Arthritis Relief and Your Diet

Arthritis affects more than 40 million Americans and is referred to as the

most common chronic disease in people over 40.
Doctors believe there are over 100 different forms of arthritis, all sharing

one main characteristic: they all cause joint inflammation.
What can you do to relieve the symptoms of arthritis? A lot.
There is a great deal of debate in the medical world about the effects of overall

diet on arthritis and using diet toward alleviating the condition.
Doctors have known for a long time that diet affects gout, a specific type

of arthritic condition, however the jury remained out for a long time on other

common types of arthritis such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
What is known however, is that overall dietary health is important and does

come into play. Weight and nutrition are two factors that play a role in arthritic

pain.
Being overweight can affect certain arthritic conditions, forcing some joints

to carry more of a load. This added weight stresses the joints, causing overuse

or more wear to components, and pain, especially in the knees.
If you suffer from arthritis make sure you eat good foods and get help from

healthcare providers to create and follow a well-balanced dietary plan.
To begin with, here are some vitamins, minerals, foods, supplements and herbal

applications to consider.
Vitamins that have shown to reduce tissue swelling or provide relief include

Vitamins B5, B6, B12, the antioxidant vitamins C and E, and vitamin K, which

improves bone health.
Several independent studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis patients given

increased doses of zinc showed marginal improvement.
Other minerals to consider include Boron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese (not

to be taken with calcium), Copper, Germanium and Sulfur.
The National Institutes of Health is studying the food supplements, glucosamine

and chondroitin, for use in relieving symptoms of pain and stiffness for some

persons with osteoarthritis.
Patients with osteoarthritis taking blood-thinners should be careful taking

chondroitin as it can increase the blood-thinning and cause excessive bleeding.

Fish oil supplements have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Increasing dietary fish intake or fish oil capsules (omega 3 capsules) can relieve

inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
For more information, see Omega

3 Fats
Glutathione is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and can be

safely boosted by consuming its precursors available in the supplements, N-Acetyl-Cysteine

(NAC) or undenatured whey protein.
For more information, see Glutathione.
Quercetin is also known to help reduce inflammation, while Type II Collagen

plays a role in growth and repair of joints, articular cartilage and connective

tissue.
Because of the risk in overdosing, one should be discouraged from taking doses

of vitamins that are higher than recommended without a physician's direction.

Some vitamins and minerals can actually worsen certain conditions, and the

concentration that can be attained through vitamins can be dangerous. It is

always better to increase in vitamin or mineral intake through your normal diet.

Foods To Avoid
There are many factors to consider with regards to arthritic diets and nutritional

healing, and each factor may not apply to each individual.
For example, certain people are allergic to specific foods, and these allergies

can indeed worsen arthritic conditions. The best way to approach the situation

is to examine each arthritic condition and tailor one's approach based upon

the specifics.
Ingesting foods that contain sodium nitrate or tartrazine can inflame rheumatoid

arthritis, while ingesting foods containing a substance called hydrazine can

contribute to an arthritic condition connected to lupus.
Black walnuts can cause flare-ups in people a rare type of arthritis called

Behcet's Disease.
With osteoarthritis, deterioration of cartilage is a concern. Since there is

some evidence that Vitamin A, contributes to cartilage deterioration, those

with osteoarthritis should avoid large doses of it.
Although clinical proof is not available, anecdotal evidence suggests that

in the case of fibromyalgia, eliminating wheat, dairy, citrus, sugar, aspartame

(Nutrasweet), alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco can provide relief.
Many nutritionists and naturopaths suggest that those suffering with rheumatoid

arthritis avoid dairy products all together, as they seem to exacerbate rheumatoid

arthritis flare-ups.
The report "I

Cured My Arthritis You Can Too" suggests that white flour aggravates

arthritis symptoms.
Disclaimer: The information here is not provided by medical professionals and

is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician

before beginning any course of treatment.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms: Listen To Your Body

What happens if you don't pay attention to the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that you feel? It doesn't matter how old you are or what you have going on in your life. Paying attention to the problem at hand, which has to do with your health, is incredibly important. If you don't take care of your arthritis pain, you could find yourself unable to do the things that you are worrying so much about right now. Do you know what the symptoms of arthritis are? If so, you should also know why its important to listen to your body so that the worst of the complications from the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms you face can be avoided.

What Are The Symptoms?

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are in fact fairly simple. For starters, you are likely to feel pain. The pain is likely to be in joints throughout your body. The most common places for this pain to be in is the smaller joints in your body including your fingers and feet, but it can be felt anywhere. You are also likely to feel aching in those joints from movement. For some, moving your joint after it has been sitting for a few minutes will cause soreness and pain.

