements of the head and turning and pointing of the toes.

Since these movements are non-impact and weight-bearing for many joint parts, belly dancing as an arthritis treatment offers numerous significant benefits such as:

Improves joint flexibility
Increases bone strength
Develops muscle strength
Relieves back pain
Improves cardiovascular conditioning
Improves balance and posture
Prevents osteoporosis
Increase elasticity of knees and ankles

Belly dancing is such a brilliant way of finding alternative treatment against joint pain caused by arthritis. Not only it is a form of exercise that brings a lot of health benefits, but it is also very artistic and enjoyable to do.

Glucosamine For Knee Pain

Having knee pain is not fun and many people have this pain in their knees in vain. Many people are simply lacking enough of the fluid which is inside of your knee to prevent that painful feeling when you walk.

Well, I am going to give you the same advice that I was given long ago and it may just make your knee feel 100 times better in a matter of weeks.

Your knee has synovial fluid which acts as a slimy substance to reduce friction between the bones in your knee. When you don't have enough synovial fluid, your knee will start to hurt a lot. The good thing is that by taking glucosamine you can restore the lost synovial fluid to your knee. More fluid means more cushion and less friction which means less pain for you.

Your body does require some time to build this extra fluid in your knees but simply by taking some glucosamine for knee pain you will see a difference in as little as one month. At the second month you will feel like you had knee surgery and you have a completely new knee.

I got to the point where I couldn't extend me foot while I was sitting because the pain was so great in my knee, now I hardly ever even feel any pain in my knee when running up stairs or jumping. It is a great feeling to be able to run and jump again without worrying that my knee will give out.

Knee Osteoarthritis, What It Is And How To Live With It

Knee osteoarthritis is complicated by the fact that the knee takes all the load-bearing strain of the full body weight, which in turn makes the condition even more painful. This is a degenerative disease. It often feels worse in the mornings with stiffness that takes time to resolve.

Osteoarthritis, often located in the knee, is the most common form of arthritis to be found in the United States. It differs from rheumatoid arthritis in that, should there be any inflammation present, it is usually not severe.

It is not fully known what causes knee osteoarthritis in the first place. Certainly the cartilage and bone being subjected to mechanical stresses through everyday movements, coupled with the disease being present, make this a particularly difficult and painful form of arthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis can be difficult to treat. One of the characteristics of this condition is the loss of articular cartilage. This has a poor ability to self-heal, which merely exacerbates the problem. People who are overweight or obese naturally have a bigger problem as their increased body weight makes it considerably more difficult for the knee to cope.

Any treatment of the condition must primarily seek to relieve the pain. Sufferers describe the pain as being deep-seated with a prolonged aching that can stay constant for long periods of time, often with little respite. Certain weather conditions, such as increased humidity, can cause the symptoms to worsen.

There are a number of treatments available. These typically reduce the pain and inflammation, but often cause unpleasant side effects. For this reason, many sufferers of knee osteoarthritis prefer to use chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate in preference to other pain and inflammation relieving drugs.

My Twins and Me - Life After Knee Surgery

2005 had arrived not soon enough for the twin sisters, they had gone through and successfully had rehab done on knee reconstruction surgery in 2004. They continued training harder and harder working on their squat, calves and hamstring area of their injured leg to help build up that support their knee would require with the tough sporting season ahead. This preparation was vital to no more issues with there knee and to mentally get them in that go forward mood and preparing for the up coming challenges of their favourite sport netball in 2005. They had set goals together on where they want to be in the 2005 season.

What goals should be set?

Goal -1 - Stay injury free.

Using the methods learned through their rehabilitation time before and after their knee surgery. The other factor was that they gave more than a 100% in rehab to get back to this stage of their recovery process. Also being mentally and physically fit was a huge bonus as well for their come back trail in the their sport of choice netball. Along with this goal of staying injury free they had to put their knee to the test of physical activity, then and only then can they be confident enough to really push forward.

Goal - 2 - Keep improving training systems.

This is to benefit the recovery progress through their netball season, remembering that your training will help you to excel in your preferred sport but also in your physical being. With this there has to be a balance of how much and how far you push your self with these new systems, remembering that every now and then you will need a break to rest and re-energize. The program you will require will need to be written up by a person who specializes in the particular sport of your choice and with also the ability to input other sporting techniques to improve you on your quest.

Goal - 3 - Make representative teams.

With the training programs you put into place to support your self they should improve your chances of making these representative goals. Obviously over coming your injury so that your are 100% fit will also increase your shot at that level. The other factor is that most representative sports are near the end of a season, so your actions through the season at the top level of play will also contribute to your success. Through the season the top coaches of these teams will do the rounds to select prospects for trials or will have someone attend these fixtures to do it for them. So being prepared and injury free is a big bonus to making the top-level teams.

How do you prevent the injury re-occurring?

