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The Latest Coronavirus Information You Need to Know

“It really is concerning — but remember, let’s stick together, and rely on the facts from experts.”

Global Coronavirus concerns are increasing as the virus spreads, leading to a wealth of information — some real, some misunderstood, and some fabricated — circulating to the public. In today’s show, Dr. Nancy will help cut through the confusion around the Coronavirus, and provide the very latest information you need to know about the numbers, the virus itself, and how to minimize your risk.

Video Highlights

  • 02:09: Increasing Coronavirus Concern
  • 07:38: Latest Coronavirus Statistics
  • 13:10: Coronavirus and the Flu: Understanding the Numbers
  • 17:53: Steps to Reduce Risk
  • 28:51: Wrap-Up

Like everyone in the healthcare world, we’ve been following the Coronavirus very closely — especially since Dr. Nancy’s recent show about it — and a lot has changed even in that time. Although there is new information to discuss, we are still recommending that you be aware and concerned, but not panicked.

Increasing Coronavirus Concern

We know that may be easier said than done: Japan is closing schools, international travel is being restricted, events and tradeshows everywhere are being cancelled, people are being advised to stock up on at least two weeks of food and water, it’s had an effect on the stock markets, and schools are sending out letters to prepare parents for the worst possibility — a spread of coronavirus in schools. It really is concerning — but remember, let’s stick together, and rely on the facts from experts from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and research and information from leading medical infectious disease experts at places like Emory University and UCLA. It’s not time to panic!

There is new information about the rapid spread of coronavirus coming out every day — a lot of it is scary, a lot of it is misinformation, and a lot of it is taken out of context, but a lot of it is also true. Politicians on each side are using it to their advantage, and the media… well, it’s hard to determine sometimes if the breaking news is a real concern or if they’re just looking for ratings. It gets confusing: who do we listen to? How do we know if we are taking the right steps?  How do we know if the coronavirus is really as potentially dangerous as we are hearing?

Dr. Nancy has worked to sift through the misinformation so that we can provide you with only the essential information that you need to know — the latest, fact-based information on Coronavirus 2020. In this article, we’ll cover:

  • The latest facts and figures on the coronavirus
  • What exactly the coronavirus is
  • The difference between coronavirus and the flu
  • Why this coronavirus is so much more concerning that the flu — and more concerning other recent health issues like SARS, West Nile, or even MRSA.

We’ll also review the signs and symptoms of the coronavirus, and share the steps the CDC is recommending you take to reduce your risk of infection, as well as our recommendations to strengthen your immune system naturally — which is important even without the coronavirus because there are still a lot of other a viral infections out there, including the flu and colds.

Latest Coronavirus Statistics

Let’s jump right into it by defining exactly what the coronavirus is and by getting an update on the latest stats.

The Coronavirus is an upper and lower respiratory tract infection that can cause varied levels of respiratory illnesses with symptoms that include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. According to the CDC, the coronavirus, or novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019, (COVID-19) is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. So, let’s dispel that myth: you may have heard people say COVID-19 is like getting just a “bold cold”. This is incorrect. COVID-19 is NOT the common cold — it’s much more serious.

As of March 4, 2020 here’s what we know:

  • 92,000 people have known to have contracted COVID-19
  • Nearly 85,800 of those cases have occurred in China and South Korea and an additional 2,900 in Iran
  • An estimated 3,200 people have died, and all but 220 of those deaths have occurred in China.
  • There are 120 known cases of Coronavirus in the US, that’s up from the 29 I reported about two weeks ago, and 31 cases in Canada.
  • There have been 11 deaths in the US attributed to the virus.

Before we talk about why coronavirus is different from the flu, let’s talk conspiracy theories for a minute. You’ve probably heard several. Again, this is unfortunately political, given its timing near a presidential election. Some of the common conspiracy theories include:

  • That the virus originated from people eating bat soup
  • That Russia is behind the virus
  • that the the coronavirus was created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • That it’s the result of a bioweapon

In the age of social media, there will always be outrageous stories that somehow gain traction in the media but these are conspiracy theories — they are not true, and they are certainly not helpful.

In fact, a report released by the Global Engagement Center, the propaganda-fighting program at the State Department actually analyzed nearly 30 million social media posts between Jan. 20 and Feb. 10, (a period during which the WHO declared the novel coronavirus an international health emergency) and, not surprisingly, it found that millions of posts contained inaccurate information about the spread of the coronavirus. The GEC claims this “opened a window into how false information about coronavirus is truly global and spreading faster than the virus itself.” So please don’t believe everything you hear or read about the coronavirus. Facts only!

Coronavirus and the Flu: Understanding the Numbers

A lot of people, including Dr. Nancy, have compared the number of cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. to the record number of people suffering and even dying from the flu in the U.S., as a way to put the severity of these two outbreaks in perspective.

But we need to dive into that a little deeper: after looking into it and comparing the two a bit more, we now have a much better understanding of the potential severity of COVID-19, and there are really important aspects that we need to discuss.

Let’s first compare what we know about COVID-19 to current numbers from this flu season. Just in the U.S., over 20 million people have been affected with the flu, nearly 200,000 people have been hospitalized, and over 10,000 deaths have resulted from the flu. Compare that to the much smaller number of cases and deaths in the U.S. resulting from COVID-19 and you see a big difference.

But those numbers don’t tell the whole story — what has health experts from the CDC and WHO most concerned is the staggering difference in the mortality rate (or death rate), between the two. You see, while this year’s flu strain has affected millions more than the coronavirus, like most strains of influenza, it only has a mortality rate of about 0.1% or less. By contrast, the very latest mortality rate worldwide of the coronavirus is 3.4% according to the CDC; that makes it 34 times more deadly. And a virus that is 34 times more deadly than the flu is a big deal.

Now keep in mind most of those deaths are in China, and in areas where access to healthcare and other issues, make the mortality rate higher than we might expect here. So if we made a conservative guess factoring in those issues, we might end up with something like 2%.

If we do that math, that means at least 20 times more people are dying from COVID-19 than are dying from influenza. To put that in perspective: 10,000 of the 20 million people with the flu have died. But if the same number of people (20 million) had the coronavirus, the death toll would be closer to 400,000 than 10,000. And that is why this strain of COVID-19, which seems to spread as easily as the flu or a cold, but is 20 times or more deadly, has our attention and has the world on edge.

There are a few other ways in which the coronaviruses and the flu differ:

  • First, the flu originates in people and is passed to person. Coronaviruses begin in animals, and then get passed to people. In this case it is believed to have come from an animal called a pangolin, but researchers have not been conclusive on this.
  • The other thing to note is that the flu typically has seasonality and slows way down in late spring. The coronavirus may or may not — we just don’t know yet.

Steps to Reduce Risk

Okay, so this is scary information, yes, but remember: don’t panic. At this point, there have not been thousands of cases yet in the US. Regardless, you are still going to want to do whatever you can to protect your family and yourself and to reduce the risk of contracting and/or spreading the coronavirus.

