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so I probably have Erosive Osteoarthritis...EOA

ktgrok

By ktgrok,
in General Education Discussion Board

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ktgrok

ktgrok

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My mother has crippling arthritis in her hands. She actually is considered disabled, and has horrid chronic pain. Her sister, my aunt, does as well. Both had the pain start in their 30s. I have been having soreness and aching in my index finger for awhile, and decided to be proactive about it, as that is how it started for my mother. I had xrays yesterday, and bloodwork today. I imagine I'll get the results next week. Meanwhile my mom had a follow up visit with her rheumatologist, and he clarified that her issue is called Erosive osteoarthritis, a very aggressive, inflammatory form of osteoarthritis. There is some belief that it is it's own type of arthritis, rather than a subset of osteoarthritis. It is significantly more painful, and causes erosion of the bone and cartilage. It may be auto immune, but no one knows. The only good news it it usually spares the large joints and mainly effects the hands. I also seem to have the same symptoms in my big toes, but forgot to tell the doctor that, so I didn't get xrays of them.

 

I knew I probably had arthritis in my future, but this really is scaring me. It is not caused by wear and tear the same way OA is, and I don't know how much control if any I will have over the progression. I am VERY grateful to know, so I can try to do what I can, but scared about the future. I am only 35, and my fingers are a bit sore just from typing on the computer today.

 

From my reading losing weight will help, as adipose tissue secretes some of the chemicals responsible, but my mom has always been thin, so I don't think that is a real issue. I will do it though. I'm also taking fish oil and will start taking chondroiten sulfate, as some studies show that may help significantly.

 

Not sure why I'm posting, other than I'm upset. I told myself I can be upset tonight, and then I will focus on how great my health is otherwise starting tomorrow.

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MyLittleBears

MyLittleBears

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:grouphug: and prayers!

 

My neighbor has reumatoid arthritis and I know it's not the same, but her hands are a bit stiff and painful except on the finger where she was stung by a bee. :confused: I think this is interesting, but I doubt you would have any doctor will to practice this kind of "alternative medicine."

 

I hope you're test results will come back negative.:grouphug:

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LittleIzumi

LittleIzumi

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:grouphug: and prayers!

 

My neighbor has reumatoid arthritis and I know it's not the same, but her hands are a bit stiff and painful except on the finger where she was stung by a bee. :confused: I think this is interesting, but I doubt you would have any doctor will to practice this kind of "alternative medicine."

 

I hope you're test results will come back negative.:grouphug:

I've heard of bee venom treatment, actually. Uncommon but it's out there.

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SonshineLearner

SonshineLearner

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If it's anti-inflammatory things that are best... there is SO much info out there about that. And remember to get organic :) Sweet potatoes aren't bad... and on and on... :) Sorry about this... :( (And when you do eat food that isn't, you can try to balance it out with things that are.... right?? Think I'm right about that)

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Negin

Negin

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My OA word document is very unorganized, so I'm copying and pasting as making adjustments as I go through it. May come in bits and pieces, due to time limitations.

 

• OA can appear at any age

• Genetics play a definite role

• If you have a history of being overweight, inactive, or injury prone, your odds increase dramatically

• Every pound you gain is like 4 extra pounds bearing down on your knees

• If you lose 10 to 15 pounds, the pain of OA can be reduced by 50 percent

• More common in women

 

More info to follow later.

Edited by Negin in Grenada
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ktgrok

ktgrok

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  • Author
Posted (edited)
My OA word document is very unorganized, so I'm copying and pasting as making adjustments as I go through it. May come in bits and pieces, due to time limitations.

 

• OA can appear at any age

• Genetics play a definite role

• If you have a history of being overweight, inactive, or injury prone, your odds increase dramatically

• Every pound you gain is like 4 extra pounds bearing down on your knees

• If you lose 10 to 15 pounds, the pain of OA can be reduced by 50 percent

• More common in women

 

More info to follow later.

 

Just wanted to clarify that i have Erosive OA, also called Inflammatory OA...it strikes pretty much just the hands, sometimes the feet, almost never the large joints like knees/etc. And although losing weight may be good overall I don't carry much weight on my fingers, lol. It seems to be caused by inflamation like RA, but isnt RA...weird I know. But I still want to minimize any of the normal OA risk factors as well, so I'll look for your info later.

