What Nobody Teaches You About Strengthening Your Knees
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Strengthening unhappy knees can seem difficult, because many obvious exercises like squats may hurt, and can feel like they are doing harm (and if your knees are bad enough, maybe they are; it depends on many factors). Here’s a way to improve things:
The muscle nobody talks about
Well, not nobody. But, it’s a muscle that’s rarely talked about; namely, the tibialis anterior.
It plays a key role in decelerating knee motion—in other words, the movement that hurts if you have bad knees. It’s essential for absorbing shock during activities like walking, climbing stairs, and stepping off curbs
So, of course, strengthening this muscle supports knee health.
The exercise this video recommends for strengthening it involves leaning against a wall with feet about a foot away (closer feet make it easier, further makes it harder). Note, this is a lean, not a “Roman chair”.
The exercise involves squeezing the quadriceps, lifting toes toward the nose, and engaging the tibialis anterior muscle. If you’re wondering what to do with your hands, they can be held out with palms open to work on posture, or hanging by the sides. Do this for about 1½–2 minutes.
For more on all this, plus a visual demonstration, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like to read:
When Bad Joints Stop You From Exercising (5 Things To Change)
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How to survive extreme cold
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Cold weather can be deadly, especially in places not used to extreme cold. A December 2024 study found that cold-related deaths have more than doubled between 1999 and 2022, with over 3,500 deaths reported in 2022.
Climate change doesn’t only mean rising temperatures; it also causes extreme weather, including extreme cold.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency defines extreme cold as “temperatures that are lower than historical averages to the point that it creates a dangerous environment for people, animals, and critical infrastructure.”
“There’s rightfully been a focus on heat deaths because of the context of global warming. But both can be true,” said Michael Liu, the study’s lead author, in a Washington Post article. “Cold-related deaths are still a public health risk.”
Cold weather-related injuries and deaths are preventable. Preparing ahead of time ensures you can stay safe when cold weather hits.
Stay informed
Following local news and weather reports will keep you aware of extreme weather in your area so you can plan accordingly. Many state and local governments provide emergency text and mobile app alert services.
The National Weather Service automatically sends English and Spanish Wireless Emergency Alerts related to weather emergencies to compatible cell phones. Although iPhones, Androids, and most smartphones are WEA-compatible, you may need to check your device’s settings to ensure they are turned on.
Make a cold weather kit
When planning for cold weather, prepare for the worst-case scenario. Extremely cold temperatures, snow, and ice can cause power outages, frozen or burst pipes, loss of wireless and cell signals, and hazardous driving conditions.
A cold weather kit for your home should include:
- A flashlight with extra batteries
- A first-aid kit
- Extra water and non-perishable food to last a few days
- Baby supplies, such as diapers and formula to last a few days
- Pet supplies, such as food and litter to last a few days
- Warm clothes and blankets
- Sufficient amounts of your prescription medications and special medical equipment
You may also wish to add a battery-powered NOAA weather radio in your kit. These radios, which can be purchased for as little as $20, allow you to receive weather updates during power and internet outages.
Experts recommend staying indoors and avoiding driving in extreme cold. If you must drive, make sure your car has a cold weather kit before the winter. In addition to the equipment in a home cold weather kit, the National Weather Service suggests that a winter car survival kit also include:
- Jumper cables
- Cat litter or sand for tire traction
- Shovel
- Ice scraper
- Blankets/sleeping bag and warm clothes
- Hand warmers
- Charged cell phone with a spare charger
- Basic tool kit
Become familiar with warming centers
Many cities offer warming centers for people who need short-term shelter during cold weather. Check nearby centers’ locations, operating hours, and pet policies in advance. If your local warming centers don’t accept pets, other locations, like kennels and vet clinics, may temporarily board pets.
Learn how to use heating and power devices safely
Many deaths in cold weather are not from cold temperatures but from fires and carbon monoxide poisoning from improper use of heaters and generators.
All living spaces should be equipped with working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which should be tested monthly. Some fire departments provide free and low-cost detectors.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, heaters are the second leading cause of house fires.
“Space heaters are involved in more than 1,000 home fires across the country every year and factor into the vast majority of home heating-related deaths,” said former Department Of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at FEMA’s 2024 #WinterReady Extreme Cold Summit.
Space heaters should never be left unattended, used around unsupervised children or pets, or left on overnight. They should be plugged directly into a power outlet, not power strips and extension cords. Additionally, they shouldn’t be operated on unstable or uneven surfaces.
The U.S. Fire Administration also recommends that you “keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters or candles.”
