Tag: Fish Oil

Alternative Treatments For Arthritis Pain Relief

Alternative Treatments For Arthritis Pain Relief
Priya Shah

Copyright 2005 Priya ShahNatural, herbal remedies can help arthritis sufferers who have tried traditional pain medications without success. Many natural remedies and supplements have been found to actually reduce cartilage deterioration and even rebuild a patient’s lost cartilage. Many people are also seeking natural remedies because of the increasing cost of prescription medication. Conventional over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can be very helpful in decreasing joint pain, but they do produce side effects and can cause problems in long-term users.Before adding any supplements to your daily routine, check with your healthcare advisor, as supplements can cause adverse reactions and may not be right for your situation. Before discontinuing a prescription medication, consult a physician. However, with a doctor’s approval, there are many natural solutions, which may aid in managing arthritis. Acupuncture – This is a popular alternative to medication for pain relief. Although the pain-relieving effects may be temporary, these sessions can be very beneficial for those who find that drugs or supplements are insufficient or have unacceptable side effects Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy focuses on using pleasurable aromatic botanical oils by either massaging them into the skin, adding them to the bath water, inhaling them directly or diffusing their scents into the surrounding environment. The oils have been known to affect moods, help with relaxation, lessen or end fatigue and anxiety, and help the brain and nervous system via olfactory nerves stimulation when inhaled. It is another holistic treatment used by some arthritic sufferers for pain relief and stress management.Cayenne Cream – Cayenne peppers contain an substance called capsaicin which is responsible for their spicy effect. This also causes a burning sensation when it comes in contact with skin, and inhibits the body’s production of substance P which is heavily involved the relaying signals of pain to the brain. You may need to apply the cayenne cream to painful areas two to three times per day for at least one week before you find relief.Chondroitin – The most popular dietary supplements for arthritis sufferers are chondroitin, fish oil and glucosamine. Chondroitin can draw fluid into the cartilage, improving shock-absorbing ability and weight control, as more weight equals more joint pressure. Fish Oil – Fish oils help with controlling inflammation in the body and may provide relief when arthritis is caused by an immune system dysfunction as in lupus. A vegetarian alternative to fish oil is flax seed or borage oil. More information can be found at http://www.omega3fats.comGlucosamine – Recent studies have shown that the cartilage-building substance called glucosamine is effective for the long-term relief of osteoarthritis pain. In some people, glucosamine appears to even slow the deterioration of joints over time and reinforce joint cartilage. Whether or not it can actually reverse the disease is still unclear. GlutathioneGlutathione – Glutathione is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and can be safely boosted by consuming its precursors available in the supplements, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) or undenatured whey protein. You can find out more about it here http://www.1whey2health.comMagnets – Although magnets that are worn as jewelry or placed on bed linens have been reported by some to be effective pain relievers, results are still preliminary; doctors claim that these magnets are not strong enough. MSM – Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane is an organic sulfur supplement that appears to slow down the degeneration but is not yet proven and approved. It is used in the reduction of inflammation and can be used in conjunction with glucosamine, in some instances.Nettle leaf – Nettles can reduce a patient’s need for NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) by up to 70 percent.Vitamin B – It is an effective pain reliever. It works best on the knee and can help stop degeneration that is caused by free-radical molecules, not only in the joints but in other areas of the body as well. Vitamin E – This antioxidant is used primarily for osteoarthritis.Ginger – Ginger is an antioxidant that acts as an inflammatory with no major side effects.These are merely a few examples of what an arthritis sufferer can use when seeking pain relief from natural remedies. Due to the lack of scientific study and testing on many of these alternate treatments, there is no proof of their effectiveness. Nothing can cure osteoarthritis, but nutritional supplements, the application of heat or cold to affected joints, exercise, and weight loss can improve the function and flexibility of your joints, and perhaps even slow the progress of the disease.For a comprehensive report on arthritis, visit Arthritis Remedieshttp://www.arthritisremedies.org About the Author
Priya Shah is the editor of The Glutathione Report andHealth Naturale. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Your Diet, Nutrition, and Arthritis

Your Diet, Nutrition, and Arthritis
Lee Dobbins

Arthritis symptoms often come and go without warning so it is
hard to attribute the addition or elimination of certain foods
to the relief or onset of symptoms. But studies show that adding
foods rich in certain nutrients, while eliminating some other
foods, can help relieve some symptoms of arthritis. If you have
arthritis, you might want to discuss dietary changes with your
doctor and you may find that you can control your pain with less
drugs and better eating.