Edited by ktgrok
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Negin

Negin

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Just wanted to clarify that i have Erosive OA, also called Inflammatory OA...it strikes pretty much just the hands, sometimes the feet, almost never the large joints like knees/etc. And although losing weight may be good overall I don't carry much weight on my fingers, lol. It seems to be caused by inflamation like RA, but isnt RA...weird I know. But I still want to minimize any of the normal OA risk factors as well, so I'll look for your info later.

Katie, yes, thanks for clarifying. Due to time limitations, I'll just copy and paste all my info. Happy to hear that in your case it's not your larger joints, etc. Do with the info as you wish. It can be very overwhelming. :grouphug:

 

• OA can appear at any age

• Genetics play a definite role

• If you have a history of being overweight, inactive, or injury prone, your odds increase dramatically

• Every pound you gain is like 4 extra pounds bearing down on your knees

• If you lose 10 to 15 pounds, the pain of OA can be reduced by 50 percent

• More common in women

• Women whose index fingers are shorter than their ring fingers may be twice as likely to develop OA in the knees.

 

DIET

Pain is often a loud voice shouting that you have an inflammation that needs to be addressed.

When any condition ends in “itis†it means that inflammation is present.

One of the main determinants of “silent†inflammations in our bodies that promote the development of cancer is the balance between omega-6 fatty acids (which favor inflammation) and omega-3 fatty acids (which reduce it).

Since World War II, the farm animals that give us meat, butter, milk, cheese, cream and eggs are no longer nourished with grass and leaves; they are fed soy and maize instead. Grass is very rich in omega-3s, but maize contains none at all, and soy products contain very little. The animal products that we eat now are thus highly unbalanced, with far too many omega-6s and very few omega-3s.

On average, people in the West have 10 to 15 times more omega-6s in our bodies than omega-3s. This is one of the reasons why all the diseases that are nourished by inflammation (arthritis, allergies, heart trouble, Alzheimer’s, depression and cancer) are in constant progression in Western countries.

To check your own omega-6/omega-3 ratio, you can ask a technician to draw your blood and send it to a specialized lab that measures omega-6s and omega-3s present in the hematids. (But be careful – not the levels present in the serum, but in the membrane of the hematids, in other words, the red blood cells). The ratio between them is a relatively constant reflection of the proportions of omega-6s and omega-3s throughout the body, including the brain.

If the ratio omega-6 (total) / omega-3 (total) is higher than 10, your body is in a state of inflammation – inflammation that is at least “silent†and possibly manifest (arthritis or other illness). In order to better protect yourself from cancer, you should ideally bring this ratio down below 3. If you have cancer in an active phase, some naturopathic practitioners I have worked with recommend you bring the ratio to under 1 – in other words, you should aim to have more omega 3s than omega-6s in your body.

Be careful, though, because when the omega ratio drops too low – under 0.5 – it may increase the risk of hemorrhage, as we see in certain Inuit populations. (Nosebleeds are among the first symptoms).

The omega-6s and omega-3s in our bodies come exclusively from our diet. They thus reflect exactly what we eat and drink. To lower the omega ratio, all we need to do is reduce dietary sources of inflammation-promoting omega-6s: red meat, especially if it is produced by industrial farming techniques and if it does not carry an “omega-3†label; dairy products; eggs not marked “omega-3â€; sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, and soybean oil. Use olive oil, rapeseed oil, or a mixture of the two. We should also increase all sources of omega-3s: oily fish twice a week (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, salmon); omega-3 eggs; nuts; lambs’-ear salad; green vegetables; linseed or flaxseed oil and flax seeds. Some people (and I’m one of them) also take omega-3 supplements (roughly 1g or 0.03 oz of the EPA-DHA combination) to make sure they have a regular and constant absorption of omega-3s even when they are traveling and find it difficult to maintain a healthy daily diet.

You can measure your omega ratio again after a period of at least two months: this will give your biology time to catch up with the changes in your diet. If you have followed the nutritional guidelines, your ratio will drop rapidly, and you should also begin to see positive changes such as silkier hair, stronger nails, softer and less blemished skin, and a better mood!