By completing your goals you have set up and following through with them religiously and having faith in your body and your abilities to come out on top. Listen to the experts; your physio and surgeon with any advice they have to give you regarding protection of your injury as your build up your physical strength again. Learn about your injury on how it can occur and be prevented from happening again to the same leg or the other. There will times when this injury cannot be unavoidable but preparation before hand will increase your chances of this not happening.

So your goals and aspirations will only happen if you put in the hard work you need to do to succeed, because there will be others who are not coming back from a serious injury that will be training just as hard as you to make it to the next level in their sporting careers. Use the resources available to you and do not be afraid to ask for help.

Locking Joints in Yoga Will Cause Premature Wear

You have heard it a thousand times: "Don't lock your knees." or "Keep your elbows soft." Locking joints, while performing Yoga, means you are overextending the joint and putting yourself at risk for potential injuries. When you lock your knees, the muscles surrounding the joint become passive in the pose, which puts the strain on the ligaments instead.

By continually putting extra strain on the ligaments, cartilage, and connective tissues, instead of the muscles, they will begin to wear faster than they should. Yoga practitioners must be careful to keep all of the joints actively engaged during poses, to avoid premature wear and tear.

Some Hot Yoga teachers have caused a bit of confusion involving the term, "lock the knee." If you have ever taken a Hot Yoga class, you probably heard the instructor encouraging students to "lock the knee," while you are in a balancing posture. Perhaps, you wondered why you would be encouraged to put extra strain on the joints.

This is a classic misunderstanding between teacher and student. What they actually mean when they tell students to "lock the knee," is to tighten the quadriceps muscle of the leg, which slightly draws the kneecap up. This actively engages the muscles surrounding the knee and provides great support for the rest of the body during standing poses. This can take a bit of practice to get it just right, but once you figure it out, without locking the knee joint, it will not cause harm. However, the knee joint itself should have a very slight crack when using this technique and is never to be locked. A Yoga teacher, who feels it is fine to hyper-extend any joint, needs to attend anatomy classes immediately.

Once you damage a joint, the domino effect begins to take place within the body. Joint capsules hold the lubricant, which allow the joints to move freely and smoothly. When a joint becomes injured, the body sends a message to the muscles that control the joint to contract. This results in a locked joint. If the locked joint is in the back, other joints around it will begin to overcompensate for the injured one. This can result in further wear, and undo strain, on those surrounding joints. Over time, this domino effect can also cause osteoarthritis.

It is important to keep the joints active and strong to avoid these potential problems. When practiced properly, Yoga postures help keep the joints lubricated and smooth. Yoga instructors should always remind students to not lock the knees, or other joints, by keeping them slightly bent, or by engaging the surrounding knee muscles. Practitioners can also avoid joint locks by being extremely conscious and aware of their bodies and how they feel during each pose.

穢 Copyright 2012 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Erosive Osteoarthritis

Erosive arthritis affects multiple small joints of the hand. Patients who have never had a trauma or injury and do not have any history of metabolic or inflammatory condition are the ones who are diagnosed with erosive osteoarthritis which is classified as primary osteoarthritis. X-ray of the affected joint is the most effective test for the diagnosis of this condition.

Erosive osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of osteoarthritis. Though the disease is not uncommon in men and women, but particularly people in their sixties are the most susceptible to this condition. It is believed that it often occurs mostly due to genetic traits. It usually occurs in women after their menopause but no clear relation with the level of hormones in the patient and the onset of the disease has been established as yet.

In the early stages of the disease, the treatment usually aims at reducing the enormous amount of pain caused by the various conditions brought forth by the disease. Attempts are also made towards reducing the load felt by the joints. Using walking sticks and weight loss programs are common methods for doing the same. Mobilization of the joints, through prescribed exercises is also a part of the treatment at this stage.

In the intermediate stage of the disease is osteotomy, which is a surgical operation where a bone is cut to lengthen, shorten or change its alignment. This operation is usually performed for younger patients.

In the later stages of the disease, the incessant pain requires drastic methods of treatment. In such a case, Arthroplasty is performed on patients over the age of 60. It is a surgical process in which a malformed or degenerated bone is either replaced or reconstructed. However, this operation is not suitable for treatment of younger patients as the demands placed on the affected bones physically are much greater and many a times, the surgery is only a temporary remedy.

Knee Arthritis - Do You Know These Solutions?

Knee arthritis

Put simple arthritis is inflammation in the joints cause by the degradation of cartilage which results in bones grinding against each other. Since the knee is basically a joint surrounded by tissue and membranous fluids we can see why this would be an issue. Knee Arthritis is commonly found in individuals over the age of however age aside factors such as obesity and genetics (knee arthritis tends to run in families) can increase one's risk of getting arthritis. The two most common types of arthritis that affects the knee are rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disorder that occurs when white blood cell starts to attack body tissue which results in the erosion of two opposing joint bones. This type of arthritis can lead to sever e deformity in bones if not treated early. I must state that there is no cure for this disease however early detection can help to improve quality of life. Symptoms shown by individuals with this disease are but not limited to, swelling and pain in the knee joint, stiffness of joint, fatigue, limited range of motion and tenderness along the joint. If you feel you exhibit several of these symptoms it would be best to speak with your physician as this is not a disease to be taken likely.

