Natural Arthritis Remedy To Reduce Inflammation

Discover ways to reduce inflammation associated with diseases like arthritis with simple foods found at the grocery store. Also, certain foods common in the diets of many people have been found to increase the likelihood of both inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

 

Arthritis, whether it is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, have the common symptoms of inflammation of one or more joints. This is accompanied by pain, swelling and sometimes joint deformity. Traditionally, with herbal medicine, anti-inflammatory herbs such as black cohosh, feverfew, yucca and wild yam were recommended. And a naturopath might prescribe vitamins like vitamin A, the B complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Plus a host of minerals like chelated zinc, chelated calcium and magnesium, copper salicylate, selenium and bromelain. And supplements like evening primrose and fish oils, glucosamine, and superoxide dismutase, which is found in good quality dehydrated (but not juiced) green barley powder.

 

But scientists have found some very effective anti-inflammatory agents in our own kitchen. Some of them, like ginger, can be bought as a supplement. And due to ginger's strong taste, this might be a preferable way of taking it to get the quantities you need for a significant anti-inflammatory effect. But others, like olive oil, can easily be integrated into the daily diet. Cinnamon is not commonly used as a supplement here, but in India it has a rich traditional use and may be available as part of an Ayurvedic supplement.

 

Ginger

 

One of the active constituents in ginger is a phenolic compound known as gingerols. These have been found to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. In a study reported in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal, the participants who took the ginger compound had significantly less pain during movement than those who took the placebo. This study followed 29 people over 12 months, and also found that swelling in the knees was also reduced. 

However, if you are taking blood thinning medication like warfarin, you may need to be careful about the amount of ginger you take, as ginger can thin the blood also. (Australian Healthy Food)

 

Cinnamon

 

This rather delicious spice has a number of health benefits. Specific to inflammation and arthritis, cinnamon can help inhibit the release of inflammatory fatty acids (Australian Healthy Food).

 

Yellow and Orange Fruits and Vegetables

 

Some of the carotenoids in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables help reduce inflammation. Carotenoids are what gives these vegetables and fruit their colour (Australian Healthy Food).

 

Olive Oil

 

Extra virgin olive oil acts similar to the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, though it doesn't have the immediate pain relieving effects that ibuprofen does. But a compound found in extra virgin olive oil, called oleocanthal has been found to inhibit the COX enzymes like ibuprofen, in what researchers describe as a 'dose dependant' manner. This research was originally reported in the September, 2005 issue of Nature magazine by Paul Breslin and his associates from Monell Chemical Senses Center. He describes oleocanthal as a natural anti-inflammatory compound that is potentially as strong as ibuprofen. He suggests that taken over the long term, it will have the same potential benefits that long term use of ibuprofen does. Their results found that taking 50 grams of extra virgin olive oil is equal to approximately 10% of the dosage of ibuprofen recommended for pain relief for adults. Olive oil also has a host of other benefits, including a heart protective effect.

 

Interestingly, scientists have also found that a diet high in refined grains, sugary soft drinks, processed meat and even diet soft drinks can encourage both inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

 

Resources:

 

1. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=62217

2. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, November 2005 Issue

3. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January 2006 Issue

4. P Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing (Hinkler Books)

Managing Anaemia Associated With Chemotherapy Treatment

This year, an estimated 1.3 million cancer patients will undergo chemotherapy and more than two-thirds of these patients will develop anaemia, a low red blood cell count. Anaemia is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy and can negatively affect patients and impact their daily activities. 

 

"Chemotherapy attacks fast-growing cancer cells, but it can also kill normal cells like red blood cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to the body's muscles," said Dr. Ralph Boccia, director of clinical research, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Bethesda, Md. "As a result, the body's tissues are starved of oxygen, making a patient feel short of breath, very weak, faint and tired."

 

More than half of chemotherapy patients report that fatigue, a common symptom of anaemia, affects their daily lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain and depression. Further, anaemia is often undertreated, despite the availability of treatments for more than a decade. 

 

Typically, anaemia treatment takes more than two hours per visit. Now, there is a treatment option that provides added convenience from current weekly dosing. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved every-three-week starting dosing of 500 mcg of Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in patients with certain types of cancer. This allows physicians to synchronize anaemia treatment with most chemotherapy schedules, increasing convenience for patients and caregivers by reducing the number of clinic visits and injections for anaemia treatment. 

 

"Receiving anaemia treatment every three weeks on the same schedule as my chemotherapy was convenient for me and my family," said Danielle Mannix, who suffered from anaemia. "We had fewer visits to the doctor for anaemia treatments, which gave me more time for my regular daily activities."

 

Aranesp is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Erythropoietic therapies may increase the risk of thrombotic events and other serious events.

