Something I’m excited about is being well naturally. And since I like to really live life to the fullest; travel workout, canoe, swim in the ocean, lift heavy weights and hike for days if possible…I need to make sure my body is strong. That way I get the most out of a life I feel is fleeting and a huge blessing. Bandaid solutions have never resonated with me, I like to really get in there and heal the condition from the root.

We are human, we are naturally going to encounter some injuries, some wear and tear with age and some viruses and pathogens. So I do my best to keep my body strong, supple and at a healing advantage. That way, when I encounter these stressors my body is resilient enough to fight them off or heal quickly.

Diet wise I eat whatever keeps me in the most ‘alkaline’ and ‘anti-inflammatory’ state. Meaning I stay away from processed foods, chemicals and junk that will burden my body and cause inflammation. I lean towards lots of veggies; my first priority is always a cooked veggie, salad or smoothie with spinach or kale added. Then I reach for fruits like apples, bananas and berries daily. I also eat a ton of good fats like nuts, nut butter, avocados, olive oil. I eat gluten free - gluten causes a lot of bloating and inflammation in my tummy and I’ve found I have a way flatter stomach if I eliminate gluten. So I choose things like potatoes and rice instead of bread. And then I drink lots of pure water and green tea. And dark chocolate as my treat!

I also choose an ‘anti-inflammatory’ mindset. Meaning I step away from drama, gossip and conversations that leave me feeling drained, attacked or uncomfortable. I also discipline myself to release stressful thought patterns and worry, via meditation, giving worries up to a higher power and exercising to release stress held in the body.

When it comes to being active I mix it up. I love to lift heavy weights, but after a while I get a bit stiff so I mix in stretching and dancing in my living room! I also jump rope and do some pilates style core strengthening. And then I walk my dog several times a day in the most nature-y places we can discover. I generally make sure I move my body 6-7 days a week.

Finally I support my anti-inflammatory and strong body and mind lifestyle with a few supplements. My favorite right now comes from a company called SierraSil, authentically Canadian just like me. (Yay for small business right now and forever guys!). SierraSil is unique because they don’t create a bandaid ‘pain killing’ solution for aches and pains and swelling, but they treat you from the inside out. We humans have become greatly mineral deficient through over farming of our soils, chemical residues in our foods and processed, nutrient poor foods dominating our diets. SierraSil contains an epic profile of minerals mined naturally from the Sierra Mountains that deliver micro mineral nutrition to our bodies. These minerals not only calm inflammation at a gene expression level (from the inside out), but they chelate (detox) heavy metals like lead, which I love because it means I’m getting healthier and more immune to illness and stress while I treat my sore back or neck (areas I tend to hold stress!). I recently had an acute injury in my hip, caused by a twisted pelvis, and the first night I tried the topical Pain Relief spray along with the Joint Formula curcumin capsules (with some SierraSil mineral included) was the first night I was able to sleep through and sit up out of the bed without major pain. I’ve stayed on their curcumin 2x a day and the pain is dissipating with each day. Since I hate taking over the counter pain killers this has been a super life saver! Plus the spray smells all nice and minty like a breath of much needed crisp fresh air.

So I’m a SierraSil convert and I’m excited about getting my mum on the Joint Formula14 (all minerals) for her osteo-arthritis next. Stay tuned for the results! She is very active with walks and senior fit classes so I’m looking forward to getting her this support.

Stay strong, adventurous, vibrant and healthy, whatever your age!

Sitara

I get asked often if SierraSil really works. To answer this, I talk about our clinical trials and research into SierraSil. This often results in glazed eyeballs and a quick nod of the head.

I understand this, not everyone gets as excited talking about placebos, double-blind studies, even triple blind and cross-over studies, yet alone bio-accessibility. So, I’ve decided to get personal with you and tell you about my experiences with SierraSil.

I, just like you might be doing right now, lived knees that limited me from running, and generally working out with an intensity that could keep me in shape (or get into better shape!) to be my best and enjoy my favourite activities, including running with my wife or friends.

Michael’s SierraSil Experience

I was introduced to SierraSil before it was even named SierraSil, by my dad, Dr. Peter Bentley (LLD), who found that the minerals alleviated his arthritic symptoms. He had been introduced to the the healing quality of the minerals by an associate of the gold prospector who discovered the deposit in the Sierra mountains.

However, I was deeply skeptical of the ability of SierraSil to make a difference. In 2003, I was 40 years old and my wonderful wife kindly reminded me that she signed us up for a 10-kilometer (6 mile) community run – a not to subtle suggestion that I needed to get into shape!

So I hoped time had healed my knees, and that evening went for a run. Or at least I started, but my knees weren’t happy and I had to stop. As I had nothing to lose, I what would become to known as SierraSil. Two later, runners on – and no pain! It worked – and still does. I did that 10-kilometer run 8 days later back in 2003 and I haven’t stopped moving since. I was able to get back to the sports and activities, to get into the best shape of my life (relative to my age) and enjoy running and other sports without the delayed onset muscle soreness.

To say that SierraSil has changed my life would be an understatement. Thanks to SierraSil, I’m able to live a fuller life and more importantly, the company is able to help people like you and me get back to living healthier and more active lives.

I’m super proud of the team at SierraSil and what we’re doing. It’s a great privilege to hear from people who are getting a second chance at living a healthy and active life, to regaining purpose and doing so without the side effect risks presented by some non-natural products.

We care deeply about your joint health and mobility. This means we spend a lot of time thinking about, researching, and discussing the best ways to achieve and maintain flexible, mobile, and healthy joints.

