There is a well-documented link between osteoarthritis and obesity, although the cause is not completely clear. It is often assumed that the connection between lower-limb arthritis and excess body weight is merely due to the increased load these susceptible joints have to support, usually over many years. But it has also been suggested that damage to the joint surface is due to a metabolic effect, caused by the release of cytokines from adipose tissue having a direct inflammatory action leading to arthritis. A cohort of the Framingham study looked at the relative risk of radiographic osteoarthritis of the knee for various weight groups, adjusted for age, physical activity and uric acid levels. It was discovered that women in the heaviest quintile for weight had more than double the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee, whereas men had 1.5 times the risk, but the precise cause of the condition was not postulated. A study at St Thomas’ Hospital found a link between obesity and osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joints of the hand, which suggests a metabolic cause because these joints are non-weight-bearing. Van Saase et al  found that obesity was clearly associated with osteoarthritis in all those joints most frequently affected, whether or not they were weight bearing. This implies a metabolic cause and, although not offering an explanation, does suggest the scope for prevention of osteoarthritis by weight loss.A recent paper demonstrated a link between symptomatic spinal osteoarthritis and low birth weight, but also concluded that the problem is worse in those who were low birth weight babies but went on to become overweight as adults. This suggests that weight gain is an important aetiological factor in the condition. A second study on the effects of changing weight revealed that increased weight in women, but not men, was linked to worsening of symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, whereas a reduction of 10% weight by men, but not women, resulted in a significant reduction in symptoms.The most common explanation is backed by the NHANES study, which concluded that there is a link between osteoarthritis and obesity, and that additional mechanical stress is the cause.*1/312/5*

To do that, you’ll want to access every variety of medicine, traditional and “alternative,” preventive and therapeutic, pharmacologic and physiologic, cutting-edge and tried-and-true. That’s just the wide spectrum I’ve brought to this book, and the six-week program walks you through all of them so you won’t get lost in a tangle of conflicting information, but rather will leave with the best each has to offer.
As an osteopathic physician (more on just what that means in a minute), it’s my life’s work to integrate all these areas into one system of total wellness, uprooting any problems at their source, rather than focusing on fighting disease or reducing symptoms. In my practice, I work closely with a variety of practitioners, from orthopedic surgeons, endocrinologists, and neurologists to nutritionists, qi gong instructors, herbalists, acupuncturists, stress-reduction counselors, and physical therapists. I didn’t learn much in medical school about nutrition or exercise, and certainly nothing about the benefits of tai chi or acupuncture or meditation. But now that I’ve learned—from colleagues and patients—how to integrate all these methods into my practice, I see my patients getting better and stronger in every way.
This integrative approach means that everything you do with and to your body has a role in how your body feels and performs on a day-to-day basis. What you eat (and don’t eat), how you sleep, how and how much you move and which parts of your body you use, what work you do, which people you spend time with—all this makes a profound difference in your health. There is no magic bullet or prescription for a pill you can take to “fix” your bones. Too many doctors are pushing hormone replacement therapy or one of the new pharmacological “cures” for osteoporosis, without even mentioning the proven effects of noninvasive, all-natural approaches like eating foods rich in calcium and getting enough exercise that places demands on your bones, thereby stimulating growth.
The latest drugs the labs are turning out have a valuable place in the arsenal against excessive bone loss, but they should be no one’s first choice. My goal with this book is to make sure you never get to the point where you need them. Nonetheless, it’s nice to know they’re there if you ever do. No matter how effective they are, and no matter how many even better and safer and more potent options emerge in the coming months and years, they are only an adjunct to the essential basics of nutrition, exercise, and hormone balance.
The 6-Week Bone Density Program puts together all the basics bone density, so that at the end you have a simple, straight-forward system of diet, exercise, supplements, and lifestyle that save your life. If you follow the steps laid out here, you’ll gradually create a revolution in the way you live that will serve you for the rest of your life. It’s not six weeks and—bam!—you have dense bones forever and ever, amen. It’s a way of life, not a time-limited plan. But six weeks is all you need to learn what you to know, gather all the relevant information, lay in supplies, used to new things, and put everything in place. Six weeks is you need to form good habits. Once you do, what right now seems like a deluge of information and advice will become second nature, and you’ll no longer have to think consciously about each component of bone health. You’ll just be doing it, without having i think about it.
There are no easy answers and no instant solutions. But there are plenty of things anyone can do, starting today, no matter what your particular situation or age, that will give you the healthy lifestyle your bones require to maintain peak mass. Plus, there are some altogether pleasant components, like sweatless workouts, relaxation techniques, and mandatory snacks.
*3\228\2*

The goals of conventional treatments for all types of arthritis focus on relieving pain, reducing inflammation, maintaining normal function, and preventing deformities. Many treatments are used to accomplish these goals, including medications, physical therapy, and surgery.
The most widespread group of medications used to manage arthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. NSAIDs are the most commonly prescribed class of drugs in the United States – between 70 and 75 million prescriptions are written annually. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan), and ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis KT) are common NSAIDs, but there are many others. NSAIDs are the primary treatment for osteoarthritis and are also used in mild cases of rheumatoid arthritis. They work both by relieving pain and controlling inflammation. However, they do not slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis; and as we shall see, there is some evidence that they may actually speed the progression of osteoarthritis.
Another category of drugs used to manage arthritis pain is analgesics, like Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Ultram (tramadol). These can also be used for any type of arthritis. They reduce pain but do not affect inflammation nor alter the course of the disease.
Many other drugs are available, particularly for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
All these drugs, including over-the-counter acetaminophen and NSAIDs, can be quite useful, but they also have potential side effects ranging from mild to serious to life threatening.
*19/306/5*