"I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do" is a phrase one often hears when your doctor is unable to prescribe medicine for you or your clients condition. As a qualified personal trainer, my knowledge of nutrition was vital in helping people achieve their physical goals. It's simple - what we put in our bodies affects almost every aspect of our lives. It affects how much energy we have, our ability to get a good nights sleep, our metabolism and most importantly, the ability of our body to heal itself. Which is why I am always surprised at how little knowledge doctors have when it comes to eating right. If you enjoy watching a doctor squirm as much as I do, ask them a question about nutrition or supplementation. When doing research for this article, a simple search on a Google revealed literally thousands of papers written and studies conducted into the inadequate training in nutrition medical schools give to students. One particularly interesting article written by Pauline W. Chen MD in the NY Times reveals, in a study conducted by the University of North Carolina into nutritional instruction at 100 medical schools, that "while the researchers learned that almost all schools require exposure to nutrition, only about a quarter offered the recommended 25 hours of instruction, a decrease from six years earlier, when almost 40 percent of schools met the minimum recommendations. In addition, four schools offered nutrition optionally, and one school offered nothing at all." Think about that for a minute. 25 hours over 4 years.
Unfortunately as a society we are taught to take our doctor's word as gospel. I suppose had I not known any better, I would have too and over a year later he would still be unable to move his hands and fingers without suffering excruciating pain.
The good news is, thanks to the internet, we now have a world of information at our fingertips. As Carers, the internet is one of the most powerful tools we have. And just because a pharmaceutical company has not developed a chemical solution to a natural problem, it does not mean that all hope is lost. So when the doctor told my client and I there was nothing he could do apart from prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's) which only help to manage pain and can cause abdominal pain and can cause unpleasant side effects in the gastro-intestinal system, I took to the internet and have since been successfully treating his arthritis with roughly 25ml of high quality organic hemp oil daily. Hemp oil, it's worth mentioning, even protects and aids healing of an irritated gastro-intestinal system. He also takes glucosamine, MSM and Chondroitin which all contribute to supporting overall joint health.
I also try to avoid any foods which are processed, high in saturated fats or sugar wherever possible as they can cause inflammation in the body. Many people also think that cooking with olive oil is healthy. When olive oil is heated at high temperatures it goes rancid and becomes toxic. Instead use coconut oil, not only because of its stability when used for cooking but also for the many other health benefits it offers. Foods high in anti-oxidants such as most vegetable, fruit, berries, and dark chocolate to name a few, are essential in promoting a healthy, well-balanced body.
