The diet of the arthritis patient should be planned along alkaline lines and should include fruits and vegetables for protection and proteins and carbohydrates for energy. It may consist of a couple of fresh raw vegetables in the form of a salad and atleast two cooked vegetables.
Cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, endive, lettuce, onion, radishes, tomatoes and watercress
may be used for a raw salad. The cooked vegetables may include asparagus, beets, cauliflower,
cabbage, carrots, celery, brinjal, mushroom, onions, peas, beans, spinach, tomatoes, squash
and turnips.
In severe cases, it will be advisable to put the patient on raw vegetables juice therapy for about a
week. Green juice, extracted from any green leafy vegetable, mixed with carrot, celery and red
beet juice, is specific for arthritis. The alkaline action of raw juices dissolves the accumulation of
deposits around the joints and in other tissues. Fresh pineapple is also valuable as the enzyme
in fresh pineapple juice, bromelain reduces swelling and inflammation inosteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis. Repeated juice fasts are recommended at intervals of every two months.
The raw potato juice therapy is considered one of the most successful biological treatment for
rheumatic and arthritic conditions. It has been used in folk medicine for centuries. The old
method of preparing potato juice was to cut the potato into thin slices, without peeling the skin,
and place them overnight in a large glass filled with cold water. The water should be drunk in the
morning on an empty stomach. Fresh juice can also be extracted from potatoes and drunk
diluted with water on 50: 50 basis, first thing in the morning.
Black gingerly seeds, soaked overnight in water, have been found to be effective in preventing
frequent joint pains. The water in which the seeds are soaked should also be taken along with
the seeds the first thing in the morning. Drinking water kept overnight in a copper container also
serves the same purpose. This water has traces of copper which helps strengthen the muscular
system. For the same reason wearing a copper ring or bracelet will also help.
Warm coconut oil or mustard oil, mixed with camphor, should be massaged in case of stiff and
aching joints. It will increase blood supply and reduce inflammation and stiffness on account of
gentle warmth produced while massaging. Camphorrated oil is an ancient rebefacient used for
the purpose.
The time has also been used as a home remedy for arthritis since long. The citric acid found in
lime is solvent of the uric acid which is the primary cause of arthritis. Other remedies found
useful in relieving pains in the joints include green-gram soup mixed with crushed garlic cloves
and a teaspoonful of powdered fenugreek seeds in warm water taken everyday.
Sea bathing is considered beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. The natural iodine in the sea
water is said to relieve arthritis pain. As is well-known, iodine regulates the acid-alkaline balance
in the blood and tissues, helps to repair and regenerate worn out tissues and nourishes the
skeletal structure. It enters into the thyroid gland’s secretion. The hormone uses this iodine to
nullify germs in the bloodstream and to create a self- cleansing of internal toxemia.
If sea bathing is not possible, the patient should relax for 30 minutes every night in a tub of warm
water in which a cupful of sea salt has been mixed. The minerals in the sea salt, especially
iodine, can be absorbed through the skin pores. This will help correct an internal imbalance.
The body should be kept warm at all times. Joints should not be bandaged tightly as this limits
movement and interferes with the free circulation of blood. There should be plenty of indirect
ventilation in the bedroom. Rest is of greatest importance to arthritis, who should not overdo
their work, exercise or recreation activities.
Constipation should be avoided as it poisons the system and adds to the irritation and
inflammation of the joints. Light exercises such as walking, hiking and swimming are beneficial.
Maintaining a normal body weight is also an important factor in preventing arthritis. Obesity
places excess stress on weight-bearing joints and interferes with the smooth functioning of
tendons, ligaments and muscles.
The yogic asanas helpful in curing arthritis are trikonasana, bhujangasana, shalabhasana,
naukasana, vakrasana and shavasana. Arthritis patients should practice these asanas regularly.
Yogic kriyas like jalneti and kapalbhati and pranayamas such as anulomaviloma, ujjai and
bhrameri are also beneficial.
The patient should be given a lukewarm enema for a few days to cleanse the bowels. Neutral
immersion baths, hot foot baths, ultrasonic diathermy and exposure of the affected parts to
infra-red rays, a knee pack applied for an hour every night, stream baths and a massage once a
week are beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. All general cold water treatments, such as cold
baths and cold sprays, should be avoided.
Tags: arthritis herbal treatment, herbal supplement arthritis, arthritis nutritional supplement, arthritis na
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The first thing you need to do when deciding to create your own Herb Garden is to decide on the size of the plot of land you want to use. This will depend on what herbs and how much you want to grow. Unless you are an experienced gardener or a herb fanatic don’t make your plot too big at first. Remember, you can always add to it later. You can create a raised bed to grow your herbs in and always add more when you decide you need to grow more. Remember to plan out your planting sequence and keep records of what is planted where as well as marking your planting with plastic nametags.
