Can a mild osteoarthritis be reversed with proper exercise, meditation, visualizations, and a change in diet? I’ve read about total remission of cancer and heart disease, but I wonder if it’s also possible for the musculoskeletal system. I’m a 31-year-old woman and have mild osteoarthritis of my sacroiliac joints and my lumbosacral joints. I just started meditating twice a day and stretching. I haven’t started doing yoga, but I plan to. I also drink ginger tea because I read it has anti-inflammatory properties Can you recommend anything else I can do?

The day that human beings decided to walk on two legs was the beginning of spinal problems. Living on a planet with gravity, we all experience some degree of joint pain at some point. Many studies of osteoarthritis show that x-ray findings don’t always correlate with the level of day-to-day pain an individual experiences. Despite evidence of osteoarthritis on X-rays, many people have limited or no symptoms.

Whatever degree of osteoarthritis one has, it is possible to function with less discomfort. According to Ayurveda, most joint problems are rooted in a Vata imbalance, under the theory that excessive Vata dries out the synovial fluid that lubricates joints. An Ayurvedic approach to spinal pain is multidimensional, encompassing the mind, emotions, spirit, and physical body. I encourage you to continue with your meditation practice, which will yield many healing benefits over time. Research shows that meditation helps the brain increase its production of natural pain killers.

It is also helpful to follow a nutritional program that keeps you at your ideal weight. People with joint pain often find themselves in a negative cycle where their pain limits their activity resulting in weight gain that puts strain on the joints. I encourage you to integrate a daily gentle yoga practice into your life, with a focus on listening to your body, when it generates signals of resistance. Yoga can help you maintain and improve your range of motion. Gentle stomach crunches and cobra poses can improve your core muscle strength and help take the strain off spine joints. Since there is often an emotional component to chronic back pain, I suggest looking at your relationships, job, and other areas of your life to see if there is some aspect of your life that isn’t nurturing you – and then find ways to change that.

Love,
David