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Benefits of a Natural Approach
| It is not uncommon for an arthritis sufferer to have varying degrees of more than one type of arthritis. Regardless of the type of arthritis, the end result is pain and inflammation at the sight of affliction. This fact has led to the popularity of over-the-counter and prescription medications to combat inflammation, and thus diminish pain. Medicines such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs come with long term side effects, including a worsening of the arthritic condition. They work by interfering with hormone-like compounds called prostaglandins.
For decades, medical researchers, including those with the Arthritis Foundation itself, refused to acknowledge that diet, nutrition, and allergies could play a role in immune function and arthritis. Today, however; studies have shown that arthritis can be reversible, and in some cases, curable with proper diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes. These changes can not only relieve the inflammation and pain but stop degeneration and rejuvenate the affected joints.
Unlike toxic drugs, natural therapies and diet modification can often provide relief from chronic inflammation and pain. One of the most compelling reasons for using natural therapies in arthritic conditions is that while some drugs can cause cartilage destruction, natural therapies correct the underlying factors involved in arthritic cartilage degeneration. Natural therapies have been shown to perform by the following mechanisms:
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- Attracting water to the cartilage locations to enhance synovial lubrication.
- Inhibiting COX-2 (enzyme responsible for prostaglandins and inflammation)
- Suppressing cartilage-destroying enzymes, collagenase and phospholipase
- Suppressing TNF-alpha, IL-1b, and IL-6 (cytokines, responsible for systemic inflammation and hypersensitivity)
- Inhibiting the formation of PE2 (inflammatory compound)
- Promoting the synthesis of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in the joints
- Reducing production of LTB4 (facilitates IL-1b and IL-6)
The principle keys for treating and preventing arthritis is proper diet and nutrition, detoxification, stress reduction and exercise. As it is with most programs, there is no single treatment that is right for everyone. Since there are different forms of arthritis, there is not a single prescription that will help all sufferers. The treatment needs to be tailored to fit the individual. It is for this reason that we would like to provide the different modalities that are available and that have had great success with arthritis.
The Nutrition Connection
Standard research, particularly on the subject of rheumatoid arthritis, but also in osteoarthritis, has proven that in numerous cases, the inflammation of arthritis can be significantly and positively affected by nutrition. The influence of diet on arthritis is almost certainly related to the immense connection between the intestinal lining, where food is absorbed, and the surrounding immune system structures known as gut-associated lymphoid tissue. The digestive tract is the location of specialized lymphoid tissue that is imperative for protection against the adverse effects of intestinal microbes such as bacteria, viruses, and assorted microorganisms that live in the intestinal tract. In addition to protecting, this lymphoid tissue in your gut prevents systemic immune responses to food antigens and plays a vital role in maintaining tolerance to self.
According to H.M. Buchanan, from the Department of Dietetics, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia, “There is evidence from several well documented case reports that there are some patients with rheumatoid arthritis who may develop aggravation of their arthritis as a result of allergy to their diet.”
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Five years later, researchers from the Department of General Practice, University of Oslo, Norway released a study that showed the effect of a vegetarian diet on rheumatoid arthritis over a two-year period. According to H.M. Buchanan, from the Department of Dietetics, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia, “There is evidence from several well documented case reports that there are some patients with rheumatoid arthritis who may develop aggravation of their arthritis as a result of allergy to their diet.” Five years later, researchers from the Department of General Practice, University of Oslo, Norway released a study that showed the effect of a vegetarian diet on rheumatoid arthritis over a two-year period. This research revealed that not only do omnivores with rheumatoid arthritis improve with fasting and a subsequent vegetarian diet, but immune issues, bowel bacterial balance and several other maladies associated with rheumatoid arthritis also change for the better. Some of the subjects in the study consumed a strictly uncooked vegan diet that consisted of: berries, fruits, vegetables, roots, nuts, germinated seeds and sprouts. They showed highly increased levels of alpha and beta-carotenes, lycopene, and lutein in their blood. In addition, increases in vitamin C and vitamin E were very significant.
In contrast to the above, there are many doctors, such as Michael Murray of Seattle, Washington that believe that the consumption of cold water fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, and salmon will significantly reduce inflammatory/allergic responses. These are a source of essential fatty acids that are valuable for the prevention of arthritis because of their anti-inflammatory characteristics. Along the same vein, studies have shown supplementing your diet with a good source of cod liver oil, may also reduce the inflammatory process.
The primary keys for treating and preventing arthritis are proper diet and nutrition, detoxification, and stress reduction. Special care should also be taken to avoid substances that might cause allergic reactions in the body. If needed, natural hormonal supplementation and replacement is essential. Pain management and correction of skeletal and postural problems can be attended to through an assortment of other modalities, including environmental medicine, herbal medicine, bodywork, chiropractic, acupuncture and Ayurvedic medicine.
The following dietary changes are suggested as a preliminary start to fighting arthritis. If followed, the diet is likely to bring fairly significant relief to those who are nutritional responders:
• Avoid the customary food allergens- wheat, rye, barley, and oats (all contain a protein called gluten). Corn, dairy products, pasta, white bread and red meats. Considerable inflammation may occur with the nightshade family foods such as peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant. These should be avoided for at least the first 2-3 weeks.
• Citrus fruits should not be eaten for at least 2 weeks-They should then be re-introduced once every three days. If you are intolerant, you should know in about 1-2 days. If this is the case, you should eliminate this food again completely.
• Eat plenty of organic sulfur-containing vegetables- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, leeks, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and garlic.
• Drink plenty of freshly made organic juices- such as apple, carrot, cabbage, celery and spinach. Make sure your vegetables are organic, get out your juicer and drink up!!
• Drink plenty of distilled or purified/filtered water every day- You might want to read a book called, “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” by Doctor Fereydoon Batmanghelidj. He states that your body has no water storage system to draw from in times of need, and that the parts of the body that suffer most from a shortage of water are those without direct vascular circulation, especially the joint cartilages in fingers, knees, and the vertebrae. “Chronic pains of the body are often indicators of chronic dehydration”, according to Dr. Batmanghelidj.
• Eat plenty of cold water fish- herring, mackerel, wild salmon and sardines. You can even have any form of soy for protein.
• Try and keep to foods that are low on the glycemic index- oatmeal, quinoa, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, flaxseed oil, nuts and whey proteins.
• An important gateway into treating arthritis lies in achieving normal body weight- excess weight puts amplified stress on weight-bearing joints affected with the disease.
• Gout sufferers should also maintain a low-purine diet- completely omits organ meats, meats, shellfish, yeast (baker’s and brewer’s), herring, sardines, mackerel and anchovies. The elimination of alcohol is imperative, as it increases uric acid production and reduces uric acid excretion in the kidneys. In addition, foods with moderate levels of protein, including dried legumes, spinach, asparagus, fish, poultry and mushrooms should be curtailed.
Organic cherry juice is a must for gout sufferers and found to favorably affect collagen metabolism, as to prevent and reduce inflammation of joints.
You will probably experience detoxification symptoms by the 2nd or 3rd day and it is usually resolved by the end of the week. Depending on how toxic you were to begin with, the symptoms may include a moderate to strong headache, increase in muscular aches and pains, weakness, light-headedness, everything is in slow motion, loose bowels or even a cessation of bowel movements.
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