In addition to those symptoms, you are likely to experience swelling in the joints which is caused by the inflammation there. The amount of swelling and pain that you have is an indication of just how severe your condition is. Those that have extreme levels of pain are often facing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that are advanced. That can lead to a very urgent need to seek out help. When the symptoms progress, you may have loss of range of motion in that joint that may lead to deformity. You may notice this in knuckles that are no longer aligned or in swollen knees.

The Complications That You Face

As your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms progress, you are likely to see increased amounts of pain and discomfort. The stiffness that you feel can also lead to fatigue in the muscles of that area of your body, which can ultimately limit the use that you can use them for. In addition, some patients end up facing depression from the loss of quality of life that they are used to. But, they don't stop there. Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis can also develop osteoporosis and some may develop a heart condition that some believe is caused by the arthritis itself. They believe that the inflammation of your joints can cause your arteries and the tissue of your heart to become affected.

Probably the last part of the process of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is that you will find yourself unable to use that joint any longer because the pain and deformity has removed that from you. For some, that means being in a wheelchair and for others that means a treatment like joint replacement. In either case, there are risks that can be important to consider. But, if you listen to your body and get the help you need for the arthritis that you feel, you can severely slow the progression of the condition and even restore some of the motion you need.

Arthritis & Joint Pain

Today almost every other person you talk too is living with daily joint pain. It does not matter what the age or physical shape of the person, daily pain seems to be a common complaint. Living with chronic pain can wear a person down, affecting energy levels, mood and overall stamina. The cause can vary however Arthritis is typically the root problem. Arthritis comes in more than 100 forms and one does not need to be of old age to have this debilitating disease. The cost of arthritis around the world is approx $400 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity.

Let’s face it preventative health care is boring and as a result most individuals do not provide their body with nutritional supplements until they are sick or in pain. We do not eat properly to get the nutrition required and even if we attempt to do so there is very little in nutrients remaining once we cook our food at high temperatures. Therefore it is very important to begin to nourish our joints at a young age to prevent Arthritis however very often this is not done until we can no longer stand the pain.

The fight against Arthritis is to begin early in life with good nutrition. Good nutrition also means the taking of daily nutritional supplements along with a balanced diet. A person should begin to supplement the diet as early as 30 years of age to fend off Arthritis symptoms later in life. As we get older our joints begin to lose lubrication, this can also happen earlier due to an injury or excessive stress on the joints as a result of sporting activity or repetitive motion. Once the joint begins to lose moisture we experience the loss of flexibility, and an increase in inflammation which results in stiffness and pain. We need to preserve the cartilage and fluid in all of our joints to maintain flexibility and live an active life.

Once symptoms begin the first thing most people resort to is pain medication however this just masks the underlying problem and does not provide nourishment to improve lubrication to the affected area. Natural supplements Celadrin, MSM, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin have been on the market for years and commonly taken to alleviate arthritic symptoms. Taken in pill form these supplements may take up to several months before individuals begin to feel better therefore most people give up before they even begin to see results. Pills are required to be broken down by the digestive system before the necessary ingredients can be absorbed by the bloodstream and intestinal track and it may take that long to get enough of these ingredients into the body to be helpful. Gel-nutrition is a new natural alternative which takes these same proven ingredients and keeps them in a pre-hydrated state so that the body can quickly absorb them into the bloodstream for quick relief of pain and they begins to nourish the body and its joints with-in one hour after ingestion. Positive results have been seen with-in 4 to 72 hours depending on the individual. Now just imagine all 4 natural supplements combined into one powerful gel formula, no more need to take a hand full of pills each day.

Just exactly what are these ingredients and what do they do?

Celadrin – or cetyl myristoleate is a blend of cetylated fatty acids that provides lubrication to the joints. Blended, invented and patented by chemist Harry Diehl PhD cetyl myristoleate was found to circulate in the blood of mice and made them immune to arthritis. Celadrin may also act as an anti-inflammatory agent.

MSM – or methylsulfonylmethane is a naturally occurring, organic, sulfur compound. Taken as a nutritional dietary source of sulfur, which is the 4th most abundant element in the human body, MSM is necessary for making and repairing cartilage. MSM has been shown to relieve pain as a result of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

Glucosamine – is a small carbohydrate molecule which is naturally synthesized (produced) in the body. This synthesis declines with aging therefore the need to supplement. Glucosamine supports cartilage maintenance and strength therefore reducing and relieving joint pain.