Generators and portable coal- or gasoline-powered power stations can help you stay warm and maintain power during outages. However, these devices should never be used indoors, as they produce deadly carbon monoxide. Generators should be set up outdoors, at least 20 feet from vents, windows, and doors.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can also be a risk when trying to stay warm inside a vehicle. To avoid this, never leave your car running inside a garage, even if the door and windows are open.
For more information about cold weather resources, check with your local government and FEMA and the National Weather Service.
This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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How long does back pain last? And how can learning about pain increase the chance of recovery?
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Back pain is common. One in thirteen people have it right now and worldwide a staggering 619 million people will have it this year.
Chronic pain, of which back pain is the most common, is the world’s most disabling health problem. Its economic impact dwarfs other health conditions.
If you get back pain, how long will it take to go away? We scoured the scientific literature to find out. We found data on almost 20,000 people, from 95 different studies and split them into three groups:
- acute – those with back pain that started less than six weeks ago
- subacute – where it started between six and 12 weeks ago
- chronic – where it started between three months and one year ago.
We found 70%–95% of people with acute back pain were likely to recover within six months. This dropped to 40%–70% for subacute back pain and to 12%–16% for chronic back pain.
Clinical guidelines point to graded return to activity and pain education under the guidance of a health professional as the best ways to promote recovery. Yet these effective interventions are underfunded and hard to access.
More pain doesn’t mean a more serious injury
Most acute back pain episodes are not caused by serious injury or disease.
There are rare exceptions, which is why it’s wise to see your doctor or physio, who can check for signs and symptoms that warrant further investigation. But unless you have been in a significant accident or sustained a large blow, you are unlikely to have caused much damage to your spine.
Your doctor or physio can rule out serious damage.
DG fotostock/ShutterstockEven very minor back injuries can be brutally painful. This is, in part, because of how we are made. If you think of your spinal cord as a very precious asset (which it is), worthy of great protection (which it is), a bit like the crown jewels, then what would be the best way to keep it safe? Lots of protection and a highly sensitive alarm system.
The spinal cord is protected by strong bones, thick ligaments, powerful muscles and a highly effective alarm system (your nervous system). This alarm system can trigger pain that is so unpleasant that you cannot possibly think of, let alone do, anything other than seek care or avoid movement.
The messy truth is that when pain persists, the pain system becomes more sensitive, so a widening array of things contribute to pain. This pain system hypersensitivity is a result of neuroplasticity – your nervous system is becoming better at making pain.
Reduce your chance of lasting pain
Whether or not your pain resolves is not determined by the extent of injury to your back. We don’t know all the factors involved, but we do know there are things that you can do to reduce chronic back pain:
- understand how pain really works. This will involve intentionally learning about modern pain science and care. It will be difficult but rewarding. It will help you work out what you can do to change your pain
- reduce your pain system sensitivity. With guidance, patience and persistence, you can learn how to gradually retrain your pain system back towards normal.
How to reduce your pain sensitivity and learn about pain
Learning about “how pain works” provides the most sustainable improvements in chronic back pain. Programs that combine pain education with graded brain and body exercises (gradual increases in movement) can reduce pain system sensitivity and help you return to the life you want.
Some programs combine education with gradual increases in movement.
Halfpoint/ShutterstockThese programs have been in development for years, but high-quality clinical trials are now emerging and it’s good news: they show most people with chronic back pain improve and many completely recover.
But most clinicians aren’t equipped to deliver these effective programs – good pain education is not taught in most medical and health training degrees. Many patients still receive ineffective and often risky and expensive treatments, or keep seeking temporary pain relief, hoping for a cure.
When health professionals don’t have adequate pain education training, they can deliver bad pain education, which leaves patients feeling like they’ve just been told it’s all in their head.
Community-driven not-for-profit organisations such as Pain Revolution are training health professionals to be good pain educators and raising awareness among the general public about the modern science of pain and the best treatments. Pain Revolution has partnered with dozens of health services and community agencies to train more than 80 local pain educators and supported them to bring greater understanding and improved care to their colleagues and community.
But a broader system-wide approach, with government, industry and philanthropic support, is needed to expand these programs and fund good pain education. To solve the massive problem of chronic back pain, effective interventions need to be part of standard care, not as a last resort after years of increasing pain, suffering and disability.
Sarah Wallwork, Post-doctoral Researcher, University of South Australia and Lorimer Moseley, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences and Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy, University of South Australia
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Inhaled Eucalyptus’s Immunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Effects
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It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!
In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!
As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!