Malic Acid A Good Supplement

You may not know what malic acid is, which is okay because many people don’t exactly know what it is anyway. It is an organic acid that helps the process of deriving ATP. That is the energy currency that runs the body from food. Basically malic acid helps in the production of energy.

 

Malic acid can also be called fruit acid, because it is found in apples and other fruits. But Malic acid is also found in some plants and animals including humans. I won’t get into too many details as it can be confusing, but the acid is a chiral molecule. Some people also refer to malic acid as apple acid, hydroxybutanedioic acid and hydroxysuccinic acid.

 

The acid if absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This is then transported to the liver. Again I won’t go into details as it is pretty complex. Malic acid is derived both from food sources and synthesized in the body through the citric acid cycle. As I have stated before, the importance of Malic acid is for the production of energy in the body, which is really all you need to know. Other benefits from the supplement are helping respiratory problems and chronic fatigue. 

 

Many people in the medical industry think that Malic acid can have benefits when you use it in connection with fibromyalgia. The only problem is that the results for the studies have been mixed. They will probably need more time to have 100% proof of the benefits connected to fibromyalgia. But that doesn’t have to stop you from taking Malic acid supplements. 

 

We already know that Malic acid is a good way to boost your energy. If you find you are always tiered try out Malic acid supplements and see if they will help you. They can give you the boost you need to get through the day.

Making Vitamins Plain And Simple

It's no wonder we are pretty confused when shopping for vitamins. We've been told, for example, that a good vitamin supplement would boost our energy level. In fact, we're told this constantly: in magazine articles, television media, the plethora of vitamin- promoting infomercials, web sites, and pop-up ads on the Internet.

 

So when you arrive at the vitamin shop, you're already at a complete loss (and may have forgotten altogether) why you're even there, and end up like many of us, just not taking any vitamins at all because it's all so...so...confusing!

 

Vitamin World, Vitamin Gallery, The Vitamin Patch, Vitamins for Vegetarians -- the vast array of shops, whether online or in your neighbourhood, all beckon, promising renewed everything. If you have any health problem or complaint known to man, you'll find a good vitamin supplement (or 12 to 15 of them) to straighten out your suffering right away.

 

The good thing about vitamins (just one of many) is that they're really largely "natural," with very few containing harmful or otherwise irritating, toxic chemicals.

 

To put it plainly, vitamins are good for us because they are derived largely from natural plants and minerals. That's the basic fact. And the benefits are many; it's difficult to take the "wrong" vitamin, and it certainly can't hurt you, so why not give it a swing? But remember: Take everything in moderation.

 

Beta-carotene, for example, is thought to protect against cancer and heart disease. It can dramatically boost the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant, which controls those "free radicals" we've all heard about and prevents them from causing damage to cells that lead to premature disease and aging.

 

Biotin metabolizes protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It also helps in energy production, and there is some proof that it can help people with diabetes by keeping glucose levels reduced. Other benefits include healthy hair, skin and nails, and reducing fatigue, heartburn and some allergies.

 

Folic acid is famous among women who are trying to conceive and those already pregnant. Other benefits include keeping your heart strong, increasing energy and helping ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Vitamins and minerals are now seriously recognized in playing a role in the health and vitality of every organ in the body, from skin and bones to the nervous and immune systems, right up to the brain. Vitamins can lower cholesterol levels, help wounds heal more, raise your sperm count and make you more resistant to colds and flu, asthma, cataracts, and even gum dis-ease.

 

Again, you really can't go wrong with vitamins. Look beyond the fancy marketing and packaging. The key is to focus on your particular ailment and go straight to the natural remedy. Don't let all the hype distract or confuse you; all you really need to do is keep it plain and simple.

Dangers of Using Laxatives For Weight Loss

One popular weight loss supplements available in the market today take the form of tea. Stores all over sell slimming tea, dieter's tea and others but all of them are actually the same. They may appear to be effective, but what is not seen may actually harm you.

 

One of the effects of drinking dieter's tea is frequent bowel movement. This gives people the feeling of body cleansing. These people may get toxins out of their body but it isn't exactly the only thing that slimming tea actually does to the body. Slimming tea contains herbs which are natural laxatives. These include aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil. These are products which are derived from plants and are used since the ancient times because of their potency in treating constipation and to inducing bowel movement.

 

Cascara, castor oil and senna are substances which are recognized as laxatives available over the counter and are also regulated as drugs. Scientific studies show that diarrhoea induced by laxatives does not absorb significant amounts of calories taken in the body. 

 

The reason for this is that laxatives do not act on the small intestines where most of the calories are absorbed. Instead, they work on the large intestines. If taken in large amounts for prolonged periods, it can affect fat absorption of the body. This may lead to greasy diarrhoea and loss of weight. Abuse of laxatives is common practice among people who suffer from bulimia and anorexia nervosa. 