So, let’s review the steps that you are going to take to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19.

No International Travel

Please avoid any overseas or international travel at all.  Very likely you will see more government-mandated travel bans in the coming days and weeks; it only makes sense. But it’s probably best not to wait until we are told that we can’t go somewhere — let’s just weigh the risk and use common sense. Don’t travel overseas or internationally for the foreseeable future. If you do, you could be putting your life, and the life of others, at risk; it’s that serious.

In addition, there are several steps that you and your family should be taking to minimize the spread of all respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, according to the CDC:

Wash Your Hands and Disinfect Your Home Regularly

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. When we say wash your hands, we mean really wash your hands: with warm water and soap, for at least 20 second (remember, hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice before rinsing and thoroughly drying your hands).

Also, we would normally never recommend using paper towels, but in this case it’s essential — when you dry your hands, use paper towels and discard them right away. Considering how long the COVID-19 virus can live, survive, and be transmitted from all different types of surfaces, including door handles, counters, and especially damp towels, it’s important to use paper towels that can be discarded immediately after use. If that is not an option for you, you need to launder all cloth towels and washcloths immediately after you use them, every time you use them — at least for the near future.

That’s the number one way to prevent the spread of viruses. Also, while Dr. Nancy is not a proponent of using antibacterial and anti-viral hand sanitizers, she believes they are appropriate to prevent spread of a virus like the coronavirus, especially if you are not able to wash your hands. The CDC is making it clear that you need to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, so check the label on the back.

And remember, sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations, but they do not get rid of all types of germs. That’s why hand washing is so important — so when in doubt, wash your hands!

In addition to washing your hands regularly:

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
  • Obviously avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and immediately wash your hands
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with a cleaning product that kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. Now, according to the EPA, those disinfectants are thought to be effective against the coronavirus, but their ability to actually kill the virus has not yet been scientifically proven. So the key word is that they may be effective — but regardless, in this situation, it’s better to be safe than sorry. So a daily wipe-down of your cell phone, counters, phones, office desk, and door handles is an absolute must.

Take Steps to Strengthen Your Immune System

Perhaps, most importantly, you are also going to want to take steps to strengthen your immune system. That means that you are going to take all the steps that we’ve been recommending for years, including:

Correcting Vitamin D Deficiency

Listen, 90% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D at this time of year, and the research shows, over and over, that vitamin D deficiency leads to a weakened immune system — something that none of us can afford right now. What makes it even more important for you to supplement with D3 is the fact that it is virtually impossible to get the 5,000 IU of Vitamin D, the therapeutic amount you should be taking at this time of year, from food or even spending time in the sun.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it’s stored in your body fat, but it needs to be built up and stored over time — you can’t just take it for a day or two and have the amount you need to help keep you healthy.

As a result, it is even more essential that you act now and start supplementing with Smarter Nutrition’s Vitamin D3 — you are going to need to take 5,000 IU, or better yet, 10,000 IU every day over the next few weeks to get your Vitamin D3 levels up to where you need them to be in order to provide optimal immune system function that better supports your body’s ability to fight of exposure to any virus.

Wrap-Up

We covered a lot today. We understand that these are stressful times, but remember: be aware, be concerned, but don’t panic. We know the coronavirus is here, and it sounds like it’s going to get worse before it’s going to get better. That’s why it’s more important than ever before for you to take every step you can to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy.

There is a lot of information about the coronavirus flying around in the media today. Remember, it’s important for you to listen to and follow the direct advice provided by the CDC and the WHO. We promise we will only provide you with the most relevant, fact-based information about this pending coronavirus pandemic.

And remember, you need to avoid all international and overseas travel, at least for the immediate future, and, you are going to:

  • Wash your hands frequently
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and immediately wash your hands
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with a cleaning product that kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.

And you are going to start supplementing with Smarter Nutrition’s Vitamin D3 every day so you can bolster your immune system, ensuring you have optimal levels to help protect you. Click here to get started on Smarter Vitamin D3.

Ok, so that’s about it for today’s show. This coronavirus is proving to be a very fluid situation. With information changing almost daily, we’ll continue to monitor the situation and I’ll make sure to keep you with the updated information that you need in order to stay on top of the spread of the coronavirus.

The Mighty Mitochondria: Great Health Starts at a Cellular Level

Maximizing health and fitness as we age does not stop at just eating better to burn fat or lifting weights to build muscle. In order to really adopt a lasting physical change you also have to start small… really small, starting with the cells. People don’t often talk about health from a cellular point of view, but the generation and maturation of your cells has a major impact on how you feel and how you go about your day. Having more energy and good health starts with those cells — more specifically the mighty mitochondria inside your cells.

Cells, and the energy factory inside the cells called the mitochondria, are microscopic, so it can be easy to overlook their importance. However, improving your mitochondrial health is one of the most important things you can do to improve the quality of your life.

Mitochondria — Energy Inside the Cell

To break down health to a microscopic level, start by imagining a single cell inside your body and what it might look like. Inside each cell is something called the mitochondria — its primary responsibility is to create energy that the cell can use to complete its important everyday processes.

Mitochondria are responsible for taking nutrients using them to create something called adenosine triphosphate, more commonly abbreviated as ATP. This is fuel for the entire body. Your body needs this fuel for all the voluntary and involuntary functions, from the most mundane tasks like sitting upright while driving in your car to more active movement, like lifting weights.

Given their role as energy producers, it’s an understatement to say that mitochondria are essential contributors to how you look and feel every day.

What Could Go Wrong? Symptoms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Despite being so tiny, cells need an incredible amount of energy in order to function properly. If the mitochondria in the cell are not doing their job, you’ll start to notice poor function in different areas of the body.

Below are some possible recognizable symptoms you might experience when mitochondria stop working efficiently:

Cognitive Dysfunction

A study published in Human Molecular Genetics found that those with a mitochondrial disorder may develop a cognitive disability, which could manifest itself in the form of a learning disability, social impairment, or inability to speak properly. That same study above suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction may play a role in the development of certain cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Mental Health Issues

Someone with poor mitochondrial health may experience an increase in issues related to mood and mindset. A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that neuropsychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder are more common in those individuals with unhealthy mitochondria.

Headaches and Fatigue

It’s not uncommon for those with unhealthy mitochondria to report feeling weak. They usually also complain about fatigue that is accompanied by headaches.

Overall Development Delays

Children with dysfunctions in their mitochondria are more likely to experience issues with their overall physical and cognitive development. For example, some experts suggest that poor mitochondrial health can influence stature and key developmental stages in children.

Now What? How Can I Improve Mitochondria Health

You now know how mitochondrial health and function directly correlates to the overall health of your body and mind. If you do recognize some or many of the symptoms that relate to possible mitochondrial dysfunctioning, what can be done to improve your health?

Let’s review some lifestyle changes you can start doing today to boost the health and performance of your mitochondria.

Intermittent Fasting (16 / 8 or 24-Hours)

Intermittent fasting has gotten a great deal of attention during the last decade for weight loss, cardiovascular health, and overall wellness. Once thought to be solely a religious practice, fasting has found support in numerous studies and expert recommendations.

