Natural Alternatives to the Chronic Pain of Arthritis

Arthritis is among the most common illnesses in the US. Causes include injury, metabolic dysfunction, infections,and hereditary factors.

Inflammation often occurs in bodies which are acidic and cannot balance. When the body's acidity/alkalinity is out of balance, the body's immune response is greatly diminished. In an acid state, it is impossible for the body to get rid of toxins. That alone keeps the cells inflamed and affects everything from how the body feels, to energy, to digestion, to how well and how deeply a person sleeps.

One or more joints get inflamed and that often causes joint pain, also known as arthralgia. While there are many types of arthritic conditions, among the most common ones are:

• Osteoarthritis (cartilage wear and tear)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout (resulting from an abnormal metabolism)

These inflammatory diseases can affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, as well as the organs.

Local arthritic symptoms include joint tenderness, stiffness, swelling, redness, warmth, and pain. More systemic symptoms include swollen glands, weight loss, fatigue, feeling unwell, and fever.

The heart, lungs, and kidneys may also be affected by inflammatory diseases and there may be additional symptoms as well.

Untreated, all inflammatory disease, cause irreversible damage and disability. Given that arthritic conditions span all ages and genders, and some 40 million people in the the US alone suffer from them, they have a huge physical, emotional, societal, and financial cost.

Here is some further breakdown on arthritis:

• Some 350 million people suffer from it worldwide
• 250,000 US children are afflicted by it
• 60% of arthritic Americans are women
• 50%+ of arthritic Americans are younger than 65
• 2.1 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis
• 21 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis
• Annual costs for this disease exceed $50 billion in the US

The allopathic approach to this condition is an examination - usually by a rheumatologist- followed by blood, urine, joint fluid, and x-ray tests. Once diagnosed, the doctor will prescribe medications, physical therapy, surgery, rest, and exercise.

What is conspicuously missing from this approach is emphasis on and education about diet and nutrition as well as water. The body needs oxygen, water, nutrition, exercise, rest and relaxation in order to function.

It also needs far-infrared energy (the energy of the sun), a magnetic field, and negative ions to function. All of these enable the body to conduct chemical reactions, to relax muscles, and to optimize the body's ability to accept oxygen.

Far-infrared energy also contributes to the body's ability to maintain the right pH levels. It keeps the body in an alkaline state. Arthritis & Inflammation Solutions

Eventually there are deposits of hardened uric acid in and around the joints. Gout also affects the kidneys; their function can decrease and kidney stones can develop.

Uric acid, of course, is always present in our bodies. It is a breakdown product of purines, which are part of many foods we eat.

While there may be a hereditary component to developing gout, other contributing factors include:

• Weight gain & Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Alcohol consumption
• Drugs
• Abnormal kidney function

Once gout is diagnosed, usually with a test that identifies crystals in joints, body fluids and tissues, your doctor mayprescribe pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or other analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as colchicine, and corticosteroids, medications that decrease elevated levels of uric acid in the blood. In Treating Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and Gout Good Water is of utmost IMPORTANce. Find out more here.

A word about dehydration... and your metabolism

...water, water, water... Good water is of utmost importance in preventing acute gout attacks. When the body is well-hydrated, these attacks are much rarer or they do not occur at all. Patients with gout are more prone to kidney stones and drinking good water in sufficient amounts is important also to prevent those.

If you do drink alcohol be aware that it dehydrates you and can cause hyperuricemia. Alcohol intake also slows down the excretion of uric acid from the kidneys. This can lead to the formation of crystals in the joints and to gout.