"Easing
Arthritis Pain."
By Cyndi Thomas N.D., C.N.C.
My sister-in-law was devastated when diagnosed
with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 28. In her mind, arthritis
was a disease of the elderly, not a young woman with three small
children.
Her doctor wanted to prescribe various prescription
drugs and aspirin daily. Her eyes wandered around his waiting
room, filled will people in various stages of arthritis: People
using wheelchairs, walkers; joints that were swollen and disjointed;
people in obvious discomfort and pain. She said, “Thanks,
but no thanks.”
She decided to turn to alternative means to combat
her arthritis. While she isn’t “cured”, she
is pain free most of the time.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, nearly
40 million Americans have arthritis – the number one cause
of disability in the country. The word “arthritis”
however, is a general term. There are many different types that
affect different parts of the body. Some of those are:
- Tendinitis – targets tendons
- Sclerodermal – thickening of the skin and connective
tissue
- Fibromyalgia – muscles will be sore and tender to
the touch
- Articular or joint types of arthritis – gout and
lupus, tend to be the most painful
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis.
It is termed the “wear and tear” disease. It tends
to develop after years of hard physical labor or intense exercise,
or as a result of obesity.
Good Nutrition Can Help
When I developed arthritis, my knees were weak,
sore and opening my car door became impossible because of my thumb
joints. It was a constant hurt and throbbing.
I started researching alternative means of therapy.
Through my studies, I discovered meat and dairy were the two main
culprits, as far as nutrition. So, out went the meat and dairy
from my diet. What happened?
Within in one week, my arthritis was completely
gone. I was pain free!
Below is a testimonial from one of my clients,
Jan Kingston. Jan’s knees were in such bad shape that she
was almost wheelchair bound. At the time I spoke with her, she
was using a walker and was taking anti-inflammatory drugs.
Hi Cyndi,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! It isn’t
enough, but I don’t know what else to say! My arthritis
of the past 6 years is gone, Just gone! The dairy was the problem.
As long as I stay completely away from the dairy, no pain. I can
have chicken and fish without any problem, but if I eat any dairy,
the pain returns. I’ve spent so much money and time trying
to get this under control and to find it was something so simple..
well, I’m just amazed.
Jan
Jan isn’t an isolated incident. I counsel
many who have found partial or total relief by changing their
dietary habits. Below are a few recommendations that can help
the pain of arthritis:
- Do away with refined and partial foods: white flour and
white sugar – get them out of your diet.
- Eat a diet composed mainly of: fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, legumes, beans, nuts, seed, lean meat and fish.
- Take dairy out of your diet and see if that helps. If not,
try eliminating meat - Especially red meat.
- Some people with arthritis do well be eliminating allergenic
foods which include; dairy, wheat and corn.
- Avoid the foods from the nightshade family: tomatoes, peppers,
eggplant and potatoes.
- The herb Ginger has been known to help some people.
- Consume foods containing the amino acid histidine, which
includes; brown rice, wheat and rye. (if wheat isn’t
a problem)
- Be sure and take a good calcium/magnesium supplement. Very
important for the health of the bones and ligaments.
- Include the essential fatty acids; wheat germ oil, sesame
seed oil, flax oil. The good oils will lubricate the joints
and ligaments and promote healing.
- Get plenty of sunshine. Exposure to the sun prompts the
synthesis of vitamin D, which is needed for proper bone formation.
- If you are overweight, lose the extra pounds. Easier said
than done, I know : ) but an overweight condition can cause
and aggravate arthritis.
- Glucosamine Sulfate is one of the most talked about natural
remedies for arthritis. A Swiss study found it was as effective
in decreasing stiffness and pain as ibuprofen, but without
the side effects.
Exercise
Making exercise part of your daily life is one
of the best decisions you can make for overall good health.
Many arthritis sufferers have reported tremendous
relief be adding an exercise program to their daily regime. Water
aerobics is a wonderful exercise for those with arthritis. With
water aerobics, an arthritis sufferer can exercise with little
or no pain.
As for my sister-in-law… Since she has
made the above lifestyle changes, her pain is gone and her disease
is under control. She has had a fourth child and her whole family’s
health has benefited from a situation that could have been devastating.
Jan continues to do very well. Her walker is
in the closet and she is determined to keep it there.
As for me – Well, I still sneak in the
occasional bowl of ice cream, but I always feel it the next day.
So dairy is one food I don’t consume more than once a month,
if that.
Taking a proactive approach to the management
of arthritis and finding what works best for you will enable you
to feel strong and healthy for life.
You control the disease, don’t let it control
you!
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