Research has shown that a diet that has too many calories can
aggravate RA (rheumatoid arthritis), and 5% of sufferers in a
different study showed a flare-up of symptoms after drinking
milk. In other studies, reducing the intake of fat, red meat and
dairy products is shown to help relieve pain. Some other foods
that are suspected of aggravating your levels of pain include
tomatoes, white potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, corn, lemons,
grapefruit, wheat, rye, eggs, coffee and sugar.

While limiting some of the foods you eat, you may also be able
to help relieve arthritis symptoms by eating more of certain
foods, or taking supplements. In 1998, Finnish researchers
discovered that the lactobacillus helped improve symptoms of RA.
In this study, mice which were given lactobacillus were found to
be less apt to develop arthritis and their immune systems were
better equipped to handle it in those that did..

Another food that seems to have a beneficial effect on arthritis
pain is fish oil according to a study done in the 1950’s. Fish
oil supplements can be taken but sometimes cause a fishy
aftertaste so why not simply add fish high in Omega 3’s to your
diet? You want to eat cold water fish that are wild and not farm
raised. These fish include mackerel, tuna, salmon, bluefish,
mullet, herring and anchovies.

In a study by the University of Manchester, it was found that
individuals with high levels of beta-cryptoxanthin were 40% less
likely to develop arthritis. Beta-cryptoxanthin can be found in
yellow and orange colored fruits and vegetables and is a key
nutrient in helping your immune system as well as bone and skin
health. Some foods high in this nutrient include winter squash,
peppers and pumpkin as well as papayas, tangerines and
persimmons.

Another vitamin you might want to make sure you get enough of is
vitamin B. Studies have shown that people who have arthritis are
deficient in vitamin B. Although, this could be due to the fact
that taking aspirin depletes the bodies stores of the vitamin..

The antioxidant vitamin C is an important addition to any diet
as they help neutralize free radicals which contribute to tissue
damage as well as disease. In fact, findings show that damaged
knee cartilage cells can release large amounts of free radicals.
According to the study, people who take a lot of vitamin C have
much less risk of damage to their knees. The famous scientist
Dr. Linus Pauling recommends that you take 18 grams of V-C every
day as a preventative measure for arthritis.

Another antioxidant, Vitamin E works in a similar way and
German studies have proven that it also helps to reduce pain.
Vitamin E can be found in whole grains, corn oil, wheat germ,
sunflower seed, and legumes.

A deficiency in Selenium has been shown to cause a particular
type of arthritis – Kashin-Bek disease, but this happens mostly
where the soil is deficient in selenium. Interestingly enough,
sufferers of RA have less selenium in their blood than others.
You can add more selenium to your diet with nuts, Fish, whole
grains, organ meats, and beans.

Some trials have shown that zinc can help reduce swelling and
stiffness. To get more zinc, try eating more cheese, tofu or
oysters or ask your doctor about a supplement. There have been
conflicting results in studies on zinc.

In addition to what you eat, other non pharmaceutical ways to
relive pain from arthritis include exercise, losing weight,
hot-packs, and humor.

About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for A2z Vitamins
where you can learn more about the role that vitamins play in
your health and well being.

Asthma And Fish Oil

There was a study conducted in Indiana University which revealed that fish oil is a very effective remedy for asthma symptoms, especially that caused by over activity or too much exercise.

Emergency medication is often needed by people who have severe asthma symptoms. The study involved 16 asthma patients suffering mild symptoms to severe ones. These individuals need daily asthma medications in order to control the attacks. The asthma patients were given high doses of fish oil which contain EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid (3.2 gm) and DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid (2gm) for about three weeks.

