july 2006.pmd - Nahant, Massachusetts USA

NAHANT HARBOR REVIEW • JULY 2006 • Page 12Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfatewww.AllynAuction.comWe Are The Fast Lane To A Closing, Come Join Us Now!AUCTION DATE & TIME:Sunday, July 2nd, 2006at 2:00 p.m.REGISTRATION & VIEWING:1:00 P.M.AUCTION VENUE:122 Willow RoadNahant, MA 01908Buyer’s Premium:$25,000 deposit for bidder numberFIRST TIMEEVER ONTHE MARKET!DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES“Please attend our auctions...Remember, opportunitiesare never lost, someone else will take the one youmiss.” Rick Allyn, President, MA Lic#2392For more information, visit www.AllynAuction.com,or call 781-592-8100Location at top of Little Nahant Road (rain date Monday October 9th)Open to children ages 8-16.Entry form must be accompanied by a check for $75 (add $225 if ordering anew car kit ) made payable to Nahant Soap Box Derby Fund. Mail to NahantSoap Box Derby, c/o S. Hamill, 86 Little Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 byJuly 29. For info call Suzanne Hamill at 781-592-1263, or Bumper Gooding at781-599-6145Donations and sponsorships gratefully appreciated!Name (please print):____________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________________Phone______________________ Email____________________________Date of Birth_________________Weight___________________________Racer’s T-shirt size____________Parent shirt size____________________I am using last year’s car _______I need a new car kit (add $225)________I prefer a DVD copy __________ VHS copy ___________of the raceName of parent or legal guardian__________________________________Signature of parent/guardian______________________________________Q. There has been talk, recently, about whetherglucosamine and chondroitin sulfate help arthritis. ShouldI take them or not. What is your suggestion?A. The dietary supplements, glucosamine andchondroitin sulfate, are popular as alternative treatmentsfor arthritis. These substances occur naturally in the bodyand are thought to promote healthy cartilage formationand repair, thereby aiding in pain relief for people withosteoarthritis. A large study, funded by the NationalInstitutes of Health, was recently conducted to assess thesafety and efficacy of these supplements. The resultswere published in the New England Journal of Medicinein February, 2006. The findings suggest that, aside frommild stomach upset, there are few side effects from thesupplements. It appears that taking glucosamine andchondroitin sulfate together, is more beneficial thantaking only one of the supplements. Some people, withmoderate to severe arthritis, gained more pain relief thanthose with only mild arthritis. Further study is needed, todetermine the relevance of this finding, due to smallsubject numbers.This study looked only at the effect of glucosamineand chondroitin on KNEE arthritis. The implications forarthritis in other areas of the body are not clear. Thequestion of what brand of supplement is most effectiveremains.In conclusion, if you are already taking one, or both,of these supplements, or are considering taking either ofthem, consult your physician. People who are diabetic,who take blood thinners, or who are allergic to shellfish,may need to take special precautions. Pregnant women, orthose considering childbirth, should seek medical advice,before using these supplements. Your physician can helpyou decide if your arthritis is likely to be helped by thesesupplements and may have recommendations regardingbrands or dosages. The dosages used in most studies are1500 mg/day of glucosamine and 1200 mg/day of chondroitinsulfate. Glucosomine and chondroitin sulfate maytake up to 6-8 weeks to take effect.Please submit questions about musculoskeletalproblems to us in writing and send to: NSPT, 1WidgerRoad, Marblehead, MA 01945, c/o Nancy DeMuth. Formore info, check these websites: www.arthritis.org orwww.nccam.nih.gov (click on glucosamine).Planning underway for Soap BoxDerby 2006by Suzanne HamillLast year’s Soap Box Derby was a huge success,featuring the spectacular race, as well as pizza, music, anda fantastic food festival. It was a day of fast cars and lotsof family fun! Planning is well underway for anothergreat race. The 2006 Nahant Soap Box Derby will be heldSunday, Oct. 8th, beginning at 10:30 a.m., at the top ofLittle Nahant Road.The race is open to children ages 8-16. Organizerswill be accepting registrations on a first-come, firstservedbasis, until the end of July. Entrants receive two t-shirts, one for themselves and one for their sponsor orparent, as well as a trophy or medallion, and a DVD copyof this year’s race, filmed by Nahant’s own DougFrauenholz, of Apogee Media Services.Entry forms are now available by calling SuzanneHamill at 781-592-1263, or Bumper Gooding at 781-599-6145.