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eLearning Series:
Arthritis Relief Now!
( 15 pages )
ARTHRITIS:
OTHER FACTORS
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.
Ingesting foods
that contain
sodium
nitrate or tartrazine
can inflame rheumatoid
arthritis, while ingesting
foods containing a
substance called hydrazine
can contribute to systemic
lupus
erythematosus, an arthritic
condition connected
to lupus.
There is
a rare
type of arthritis called
Behcet's Disease, and eating
black walnuts
can cause
flare-ups in
people with this
rare condition. So as you
see, there
is a variety of arthritic
conditions and along
with them a variety of
foods that may trigger them. The
best way
to approach
the situation
is to examine
each
arthritic condition and
tailor one’s
approach based upon the
specifics.
The term
arthritis covers over 100 different diseases
and
conditions. Since it
would be impossible to
cover all of
them in a work
such as this, we
will look at the most
common conditions: rheumatoid
arthritis, osteoarthritis,
fibromyalgia, and
gout.
There is a prevalence
of rheumatoid arthritis
sufferers
that have
an abnormally low
blood zinc level. Several
independent studies
have been
conducted where
rheumatoid arthritis
patients have been
given increased
doses of zinc and showed
marginal
improvement, yet the
tests were not extensive
enough
to
be conclusive.
The effects of copper
on
rheumatoid arthritis
have been studied
for a long time, and
although results
vary there
seems to
be some case
for
using copper
to improve the condition,
although this therapy
has been dismissed
by most of
the medical
profession as relatively
ineffective.
Copper therapy
is
not discouraged however
when approached
from food sources,
and may work on some individuals.
It is suggested
that if
you do attempt copper
therapy, that
copper-rich foods
are utilized
instead
of copper supplements,
because
copper supplements
can cause side effects
which
include change
in sense
of taste and smell,
nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite,
abnormal
blood
clots,
increased
joint pain, chills,
anemia and kidney problems,
and excess copper
can cause cirrhosis
of the liver in patients
prone to Wilson’s
Disease. Check
with your doctor
to
be sure you
are not prone to storing
excess copper in your
body. There
is an extensive
choice of
foods
you can enjoy
in order
to increase your
copper intake:
lamb; pork; pheasant
quail; duck; goose;
squid; salmon;
organ meats
including
liver, heart, kidney,
brain; shellfish including
oysters,
scallops, shrimp, lobster,
clams, and crab; meat
gelatin;
soy protein
meat
substitutes;
tofu; nuts
and seeds; chocolate
milk; soy milk; cocoa
are just
a few of
the foods
that
are
rich in copper.
As
for foods to avoid
when suffering with
rheumatoid arthritis, many
nutritionists and
naturopaths suggest avoiding dairy
products all
together, as they
seem to exacerbate rheumatoid
arthritis flare-ups.
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
much better to
approach
any desired
increase in vitamin
or mineral
intake through food
therapy.
There has
been some success
with the
food supplements
glucosamine and
chondroitin in relieving symptoms
of pain and stiffness
for some persons
with osteoarthritis.
These supplements
can be found
in pharmacies and
health food stores,
however
the purity of the
products or
the dose of
the active ingredients
cannot
be specified because
the
FDA does not monitor
these supplements.
The National Institutes
of Health
is studying glucosamine
and chondroitin,
so more
should be known
about the effectiveness
of these products
for osteoarthritis
in
the near
future. 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
some
anti-inflammation
properties and
increasing the
dietary fish intake
and/or fish oil
capsules (omega
3 capsules) can
sometimes reduce
inflammation of
arthritis.
With osteoarthritis
there is also the
concern with deterioration
of
cartilage;
therefore those
with osteoarthritis should
avoid large
doses of Vitamin-A,
since there
is some evidence
that
it contributes
to cartilage deterioration.
In
the case of fibromyalgia,
although
clinical
proof is once
again sparse,
there is a
great deal of
personal experiences
of improvement
of this
condition when
certain dietary
practices
are followed.
Eliminating wheat, dairy,
citrus, sugar,
Aspertame, alcohol,
caffeine,
and tobacco seem
to be universal
in those that
have had
success with
treating the illness
through dietary
means. According
to Dr.
Joseph
Mercola, author
of “The Total
Health Program,” nine
of
ten
sufferers of
fibromyalgia are female, and
76% of those
who followed
suggested
dietary
rules experienced
a significant
reduction in
pain. The thing to keep
in mind
with fibromyalgia
is that, unlike
the other
common arthritis
ailments,
it
is more of a
syndrome than
a disease, and
much
of it can be
reversed. Making corrections
to diet as well
as reducing stress
and getting plenty
of rest can lead
to a full
recovery.
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