Reprinted from Nature’s Field Vol. 13 No .5

Arthritis
by Jana Sommers

Arthritis

The term “arthritis” means “inflammation of the joint” and this disease is the leading cause of physical disability in the country. Many factors can cause inflammation of a joint, so there are many types of arthritis. Some involve the joints themselves and others affect the tissue surrounding the joint. It is estimated that 30 million people suffer from one of the many forms of arthritis, with over half of them seeking professional treatment [1997].

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease, is the most common of all types of arthritis, and is generally less crippling than rheumatoid arthritis. It is characterized by mild early morning stiffness, stiffness following periods of rest, pain that worsens on joint use, and loss of joint function. Other signs of degenerative loss of joint cartilage are local tenderness, soft tissue swelling, creaking of joints, and restricted movement. OA usually affects the weight-bearing joints and the joints of the hand, and is seen primarily, but not exclusively, in the elderly.

Eighty percent of the people in the U.S. over the age of 50 have OA, with the condition being ten times more common in women, indicative of hormonal deficiencies after menopause. OA is caused by age, excess weight, general wear and tear, a lifetime of inadequate diet and exercise, genetic factors, hormonal deficiencies and is related to skeletal and postural difficulties. Repeated injury or undue stress on the joints sets the stage for inflammation followed by calcification, resulting in pain and disfigurement.

Regular walking and stretching exercises are important in keeping the joints lubricated with synovial fluid and improving blood supply to the bones and localized tissues. The key word here is moderate. Either extreme—excessive pounding exercise or a completely sedentary lifestyle—will aggravate the condition. Swimming and water exercises are excellent ways to strengthen muscles and loosen stiff joints.

Deep massage and movement re-education to restore proper, natural posture can help OA sufferers regain some mobility and lessen the pain. Directly massaging the affected joint will improve circulation and reduce swelling and pain. Use a little cream or oil for lubrication and lightly stroke the muscles around the joint, using your fingertips and the heel of your hand. If you can’t use your hand, roll a clean tennis ball over the area to give a similar effect.

One of the best ways to manage OA is by diet, preferably a vegetarian diet. Improvement has been recorded in OA patients when they increased their intake of the following nutrients: magnesium (found in Brazil nuts,whole-grain flour, lentils and parsley), selenium (found in whole-grain cereals, "free-range" poultry, and fish), zinc (found in "free-range" poultry, fish, liver, and whole-grain cereals), Vitamin E (the best source of which is wheat germ, which can be sprinkled over food) and oily fish (such as mackerel, sardines, and herring).

Gout

Gout is a common type of arthritis and is typically pictured as a rich man’s disease. It is caused by an increased concentration of uric acid in body fluids, whereby uric acid crystals are deposited in joints, tendons, kidneys and other tissues, causing considerable inflammation and damage. Uric acid is a waste product from animal products and high protein foods. A diet high in dairy products can also cause an elevation of uric acid in the bloodstream.

Gout is primarily a disease of adult men, with over 95 percent of gout sufferers being men over the age of 30. The traditional picture of a gout sufferer is that of a large gentleman consuming vast quantities of meat and wine, his aching foot resting on a pillow. It has some basis in fact, as meats are high purine foods, while alcohol inhibits uric acid secretion by the kidneys. The first attack of gout is accompanied by intense pain, usually involving one joint. The first joint of the big toe is affected in nearly half of the first attacks and is at some time involved in over 90 percent of individuals with gout. Gout can be easily managed by eliminating animal products from the diet, which will result in lower uric acid levels.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own tissue. It is one of the most common types of arthritis, affecting one to three percent of the U.S. population, with female patients outnumbering males almost three to one. This disease not only inflames the joints, but is also a systemic disorder, affecting the entire body. The body’s response to some of the toxic products resulting from the chronic inflammation are fatigue, appetite and weight loss. The initial symptoms of fatigue, low-grade fever, and vague joint pain may exist for months. When specific symptoms appear, the joints usually involved are the feet, wrists, elbows, and ankles and, most commonly, the joints are symmetrically affected, i.e., both hands, wrists, etc. Specific symptoms can include persistent pain in the joints that interfere with normal activities, persistent pain and stiffness on arising in the morning, soreness and swelling in any joint or in a symmetrical pair of joints, and pain in the joints that interfere with sleep.