A study published in PLoS One found that intermittent fasting can improve the process of getting rid of old and unhealthy mitochondria while replacing them with young and healthy ones.

There are multiple methods of intermittent fasting, but the two most popular are the 16 / 8 method and the 24-hour method.

  • 16 / 8: You fast for 16 hours each day and eat during an eight-hour feeding window. Most people start their fast at 8 p.m. and don’t begin their feeding window until 12 p.m. the next day. Water and calorie-free beverages are okay during the fast.
  • 24-Hour: Once or twice per week, you completely abstain from food. Water and calorie-free beverages are okay. Most people will begin their fast at 8 a.m. and then resume their normal eating habits at 8 a.m. the next day.

Try A Short Term Keto Diet

A study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found that the ketogenic diet was an effective treatment for a variety of mitochondrial disorders, especially for a short amount of time, like a few months.

When you are on the ketogenic diet, your body ceases to use glucose (sugar) and begins to use something called ketone bodies. Ketones are produced in the liver and the brain prefers them as its fuel source. Mitochondria are also big fans of ketones. In fact, a study published in Human Molecular Genetics discovered that the ketogenic diet helped to slow the progression of certain diseases and also improved cognitive ability, including focus and concentration.

HIIT Exercise

For all those who enjoy working out in shorter periods of time, there is a great way to naturally boost your cell’s energy production. According to PLoS One, all types of physical activity and exercise are great for mitochondrial health, but one stands above the rest: high-intensity interval training. This type of exercise is usually done in a shorter amount of time, ranging from 10-30 minutes each session.

More commonly called HIIT, this form of exercise has been shown to boost mitochondrial turnover, growth, and maintenance. One study published in Cell Metabolism concluded that HIIT workouts resulted in a 49% increase in mitochondrial capacity in young adults while older adults saw a 69% boost in mitochondrial capacity.

HIIT workouts involve performing several bodyweight exercises back-to-back with no rest until you get through the entire list. Once you rest for a few minutes, complete the list again. Here’s a sample HIIT workout that you can begin using during your next training session:

  • Jump Squats: 10
  • Push-Ups: 5
  • Side Lunges: 10
  • Pull-Ups: 5
  • Mountain Climbers: 5
  • Burpees: 5

If you have a medical condition that prevents you from performing this type of high-impact exercise, it’s still important that you get up and move around. Modifications to all the HIIT can be done and you do not have to do extreme versions like a professional athlete. You just have to get up and move your body! The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week or 75-minutes of high-intensity exercise each week.

What Else Can I Do?

Don’t want to do any pushups or lunges? No problem! Here are some additional ways to increase your physical activity level, support weight management, and boost mitochondrial health without worrying about too high of an intensity level:

  • Gardening
  • Cleaning up around the house
  • Going on long walks (optional: bring along small dumbbells)
  • Jogging
  • Cycling
  • Swimming
  • Low-impact weightlifting

Get Plenty of Sleep

When you’re sleeping, your body is able to work on removing waste and harmful buildup; this includes old and unhealthy mitochondria. If you are not getting enough sleep then you’re missing out on a chance to improve your mitochondrial health.

One study published in Science Magazine found that getting at least seven hours of sleep each night resulted in an enhanced ability to clear away biowaste while improving the health of cells and mitochondria.

In order to prepare for bed, we recommend powering down all electronics at least one hour before you crawl under the covers. Try taking a warm shower, but keeping your room cool. Consider taking a natural sleep supplement with 4.5 mg of melatonin, the optimum amount for improved sleep, and bioactive milk peptides to help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

Supplement with Active CoQ10 (Ubiquinol)

Our bodies naturally produce a coenzyme called Coenzyme Q10, which is involved in a whopping 95% of the body’s cellular energy production. Unfortunately, our production of CoQ10 declines as we age, and as a result of oxidative stress and other factors. To replenish your body’s supplies of CoQ10, you need to supplement daily with CoQ10 in its active form, called ubiquinol.

Multiple studies have demonstrated supplementing with ubiquinol helps with energy production, helps protect against damage caused by free radicals, oxidative stress, and medications, making it essential for cellular health.

Most CoQ10 supplements on the market contain only ubiquinone — the oxidized form of CoQ10, which must be converted in the body to ubiquinol, meaning most of these supplements are poorly absorbed. You really need to make sure you are supplementing everyday with at least 100 mg of ubiquinol — the only active form of CoQ10.

Conclusion

Sometimes you have to start small and work your way up when it comes to getting more energy and sustaining that throughout the day. So, think of your cells and the health of your mitochondria, the mighty energy producers! Thriving mitochondria are essential for optimal health.The best ways to support the health of your mitochondria include: intermittent fasting, trying the ketogenic diet for a short period of time, performing short bursts of high intensity interval workouts, getting plenty of sleep each night, and supplementing with ubiquinol daily.

Exercising at Home During COVID-19 (Or Anytime)

“Now more than ever, it is so important to exercise!”

Exercise, better sleep, and vitamin D are the three best ways to boost the immune system, they’re also great ways to keep your mind sharp. On today’s live show, Dr. Nancy demonstrates her step-by-step home exercise program to keep us strong, flexible and pain-free during this stressful time.

Video Highlights

  • 00:06: Introduction
  • 11:53: Backward Lunges
  • 16:17: Curtsy Lunge with a Side Kick
  • 19:07: Squats
  • 21:43: Lateral Squats
  • 23:02: Spidermans
  • 25:14: Bear Planks
  • 27:42: Bicycle Crunches
  • 30:25: Skull Crushers
  • 32:12: Burpee
  • 37:23: Sun Salutation A
  • 43:27: Sun Salutation B
  • 49:28: Additional Yoga Poses
  • 01:02:11: Beyond Exercise: Supplementation
  • 01:05:59: Dr. Nancy’s 8-Part Exercise Series

The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown is really taking its toll on a lot of people. We hope you’re doing all you can to stay well —  washing your hands regularly, and practicing social distancing. We know it’s difficult, but these things are very important at this point in the progression. It also doesn’t look like we’ll have more universal testing very soon, and when it does become more available, they’re still talking about testing only symptomatic people.

That’s a problem. If we look at that Princess cruise ship as a case study, we see that over 50% of those that tested positive did not have symptoms at the time and many only experienced symptoms weeks (not days) later. So we’ve got a lot to still figure out before we’re out of the woods. That means it’s time to start living life again, and making the most out of our home spaces and home time.

Fortunately, many people aren’t letting the Coronavirus stop them from having fun-nights in, and finding ways to connect — Livestream story reading, celebrity home concerts, and virtual game nights are popping up everywhere. Dr. Nancy and her kids decided to participate in a virtual dance party to get their bodies moving!

