Arthritis Prevention

Arthritis is a common painful disease affecting the joints and bones of the body. Early signs can include twinges or stiffness of the knees and other joints, limitation in movement or visible thickening of the joints, often in the hands and feet; creaking joints, spinal pain and backache, or painful swelling of the joints.

There are several types of arthritis - osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Osteoarthritis is the most common resulting from wearing of the joints - mainly hips, spine, knees, feet and fingers. A far greater number of women suffer from this than do men.

Rheumatoid arthritis can destroy other tissue besides the bone, affecting cartilage and tissues within and around the joints to damage the bone surface itself, usually of feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Gout is principally caused by uric acid crystals settling in the joints to produce painful irritation and inflammation. It can produce extremely severe discomfort, often focused in the big toe. This is principally a disease suffered by men more than women.

In the prevention of all kinds of arthritis there are certain general rules of health to consider as well as some natural self-help methods of treatment.

Remember: It is largely your eating habits that have created an imbalance in your body chemistry. It is only by seriously reconsidering your diet and improving your intake of natural foods and avoiding the synthetic or artificial products that you can return your body to normal healthy condition. It may take self-discipline - but self-discipline today is better than a painful tomorrow. It is best to start with improving the quality of your diet.

Nutrition: avoid foods producing high acidity such as starchy food, white bread, white sugar and processed foods including soft drinks, sweet sherry, ice-cream, chocolate, etc. You should take only a moderate intake of milk, cheese and for a time try to avoid all fried foods, meats, fish and salt.

Diet should consist mainly of fresh fruits and green salads with a variety of ingredients, light dressings, raw nuts, herbs, sprouted seeds, seaweed, plenty of celery and plain steamed vegetables of all kinds.

Food supplements: should include some of the following - alfalfa (lucerne) concentrates, raw potato juice, carrot juice, vitamins B, B complex, C , brewers yeast, celery seed tea or celery and juniper tablets.

Herbs: There are some beneficial herbs that are generally stocked along with other kitchen ingredients such as celery seed and alfalfa tea, but there are others in the garden that should be included regularly in your preparation of meals. These are parsley, dandelion leaves, gotu kola, mint, sage and garlic.

Skin Care is Important: Regular brushing and stimulation of the skin over the entire body is a pleasant enough addition to your personal toilet. The brushing causes the surface skin cells to flake off, leaving the skin freer to function properly regarding natural perspiration and circulation of the blood to surface cells. Improving the skin, even on one part of the body, will in time help to improve entire skin function.

This discipline is necessary if you are to relieve the work of the kidneys that have the main job of eliminating toxic wastes and acids from the body. Most people are aware of the need to help the kidneys by drinking lots of water. Not everyone is as enthusiastic or is aware of the simple benefits of skin brushing.

Exercise: to exercise to perspiration point each day is a generally accepted health practice. Depending upon any symptoms and their severity, your age and your doctor's advice, this rule must be modified, not be neglected altogether. You should follow an exercise programme that gradually increases if not to perspiration level, a freer movement of the entire body through gentle, simple elementary movements, preferably aided by soothing rhythmic music. Yoga exercises and Tai Chi are perfect methods for those unfamiliar with more vigorous exercises as they are gentle, slow and safe.

Stress: Although some types of arthritis involve physical stress, by far the greatest found by researchers is the psychological stress factor. Of course this is a complex issue but it is interesting to note common findings that anxiety, fears of all kinds, usually resentment, loneliness and general unhappiness are involved. This means that the more you work on relaxation of body, feelings and thoughts the better your will feel. Each of us has the means to change negative habits of all kinds by practising positive alternatives - not only learning physical relaxation and possibly treatment by massage to help you, but starting each day with a self-promise to not only enjoy your work, but to seek an island of calm in each day; to expect less from others and give more of your friendliness and good cheer. It is helpful to select a few words that appeal to you, to use in silent repetition to remind you to keep your mind focused upon positive moods, thoughts and outcomes.

Be patient. Consider some of the above information and determine what you can do to improve your lifestyle and to avoid arthritis.

If you already are suffering from this disease, seek additional professional naturopathic advice regarding further methods of self - care and relief through simple home treatment.