Bursitis is an inflammation of the small fluid-filled sacs found between tendons and bone. They cushion your body against fiction. When they’re inflamed, they’re painful. It’s not always easy to distinguish between tendonitis and bursitis. Bursitis tells you it’s around by giving you a dull, persistent ache that increases with movement and is often accompanied by swelling and fluid accumulation. Tendonitis causes a sharp pain on movement and is usually due to repetitive actions.

How do you get bursitis?

Athletes are prone to this condition due to chronic overuse. But you can get bursitis due to an injury, airborne allergies, tight muscles, or calcium deposits.

What wellness steps can you take to quell bursitis?

1. Change what you eat. I usually suggest getting as much of the nutrients you need from food because the body is ready to process that a whole better than it is to process unknowns such as supplements.

   Calcium is one mineral it's hard to get enough of through food. You need 1500 mg a day of calcium and half that (or more) of magnesium to repair connective tissue and for healthy muscle tissue. Take chelate or citrate forms and as with any supplement, follow the directions on the label.

   And eat a lot of broccoli,

   salmon and sardines with bones,

   green leafy vegetables galore,

   almonds, asparagus,

   blackstrap molasses...try a spoonful in a glass of juice or soy milk!

   cabbage,

   use carob as a sweetener,

   eat at least one of these every day: oats, prunes, sesame seed, tofu and plain yogurt.

   Consider taking a proteolytic enzyme to help reduce inflammation; follow directions on the label.

   You need a lot of Vitamin A. It’s best to drink a glass of fresh carrot juice every day, but you can take vitamin A in emulsion (it’s safer than the regular kind which can accumulate in your tissues if you take too much).  

   Vitamin E is also an anti-inflammatory Start with 400 IU daily and increase slowly to 1,000 IU.

   Vitamin C reduces inflammation. To get more Vitamin C, eat more strawberries, use fresh squeezed lemon in your tea or drinking water (preferably distilled or reverse osmosis filtered water!), black currants, Brussels sprouts, kale, mangos, green peas, sweet peppers, radishes, tomatoes,*onions, *papayas (has a special anti-inflammatory besides Vitamin C; that’s why it’s starred, as do pineapple, onions).

   Zinc (eat a handful or two of pumpkin seeds a day, fish, egg yolks, kelp, any kind of dried beans like black beans, sardines, sunflower seeds and whole grains, too.)

   Boron (apples, carrots , grapes, leafy green vegetables, nuts, pears, and whole grains).

   While you’re starting to eat more veggies and fruits, take a good multivitamin AND a good multimineral---there aren’t enough minerals in the multivitamins. Once you start eating well, you'll need fewer supplements. And your body will thank you. Remember, pain is a message from your body that you're not doing something right! It's a built in alert system, so pay attention to your body's wisdom!

   2.   Use castor oil packs for pain.

   3.   Take it easy. Treatment consists of removing the
         cause of the injury. That means getting adequate
         rest and not overdoing it. Choose a new sport for a
         while to cross-train with if you’re an athlete. If you
         do martial arts or weight lifting, try something more
         gentle like Tai Chi or Yoga.

   4.   Make sure you warm up enough before engaging in 

         any strenuous activity. Do stretching exercises. See

         my Great Body E-book for ways to warm up, cool
         down, and tone your body in a safe and effective
         way.

        To find out more or order the e-book,

                   click on A Great Body

   5.  Find out why you may be overdoing it. Find a quiet 
        spot and consult withyour Inner Adviser. Keep

        asking. Over time, you will get an answer, then act
        on it.

   6.  For more pain-free ideas, check out my Pain-Free E-

        book. Click on PAIN-FREE E-Book

This information is for educational purposes only. For medical treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

Copyright 2006 www.carolynchambersclark.com