And that’s what we want to talk to you about today — moving your body! Most of us aren’t leaving the house right now, and the temptation is very strong to sit on the couch and watch TV or bury ourselves in phones and tablets. If you’ve given in to this and been more sedentary over the last few weeks, then maybe you find yourself stiffening up a bit, and maybe some of your old aches and pains have come back — well, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not alone, but it’s time to get your body moving. Now more than ever, it is so important to exercise!

If you’re someone who is used to taking fitness classes or a more structured work out at the gym, this might be tough. That’s why in today’s episode, we’re providing a structured program you can do at home — no equipment necessary. It’s all free, and it works! You can get active and even build a killer body right in your own home.

Let’s Work Out!

Some of the most effective exercises you can do require no equipment at all and can be done anywhere. Of course, if you have a set of dumbbells or resistance bands, these are an excellent way to ramp up the intensity on any of the moves we’re about to show you, but they aren’t necessary to get a great workout.

NOTE: Do not overdo it, especially if you’ve been less active lately. Start slowly — you’ve got time to build up your strength and endurance. We aren’t going anywhere any time soon!

Backward Lunges

This classic move is a great way to strengthen your legs and butt. Plus, some find them a little bit easier than forward lunges.

  • Standing nice and tall with the tailbone tucked and the core engaged, step your right foot back so there’s about three feet between your feet.
  • Keep both feet pointing straight ahead and keep the front knee behind the toes — don’t ever let it move beyond them.
  • Place your hands wherever feels comfortable (on your hips, down at your sides, or clasped in front of the heart).
  • Draw your shoulder blades together slightly and your head in line with your spine.
  • Lower your back knee as far as you can before coming back up to standing.
  • Do 8, 10, or 15 reps before repeating on the other side with the left foot forward and the right foot back.

For an extra challenge, place a band around your thighs, just above the knees or hold a dumbbell in each hand, keeping them down at your sides or resting them, one on each shoulder.

If you’re using weights, really keep the core engaged and the shoulders pulled back.

Curtsey Lunge with a Side Kick

  • Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
  • Step your left foot back, either behind your right foot or even a bit passt it and bend both knees into a lunge.
  • As you come back up to standing, step your left leg out to the side, bringing your left foot off the ground.
  • Repeat on the other side.

If you want to make this more challenging, place a band around your thighs, just above the knee. You can also hold a weight in the same hand as your standing leg. If you want to make this extra challenging – do both! Use the band and hold one weight!

You can also modify this by kicking your leg out to the side when you come up out of the curtsey.

Squats

This is another classic move that’s wonderfully effective and requires no equipment at all.

  • Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder distance apart and your toes pointing straight ahead.
  • Bend your knees and sink your hips, keeping the back flat, head in line with the spine.
  • Try to keep weight more in your heels, especially as you press yourself back up to standing.
  • Do 10 to 15 reps.
  • Squats are a really versatile movement. You can use dumbbells for this move, too. As with the backward lunges, hold one weight in each hand and either keep them down at your sides or prop one on each shoulder.

Again, you can do these with a band around your thighs — but make sure you focus on pressing the knees out. You don’t want them sickling in, as that can injure your knees. If you find you’re having a hard time keeping the knees pressing out, ditch the band.

Lateral Squats

You can do these with or without the band:

  • Step out to the right and drop into a squat with your feet a little wider than shoulder distance apart.
  • Bring the feet back together, and, if you want lower into a squat with the legs together.
  • Repeat on the left side.
  • Alternate sides for a total of 10 or 16 reps.

Spidermans

Not to be left out, let’s work the upper body a little bit.

  • Begin in high plank, which looks like the top of a push-up. The head should be in line with the spine and you want to keep your gaze 3 to 5 inches out in front of you. Try not to look back at your toes while you do this exercise.
  • Bring your right knee toward your right elbow and step the right foot back.
  • Bring your left knee toward your left elbow and step the left foot back.
  • Alternate sides for a total of 8 to 10 reps.

For more of a challenge, you can place a band around the soles of your sneakers.

For an extra extra challenge, add a push-up as you bring the knee toward the elbow.

Bear Planks

This move works your upper body, your core, and even your quads.

  • Begin in a tabletop position with the hands underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips.
  • Engage the core and lift your knees a few inches off the ground. Keep the back flat and the head in line with the spine. You want to try and keep your torso still throughout this move.
  • Bring your right hand and left knee together. Step back into that original Bear pose.
  • Tap your left hand and your right knee together. Step back into Bear.
  • Repeat, alternating sides, for a total of 10 to 16 reps.

If this hurts your knees, do shoulder taps instead. Alternate tapping your shoulders with your hands, instead of alternating hand-to-knee.

Bicycle Crunches

Start by lying on your back for this core exercise.

  • Bring the hands behind your head with your elbows pointing straight out to the sides.
  • Lift the head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, chin moving away from the chest.
  • Straighten your left leg and draw your right knee in toward your chest, twist your torso so your left elbow moves to meet the right knee at the same time. Keep the core engaged!
  • Alternate sides for a total of 10 to 16 reps.

If this hurts your neck or back, you can work your core out by doing forearm planks instead. Or, try a reverse plank, or a V pose.

Skull Crushers

If you have a set of dumbbells, this is a good tricep exercise.

  • Hold a weight in each hand directly above the torso and engage the core.
  • Bend your elbows, bringing the weights beside your let ear.
  • You want to imagine there’s a bar across your elbows and your bending your arms over it.
  • Do a set of 10 to 16 reps.

Burpee

  • Begin by standing up nice and tall, with feet hip distance apart, shoulder blades drawing together, tailbone tucked, and your core engaged.
  • Lower down into a squat until your hands touch the ground and jump back into a high plank. Make sure your feet are still hip distance apart and your hands are directly under the shoulders. Keep your gaze 3 to 5 inches out in front of you.
  • Jump your feet back up to your hands, and, as you come up, jump up into the air, taking the arms overhead. That’s 1 burpee.
  • If jumping is too intense, just take it out! Still lower into a squat but step back into a plank. Step one foot and then the other back up to meet your hands, and, instead of jumping at the top, rise up onto your toes and take the arms overhead.
  • Try and do 10.

Voila! There’s a total body workout with no equipment necessary that will really get your blood pumping!

Yoga

The above workout will get the joints moving, and your heart rate up, but there is also another type of movement that your body needs these days more now than ever — especially if you find that you’ve gotten stiffer with more aches and pains. It’s called yoga! And you can do it. When it comes to yoga, there’s an option for everyone, from mom’s getting back in shape, to serious athletes and advanced bodybuilders, as well as seniors of all abilities. Just do it at your own pace, to your own ability level.

Yoga is wonderful for strengthening the mind-body connection while also strengthening and toning the muscles of the body. Plus, it challenges your balance and improves flexibility, which is great for keeping your bones and your joints healthy and strong.

First, you want to warm up the body by doing a few Sun Salutations. The only equipment you’ll need is a mat. If you have a block or two, you can use those as well but if you don’t, that’s okay.

