That's Fit

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Being someone who loves to travel, I'm drawn to ethnic foods, tastes from around the world. So many cultures have different forms of curry, but my favourite is a good, spicy Indian curry. Provided it's not loaded with too much cream or sodium, curry is loaded with healthy ingredients like fresh veggies and spices. One of the key ingredients, of course, is Turmeric, and it's one of the main reasons you should eat more curry.

Why? The reasons are almost endless.

The truth is: I love cherries. Some other truths: Cherries have the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other fruits, a growing body of evidence shows that tart cherries may help relieve arthritis, cherries are one of the few foods known to regulate natural sleep patterns, and cherries also might reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Geez, and I just loved them for the taste.

Wait. There's more: Cherry consumption help prevent colon cancer, may aid in the management of diabetes, and may be good for the brain.

Ready to love cherries, like me? If so, check out this handy tool and learn how to incorporate cherries into your routine. Take a peek at these recipes too -- this month's featured treat is Confetti Couscous Salad with Dried Cherries. Yummy. And for up-to-date cherry news, pay this location a visit every once in a while..

Rheumatoid arthritis played a big role in my house growing up -- my dad suffered from it and when I say suffered, I mean suffered. Horribly. He struggled with everyday things--writing, chores, walking down the stairs--and just couldn't do many of the physical activities he used to. So if you have the disease, I really feel for you.

However, here's some potentially hopeful news: Recent studies are showing that adopting a vegan, non-gluten diet can help ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. It can also help prevent heart disease and strokes in those with arthritis. According to the findings, arthritis sufferers on a vegan diet had lower levels of C reactive protein, a compound that is related to levels of inflammation in the body.

The bad news is that a vegan, non-gluten diet involved cutting out all animal products (including meat and dairy) and many common grains. What can you eat? Lots of nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies.

At 11 a.m. every day, my former boss would walk through the office and say "I'm going swimming." He'd be back in the office two hours later. Every day. You could set your watch by him. Rain, snow, or sunshine he always chose swimming as his main exercise. It's no wonder, either. Swimming works nearly every muscle group, the water creates natural resistance but also cushions your joints, and you can modify your workout to match your fitness level. It's a particularly good exercise choice for people with limitations (such as obesity, arthritis, and back pain) for other cardio exercises.

You can get the most out of swimming by improving your technique. For example, you don't want to hold your neck too high in the front crawl, hunch your shoulders in the breaststroke, or fail to properly rotate your hips during the backstroke.

Check out AOL Body for other great workout ideas.

On its own, joint pain isn't usually something that warrants a visit to the doctor's office. It's more of a nuisance--something to make note of and mention the next time you go in for a physical. But sometimes, joint pain can be a sign of something more serious, as Everyday Health points out. When does joint pain warrant medical attention? When ...

• ... its accompanied by a fever, rash, fatigue, headache, or weight loss
• ... its a result of joint trauma or injury
• ... the pain is severe
• ... there are neurological symptoms too, like numbness in the hands or pain in the neck or back.
  

Not to freak you out or anything, but joint pain can be a symptom of autoimmune diseases, infections and even cancer, so make sure to pay attention to those aches and pains.

Did you know almost one in every six Americans is afflicted with arthritis?

According to Wikipedia, arthritis is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body and arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. There are many different forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection and gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation.

Because arthritis is a disease of inflammation, the most effective - and logical - treatment is anything that fights inflammation. The problem is that many people (who suffer from arthritis) don't realize how much nutrition can improve the way they feel, but by eating plenty of the right foods you'll automatically reduce the level of inflammation in your body and relieve some of the stiffness.

An Australian study recently found that certain occupations are more likely to have workers with certain health conditions, and the results were somewhat surprising. For instance, they found that people in management were less likely to have cancer than those who worked in skilled trades or who were laborers. The also found that those in the retail industry were more likely to have back pain or arthritis than those in more labor-intensive positions like construction.

What researchers were unable to do was discern why these trends are in place. It isn't necessarily that managers develop cancer less frequently than others, or that those in retail get hurt more often. It may be, for instance, that people who are prone to arthritis choose a field that requires less lifting.

What stands out most to me is that among the people surveyed -- age 45 to 64 -- two-thirds had some sort of chronic medical condition. Does that seem high to you? It does to me.

Icy Hot products got a little too hot for some consumers, who suffered first, second, and even third degree burns after using the Icy Hot Heat Therapy patch. The self-heating patch is meant to be used on sore muscles and joints. When customers complained, Icy Hot recalled its Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat for back and for arms, legs, and neck.

