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Monday, February 18, 2008

Reality bites

I am in a great deal of pain. I thought about waiting until it passes before writing about it but decided that it makes more sense to be as real as I can be.

I have certainly slid from the program. I don't say this with a lot of self-recrimination because this type thing, even though it is not difficult, can be difficult to keep up. I have known others who are perhaps better equipped, more able, to stay on track when starting a new routine, and I have learned that even these folks fall off the plan eventually. The trick is, as always, to keep getting back on.

So that's where I am now. I have been doing the arthritis exercises very infrequently and have resisted doing the 30-minute walks or hikes too. I do keep taking the glucosamine.

It has been painful to keep up the 30-minute sessions. Either my right hip or my left knee has been in pain a lot. I do know that if I just get out there and somehow struggle through it, even if it means doing several even shorter sessions, that at least I will feel I've done it and usually over time the pain eases a bit.

If there were clear gains every time I exercised it would probably be easier. It's difficult to stay on course without seeing positive results. And of course I do not know where I would be if I did none of this, how much worse I might be.

6 comments:

NJ said...

Judith, try Monavie for your arthritis! It worked for me! Yes, I'm a distributor, and therefore have a financial interest, but it worked for my joint pain! I'm an RN and had right knee problems. At least read about it and I don't mind selling a few bottles for the price of cost if you'd like to try it. Check out www.mymonavie.com/tiago
Also, if you do a search on Oprah and Monavie, you will see info about one of her episodes where Dr. Oz spoke of Acai and it's anti-inflammatory properties. Acai is the main ingredient of Monavie.
My e-mail: www.sales@leitephoto.com

NJ said...

Judith, try Monavie for your arthritis! It worked for me! Yes, I'm a distributor, and therefore have a financial interest, but it worked for my joint pain! I'm an RN and had right knee problems. At least read about it and I don't mind selling a few bottles for the price of cost if you'd like to try it. Check out www.mymonavie.com/tiago
Also, if you do a search on Oprah and Monavie, you will see info about one of her episodes where Dr. Oz spoke of Acai and it's anti-inflammatory properties. Acai is the main ingredient of Monavie.
My e-mail: www.sales@leitephoto.com

Mike Lebovitz said...

Also, if you're interested in natural remedies, I read a post on nurturenatural.com about capsaicin. It's the ingredient in hot peppers and is also the chief ingredient in pepper spray. I use it on my tennis elbow and it works great!

Judith Lautner said...

Hi nj and michael,

Thank you for your comments. Both of these types of foods or supplements are included in the arthritis book, as you might guess. I do try to take in a lot of anti-inflammatory foods, and because I am a vegan I mostly succeed. My "confession" in this post is simply an acknowledgement that I fall off the plan from time to time.

Nothing I have done has had as much effect as ridding my diet of cheese and similar products (although at times I succumb to the craving), incidentally. The gains I have made from that change have not reversed.

Anonymous said...

I noticed you stated you continue to take glucosamine. Do you also take chondroitin and hyaluronic acid?

I know that adding these three supplements to my granddaughters diet really helped with her Perthes Disease. (A painful and severe bone loss problem in the hips that is likened to arthritis -- just in the very young).

Raven (that's my granddaughter) was in so much pain, she had to be carried up the stairs and would refuse to claim up on the pottie by herself.

I think it great that you are seeing some benefits from the "plan" you are on, I will be investigating it for Raven as well since the two problems are so similar.

Judith Lautner said...

Hi cenay,

I don't take chondroitin because there is no vegan form (the vegan form of glucosamine comes from corn). Sometimes I find that what may help my health involves the suffering of other animals and I try to avoid that. I have not heard of hyaluronic acid. I am going to look that up. thank you!