EFFECTIVE WAYS TO HELP REDUCE ARTHRITIS
BY DEFINITION, arthritis is an inflammation of a joint. A joint is a structure where the ends of two or more bones meet and move in a process called articulation. Joint pain is a consequence of arthritis as the classical signs of inflammation include pain, swelling, heat, and loss of function.
The commonest causes of arthritis are joint injury (traumatic arthritis), joint degeneration (osteo-arthritis), or autoimmune disease, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis. Gout causes a special form of arthritis due to excess of a substance called uric acid in the blood.
By the time most people get to 50, they will have had joint pain at some time. It may be a mild occasional problem that settles on its own or only needs a simple pain reliever. But for some, it is a chronic burden that demands increasing doses of potentially dangerous drugs. Painful joints can also severely compromise a person’s ability to function normally and is the number one cause of loss of mobility and independent living among the elderly.
The alarming increase in the number of joint-replacement surgeries bears eloquent testimony to the reality that just like our hearts, kidneys, livers and lungs, our joints are now failing us, too.
Two special tissues called ligaments and cartilage provide joints with both the stability and cushioning they require to function. These tissues are made up of specific proteins like collagen and elastin along with a protein complex called proteoglycans. In arthritis, these joint structures (cartilage and ligaments) are damaged and inflamed and the special proteins destroyed.
A vast array of antiinflammatory drugs are commonly used to simply suppress the symptoms of arthritis. These drugs may be effective in easing the pain or reducing the swelling, but they do not deal with the underlying problem. They only control the symptoms. What is worse, they have major side effects, especially when taken for prolonged periods: your stomach might develop bleeding ulcers, your kidneys may be damaged, or you may end up with diabetes and high blood pressure.
The good news is that you can assist your body to control, reverse, and even prevent joint inflammation.
EMBRACE ANTIINFLAMMATORY FOODS
Some foods promote inflammation while others reverse and discourage it. The following foods should be avoided: Unhealthy fats as in red meat, hydrogenated oils, fried foods, organ meats like liver and kidney, dairy products, processed carbohydrates like white rice, pasta, and refined flour products like dumplings, crackers, white bread, sugar, excess sweet fruits, fruit juices, food flavourings, preservatives, and artificial food colorings.
Emphasise these foods: fatty fish like sardines, mackerel, salmon and tuna; fresh vegetables and fruit like berries, melons, pineapple, and papaya; plus nuts, seeds, and whole grain; healthy oils like virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and olives, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, ackees and avocados.
CORRECT OBESITY
It is essential to correct obesity as it promotes inflammation and aggravates the damage to joints. There are two ways that excess weight raises your risk for developing arthritis. First, increased weight puts additional stress on weight-bearing joints (e.g., the knee). Second, obesity promotes inflammation and might contribute to problems in even non-weight bearing joints (for example, the hands).
For example, when walking across level ground, the force on your knees is the equivalent of one and a half times your body weight – a 200-pound man puts 300 pounds of pressure on his knees with each step. When he goes up and down stairs, the pressure on each knee is two to three times his body weight and four to five times that if he squats to pick up an item on the floor.
Dropping extra weight cuts the risk of arthritis and even losing just a little weight can improve joint health and reduce joint pain. One study of overweight women showed that a weight loss of merely 11 pounds reduced their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by half.
CLEANSE AND DETOXIFY
Infection promotes inflammation, so look for and clear up any sites of chronic infection in the body. Pay particular attention to the mouth (teeth and gums), the sinuses, the nails (fungal infections), and the skin. Treating any chronic infection may need the assistance of your medical practitioner. Natural detoxification programmes using herbs, colonic irrigation, saunas, massage, and liquid fasts are very useful and may be used at intervals.
TAKE SUPPLEMENTS
Some supplements provide good anti-inflammatory, painrelieving benefits. These include the omega 3 fatty acids at dosages of three to six grams per day; the antioxidants, vitamins A, C, E, and selenium; along with the herbs, ginger, nettle leaf extract, Boswellia, and curcumin.
Other supplements specifically provide the body with building material to repair damaged cartilage and ligaments. These include glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, SAMe, high doses of vitamin C, and the minerals copper, zinc, manganese, and boron. These need to be taken in adequate doses for at least twelve weeks for significant, long-term benefit.
EXERCISE
Healthy joints need to be both strong and flexible, and regular exercise is a key to achieving both. Specific exercises that strengthen the muscles that move a joint, improve the stability of the joint and reduce further injury to the cartilage of that joint.
Resistance exercises (strength training) seem to be the best form of physical activity to stimulate new growth and correctly align the collagen fibers in the newly forming tissue (ligaments and cartilages) of the recovering joint. These exercises should be started slowly and when the joint is almost free of pain. A programme supervised by a physiotherapist can be very helpful in this regard and may, in addition to specific exercises, include heat or cold, massage, ultrasound, and stretching. Some yoga postures are excellent for arthritic joints as these types of exercises do not require much movement of the joint. Other useful non-weightbearing exercises include bicycling, swimming, and water aerobics.