The Disease of Arthritis
Compiled and published by Health Freedom Resources
Arthritis is a disease which affects the joints. It is attended by pain, heat, redness, stiffness and swelling.. The disease knows no boundaries as far as age, social status, or geographical distribution. There are commonly two types.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic form of the disease involving the destruction of the tissues of the joints, the cartilage of the joints, and even the bone surfaces themselves. Usually this disease comes upon a person after the age of thirty or forty, but the condition can be inherited. Some other symptoms include excruciating pain or swelling in the joints, debility, anemia, weight loss and fever. If there is extensive damage, the joints themselves can become fused together as the body deposits scar tissue in and around the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis often occurs and recurs during a person's life. Physical stress or emotional stress can trigger it or aggravate it.
The other, most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is generally found in older people. It is characterized by the wearing away of the cartilage, the gristle or white elastic substance attached to the bone surfaces in joints. The function of the cartilage is to provide a smooth surface for the movement of the bones over each other at the joints. Often this cartilage is worn away and the bare surfaces of the bones rub against each other at the joints. This is extremely painful. The knee joints and hip joints are generally affected because of the constant weight of the body placed on them. The sufferer feels stiffness in the joints accompanied by pain and inflammation often after activity and damp or humid weather.
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Arthritis Doesn't "Strike"
There is an advertisement from the media that states "Arthritis STRIKES one person every so-and-so minutes, so give your money to us so we can research and find a cure." Actually arthritis does not Strike an individual. The groundwork for arthritis is laid by generations of man's transgression against the laws of nature.
Arthritis has been said to be "incurable." This is because most researchers have not looked into the fundamental reasons for the existence of a disease. We see in our society that arthritis is not just a disease that a few oldsters occasionally get, but that it has reached epidemic proportions among the population. The so-called incurable diseases, like arthritis, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, are the result of long-term suppression of symptoms by the extensive and indiscriminate use of conventional (in most cases unwholesome and inorganic) drugs. The patient often has to take over/ under/or around-the-counter drugs for a lifetime in order to "manage" disease, while the natural body functions slow up and eventually shut down.
One of the medical discoveries for the relief of arthritis, aspirin, was lauded as being the panacea of the century. But just a few years later, we found out the extensive damage that can be done to the stomach by this insipid poison. Then Tylenol was recommended to replace Aspirin until it was admitted to destroy the liver instead of the stomach. Drugs for arthritic pain have come and gone, each one being replaced by a new, uncertain experiment, possibly giving forth worse side effects than its predecessors. There is one thing about Mother Nature, folks, she is consistent. Nature's laws can be applied yesterday, today, and tomorrow. An apple or a fig was just as good for you in King Solomon's time as it is today - provided it isn't sprayed with poisons, thanks to our pals in the petro-chemical industries.
There are two basic causes for any disease: malnutrition and excess toxins accumulated in the body. Poor food choices, weakened digestion and slow elimination can be observed in all people suffering from disease.
Eating an excess of certain foods produces substances which the body cannot handle in excess, so these act as toxins themselves. The consumption of cooked animal fats and proteins in excess, as in the common diet of our Western society, adds uric acid wastes to the system, producing gouty inflammation.
Processed and refined carbohydrates also contribute to the malfunction of every cell in the body. When sugar is added to water and is absorbed into the blood stream, it causes calcium to move out of the blood and deposit excessively - that is, it increases this by thirty-five times! There is definitely a correlation between the amount of sugar in the blood stream and the precipitating out of calcium around the joints. Cooked and processed grains, like breads and all forms of pasta, convert to glucose just as refined sugar does.
Adding good oils to your diet – and eliminating bad ones – can make a difference in how you feel. Some oils are vital nutrients. Other oils, especially in excess, act to throw the body's nutrient balance out and reduce normal function. Here’s what you should know about the best and the worst oils, from the Arthritis Foundation:
"It’s known that saturated fats from animal products contribute to many diseases. Now researchers believe the balance of polyunsaturated fats in Western diets is out of whack and may be contributing to an increase in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. They say we consume too many of the fats that promote inflammation and not enough of the fats that produce the chemicals to counter it.
"Our diets are overwhelmed by the omega-6 fatty acids called linoleic acid, the type that’s in most vegetable and cooking oils and is the primary oil used in processed and fast foods. In our bodies, some of this fat breaks down into arachidonic acid that fuels the agents that contribute to inflammation.
Meanwhile, we are probably getting too little of the fatty acids – omega 3s and others – that help reduce inflammation and improve circulation".
A malfunctioning nervous and endocrine system can also be a factor in arthritis. The hypothalamus sends a signal to the parathyroid to begin dissolving bone if the body needs calcium elsewhere. The thyroid gland is the regulator of the reverse process. If the thyroid is under active, bone may continue to dissolve, causing osteoporosis or bone loss. If the thyroid is overactive, excess calcium is deposited back into the bones. When the bones have enough calcium, the malfunctioning thyroid can't say "quit!" So, excess calcium may be deposited on the outside of the bones and even the joints. It would do well to check the thyroid (through iridology or otherwise) and use kelp or some form of organic iodine to rebuild it if it is degenerating.
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Recommendations
In this letter we will give you our recommendations for relief of arthritis. They will always remain unquestionably simple and wholesome and have helped many through years of practice.
Arthritis and Natural Source Vitamin C
Several studies have been done on the connection between natural Vitamin C-rich foods and arthritis. Richard Lucas in his book, Nature's Medicines reports that in a hospital treating chronic diseases of the elderly, pain of arthritis was decreased within one month by the addition of 8 ounces of orange juice to the daily diet.