It is still not clear what causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

This type of arthritis results in the degradation of cartilage. The degeneration is not reversible and when this occurs joints are able to rub against each other causing tremendous pain and discomfort especially when in motion. The symptoms exhibited by an individual with osteoarthritis are similar to those shown by someone with rheumatoid arthritis.

Unlike with rheumatoid arthritis scientist do have some idea as to factors that can cause osteoarthritis. It is believed that diabetes, obesity and mechanical stress on joints are some of the contributory factors. Others include congenital disorder, Lyme disease, Marfan syndrome and weak quadriceps muscles all play a role in the development of osteoarthritis.

Treatment methods

Whilst the damage caused by arthritis is usually irreversible and the disease itself is incurable, there are various treatment methods that can reduce pain and inflammation thus greatly improving quality of life. Some effective treatment methods are as follows:

• Weight loss- reducing the mass which the knee has to support helps alleviate pain

• Lifestyle modification- one should no longer indulge in certain activities like playing football as this can worsen one's condition

• Medication - anti-inflammatory medications reduces swelling and pain relievers helps with the pain

• Physical therapy- strengthening supporting muscles like the quadriceps muscles helps to reduce tension on the knee and thus reducing pain

• Walking aids- clutches helps to relieve the tension place on the joint inflicted with arthritis

• Surgery - this is often a last resort and is usually followed by extensive physiotherapy. An orthopaedic surgeon can replace the entire knee joint or at least a portion of it.

Those are just some of the more effective methods of dealing with arthritic pain. I must emphasise though that early detection is key, so don't be afraid to contact your doctor if you have a genuine concern.

The Importance Of Knee Pain Remedy and Relief

For any individual who is afflicted with knee pain, obtaining relief is essential. Long lasting knee pain can for sure have an impact on your daily life. This type of pain which is more often than not taken for granted makes it tough for individuals to conduct activities. Including the simple and easy act of standing up and moving can be distressing; making the problem worse considering that the joint and surrounding tissue become weak from lack of use thus causing more pain.

It is important to have efficient remedy or treatment options that will provide sufficient relief and make it possible for normal movement. With the exception of some certain cases that the physician says to keep the knee immobile caused by a particular medical condition.

Knee pain relief is very essential and it comes in numerous diverse forms, a few of which tend not to require pills or prescriptions. The application of ice and heat packs work successfully in getting rid of pain and keep the swelling down. There are also creams and ointments for muscles that are used topically on the area to relax the muscles and other support structures tendons and ligaments. Knee pain relief could be acquired by resting the area; on the other hand these creams and ointments usually do not work well to take care of bone pain. Elastic bandages or what we call "ace bandages" and other support wraps might take some pressure off the knee joint. Braces are helpful to keep the knee from moving in the event that the medical professional instructs to keep the knee immobilized. Taking Aspirin, Tylenol together with Ibuprofen, along with these other mentioned methods will provide extensive relief.

Sometimes home remedies are not efficient in the event that the pain bad enough and they don't provide ample relief. In such instances, the physician may recommend stronger pain killers, and also other medications for example antibiotics, steroids, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and or other prescription drugs that address the pain and the prime source of the problem too.

These above mentioned methods should offer some relief. However in extreme cases, surgery is needed to tackle the problem that is producing pain. Yet this more often than not occurs if the knee acquired considerable damage that it cannot heal. Just in case this occurs, surgery is carried out to repair the damage or to replace the entire knee joint. The medical professional will perform the type of surgery relying on the damage of the knee.

Knee pain remedy together with pain relief play an essential role because they enable individuals to function effectively each day.

New Treatment for Osgood-Schlatters Disease

Most people don't fully understand the pain associated with Osgood-Schlatters Disease (OSD)... including doctors. OSD is one of the most common causes of knee pain in young athletes. It causes swelling, pain and tenderness just below the knee, over the shin bone (also called the tibia).

Current medical statistics advises to take the patient out of sports for a period of six months.

OSD is a inflammation of the tissue of the tibial tuberosity an area directly below the knee cap. The area of the knee just below the patella (knee cap) is where the main pain generation of pain begins. It usually starts as a tight or grabbing pain and can lead into sharp severe pain. The pain brought about by some type of movement such as running or jumping. The pain can become extremely painful in many cases. The pain normally is diagnosed when a child complains pain while running, jumping in sports or any other types of repetitive movements. Osgood-Schlatters commonly affects boys who are having a growth spurt during their pre-teen or teenage years but can easily as well affect young girls as well. One or both knees may be affected. When the large muscles of the thigh lose their ability to absorb force that force is transferred to the knee which causes a pulling affect to this are causing inflammation and pain.

