Views
expressed in this article are of the author.
In Arthritis,
joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are involved in degenerative
changes, causing swelling of tendons and joints, dryness of
joints, pain, stiffness and deterioration of the joint bone.
Sometimes allergies are involved.
Rheumatoid
arthritis is an example where the body is fighting with itself.
It usually appears in the form of a joint stiffness or vague
pain in the joints. The patient also feels tired and weak. Later
on the joints swell and become tender. This is actually a case
of autoimmune condition. In fact the body's own immune system
starts attacking itself. It attacks the body's own tissues.
The cause
of this with relation to nutrition is possibly genetic factors
and life style. One major reason could also be low levels of
antioxidants. Biological healing with nutrients requires more
time than with drugs, which manage the symptoms better. The
drugs only mask or suppress the symptoms while allowing the
degeneration of the tissues and cells to continue. The right
biological treatments, including a change in life style would
rebuild our body, which would take more time but it would take
us to a healthier future.
One of the
most important steps is to take what we call a Hindu fast. This
involves not eating any form of grain or meats for a period
of at least 4 weeks. During this therapeutic fast , only vegetables
such as carrots, beet, celery, potatoes, herbal tea, vegetable
soup and buttermilk is taken. The only grain that should be
eaten is cooked oats mixed with a tablespoon of honey. After
the fasting period, food should be introduced one by one every
day so as to eliminate any allergic symptoms. Actually fasting
decreases the absorption of allergic food components. Whenever
acute worsening of rheumatoid arthritis occurs a three-day fast
is recommended. After the fast the monitoring of the introduced
food should be such that if a certain food worsens the condition,
it should be eliminated from the diet. A vegetarian diet should
be followed. In the vegetarian diet tomatoes, eggplants should
be avoided.
A return
to good health never comes in the drug form. Controlling your
food and living a better lifestyle will always strengthen your
immune system. The immune complexes circulating in your bloodstream
are often deposited in your body tissues. That means working
on a better digestion so that they are eliminated. Animal fats
which includes milk and milk products should be avoided. Only
skimmed milk and buttermilk should be taken. Some of the acids
in animal fats form inflammatory compounds.
Antioxidants
such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta-carotene and selenium should
be taken regularly. To further boost antioxidant levels in rheumatoid
arthritis I strongly recommend Spirulina, which is now available
in India. One of the best compounds to be known as helpful in
rheumatoid arthritis is Curazyme, which is a combination of
the yellow pigment found in Turmeric and the anti-inflammatory
enzyme found in pineapple. Red chilly paste when applied to
the skin blocks the transmission of pain. It also helps to reduce
inflammation.
Essential
fatty acids are necessary to produce secretions that help to
lubricate our joints. They are also required to build and deposit
bone material. They also strengthen immune cells. Actually EFA's
slow down stomach emptying time and allow more time for digestion
of foods. Digestive enzymes and ginger will help arthritics,
at least partly because they promote good digestion. One of
the most important essential fatty acids is Flax seed oil. It
is not available in India. But Flax seed is available in India.
It is called ALSI. It can be ground in a mixer and a tablespoon
of this flax seed meal should be eaten everyday.
Bee-sting
therapy is well known in the use of rheumatoid arthritis and
other inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. It is also known
as apitherapy or bee-venom therapy. Bee-venom is a mixture of
powerful bio-active compounds, some of which have strong anti-inflammatory
effects.
