Tag: gout

Arthritis

Arthritis
Djehuty

Arthritis by Djehuty Ma’at-Ra

The first Western disease I was ever familiar with as a little
boy was arthritis. My beloved paternal grandmother, Bertha
Cooper, suffered from this pathology for many years. She had it
very bad in her wrists and joints. I remember her asking me if I
would go to the corner liquor store on the corner of 101st
Street and Avalon Boulevard in Watts, California, and buy her
some Ben Gay, a white pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory rubbing
cream. She would rub Ben Gay on her wrists and joints and her
tendons as well.

As a little boy, I didn’t understand disease. I didn’t know how
my grandmother developed arthritis. All I knew is that she had
it (and claimed it too).

However, when the Universe bestowed its Akashic Records of
health knowledge upon me in the late 1990s, I finally understood
why Grandma Sis (Bertha) developed and suffered from arthritis.
You see, my grandmother was originally from the South,
Mississippi to be exact. The ideal dinner was “soul food.” My
grandmother was an excellent cook and I never tasted any food
back in my deaf, dumb, and blind days and years that tasted
better than my paternal grandmother’s food/cooking. However,
while this so-called food, soul food, tasted good, I now
understand that taste is not the criterion or measuring stick
for what is healthy or nutritional. It was Grandma’s good
tasting soul food that did her in with arthritis and tendonitis.
Yes, all that cornbread, collard and mustard greens, salt pork,
candied yams, fried chicken, liver, catfish, pork chops, rock
Cornish hen, neck bones, ham, white rice, etc. eventually did
her (and the rest of my family members) in. Not to mention
eating all that white, refined Webber’s and Wonder bread, flap
jacks (pancakes), syrup and biscuits, bacon, sausages, jelly
cake, jelly sandwiches, saltine crackers, Vienna sausages,
potted meat, Spam, hog’s head cheese, liverwurst, etc. And what
about all that hot cocoa, coffee (laced with white sugar and
dairy cream), butter milk, pet milk, Kool-Aid, and soda pop that
she drunk?

She didn’t smoke cigarettes like her five sons, but she would
roll up her own smokes with Prince Albert brand tobacco and Zig
Zag paper. My childhood friends thought my grandmother smoked
marijuana. It was a little embarrassing until they found out
what it was she was really smoking.

I mentioned all of the above to let you all know that my
grandmother’s arthritis was caused by what she ate and drank on
a daily basis through ignorance, tradition, and habit.

All that meat converted into uric acid in my grandmother’s
joints and ligaments. The starches broke down into carbonic acid
and also made its way into her joints. And so did the lactic
acid from the brake down of the dairy products she consumed.

The smoking also created an over acid condition in my
grandmother as well. She also had bouts with gout, which is
nothing but arthritis in the ankle area.

You see, arthritis is a condition of inflammation of the joints.
That’s all it is. The Latin word “Arth” means “joints,” and the
English suffix, “it is” means “inflammation.” What is
inflammation? A burning! What causes this burning or
inflammation? ACID!!! Plain and simple!

Grandma Sis was lucky, eventually dying from degeneracy (that
doctors call natural death). However, her sons (and
daughter-in-laws, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren) were not
so lucky, dying from the insidious cancer, including my father
from lung cancer in 1994 and my mother from pancreatic cancer in
1999.

My family could not, would not, and to this very day, still will
not believe that what they put into their mouths cause their
pathologies and eventually kills them. It was easy to write me
off when I was a Muslim and member of the Nation of Islam in the
early 1990s, simply saying “that boy is mad at white folks and
the world!” But today as a Naturist, what’s their excuse?
Nothing but ignorance and traditional paralysis! Soul food is a
tradition, Djehuty! Yes, a tradition that leads to an early
grave!

One of the greatest contributors of arthritis is collard and
mustard greens. Sorry Black folks, Negroes, and soul food
lovers! But this is true! Greens are laced with “oxalic” acid
and this oxalic acid is greatly produced when you cook the
greens. This is true! And for you rat feces-laced chocolate
lovers out there, your precious chocolate also contains oxalic
acid.

