Not all supplements and vitamins are created equal. There is a lot more to taking a natural approach to health treatment than just buying what someone told you to. Or, worse, taking a supplement that you think is helpful, based on your own research (aka “Dr Google”) - but is actually harmful to your unique health situations and pharmaceutical medications.
As a supplement company, Haraka Life is passionate about helping you find a natural remedy for your joint stiffness, inflammation, and pain – while not conflicting with any medications you currently take. In interviewing the founder who formulated the ingredients in this powerful supplement, I discovered interesting information related to other natural products people are using for joint issues. Her insight was valuable, and I share it here. I also did more research and have included multiple links and sources for you to do more research on your own – another activity we regularly encourage you to undertake.
The Difference between Natural and Pharmaceutical Treatments
Haraka Life in the USA has now been successfully starting customers on the product and results are positive. However, the #1 reason some customers are not yet seeing results is because (a) they took it for only a couple of weeks; and (b) they didn’t take it consistently – often skipping doses, or just stopping for a week, etc.
Natural supplements are not the same as “popping a pain pill.” The best way to explain this is to use the metaphor of fire fighting vs. fire prevention – the fire being your symptoms.
For example, you get up one morning and you’re in a lot of pain, or just finding it hard to move – you reach for your anti-inflammatory drugs, or a prescription painkiller. In a few hours, yay! You feel much better. That’s like calling the fire department and they rush in and put out the fire…problem solved. But there is left behind. Sodden furniture, smoke stains on the walls, maybe even some things broken. But the fire is out, right? Your body now has to take extra time and energy to mitigate the damage done by a drug – re-building its chemical balancing, flushing out unnecessary toxins, and re-establishing key factors like digestive and heart health. Just like cleaning up your house after the fire is out, the clean up in the body takes time and energy. The next day – you wake up perhaps feeling even more tired. And so the cycle repeats.
Now, imagine you are having a bad day, but instead of taking a pain pill, you spend some time doing some stretching, relaxing in a meditation for a while, or taking a warm bath. You take a supplement – and keep taking it – every day. One day, in a few months, you realize that you’re having many more good days than bad. You also suddenly notice that you can bend over to tie your shoes without as much effort. You feel stronger and more able to stand up straight. You have now established a fire prevention routine – one that supports and strengthens your body, and over time, you are less and less likely to experience a “fire” day of pain and stiffness.
The choice between taking the fire fighting or fire prevention approach is mostly dependent on the approach and mindset you have to life in general. You may be that “instant gratification” person – not willing to play a longer game. Or, you are the person who makes decisions based on the long term gain, knowing that there may be a short term period of waiting and/or discomfort.
The choice is yours. Bottom line – if you choose to take a supplement like Haraka, you must give it up to 3 months to work. It’s fire prevention remember – and that can take a while as your body assimilates the support it’s received and integrates it into the healthy and harmony of your entire physical system.
What other natural supplements are people using for joint pain/stiffness?
The self-management of your health is an art – in that you are the one in touch with your body and your symptoms. If you know what works and what doesn’t, for your body you have the best path forward to protect yourself from illness in the longer term. It’s a nuanced approach – looking at the whole picture. Just because one thing might help your joint pain, will it help or harm your digestive system? If you are taking medications for blood pressure, in particular, it’s essential that you read the labels and understand the risks of many natural products for joint health.
Here are just a few examples, based on the research done during the formulation of Haraka:
Turmeric: A very popular supplement, and freely available. Turmeric is a blood thinner and if taking in too high a dosage, it can be harmful, especially if you have high blood pressure, or are already taking a medication like Warfarin. Here is a great article on the topic. To get relief for your arthritis symptoms, you would need to take far more turmeric than is safe. In another article, the potential downsides of turmeric are presented in a balanced way. Here is another great article that presents all the facts about turmeric. In most articles you will find that using turmeric in cooking is highly advantageous. To activate the ingredients, however, take it with black pepper.
Chondroitin + Glucosamine: Another popular supplement, often used by those who suffer from joint immobility, swelling, and pain. (I have taken the leading brand of this product for years, and when I stopped it, I found absolutely no difference. But that’s just me, and to be fair, I was then taking Haraka anyway – which has replaced both this and turmeric in my regimen.) I went looking for research, because once more the Haraka founder had said that it doesn’t directly impact or help arthritic conditions. There is not enough positive evidence to support the inclusion into our formulation, plus, like turmeric, these ingredients carry a warning related to blood thinning. This is a great article from the Arthritis Foundation gives you the research results.
If you take a compound that includes MSM – this article also confirms that while MSM is “slightly advantageous” – it also carries some risk, and ideally should not be taken for extensive periods.
Collagen: There is fast growing trend currently toward taking collagen, and I couldn’t find anything that says it’s NOT good for you. That said, this article from the Arthritis Foundation once again presents the facts. This is potentially advantageous addition to your regimen, but it will not be your only solution. Every supplement you add to your regimen costs money, too. The average price per serving of collagen is 0.91c which is not terrible, but should be considered.
Fish Oil : If you regularly take fish oil, you should be commended for it, because in general, fish oil could be beneficial to your health. However, results related specifically to conditions of arthritis, and even cardiovascular health, are not overly optimistic about the efficacy of taking a fish oil supplement. You are better off getting in the habit of eating oily fish twice a week. (pilchards, trout, herring, mackerel, tuna, sardines, salmon). This article from the Mayo Clinic is a great article about fish oil as a supplement.
As I mentioned earlier, I am our own new customer, having been on Haraka now since August, when the USA office first received inventory. In the time since then, I’ve let all my other joint related supplements run out and I have not replenished them. I have never felt better! Plus, my expenses are way down. The multiple supplements get expensive, and I can now use only one that is a reasonable price, for all the same results.
If you are still trying to navigate all this, remember these final points as we close:
- You are in charge of your health and your body. Be smart and do your homework.
- Read labels, talk to your doctor, and become selective about your supplementation.
- If joint pain is your constant companion, it’s time to give Haraka a try. But it’s a fire prevention tactic, remember. Give it 3 months.*
Till next time – here’s to YOUR limber life!
*We are currently offering a HALF PRICE 90-day supply, in exchange for your testimonial. If this is of interest, email us at info@harakalife.com