Nutrition

Highlights for Healthy Joints and Optimum Fitness

•    Beware of nutrition trends, as many are based on questionable studies
•    What we eat affects our weight, well-being, energy level, recovery time, etc.
•    Carbs, proteins, and fats play distinct roles in providing fuel for athletic performance
        - Food intake will depend on energy expenditure, weight status, and performance goals
•   Hydration is vital for muscle and cell function, as well as performance
        - Most people are chronically dehydrated, as thirst is a sign that its too late
•   Sufficient vitamin and mineral levels are also essential to performance


Water Intake Regulates Weight

•    Check out the Stone Clinic water regimen to optimize your weight
•    Joint stress and weight facts: 
         -  The knee feels an impact of 1-5 times your body weight for every step 
         -   Losing 10 pounds can decrease up to 50 pounds of impact force through        
             your knee for every step you take
    

Key Vitamins

•    Functions, food sources, and Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)   


Glucosamine

•    Glucosamine is a natural sugar made from a corn-based fermentation process or
      from the chitin from the shells of shellfish
•    Glucosamine is a key component of the extracellular matrix of cartilage
•    These sugars have charged side chains, which absorb water and provide lubrication
     and shock absorption for the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the joints
•    As we age, or in the case of arthritis, glucosamine and other sugars decline in
     concentration and lose some of their ability to absorb water
•    Ingesting glucosamine has shown to be taken up in the cartilage
•    Glucosamine supplements can improve the pain from arthritis as effectively as ibuprofen

S-Adenosyl Methionine as a Food Supplement

•    S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM-e, pronounced "sammy") is an amino acid
•    Appears to promote production of cartilage proteoglycans and may be therapeutically  
      beneficial in osteoarthritis