Upon seeing a doctor an examination will note painful palpation to the area below the knee. That area is usually raised, tender to the touch and inflamed. An X-ray will usually confirm the diagnosis. The doctor will notice on the X-ray a separation of bone on the upper tibia bone which is your shin bone. This separation is very painful upon any type of direct palpation.

New treatment developed can begin to alleviate pain and increase range of motion within the first few treatments. Clinical studies have shown that the new treatments can have the patient back to their sport in a couple of weeks - if not sooner. Many patients have seen complete resolution of pain and disability in one week.

MyoFascial Disruption Technique (MFDT) is a unique manual treatment that has shown through clinical trials to be 95% faster in relieving pain as compared to other current treatments. Co-developed by three doctors, the basis for their discovery using research findings dating back decades. MFDT locates the exact area of damage which can be corrected in an extremely quick period of time. MFDT has been shown to treat many forms of soft tissue injuries with speeds of healing documented to increase the healing the symptoms of Osgood-Schlatters Disease.

Arthritis - Types Of Arthritis

Arthritis is, sadly, a very common and very painful condition. It can make working and even basic living extremely difficult. In order for treatment to prove effective in combating the symptoms and to allow the sufferer to live as normal a life as possible, it is essential to correctly diagnose which type of arthritis the patient has. The two most common types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, are very different in character and require completely different methods of diagnosis, as well as very different methods of treatment.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects as many as one in every hundred people. It is caused by a malfunction in the body's defence systems and nobody has yet been able to discover why this happens. The genes that are responsible for the problem, have been identified - but the exact means by which the trouble occurs remains unknown. The disease is not hereditary, no increased risk has been found if you have a sufferer in your immediate family. In rheumatoid arthritis extra blood flow causes joints to become swollen and painful and in extreme cases can even permanently damage the joint. It is essential to seek medical help to reduce inflammation, as the damage to joints is permanent and irreversible.

Osteoarthritis is a completely different condition, which affects the bones. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, there appears to be no genetic factor involved with osteoarthritis, although there are several factors that increase the risk of the condition developing. Osteoarthritis is rare in young people, suggesting that in certain cases it is wear on the bones that causes the disease to develop. Overweight people are far more susceptible to the condition, especially with the knee joints, which suggests that excess strain put on a moving joint area will be a major factor in bringing on the condition. Stiff joints are the main symptom of osteoarthritis.

Although these two forms of arthritis account for the vast majority of sufferers, there are in fact over two hundred distinct types, These types affect all sections of the population, young and old alike. Some forms of the condition, such as ankylosing spondylitis, affect more men than women - which is in direct contrast to the two major types, where far more women are affected. Systemic lupus erythematosus, another very uncommon form of arthritis, is found in nine times the number of women than it is in men. One of the most common forms of arthritis, which is usually thought of as a completely different condition, is gout. This extremely painful problem is caused by uric acid and is at least controllable with correct treatment. Sometimes arthritis can be a purely reactive condition brought on by another kind of medical condition. In this case, the symptoms will usually disappear of their own accord, always provided that no permanent damage has occurred.

As arthritis comes in so many diverse forms, it is essential to get a correct diagnosis before attempting to treat the condition. The first port of call is usually the general practitioner, who will often be able to do some basic tests immediately. Usually, however, the patient will need to be sent to a local hospital for blood testing and X rays. In larger medical centres more advanced tests may be available and specialists in the condition may be on hand to advise. Once a correct diagnosis has been completed, there is much that modern medicine can do to relieve the pain of the condition and allow the sufferer to live a normal life, even if the arthritis cannot actually be cured permanently.

Sharp Knee Pain - Knee Braces That Support Bad Knees

Are you currently experiencing sharp knee pain problems?

Would you say that your knee discomfort is more like a sharp knee pain?

When you try move your knees in certain ways, do your knees scream in pain, or make nasty popping, crunching sounds?

Many people, young and old alike, experience knee pain in their knees. For some individuals, the knee discomfort can get so bad that basic knee functions make life a chore. - While avoiding the activities that cause pain may be one way to deal with the issue, it is certainly a difficult way to live, especially if you are an otherwise active and energetic person. Your mobility is limited, your activities are curtailed, and the pain is like a red flag that stops you from doing things you would like to do. This is a difficult way to go through life.

So, what are the choices? How can you decrease your knee pain and get moving again with confidence? You might have looked around and found other possible options to be less than optimal for you. Expensive, unpleasant surgery? Sleeping with a bottle of pain killers at your bedside? Long, time consuming sessions of physical or occupational therapy?

Fortunately, there is another alternative available. If you are one of the silent sufferers of knee pain when actively using your knee, the solution to your problem may be something as simple, convenient and non-invasive as a knee brace.