Now, I don’t want you thinking soul food is the cause of
arthritis, because a lot of white folks, Mexicans/Latinos, and
Asians also suffer from arthritis. Like soul food, the Standard
American Diet will also cause arthritis. Arthritis is an
American disease!

If you understand arthritis, you should understand tendonitis
and gout. They are acidic fluid build up problems in the joints
that cause inflammation (pain).

Most modern day suffers of arthritis (and tendonitis and gout)
are fighting the symptoms of these inflammatory diseases with
pharmaceutical grade drugs. Even though God instructed Bible
believers to heal themselves with herbs (Revelations 22:2,
Ezekiel 47:12, and Pslams 104:14), in their strange obedience to
God, they take the enemy’s pharmaceutical drugs that prolong the
arthritis. Why and how? Because pharmaceutical grade drugs,
though made from alkaloids, eventually break down into ACID
(especially ascetic acid, which eats your red blood cells up) in
the body, and acid produces inflammation, so how intelligent is
it to take something to target the symptom which eventually
lengthens and worsen the initial condition?

Mother Nature has provided healing for arthritis and other
inflammatory diseases. To heal from arthritis, all one needs to
consume is certain herbs. Herbs that are anti-inflammatory in
nature are the best to heal from arthritis. These herbs include
Meadowsweet, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Birch, White and Black
Willow Bark and Balm of Gilead.

However, other certain herbs work synergistically with the herbs
supra. Personally, no healing from arthritis can take place
efficiently without the following herbs: Devil’s Claw, Boswellia
(Frankincense), Uva Ursi, Mullein leaves, Saffron, Cayenne
pepper, Feverfew, and Guaiac wood.

Devil’s Claw, Boswellia, Uva Ursi, and Mullein are the paramount
arthritis herbs. They greatly counteract mucus, which is the
byproduct of acid, which causes inflammation.

Organic sulfur, commonly called MSM Sulfur, is also great in
healing arthritis. So is Noni juice!

You can make your own healing salve as well from a base butter
or oil such as shea or cocoa butter, coconut, olive, or almond
oil (or any other good oil) and add in a few drops (10-15 drops)
of the following essential oils: Peppermint, Clove, Wintergreen,
Eucalyptus, Birch, and/or Spearmint.

You can rub this salve directly on your joints or other problems
area. It is very soothing and healing.

And of course, as an herbalist, I have formulated my own Joint
Formula that consists of all the herbs mentioned above that is a
powerful little formula that works wonders for me when my wrists
start to hurt from excessive typing (typing up all that legal
pleading).

I can’t forget about magnet therapy as well for arthritis.
Magnets make a problem or injured area alkaline and also
enhances circulation to the problem area so that healing can
begin.

My good friend and brother, Mark Lomax, a musician, healed
himself from serious bouts of gout, another acid condition. It’s
been a few years now since he had gout. What did he do? First,
he detoxified his body on our Full Body Detox. Then, he did a
daily regimen of our Electric Greens Cell Food (pure
alkalinity), Joints Formula and Black Cherry Juice Concentrate.
You wouldn’t recognize this brother if you knew him 3 years ago.
He also lost more than 70 lbs on these herbs. This man is a
walking example of healing!

I should also mention the importance of pineapple enzymes called
Bromelain for the healing of arthritis and other acid
conditions. Bromelain or pineapple enzymes are anti-inflammatory
in nature and effect and therefore provide healing for
arthritis. They taste just like candy and are chewable and you
can chew as much as you like, although 3-6 tablets after dinner
ought to get the job done. You can find Bromelain at most good
health food stores.

Soaking inflamed body parts in hot water and essential oils of
Peppermint and Eucalyptus is also beneficial for arthritis.