The company says that many of the injuries have come from misuse. They warn that the product shouldn't be used while sleeping and that some customers, especially those over 55 or with sensitive skin, may want to use the product over top of their clothing. But they're going to recall and test the product to be sure that there isn't something else going on.

If you own one of these products, you can get a refund by calling 1-877-742-6275.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. I have a question in regards to squats and lunges for working out. I am 29 years old and last year I was told that I had arthritis under my knee caps, so I should no longer do squats and lunges as part of my work outs. Is there a way to modify these exercises or something else that I can do that is just as effective? Thanks, Mindy

A. Hello Miss Mindy. Great question. Arthritis can be very frustrating, and I'm sorry you're having to deal with it! Squats and lunges are specifically stressful to a fragile knee, because they require you to place about 100% of your body weight on them while performing each exercise. Not a good idea when the knee is already sore.

Diabetes and heart disease top the worry list when it comes to poor diet, lack of exercise, and obesity. Eat too much, move too little, and pack on the pounds and you risk developing both diseases. Make a commitment to health and you're likely to ward them off, even reverse their onset. Six diabetics featured in the documentary Raw for 30 Days did just that by embracing a vegan, organic diet of uncooked nuts, seeds, and veggies. By the end of their study period, all had gone off insulin and most lost 25 pounds. Amazing. But not easy.

A raw diet is hard core, says Andrea Giancoli of the American Dietetic Association. This way of eating -- marked by consumption of mostly plant-based foods that are not heated above 115 degrees -- has backers who say it helps ease conditions from migraines to arthritis. But it leaves out a lot of foods, says Giancoli who maintains that a balanced diet must include both raw and cooked foods.

Going raw is also hard to stick with. So until research confirms it's the way to go, your best bet is to eat a diverse and healthy diet with the power to sustain you through life.

It's not something all that common among children, but would you believe it if someone told you 300,000 kids are affected by arthritis? The condition is mostly associated with elderly people, so it may be easy to scoff at the idea. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have enough evidence to bring the "old person's disease" to the playground.

With one out of 250 kids suffering from some form of arthritis, it would be easy to imagine parents (or doctors) writing it off as a growing pain. In fact, estimates place the number of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis sufferers at upwards of 100,000. That is one of the worst forms of arthritis that can be crippling if left untreated.

Getting the right medication can make all the difference, just like it did with Breanne Watterson. Having suffered since the age of 4, her condition is mitigated so much that she can now perform like a normal teenager. It's rare, but her story shows how painful it can be to live with such a debilitating ailment at a young age.

Wondering what your chances of catching the flu are today? Check the weather.

The popular weather site AccuWeather (www.accuweather.com) offers health-related information based on weather conditions. Here's a look at just a few of them:

Dropping pressure and high humidity can mean sinus headaches for some people. This is because sinus headaches typically occur on cool (but not always freezing) and damp days, when colds are being spread and the pressure is in flux.

Steady pressure and low humidity can affect people who suffer from asthma. Despite the fact that pollen counts are lower in winter months, asthma attacks are almost just as frequent. Cold outdoor air and dry indoor heat may aggravate symptoms.

Dropping pressure and high humidity can cause arthritis sufferers to experience joint pain. Cold temperatures and moisture can lead to swelling of the joints, irritating nerves and making symptoms worse.

Visit AccuWeather today for your own health forecast.

Want to reduce your risk of heart disease? Keep your triglyceride levels down. Want to reduce your risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Again, keep your triglyceride levels down. A Dutch study revealed that people who suffer from late onset arthritis tended to have higher triglyceride levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol while in their youth.

Why this correlation may exist remains unknown, although some researchers speculate that it may have something to do with having a poor lipid profile, and how that may make someone more prone to the inflammation that ultimately causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Related studies on rheumatoid arthritis have shown that regular exercise can reduce a person's risk of developing this impairment by around 40 percent. Given the fact that triglycerides and HDL levels may be related to this form of arthritis, it's very possible that the exercise reduces their risk which, in turn, then effectively reduces the risk of the arthritis.

Arthritis is so common in the U.S. that painkillers -- prescription or over-the-counter -- are increasingly being sold to counter pain from the joint condition.

In fact, a report from the January edition of Arthritis & Rheumatism said that 21 percent of Americans -- more than 46 million -- have arthritis and the numbers are expected to continue rising. In the year 2030, there could be more than 67 million American adults with the joint condition. It's not that far away once you think about it.

The economic impact of having so many Arthritis cases is staggering, but I fear that -- as usual -- the U.S. won't deal with the problem until it's entirely too late. Right or wrong?