Knee pain upon squatting or bending can be caused by a number of conditions, and only a qualified specialist can definitively diagnose your condition. However, whether the pain being caused by a misaligned or shifting patella (knee cap), too much stress on the muscles and ligaments in the knee, or any other of a number of conditions, chances are a knee brace can help. Not only can a knee brace offer additional support to the ligaments in the knee, but it can also help keep the knee correctly aligned and help keep the knee cap in place.

Although evaluation by a qualified physician is always recommended, a knee brace, used alone or in conjunction with other medical treatment, could be your ticket to freedom from pain and a return to normal mobility.

Now, if you are thinking that a custom made knee brace is simply out of reach financially, "brace" yourself for some more good news: the support you use does not necessarily have to be custom made. This means that you can save hundreds if not a thousand dollars. There are many kinds of knee support available on the market; some, soft and flexible, others, hinged and more rigid. Consequently, there is bound to be one that is right for you.

Colitis - Can Probiotics Help Your Symptoms?

There are many ways to improve Colitis symptoms one of the most effective that I have found is taking Probiotics regularly Did you know there is more bacteria in your intestinal tract than there are cells in your body?

Benefits of Probiotics -
o They reduce diarrhea
o They are anti-inflammatory
o They Manufacture B complex vitamins
o They help regulate bowel movements
o They create lactic acid that balances intestinal pH levels

There are many other benefits from Probiotic's but these are the main ones we are concerned with in Colitis. Probiotics really work by reducing your diarrhea and lowering inflammation levels in the bowel. When I first took the right type of Probiotics in the right quantity I was amazed at the results, they really improved my stool consistency back to normal in a matter of days.

There are several ways of getting Probiotics into your Diet -

Supplements - There are many many Probiotic supplements for sale out there and it can be confusing knowing which one to take. What you need if you have Colitis is a high powered probiotic with multiple strains of bacteria in it. The best types need to be refrigerated, to keep them fresh and ready for action when they arrive in your intestines. I take one sachet of probiotics containing 450billion live bacteria once a day before bed in a small amount of live goats yogurt. This I find very useful in keeping my bowels regular and my stools well formed. If I feel things are a little bit loose one day then I just take an extra sachet during the day and that gets things back on track.

Kefir - Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem." More nutritious and therapeutic than yogurt, it supplies complete protein, essential minerals, and valuable B vitamins. It really is amazing stuff and the good news is that you can make it at home yourself with very little effort or cost! Kefir provides a virtual Swat team of probiotics which get straight to work cleaning up your intestines. You make Kefir by putting Kefir Grains which look a bit like small bits of cauliflower - and are a living microorganism - into a jar of milk. The Kefir then eats up all the lactose in the milk and as a byproduct produces lots of natural living probiotics which when you drink them help your intestines to function better. I drink a glass of my own home made kefir every morning as part of my breakfast because as well as being an excellent probiotic it is also an excellent nutritious food.

Top 10 Truths for Sleeping Well at Midlife

Are you in the one-half of Americans who do NOT get a good night's sleep every night or even most nights? Do you get less than the recommended 7-9 hours per night?

According to polls, lack of sleep causes mistakes at work, inefficiency, car wrecks, sex deprivation and problems with intimate relationships (as if less sex weren't a big enough problem in itself!)

When women don't get enough sleep, everyone is sorry! And fatigue is especially dangerous in an age of super viruses because lack of sleep suppresses the immune system we need to fight illness.

Rest is good for you and you deserve to rest well. Give yourself permission to go to bed by putting away that To Do list and making sound sleep your priority.

Here's what else we have learned:

1. Eat supper early and allow yourself to unwind an hour or two before bed.

2. Develop a sleep ritual that signals to your body (and your mind) that it is time for sleep. It needn't be fancy, just soothing, for example: wash face, brush teeth, brew cup of herbal Sleepy tea, turn down the bed, arrange pillows, set alarm, turn off overhead light, read, pray, set book aside, turn off light, sleep.

3. Create a restful haven. Remove piles of clutter and anything that makes you tense (him, too). Freshen bedding, try new or different pillows, flowers and plants. When you sit in bed reading or praying, everything you see should please and relax you.

4. Avoid bright or noisy clocks, radios, or other electronic devices. Cover shining displays or replace them. Set them away from the head of your bed. Definitely get that computer OUT of your bedroom!

5. Buy comfortable earplugs for the nightstand and for travel. Using a white noise-generator to mask sounds may also help.

6. Pass on the alcohol. Alcohol won't keep you awake, but it will wake you up around 2 or 3 am and make it hard to fall back to sleep. If you have overindulged, some experts advise taking an antihistamine (one of the drowsy types) and one over the counter pain reliever.

7. Reading for pleasure is fine, but avoid hair-raising mysteries that keep you turning pages. Spiritual or soothing reading is best. Reading in dim light causes eyestrain and sleepiness, so use a low light setting.

8. Wear comfy loose socks and even silk long underwear when it's cold. Turning over onto cold sheets WILL wake you up. Change your blankets and your thermostat setting with the seasons so you are neither too hot nor too cold.

