AyurvedaThe last few years have taught our family a lot about the pains related to Arthritis having experinced both parents live with the pain of Arthritis followed by enduring the surgery.
My mother was first to go under the knife and her surgery was well overdue after enduring years of pain due to Arthritis. She had got so bad that her posture had changed so she was hunched over and walked in a pigeon toe manner. She was also suffering back problems due to bad posture and the drugs were causing mild depression amongst other problems which were not discussed with me.
After the expensive surgery my mother is now back to her “normal” self and able to start enjoying life again.
My father was always the fit and healthy one until the day his knees decided to give up on him. I guess the fact it happened so fast meant he was rushed (still a few months!) into surgery.
The surgery could not be deemed a great sucess. We thought my fathers experience would be similar to the experience my mother had – an easy operation and out of hostpital within a few days.
Durring surgery his blood pressure spiked and caused a minor heart attack. He also became very depressed to the point that at one stage the family believed he may have given up the will to live.
He is back on deck now but it was these experiences that lead me to research Arthritis and now I want to share this with as many people as I can. The internet is great for researching and enabled me to learn more about a way to minimize the risk of getting Arthritis by using a more holistic medical system known as Ayurveda.
Arthritis is defined as joint inflammation. (arth = joint, ritis = inflammation). The inflammation is the way the body responds to an injury or to the presence of diseases such as viruses or bacteria.
During this reaction, many cells of the body’s defense system (called the immune system) rush to the injured area to wipe out the cause of the problem, clean up damaged cells, and repair tissues that have been hurt. Once this “battle” is won, inflammation normally goes away and the area becomes healthy again.
Unfortunately however with many forms of arthritis the inflammation does not go away as it should and instead the inflammation continues to damage otherwise healthy tissue causing a long-term cycle of more inflammation and more damage. The result may leave scars which over time build up to cause problems.
What actually happens is the damage that occurs can change the bones and other tissues of the joints, sometimes affecting their shape and making movement hard and painful which ultimately can lead to the need for joint replacement such as hip and knee replacements – now a very common form of surgery.
We couldn’t address ever kind of Arthritis as there are over 100, so we are looking at two of the most common ones. In addition to the joints, some forms of arthritis are associated with diseases of other tissues and organs in the body. Many people think of Arthritis as an old peoples coindition – but it can also affect children, teenagers and young adults.
It has been estimated that as many as 70 million Americans (about 1 in 3) have some form of arthritis or joint pain. Of those, over 46 million are said to be suffering from Arthritis and the number Worldwide exceeds 795 million. Now that is a serious problem and a huge cost to our healthcare systems.
The two most common types of Arthritsis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Osteoarthritis – this is the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis results from the overuse of your joints. It can be the consequence of demanding sports, obesity, or by aging. Eventually the cartilage covering the end of the bones will gradually wear away.
Without the protection of the cartilage, the bones begin to rub against each other and the resulting friction leads to pain and swelling. Osteoarthritis typically will affect the hands and weight-bearing joints such as the knee, hip and facet joints (in the spine) but it can occur in any joint in your body. Often it starts when you are quite young with a minor and occasional level of soreness and this is often linked to an old sporting injury.
Women often gets Osteoarthritis in the hands and this is frequently inherited. Since osteoarthritis often occurs as the cartilage breaks down, or degenerates, with age, it is sometimes called degenerative joint disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – this is a long-lasting disease that can affect joints in any part of the body but most commonly the hands, wrists, and knees. With rheumatoid arthritis, some of your body’s cells recognize a protein as a foreign intruder. The exact protein involved in rheumatoid arthritis has not yet been discovered. Some experts believe the immune system becomes “confused” after infection with a bacteria or virus and begins attacking the normal joint tissues. Immune cells called lymphocytes are stimulated to react to this protein. The reaction causes the release of cytokines, which are chemical messengers that trigger more inflammation and destruction. This battle between the body’s chemicals occurs mainly in the joints and causes the joint lining to swell. The inflammation then spreads to the surrounding tissues, and can eventually damage cartilage and bone. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect other areas of the body, such as the skin, eyes, and nerves.