Before fish oil administration, the lungs of the asthma patients were first examined through efficiency tests. Sputum samples were also taken and analyzed. The tests took note of the inflammatory cells and some markers. The same tests were conducted after the end of the study. After the 3-week period of fish oil administration, the patients showed 64% improvement in terms of lung efficiency and the need for asthma medications also reduced by about 31%. Fish oil contains fatty acids (Omega 3) which has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Asthma patients often have second thoughts about exercising because they fear that it can cause asthma symptoms. This is true especially in some asthmatics. However, the body needs adequate exercise and this is the reason why some asthma patients still engage in some forms of exercise. In some case, the air passage swells or become inflamed when the asthma patient engages in strenuous exercises. When this happens, the doctor will tell you that the asthma attack was exercise-induced. How can you tell if youre exhibiting asthma symptoms? Its quite simple; once you experience wheezing, breath shortness, chest tightness, and coughing, youre already having an asthma attack. Dont worry because the asthma symptoms will just ease off after 1 hours.

If you exercise during dry and cool conditions, youre more likely to experience asthma symptoms because there is cooling and drying out of the air passages. This will result to the release of inflammatory chemicals which narrows the airways. Some doctors encourage swimming as a form of exercise because the air is usually warmer and moist and so asthma attacks seldom happens.

When the asthma attack is exercise-induced, the individual will not be able to get enough exercise. In the case of youngsters who like sports and other physical activities, their health condition will serve as a barrier and so they cant enjoy their life to the fullest.

Omega 3 is different from Omega 6. Large percentage of Omega 3 is found in fish oil and this is very beneficial to asthma patients because of its anti-inflammatory properties. The latter is pro-inflammatory which means that it can trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals, thereby resulting to asthma attacks. Medical experts advise asthma patients to increase their consumption of Omega 3 or fish oil instead of consuming more vegetable oils, processed foods, dairy products, and meats which contain Omega 6. So where can you get fish oil? You can get it from oily fishes or in fish oil that came from plant sources.

You have to include fish oil in your everyday supplements because of its therapeutic benefits. You can use it to prevent future asthma attacks which are exercise-induced. Beware of fish oils with lesser grade because it has harmful toxins. Try to purchase only the pharmaceutical grade or best quality supplements of fish oil.

Supplements Are Also Useful for Eczema Treatment

Prevention is best defense against any disease or condition. But if it is already there, your doctor may recommend medication and at times even supplements which has been proven to help in eczema treatment.

Supplements are important in eczema treatment because there is research to suggest that the human body does not have sufficient amounts of fatty acids to combat this skin condition. While topical medications work from the outside and are then absorbed by the body, it will help to have something inside that also does it share to fight the skin condition.

Examples of these supplements are blackcurrant seed oil, evening primrose oil and starflower oil. Studies have shown that taking supplements that contain these ingredients reduces the number of flare ups and in some cases, reducing the severity and length of time compared to the last attack.

Taking it regularly also reduces dryness, inflammation, itching and scaliness which are the common symptoms of eczema.

A lot of studies have shown that fish oil is very useful in other health problems but in the case of eczema, it has not shown any significant effect. The casing point is Gamma-linolenic acid or GLA which is an omega 6 fatty acid. While the results of studies are mixed, the only thing it can do is reduce the severity of symptoms.

It has been proven that certain foods may trigger eczema in a patient. To prevent this from happening again, changes have to be made in the diet. It will also help if you take supplements that contain Vitamin B.

Certain herbs are also useful for eczema treatment. Two examples of these include liquorice root and witch hazel. Liquorice root is helpful because it contains glycyrrhizinic acid that also helps reduce the symptoms of eczema. Witch hazel on the other hand contains phosphatidylcholine.

Liquorice root may be taken internally or applied topically while witch hazel can only be applied to the skin. Other herbs which may be used if either of these is unavailable include burdock root, German chamomile, golden rod, red clover, roman chamomile and stinging nettle.

Babies are at risk of eczema and one way to treat it is with probiotics. While this good bacteria is already found in our body, infants do not have sufficient amounts of this yet which is why mothers are encourage to breastfeed. Since eczema can also happen later on in life, the best supplement to have is found in a bottle of Yakult which has the Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain.

If you think that applying and swallowing the supplement is the only way to get eczema treatment, think again because sulfur is a little bit different. You have to bathe yourself in sulfur to get the desired results. This is because it contains keratin that is a protein that can strengthen your hair, nails and skin. Take note that a sulfur bath is not recommended for children.

There are many ways to get eczema treatment. If you have this condition, you should consult with your doctor so you know what severe is your condition. It is only after getting yourself diagnosed that the proper treatment can be administered so that even though there is no cure for it, you are able to reduce it severity and make sure that flare ups do not occur.