Monkeys, squirrels, eggplants, anything goes... Anything and everything! My health notes collecting blog . (This is where I write & store anything about health and weight loss) *~♥~*
If you are following the diet section please read in date order starting from Jan 01, 2012.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Flax
Seed Oil's main content, Omega-3 fats, help our body produce
Prostaglandins Series 1 and 3, which are anti-inflammatory hormone-like
molecules. These molecules help reduce the inflammation associated with
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.
Flax Seed Oil can also be
used instead of the raw seeds. Take 1 teaspoon of Flax Seed Oil 3 times
daily. The oil can be added to food as well. Continue this remedy for at
least one month to help the primary forms of arthritis.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Nightshade Foods and their effects
Nightshade vegetables are among the foods that some people feel
can trigger arthritis flares. Others feel their arthritis symptoms
improve when nightshade vegetables are avoided. What are nightshade
vegetables? According to The George Mateljan Foundation, food members of
the nightshade family include:
potatoes (not sweet potatoes)
tomatoes
eggplant
sweet and hot peppers (including paprika, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce)
ground cherries
tomatillos and tamarillos
garden huckleberry and naranjillas
pepinos and pimentos
Should people with arthritis avoid nightshade vegetables? According to the University of Washington website, "No foods have been definitively shown to cause or exacerbate arthritis in most individuals. A variety of diets and hand-me-down information exists about certain foods and arthritis, in particular the night shade plants, but none of it has been proven." The effect of foods on arthritis symptoms vary greatly from person to person. It is an individual decision whether or not to avoid nightshade vegetables.
http://arthritis.about.com/b/2006/09/25/nightshade-vegetables-should-people-with-arthritis-avoid-nightshade-foods.htm
http://arthritis.about.com/od/diet/a/Are-Nightshades-Bad-For-Arthritis.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/478157-nightshade-diet-arthritis/
How To Do A No Nightshades Diet
In a no nightshades diet, you avoid vegetables and spices of the nightshade family in order to end chronic joint, muscle, and nerve pain. With a trial diet, you can find out if you can eliminate or reduce your chronic pain, even arthritis.
It's thought that the nightshade family alkaloids – nicotine and its close relatives atropine, capsaicin, solanine, and tomatine – bioaccuumulate in the tissues and disrupt some people's metabolism. (See Nightshade Vegetables for additional information.)
Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD, advises a three-month trial of the no nightshades diet for anyone who is in chronic pain, from any apparent cause—whether arthritis or pain at the site of an old injury. In her practice, she found that the majority of chronic pain patients become completely out of pain or improved.
The diet was developed by Norman Childers, a Rutgers horticulturalist who researched the sometimes-fatal arthritis-like illness in cattle that graze on nightshade plants. He then made the connection to arthritis and pain in people.
What To Avoid
In a sensitive person, it's possible for a single french fry, one bite of hot pepper, or dash of seasoning to trigger joint pain or other pain.
The only way for the no nightshades diet to be diagnostic—for you to find out definitely if nightshades are causing you pain—is to not ingest the smallest bit of nightshades during the trial diet. The most difficult part of this is that nightshade starch and spices are hidden in processed foods.
See the full List of Nightshade Vegetables and Nightshade Family for a list of what fruits and vegetables to avoid.
Tobacco: It's likely that many people are in pain because they smoke. Don't smoke. If you have a debilitating pain condition, avoid second-hand smoke.
Nightshade Vegetables (and a few unusual fruits): Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, green peppers, and chile peppers are served as vegetables. Potatoes are often eaten as french fries, potato chips, and potato salad; tomatoes as ketchup; chile peppers in hot sauces and barbecue sauces.
Hot peppers are used as flavorings in many foods and restaurant meals; peppers are the pimento in stuffed olives.
Nightshade fruits include goji berries and the more unusual cape gooseberry, pepino, and tomarillo fruits.
Nightshade Spices include cayenne and paprika. Hot pepper spices are ingredients in chili powder and in curry. You'll find these spices in typical ethnic cuisines, including Mexican, Spanish, Caribbean, African, Indian, and East Asian.