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the synovial fluid, a sticky, viscid material that surrounds and protects the joints. Less than one quarter teaspoon of snyovial fluid surrounds a joint; thus the viscosity is very important in proper lubrication and function of the joint.

What triggers this autoimmune reaction remains largely unknown, but speculation and recent research have centered around genetic susceptibility, lifestyle factors, nutritional factors, food allergies and micro-organisms. Even though research has indicated that RA has a genetic link, not everyone with the genetic tendency will contract the disease. Both the risks and the course of the disease can be altered by lifestyle and dietary modification.

Conventional medications for RA are given to control the symptoms, and most have extremely damaging side effects. Initial treatment consists of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antimalarial drugs, all of which suppress the body’s inflammatory responses. For more resistant cases, gold shots, corticosteroids, penicillamine, and cancer chemotherapy agents are used, all of which inhibit the immune system. Joint replacement is generally considered a treatment of last resort.

A factor that has received recent attention in RA research is that of a leaking digestive tract, brought on and aggravated by the use of steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Partially digested food fragments may cross the intestinal lining into the blood stream and trigger an immune reaction, aggravating arthritis symptoms. Thus, some of the most often prescribed drugs to treat the problem may actually make the problem worse. Because of the severity of side effects of drug therapy and little or no improvement in the progress of the disease, drug treatment should be very carefully considered before choosing that option.

The few studies that have been done on the relationship between diet and arthritis do clearly show that for many people certain foods can be very important factors in the cause, prevention and treatment of arthritic diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis is rarely found in cultures that consume an unrefined, low-fat diet. Studies have indicated that all simple, processed and concentrated carbohydrates should be avoided, complex carbohydrate, high-fiber foods should be stressed and fats should be kept to a minimum to help prevent and treat this condition.

Proper diet and nutrition, detoxification, and stress reduction are very important in the prevention and treatment of arthritis. Excess weight puts increased stress on arthritis-affected joints, so achieving normal body weight is also critical. Special foods for RA include cold water fish (mackerel, herring, sardines, and salmon) because of their anti-inflammatory characteristics, cod liver oil, and flavonoid-rich berries (cherries, hawthorn berries, blueberries, blackberries) that help reduce joint inflammation.
The most common offending foods are: wheat, corn, dairy products, beef, and the nightshade family (tomato, potato, eggplant, peppers, and tobacco). A vegetarian diet has been shown to reduce inflammation.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients should adopt a careful program combining rest with exercises that promote and maintain joint mobility without undue stress. Walking, bicycling, dancing or swimming are suggested, but patients should do something enjoyable so that they will continue to do it. Chronic pain can be relieved by heat, either in the form of a bath or warm, wet compresses. A hot Epsom salt bath twice a week can also relieve arthritic pain. Acupuncture also helps with pain relief.

Summary

Arthritis is a condition that gradually breaks down the joint connective tissue over a period of years, and can be caused by age-related changes, altered biochemistry, hormonal factors, genetic predisposition, and stress.
“Allergies may or may not cause arthritis, but they do affect the majority of cases because they can aggravate and perpetuate the condition. The connection between arthritis and allergies has been found to be quite significant.”1
Research conducted during the last seven years has shown that arthritis can be modified by alterations in diet and lifestyle. Diet, specifically, while still controversial, is increasingly considered as a therapeutic option. Alternative therapies such as nutrition and lifestyle might be used together with traditional (drug) therapies to help provide a more complete approach to the treatment to the existing arthritis as well as to the prevention of it.

Footnote
1. James Strohecker, Executive Editor, Alternative Medicine (Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., Puyallup, Washington, 1994) p. 535.
Sources:
Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide by The Burton Goldbert Group, Future Medicine Publishing Inc., Puyallup, Washington, 1994
McDougall’s Medicine: A Challenging Second Opinion, by John A. McDougalll, M.D., New Century Publishers, Inc. 1985.
The Complete Home Healer, by Angela Smyth, Harper San Francisco, 1994.
This information is for educational purposesonly. Consult with a qualified health practictioner for all serious or persistant illness.
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