Chondroitin – or chondroitin sulfate is naturally synthesized in the body and supports strong cartilage. Chondroitin protects existing cartilage by reducing water loss and by slowing the breakdown of the cartilage. Glucosamine and Chondroitin work together to protect the cartilage from wear and tear and help it maintain its strength.

As you can see each ingredient has its own job to do and how all 4 are necessary to maintaining healthy joints and reducing pain. To learn more about gel-nutrition visit [http://www.agelhealthandwellness.com].

My Story – The straw that broke the camels back was the day that I broke into tears at work over a situation that I found to be frustrating. Never in my 27 year career had I lost emotional control in my work environment. Growing up in a stiff British home very seldom did I ever lose emotional control over anything? The problem….chronic pain. After years of working on a computer that was not properly set up for my work station I had developed osteo-degenerative arthritis in my neck. I lived every day with a stiff neck, to the point that I had difficulty driving a vehicle and I was having weekly migraines. I was eating over the counter pain pills like they were candy and my doctor eventually put me on a pain medication called Vioxx. This drug was pulled off the shelves after I had taken it for 18 months and could no longer be prescribed. I spent over 2 years and thousands of dollars trying to get rid of the pain and put some mobility back into my neck. I worked with a message therapist, physio therapist and a chiropractor on a weekly basis to get the situation under control. Sound familiar to any of you. Well the pain became manageable however it never fully went away until I began to take a gel-nutrition formula which contained all of the above noted ingredients. The pain medication just masked the problem and all the therapy in the world was not going to put lubrication back into my joints, calm down the inflammation and strengthen the cartilage between my vertebrae. Now having said that, the therapy was also necessary to ease the muscle tightness which had happened around the affected area.

Like many I had tried MSM and Glucosamine in pill form however became impatient due to the slow results. People who are living with chronic pain want quick results even thought I fully realized this problem took years to create and would not be fixed over night. Today I am happy to say that I am pain free, even my ankles, which suffered many years of abuse from jogging and sport activity. My pain and stiffness eased after giving my body the proper nutrition for only 1 week. My symptoms were gone after 2 weeks.

What's New for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

One source of new information about rheumatoid arthritis is the annual American College of Rheumatology meeting. This year's meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia from November 7-11.

Some of the interesting findings ion rheumatoid arthritis are summarized below...

One study described the combination of etanercept (Enbrel) and methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. The study found that disease progression is less frequent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who haven't responded to methotrexate alone if it is continued at the same time the biologic drug etanercept (Enbrel) is started. After randomizing "151 patients with active RA to etanercept, 25 mg twice a week plus methotrexate 6mg to 8 mg/week, or to etanercept alone," researchers found the following... Significant differences in joint erosion scores (joint damage scores) were seen after two years of combined etanercept plus methotrexate compared with etanercept alone. These results were reported by Hideto Kameda, MD, of Keio University in Tokyo, and colleagues at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Another hot topic at the American College of Rheumatology meeting is an investigational compound called JAK. JAK has attracted increasing interest as a drug target in rheumatoid arthritis because it's pivotal to the inflammatory response. It's an enzyme that serves as the traffic director for the release of tumor necrosis factor and other cytokines (protein messengers) that accelerate inflammation in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The weakness of JAK is that it is an enzyme whose effects can be blocked by an oral, small-molecule drug.

There are three forms of JAK simply known as JAK 1, JAK 2, and JAK 3. Pfizer has a JAK inhibitor called tasocitinib. Earlier reports from the ACR meeting about this compound showed that it was extremely effective as well as possessing an acceptable safety profile. Tasocitinib blocks JAK 1 and JAK3.

Tasocitinib is taken twice a day.

Another JAK inhibitor, called INCB028050, is a product from the Incyte company. Incyte has partnered with Eli Lilly to manufacture and market this compound. The drug produced ACR20 responses (at least 20% reductions in symptom scores) in up to 70% of patients after 24 weeks, and ACR70 responses in nearly 30% of patients, reported Maria Greenwald, MD, of Desert Medical in Palm Desert, Calif. INCB28050 selectively blocks JAK1 and JAK2.

INCB28050 is taken once a day.

Side effects of the JAK drugs include elevations in both HDL and LDL cholesterol of up to 25%, depending on the dosage.

Other side effects that have been seen in the clinical trials with these medicines include an increase in respiratory tract infections, viral infections, including shingles, drops in white blood cell count, increases in platelet count, and slight abnormalities in both kidney and liver function.

On a more mundane note, the drug, leflunomide (Arava), may be an acceptable alternative to methotrexate for use in combination with rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who can't take methotrexate.

Katerina Chatzidionysou, MD, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, reported a study showing these findings at the American College of Rheumatology meeting.