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Negin

Negin

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Chia Seeds, Walnuts, Flaxseeds – these are naturally anti-inflammatory

 

Magnesium is a key mineral that many are deficient in.

Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff -- whether it is a body part or an even a mood -- is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

The following foods are rich in magnesium:

Almonds

Avocado

Barley

Beans

Brazil nuts

Brown rice

Buckwheat

Dark Chocolate

Dates

Figs

Garlic

Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens)

Kelp

Molasses

Millet

Parsley

Pecans

Rye

Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality)

Shrimp

Walnuts

Whole Grains

Wheat bran

Wheat germ

Green Tea - 4 cups of green tea daily with a squirt of lemon juice. Green tea can help reduce joint pain greatly.

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Some studies suggest it works to ease the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also help with other inflammatory conditions, such as tendinitis. Try to consume a soupspoon of turmeric every day, with a pinch of black pepper and olive oil. You can use it in all your cooking.

Season meals with ginger and turmeric as often as possible. These spices have anti-inflammatory properties.

 

Eat 1 cup a day of red or purple fruits, such as berries, cherries, pomegranates, red grapes – or drink 1 cup of juice without added sugar – these food-based antioxidants help ease inflammation and joint disease like arthritis

 

Eat cherries as often as possible. Consuming 20 a day (about 2000 mg of cherry fruit extract) has been proven to provide more pain relief than aspirin and other painkillers.

Sesame Seeds provide plenty of copper, a nutrient essential for joint health – just don’t overdo copper

Ginger and Chili – Or you can take 255 mg of Ginger Extract twice a day. You can add fresh ginger to soups, salads, veggies, entrees. Be careful if you’re taking blood thinning medications.

 

5-9 daily servings of fresh fruits and veggies from across the color spectrum

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Negin

Negin

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Pineapple contains bromelain, an anti-inflammatory compound. Bromelain suppresses inflammation and pain and minimizes swelling.

 

Sunflower Seeds are a great source of selenium. Selenium reduces swelling and helps keep delicate joint tissue healthy. More selenium-rich foods: Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, lamb, shrimp, snapper, tuna, and salmon.

 

Leafy dark green veggies are loaded with vitamin K, a nutrient that helps build and repair joint tissue. People with K-rich diets are much less likely to develop arthritis in their knees and hands. At least 200 mcg daily – the amount in 1 oz of kale, Swiss chard, or parsley. Or stir-fry 1 oz each of spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

Cooking your greens with a little bit of olive oil will triple your vitamin K absorption.

 

Cloves help arthritis pain. Try to get ½ teaspoon a day. Saute 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil. After 3 minutes, add 4 cups shredded leafy greens (rhubarb chard), and fry until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with chicken or fish.

 

Limit or avoid:

Polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn and soy oils)

Partially hydrogenated oils (margarines, vegetable shortenings)

Processed foods that contain these fats

Fewer animal products

 

Spend a day or two getting ready for this experiment.

Eliminate all nightshades entirely – 100 percent – for two full weeks.

Did your pain subside or disappear during this time?

If so, nightshades are a problem for you.

At the end of the two weeks, eat one food from the nightshade family by itself, like a tomato or bell pepper, and watch for any reactions. You may feel tired, agitated, your heart may race, you could have more pain, or you could have other undesirable side effects.

If so, continue to avoid them for three months or more.

If not, bring them back into your diet.

Some people with arthritis can eventually add small amounts of nightshades back into their diet – like the amount found in salad dressing. Others can’t. But it’s important to avoid them completely for at least two or three months if they trigger arthritis pain.

Nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, some spices, and tobacco) may aggravate inflammatory conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Inflammation and pain go hand-in-hand, and food sensitivities cause inflammation.

Even tiny quantities of nightshades hidden in other foods can contribute to excruciating arthritis pain, and nightshades are everywhere.

Potato starch is disguised in many frozen and processed foods in the form of modified food starch, modified vegetable protein, modified vegetable starch, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Look for it meatballs, mock crab, sausages, and deep-fried foods that have been cooked in the same vegetable oils as French fried potatoes.

Some Rx and OTC medications use potato starch as their fillers. You need to find out.

