Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I have been diagnosed with tendonitis on the top of my right foot due to standing on cement 4-5 hours daily. I am in therapy to strengthen the tendons as they heal. Is there anything else that I can take that will help reduce inflammation and strengthen them? Thank you for any help or advice you can give me.” —Nicole F., Lowell, MA A. Dear Nicole, Yes, most definitely! There are products I would highly recommend. But first, make sure you are doing what you can to keep your feet healthy while standing on concrete. You need thick-soled, well-fitting shoes, and you may want to look into orthotics (shoe inserts) to support your foot arch. Sometimes tendonitis develops and/or is made worse by improper positioning and strain on the feet. Regarding tendonitis, there are definitely products that you can take to help your tendons. First, I suggest an organic silica product extracted from horsetail, about 40 to 80 mg a day to start with. As your foot improves, you may be able to drop down to 20 to 40 mg a day. Because silica is poorly absorbed, please look for a product that contains organic silica and bioflavonoids, blended with marine lipids. This greatly increases absorption and you will get the best benefits. Bioavailable silica is one of the best things I know to strengthen collagen, and your tendons and ligaments contain a great deal of collagen. Also, for pain and inflammation, I recommend a combination of curcumin, boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase. Since curcumin is poorly absorbed, you need to read product labels and find one that has enhanced absorption using turmeric oil and the clinical studies to prove it. Follow the directions on the product you select. Keep in mind that tendons and ligaments respond slowly because they have a very poor blood supply. You will have to be patient as you may need several months of nutritional support. Good luck, and remember to give it time to heal.