Arthritis Aches and Pains

As the colder weather sets in you hear more complaints about the aches and pains of arthritis. Many people blame this on the weather, but there may be more than just the weather causing those aches and pains.

Arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Like most chronic illnesses modern medicine really doesn't know what to do with it. Instead of trying to find the root cause, they concentrate on attacking the symptoms. The symptoms are easy to find, but hard to treat. Most of them use pain relievers, starting with over the counter and moving up to steroids or even stronger narcotics. In the mean time they work at reducing the effectiveness of the immune system. Since it is an autoimmune disease they figure if they kill the immune system it will quit attacking the body. What they forget is that without an immune system there will eventually be no body.

Instead of going that route it makes sense to attack the underlying causes of arthritis. The first one is gluten, or grains in general. Gluten, and other portions of grains cause inflammation, something someone with arthritis has more than enough of already. In addition to this gluten can cause leaky gut syndrome, which can lead to even more allergic, or autoimmune symptoms.

Nightshades are other foods that cause inflammation. Especially to those with a sensitivity to them. If you have chronic pain you are most likely sensitive to nightshades. Nightshades include tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, and blueberries.

Other foods may be trigger foods for you. Try eliminating (one at a time) refined sugar, foods high in oxalic acid, caffeine, alcohol, red meat, eggs, and dairy. Not all of these will be trigger foods, but some of them might be yours.

Mercury and other heavy metals can cause your immune system to be overloaded. An overloaded immune system easily gets confused about what is an invader and what is the body it is supposed to be protecting.

Mycotoxins are volatile organic compounds produced by toxic mold. These overload the immune system and cause inflammation in the body. Breathing these mold spores would be similar to drinking small amounts of poison every day. It might not kill you right away, but your health isn't going to improve as long as you keep it up.

Like leaky gut, a gut that is over run with bacteria can leave you susceptible to illness and work your immune system into overload. Get rid of the bad bacteria and replace them with probiotics and fermented foods.

While you are working on cleaning up your diet, your bloodstream, and your environment there are a lot of things you can do to improve your pain level and your ability to function on a day to day basis.
Get some gentle exercise every day. Although the joint may not like to move, it will feel better afterwards. Exercise will also delay any stiffening of the joint.

Put some heat on it. Heat loosens the joints and relieves some of the pain. In addition to just warming an Epsom salt bath or a few minutes in an infrared sauna will also pull some of the toxins out of the joints. A good massage can help in relieving the pain and the toxins within the body.

In addition there are many foods and supplements that can help with the pain and swelling. These include tart cherries, apple cider vinegar, stinging nettle, alfalfa, turmeric, fish oil, glucosamine/chondroitin, ginger, essential oils, a Chinese herb called thunder god, an herb called devil's claw, or another called cat's claw, willow, Vitamins C, D3, E, A and a B complex. Digestive plant enzymes can also be helpful in cleaning out the waste products in the body.

Eating a clean diet without processed foods, artificial sweeteners, flavoring or colorings will also help. So will getting plenty of water. A good way to define plenty is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That will give you the number of ounces of good clear water you want to strive for every day.

Good health is a journey. Start from wherever you are in life and strive to be continuously moving towards the goal.

Sources:
http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/16-home-remedies-arthritis/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HomesteadSurvival+%28Homestead+Survival%29#.Uzxog1e9beo
http://www.naturalnews.com/044958_thunder_god_Chinese_herbal_medicine_arthritis_pain.html
http://www.anh-usa.org/chinese-herb-ra-drugs/
http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12612-a-functional-medicine-doctor-tells-you-how-to-recover-from-rheumatoid-arthritis-in-6-steps.html
http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/herbs-for-arthritis-zm0z12amzdeb.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=HW%20eNews&utm_campaign=7.15.14%20MEL%20hw#axzz37YCCcbfj
http://www.naturalnews.com/049175_arthritis_pain_relief_natural_remedies.html

Arthritis increases as weather decreases

Cold, damp weather seems to bring out the worst for people suffering from arthritis. Most doctors recommend daily doses of NSAIDS, but these carry dangers with them. The prescription drugs that are offered carry even worse side effects. Many people are wondering what they can do for themselves without having to waste time at the doctor, or take daily medications.

A raw food diet is a good place to start. Grains are especially well known for causing inflammation. In some people meat can be just as problematic. Both of them increase the acidity of the body. This causes inflammation and pain. Most people can have a little bit of meat if they make sure they also included plenty of alkalizing fruits and vegetables. Grains can’t be as easily overcome.

The lack of Vitamin D can make your joints hurt more. So can the lack of healthy fats. Many people don’t think of sulfur as a necessary nutrient, but if your joints are hurting it is a sign you may be deficient in this nutrient. Increasing you sulfur intake is easy if you make your own soups out of bones.  It also increases your collagen and keratin, both essential for healthy joints. Collagen restores elasticity to the joints, as well as reducing inflammation.

Magnesium is another nutrient to look at whenever you are hurting. Topical supplements don’t cause the cramps and bloating so often associated with oral supplements. You can get it in oil, gel, or lotion forms. In a pinch and Epsom salt bath is a good substitute. It is also very relaxing.

Don’t forget your turmeric. This herb is known to be extremely anti-inflammatory.

Astaxanthin is another supplement to consider. It also reduces inflammation throughout the body.

New research has linked a lack of good bacteria in the gut to an increase in rheumatoid arthritis.  You can increase your gut bacteria through oral supplementation and through eating fermented foods. You can even ferment your own foods. You can buy cultures from multiple sources. If you purchase fermented foods make sure they haven’t been pasteurized. When they do this they kill the bacteria before you get a chance to eat it.

It hurts to move, so the last thing you want to do is exercise, but that is exactly what you should be doing.  If you are overweight it is doubly important. Weight puts more strain on your joints, especially the weight bearing ones. But even if you are not overweight moving the joints will improve the lubrication in the joints, and make moving them easier. Start slow and work up even more slowly, but try to move the joints on a daily basis.

Sometimes ice seems to help an inflamed joint. At other times heat seems to bring about faster relief. 

Don’t be afraid to try either one.

Adjusting your body’s pH seems to work wonders for some. Something as simple as drinking (all at once) an 8oz glass of water mixed with a 1/2tsp of baking soda. Some of the relief comes from the baking soda, but it can also come from the water. There is a tendency in our world today to be dehydrated, and this can cause joint pain as well. Another way to adjust you pH is through Apple cider vinegar. Although this is an acid it makes the body less acidic. Kind of like fighting fire with fire.

There are many ways to find relief from arthritis, both immediate and long term. Think about trying some of them out before you reach for that bottle of NSAIDS or prescription medications.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/042536_raw_food_diet_arthritis_medical_system.html

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/10/25/exercise-joint-pain-treatment.aspx?e_cid=20131025Z1_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20131025Z1

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/09/microbiota-forgotten-organ.aspx?e_cid=20131209Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20131209Z1&et_cid=DM36180&et_rid=362233185

http://www.naturalnews.com/043284_arthritis_pain_natural_treatments_inflammation.html

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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/07/arthroscopic-knee-surgery.aspx?e_cid=20140207Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20140207Z1&et_cid=DM39033&et_rid=420631787

http://www.naturalnews.com/036960_gout_arthritis_home_remedies.html