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Foods for Arthritis

awesome — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:00:41 +0000

Is it possible that you can cure your arthritis by eating the right foods? Or, is it possible to stop eating the wrong foods and experience improvements in your symptoms?

According to the Arthritis Foundation there are more than 100 related conditions that fall under the term of arthritis and only the more common seem to garner any research. And even those forms that have been researched have not seen any cures developed, let alone determining causes.

Arthritis symptoms often appear and disappear without warning. That makes is difficult to determine if you obtained relief due to changes in your diet. As an arthritis sufferer, you want to feel you have some control over the treatment options based on the relief and benefits it provides and the potential side effects.

Several studies into the relationship between diet and arthritis have concluded that a diets high in empty calories from refined carbohydrates and fat can aggravate rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Another study concluded that 5% of arthritis patients experienced aggravation of their arthritis symptoms after drinking milk. Other foods that have been shown to worsen arthritis pain include dairy, fats and red meats.

A 1998 study from Finland discovered that adding lactobacillus improved RA symptoms. There is support for this finding in experiments on mice, where mice that were given lactobacillus were not as ikely to develop RA and their immune systems were better able to deal with it if they did.

If you do decide to make changes to your diet it is important to ensure you are not reducing or eliminating important nutrients as a result. If you believe that certain foods or types of food often lead to aggravation of your arthritis symptoms an elimination diet might be an appropriate approach. Any foods that you think are causing deterioration in your symptoms should be eliminated from your normal diet for several weeks. Then you can start reintroducing them to your diet, one at a time, over a period of time. If you find that the inflammation and pain return, or increase, after a particular food is eaten, then it may be a cause of your problem.

You should perform this test several times to make sure that other factors were not involved. Make sure that you record what foods and when they were eaten and the time and date of any flare-ups of inflammation or pain. Reviewing these records should help you pinpoint any foods that are potential problems for you.

As a starting point, common food groups suspected of aggravating pain are in the nightshade group, which includes tomatoes, eggplant, white potatoes and bell peppers. Others foods to test for include wheat, corn, rye, grapefruit, lemons, eggs, red meat, milk, sugar, cheese and coffee.

Several studies, going back to the 1950′s, have detailed the benefits of fish oil for arthritis symptoms. The beneficial ingredients in fish oil are omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, or EFAs. Fish oil supplements are widely available, but they do have some potential negative side effects, such as gas, upset stomach and a residual fish taste. Many nutritionists recommend getting omega 3′s by eating cold-water fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, bluefish, herring, mullet and anchovies You can read more in our article on Fish Oil for Arthritis

Additionally, research at the University of Manchester found that people with elevated levels of beta-cryptoxanthin, which is related to vitamin A, were 40% less likely to develop arthritis. This nutrient can be found in yellow or orange- fleshed vegetables and fruits and. Beta-cryptoxanthin is thought to enhances skin, bone and immune system health. Vegetables with the highest amounts include peppers, winter squash and pumpkin. Fruits high in beta- cryptoxanthin include persimmons, tangerines, and papayas.

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Alternative Treatments for Arthritis

awesome — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:00:51 +0000

Many arthritis sufferers have tried unusual and rather nasty ‘cures’ for their disease like enduring bee-stings or covering themselves in cow-manure. The benefits must have been rather less spectacular than the cures or else everyone else would have done the same.

One arthritis cure suggests that half a glass of raw potato juice followed by chewing two or three juniper berries will do the trick! While this may be so, many doctors and scientists researching arthritis have studied the benefits of taking nutritional substances like vitamins. In fact, studies have shown that people with arthritis are mostly deficient in the B group of vitamins, though whether this is due to the disease or to the fact that taking aspirin depletes the body’s stores of this vitamin is not clear.

Vitamin C, E and beta-carotenes are powerful antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals. These oxygen-reactive free radical molecules are thought to contribute significantly to disease and tissue damage. It has been found that cells from damaged knee cartilage can release great amounts of free radicals. In fact, studies have shown that those who have a high Vitamin C intake have a two-thirds reduction in the risk of further damage to their knees. Well-known scientist Dr. Linus Pauling recommends 18 grams of V-C per day as an arthritis preventative measure.

Osteoarthritis can cause thinning of the bones, and so can prednisone, often given to treat it. It makes sense then to increase the amount of Vitamin D and calcium, both of which are bone-builders. As far back as 1974, British scientists found that lack of vitamin D contributed to bone fractures in the elderly with arthritis. Lack of sunlight and an unhealthy diet both contributed to the lack. The recommended daily dose of Vitamin D is 400 IU or 600 IU if for those over the age of 60. A daily dose of 1200 IU is the limit as this vitamin is toxic if too much is taken.

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant; working in a similar way to vitamin C. Studies in Germany have proven that it can help to reduce pain. Good sources of this vitamin can be found in wheat germ, sunflower seed, corn oil, legumes and whole grains.

While some people swear by the arthritis cure that their copper bracelet brought, there is no scientific link to copper as being an aid to arthritis. In fact the opposite is true. Those with RA often have higher levels of copper in their blood. Too much copper can make you sick.

Selenium deficiency can cause a particular type of arthritis called Kashin-Bek disease, but it is more common where the soil is deficient in selenium, though sufferers of RA have less in their blood than others. Fish, organ meats, whole grains, nuts and beans will provide selenium.

Zinc may help reduce pain, stiffness and swelling. Some trials showed this was true, though others gave conflicting results. Oysters, cheese and tofu are all good sources of zinc.

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Celadrin for Arthritis

awesome — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:00:03 +0000

Celadrin – or cetyl myristoleate – is one of a number of supplements taken by arthritis sufferers, but it really came into its own recently when the government withdrew popular painkillers like Vioxx from the market due to health concerns. This left many arthritis suffers with no option but to consider an operation to relieve their pain. An operation or a supplement like Celadrin? Many decided to try the less invasive option first.

Traditionally, doctors have not been keen to offer supplements to their patients, but many are increasingly coming to see that products like Celadrin may be a suitable alternative for those people who for some reason cannot – or choose not to – have an operation.

A scientist who was trying to understand why he couldn?t induce arthritis into mice discovered Celadrin about a decade ago. It contains a blend of eight stable fatty acids that can easily penetrate cell membranes and by providing lubrication to the cell membranes and decreasing inflammation it supports joint health. In fact, research has shown that it definitely improves not only the range of motion in a joint affected by arthritis, but balance, strength and endurance were also improved.

Placebo-controlled studies in 2002 showed that the subjects were able to perform several day-to-day functions like climbing stairs and even simply walking that had been painfully difficult before. Some subjects were even able to return to jogging, an exercise that had been impossible for some time due to the pain and stiffness experienced from arthritis.

University bio-chemist Dr. Daniel Gallaher PhD, prescribes Celadrin for many of his patients and has had no side-effects reported. The pills may need to be taken for at least two months before improvement is noticed, though in some cases this time is considerably shorter. Some patients have noted a dramatic improvement within a few days of applying the lotion.

Daniel Hoeffal MD, advises his patients to take the product scientifically. That is, no more than one supplement at a time and stick to the instructions on the bottle. If several supplements are taken at once, there is no way of determining which was the one responsible for giving relief.

Celadrin comes in pill form and topical lotion and is quite affordable compared to some other supplements, with the pills costing less than $20 a bottle and the lotion half that. It is available as a stand-alone product, or combined with other products such as Glucosamine

Always consult your health care professional before taking supplements, as some can interfere with the absorption of other medications, while others may change how internal organs function, cause blood pressure or clotting

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