Tomatoes are an ingredient in brown meat sauces like Worcestershire sauce and steak sauce, as well as salad dressings, some luncheon meats, gravies, and baked beans, so read labels carefully. Green olives may be stuffed with pimentos, a sweet red pepper, and dried pepper flakes are often sprinkled over pasta dishes.

Avoid sauces, especially Thai, barbecue, Cajun, Mexican, Southern, and Jamaican dishes, as well as Tabasco sauce, prepared mustards, and Cayenne pepper.

Safe foods you might think are unsafe include sweet potatoes, yams, and black pepper.

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Negin

Negin

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Avoid: white potatoes, tomatoes, milk, red meat, sugar, citrus fruits, green peppers, salt, and eggplant for a few weeks and see if your symptoms improve. These affect cartilage.

 

Eat: eggs, onions, garlic, liver, asparagus, green leafy vegetables, fresh vegetables, nonacidic fresh fruits, whole grains, oatmeal, brown rice, fish – particularly all oily fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines (canned sardines) and herring. Lots of ginger and turmeric.

 

Avoid: corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, margarine.

Your best oil: olive oil. Olive Oil’s high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (particularly oleic acid) seem to protect against joint inflammation. In one study, participants who consumed about 3 tbsp of olive oil a day lessened their chance of developing RA by 61%. But be sure to use it as a replacement for less healthy saturated fats like butter, since 3 tbsp can add almost 400 calories to your daily diet.

 

A Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and olive oil has been found to give great relief to arthritis patients.

 

Simmer Up a Joint-Boosting Broth

Bone broths are easy to make. Begin with bones from fish, poultry, beef, lamb, or pork. The bones can be raw or cooked, and they can be stripped of meat or still contain meat remnants and skin. You can also add leftover eggshells because the membrane that separates the white from the shell contains four joint-boosting nutrients—hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin, and collagen.

Place the bones and eggshells with water in a pot—and add a couple of tablespoons of one of the following per quart of water: apple cider vinegar, red or white wine vinegar, or lemon juice. Gently stir and then let it sit for about 30 minutes to let the acid go to work.

After 30 minutes, bring the pot to a boil, then cover and simmer for 4 to 6 hours for fish, 6 to 8 hours for poultry, and 12 to 18 hours for beef, lamb, or pork. Keep a lid on the pot, and add water when necessary. Once it’s done, you can strain it immediately and sip it as a soup (but don’t reheat the broth in a microwave—certain amino acids may become toxic if microwaved).

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Negin

Negin

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Juice Your Joints

“Live†juices help rebuild the body and the joints—and all you need is a juicer to make them. I suggest alternating between these two combinations: carrot & celery juice one day (8 oz of each), followed the next day by 10 oz carrot and 6 oz spinach juice. Make them fresh every day and consume immediately.

Carrot juice is loaded with zinc, vitamin E, copper, and beta carotene. Celery provides potassium and sodium, and it has an alkalinizing effect on the body. An alkaline diet supports joint healing.

 

Hydrate Your Joints with Pure H2O

To stay fully functional, joint cartilage has to be fully hydrated. As children, our cartilage was made up of almost 85 percent water, but as we get older that usually drops to 75 percent—and even lower if we don’t drink enough water. Lots of water translates into more resilient joints.

I recommend drinking at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of pure, clean water. And avoid sodas and other carbonated beverages that can leach minerals from your bones.

 

Those who eat the most from the onion family – including garlic, shallots, chives, and leeks – are less likely to develop osteoarthritis of the hip. Consuming at least 3 cloves of garlic a week provides the strongest protective effect. Substances found in these types of plants may block the enzymes that break down joint cartilage.

 

SUPPLEMENTS

More illnesses are caused by a need for magnesium than for calcium.

Calcium is often a problem with arthritis, causing stiffness, because calcium causes muscles to contract.

Magnesium, on the other hand, causes muscles to relax. Most supplements already contain more calcium than magnesium. When you take additional calcium supplementation, you upset the calcium/magnesium balance even more. This causes more contraction than relaxation. So calcium could, indeed, be part of the problem.

Arthritis and joint pain are caused by excessive calcium and insufficient magnesium.

Magnesium is a key mineral that many are deficient in.

Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff -- whether it is a body part or an even a mood -- is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (and most of us are deficient), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose.

Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night

I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense.

The most absorbable forms are:

Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium Glycinate

Magnesium Taurate

Magnesium Aspartate

Magnesium Malate

Magnesium Succinate

Magnesium Fumirate

 

Avoid:

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesium Carbonate

Magnesium Gluconate

Magnesium Sulfate

These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms

 

Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate.

People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision.

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Negin

Negin

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5000 IU Vitamin D3

Vitamin D is necessary for keeping cartilage healthy and strong. A daily dose of at 2000 IU D3 can cut your risk of OA dramatically and slow its progression.

If you're under 50, take at least 2,000 IU per day.

If you're 50 or over, take at least 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3. For OA, I would feel fine about taking 5,000 IU regardless of age.

An average-sized adult can, under normal circumstances, take 5,000 IU per day.

Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption.

Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency

Don't be concerned that 2,000-5,000 IU will give you too much. The human body can make 10,000 IU of Vitamin D in 30 minutes of sun exposure – children included – with no ill effects.

In addition, no adverse effects have been seen with supplemental vitamin D intakes up to 10,000 IU daily.

To this day, medical textbooks mention the risk of vitamin D toxicity. Yet, the scientific literature suggests that toxicity occurs only with very large intakes of vitamin D over prolonged periods (more than 10,000 IUs daily for longer than 6 months). Except in people with disorders known as granulomatosis (such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis), little risk (if any) is associated with vitamin D supplementation.

WHO IS DEFICIENT IN D?

Most people are deficient!

• Body-mass index (BMI) and obesity

• Older people

• Dark-skinned people

• Strict vegetarians

• People with celiac, Crohn’s disease, and cystic fibrosis

• Heredity

• Certain medications

• Regular use of sunscreen

• Northern Latitudes (above that of Atlanta, Georgia)

 

D3 in pill form is very poorly absorbed.

Be sure to take the oil-filled gelatin capsules, and take them with a meal that contains fat to help with absorption.

If you have your D3 levels tested and you’re low, you can go up to 10,000 IU per day for a couple of months, and then re-test to see if there's improvement.

If you get your D3 levels tested, I think the ideal is to get them to levels of at least 60-70.

If it turns out that your body just doesn't absorb vitamin D very well, you may wish to talk to your doctor about whether 30 minutes of daily sun exposure in warm weather or very short tanning sessions in cold weather would be appropriate.

 

640 mg Strontium significantly reduces back pain by building bone density and even prevents arthritic progression

 

400 mg willow bark eases back pain – twice as effective as Motrin. Willow Bark is the herbal cousin of aspirin and OA pain dramatically.

 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Carlson’s Fish Oil – Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory

Make sure to get a good, high-quality fish oil

A good Fish Oil - 10 grams daily – choose a high-quality oil that contains at lest 200 mg of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in every 1-gram capsule.

Diets which are higher in fish oils (omega-3's) result in reduced inflammation.

CAVEAT: DO NOT TAKE FISH OILS IF YOU ARE ON ANY BLOOD THINNER. OR WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF ANY PLANNED SURGERY. OR IF YOUR DOCTOR ADVISES YOU NOT TO TAKE.

 

Glucosamine sulfate - a safe, natural anti-inflammatory supplement that has no side effects.

Most studies show that 500 mg taken three times a day is sufficient.

Be patient. It could take two or three months before you feel a difference.

Some people take glucosamine sulfate alone; others take it with chondroitin sulfate. These nutrients do help – especially glucosamine sulfate.

Try it for 3 months and see if you notice a difference

 

Evening Primrose Oil may help reduce pain, swelling, and morning stiffness. As with most supplements, it may take 1-3 months before you see any benefit.

Take it on a full stomach in 2 divided doses, equally spaced during the day.

Take up to 500 mg EPO 2-3 times daily or 2000 mg total daily

Expect to wait up to 8 weeks to see results.

 

40-80 mg Hyaluronic Acid (HA) – “Hyal-Jointâ€

 

A daily dose of B complex (50 mg) will restore spent energy

 

5 grams of the sugar D-ribose twice daily will stimulate the production of ATP, the fuel that powers your body’s tissues and muscles. People who suffer from excessive joint and muscle pain and fibromyalgia (widespread muscle pain) often have low levels of ribose.

