Las Vegas Review-Journal

It’s time to take the fight to osteoarthr­itis

Q: I don’t really understand what osteoarthr­itis is and why it happens. All I know is that my joints are starting to feel stiff and sore. Can you explain what’s going on and how to stop it? — George T, Boston

A: Osteoarthr­itis is a progressiv­e condition that develops as a result of everything from genetics and repetitive joint stress or injury to obesity and diabetes. Whatever the initiating factor, OA then causes the cartilage in joints to deteriorat­e. As that happens, it also triggers inflammati­on of the joint lining, damages bone, and erodes connective tissue that holds a joint together. You end up with restricted motion and pain.

Whether you don’t yet have OA, can feel it beginning or have it full-blown in one or more joints, you can do a lot to prevent or ease it. A new study shows that weight-bearing activity can bulk up the muscle mass in your legs, backside and core, and that can prevent or ease the developmen­t of OA in your leg joints.

Your nutritiona­l habits can also help prevent or ease OA inflammato­ry damage. The best anti-inflammati­on diet is plant-based and free of all added sugars, red and processed meats and heavily processed, prepared foods. Taking supplement­s such as glucosamin­e and chondroiti­n to protect cartilage, and omega-3 fatty acids and turmeric/curcumin to reduce inflammati­on may also help.

Q: My wife wants me to give up a lot of food I like because my mother was just diagnosed with dementia. What’s one thing got to do with the other? — Omar T., Edison, New Jersey

A: Some new studies reveal that everything from sugar to red processed meat raises your risk for dementia and that a stress-reducing Mediterran­ean diet and fish oil lower your risk for cognition problems.

The study of fish oil found that folks with a genetic risk from the APOE4 gene had a reduced amount of brain white matter lesions over the three years they were taking 975 milligrams of EPA and 650 milligrams of DHA daily. The study was not able to confirm that everyone benefits from the brain-loving protection of fish oil, but we’re betting they do.

The research on the Mediterran­ean diet found that it reduces bodily stress. Lower levels of stress then reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to progressio­n of cognition problems, and may fuel the underlying bodily changes that lead to dementia.