Alternative Information

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.

Priya Shah is the Editor of The Glutathione Report, a newsletter featuring regular updates on the health benefits of glutathione. For a comprehensive report on arthritis, read the Arthritis Relief Report online


MORE RESOURCES:

Alternative fuel bill heads to Blanco's desk
KATC, LA - 54 minutes ago
The sale of alternative fuels in Louisiana would be required once production of the products in Louisiana meets certain benchmarks, and then only a small ...


Psychiatric Solutions Inc agreed to acquire Alternative Behavioral ...
Baystreet.ca, Canada - 4 hours ago
May 30, 2006 - Portsmouth, VA, United States — Psychiatric Solutions Inc (PSI) agreed to acquire Alternative Behavioral Services Inc (ABS), a subsidiary of ...
Psychiatric Solutions Signs Agreement To Acquire Alternative ... Trading Markets
UPDATE 1-Psychiatric Solutions in $250 mln acquisition Reuters
Psych Solutions of Franklin inks $250 million deal Gallatin News Examiner
Yahoo! News (press release) - International News Service - all 11 related


Diaz Sets Out to Save Berkeley Alternative
Berkeley Daily Planet, CA - 9 hours ago
... Diaz, 39, has found a new incubator in the Berkeley Alternative High School, where he is finishing his first year as principal. ...


It's time to get serious about alternative fuels
Jackson Sun, TN - 15 hours ago
... locally and statewide, continue to feel the pinch of rising gas prices, Tennessee has a chance to become a leader in the production of alternative fuels and ...
Congress should focus on reducing consumption, not just lowering ... The Tennessean
all 3 related


Citigroup plans alternative Eurotunnel restructuring
MarketWatch - 9 hours ago
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- US investment bank Citigroup is proposing an alternative restructuring plan for troubled undersea rail link operator Eurotunnel (12537 ...
Citigroup proposes rival Eurotunnel rescue deal Guardian Unlimited
Citigroup proposes rival rescue plan for Eurotunnel Independent
all 11 related


New Law Encourages Alternative Fuels
KWWL, IA - 4 hours ago
... alternatives. Governor Tom Vilsack signed two bills designed to encourage gas stations to offer an Iowa-grown alternative to foreign oil. ...


Government, VCs invest in alternative energy
Los Angeles Business, CA - 21 hours ago
... Venture capitalists and investors also are bullish on alternative energy. ... That's why venture capitalists are so interested in alternative energy, Heesen says. ...


Bankruptcy Alternative (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) To ...
LiveArticles.org, CA - 5 hours ago
... of credit before we see an end to these soaring levels of personal insolvencies.' The use of the individual voluntary arrangement as an alternative for debtors ...
Bankruptcies Hit Another Record High LiveArticles.org
all 2 related



KOMO
s Newest Alternative Fuel: ‘Miracle Manure
Christian Broadcasting Network, VA - 46 minutes ago
... At an alternative fuel car show, students from Western Washington University showed off their novel invention to a younger group of school kids. ...
Cow Manure Could Be Cheap Alternative to Gas ABC News
Turning cow poop into car power cuts harmful gases Seattle Post Intelligencer
Western Washington University to harness cow power Seattle Post Intelligencer
6abc.com - kgw.com (subscription) - all 7 related


PW Eagle Inc. - UPDATE - Trading Higher On Strategic Alternative ...
Trading Markets, CA - 5 hours ago
(RTTNews) - The Board of Directors of PW Eagle Inc. (PWEI | charts | news | PowerRating) announced after the close on Tuesday that ...

home | site map | links
© Businessxpert.com