9. Exercise every day -- early in the day. Do your neck, shoulders, arms, hands, back, or hips hurt and sometimes waken you? Get serious about stretching during the day. Program a meeting reminder in your computer, like: "Stretch arms & hips." When it pops up, do a favorite stretch for one minute while looking away from the computer. Set your reminder to snooze for an hour. When it pops up again, repeat.

10. If you do wake in the night, keep a change of night clothes by the bed if you are having night sweats. If you don't fall right back to sleep, don't lie there tossing, turning and fretting. Instead, get up, fix a light snack (piece of fruit, some yogurt) and read in a dim light.

If that doesn't knock you out, try some progressive relaxation. Lie on your back with a pillow beneath your knees; tense and then relax your toes, then ankles, then shins, knees, thighs. Continue up the front and back of your body, doing arms, shoulders, face, scalp. Breathe deeply.

Nighty, night.

More on the Science of Stem Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment

Although they originally come from bone marrow, adult (or as they are often called, "mesenchymal") stem cells can be derived from a variety of body tissues. These tissues include fat, the thin lining on the surface of bone called the periosteum, joint lining (synovium), muscle, skin, baby teeth, and cartilage.

Their purpose is simply to act as repairmen to replace and regenerate cells that are lost as a result of injury, normal turnover, and aging. Think of them as the handyman around the house!

There have been attempts at defining exactly what constitutes a true mesenchymal stem cell. Various cell surface markers have been used to describe these cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)appear to share certain traits and characteristics in common. Finally, it has been agreed that a true MSC is capable of differentiating into bone, cartilage, as well as fat.

Although MSCs harvested from different tissues look the same, it's not clear if they behave the same or have the same capabilities.

One study, for instance, showed that the MSCs most able to become cartilage were stem cells derived from joint lining (synovial) tissue. Other MSCs that showed a good ability to become cartilage were those from bone marrow and from periosteum.

Another issue is quality of MSCs. How effective will they be under different circumstances? It's clear that stem cells placed in an environment with certain stimulatory growth factors differentiate better. On the flip side, there have been some studies indicating that advanced age may slow stem cell multiplication and division. However, other studies indicate that regardless of age, enough good quality MSCs can be obtained that do have adequate potential to differentiate into cartilage cells. (At our center, we usually use 75 years of age as our cutoff, although a few of our best results have occurred in older individuals.)

The potential application of MSCs to differentiate into cartilage cells and be used to repair cartilage damage in osteoarthritis is a hot topic nowadays.

It is a very complicated process though, and current research has used normal cartilage as the model to emulate. Most stem cell research models of cartilage have a few things in common. First, they use MSCs. Then, a matrix or scaffold is incorporated. This framework serves as a "home" for the MSCs. Finally, the stem cells are exposed to a variety of growth factors used to stimulate differentiation and multiplication.

In many experiments done in laboratory settings, the quality of cartilage derived from MSCs has been disappointing. It appears that the both the quality of stem cell as well as the extracellular environment is critical for the normal development of viable strong cartilage. The exact "key" remains elusive. There appears to be a complex interplay between enzymes and proteins that degrade cartilage such as matrix metalloproteinases and factors that build cartilage such as transforming growth factors, bone morphogenic protein, and parathyroid hormone, to name a few.

One final interesting point is that MSCs have a unique property that is often overlooked. They have immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory functions that have been demonstrated both in the laboratory setting as well as in animal models. This has a lot of potential impact, particularly when considering their use in arthritis treatment.

For a more scientific discussion of the intricacies of MSC biology as it pertains to cartilage regeneration, readers are referred to the excellent works written by Drs. Faye Chen and Rocky Tuan.

How to Stop Your Dog From Jumping Fast

Dog jumping on family members, small children or house guests is one of the most common, annoying and dangerous problems for dog owners. This may be related to feeling of insecurity or simply aggressiveness. Dogs learn jumping faster than any other dog obedience command. We involuntarily teach them, when they are a young puppy, dog owners or other people always invite them up and pays attention and affection. Everyone goes like 'come here puppy, cute puppy' and praise them when they jump up so dog learns jumping naturally. That is the biggest reason why dog jumping up is a very common problem and big problem that 90% of dog owners are having.

Most of the time puppies get confused by commands of people around them. When your puppy jumps up, make sure to use the 'off' command because using 'down' makes your dog confuse it with the 'lay down' command.Never touch your dog or puppy, pet or praise when your dog is jumping up on you or other people. Never get into an eye contact when using the following methods to prevent jumping up.

They have to learn that the greeting has to be calm with all paws on the ground. In order to be effective with any jumping program, you have to make sure everybody comes to contact with your dog is being consistent with the same training method you choose for your dog or puppy. Using different obedience commands may confuse your dog easily. Make sure to have a no jump policy at your home. This applies to all family members and visitors.

