On previous threads here (you could do a search), some suggested having Vitamin D levels checked. D3 seems to help many with joint pain. If you're under 50, take at least 2,000 IU per day. In your dh's case, I would suggest 5,000 IU. My dh and I safely take 5,000 IU and we live in the tropics. If you're 50 or over, take at least 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3. An average-sized adult can, under normal circumstances, take 5,000 IU per day. Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption. Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency Don't be concerned that 2,000-5,000 IU will give you too much. The human body can make 10,000 IU of Vitamin D in 30 minutes of sun exposure – children included – with no ill effects. In addition, no adverse effects have been seen with supplemental vitamin D intakes up to 10,000 IU daily. To this day, medical textbooks mention the risk of vitamin D toxicity. Yet, the scientific literature suggests that toxicity occurs only with very large intakes of vitamin D over prolonged periods (more than 10,000 IUs daily for longer than 6 months). Except in people with disorders known as granulomatosis (such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis), little risk (if any) is associated with vitamin D supplementation. Mood swings, depression, and bipolar disorders are all linked to a Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D helps normalize brain function. D3 helps many with inflammatory problems, joint pain, and overall pain. WHO IS DEFICIENT IN D? Most people are deficient! • Body-mass index (BMI) and obesity • Older people • Dark-skinned people • Strict vegetarians • People with celiac, Crohn’s disease, and cystic fibrosis • Heredity • Certain medications • Regular use of sunscreen • Northern Latitudes (above that of Atlanta, Georgia) D3 in pill form is very poorly absorbed. Be sure to take the oil-filled gelatin capsules, and take them with a meal that contains fat to help with absorption. If you have your D3 levels tested and you’re low, you can go up to 10,000 IU per day for a couple of months, and then re-test to see if there's improvement. If you get your D3 levels tested, I think the ideal is to get them to levels of at least 60-70. If it turns out that your body just doesn't absorb vitamin D very well, you may wish to talk to your doctor about whether 30 minutes of daily sun exposure in warm weather or very short tanning sessions in cold weather would be appropriate.

ACUPUNCTURE helps with all sorts of pain, especially fibromyalgia CHIROPRACTIC/MASSAGE – both help immensely with pain Be aware that you should wait for any inflammation to subside before starting either. HYDROTHERAPY has been proven to help with arthritis. No medicine on the market can rival the physiological effects of water. Warm to hot water eases joint pain by reducing swelling and increasing blood flow to fight inflammation. Begin with a daily 10-minute walk, take up a gentle yoga class, or try the slow movement of Tai Chi. Doing Tai Chi twice a week reduces knee pain, as does strengthening your hips with conditioning exercises. Water aerobics, gentle yoga, and swimming help also. YOGA can provide great relief for achy knees LOSING WEIGHT is key – even 5 extra pounds of weight increases the load on your knees tenfold SLEEP - Get enough sleep. Your body needs a full night of quality sleep to fight pain. Sniffing lavender oil before sleep can help you. More illnesses are caused by a need for magnesium than for calcium. Arthritis and joint pain are caused by excessive calcium and insufficient magnesium. For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (which most of us have), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. NATURAL SOURCES Almonds Avocado Barley Beans Brazil nuts Brown rice Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Dates Figs Garlic Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens) Kelp Molasses Millet Parsley Pecans Rye Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality) Shrimp Walnuts Whole Grains Wheat bran Wheat germ EPSOM SALTS BATH Taking a bath or a foot soak with Epsom salts is one of the best ways to increase the body’s absorption of magnesium. Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and are easily absorbed by the body. Take a hot bath with up to 2 cups of Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda (optional) to help draw toxins out of the body. Try to do this once a week, but for no more than 20 minutes. A foot soak can also be very beneficial. Epsom salts are so helpful in bringing relief to: • Arthritis pain, stiffness, soreness, and tightness of joints • Muscle aches, pains and tenderness • Painful bruises, sprains and strains • Pain from over exertion as a result of exercise • Insomnia and Sleep Problems • Stress • Insect Bites and Splinters

