Arthritis Treatment Using Natural Remedies

So much is written about arthritis and you can get confused as to what causes arthritis and what arthritis treatments are effective. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition. This inflammation come from infections. Infections come from a variety of conditions such as:

Bacteria, viruses, pathogens, yeast that you ingest or that is already in your body

Air pollution from cars or from your work environment

Unnatural food that you eat that is processed or irradiated

Food additives such as dyes, colorings, preservatives, enhancers, gases, sugar

Contaminants in your water such as fluoride, chloride and other substances

Stress from your work and home life

This small list gives you an idea of the many chemicals and emotional sources that can lead to infections in the body and result in arthritis. You can see that all of these sources are part of your regular diet and lifestyle. Now if you couple this with a weak immune system, you set the stage for some serious arthritis conditions. A weak immune system can not control and eliminate these infections so these infections can turn into serious inflammations.

Because of toxins and infections, there are very few people that will escape developing arthritis in their life time.

But for those of you that are health conscious and look to prevent various illnesses, here are some arthritis treatments and arthritis preventive measures.

Arthritis Treatment

The first step you need to take is to take daily antioxidants. You get antioxidants in the deep dark red, blue, black berries and other fruits. Pomegranate juice is one of the most powerful antioxidant juices and provides arthritis protection. Recently I have been using Purity Products Super Reds and New Vitality's Ruby Reds Powder. I put one scoop of powder in some apple juice or other juice and add a dropper full of green tree extract. This gives me a high dose of antioxidants to fight off the heavy dose of free radicals that I consume from the air, food, and thought. Remember free radicals attack tissue causing infections and inflammation in every part of your body.

These powders are great tasting and are good for the kids in the morning.

So now, if you add juicing to your morning habit, you will be adding high levels of antioxidants and in addition many minerals and vitamins that buildup your immune system. Use pineapple, alfalfa sprouts, cantaloupe, apricot, cabbage, and cucumber juices. And, you can add a bit of ginger juice to gives you anti-inflammatory protection.

In a recent article, I wrote about Lion's Mane. Here you have a powerful immune system enhancer. It contains 3 Chinese mushrooms - Lion's Mane, Maitake, Reishi -that will buildup your immune system and in addition improve your memory. I have been using this for only a week and I can sense a slight improvement in my memory and how quickly words come into my thought as I express myself. Build up your immune system and this is a powerful arthritis treatment. You body will be able to fight of toxic matter and at the same time protect your joints from infection and inflammation.

This is just a start in dealing with pain and inflammation wherever it maybe in your body - in your joints, organs, or tissues. Use antioxidants and red powders to prevent inflammation. Use juices to give you minerals and vitamins to help improve your immune system. And then give yourself a powerful immune stimulator by take Lion's Mane. Now you have an arthritis treatment that can start protecting your joints and other parts of your body from arthritic infection and inflammation.

Arthritis Treatment: Is Osteoarthritis Just Wear and Tear? No, And Here's Why!

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis affecting, according to the latest statistics from the Arthritis Foundation, about 28 million Americans.

OA has been primarily felt to be a disease of hyaline articular cartilage with secondary involvement of the synovium (lining of the joint), and subchondral bone (the bone underneath the cartilage.)

The antiquated notion of OA being a "wear and tear" disease has been supplanted by the new theory that OA is a combination of a mechanical wear process as well as an inflammatory process.

This has been supported by the fact that cartilage has no blood vessels nor does it have any nerves. Yet OA causes pain. This pain is felt to be due to inflammation involving the synovium. Cellular changes in flamed synovium in OA are not that dissimilar to the findings seen in rheumatoid arthritis.

In fact, it is the synovium that appears to drive much of the inflammation seen in OA. The synovium is lined by macrophages, cells that are potent producers of inflammatory cytokines- proteins that drive inflammation. The synovium is also rich in blood vessels and nerves.

Recent evidence though also supports the notion that chondrocytes (cartilage cells) also have a role in inflammation, this despite being relatively sparse, and located far away from blood vessels and nerves.

In fact, inflammation at the chondrocyte level might have a permissive effect on the inflammation involving the synovium... a sort of "ping-pong effect."

The question then becomes, what causes the chondrocyte inflammatory response to start in the first place. There have been reports that perhaps debris from dead cells or other protein based material originating from degraded cartilage might serve as antigens (protein triggers)to induce an inflammatory response by chondrocytes. Technically, this would be an autoimmune response by cartilage. This idea of OA being an autoimmune disease was described in an excellent editorial. Read this: (Konttinen Y, Sillat T, Barreto G, Ainola M, Nordstrom DC. Arthritis Rheum. 2012. 64: 613-616).

So why is this important to treatment? It may be that OA should be viewed in the same light as other autoimmune forms of arthritis. This might drive the investigation for OA specific therapies.