Holding Paws

When your dog jumps up on you, simply hold the paws and hang on to them. Not crush or squeeze the paws. Most of the dogs are sensitive of their paws touched and they are not used to it. Do not let it go fast. Hold the paws until it starts to struggle and wants back the paws. That point you can use the command 'off'. When your dog is off, praise your dog or puppy and give a dog treat or another reward.

Using Coins

Puppies cannot handle weird sounds. Put six to seven coins in a bottle, when your dog jumps up, shake this bottle of coins. Your dog associates this weird sound with jumping. After using this method repeatedly, you will see that your dog does not want to jump anymore because does not want to hear that weird noise. This is a very simple method and can be used effectively to any breed type without the need of touch.

Simply Using Your Knees

Another obedience training technique is using your knees. When your dog jumps up, just bend your knees and give the 'off' command, it will try to jump couple times and just leave it because your dog did not see any attention from you. We are not trying to send them on the other side of the room, it is just a little pop to knock them off the balance and get them off. Dogs are jumping to get attention on them. This method is very useful for small breed types.

Avoiding The Attention

Your pet is trying to get your attention. Turning your back for couple minutes when you get into house not paying attention or not having an eye contact, makes them understand and gets off easily. You can also hold your shoulders and look up on the ceiling. This will make them relaxed and calm.

It might be hard in the beginning because we are social and we get excited to see our pets, too. But it is worth to teach your dog how to act properly when someone comes over to your house. There might be a lot of cases in the future that you wish you thought this before. Training your dog is time consuming but being consistent and patient are the keys for fast and consistent results.

Are You Weary to the Bone With Grief?

If you are, you're not alone. The stress of grief is debilitating and it's experienced by many after the loss of a loved one. Grief has the capacity to bring us to our knees physically as well as emotionally. We can feel totally exhausted, knackered, wiped out and depleted. How about spent, fatigued, and crippled with tiredness? There are many more descriptions of the bone crushing weariness that grief and loss leaves in its wake.

It can take us off-guard, this crippling weariness and physical struggle. Every little thing becomes a major feat and a major test of endurance. When you consider what has happened though, it's not surprising. Yet often we do indeed find it most surprising!

This is some or most of what has come before:

Days, weeks, months or years of care-giving.

Days, weeks, months or years of watching a loved one struggle.

An unexpected call or knock at the door telling you of something horrific and unbelievable.

Having to make life and death decisions often at a moment's notice.

Unexpected travel and associated costs.

Surrounded by happy faces in the maternity ward.

Organising a funeral service when you're numb with pain.

Government bureaucracy.

Financial worries.

Unpaid leave or pending unemployment.

Expectations.

The feeling of being so alone and unsupported.

Dealing with the missing and the longing every single moment.

Crying day and night.

Grief triggers.

The paper jungle.

Worrying about everyone else.

And the list goes on. You could add to it I'm sure but it's revealing isn't it?

All of the above is stressful beyond measure. It tests you to the limits of what you ever believed you were capable of enduring and more! Dealing with the emotional fallout of those experiences can be utterly exhausting. It takes over your body and you can feel it creep into the very marrow of your bones.

Then on top of all that you have to find some resources within yourself to keep on keeping on with the routine of daily living. Anna from Pleasant View Schoolhouse writes, "Grief is exhausting. It is the difficulty of existing in two worlds at a time." Amidst the intense pain of dealing with your grief you have to keep a home running, talk with people, get back to work, be alone for the first time in years and much, much more.

Often having this awareness about where you have come from and what you are dealing with on a daily basis is enough for you to take pause. It is enough for you to recognise your great strength in living after loss and it is enough for you to say to yourself, "No wonder I feel tired!"

With that awareness of your circumstances, it may then become easier to accept the need for more rest, for gentleness to yourself, for time out from demanding schedules and a focus on self-nurturing and the restoration of your aching body and hurting heart.

Special Report - How to Find the Best Basketball Knee Brace - Basketball Knee Support Can Mean a Lot

If you are searching for a basketball knee support, you might have noticed that there are a ton of different basketball knee braces on the market. - The vast number available on the market can make the task seem overwhelming. - Once you read through the questions and information below the task will be much more manageable.

You are guaranteed to learn something about knee braces, which will probably save you some serious cash.

The Goal of This Article

Our goal here is, not to advertise a certain brand name to you, but to help guide you with useful questions. This way the decision making is up to you. Once you can answer these questions, then you will know how to find the best knee support possible, when you are playing in any sport.

Here are some great questions to ask yourself, when you are looking for a basketball knee brace. The reason why we ask these questions is that there are knee supports specified for these criteria.

Questions For You To Consider

1.) Do you have a mild to moderate knee injury? (Several types of knee supports are focused on mild to moderate injuries only, usually they are simple knee sleeves, or less costly hinged knee supports)

2.) What is your knee pain on a scale 1-10? (Usually, the bigger the knee pain, the bigger the support needed)

3.) Do you have a serious knee injury, like a complete ACL or an MCL tear? (These usually have a dynamic hinge on each side of the knee with medial and lateral uprights for more support)

4.) Are you protecting against a future knee injury?