 

While weight loss can be guaranteed by overdosing on laxatives, it may also cause permanent damage to the gastrointestinal tract and the weakening and softening of the bones, a condition known as Osteomalacia. Drinkers of slimming teas may actually patronize the product because they are less expensive and taste better than other laxatives sold in the market. Other people, such as those with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa drink dieter's tea because they work fast and produce watery stool and having loose consistency.

 

Women may even be more susceptible to the effects of slimming teas. Although they may are not known to interfere directly with the woman's menstrual cycle and fertility, they should watch out if drinking them causes them to rapidly shed off weight. It is also not safe for pregnant women to be taking in laxatives of any kind. Wise and responsible herbalists also discourage the use of senna and other herbal products with laxative properties for pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive.  

 

One should be wary about these findings because the labelling of slimming teas in the market today can be absolutely misleading. For instance, they commonly refer to the laxative qualities as "natural bowel cleansing properties" and not specifically use the word "laxative”. Some even use the term "low-calorie" on their labelling. These products in fact, contain essentially no calories nor nutrients whatsoever; unless of course, if they are sweetened.

 

Adverse effects of misusing laxatives in the form of slimming tea generally occur when taken in more than or longer than recommended. These include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, fainting, rectal bleeding, electrolyte disorder and dehydration as well as injury and worse, death. It was also reported that excess use of stimulant laxatives cause severe constipation and pain for long periods (as much as for decades) due to the colon losing its function. It eventually led to surgery removing the colon altogether.

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - Tribulus

Bodybuilders are notorious for taking all sorts of nutritional supplements as they strive to build muscle, but are they always familiar with what they are putting into their bodies? This article looks at the potential benefits offered by Tribulus Terrestris.

 

Tribulus Terrestris is a herb that comes from a plant found in Asia. It has been used in the past by many cultures for the treatment of liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. It has also been used as a diuretic and to treat infertility. In recent years strength athletes in eastern Europe are reputed to have used it to enhance performance.

 

It is believed to enhance testosterone levels by encouraging the production of Luteinizing hormone. Studies have shown that when Luteinizing hormone levels are increased, the natural production of testosterone also increases.

 

It is difficult to assess the validity of Tribulus as a muscle growth enhancer because none of the studies carried out have appeared in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Its proponents do suggest that it can prove useful when stacked with 100 mg of DHEA and 100 mg of androstenedione but this takes us into the equally uncertain territory of prohormones which we have covered in a separate article.

 

If you do wish to experiment with Tribulus you can take 750-1250 mg per day divided between meals. Some people experience stomach upsets but this can be minimized by taking it with food. There's no guarantee that Tribulus Terrestris will help you grow bigger muscles but many users report a much improved sex drive!

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Arginine

Bodybuilders are notorious for taking all sorts of nutritional supplements as they strive to build muscle, but are they always familiar with what they are putting into their bodies? This article looks at the potential benefits offered by L-Arginine.

 

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that the body cannot make naturally. It is found in nuts, seeds, chocolate and raisins.

 

Arginine is used by the body in the execution of many important physiological processes including hormone secretion, output of growth hormone, removal of toxins from the body and enhancement of the immune system. It is also a precursor of nitric oxide which vasodilates vessels in the body. For this reason arginine is often used to treat conditions such as angina, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, sexual dysfunction and infertility. Recent research has also highlighted arginine's ability to scavenge free radicals, remove bad cholesterol, enhance fat metabolism and regulate salt levels.

 

There are several reasons why arginine appeals to bodybuilders:

 

1. It prevents the retention of water under the skin thus minimizing bloating and helping to create a ripped appearance.

 

2. It helps the body to retain nitrogen that is essential to the muscle building process.

 

3. Its vasodilating abilities support muscle growth.

 

4. It enhances protein synthesis.

 

5. It helps to boost the immune system allowing harder training and minimizing the minor illnesses that come from overtraining.

 

With any amino acid supplement overdosing can lead to weakness and nausea so care should be taken in applying small doses and increasing them gradually until an optimum level is reached. Bear in mind that many protein powders and other supplements are fortified with amino acids so check the labels carefully. The manufacturer's instructions should be followed in all instances.

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - BCAA's

Bodybuilders are notorious for taking all sorts of nutritional supplements as they strive to build muscle, but are they always familiar with what they are putting into their bodies? This article looks at the potential benefits offered by BCAA's.

 

BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and is increasingly being recognized as an important supplement in the field of sports nutrition. In short the term refers to three essential amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine.

 

Amino acids are widely known as the building blocks of protein. When protein food is eaten it gets digested into individual amino acids and short chains of amino acids that are sufficiently small to be absorbed into the bloodstream. They are then used by the body to build and repair tissues amongst other things.