In addition, it is also recognized that cartilage has a limited ability to heal itself. It may be the newer techniques of providing mesenchymal stem cells to osteoarthritis cartilage as a method for helping cartilage to recover from injury might not be such a bad idea after all. It may be the underlying inflammation involving cartilage could actually help with the repair process.

Finally, a recent study showed that perhaps neurotransmitters can modulate the metabolic activity of chondrocytes. These substances might prove to be helpful in cartilage regeneration. An excellent discussion of this intriguing idea was recently published. For more details, read this: (Opolka A, Straub RH, Pasoldt A, Grifka J, Grassel S. Arthritis Rheum. 2012; 64: 729-739)

How Long Before The Symptoms of Dog Arthritis Is Relieved By Liquid Glucosamine?

Almost all dogs will suffer from arthritis to some extent as they age. Different breeds and individual dogs will exhibit more symptoms than others. Oftentimes the disease simply causes some stiffness. But for other canines it can be extremely debilitating.

There are prescription drugs available which do a good job in relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis, but all of them are expensive and most can cause severe side effects and in some cases even death of the pet. One of the all natural alternatives available to dogs with arthritic conditions is liquid glucosamine. However, since this safe supplement does not mask the pain as do prescriptions meds, it does require a dosage period before any observable benefits occur for the animal. How long this takes for glucosamine to relieve the symptoms depends on a number of factors.

The first factor seems to be related to the animal's size. In general, the larger the canine is, the longer it will take to experience benefits. This may be due to the fact that larger dogs suffer more severe symptoms because of their extra weight and size. Whatever the cause, owners should be aware of the extra dosage time required for larger breed pets.

Another factor of course is how serious the joint disease is and how far it has progressed in a particular canine. Obviously, the greater the symptoms are and more severe the symptoms are already, the longer it will take for any natural supplement to offer the canine help for the disease. Although there are no hard and fast time periods required for glucosamine to help, there are some general guidelines pet owners can go by. However, always remember that any time periods suggested are simply estimates and can greatly vary between different dogs.

For small dogs with only moderately severe symptoms, good results can be seen in just a few weeks oftentimes. For small dogs with more serious symptoms, daily doses for a month or more may be needed. For medium sized and larger breed canines with mild symptoms, benefits may be observed in 4 to 5 weeks. For advanced cases in larger animals, it can easily take 6 to 8 weeks before results are seen.

While considering these time periods, it is important to remember that to achieve them, the dogs with arthritis must take a continuous and daily dose of the liquid glucosamine during those time periods. Additionally, it is suggested that the daily dosage be doubled during the first 7 days when beginning the supplementation.

In closing, it must be remembered that, although this natural and safe form for treating canine osteoarthritis is highly affective, it does take a period of time before any relief is experienced by the animal suffering from the joint disease.

Ankle Tendonitis - The Secret Facts About Treatments For Athletes

Exactly what is Achilles Tendonitis?

Swelling of the Achilles tendon is termed as Achilles Tendonitis. The Achilles tendon is a sizeable tendon linking two major calf muscles, gastrocnemius and soleus, to the back of the heel bone. Achilles Tendonitis is one of many sports-related injuries that results from overexertion of any type (such as excessive exercising and jumping).

Signals of Tendonitis:

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  Pain anywhere along the back of the tendon


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  Inflammation of the tendon


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  Limited ankle flexibility

Causes of Tendonitis:

Out of countless tendons dispersed throughout the human body, there are few specific tendons that have poor blood supply. These tendon areas where blood supply is low are termed as "watershed zones". These watershed zones are provided with comparatively lesser volume of oxygen and nutrients, it makes these tendons prone to tissue damage and poor?healing response. Sometimes, the tendon does not have an easy path to glide upon, which results in inflammation. Other well known triggers of tendonitis are repeated, minor impact on the affected area, or a sudden critical injury. Incidentally, individuals aged between 40-60 years are known to be more vulnerable to Achilles Tendonitis. Other known causes of Tendonitis are:

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  Improper posture at work or home


• 
  Taking part in sports


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  Body exertion or less recovery time between physical activities


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  Change of footwear or uneven floor surface


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  Inadequate stretching or conditioning just before exercise


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  An atypical or dislocated bone or joint that stresses soft-tissue structures


• 
  Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, thyroid disorders, or unusual medication reactions

Variations of Tendonitis:

Tendonitis may appear in almost any area of the body where a tendon joins a bone to a muscle. Some of the most typical types of Tendonitis are:

Wrist Tendonitis: One of the most common problems, wrist tendonitis occurs due to inflammation of the tendon sheath. Wrist Tendonitis usually causes pain and swelling around the wrist. Wrist tendonitis rarely demands surgery as an intervention.

Achilles Tendonitis: Achilles tendonitis can lead to discomfort and inflammation in the back of heel. If it is diagnosed on time, one can avoid serious problems such as Achilles tendon rupture.

Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: Posterior tibial tendonitis usually impacts individuals with signs on the inner side of the ankle. If Posterior Tibial Tendonitis is left uncared for, it may lead to a flat foot.

Patellar (Kneecap) Tendonitis: Patellar Tendonitis (also known as Jumper's Knee) is precipitated by the swelling of the patellar tendon. Recuperation and anti-inflammatory medication are common treatments for Patellar tendonitis.

Rotator Cuff Tendonitis: Rotator cuff tendonitis is caused by the swelling of a specific area within the shoulder joint.

Top 7 methods for athletes to treat Achilles injuries:

Though tendonitis can be a significant problem, you can positively treat and protect against it from recurring. Here are the top seven ways in which athletes can take care of tendonitis:

1. Emphasize Rest: The first and most important step to treat tendonitis is to avoid activities that can exacerbate it. Avoid working out for a few days. This will help dramatically with the healing of the inflamed tendon. You may also try different exercise activities, such as swimming.

2. Administer an Ice Pack: One of the best therapies of tendonitis is to apply an ice-pack on the inflamed area. The cold temperature will control the irritation and swelling of the affected area. Using an ice-pack will help?mend the tendon more quickly.

3. Anti-Inflammatory Medications: Tendonitis can be taken care of by taking non steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn, Celebrex. These medications will lessen the pain and swelling in the affected area.

4. Cortisone Injections: When tendonitis signs continue for a long period of time, some may seek cortisone injections. Injected directly into the inflamed area, cortisone injections assist treating tendonitis that can't seem to heal after many medical therapies have been attempted.

5. Wear a heel pad: By wearing heel pad, you can lift the heel and take some stress off the Achilles tendon. This is a short-term measure while the Achilles tendon is repairing.

6. Running Shoes: Make sure you have the right running shoes for your foot type and the sport in which you are participating.

7. Consult a sports injury professional: Take advice from someone whose line of work deals with proper training, or with sports injuries specifically, and who is experienced with both healing and rehabilitation techniques.

Arthritis in Dogs - Natural Dog Pain Relief

It's really bizarre, the number of animals suffering from 'people' type disease like arthritis in dogs. To see some poor dog limping around, (and it's happening in younger ones) is something most of us cannot bear to watch.

It's true that it's more common in the larger breeds and in particular the purebreds, but I have to say even smaller dogs have arthritis pain. As for the purebreds, I believe that the genetic manipulation which is prevalent in their lines may cause expression of various desired traits like coat color, structure, behavior etc., but at the expense of heartier, sturdy genetics resulting in chronic ailments coming out which in nature, they would not.

Arthr (joint) itis (inflammation) is as it's root words indicate, an inflammation in the joints, particularly the weight bearing ones. Commonly, dog arthritis pain occurs in the hips and ankle joints.

The normal joint is the meeting of two bones which are lined with a pad of cartilage and bathed in a nutrient rich liquid called synovial fluid. In arthritis, the fluid starts to dry up, the cartilage thins and as this gets worse and worse the two bones end up rubbing together creating bone destruction and crippling pain.

Obviously, your dog can't tell you about their joint pain..so look for symptoms or indications such as:

1) Favoring one leg
2) Difficulty getting up and/or laying down.
3) Sleeping more
4) Avoiding or hesitating when you want to go for a walk, especially when they loved it before
5) Weight gain
6) Disposition changes, especially more cranky or aggressive
7) Being less alert or bright

Don't forget that inflammation in one area of the body, will predispose to inflammatory problems throughout, such as Diabetes, Heart problems, Skin disorders, etc.

Glucosamine For Dogs and Other Natural Solutions For Dogs With Arthritis

First and foremost, do NOT give your dog any Ibruprofen or Tylenol-type medications! They are extremely toxic to animals and just far too risky. Besides, they solve nothing. Your dog is not suffering from joint pain and arthritis because they lack acetominophen or ibruprophen!

The best anti-inflammatory for dogs is in their food. And they key to avoiding arthritis in dogs is to feed them naturally, chemical free food from day one.

Commercial pet food is filled with dye, chemical flavor enhancers, preservatives and that doesn't even mention the quality of the 'protein'. That can be from dead, diseased animals, chicken feathers, beaks and feet. It's really very disgusting.

I was fortunate enough to find a book by a Vet who had lost his dear pet to these types of foods and according to him the typical medications he was trained to use in college. Dr. Jones admitted that approach is wrong.

Combine that information with the use natural arthritis cures such as glucosamine for dogs, homeopathics like Rhus Tox for stiffness, Ruta Grav for acutual joint pain and Belladonna for that really hot, sore joint.