If you browse our blog you’ll see a range of articles on topics such as How to Use a Tennis Ball for Sore Muscle Relief, How Exercise Benefits Whole Body Health, What is DOMS?, and Spice Things Up with Curcumin and Turmeric.

Each of these articles touches on a different aspect and approach to healthy joints, supportive muscles, and balanced life. These articles and the rest of the information on our website are all part of our commitment to providing you with a balanced and well-rounded information base on joint health, mobility, and living a balanced life.

And this is why we published this article about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and joint health. TCM is gaining more popularity and we’ve been receiving a lot of questions about TCM at trade shows, conferences, and other consumer events.

In this article we explain what TCM is and how it can be used to treat joint discomfort or pain. However, we want you to remember that we are not experts or proponents of TCM. Before undertaking any new type of treatment for your arthritis or sore joints, you must discuss this with your doctor. Remember, health is wealth – so take care to make the right decisions for your whole-body health.

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient system and approach to achieving health and wellness. This approach to healing the body has been used in China for thousands of years.

The difference between TCM and western medicine is in the approach to treating illness and healing the body. TCM considers every aspect of your body, environment, and energy when creating a treatment plan. Western medicine looks at the area of the body that is unwell, injured or diseased and focuses on treating the exact problem.

There are two central themes or ideas that guide TCM practitioners:

• Qi: is life energy or vital energy. TCM experts believe that Qi runs through your body and it’s always moving and changing. Many TCM treatments focus on how to keep the flow of Qi in your body active and flowing.
• Yin and Yang: these two opposites explain the key qualities of Qi. Yin is hot, light, feminine, day, and hollow. Yang is cold, heavy, masculine, night, and solid. To have optimum health you need to have a balance between the yin and yang of Qi. If one is out of balance, you can become sick.

Ultimately, TCM is centered around creating harmony between yin and yang, thereby allowing the healthy flow of Qi through-out your body.

TCM uses different treatment practices to deal with injury, illness, and pain:

• Acupuncture: many physiotherapists, massage therapist, and other medical practitioners also use this treatment methodology. Very fine needles are placed carefully in your skin to help alleviate tightness, stress, and to calm various body systems.
• Cupping: you may have seen photos of athletes with big circular bruises on their skin. This is from cupping – the practice of placing heated suction cups on the skin.
• Herbs: various herbs, plants, flowers are combined to create teas, tinctures, and powders.
• Meditation: more and more people are understanding how important the mind is in alleviating pain and managing illness. TCM uses meditation to help calm your mind, allowing your Qi to flow more freely and easily.
• Moxibustion: dried herbs might be burned near your skin to stimulate the flow of Qi in your body.
• Tai Chi: this martial art is characterized by slow controlled movements. These movements help strengthen your muscles, maintain flexible joints, and to calm the mind.

How is Traditional Chinese Medicine Use to Treat Joint Discomfort?

The Traditional Chinese Medicine practices of acupuncture, cupping, herbs, meditation, moxibustion, and Tai Chi can be used together or in isolation to treat joint discomfort or pain.

In TCM, practitioners believe that joint pain such as that of arthritis are caused by a blockage that prevents the smooth flow of Qi through-out your body. Because this blockage is associated with the bones, it is called Bone Bi. Bone Bi is a blockage that impacts the bones and joints.

Within TCM, the belief is that the cause of Bone Bi is environmental. Specifically, the wind, cold, and dampness can penetrate your bones, muscles, tendons, and joints – causing pain, reduced mobility, and stiffness.

When this happens, it is not possible for Qi to flow through your body freely, maintaining the balance of yin (hot, light, feminine, day, and hollow) and yang (cold, heavy, masculine, night, and solid).

The TCM treatment for joint pain is based on the category of Bone Bi causing the problems. If you do pursue TCM treatment for your joint discomfort, ask your TCM practitioner about Wind Bi, Cold Bi, Damp Bi, and Heat Bi.

Based on the type of Bone Bi causing the joint discomfort, the TCM treatment plan will likely involve a combination of:

• Acupuncture: the needles are typically inserted into the affected joints and painful areas. This stimulates blood flow and circulation, helping to relieve the blockage that is causing the discomfort, inflammation, and stiffness.
• Herbs: based on the type of blockage (Cold Bi or Heat Bi), a herbal remedy is used to eliminate excessive cold or heat in the body. When this happens, the joints can move more freely, and the stiffness is typically gone.
• Exercise: like western medicine, there is a strong belief and understanding within TCM of the value of exercise to alleviate joint discomfort and pain associated with arthritis. Gentle exercise such as Tai Chi, swimming, walking, stretching, and cycling are ideal.
• Diet: again, like western medicine, there is a strong knowledgebase in TCM about the importance of food in healing joint discomfort. In TCM, the best diet for treating joint discomfort is connected to the blockage type. For example, if you’ve got a Cold Bi, you need to eat cooked foods that are warm and contain anti-inflammatory spices such as Turmeric, cayenne, and ginger.

As with any change in how you treat your joint discomfort or arthritis, it’s critical you talk to your doctor first. When discussing TCM, it’s a good idea to ask about your options for all-natural supplements as well.

As always, the SierraSil team is here to answer any of your questions about how SierraSil works to support joint health and calm inflammation and any other questions about SierraSil, joint health, and mobility.

About the Author
Michael Bentley, President of SierraSil Health, has twice been recognized by Optimyz magazine as one of Canada’s top 100 health and wellness influencers and in 2019 was honored by the Canadian Health Food Association with the John Holtmann Industry Leadership Award. He is also a Trustee of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and past Board member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, Family Services of BC and other non-profit organizations.