Sun Salutation A

  • Begin at the top of your mat in what’s called Mountain Pose. Stand with your feet together, tailbone tucked, shoulders down and back slightly, and the crown of your head lifting toward the sky. Your arms can be down at your sides or palms together in front of your heart.
  • Take about three slow inhales and exhales here. If you’re a more experienced yogi or if your balance is good, feel free to close your eyes.
  • Open your eyes if you closed them and take your arms overhead as you inhale.

  • Exhale and swan dive your hands to the ground and come into a forward fold. If they don’t reach – that’s perfectly okay. You can bring your hands to your shins or let them dangle toward the ground. Relax your head and neck.

  • On your next inhale, come halfway up with a nice flat back. Again, your hands can either be on the shins or you can come up on your fingertips on the ground.

  • Exhale and forward fold.
  • On your next inhale, step back so you’re in Plank Pose. You should look like you’re at the top of a push-up. You want your hands directly under the shoulders, head in line with the spine, feet hip width apart, and your tailbone tucked. You don’t want your hips to high or too low — engage your core to protect your lower back!

  • Now, you have two options here. On an exhale, either lower all the way down onto your stomach, or come halfway down into Chaturanga.

  • Inhale and come up into Cobra or Upward Facing Dog. To come into Cobra, you’ll place the hands underneath the shoulders and just lift the torso off the ground. For Upward Facing Dog, you’ll begin with the hands underneath the shoulders and slide forward a little bit as you lift your torso, hips, and thighs off the mat, pressing just the tops of your feet into the mat.
  • Exhale to Downward Facing Dog. You should look like an upside down ‘V.’ Again, feet should be hip distance apart and your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Press into the mat evenly with all ten fingers, especially the middle knuckle of each hand. Shoulders should be down out of your ears even though you’re bending forward and you want to reach your hips up toward the ceiling.

  • Look up at your hands and on an inhale, walk or step your feet to meet them.

  • Exhale and fold.
  • Inhale all the way up to standing, arms overhead.
  • Exhale your hands down to your sides.

Think you’ve got it? Don’t worry if you didn’t entirely sync your breath with each movement. As you practice more and more, that will come more naturally over time. Repeat Salutation A a few times.

Sun Salutation B

  • Begin in the same position as you did in Sun Salutation A — in Mountain Pose. Inhale the arms overhead and at the same time, bend your knees and sink your hips as if you’re sitting in an invisible chair. Right away, if you feel any pinching in the shoulders, release your arms to more of an angle or even straight out in front of you. Check in with your low back — you don’t want to stick your booty out. Tuck the tailbone so you have a nice flat back.

  • Straighten the legs as you exhale and come release into a forward fold.

  • Inhale halfway up and exhale, stepping back into Plank Pose.
  • Lower all the way or halfway down on an exhale, and inhale up into Cobra or Upward Facing Dog.

  • Exhale to Downward Facing Dog. Breathe here.

    • Up until this point, this has been really similar to a Sun A, right? Well, here’s where it’s a little different. Look up at your hands and step just your right foot forward. Drop your back heel down so your foot is at a 45-degree angle, left toes pointing toward the top left corner of your mat. With the right knee bent and the left leg straight, inhale up to Warrior I pose. Hips should be facing toward the front of the mat and your arms should be overhead.

  • Exhale the hands down to frame your right foot and step back to Downward Facing Dog.

  • On your next inhale, come into Warrior I with the left foot forward the right foot back. Stay here for a breath or two, release the hands and find your way back to Downward Facing Dog.
  • Look up at your hands, and on an inhale, step, walk, or even hop to the top of your mat.
  • Exhale and fold.
  • Inhale all the way up to standing — arms overhead.
  • Exhale your hands to your sides.

After all this you may be feeling tired, so you can always take a rest in Child’s Pose.

Alright, now that you’ve created a little heat within the body and the muscles are all warmed up, let’s move through a short sequence that is both strengthening and calming at the same time.

Warrior II Pose

  • From the top of your mat, step back with your left foot so your feet are about three feet apart. You want your legs to be in the same position as they were in Warrior I pose during Sun Salutation B. The difference here is you want to keep your torso facing to the left. Your shoulders should be directly over the hips, the core should be engaged, and the tailbone should be tucked.
  • Inhale your arms shoulder height and take your gaze out over the middle finger of your right hand. Try and keep the arms plugged into their sockets while you reach out in both directions with your hands. Keep the shoulders down away from your ears.
  • Take 5 even breaths here before straightening the right leg and switching sides, bending into the left leg.

Next, come into Triangle

  • From Warrior II on the left side, straighten your left leg, and at the same time, pull your right hip back slightly. Tip your torso, bringing your left hand anywhere along the left leg — except the knee. Avoid putting any excess pressure on your knee. This is also where that yoga block comes in handy if you have one. Place the block behind the left shin and bring your left hand to rest on it. Extend your right hand toward the sky and either look up at your hand or look down at the floor, especially if you have neck issues.
  • Again, hold for 5 breaths before coming up. To do so, feel as if someone is pulling you up by that right hand.
  • Keeping the arms shoulder height, turn the right toes toward the front of the mat, left foot at a 45-degree angle and find Triangle on this side.

  

Bound Ankle Pose

  • Bring the soles of the feet together and take the hands around the ankles, sitting up nice and tall.
  • Feel free to stay here and breathe. This might be enough for you. You never want to feel pain in yoga – you want to feel what I like to call “the good hurt.”
  • If you’d like to go further, start to hinge forward at the hips, maintaining a nice flat back. You can use your elbows to gently guide the legs open a little more by pressing them into the inner thighs or the calves.
  • Wherever you are – take 5 deep breaths. You can even close your eyes if you’d like.

 

If this is too tough, you can extend your legs out in front of you, and slowly walk your hands forward between your legs.

Bridge Pose

Slowly, come to lie flat on your back.

  • Bend your knees and bring your feet flat on the mat, hip distance apart. Your arms should be down along your sides.
  • In this pose, it’s really important to keep your face turned toward the sky. You don’t want to move your head side to side because you could injure your neck.
  • Inhale and curl the tailbone off the mat, lifting the hips up toward the ceiling. Imagine you have a block between your thighs — keep the knees hugging in toward each other, don’t let them wing out. Engage your glutes and press into the mat with the inner edges of both feet. If you can, gently press the back of your head into the mat.
  • Hold for 5 breaths.

Spinal Twist

Finally, let’s find a nice relaxing Spinal Twist to restore balance to the body before you take rest in Savasana.

  • Extend the legs long and breathe here for a moment, noticing how you feel.
  • Inhale and bring your knees into your chest. Give them a little squeeze.
  • Bring the knees across the body. You can use your left hand to gently press on the outside of the right thigh to deepen this twist a little bit. Or feel free to just rest the hand there.  Extend your right arm out to the right, shoulder height. You can take your gaze toward that right hand.
  • Hold for 5 breaths before rolling onto your back, extending the leg down, and repeating on the left side.

Savasana

At the end of every yoga practice, no matter how short, it’s always a good idea to come into Savasana for a few minutes. This gives the body the opportunity to absorb the wonderful practice you just gave it. All you have to do is simply lie on your mat with your arms down at your sides, palms facing up, and breathe naturally with the eyes closed for anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Your body will thank you for it.

