Next Time, Eat That Crab Shell

Sunday, August 17, 2008


They say the moment you turn 21, your aging clock starts to tick, though the symptoms start to manifest at age 30. Medical science have proved that at age 30, the body begins to show signs of wear and tear. Levels of glucosamine, a fundamental building block that stimulates the production of connective tissue which is naturally found in cartilages decrease, which makes the bones in between them more prone to friction. As we all know, bones rub against each other when we walk and move, and cartilages between bones help cushion the bones from friction.
According to a recent study cited by Dr. Leo Olarte, an orthosurgeon, 13 million Filipinos are currently suffering from arthritis. Five million of them have osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis as Web MD defines it, is a general term that means inflammation of joints. It is a degenerative joint disease that is associated with the breakdown of cartilage in joints and can occur in almost any joint in the body. It begins usually in middle age and progresses through later life. It usually affects the weight bearing joints of the hips, knees and spine but can also affect the fingers, thumb, neck and large toe.
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in the joints to become stiff and inelastic, making it more susceptible to friction and therefore to injury. Over time the cartilage wears away and deteriorates causing the tendons and ligaments to stretch, causing pain. If it continues to deteriorate the bones then rub each other causing more pain and damage.
Many of the products sold in the market offer glucosamine and chondroitin in one product. Chodroitin is a mineral that can help stop the degradation of osteoarthritis. It is believed that crab shells are an excellent source of chondroitin and cow trachea cartilage a source of glucosamine. These two are proven to slow down, if not prevent the onslaught of osteoarthritis.
So the next time you eat in a chinese restaurant, try to bite your way into the crab's shell. It may later save you from osteoarthritis. (But ofcourse, it is humanely impossible to bite and chew a crab's shell or a shellfish's for that matter so you can buy food supplements instead)

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