But most importantly in fighting arthritis is modified diet. Cut
out or cut down on meat and dairy products. These are two of the
biggest culprits in causing arthritis. A vegetable cocktail
consisting of celery, parsley, apple and/or carrot (for
sweetness and base) 3-4 times weekly will greatly remove acid
buildup in the joints. By all means, avoid all acidic beverages
(beer, soda pop, milk, orange juice, wine, coffee, etc.).

Man, life is so wonderful when you know how to heal and prevent
disease. The understanding of diseases is just as important.
Sometimes I’m full of grief and sorrow from my knowledge and
knowing that people suffer from a lack of knowledge (and
insanity too). See Ecclesiastes 1:18 and Hosea 4:6

However, the children of the future, including my son, Asim, and
daughter, Layla, and other Conscious Minds offspring – Nadya,
Najee, Elijah, Asar, Sunshine and the newest edition from Melia
and Obea, and the others (out here on the West Coast in Los
Angeles) will all benefit from this profound knowledge of proper
diet as well as from my suffering and grief, as well as their
parents. I’m also quite sure that many children around the
nation will also benefit from their parents’ reading and
applying this health information and knowledge that is freely
distributed.

As much as I loved soul food and my relative’s cooking back in
my death (Negro) days, you couldn’t put a gun to my head and
compel me to eat a piece of chicken or pork today, and I mean
that! I love myself too much to harm my temple of God. My
children are beautiful (and highly astute and precocious)
because of what their parents ate before and while conceiving
them. You can do it too!

Make the change people! Taste is not the criterion for what is
healthy. Nutritional content is!

Peace and love, readership!

This article was compliments of www.DHERBS.com and Djehuty
Ma’at-Ra, the People’s Herbalist!

MSM Sulfur-
http://www.dherbs.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38&products_
id=73

About the author:
None

A Look at Arthritis Pain Relief

A Look at Arthritis Pain Relief
Dave Lavinsky

In a recent survey on pain conducted by the Stanford University Medical Center, arthritis pain was cited as the chief complaint among Americas seniors, with thirty-two percent of the senior population listing arthritis as the specific cause of their suffering. Arthritis does strike children and young adults as well, although it afflicts the mature segment of the population more frequently. It is estimated that 15% of the American adult population suffer from arthritis, and this number is rising, increasing the demand for arthritis pain relief.

Arthritis is a general term encompassing over 100 different medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, the three most common being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. It causes inflammation in the joints, tendons and ligaments. It manifests in every part of the body, ranging from mild joint stiffness to crippling disability. Sufferers experience the pain of arthritis differently, too; for some, arthritis is at it is most severe upon waking up, while others report that their condition worsens throughout the day. No one knows exactly what causes arthritis, but it is among the oldest of human afflictions.

The type of arthritis and intensity of the condition determine the course of treatment. There is no cure for arthritis, but there are traditional and alternative treatments that can bring arthritis pain relief. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are popular for treating arthritis pain. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is often recommended for osteoarthritis patients with little or mild inflammation, while aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen work best for patients with inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis.

The healing touch of massage may stimulate the flow of blood, bringing heat and relief to stiff joints. Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, relaxation, yoga, and even emu oil are have proven effective for many arthritis sufferers.

Heat and cold can help alleviate pain too, but since moist heat, such as that from a bath, acts differently than the dry heat of a heating pad or the cold of an ice pack, this type of treatment needs to be discussed with a doctor or physical therapist. Doctors also often recommend patients wear splints or braces to relieve joint pressure and protect them from further injury.

Another technique, called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), works by blocking nerve endings from sending pain messages to the brain, so that the pain is never felt! A small TENS device sends mild electrical pulses to the nerve endings of the painful area, which seem to scramble their message to the brain.

Medications top the list for long-term arthritis pain relief, and include several families of prescription drugs. Weight reduction, exercise, and stretching can all go a long way toward reducing stress on joints.

Surgery may be necessary for patients with severe arthritis. The operation may realign the joint or replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement has resulted in dramatic arthritis pain relief and improved range of motion for many patients.