Karen, I hope and pray he finds relief. :grouphug: Here are my tips for joint pain. I also have tips for depression. Let me know if you want those. I just didn't want to overwhelm you. It's most likely that the depression is a result of the joint pain. Hopefully, he will find relief very soon. These tips are all long and I apologize for them being overwhelming. Just do what you can and what's best for your situation. A good acupuncturist or any good alternative practitioner might be very helpful. Acupuncture can be fabulous for joint pain. These tips are all if, God willing, there's no Lyme Disease, etc. Supplements - I get all ours from vitacost.com and/or amazon. Great prices and helpful reviews. SUPPLEMENTS Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Carlson’s Fish Oil is a very good one – Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory 1500 mg Glucosamine and 1200 mg Choindrotin Sulfate 3 times a day- try it for 3 months and see if you notice a difference 40-80 mg Hyaluronic Acid (HA) – “Hyal-Joint†A daily dose of B complex (50 mg) will restore spent energy 5 grams of the sugar D-ribose twice daily will stimulate the production of ATP, the fuel that powers your body’s tissues and muscles. People who suffer from excessive joint and muscle pain and fibromyalgia (widespread muscle pain) often have low levels of ribose. NUTRITION Often, dehydration causes joint pain, which progresses to stiff pain. Make sure you’re drinking enough water! Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Chia Seeds, Walnuts, Flaxseeds – these are naturally anti-inflammatory Green Tea - 4 cups of green tea daily with a squirt of lemon juice. Green tea can help reduce joint pain greatly. Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Some studies suggest it works to ease the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also help with other inflammatory conditions, such as tendinitis. Try to consume a soupspoon of turmeric every day, with a pinch of black pepper and olive oil. You can use it in all your cooking. Eat 1 cup a day of red or purple fruits, such as berries, cherries, pomegranates, red grapes – or drink 1 cup of juice without added sugar – these food-based antioxidants help ease inflammation and joint disease like arthritis Eat cherries as often as possible. Consuming 20 a day (about 2000 mg of cherry fruit extract) has been proven to provide more pain relief than aspirin and other painkillers. Cherries—when tart—and their juice are rich in melatonin, the antioxidant hormone that regulates circadian rhythms and helps promote sound sleep—without which we’re more likely to pack on pounds and develop diabetes and heart disease. Anti-inflammatory, low-glycemic, and radioprotective, tart cherries and their juice contain more melatonin than is found in human blood, finds Russel Reiter, PhD, at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Eat them fresh or dried, and mix a bit of tart cherry juice with water, particularly when you’re working out—to lessen joint inflammation from exercise. Sesame Seeds provide plenty of copper, a nutrient essential for joint health – just don’t overdo copper.

Denise, when we traveled from London to Tel Aviv with a very short layover (just like your daughter's) in Vienna, we didn't have to go through customs. There was a very short security line right by each gate. But not customs. So yes, for us it was just a walk from gate to gate. Both times. I've never seen anyone have to go through customs when they have layovers in non-U.S. countries. She just needs to keep her eyes open for signs directing her to gates, in-transit, etc. And she can always ask. :) She'll be fine. This must be very exciting for her! :D

Still reading and enjoying I Still Dream About You. There's just one part of the book that I find rather annoying. She keeps repeating this and going on and on about it. Other parts of the book are very good. I always like Fannie Flagg. Light, fun, humorous, full of hope and has a nice bit of depth as well. Overall, this is not my favorite Fannie Flagg book by any means, but I am liking it a lot.

:iagree: I seldom worry about color. Consistency and texture are a different matter, however. The harder the stools and/or the less regular, the more constipated one is. That's when the diet needs to improve, more water, and more activity.

I take it (although I have been rather lazy lately and do appreciate the reminder) and love it. No side effects whatsoever. I love Emerita.

We have different colors in pretty much every room.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

:iagree:

One of very favorite books. :D Yes, as you know, I love Fannie Flagg and The Geography of Bliss :D. I'm going to look into A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I really, really want to read this. It's been on my wish list since I first heard about it from someone here, probably from you. That totally blows about the abuse :glare:. I had no idea. How very, very sad. You didn't ask me, but I would say "Outliers". I liked this book a lot, even though it was very disturbing. It's not a book that I loved, loved, loved. But I definitely liked it very much.

So sorry to hear this. It's hard when our husbands and loved ones are not well. I can fully relate. My parents take SAM-E and it seems to help them somewhat. Mind you, for joint pain (and for pretty much anything), dietary changes are often necessary also. If you need more tips on joint pain and/or depression, let me know and I'll post them here. In the meantime, this is the info I have on SAM-E: 800-1600 mg Sam-e daily – always take on empty stomach (take with large doses of B Vitamins). I read that a 1200 mg daily dose of this amino acid controls pain and improves function as effectively as Celebrex. Good for arthritis If you’re depressed AND suffer from chronic pain from conditions like arthritis, take SAM-E. This eases depression and acts as an anti-inflammatory to relieve aches. Avoid SAM-E if you have bipolar disease. Start with 1600 mg a day, then cut back.

:iagree: Although I've never had success with a bronzer. Mind you, the reason may be that the last time I tried one was about 20 years ago. I'm sure they've improved. Yes, I also love my New York and Company slacks. You've hit it right on the nail about fit at Coldwater Creek. I wish they had better fit. I do have a gorgeous skirt & top from there and I have a horrible, horrible time finding a well-fitting nice skirt and top. BTW, I cannot stand it when skirts are sold without matching tops or "suggested" matching tops. :glare: My fashionista dd LOVES In Style. Sadly, very sadly, Grenada no longer brings in ANY magazines. None. :glare: Yesterday, a friend arrived from the U.S. and brought her an issue. She's in heaven. I also love the How Not to Look Old book. Although I do prefer her other one if I had to choose. I love both books. I'm constantly working on becoming more clothes/style-conscious. Getting rid of some frumpy clothes and boxy T-shirts, particularly those I wear during the day or while teaching the kids. I love comfort, but oftentimes comfort can go a bit too far if you KWIM :tongue_smilie:. Dd wishes that I would get rid of all my capris. Her wish is very slowly, ever so slowly, being granted. :D My wish is to always be stylish enough so that I don't get all flustered when anyone rings the doorbell or I run into someone near our home. ;)

