According to a study from the BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, the combination of certain blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, ramapril et al) or ARB’s (losartan, Diovan, Benicar et al) with diuretics (fluid pills) and non steroidal anti-inflammatories –NSAIDs (Advil, Aleve et al) can increase the risk of kidney disease.
It was interesting to note that ACE’s or ARB’s + NSAIDs or diuretics +NSAIDS did not show the same risks as triple therapy.
This is important because many patients use ACE’s/ARB’s combined with diuretics and use the OTC (even Rx) versions of NSAIDs.
Please note that while blood pressure medications are beneficial for heart disease, none of the NSAIDs are heart healthy!

My name is Jim Pfrogner [age 69] and I have been training with the Power Plate for about ten weeks.  I have an arthritic problem in my lower legs and it has affected my quality of life. Since I've been training I have noticed positive results. This method of developing fitness takes less than 30 minutes with a personal trainer twice a week. Additionally, Dr. Jill Rose, the Kaizen Total Wellness Physical Therapist, works with me weekly and monitors my progress as well as updates my workouts. This is as good as it gets!  I am becoming so fit and my arthritis problem is not nearly as painful as when I first started. I have better balance and ankle stability which has improved my golf game. I totally endorse the Kaizen Total Wellness Program and of course the dynamic Power Plate. Thank you.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements are used to slow the progression of osteoarthritis — the deterioration of cartilage between joint bones — and to reduce the associated pain. A study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) called the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (or GAIT study), showed that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate seems to be effective in osteoarthritis patients with moderate to severe knee pain, although not those with mild pain. However, a 2007 review of several past, large-scale studies of chondroitin alone concluded that it did not provide a benefit.
A well-controlled study of glucosamine sulfate (1,500 mg per day) versus placebo for lower back pain caused by osteoarthritis showed that both glucosamine and placebo improved symptoms reported by patients. However, there was no significant difference in the level of improvement between the groups, suggesting that glucosamine is not truly effective for lower back pain (Wilkens, JAMA 2010).
A six-month study of chondroitin sulfate (800 mg once daily) versus placebo in patients with hand osteoarthritis showed a significantly greater decrease in hand pain and improvement in hand function among those taking chondroitin sulfate (Gabay, Arth & Rheum 2011). The duration of morning stiffness was also slightly reduced. These benefits were not noticeable until after 3 months of treatment. There was no significant difference in grip strength or the amount of analgesic used by patients. The chondroitin tested in the study was a tablet containing highly purified (95% pure) chondroitin of fish origin and is marketed as Chondrosulf (IBSA, Switzerland) in Europe where it is approved as a “Symptomatic Slow Acting Drug for Osteoarthritis” (IBSA website – accessed 9/21/2011).
Results may vary from patient to patient, but I can not recommend the use of glucosamine at this time. It is possible that chondroitin may be beneficial for hand pain, but be patient as it could take up to 3 months to work.
Please remember that OTC arthritis pills like Advil or Aleve will help pain but do NOTHING to reverse arthritis. These medications do have a lot of potentially severe side effects and you should discuss their use with your physician. 

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This is one of the reasons we have developed a total wellness program for our patients and friends. Everyday, we read about the connection between “fat” and heart disease. There is a reason why we measure waist lines (not belt or pants sizes): Any man with a waist greater than 40” or woman greater than 35” has elevated visceral (belly) body fat. This is the fat that literally surrounds and infiltrates important organs in the body. Notice its link to inflammation. Most chronic diseases are also linked to obesity. Arthritis. Cancer. Diabetes.
With diet and exercise, we believe that most illnesses can be either prevented or diminished. Of course, once the horse has left the barn........
For more information, or to schedule a free demo, including a measurement of your abdominal body fat, call 941-556-7788.

Adipose tissue pro-inflammatory gene expression is associated with cardiovascular disease
Authors: Weiss, T. W.; Seljeflot, I.; Hjerkinn, E. M.; Arnesen, H.
Source: International Journal of Clinical Practice, Volume 65, Number 9, 1 September 2011 , pp. 939-944(6)
 

Background:  Obese patients are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Several studies suggest obesity as an independent risk factor. Adipose tissue is now accepted as an endocrine organ that produces and secretes a variety of cytokines, hormones and other metabolic players involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Among this versatile group of mediators and effectors of inflammation and atherothrombosis, we have studied the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). All these markers, in their circulatory form, have been associated with cardiovascular disease. However, there is no much data available on their expression in adipose tissue in human subjects with and without cardiovascular disease.

Material and methods:  We successfully isolated RNA from subcutaneous fat biopsies of 61 patients with or without cardiovascular disease. We then measured the RNA expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1, PAI-1, IL-18 and IL-6 with Real-Time PCR, using relative quantification.