5.) Do you need a knee support that will help hold your knee cap in place? (If this is the only issue you are having, usually you do not need a deluxe knee brace, a smaller one will usually suffice)

To make the best choice possible, it is wise to consider your knee issue first, then look to the sport you are playing.

Important Studies

Several studies have shown that people usually do not need custom knee braces. - This might sound a little bit silly, but we like to ask this question: Are all your clothes custom made? If they are not custom made, we are willing to bet that they probably fit pretty well. Do they not? - The same thing happens with non-custom knee braces, non-custom knee supports usually fit great, plus this means that you get to save hundreds of dollars too. - We all could benefit from saving this kind of cash!

How To Help You Sleep After a Knee Replacement

Once your knee replacement is over and you leave the hospital everyone looks forward to getting home and relaxing. One of the biggest obstacles met by many will be the inability to sleep. Those first couple of weeks when you get home, trying to get a decent nights sleep can be difficult. There are several tips however that will help you sleep during those first two weeks you are home.

1. Take Your Medication As Prescribed. There are individuals I have come across during physical therapy that are trying to get of their pain medication too soon. In the hospital you are medicated differently than you will be at home. Your ability to handle the pain during the evening will not be as good as it was in the hospital. It is strongly recommended that you take your pain medication prior to going to sleep each night. Trying to stop the pain medication too soon will set you up for failure in controlling your pain. If you are having trouble with your pain medication and not handling it well, call your surgeon and get something else. This will be better than going without medication.

2. Use TV Or Radio To Help You Sleep. When getting ready to go to sleep you may want to consider having a TV or radio playing softly in the background. During the night the inability to handle the pain can be due to lack of external stimuli around you. During the day you will have the TV going or listening to the radio in the background. There will be cases where friends and family stop by as well. In these instances you have other things that you are engaged in. Your mind does not focus on the pain therefore you do not have the focus on your knee itself. Sleeping with soft music in the background can be comforting and help with pain relief.

3. Avoid Too Much Activity During The Day. There will be times when you may find yourself getting involved in activities that may be better left for someone else. The first several weeks are critical that you closely monitor your activity level. You generally will not suffer the consequences of overdoing some activity until later that night when you are trying to get some sleep. It is something that everyone will experience from time to time in the initial stages of your recovery.

If you find that you are awaken by your knee during the night, it is generally letting you know to move it. Either pumping your knee while lying down or getting up and walking a little will actually calm the knee down allowing you to fall back to sleep.

Getting a sound nights sleep will be challenging at first when you get home however in time as it heals you will be able to get back to your usual sleeping patterns within two to three weeks.

All About Total Knee Joint Replacement

Total Knee joint replacement is a surgical procedure required by persons suffering from a condition called Knee arthritis, which results in extreme knee pain and inflammation and causing difficulty in any movement of the knee joint.

Causes
o Wear and tear of the joint.
o Extreme obesity that the knee is unable to support the body weight.
o Genetic factors.
o Injury caused to the knee.

Symptoms
o Extreme pain.
o Unability to move knee.
o Stiffness or swelling of joint.
o Tenderness along the joint.
o Deformity of the joint (knock-knees or bow-legs).

When other treatments such as medication, therapy and lifestyle changes (weight loss or therapeutic activities) fail, the last option that remains is the Total joint replacement surgery.

Understanding the surgical procedure

During the surgery an 8 to 12 inch cut is made on the front side of the knee after injecting general spinal, or epidural anesthesia. The damaged cartilage of the joint is taken out and is replaced with a metal or plastic artificial joint which is attached to the thigh bone and knee cap using cement or some special material to bind.

With new technical developments in the field of surgery, Minimal invasive surgery is used which requires only a three to four inch cut. When the incision is smaller it is easier during the surgery as less tissues are cut. Hence it also decreases pain and quickens post surgery recovery.

After the surgery muscle strength is recovered with physical therapy though people start to walk with support such as parallel bars crutches or walker, until the joint is not strong enough to bear the entire body weight. After a few weeks people start to walk without assistance and thereafter can pursue most daily activities except heavy physical activity such as running , jumping etc.

An artificial joint usually lasts 20 years and could last even more.

Recovery after surgery

o Avoid using stairs.
o Donot twist leg, keep knee straight.
o Avoid hectic physical activity.
o Avoid squatting and kneeling.
o Use firm straight back chair and avoid recliners and sofas.
o Avoid injury and falling or slipping.
o Return to activities such as driving and exercise only after complete recovery and after being reassured by a doctor.

Risks after the surgery

o Due to restricted movement blood clots could occur which would require blood thinners.
o Swelling could occur in the nerves hence causing discomfort and numbness.
o Bones could get injured or cracked during the surgery hence requiring treatment.
o Infection and bleeding as risks in any operation.
o The replaced parts of the joint could become loose or could break , but this is a very rare condition.