Arthritis

These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate medical advice.  Please check labels for contraindications and consult your pharmacist if you take prescription drugs.

A health problem is Nature’s way of saying it’s time to try something new! Here’s a chance to make small, systematic changes and reach the level of wellness you were meant to enjoy. Health by design!

An AlkalizingDiet

• Drink 7-10 glasses of filtered or spring water daily. 
  
  
• Consume a diet that is 75-80% alkaline forming. This is the least talked about and the most important factor in combating inflammation.  Chart available.
  
  
• Make antioxidant rich fruits, vegetables, raw seeds and nuts, beans, legumes, and whole grains the mainstays of your diet.   Avoid wheat unless sprouted.
  
  
• Nightshade vegetables can exacerbate inflammation. Avoid tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant for a few weeks and see if symptoms improve.

• Have complete protein no later than lunch for better digestion of amino acids.

• Combine foods for optimum digestion – fruits on an empty stomach 30 minutes before other foods – have starches (base) and animal products (acid) at separate meals.

• Animal products are a source of inflammatory arachidonic acid.  Use sparingly.
  
  
• Go organic.  Pesticides and chemicals can contribute to inflammation.
  
  
• Fermented foods correct the body’s pH and improve absorption of nutrients.
  
  
• 1-3 tbsp ground flax for fiber, fatty acids, and hormone balance.
  
  
• Take 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar and raw honey (optional) in a cup of room temperature water with meals to improve digestion and pH.
  
  
• Replace salt with Herbamare for all the flavour but 1/3 the sodium.

Cook gently.  High heat generates acrylamides & advanced glycation end products

Basic Supplements - To Cover Common Deficiencies

• Bio-Strath – source of B vitamins, improves digestion,  stress tolerance and pH.
  
  
• Vitamin C – 500- 1,000 daily - an antioxidant and co-factor in collagen synthesis. 
  
  
• Vitamin D – 8,000 IU for one month then reduce to upper limit of 4,000 IU - a steroid precursor, anti-inflammatory.
  
  
• Omega 3 fatty acids – anti-inflammatory, improve joint mobility.
  
  
• Magnesium – helps maintain cartilage, assists in mineral absorption, decreases stress, alkaline effect on the body, improves bowel function.
  
  
• Use probiotics intermittently along with fermented foods.

Special Care for Arthritis

The following have all proven useful.  Try one or more and use until inflammation is under control:

• Choose an anti-inflammatory formula with multiple critical molecules such as MSM, glucosamine, and hyaluronic acid. Jo Anne’s Place private label MSM with Grapeseed to combat inflammation, promote healing and generate healthy tissue.

• If joints are disfigured, take Serrapeptase two times daily on an empty stomach for 4 weeks, then reduce to once daily until joints have improved.

• In a Japanese study, consumption of aloe vera nearly doubled participants’ hyaluronic acid and collagen levels.  Take 3-4 tbsp twice daily. 
  
  
• Check urine pH. Inflammation is associated with acidosis.  If your pH is consistently low (below 6.5) it indicates your kidneys are not keeping up with acid wastes.

• Overacidity can affect joints in various ways. Circulating waste may be deposited in the joints causing swelling and pain. If left uncorrected it can harden causing deformation of the joints. 

• Or if an acid condition threatens the alkalinity of the bloodstream the body may leech minerals from the bones and joints as a buffer. While we call this “normal wear and tear” but it’s actually corrosion due to an overly acid system.

• Supplemental green drinks and alkalizing minerals can be used to alkalize quickly. Juice fasting or a fruit/veggie mono diet one day (or more) each week is a great way to promote a healthy alkaline/acid balance.

Lifestyle and Emotional Well-Being

• Mental and emotional balance play an important role in controlling inflammation.  Studies show that keeping a journal helps reduce symptoms.
  
  
• Yoga and rhythmic breathing, when practiced regularly, may reduce inflammation and pain.  Breathe deeply, exhale thoroughly.

• See Dr Zack Bush’s4 Minute Workout online to promote nitric oxide production.
  
  
• Spend time outdoors.  The Earth emits a negatively charged ionic field that restores balance to our bodies and psyches.

Given the right foods, supplements, fresh air and exercise, your body can repair and renew.  Many people experience improvements in multiple areas of their health. 

You are meant to be healthy, happy, and pain-free!

*Revised September 2024