 

Boswellia – 300-750 mg 3 times daily with food.

Look for a formula standardized to 60 percent boswellic acids.

Boswellia has been clinically proven to have strong anti-inflammatory effects. It’s known to reduce congestion and heat in the joints.

 

Pycnogenol – at least 150 mg daily – helps with osteoarthritis of the knees. Take a 50 mg tablet 2-3 times daily with meals. Ask your doctor if you’re taking hypertension meds. Don’t take over 200 mg a day.

 

MSM – 2 grams daily

 

800-1600 mg Sam-e daily – always take on empty stomach (take with large doses of B Vitamins). I read that a 1200 mg daily dose of this amino acid controls pain and improves function as effectively as Celebrex.

 

Daily 5 gram dose of rose hip can reduce joint pain and other arthritis symptoms. Rose hip is nearly 3 times more effective than OTC meds.

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Negin

Negin

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WHAT TO DO

Begin with a daily 10-minute walk, take up a gentle yoga class, or try the slow movement of Tai Chi. Doing Tai Chi twice a week reduces knee pain, as does strengthening your hips with conditioning exercises.

Water aerobics, gentle yoga, and swimming help also.

Try to swim as often as possible.

 

Yoga helps immensely. Yoga takes the joints through a healthy range of motion and provides great relief for achy knees.

30 minutes of exercise a day can help maintain mobility, strengthen the muscles that support weak or damaged joints, and even help you shed those extra pounds. Most people with arthritis think that they can’t be physically active – that it will make things worse. Nothing could be further from the truth. No matter what type of arthritis you have, physical activity helps. But don’t overdo it. Anytime you begin a new exercise program, your muscles will feel sore, but sharp pain in the joints is a red flag. Do not push through that pain.

 

ACUPUNCTURE helps greatly with all sorts of pain and is well worth looking into.

 

CHIROPRACTIC/MASSAGE – both help immensely with pain

Be aware that you should wait for any inflammation to subside before starting either.

 

HYDROTHERAPY has been proven to help with arthritis. No medicine on the market can rival the physiological effects of water. Warm to hot water eases joint pain by reducing swelling and increasing blood flow to fight inflammation.

 

LOSING WEIGHT is key – even 5 extra pounds of weight increases the load on your knees tenfold

 

SLEEP - Get enough sleep. Your body needs a full night of quality sleep to fight pain. Sniffing lavender oil before sleep can help you.

 

EPSOM SALTS BATH

Taking a bath or a foot soak with Epsom salts is one of the best ways to increase the body’s absorption of magnesium. Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and are easily absorbed by the body.

Take a hot bath with up to 2 cups of Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda (optional) to help draw toxins out of the body. Try to do this once a week, but for no more than 20 minutes. A foot soak can also be very beneficial.

You can also do an Epsom Salts Soak:

• Epsom Salts Soak: Mix 2 cups Epsom salts in gallon of warm water. Wet a towel with the solution and hold it against the painful joints for 15 to 25 minutes. Then remove the towel and massage in castor oil.

Epsom salts are so helpful in bringing relief to:

• Arthritis pain, stiffness, soreness, and tightness of joints

• Muscle aches, pains and tenderness

• Pain from over exertion as a result of exercise

• Insomnia and Sleep Problems

• Stress

 

Arnica – A topical arnica get or cream can soothe pain and restore joint function. Apply 3-4 times a day.

Can also take pellets homeopathically at the same time. 3 pellets 3 times a day under tongue.

 

Daily Meditation for at least 6 months

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Negin

Negin

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May need to look into the possibility of Leaky Gut – which is connected to arthritis

Seemingly unrelated symptoms:

Intestinal discomfort is often the first symptom – but it can include a myriad of complaints from

• food and chemical sensitivities

• autoimmune diseases

• headaches

• inflammation

• joint pain

• constipation alternating with diarrhea

• gas

• bloating

• cramping

Over time, leaky gut can lead to arthritis

Normally, the lining of the intestines absorbs only well-digested nutrients. But if the intestinal lining becomes irritated, its tight junctions (that normally seal off the digestive tract from unwanted substances) loosen to allow undigested food, bacteria, and toxins to reach the bloodstream.

