Recipe of the Week

Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.

I always remember my parents being very keen to book a holiday somewhere hot once the cold weather started and, as Rosemary has alluded to already, it was because they both suffered a lot from osteoarthritis. They felt a significant improvement in their stiff joints in warmer climes!  

There was also much joint replacement going on in their later years so it is no surprise that as I am one of seven children there are already four of us who have had joint replacements too.  Clearly, there is a genetic influence here and my family is living proof of it.

It is estimated that 8.75 million people have some level of arthritis in the UK.  The chances are that anyone over the age of 50 has one or more joints affected and the amount of pain and discomfort generated differs hugely from one person to another. For some, it is debilitating and seriously affects the quality of their life but others are able to just live with it. My husband has now had two new knees and a new hip and, before they were replaced, his quality of life had gone into serious decline due to considerable pain and lack of mobility. Playing rugby as a young man has a lot to answer for!

Looking at the diagrams below makes it easy to see why pain is a major factor. Without the cushioning effect of the articular cartilage that covers the surface of the ends of the bone, the thought of 'bone on bone' sounds painful even when you just say it!  Once the cartilage begins to thin with age then the surrounding ligaments and tendons have to work harder. The end result is the formation of bony spurs called 'osteophytes' that simply add to the pain and discomfort. Add to all this the ‘thickening’ of the synovial fluid and it is no surprise that the joint is not so well 'oiled' and movement becomes stiff and painful.

As with my family, genes have an influence here, but there are many other causes, with the main ones being overuse and trauma injuries. For example, arthritis may develop in the elbows and shoulders of those who have worked with pneumatic drills, in the wrists and elbows of hairdressers, in the hands of boxers, or in the feet and ankles of professional dancers. So clearly what type of work or sports activity we do throughout our lives has an influence on the level of arthritis we might expect in older age.

The most common and often debilitating problem of the arthritic joint is 'stiffening' after a period of immobility. Just a night in bed is a long enough period of immobility to make it difficult to get the joints moving first thing in the morning. It is estimated that by the age of 55, 85% of people have some level of arthritis but only 25% of those may be complaining about it. It is often seen as simply a natural consequence of getting on a bit!

So that's the bad news...enough of that... now let’s look at the good news!

Here is a list of the HUGE benefits of regular exercise:

• Movement of the affected joints makes pain and swelling ease up!  My regular walkers may be moaning about their knees or hips before we start walking but ALL agree that once they have got going and warmed up the pain disappears!
• Muscles become stronger providing better support for the joints.
• Joints become more supple, particularly after mobility and stretching moves that maintain the range of movement (ROM) of the joint, reducing stiffness.
• Posture improves so joints are better aligned and held in place.
• It helps to maintain a healthy weight.  Being overweight puts an enormous strain on our joints, particularly the knees and hips. Losing excess weight will drastically reduce our pain.
• Natural painkillers (endorphins) are released
• Exercise helps us get a good night’s sleep when the body can repair itself.

Did you know... 

Mention "Chilli" in the UK and most people probably think of Chilli con Carne, the popular stew-like dish full of beans, meat and a tomato sauce, usually served with rice.

Often it is said to include "Chilli Beans" leading to the misconception that these "spicy beans" give the dish its flavour. Actually, it is usually made with Red Kidney Beans, which are remarkably bland on their own, the spicy flavour of Chilli con carne coming from the fiery red chilli peppers used in the recipe.

Chilli peppers are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the (deadly) nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. Chilli peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add "heat" to dishes. Capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids are the substances giving chilli peppers their intensity when eaten and while chilli peppers are (to varying degrees) pungent or "spicy", there are other varieties of capsicum such as bell peppers, often used in salads, which generally provide additional sweetness and flavour to a meal rather than “heat.”

So, if you fancy having a go at making Rosemary's Recipe of the Week, Chilli Bean Soup, don't forget the Kidney Beans, but feel free to add in as much Chilli as you wish, or leave it out altogether, to make your soup as spicy or as mild as you like!

You might also like to try Rosemary's Cheats Chilli con Carne