Becky, so glad to hear that yours went away. :) And yes, most supplements take at least a few weeks, oftentimes more, to start working. Same with dietary changes. I thought so also. The only reason I'm not worried too much is that she mentions her mother getting them early also. Plus, there are some lucky ones (IMHO, since I would love to have early menopause AND I wish I had started my period after the age of 16 ... I wish, I wish, I wish!) who just start getting perimenopause and later menopause symptoms in their mid-late 30s. You are officially in menopause only after you haven't had a period for a full year. Perimenopause can begin 10 years before menopause, as your hormones begin to fluctuate. Lots of the symptoms overlap. Some women find the symptoms worse in peri than they do after the "pause." • Unusually heavy, irregular, or long-lasting periods • Bleeding mid-cycle, when periods had been regular • Getting your period again after not having had it for 6 months or more • Difficulty concentrating and/or mood swings • Unexplained insomnia, sweating, and/or joint or muscle aches at night • Frequent urination • Vaginal pain or dryness that does not improve with home treatment :iagree:

Oh no, 20 is not some magic number, it's just an example. Also, it was one of the options on Rivka's poll. That's my reason. I don't have any attachment to that number :lol:.

Phew! She's going to love you. :lol: I just wanted to say that your avatar always makes my family smile. :D That's weird. :confused: :confused: :confused:

:iagree:

One more thing I wanted to add, I don't know about you, but this is by far the busiest and most active forum I've ever seen. On the other forums that I visit, which are, on average say 1-5 pages, you tend to read every single post, but here, where 20 + pages are quite common, most of us can't do that. We'd love to, but we just can't.

Rivka, I voted when: more than 20 pages long AND other. This is a very interesting question. Oftentimes, when I do this, I have intent to later read every post and I usually end up doing so. Usually :tongue_smilie:. I may be eager to post and might be in a hurry or whatever. But I try to read all or most of the replies later. Other times, I realize that many of the posts might be repeats and I really might not have time to read all of them. Or, of course, if more than 20 pages long, I might not be able to get through all that. I don't see it as necessarily rude. I do, however, think that the OP should take the time to read all the replies, since she's the one who asked the question to begin with. If I've offended here since I have been guilty of this, I do apologize.

Dawn, is your hair naturally auburn? If so, you most likely are an autumn. :) The colors you listed - most of them - if my memory serves me correctly, look great on you. Gosh, I really miss that book and my swatch. It's my all-time favorite color book and I used to read it voraciously. :) Jenny, no need to reply if you're busy, etc. Just some quick thoughts: 1. Slacks/dressy top/Pantsuit/Dresses - also try Macy's or similar stores and go at less crowded times when you're more likely to get helpful service. 2. Talbot's might be another option, although I've never had luck with them. As well as Ann Taylor or Ann Taylor Loft, etc. I like both Ann Taylors. 3. You're not going to like this and I never do - but if things don't fit right, and they seldom do on most of us, you may really and truly need to get a tailor to fit things right. It costs a bit more, but it's well worth it. Clothes that fit right are what really and truly matter. I have learned this very reluctantly (not that I can always follow it) from years of experience and watching shows like "What Not to Wear" and Tim Gunn. 4. Since I live in the tropics and no one really wears hose at all ever, I was confused when I kept reading that hose is out. Now I get it. So, it's okay to wear pantyhose in the winter, right? Well, thank goodness for that! :lol: 5. All the stores mentioned above should have good online options also. Good luck and let us know how it went or is going if you feel like it and have time. My dd would love to go shopping with you. She LOVES fashion, shopping, and giving advice. She makes clothes and has already had her stuff shown in a fashion show here. :)

Um ... did you need help planning, making a list, or are you all good to go? :D :lol:

Thanks, sweet of you to check. :grouphug:

Nance, I have had equally embarrassing moments with my dd, if not worse :lol:. Except mine was in public. I'm now going to put more emphasis on geography ;). Dd was talking to a friend recently and thought that they speak "Haitian" in Haiti. I later corrected her (not in front of friend) and said that they speak French. On another occasion, dh was too funny. We were in transit in Vienna and he thought that they speak "Austrian". I roared with laughter. "Honey, there's no such language. It's called 'German'"! :) When I saw your subject heading, I thought of an ongoing joke that my dc and I have when Firefox is about to shut down, "Well, this is embarrassing" ... some here may know what I mean ;). My dd and I talk back to the computer and say, "Actually, not really. There are far more embarrassing things that come to mind." :lol:

Very true. Good point.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Praying for you and thinking of you and your family a lot, lot, lot.