Results:  Albeit not statistically significant, all inflammatory mediators - except IL-18 - were highly expressed in patients with cardiovascular disease (n = 16) compared with those without (n = 45). Pooling the gene expression data, trying to capture the overall inflammatory activity in adipose tissue in a score system, we observed a highly significant association with CVD.

Conclusions:  Trying to capture the overall inflammatory activity, in addition to the mass of adipose tissue, could provide useful hints towards a pathogenetic link between obesity and presence of cardiovascular disease.

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A recent article in an Arthritis journal showed that physical activity and better overall management of Rheumatoid Arthritis may decrease hospital admissions and improve patients’ senses of well being.
We have been a proponent for exercise for all of our arthritis patients. Why not have a professionally managed program that is not only safe but may also be covered by your insurance?
Arthritis Res Ther. 2011;R108, dsoi:10.1186/ar3390
 
At Kaizen Total Wellness, ALL of our programs are supervised by our physical therapist and certified fitness trainers.
Saturday hours now available!

www.kaizentotalwellness.com  (941)556-7788
www.drmishner.com   (941)747-2090

Please read the following article. It examines the benefits of certain spices added to foods. Please note it studied the actual spices and not antioxidant pills. At Kaizen Total Wellness, we recommend healthy eating, not taking unproven pill supplements! Enjoying real spices and fruits and veggies are not only cheaper then pills but taste better.

Barbara Bingham, Director
Kaizen Total Wellness Center
Nutritionist,  Wellness Coach

Eating a diet rich in spices, like turmeric and cinnamon, reduces the body's negative responses to eating high-fat meals, according to Penn State researchers.
"Normally, when you eat a high-fat meal, you end up with high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat, in your blood," said Sheila West, associate professor of biobehavioral health, Penn State, who led the study. "If this happens too frequently, or if triglyceride levels are raised too much, your risk of heart disease is increased. We found that adding spices to a high-fat meal reduced triglyceride response by about 30 percent, compared to a similar meal with no spices added."
West and her colleagues prepared meals on two separate days for six men between the ages of 30 and 65 who were overweight, but otherwise healthy. The researchers added two tablespoons of culinary spices to each serving of the test meal, which consisted of chicken curry, Italian herb bread, and a cinnamon biscuit. The control meal was identical, except that spices were not included. The team drew blood from the participants every 30 minutes for three hours. They reported their findings in the current issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
"In the spiced meal, we used rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, garlic powder and paprika," said Ann Skulas-Ray, postdoctoral fellow. "We selected these spices because they had potent antioxidant activity previously under controlled conditions in the lab."
When the meal contained a blend of antioxidant spices, antioxidant activity in the blood was increased by 13 percent and insulin response decreased by about 20 percent.
According to West, many scientists think that oxidative stress contributes to heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. "Antioxidants, like spices, may be important in reducing oxidative stress and thus reducing the risk of chronic disease," she said, adding that the spice dose they used provided the equivalent amount of antioxidants contained in 5 ounces of red wine or 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate.
Skulas-Ray noted that adding two tablespoons of spices to meals did not cause stomach upset in the participants. "They enjoyed the food and had no gastrointestinal problems," she said. But, she added, "The participants were notified ahead of time that they would be eating highly spiced foods and they were willing to do so."
In the future, West plans to investigate whether she can get the same results by adding smaller doses of spices to meals.


Other Penn State researchers on the paper include Ann Skulas-Ray, graduate student; Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition; Danette Teeter, former research assistant; and John Vanden Heuvel, professor of veterinary science. Chung-Yen (Oliver) Chen, scientist, Tufts University, also was involved in the study.
The McCormick Science Institute and National Institutes of Health supported this work.

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Fish oil is well known for its cardio-protective properties. Because it is also a very potent anti-inflammatory agent, it may help with arthritic diseases too.

However, not all fish oil products are created equally! Beware who you are buying from — especially internet companies.

Here is more information from a recent article:

Considerable high-quality evidence suggests that there are clinically beneficial effects of dietary fish oil in inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. Because of the inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, as well as other mechanisms, fish oil reduces inflammation. Fish oil can reduce the use of NSAIDs as seen in meta-analyses in patients with RA, thus conferring additional cardiovascular benefits and preventing the gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with NSAID use. Symptomatic benefits are seen with doses between 2.6 to 7.1 g/d. The beneficial anti inflammatory effects of fish oil in RA are generally delayed by up to 12 weeks after their commencement and can be seen up to 6 weeks after their discontinuation. They are relatively free of side effects except for the fishy aftertaste and some gastrointestinal disturbances. Their purported beneficial effects in IgA nephropathy, SLE, lupus nephritis, Crohn disease, and OA warrant further studies.

An almond-enriched diet improves LDL-Cholesterol and Insulin Sensitivity which are major risk factors for heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

Also olive oil and leafy vegetables have been shown to decrease heart disease in women by 40% according to a recent study that lasted 8 years.