Arthritis in dogs can be treated successfully and changes in your dog's diet will save them from other chronic diseases, leaving them to live happy healthy lives.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Is It An Autoimmune Mystery

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that attacks the entire body as well as the joints. Until now, it is still unclear what causes this disfiguring disease but many of the finest medical minds believe that this is an autoimmune disease. By autoimmune, it means a disease wherein the body's immune system attacks its own tissue. Instead of protecting its own body from disease, it ferociously attacks itself as if it were the enemy.

The true nature of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown but it is certain that it begins with inflammation and progresses into tissue damage. The hands and wrists are generally the areas commonly attacked by rheumatoid arthritis although the knees, balls of the feet and spine can also be affected. Even the heart doesn't escape rheumatoid arthritis. If left untreated this type of arthritis can be life threatening and can go beyond joints and can damage further the muscles, bones and skin near the affected joints. Inflammation can occur in the membranes encasing the heart and lungs. The spleen can enlarge and anemia can develop. Complications such as these make rheumatoid arthritis life threatening.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects people who are mostly at the prime of their life but this doesn't mean that other age groups are not affected by this disease. Both men and women are equally affected although more women than men get symptoms that necessitate medical attention. There are only about 20 percent of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis that recover completely. About 60 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis experience disease flare up that leads to death over the years. The remaining percentage of patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer irreversible joint damage. Luckily, this disease eventually burns itself out.

Since rheumatoid arthritis is believed to be an autoimmune disease, the key to its treatment is immunosuppressive therapy. Doctors treat rheumatoid arthritis by suppressing the immune system but only to the point of diminishing symptoms but never go beyond the point where the individual becomes susceptible to infection.

Inflammation is the enemy in rheumatoid arthritis and to combat this, doctors usually prescribe aspirin and aspirin like drugs since these drugs are powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatories. These types of drugs are usually sufficient for most rheumatoid arthritis patients and it has been observed that about twenty-five percent of patients taking these relatively simple medications recover completely.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, although good painkillers and anti-inflammatories, are usually no better compared with aspirin. NSAIDs also have some accompanying serious side effects.

For more severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, corticosteroids are usually prescribed. These are more potent anti-inflammatory hormones with accompanying severe side effects including drug dependency. These types of drugs although effective in treating the more serious cases of rheumatoid arthritis, increase a person's susceptibility to infection and delay wound healing.

An alternative therapy to rheumatoid arthritis is diet, although this hasn't been proven effective yet but its possibility is not ignored. Studies are done to come up with the right diet to combat rheumatoid arthritis.

It has been observed in some rheumatoid arthritis sufferers that their disease becomes less too intense when they incorporated fish oils in their diet. Fish oil may reduce the symptoms of arthritis but it is still best to check with your doctor before taking any fish oil supplements as these can have adverse reactions with any medications you are currently taking like aspirin.

Exercising With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis ended my normal exercise routine. I was running 10 Kilometers (10K) daily and was good shape. Then when I turned 55 years of age, I went for a 10K run and the next day I could hardly walk.

The doctor told me I had rheumatoid arthritis and I should take some pills with COX-2 inhibitors. They did a good job and allowed me to continue running. Then, COX-2 was linked to heart attacks and my doctor took me off them.

That ended my running days, so I needed to look for something else to do.

What is rheumatoid arthritis, what exercises do I do and what do I take to relieve the aches and pains of rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known, but rheumatoid arthritis is believed to be caused by the immune system, called an autoimmune disease. This is when the body's immune system attacks parts of the body that it believes has an infection but in fact is perfectly healthy.

The immune system responds this way because of excessive amounts of inflammation in the body. This excessive amount of inflammation normally comes from the body consuming Omega-6 in excess. Omega-6 provides the body with needed inflammation hormones, but excess inflammation can lead to different autoimmune diseases.

Excess inflammation is not the case for me. I limit my intake of Omega-6 by reducing the amount of processed foods I eat. Processed foods are where we the American people get our excess Omega-6. I also take Omega-3 supplements keep the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 at the recommended value of 2 to 1. Omega-3 provides the body with needed anti inflammation hormones.

Exercises For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Since the only joints in my body that are affected by this disease are in my legs, I have been able to continue to lift weights. In order to get my aerobics, I have taken to riding a stationary bike for 60 minutes a day, at 17 miles per hour. This has allowed me to keep my resting heat beat at about 55 beats per minute and my Body Mass Index (BMI) at 23.

Both the BMI and heart beat are in the good range.

Supplements For Rheumatoid Arthritis

I take Omega-3 to help relieve the aches and pains from my arthritis. Also by limiting my intake of Omega-6 I reduce the amount of inflammation in my body.

Several studies have shown that taking Omega-3 while exercising, called FOX (fish oil and exercising), lost more fat than a person exercising and not taking fish oil. Plus it also reduces the stress from exercising by lowering the heart rate and lowering the blood pressure.