When you are diagnosed by your doctor as having Arthritis you would be prescribed drugs or if deemed serious enough and you can afford it then surgery may be recommended. Where possible, most of us prefer not to use drugs on a regular basis as they almost always have detrimental side effects and are costly. My opinion is that drugs may help with the symtoms but I would prefer to deal with the underlying cause of the problem so I can eventually get of any medication.
Given my families experience with surgery it is something that I can say I would only have as a last resort and that is assuming I can afford it or that my health insurance would cover the cost. Plus it is expensive!
If you are already on medication you may recognise some of these commonly prescribed medications; Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs – Ridaura, Imuran, Sandimmune, Neoral, Myochrysine, Plaquenil, Arava, Rheumatrex, Trexall), Biologic Response Modifiers (Orencia, Humira, Kineret, Enbrel, Remicade, Rituxan, Simponi), Glucocorticoids (Celestone, Deltasone, Meticorten, Orasone), Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs – Celebrex, Voltaren, Ecotrin, Relafen, Naprosyn, Colchicine, Motrin, Advil), Analgesics (Tylenol, Faverall, Tempra, Ultram, OxyContin, Roxicodone) and Corticosteriod / Steroid Injections.
The combined COMMON side effects of these drugs include abdominal pain, absence of menstrual periods, acne, agitation, anxiety , back pain, bronchitis, burning sensation, clumsiness, confusion, constipation, cough, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry skin, gas, general unwell feeling , hair loss, headache, heartburn, increased hair growth, indigestion, inflammation of the eye, mouth or skin, joint disorder, loose stools, mild nausea or vomiting, mild stomach pain, mild tiredness or weakness, nausea, ringing in the ears, runny nose, sinus infection, sleeplessness, stomach upset, stuffy nose, texture change in nails, tremor, twitching, upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, vomiting, weakness, and weight loss.
The combined SEVERE side effects of these medications include bleeding disorder, blisters on the inside of eyes, nose or mouth, blood in the urine, bloody or black, bluish discoloration of the skin or nails, change in the amount of urine produced, chest pain, clayed-coloured stools, confusion, congestion, dark urine, decreased urination, depression, excessive tiredness, fainting , fast or irregular heartbeat, fever, chills or persistent sore throat, hallucinations, hearing loss, Hives, increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness and seizure, increased sensitivity to light , infertility, Itching, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), lightheadedness, loss of appetite, low fever, metallic taste, mental and mood changes, muscle cramps, including leg cramps, night sweats, numbness of an arm or leg, numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes, one-side weakness, pale skin , pinpoint bruises, pneumonia, purple blotches or unusual skin spots, purple spot on the skin, and/ or seizure (convulsions), Rash, red, swollen, or blistered, or peeling skin, seizures, severe headache or dizziness, severe or persistent stomach pain or nausea, severe vomiting, shortness of breath, slurred speech, sudden or unexplained weight gain, swelling of hands, legs or feet, swelling of the mouth, face and lips or tongue, swollen glands, symptoms of liver problems , tarry tools, thickening of the tongue, tightness in the chest, trouble breathing, trouble sleeping, trouble walking, unusual bruising or bleeding, unusual joint or muscle pain, unusual lumps or masses, unusual skin lumps or growths, unusual tiredness or weakness, vision or speech changes, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, wheezing, white patches in mouth or throat, and yellowing of the skin or eyes.
The goal of Osteoarthritis treatment is to provide pain relief and increase joint mobility and strength. Treatment options include medication, exercise, heat/cold compresses, use of joint protection and surgery. Types of surgery include Arthrodesis (fusion of joints), Arthroscopy (replacement with artificial joints), Total Knee Replacement, and Total Hip Replacement. Treatment plans may involve more than one of these options.
There is a lot to absorb here.