Many herbs contain Vitamin C also and should be added to the diet. One of the highest is rose-hips. Rose hip tea is very refreshing and will certainly be an aid in eliminating uric acid build-up. Hibiscus flowers also contain high amounts of C. Any citrus fruits can also be aids.
Phytonutrients
In another study it was found that arthritis sufferers were relieved of gouty symptoms by drinking canned cherry juice. Because many people eat meat, they have a build-up of uric acid in the system which tends to create these symptoms. Blood uric acid dropped as a result of taking ˝ lb. of fresh or canned cherries a day. An article appearing in Food Field Reporter, in 1958, stated that there is no "definite" scientific data on just how cherry juice aids in relieving pain caused by diseases where improper balance of calcium is present. They then state that it may be the pigment, anthocyanin, in the cherries that brings relief. Blueberries and other berries also have these phytonutrient pigments, but dark red cherries have the highest concentration of all.
Find out more about our delicious Apothe-Cherry juice concentrate today!
Healthy Oils
From the National Office of the Arthritis Foundation, " There’s strong evidence that fish oil supplements with omega-3 fatty acids can ease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms, help prevent Raynaud’s syndrome spasms and possibly relieve some lupus symptoms. Both borage seed and evening primrose seed oils have been shown to ease RA inflammation, and flaxseed oil may be also helpful. Readily available, these oils appear not to have serious side effects when taken as directed.
"Though these oils aren’t mainstream medical treatment, some people have been using them for a decade or more, often along with conventional medications – and with their doctors’ blessings. Lawrence Leventhal, MD, chief of rheumatology at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, says many of his rheumatoid arthritis patients are taking borage seed oil supplements.
"Fish oil is perhaps best known for its heart-saving abilities, but the same qualities help reduce Rheumatoid Arthritis and Raynaud’s symptoms. In some studies, those with Rheumatoid Arthritis using fish oil were able to significantly reduce their use of NSAIDs, or even discontinue them without increased pain and inflammation. In a study of 32 people with Raynaud’s who took fish oil, researchers found that the oil improved the tolerance to cold exposure among those who had primary but not secondary Raynaud’s.
"Also, Joel Kremer, MD, chief of rheumatology at Albany Medical College in New York and a leading researcher on fish oil, says,
"Taking oil supplements might help your symptoms, says Kremer, but you have to take a lot of capsules – 10 to 20 per day, depending on the potency of the products – to match the amounts used in studies, and it might take up to three months before you notice any effects...
Supplements aren’t the whole story on oils, though. Kremer’s best advice, he says, is to take some supplements, but also to lower your overall fat intake, change some of the oils you eat and add oil-rich cold water fish to your diet at least twice a week.
Take a high-omega-3 oil, beneficial in reducing inflammation - see what's in Ultimate Omega by Nordic Naturals
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Folk Remedy and Changes in Diet
Folk Remedy
One of the best empirical (first-hand observation and experience) studies of the above phenomenon is by Dr. D. C. Jarvis, M.D. He observed farm animals and folk medicine practitioners in the state of Vermont.
He noted that in Vermont folk medicine, although they did not distinguish between arthritis, bursitis, rheumatism, gout, osteoarthritis, etc., they were successful in treating all these diseases with two teaspoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and two of honey in a glass of water three times a day. They felt that arthritis treatment began in the stomach where the acid balance prevented putrefaction of food. (Bacteria will not grow in an acid medium.) These putrefying bacteria can bar the door to proper assimilation of nutrients in the stomach and intestine, including calcium.
One of the body's chief necessities is calcium. If the calcium balance is off, the results will be seen in many ways. There will be frayed nerves, inferior fingernails and hair, and other disorders including susceptibility to infectious diseases and arthritis as a result of altered body chemistry.
Calcium enters into solution only in an acid medium. The apple cider vinegar creates an acidic medium which is capable of dissolving excess inorganic calcium--even if it is in the form of arthritic deposits in the joints.
Changes in Diet
We have found that an arthritic person can improve their condition remarkably in a few short weeks by making three changes in diet (if nothing else):
- Eliminate cooked meat from the diet to reduce uric acid build-up.
- Eliminate refined sugar and grains from the diet to maintain proper calcium balance.
- Drink plenty of purified water to dilute and flush out accumulated toxins and pollutants.
Additional Tips:
Drinking a blend of 2 raw tomatoes with 4 tablespoons fresh raw lemon juice most often relieves pain within several hours.
Dr. Norman W. Walker's idea is that arthritis is caused by inorganic calcium deposits in the joints as a result of eating concentrated carbohydrates in excess. He suggests making your own juices at home: grapefruit juice; celery juice;carrot and spinach juice; and carrot and celery juice; and carrot, beet, and cucumber juice.
Another way to use fresh vegetables: Applying a poultice made of 1 raw celery stalk blended with 2 tablespoons grated raw horseradish root, to a painful joint often reduces pain within 20 minutes.
Eat much of your food as close to fresh, raw as possible
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More You Can Do
Arthritis need not be the crippling scourge of mankind. If dietary discretion is applied early enough, arthritis can be prevented. In the later stages, it can be reversed if care is taken to apply the simple principles of nature, consistently and faithfully.
We recommend you thoroughly eliminate accumulated toxins and pollutants from your body by doing one or more cleanse programs, to restore natural healthy function.
A three week Colon Cleanse Program along with the diet changes shows marked improvement in arthritis.
For chronic cases of joint inflammation and pain, we recommend the Bone, Flesh and Cartilage Concentrate to rebuild the area with new cells.
For very advanced cases of arthritis, we recommend the "Incurables Program" - full cleansing and nutritional rebuilding for the whole body.
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Ron Radstrom, President
Health Freedom Resources