The most difficult but often the most effective pain reliever is establishing a healthy lifestyle – eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep at night, and daily exercise. All of these help ease the pain of chronic arthritis. Support groups, a good physician, and making the effort to stay informed about arthritis treatment often benefits of patients suffering from arthritis as well.
Pain Relief provides detailed information on arthritis, back, joint, lower back, natural, chronic, neck, sciatica, knee, fibromyalgia, and muscle pain relief. Pain Relief is the sister site of Acid Reflux Web.

A Look At Arthritis: America’s Leading Cause of Disability

A Look At Arthritis: America’s Leading Cause of Disability
Larry Denton

The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation, but it is often used to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases that cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. The most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout. Most forms of arthritis are associated with pain that can be divided into two categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain is temporary. It can last a few seconds or a few minutes but diminishes as healing occurs. Acute pain is associated with burns, cuts and fractures. Chronic pain, such as that felt by people with arthritis, ranges from mild to severe and can last days, months, years or even a lifetime. Osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among adults. More than 20 million people in the United States, alone, have the disease. By 2030, according the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 20 percent of all Americans–about 70 million people–will have passed their 65th birthday and will be at a higher risk of osteoarthritis. Arthritis limits the everyday activity of 8 million Americans, and this disability creates huge burdens for the individuals, their families, and the nation as a whole. Each year, arthritis results in 9,500 deaths and 750,000 hospitalizations. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Control, in 1997, medical care for arthritis (in the U.S.) was $51 billion. This disease affects each person quite differently. In some people it progresses quickly and in others the symptoms are much more serious and painful. Medical practitioners do not yet know what causes arthritis, but they suspect a combination of factors including: being overweight, the aging process, family history, joint injury, and stresses on the joints from work or sporting activities.There is no single treatment that applies to everyone who suffers from arthritis. With your personal input, a medical specialist will develop a management and treatment plan designed to minimize your specific pain and improve the function of your joints. A number of treatments can provide short-term relief. They include: medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, the use of hot and cold packs, using a splint or a brace to protect painful joints, or perhaps using muscle-relaxing massages.In the long-term, pain relief may be found with: new drugs, called biological response modifiers, which reduce inflammation in the joints; corticosteroids such as Prednisone; weight reduction; dietary changes; exercise (swimming, walking and low-impact aerobic exercise); and even surgery to replace a joint that has badly deteriorated. In some instances, nutritional supplements may be helpful. The long-term goal of pain management is to help you cope with this chronic, often disabling disease. You may be caught in a cycle of pain, depression, and stress. To break this cycle, you need to be an active participant in managing your pain. The role you play in planning your treatment is very important. You and your health care providers must work together closely to develop a personalized and effective treatment program. Research has shown that patients who are well informed and participate actively in their own care, experience less pain, make fewer visits to the doctor and lead a much more enjoyable life. About the Author
Larry Denton is a retired history teacher having taught 33 years at Hobson High in Hobson, Montana. He is currently Vice President of Elfin Enterprises, Inc. a business dedicated to providing information and resources on a variety of topics. For an therapy room full of information and valuable resources to assist you in dealing with arthritis, visit http://www.ArthritisAide.com

7 Secret Weapons to Win the War of Arthritis Inflammation

7 Secret Weapons to Win the War of Arthritis Inflammation and Pain
Rita Kennon

Arthritis is the #1 cause of disability in America today,
impacting approximately seven million people. It is now one of
the most prevalent chronic health problems.

The estimated annual costs of arthritis to Americans are $15
billion in direct medical costs and $49 billion in indirect
costs such as lost wages. Nearly 40 million Americans have
arthritis, with 24 million of them being under 65 years old.
Projected increase of arthritis by 2020 is 60 million in the
U.S. alone.