But you are able to act now to manage the onset of Arthritis or to manage your existing Arthritis so that you minimise the chances of needing drugs or surgery by using a combination of health supplements, changes to your diet and a bit of exercise too.
These are some of the things that I have identified which you can do to make a change. Start by adding two supplements to your diet and then introduce the other ideas over time.
Arthmender is a supplement which releases hundreds of phytonutrients that act at the molecular level to restore joint suppleness and flexibility by reducing inflammation and pain, eliminating toxins, curtailing free radical activity, counteracting autoimmunity, improving circulation, supporting cell production and repair, shrinking inflamed tissues, preventing excessive blood clotting, lubricating and smoothing joint structures, improving calcium absorption, and relaxing and toning muscles.
Omega-3 will assist to reduce inflammation. Increase your intake of Omega-3 with fish oil, ground flax seed, minimal-mercury tuna, wild-caught salmon, and sprouted walnuts. You should also look at decreasing your intake of polyunsaturated oils in your diet that contain Omega-6 such as sunflower, safflower, soybean, and corn oils.
Olive oil is healthy monounsaturated oil that is used in the Mediterranean diet (a diet praised for its anti-inflammatory effects on the body). These monounsaturated fats can also be found in raw almonds, cashews and avocados.
A low-fiber diet will contribute to systemic inflammation. Liberally add ground flax seed (which is also high in omega-3 fatty acids) to many of your favorite recipes, smoothies, shakes, and salads. And try coconut flour which is 58% fiber!
Eating fruits rich in Vitamin C when fresh and available. These fruits help relieve inflammation. Choose blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit, peaches, mango, cantaloupe melon, and anti-inflammatory fruits like apples. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit can be too acidic and therefore irritating.
When shopping just remember this rule of thumb: the deeper and richer the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more antioxidant power it has. Choose the most colorful fruits and vegetables in the produce aisle to benefit from powerful antioxidants. Vibrant choices include blueberries, red grapes, mangos, pomegranate, dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach), brussel sprouts, red cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash.
If you suffer from arthritis, you may suffer from coexisting bone conditions as well. In order to protect your bones, choose foods that are naturally high in calcium such as mustard greens, broccoli, spinach, collard greens, and turnip greens. Look for fresh foods which are rich in vitamin D such as tuna, sunflower seeds and salmon. And don’t forget to get your fair share of natural sunlight. This increases vitamin D production which will help your body to absorb calcium.
Anti-inflammatory spices and herbs like turmeric, ginger, and garlic have powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that naturally help boost the immune system.
And exercise will help too. Initially it will sound too painful to exercise (my father told me) but there are techniques that you can use to keep yourself flexible and it will help over time. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are three types of exercise that are best suited for people with arthritis: Range-of-motion exercises help maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness. Strengthening exercises (weight training) help keep or increase muscle strength. Stronger muscles will help support and protect joints affected by arthritis. Aerobic or endurance exercises (bicycle riding, swimming) improve cardiovascular fitness, help control weight, and improve overall function. Swimming is one of the best non-pressure exercises to do when you have joint problems. Weight control can be important to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts extra pressure on many joints. You will find studies that show aerobic exercise can reduce inflammation in some joints. Your healthcare professional may recommend physical therapy to help create a low-impact exercise plan that is tailored for your level of physical ability. The focus of physical therapy should be to protect the joints, while increasing strength, flexibility, and range of motion.
And you probably want more about Ayurveda; (the science of life, prevention, and longevity) This is the basis of these lifestyle changes and is the oldest, the most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas – the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. It is not something new; and it is a tested concept that has been proven; Ayurveda is a comprehensive system that has been developed to treat the underlying causes of health problems rather than waiting for the symptoms to develop.
You owe it to yourself, to your body and to your family to make some changes and I suggest you can start by getting some Arthmender today and then next time you are buying food, take an extra look at what you are buying.
This took a long time to put together so I hope this has been helpful and maybe it will save you from living with pain.