Beyond Exercise: Supplementation

Exercise does so many great things for your body, not just your immune system. It can also  reduce inflammation, which probably began to set further in over the past weeks. So in addition exercise, focus more than ever on eating a healthy, more plant-based diet, and consider supplementing with Smarter Curcumin every day to help fight inflammation at its core and help you better deal with stress.

If you don’t know about curcumin, it is the concentrated active ingredient inside turmeric, and the form curcumin Smarter uses is the most bioavailable — meaning it absorbs into your body quickly and completely, so you get the most bang for your buck. Smarter Curcumin is a must for your joints, but it also helps keep your heart healthy, and even boosts the immune system in a different way than vitamin D does.

Speaking of which, you should also be taking Vitamin D3 each day — a full therapeutic dose of 5000 IUs. As Dr. Nancy mentioned in her last show, Vitamin D is a proven nutrient for boosting immunity. Studies even showed that people who regularly take a therapeutic dose of vitamin D daily had 40% fewer respiratory infections than those who take a standard dose (like you get in a multi). That’s something else that we all need right now.

Smarter Vitamin D3 is really different from traditional D3 supplements:

  • It’s 100% plant-based, which you won’t find in most stores
  • It gives you the full therapeutic dose of vitamin D3 — the 5000 IUs
  • It comes in a coconut oil based softgel, since Vitamin D is fat soluble it needs a carrier oil to work best.
  • Plus the added vitamin K2 means extra bone support.

Dr. Nancy’s 8-Part Exercise Series

We know how hard it is to stay motivated to exercise at home, and how helpful it is to have a structured program that’s both challenging and fun to keep you moving.

So we’re making Dr. Nancy’s 8-part “at home” exercise video series and 60-page workout guide available to all of you for free. This will be available very soon so stay tuned for more information!

Stay safe, stay motivated, and stay home.

Preventing Nutritional Deficiencies During Quarantine

“Let’s talk about how to eat in a healthy way, and ensure you and your family are getting enough of each essential vitamin and mineral every day.”

Today’s fresh live show with Dr. Nancy is the latest in her series on maintaining health while home on COVID-19 lock-down. Because of a lack of availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, people are relying more on packaged foods. This means foods higher in saturated fat with more refined sugars, and less essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals.

Dr. Nancy is back in the kitchen with the tips and recipes we can use to get more nutrients out of our pantries, plus the right supplements to quickly get key vitamins and minerals back to healthy levels again!

Video Highlights

  • 04:52: How Quarantine Affects Our Diets
  • 13:24: Anti-Inflammatory Foods
  • 16:51: Getting Creative with Shopping and Cooking
  • 22:59: Prevent Deficiencies by Supplementing
  • 28:31: Wrap-Up

We know most of you have social distancing down pat by now. You’re staying home as much as possible, and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from everyone when you have to go out. While you are at home, we’re sure you’re being diligent there, too; washing your hands, getting enough sleep, exercising, and getting your vitamin D. Doing these things will help keep you healthy and your immune system strong.

Something else that is more important now than ever is to keep both your immune system up and your inflammation levels down by eating right. It’s tough for many of us to make that happen right now, but missing out on key essential vitamins and minerals is not what you need right now — so let’s talk about how to eat in a healthy way, and ensure you and your family are getting enough of each essential vitamin and mineral every day, while you’re sequestered in at home during the pandemic.

This is really a serious topic right now. Everyone should be taking steps to take care of their immune system right now. The Covid-19 models still show that there is a good chance more than half of Americans may get over time, even if we flatten the curve! So you really need to take every precaution to make sure you are optimizing your health and ensuring your immune system is ready should you contract the illness.

How Quarantine Affects Our Diets

We are all living in unprecedented times. Essential items like toilet paper are still hard to find. Grocery store aisles have improved a bit, but the variety we’ve come to expect is just not there. A lot of us aren’t able to buy the fresh organic foods and brands we’re used to. Plus, we’re limiting trips to the market, which means we’re eating more packaged and processed foods than ever.

Because of this, chances are good that your diet has undergone some changes in the last month, and not for the better. There are so many memes floating around the internet lately talking about “eating your feelings,” and although they’re meant to make us laugh, a lot of them do ring true.

Stress levels are off the chart as we settle into our new normal. Most of us are either not working or we’re working from home. And many of us are getting tired of cooking, on top of everything else we need to do. We’re all struggling to strike that balance: working while also caring for children and other family members, and often without any breaks.

So we’re all stressed, which means adrenal glands get triggered sending shots of adrenaline coursing through or veins to help us cope. Now initially, adrenaline actually works to suppress the appetite and provide energy — but it’s short-lived. The continuous release of an additional hormone, called cortisol, occurs if a stressful situation is ongoing — like when a worldwide pandemic hits! This cortisol contributes to your desire to comfort eat right now.

And with all this craziness going on, that desire often doesn’t translate to grabbing a piece of fruit or a big, beautiful salad. No, this is when the body craves comfort food high in fat and sugar. Plus, with everyone home all the time, it’s easy to fall into a vacation mentality and indulge in sweet treats, cook heavier meals, or order take-out too often.

But what really has people grabbing for foods higher in saturated fat and containing more refined sugars than they are used to, is the fact we already mentioned, that people are relying on packaged foods at this time much more than they typically would.

We’re also seeing a lack of availability of fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s not because we’re having a shortage  — it’s because many people are panic buying. First it was the packaged foods and now it’s happening with fruits and vegetables. Panic buying is just as the name implies; if you live in a part of the country where there is snow, you might see this in the days leading up to a predicted blizzard, or if you live in a part of the country plagued by hurricanes. People flock to the grocery stores and big box retailers and often buy more supplies than they will ever need to weather the storm.

The problem is, panic buying has a ripple effect. Once people see the shelves being depleted, they start to panic and stock up on items, too, and that is why we’re still seeing a lot of empty shelves in our grocery stores and big box retailers. And it’s not like we can go out and shop every day at local farms — we all need to avoid going out as much as possible. So we find ourselves having to get creative in the kitchen.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

If you watch Dr. Nancy’s show regularly, you know she is a big proponent of eating an anti-inflammatory diet. If this is your first time tuning in or you’re unfamiliar with that, it includes foods like:

  • Quinoa
  • Brown rice
  • Legumes, including black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils
  • Organic nuts like almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts
  • Tahini
  • Lean protein like chicken and turkey
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Toasted sesame seed oil
  • Raw cacao powder
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Nut butters like almond, cashew, and sunflower seed
  • Spices like turmeric, black peppercorns, and ginger

Organic fruits and vegetables also make the list — in fact, they’re usually listed first, but there’s a key difference between these and the other items on the list: the other items are not as perishable as fresh produce, and chances are, you have some of these items in your pantry or even your freezer already!