A total of 29.1% of patients on leflunomide and rituximab had a good response at the six month mark. A number of research studies have shown that the B-cell targeting antibody drug, Rituxan, is beneficial in RA, and it has usually been given in combination with methotrexate.

But a big question for doctors has been how to deal with patients who have side effects with methotrexate.

Those of us who see a lot of rheumatoid arthritis patients find this information to be "old hat." But patients with the disease should find some helpful nuggets here.

Common Symptoms For Rheumatoid Arthritis - What You Don't Know is Costing You More Than You Think!

More than 2.5 million people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis in the United States alone. Natural treatment is one of the best alternatives for long term pain relief. What are the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis? How can inflammation be reduced naturally for pain relief? Find out the expert answers in this article.

Arthritis adds a lot of discomfort and pain into the life of the person suffering from it. The severity of the condition and the age of onset might vary from person to person, but there are many common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis that have been well researched in the recent years.

In order to achieve long-term pain relief, it is essential that you make the appropriate lifestyle changes as early as possible. Besides that, you should include a healthy diet which is rich in anti-inflammatory foods, because inflammation is the prime cause of the occurrence of common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis

Keeping inflammation in check is essential in its treatment. The common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis include --

-- Pain and discomfort in the joints
-- Loss of joint function
-- Deformities in the hands and feet
-- swelling in the joints of both sides of the body
-- Swollen glands
-- A limited mobility in joints
-- Loss of appetite
-- Muscle aches
-- Fatigue and weakness
-- Morning stiffness

A warning sign on rheumatoid arthritis to consider seriously is that the joint pain doesn't manifest itself until in the later stages when a high amount of inflammation has led to destruction of cartilage.

The prescription based drugs for the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include Cox-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx and corticosteroids; and the over-the-counter medications include ibuprofen and aspirin, etc.

Although these are effective for the short term treatment of its symptoms, they have a lot of side effects in the long-term.

Omega-3 fatty acids are the best approach to naturally prevent and cure the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis. Not only are they excellent natural anti-inflammatory, but they are also beneficial for our overall health include in our heart, brain, skin, digestive system, hair, nails and joints.

Research on the role of Omega 3 fatty acids supplementation clearly shows that they reduce tenderness in joints, reduce inflammation, decrease morning stiffness and also help to reduce the amount of medication required for pain relief in arthritis patients.

Fish oil supplements are the best source of essential Omega 3 fatty acids. Besides that, the green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is also a very rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is used in combination with fish oil to provide the maximum benefits in the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis.

While using fish oil supplements as a part of long-term treatment of arthritis symptoms, you should consult your doctor in case you are taking blood thinner medications as a part of prescription. Fish oil is a natural blood thinner and you should avoid taking too many blood thinners as it could lead to serious side effects.

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or JRA, is a type of chronic arthritis that shows symptoms of joint pain and inflammation before the age of 16. Often the symptoms come and go, but some types can linger longer.

While there is no cure for JRA and the exact cause is unknown, it is widely believed to be an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body tissue.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is earmarked by symptoms including:

• stiff joints in the morning


• limited range of motion


• back pain


• joints that are warm, swollen, painful, and possibly red.

Other less common symptoms include fever, rash, swollen glands, red eyes, eye pain, and vision changes.
JRA is divided into several categories:

• Polyarticular JRA: This type involves can involve many large and small joints, and it can turn into adult rheumatoid arthritis. Joints affected may include the legs and arms, as well as the jaw and spine.


• Pauciarticular JRA: This type involves only a few joints, usually ones in the lower body like the hips, knees, or ankles.


• Systemic JRA: This type affects joint swelling or pain, along with fevers, and rash. It is the least common type.

There are several juvenile rheumatoid arthritis treatments, including:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): More commonly found over-the-counter as ibuprofen or naproxen may be enough to control symptoms in most cases.


• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): These help slow the progression of joint deterioration by modifying the body's response to the immune system.


• Exercise: it is the most common form of treatment and possibly the most important as activity eases pain, while maintaining muscle strength during critical developmental years.

While JRA can seem troubling, children with only a few joints involved usually go into remission with few normal function and little deformity. However, those with more joints involved may be more affected and need more aggressive treatment to prevent long-term effects.

While there is a lot of JRA information out there, it's important for parents to know that symptoms of JRA may also be confused with psoriatic arthritis, Lyme disease, rheumatic fever, bone infections, sarcoidosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is also known as juvenile chronic polyarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and Still's disease.