So, no question/request too big or small
❝At the first hint of a cough or a cold, I resort to steam inhalation. Some people add herbs or aromatic oils to the boiling water. What do you recommend?❞
First of all, please do be careful:
Western science’s view is predominantly “this is popular and/but evidence for its usefulness is lacking”:
But! Traditional Chinese Medicine indicates shuanghuanglian, yuxingcao and qingkailing, which the China Food and Drug Administration has also approved:
Chinese Medicine in Inhalation Therapy: A Review of Clinical Application and Formulation Development
Indian scientists are also looking at modern scientific applications of certain Ayurvedic herbs:
Promising phytochemicals of traditional Indian herbal steam inhalation therapy to combat COVID-19
In terms of what is likely more available to you, there are several reasons to choose eucalyptus over popular alternatives:
Immune-modifying and antimicrobial effects of Eucalyptus oil and simple inhalation devices
For the sake of being methodical, here’s an example product on Amazon, though we’re sure you’d have no trouble finding this in your local pharmacy if you prefer.
Take care!
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Thai-Style Kale Chips
10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
…that are actually crispy, tasty, and packed with nutrients! Lots of magnesium and calcium, and array of health-giving spices too.
You will need
- 7 oz raw curly kale, stalks removed
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp red chili flakes (or crushed dried red chilis)
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp water
- 1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (pick one with no added sugar, salt, etc)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Thai seven-spice powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
Method
(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)
1) Pre-heat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / Gas mark 4.
2) Put the kale in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over it. Work the oil in gently with your fingertips so that the kale is coated; the leaves will also soften while you do this; that’s expected, so don’t worry.
3) Mix the rest of the ingredients to make a sauce; coat the kale leaves with the sauce.
4) Place on a baking tray, as spread-out as there’s room for, and bake on a middle shelf for 15–20 minutes. If your oven has a fierce heat source at the top, it can be good to place an empty baking tray on a shelf above the kale chips, to baffle the heat and prevent them from cooking unevenly—especially if it’s not a fan oven.
5) Remove and let cool, and then serve! They can also be stored in an airtight container if desired.
Enjoy!
Want to learn more?
For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:
- Brain Food? The Eyes Have It!
- Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits?
- What’s The Truth About MSG?
Take care!
Don’t Forget…
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Top Foods Against Neuroinflammation
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Chronic inflammation is something you might feel in your joints, but it will usually be in the brain too. There, neuroinflammation can disrupt brain function, affecting stress responses, mood, cognition, and even alter brain structure. It’s also heavily implicated in the pathogenesis of various forms of dementia.
What to do about it
Dr. Tracey Marks, psychiatrist, bids us eat:
- Fatty fish: omega-3-rich fish like salmon reduce neuroinflammation.
- Leafy greens: spinach, kale, and collards protect brain cells and support neurotransmitter production.
- Berries: blueberries and strawberries improve memory and protect neurons.
- Nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, and flaxseeds support brain health and reduce inflammation.
- Turmeric: curcumin combats inflammation and supports neuron growth (best with supplements).
- Fermented foods: yogurt and sauerkraut improve gut health, benefiting the brain via the gut-brain axis; not just the vagus nerve, but also, remember that various neurotransmitters (including serotonin) are made in the gut.
Of course, you should also avoid alcohol, nicotine, red meat, processed meat, and ideally also white flour products, and sugary foods (unless they are also rich in fiber, like whole fruit).
For more on each of these, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like to read:
How to Prevent (or Reduce) Inflammation
Take care!
Don’t Forget…
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Tomatoes vs Carrots – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing tomatoes to carrots, we picked the carrots.
Why?
Both known for being vitamin-A heavyweights, there is nevertheless a clear winner:
In terms of macros, carrots have a little over 2x the carbs, and/but also a little over 2x the fiber, so we consider category this a win for carrots.
In the category of vitamins, tomatoes have more vitamin C, while carrots have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, E, K, and choline. And about that vitamin A specifically: carrots have over 20x the vitamin A of tomatoes. An easy win for carrots here!
When it comes to minerals, tomatoes have a little more copper, while carrots have more calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Another clear win for carrots.
Looking at polyphenols, carrots are good but tomatoes have more, including a good healthy dose of quercetin; they also have more lycopene, not technically a polyphenol by virtue of its chemical structure (it’s a carotenoid), but a powerful phytochemical nonetheless (and much more prevalent in sun-dried tomatoes, in any case, which is not what we were looking at today—perhaps another day we’ll do sun-dried tomatoes and carrots head-to-head!).
Still, a) carrots are not short of carotenoids either (including lycopene), and b) we don’t think the moderate win on polyphenols is enough to outdo carrots having won all the other categories.
All in all, carrots win the day, but of course, do enjoy either or both; diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like to read:
Lycopene’s Benefits For The Gut, Heart, Brain, & More
Enjoy!
Don’t Forget…
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