As you can deduce from the name “anti-inflammatory foods”, these are foods that help keep inflammation in the body at bay. And when the body’s inflammatory load goes down, then you are less affected physically by stress, sickness, or disease, and your immune health gets a needed boost!

Getting Creative with Shopping and Cooking

Most of us right now are having to use a little creativity when it comes to mealtime. One thing you might try is buying organic frozen produce. Frozen produce usually isn’t as good as the fresh stuff, but it’s far from bad and in some cases it can be even better.

Fresh produce is often picked before it’s fully ripened to account for transportation time to your local grocery store. This stunts the development of the produce’s nutrients. Frozen produce, on the other hand, is picked later when they are more ripe and contain the most nutrients. It’s then blanched, which takes away some nutrients, and frozen within hours of being picked, locking in the nutritious goodness. So keep an eye out for those; this can be a great way to get fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Anti-Inflammatory Pantry Staples

Two great foods to use as a base to an anti-inflammatory diet are beans and rice. Beans and rice, when eaten in combination, make a complete protein (meaning it contains all nine of the amino acids essential to your daily diet). You need these amino acids to help with:

  • Mood
  • Synthesizing hormones
  • Preserving muscle… and
  • Boosting immune function

Simple Beans and Rice Recipe 

To start, cook up a batch of rice according to the package directions, on the stove or in a rice cooker. It may be a good idea to soak the beans the day before cooking. This can help make the beans more bioavailable to the body, and make digestion easier.

Next, add a little onion and garlic, as well as some of the other spices mentioned, and just like that you have a meal the whole family will love. Get multiple meals out of the leftovers by adding a splash of creativity — add ground chicken or turkey, steamed vegetables, or put it on a bed of greens with a homemade apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing. You can also add bone broth to the rice and beans to create a delicious chili. As a bonus, organic chicken bone broth is another great immune boosting food.

There you have it! Simple meal options the family can enjoy for days, and each one made with inflammatory-fighting foods.

Prevent Deficiencies by Supplementing

Give these foods a try, but keep in mind chances are we’re all coming up short these days in key nutrients that we really need right now like the B vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Zinc, Boron, Magnesium, and more.

This is not the time to walk around nutrient deficient! That’s why we should each be stocking up on a high-quality, food-based multivitamin. And you need something better than what you find on grocery store shelves — like the Smarter Multivitamin.

A few things you should know about the incredible multi: there’s a formula for men, and one for women, and each is formulated to deliver the specific right amount of nutrients your body needs.

That means it doesn’t contain excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals you don’t even need. Many traditional multivitamins contain way too much of certain cheap nutrients, which can throw your body out of whack, and too little of other nutrients to address any deficiency. The Smarter Multi is a perfect balance of essential vitamins and minerals, primarily sourced from organic, whole food sources — not a bunch of synthetics created in a lab like you find in the traditional rock-hard multi tablet.

In fact the minerals come in loose pack powder capsules so you absorb them quickly, and the vitamins come separately in an easily absorbed veggie softgel. Both are super gentle on the stomach.

The best part, though, is where the nutrients come from. For example:

  • Calcium is derived from almonds, Amaranth grain and the superfood red-green algae
  • Magnesium comes from sesame and sunflower seeds, spearmint leaf, dill and okra
  • Zinc is derived from wheat germ, pumpkin seed, watermelon, banana and cocoa
  • Boron comes from prunes, broccoli, peach, and pear

Wrap-Up

We know it’s a challenge to whip up healthy meals while fresh fruits and vegetables are harder to come by, but it’s important to choose healthier options wherever you can to support your immune system and overall health. Also make sure you take your Smarter Multi every day for the added insurance! For a limited time, when you use coupon code: IMMUNEBOOST during checkout, you’ll get 10% off your Smarter Multivitamin order.

Remember to stay safe out there and do everything you can to protect yourself and others during this strange time.

5 Exercises to Relieve Chondromalacia Patella Knee Pain

“If you’re suffering from knee pain and you think it might be chondromalacia patella, check out these five exercises.”

The condition we’re talking about today is one you may not have heard of, but many people experience its effects. Chondromalacia Patella is a painful disease involving cartilage in the knees. Today Dr. Keller Wortham, MD, will explain more about how the knee works and how this condition can affect it, and demonstrate five easy exercises that can help prevent it or bring relief. If you’re suffering from knee pain or know someone who is, make sure you tune in.

Video Highlights

  • 00:32: Chondromalacia Patella
  • 02:11: Anatomy and Motion of the Knee
  • 04:20: Symptoms of Chondromalacia Patella
  • 05:04: Diagnosis
  • 06:48: Chondromalacia Patella Grades
  • 08:14: Five Strength and Alignment Exercises
  • 15:45: Exercises to Avoid
  • 16:46: Other Knee-Friendly Exercises
  • 17:18: Reducing Inflammation
  • 18:20: Wrap-Up

Chondromalacia Patella

Chondromalacia patella is a disease of the cartilage underneath the kneecap that causes knee pain. The medical word for the kneecap is the “patella”. The term “chondro” refers to the collagen or the cartilage, and “malacia” indicates disease.

Chondromalacia patella causes pain and a burning sensation in the knees, usually in the anterior knee. Unlike the more traditional arthritis, this can happen in younger, and more athletic people. It’s often referred to as “runner’s knee” or “jumper’s knee.” If you play a sport that has a lot of repetitive motion, and creates a lot of stress on the kneecap, you may be at risk of developing this condition.

While chondromalacia patella tends to be an overuse injury, it’s also one that can develop over time. There are a few things that can lead to an increased risk of this particular condition in addition to athletic activities that put pressure on the knees, including some alignment issues that could lead to the kneecap becoming irritated.

Anatomy and Motion of the Knee 

There are several components that make up or surround the knee area: the femur (the upper part of the leg), the tibia (the lower part of the leg), and the kneecap, which is the fulcrum that allows you to get leverage across that joint. At the bottom of the femur, are some smooth mounds encased in cartilage, with a groove in the middle of them called the trochlear groove. The underside of the kneecap has cartilage as well, and it’s supposed to glide in that trochlear groove to give you a nice, smooth range of motion, and the leverage that you need to move your leg.

Unfortunately, some people can start to get poor motion or range of motion of the kneecap in that little groove at the bottom of the femur. Sometimes that can happen because congenitally, they were just born with incorrect alignment, or perhaps the groove is just too shallow, so the kneecap isn’t able to sit snugly in it, and it can rub the sides.

Muscle imbalances can also lead to this. Sometimes people have weak hamstrings or weak quadriceps — the muscles on the anterior and posterior portions of the thigh. An imbalance may also exist in the abductors, which are the muscles that help you open and close your legs. Many of these muscles attach directly to the kneecap, so muscle imbalances can pull the kneecap out of its proper alignment in that groove. So, those are some of the anatomical things that can lead to it, as can repetitive motion from some sports, which can inflame the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap.