The immune system sees these unwanted substances as foreign invaders and triggers antibodies to fight them. This, in turn, produces inflammation throughout the body—leading to those seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Unfortunately, the causes of leaky gut are as numerous and varied as its symptoms:

• Long-term use of drugs like antibiotics, harsh laxatives, and NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen like Advil, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories)

• Chemotherapy and radiation

• Aging

• Alcohol

• Caffeine

• dysbiosis (imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the GI tract)

• food allergies (particularly gluten and lactose intolerance)

• lack of fiber in the diet

• parasites

• yeast overgrowth

 

It’s important to rule other serious problems like Crohn’s disease or colon cancer. But conventional medicine has been slow to recognize leaky gut even when its symptoms are all too real.

Make meals a time to relax, chewing your food slowly and thoroughly.

Damage to the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract can result in acne, asthma, brain fog, celiac disease, chronic fatigue, eczema, intestinal infections, liver dysfunction, pancreatic insufficiency, and ulcerative colitis. It’s critical that you repair any damage to the mucosal lining of the GI tract.

 

L-GLUTAMINE, N-ACETYL CYSTEINE, AND ZINC

New research shows that the above 3 supplement help reduce inflammation and normalize leaky gut.

L-glutamine is an amino acid that:

• Prevents the villi (the tiny, fingerlike part of the small intestine that allows nutrients in) from becoming too porous, allowing substances normally too large to breach the intestinal wall to enter the bloodstream and causing allergic reactions and other problems – thereby helping to create a barrier against pathogens

• Encourages the growth of probiotics (beneficial bacteria), which also defend the gut from unwanted invaders - glutamine supports the intestinal lining, so that it can allow nutrients in, while barring allergens, pathogens, and toxins

• Reduces intestinal inflammation in those with ulcerative colitis and also increases good bacteria

• Feeds immune cells that live in the intestinal tract, where 75% of your body’s immune system resides – making it especially important for anyone who’s on chemotherapy or radiation - when scientists in Poland treated malnourished patients with damaged intestinal tracts this versatile amino acid, many of the lymphocytes (important immune cells) revived, while patients’ absorption of nutrients improved

The pure free-form crystalline L-glutamine powder is the easiest to assimilate. One level scoop or teaspoonful provides about 3 grams or 3000 mg of L-glutamine. Take one scoop or teaspoonful in 8 ounces of cold water at least 1-3 times per day.

L-Glutamine is best taken before meals (at least 20 minutes) or between meals.

Make sure it is mixed in cold or room temperature water.

Heat as well as stomach acids can deactivate the healing activity of L-glutamine.

 

Regular exercise – regular trampolining/rebounding helps clear your lymphatic system. Arthritis is one of the many symptoms of a congested lymphatic system. Things that help to clear up the lymphatic system:

• Daily Rebounding

• Deep Breathing

• Daily Dry Body Brushing

• Massage and/or Reflexology

• Swinging – as in sitting on a swing

 

Hot or ice cold compresses for 15 minutes.

 

Topical capsaicin cream – 0.025% or 0.075% cream 1-4 times daily

 

Tiger Balm, especially with plastic wrap

 

Lidocaine patches are as effective as Rx pills.

 

GOOD BOOK

Pain Free in 6 Weeks by Sherry Rogers

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JudoMom

JudoMom

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Posted
Just wanted to clarify that i have Erosive OA, also called Inflammatory OA...it strikes pretty much just the hands, sometimes the feet, almost never the large joints like knees/etc. And although losing weight may be good overall I don't carry much weight on my fingers, lol. It seems to be caused by inflamation like RA, but isnt RA...weird I know. But I still want to minimize any of the normal OA risk factors as well, so I'll look for your info later.

 

Here's a quick read on it--it definitely sounds like it's related more to the RA side rather than the OA side. \

 

Katie--are there any treatments for it? Do any of the RA treatments work to help minimize damage & pain?