With over a hundred variations of arthritis, the most common one
is osteoarthritis. It is a degenerative joint disease which is
related to aging. The deteriorated cartilage that covered the
ends of the bone in the joint cause’s loss of movement as the
bone rubs against bone. It causes the bones to change shape, the
muscles to weaken and the reflexes to slow.

Osteoarthritis most commonly occurs in the weight-bearing
joints. Severe trauma to a joint can precipitate arthritis,
sometimes years after the initial injury. Painkillers are
effective for a while, but when the drugs no longer ease the
pain some physicians recommend surgery. Americans undergo lower
back surgery, and knee and hip replacement surgery mostly
because of osteoarthritis.

Another common arthritis known as rheumatoid arthritis is an
autoimmune disease. In autoimmune disease, the body’s immune
system actually attacks its own tissue. The joints and cartilage
are normally surrounded by protective tissue called synovium
which produces a fluid that nourishes and lubricates the bones
and cartilage.

A rheumatoid arthritic patient’s immune system produces white
blood cells that attack the synovium. This is what causes the
inflammation, and painful swollen joints. When the inflamed
synovium attacks the joint, bone, and cartilage it causes the
muscles around the joint to become too weak to support it
properly. Therefore chronic inflammation is the culprit that may
eventually cause damage to the cartilage and bone.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling
types of arthritis. Severe joint pain, fatigue fever, and
inflammation are the first symptoms most people notice. In more
serious cases, the autoimmune response involves other areas of
the body such as the heart, lungs, kidney or liver. Gout is
characterized by monosodium uric crystals in the joints or
tissue. It generally occurs in patients 30 to 50 years old after
many years of eating an over rich diet of purine foods. When the
kidneys can not eliminate the over production of uric acid from
the body, levels build up causing the needle like crystals to
form on the joints.

This painful disease mostly attacks small joints. The frequency
of subsequent acute attacks of gout usually increases over time.
A diet of fatty protein rich foods, excessive alcohol
consumption, and obesity are contributing factors of gout
attacks.

It is important that you take an active role in the prevention
and treatment of joint damage. There are many steps you can take
to lower your risk for developing arthritis, as well as natural
remedies to help reduce inflammation, and other symptoms.

The conventional treatment includes the use of painkillers, and
anti-inflammatory drugs. While these drugs are often helpful in
alleviating the pain, they may accelerate the degeneration of
articular surfaces thereby destroying the body’s ability to
repair cartilage. Several thousand patients are admitted to
hospitals every year for complications associated with
anti-inflammatory medications.

Now that you understand that controlling inflammation is the
biggest step in combating arthritis- here are my secret
arthritis weapons:

1. Foods to avoid- eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, wheat,
corn, beef, pork, eggs, dairy, fried foods, sugar products,
refined carbohydrates and foods high in gluten which tends to
intensify inflammation.

2. Foods to eat- foods high in sulfur such as asparagus,
cabbage, garlic, and onions which may help repair cartilage and
bone. Also include fish, flax (omega-3 fatty acids), and borage
oil (omega-6 fatty acids) which can help decrease inflammation.

3. Multivitamin- including antioxidants such as vitamin E, C, A,
selenium, and zinc because we no longer get optimum amounts from
our daily diet to fight free radical attacks on the joints.

4. Exercise- beneficial in helping to reduce stiffness, and
maintain an optimum weight to help ease the pressure on those
weight bearing joints.

5. Celery seed- this wonderful natural spice contains nearly two
dozen anti-inflammatory compounds known for decreasing
inflammation.

6. Glucosamine supplement- the joints stop producing this
necessary substance that helps alleviate stiffness.

7. Chondroitin supplement- the body stops producing chrondocytes
which help maintain healthy joints.

Incorporate these 7 non-biochemical (natural) weapons into the
battlefield, and the war against arthritis will be much more
attainable- naturally.

About the author:
Rita Kennon http://www.AlternativeHealthReporter.com Natural
arthritis remedy with a 12 month guarantee
http://www.AlternativeHealthReporter.com/arthritest.html