 

Amino acids are split between those classed as essential and those labelled non-essential. This simply means that essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, whereas non-essential amino acids can. There are nine essential amino acids and each must be obtained from the diet. The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

 

Non-essential amino acids are just as important as the essential variety and the term simply means they can be made by the body from vitamins and other amino acids. The non-essential amino acids are alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine.

 

The BCAA's are especially important to athletes because they are metabolized in the muscle rather than the liver. This means that they can be used either to build new proteins or be burned as fuel to create energy. Supplementing with BCAA's has been shown to result in measurable gains in both muscle strength and size. Taken before a workout BCAA's can improve performance and delay the onset of fatigue. They also operate as anabolic agents allowing the body to burn fat and not muscle.

 

As a supplement that has no reported side effects, branched chain amino acids offer many benefits to the serious bodybuilder.

Joint Pain Relief

Arthritis is often a chronic disease meaning it can affect the person afflicted over a long period of time. It cannot be cured, but it can be treated through a variety of methods and products. Learning how to manage your joint pain over the long term is an important factor in controlling the disease and maintaining a good quality of life.

 

Sports-related activities, as well as falls and other trauma, can injure the cartilage within a joint and, if it is not provided sufficient time to heal, chronic pain and persistent disability can follow. These activities and incidents may increase the risk of osteoarthritis, especially if there's impact involved or there's the risk of injury to ligaments. Additionally, damage to the bone surface can start a biological process that results in joint degeneration. This, in turn, often leads to rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

 

Arthritis is often a chronic disease meaning it can affect the person afflicted over a long period of time. It cannot be cured, but it can be treated through a variety of methods and products. Learning how to manage your joint pain over the long term is an important factor in controlling the disease and maintaining a good quality of life. This is a brief overview of some of the methods that arthritis sufferers can use to alleviate many of the symptoms associated with arthritis, especially joint pain. Products, both prescription and over-the-counter, for of relieving arthritic joint pain are described in Joint Pain Products.

 

Heat and Cold

 

Heat and/or cold therapy is not recommended to alleviate symptoms associated with all types of arthritis and as such, the decision whether to use it or not should be discussed with your doctor or physical therapist. If your care provider determines that the use of heat and/or cold is appropriate for use on your arthritis pain, it must be determined which kind of temperature treatment should be used. Moist heat, such as a warm bath or shower, or dry heat, such as a heating pad, placed on affected joint for about 15 minutes may relieve the pain. An ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for about 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop the pain. If you have poor circulation, do not use cold packs.

 

Joint Protection

 

In order to relieve the stress of everyday activity on an afflicted joint, which can exacerbate the condition and may lead to additional injury, a splint or brace can be used to allow joints to rest and keep them from being used. As with many other treatments, a medical care provider such as a physician or physical therapist can make recommendations and possibly provide you with the brace.

 

Massage

 

Massage is associated with temporarily relieving joint pain, one of the major symptoms associated with arthritis, rather than treating the underlying cause of a loss of cartilage. A massage therapist will typically lightly stroke and/or knead the muscles around the joint, which increases blood flow to the stressed area. It is important to realize that arthritic joints are very sensitive, so the massage therapist must be familiar with the disease and problems associated with the affected joints.

 

Exercise

 

Low-impact exercises such as stretching exercises, swimming, walking, low-impact aerobics, and range-of-motion exercises may reduce joint pain and stiffness while increasing joint mobility. A physical therapist or gym trainer can help plan an exercise program that will give you the most benefit with the least stress on the arthritis-stressed joints.

 

Weight Reduction

 

In addition to alleviating some symptoms, the weight loss associated with an exercise program is beneficial in relieving the extra stress that extra pounds put on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees. Studies have shown that overweight women who lost approximately 10 pounds substantially reduced the development of osteoarthritis in their knees. In addition, these studies suggested that if osteoarthritis has already affected one joint such as the knee or hip, weight reduction would reduce the chance of it occurring in the other knee or hip. A physical therapist or gym trainer can help plan an exercise program that will give you the most benefit with the least stress on the arthritis-stressed joints.

 

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

 

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation uses a small device that is placed near the joint afflicted with arthritis and directs mild electric pulses to nerve endings in and around the arthritic joint. It is theorized that TENS blocks the pain messages sent to the brain from the nerves and modifies the body's perception of pain. Although TENS relieves some joint pain associated with arthritis, it doesn't offset the joint inflammation that is associated with arthritis.

 

Surgery

 

In some extreme cases of persons with arthritis, surgery may be necessary. The surgeon may perform an operation to remove the synovium, realign the joint, or in extreme cases, replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement provides not only dramatic pain relief but also significant improvement in joint motion and mobility for many people with arthritis.