You need to remember that most herbs usually like well-drained soil so start your bed with a good layer of gravel that will help drainage. Place your soil on top of this but remember to add some compost into this. If you have a free draining soil to start with you should be able to manage without the gravel. Make sure your plot is in full sun as many herbs originate in the Mediterranean region.
Most herbs can be sown from seed so you can buy these from your local nursery. You can also buy small plants fort transplanting but there is nothing more satisfying than doing all the work yourself so try to grow from seed first. If you don’t succeed then try small plants later but remember to read the label, as some plants such as coriander do not transplant very well.
Remember that you can also grow many herbs in small tubs or window boxes and can even grow them on your windowsill. Try planting Basil over the winter as long as it is indoors as Basil is a frost tender plant and will die after a single light frost. You can also try starting your seeds off early in the year to plant out as soon as the risk of frost has passed. An early start will give you herbs for longer. If you plant out too early you can always try covering your tender plants with fleece to keep the frosts off. If you live in a frost-free place, get cracking now.
About The Author
Andy Wiley is a budding gardener, chef and internet writer. Check out his new site at http://www.healthy-herbs.com.
Tags: herbs, health, nutrition, health alternative, herb remedies, herbal
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‘Rheumatism’ is a traditional and non-specific term used in the East and West to refer to a variety of conditions affecting the bones, joints, skin, heart, kidneys, lungs. This term is rapidly falling out of favour in the West today because modern medical science has discovered that most of these conditions have different aetiologies (causes) requiring very different treatments.
You can say that it’s a word mainly used in Chinese (& traditional) societies; it’s also used by a minority of Westerners into homeopathic and alternative medicine. The only common characteristics among these conditions are: 1) they cause long-term chronic pain, and 2) they are very difficult to treat.
‘Arthritis’ is a broad term refers to inflammation of the joints, but doesn’t say anything about the cause. Includes conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, infective arthritis, gouty arthritis, etc.
Generally, I’d divide arthritis into 2 big groups:
1) Osteoarthritis (OA)
This is primarily a ‘wear and tear’ condition affecting older people. Arises from overuse (e.g. marathon runners), previous injuries (football players), overweight, heredity. A lot of older Asian women get OA of the knees while the Americans and Europeans get it in the hips. The pain is more mechanical than inflammatory. So you get pain in the later part of the day after a lot of walking and climbing stairs.
Because it’s mainly a mechanical problem, treatment with painkillers is only a temporary solution. Long-term lifestyle changes are more important - reduce weight, mobility and muscle-strengthening exercises, reduce all kinds of weight-bearing activities (walking, jumping, running, carrying heavy objects). In severe cases, surgery may be warranted.
2) Inflammatory (’Rheumatic’) Arthritis
This group comprises the various types of arthritis which are mainly inflammatory , not mechanical, in nature. They usually result from an auto-immune condition, which causes the body’s immune system to go haywire and attack the joints and other parts of the body. E.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA), SLE (skin, kidneys, joints, brain), psoriasis (skin, joints), ankylosing spondylitis (back, heart), gout (joints, skin, kidneys), rheumatic heart disease/fever (joints, heart, skin). All these conditions require different forms of treatment.
I’ll talk a bit about RA, the commonest condition in this group. Unlike OA, RA can occur at any age and is usually hereditary (we now have a test for the RA factor in the blood). Pain is usually in the early morning, worse when it’s cold, and gets better with activity and use. That means an RA sufferer suffers from morning stiffness and pain, but gets better in the afternoon when it’s warmer and when he has moved around a bit.
Treatment, unlike OA, is mainly through drugs - painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs like steroids, cytotoxic drugs like sulfasalazine and MTX. In Asia, treatment is mainly through accupuncture, medicated plasters and ointments. With the vast arsenals of drugs and non-drugs alternative treatments available today, RA can be controlled very well and the sufferer can actually lead a very active life. Many OA sufferers on the other hand may eventually require surgery since we don’t have very effective drugs for OA.
Dr Leong Y.H is a western trained medical doctor with a keen interest in Oriental medical treatment. He contribute articles to http://www.quick-pain-relief.com. You may distribute this article as long as mention is made of the author and the website.
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Tags: oriental, herbal, pain, arthritis, rheumatism. pain killer, plasters, ointment, medical, medicine
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