Shilajit - Uses and Benefits

According to the legends famous in India shilajit is considered as nectar or amrit of God given to mankind to live life youthfully and become immortal forever. Shilajit commonly called, as shilajitu in ayurvedic terms is a kind of resins that oozes out from Himalayan Mountains due to heating effect of sun in summers. It is pale brown to blackish brown in colour. This resin is soft in texture, slimy to touch, pure and heavy. It is soluble in water. Others names by which shilajit is famous are asphaltum, mineral pitch, and girij.

Shilajit is an end product of plant matter that has decomposed centuries ago and got dumped in mountains and due to pressure, got preserved in mountains. Shilajit is found in Himalayan region especially in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet and kumaon area in India

Shilajitu is considered has ushan virya i.e. it possess hot potency, which makes it, fight against the ailments caused by vata disorder. It possesses katu, tickt and kashaya rasa and possesses laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties, which helps it in acting the way it works. Due to presence of these properties shilajit acts as vata and kapha suppressant, it also helps in moderating pitta dosha. Shilajit is said to contain many biochemical's, mainly fulvic acid but humic acid, uronic acids, hippuric acid, benzopyrones, phenolic glycosides and amino acid are also present. Shilajit should never be taken in raw form, first it is purified and then used.

Shilajit is widely used in preparation of ayurvedic medicines and is regarded as one of the most important ingredient in ayurvedic system of medicine. It is a part famous ayurvedic medicines like chandraprabha vati, arogya vardhani vati, and most important of all Chawanprash. It works as a powerful anti oxidant thereby delaying aging.

Shilajit has been indicated in number of diseases as mentioned below: -

· Due to ushan virya in potency shilajitu is said to have properties that suppresses pain, as it acts directly on vata thereby helping out in suppressing it, as it is the cause of initiation of pain.

· A very good remedy in arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and other joint related problems and back pain

· Has a very good pain relieving effect in any kind of injury and muscular pain

· Due to similar property mentioned above shilajit is said to work as anti-inflammatory substance. It works very similar to as the working of betamethasone a glucocortocoid.

· Shilajit is considered as an agent which helps in strengthening our nervous system there by very helpful in nervous disorders like paralysis, hemiplegia etc.

· Shilajit is considered as drug of choice in disorders like depression, mental stress, epilepsy and mental fatigue.

· Shilajit helps in promoting intelligence level and also works in promoting mental concentration thereby enhancing the learning skills.

· Wonderful results have been seen in abdominal disorders like pain, gastritis, indigestion and constipation

· Good results have been seen in piles and fistula related problems.

· It helps liver to work normally therefore helps in proper secretion of all the juices and enzymes important for proper metabolism in body.

· It helps in purifying blood due to its anti microbial action.

· Another use of shilajit is that it works against any microorganism hence has an anti microbial action therefore helps in relieving body from any kind of foreign invasion.

· Helps in building body's natural immunity thereby useful in providing natural strength to the body.

· Very effective in disease related to heart as it a pitta moderator

· Shilajit is also effective in controlling blood pressure levels by bringing it to normal levels.

· Works as a kapha suppressant therefore helps in countering cough and helps in releasing sputum from the respiratory tract. It has also been found effective in asthmatic condition

.
· Very important herb in ayurvedic system of medicine, which helps in increasing strength

and endurance power in men. It works as an aphrodisiac agent thereby helps in increasing sperm count and also helps in bettering the quality of sperms. It also helps in regulating sex hormones for proper functioning. It has been regarded as Indian viagra as it is very helpful in enhancing sexual powers.

· Shilajit is well used in treating diabetes cases, as it is very helpful in metabolizing glucose in blood stream.

· It is strongly recommended in renal calculi cases, as it is very effecting in crushing calculi due to its tickt rasa property. It is also beneficial in enhancing proper functioning of kidneys.

· Good results have also been seen in infection in urinary tract and helps in relieving from symptoms like dysurea and burning micturation.

· Excellent results have been discovered when shilajit is applied in medo roga (obesity). It possesses this property because of its laghu (light) and ruksh (dry) properties. It helps in scrapping away of extra fat accumulated in body thus helps in providing slim and healthy looks to the body.

· Shilajit is highly recommended in patients who are weak or have been recovering from prolonged illness or from any surgery.

· Shilajit helps in supplementing the minerals (like phosphorus, calcium and magnesium) and vitamin deficiency in body

· Shilajit provides strength to the body and has been mentioned as rasayan by Acharya Charak, the great Indian ayurvedic healer, and has recommended its daily use to maintain physical and mental strength and to maintain youth and to attain long life.

Know more about Shilajit Anti aging, Aphrodisiac Herb, Feel Young, Increase Sex Drive, Uses and Benefits by visiting http://www.morphemeremedies.com