Symptoms of Chondromalacia Patella

If that cartilage becomes inflamed, it can get very painful. You might notice a little bit of a burning sensation, or feel a grinding sensation. Often, you might feel pain just sitting, especially for long periods of time, like in a car, or at the theater. That’s because the way your legs are configured in that position puts more tension on the kneecap and holds it more tightly against the femur underneath. You may also notice a decreased range of motion or pain along that range of motion.

Diagnosis

If you start experiencing these symptoms, the best thing to do is get to your doctor for an assessment. Your doctor will likely first do a physical exam — inspect the knee to see if it’s swollen or red. Usually, with this particular condition, you don’t get a lot of swelling or redness, and your range of motion, although  it’s usually a little sore, is not quite so limited. However there is sometimes a grinding or cracking that you can hear and sometimes feel. So, if you put your hand on your knee and extend it, you might hear the sound, or even feel it vibrating under your hand, and your doctor will feel it as well. They might notice some relative weakness in parts of your quadriceps muscle, on the front of your thigh, or an imbalance in the muscles on the interior and exterior part of your thigh. They can also watch the way your kneecap tracks in that groove to see if it appears to pull to one side or another.

If any of these signs are present, you can then move forward and get some imaging to help confirm a diagnosis. Usually, that involves an x-ray to rule out other more serious conditions like arthritis. The best way to evaluate cartilage and inflammation in a joint, is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). That’s where we can really see what’s happening within the knee itself and specifically what’s happening on the underside of the kneecap where that cartilage is. That imaging will help you determine how severe your chondromalacia patella is.

Chondromalacia Patella Grades

How serious this condition is, can be measured in grades.

  • Grade 1 — there’s a little bit of a softening of the cartilage underneath the kneecap.
  • Grade 2 — In addition to softening, there’s some kind of disruption or change in the texture and smoothness of the cartilage.
  • Grade 3 — the condition is more advanced. Not only is there softening and a rougher texture, you’re also experiencing some cartilage loss or thinning of that protective cartilage.
  • Grade 4 — at this stage, you are actually seeing a bone underneath that cartilage. So, you’ve lost so much cartilage that the bone is now exposed. When it starts to rub on other areas or other bones, that’s when you really start to get into advanced arthritis and pain.

Five Strength and Alignment Exercises

There are some techniques that you can do to help correct for those alignment issues if you have any, and help strengthen some of the muscles that might be weaker. These five exercises can help correct chondromalacia patella and strengthen your legs.

Straight leg lift

  • Start by lying down on the floor or a mat.
  • Keep one leg just bent with your foot flat on the floor
  • Extend the other leg out, keeping the foot flexed
  • Raise the leg at the hip joint, about 45 degrees, and hold for about two or three seconds
  • Lower it back down, keeping your movement controlled
  • Repeat 20 times on each side

This should engage the quadriceps and strengthen the anterior part of your thigh. You don’t want to go fast. That doesn’t really help you. You’re using a lot more energy and getting a lot more strength if you perform this exercise slowly, with control.

Clam Exercise

This movement will really strengthen the adductors and abductors of your legs.

  • Lie on your side to start, with your knees bent
  • Open your legs and raise the upper leg up, keeping the knee bent. Your knee should now be pointing at the ceiling.
  • Hold it there for two or three seconds
  • Slowly go back down, again, with control
  • Repeat 15 times on each side

Roller Leg Lifts

The third exercise is a little bit like the first one, but in this case we’re going to use a roller, or a rolled up towel under your knees. You can do it just under one knee if you don’t have a long one.

  • Lie on your back, legs extended, with the roller or towel under your knees
  • In this exercise, you’re just extending at the leg. So, you’ve got a little bit of a bend in the knee this time and the extension is happening not at the hip but within the quadriceps to raise the lower part of the leg.
  • Hold this for 5 or 10 seconds
  • Lower back down with control
  • Repeat 10 or 20 times per side

You could alternate sides, but you may get more continuous use of the muscle and build more strength by doing all reps on one side before switching to the other.

Wall Slide

  • Find a wall and stand with your back to it. Place your feet about six inches to a foot away from the wall, hip-width apart and your bottom against the wall. You can place your hands against the wall as well.
  • Slide down the wall, until you reach a 45-degree angle. You don’t have to go all the way to 90 degrees, and if you have issues with your kneecaps, definitely don’t go that far.
  • Hold that 5 to 10 seconds, and then push yourself back up the wall slowly
  • Repeat 10 to 15 times, holding 5 to 10 seconds a piece.

Dumbbell Lift

This sixth exercise is a little more intense, so if you do have bad knees or are a little bit worried about form, be a little more cautious with this one.

  • Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. You can use whatever weight you think is comfortable for you.
  • Bend over at the waist, leaning forward with your chest and head up, making sure that your knees do not go in front of your toes
  • Come back up.
  • Repeat 10 to 15 times

This is not a squat. You don’t want to be sitting back on your heels and going into deep squat. This is leaning your chest forward, bending your knees, again, about 45 degrees, holding it, and then, pushing back up, tightening your core, tightening the small of your back, and your abdomen. If you’re keeping your alignment strong — your knees safely over your second toe and not in front of your toes, holding it, and then you’re pushing back up slowly — this exercise is going to strengthen a lot of those muscles in your thigh, and upper leg, that are going to basically help balance out and protect the alignment of your kneecap.

You can do all five of these easy exercises you can do at home. Most of them take no equipment, and they can help strengthen the muscles of your legs and your thighs to help keep your kneecap in alignment.

Exercises to Avoid

Some things that you definitely don’t want to do if you’re working with knee pain or chondromalacia patella include:

  • Deep squats where you’re going down past 90 degrees. That puts a lot of pressure on your kneecap.
  • If you’re at the gym, be very careful about the leg extension machine. Especially when it’s coming from a very low angle, that’s a lot of fulcrum pressure on your knee that puts a lot of stress on the underside of the kneecap. Some of these machines are adjustable, so if you can position the bar so that you’re only doing the last 10 to 15 degrees, that would be okay.

Other Knee-Friendly Exercises

Other healthy activities include yoga and Pilates. You might have to modify some of the poses, so make sure that you’re working with a teacher who can instruct you there. Swimming is also great for the knees. It’s very low impact and doesn’t put a lot of pressure on the kneecap at all. But you want to avoid things like running, jumping, and sports like volleyball and basketball that put a lot of impact on your knees. You want to make sure that you get the kneecap well balanced and healed before you start putting additional stress on it.

Reducing Inflammation

You can also add some nutritional products to your regimen, to help reduce inflammation and improve joint health:

  • Curcumin, a natural inflammation-fighter, which is the active ingredient in turmeric. Smarter Curcumin is formulated with curcumin in its most active and bioavailable form. This is a great option for people who prefer natural inflammation fighters to NSAIDs, which have some serious side effects.
  • Smarter Joint Food is another natural supplement that can nourish and increase the health of your cartilage, and improve joint mobility.

Wrap-Up

We hope this overview of chondromalacia patella was helpful. If you’re suffering from knee pain and you think it might be chondromalacia patella, check out these five exercises, try them at home, and go see your doctor!