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jplain

jplain

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Posted (edited)

:grouphug:

 

I told myself I can be upset tonight, and then I will focus on how great my health is otherwise starting tomorrow.
I want you to know that it will get better. The panic will fade. Yes, there will be emotional ups and downs, but you'll adjust. This is not your new normal. This is just a transition phase. (((hugs)))

 

You might want to spend some time reading the blog Cooling Inflammation to find info on supplements, diet, and lifestyle modifications.

 

I happen to agree with the dietary approach suggested by the author of Cooling Inflammation. However, I suspect that an almost diametrically opposed approach, extremely low fat vegan (or very near vegan), can also be effective. I prefer the high fat approach myself, because I feel too deprived on an extremely low fat diet. If you need resources that'll explain why a high saturated fat diet won't kill you, I can pass those along too.

 

Hang in there!

Edited by jplain
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ktgrok

ktgrok

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Thanks so much!!!!!! It is funny, but many of the things you mentioned are things I have felt drawn to, craved, or been interested in. We are saving up to buy half a grass fed cow by the beginning of the year to avoid grain fed for the reasons you mentioned, and lately I've been eating a bowl of berries, including cherries, every evening before bed. I am also on a good fish oil now, and will go get some glucosamine/chondroiten and some turmeric. I already avoid soybean oil/corn oil/etc, and cook with butter or olive oil. You reminded me how good Tai Chi can be, and diet in general. I will read this again a few times to let it all sink in!!!

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Supertechmom

Supertechmom

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Posted

I'm In a microbiology class and we were just talking about some of the more painfull arthritis maybe caused by a bacteria. Seems recent research studies are drawing cultures off of joints and then treating with specific antibiotic for the bacteria discovered in the culture ( I forgot the name of the bug).

 

Just a thought for some of you. My doc had suggested culturing some joints the last time I was in there just to see so it may not be as far fetched as it sounds. I thought :confused: until we were in class talking about the it. Now I may take him up on that next time I go in. He's all ready got me on antibiotics for my crazy psoriasis so he may be one of those "on the edge docs" .

 

Hope you find some relief and that it doesn't get any worse.

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ktgrok

ktgrok

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  • Author
Posted
:grouphug:

 

I want you to know that it will get better. The panic will fade. Yes, there will be emotional ups and downs, but you'll adjust. This is not your new normal. This is just a transition phase. (((hugs)))

 

You might want to spend some time reading the blog Cooling Inflammation to find info on supplements, diet, and lifestyle modifications.

 

I happen to agree with the dietary approach suggested by the author of Cooling Inflammation. However, I suspect that an almost diametrically opposed approach, extremely low fat vegan (or very near vegan), can also be effective. I prefer the high fat approach myself, because I feel too deprived on an extremely low fat diet. If you need resources that'll explain why a high saturated fat diet won't kill you, I can pass those along too.

 

Hang in there!

 

Thanks so much for the kind words. They really help. And thank you for the blog link, I love it! I was doing a primal style diet for a while and felt great, but fell off the wagon. Time to get back on.

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ktgrok

ktgrok

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Posted
I'm In a microbiology class and we were just talking about some of the more painfull arthritis maybe caused by a bacteria. Seems recent research studies are drawing cultures off of joints and then treating with specific antibiotic for the bacteria discovered in the culture ( I forgot the name of the bug).

 

Just a thought for some of you. My doc had suggested culturing some joints the last time I was in there just to see so it may not be as far fetched as it sounds. I thought :confused: until we were in class talking about the it. Now I may take him up on that next time I go in. He's all ready got me on antibiotics for my crazy psoriasis so he may be one of those "on the edge docs" .

 

Hope you find some relief and that it doesn't get any worse.

 

That is fascinating. I have no idea why it would be genetic then, but does seem like an immune system issue, so then maybe that would explain the susceptibliltiy to the bacteria. hmm..

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ktgrok

ktgrok

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Here's a quick read on it--it definitely sounds like it's related more to the RA side rather than the OA side. \

 

Katie--are there any treatments for it? Do any of the RA treatments work to help minimize damage & pain?

 

There is a malaria drug that seems to help, maybe. Otherwise the only thing that looks promising is chondroiten sulfate, but the studies were not done well enough for anyone to swear by them. I'm going to go back on a primal/gluten free diet and see if it helps.

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