Processed Food and Prepared Food: Read the ingredients list on the label for any named nightshades or for the generic terms that typically include nightshades. Paprika and chile pepper are frequently used to add "zing" to processed foods, but are listed on the label only as "spices" or "flavors."
Nightshade spices or starch can be listed under any of these terms:
"Flavors"
"Natural flavors"
"Natural flavorings"
"Spices"
"Potato starch"
Any "food starch"
Any "vegetable starch"
Any "vegetable protein"
And can be used in any of the following:
Breads, baked goods, crackers, breading, stuffing
Sausage, cold cuts, seafood, mock seafood
Gravy, sauces, meat sauce, fish sauce, condiments, salad dressings
Baked beans, nuts, seasonings
Cola drinks
Potato starch is a common filler in prescription and nonprescription medications and nutritional supplements.
Unfortunately, the diet requires not only avoiding french fries and tomatoes, but most processed food. However, it sometimes takes only a few days of avoidance to have significant pain relief.
How Long To Do The Diet
Dr. Rogers recommends three months on the diet. It may take that long to get pain relief, as it did in her personal experience. Probably most people will respond within two weeks.
In my own experience, I had some positive effect in about three days. I had maximum pain relief in two weeks. In my case, this was about a 25% reduction in overall pain. This was the difference between not being able to type at all and being able to occasionally type: a significant difference. However, I ultimately went on to a rare food elimination diet.
I've chosen to continue the no nightshades diet based on my experience with experiments. After several years, I'm able to have occasional small amounts of nightshade family foods, about once a month, with no ill effects.
If the diet relieves serious pain, it is typically enjoyable to continue! Of course you are always free to experiment. It is not necessarily a lifetime sentence.
Substitution Tips-
Substitute Spices-
There are many strong flavorings beyond the nightshades:
Garlic
Turmeric
Ginger
Chives
Onion
A no-nightshade Mexican flavor combination: Garlic, cumin, and basil
You can make your own chili powder or curry by mixing the spices yourself and leaving out the nightshade spices.
Substitutes For Potatoes
Sweet potatoes - baked whole or as fries
Fried plantains - substitute for French fries
Turnips
Jerusalem artichokes
Substitutes for Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
Summer squash
Zucchini
http://www.getting-started-with-healthy-eating.com/no-nightshades-diet.html
potatoes (not sweet potatoes)
tomatoes
eggplant
sweet and hot peppers (including paprika, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce)
ground cherries
tomatillos and tamarillos
garden huckleberry and naranjillas
pepinos and pimentos
Should people with arthritis avoid nightshade vegetables? According to the University of Washington website, "No foods have been definitively shown to cause or exacerbate arthritis in most individuals. A variety of diets and hand-me-down information exists about certain foods and arthritis, in particular the night shade plants, but none of it has been proven." The effect of foods on arthritis symptoms vary greatly from person to person. It is an individual decision whether or not to avoid nightshade vegetables.
http://arthritis.about.com/b/2006/09/25/nightshade-vegetables-should-people-with-arthritis-avoid-nightshade-foods.htm
http://arthritis.about.com/od/diet/a/Are-Nightshades-Bad-For-Arthritis.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/478157-nightshade-diet-arthritis/
How To Do A No Nightshades Diet
In a no nightshades diet, you avoid vegetables and spices of the nightshade family in order to end chronic joint, muscle, and nerve pain. With a trial diet, you can find out if you can eliminate or reduce your chronic pain, even arthritis.
It's thought that the nightshade family alkaloids – nicotine and its close relatives atropine, capsaicin, solanine, and tomatine – bioaccuumulate in the tissues and disrupt some people's metabolism. (See Nightshade Vegetables for additional information.)
Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD, advises a three-month trial of the no nightshades diet for anyone who is in chronic pain, from any apparent cause—whether arthritis or pain at the site of an old injury. In her practice, she found that the majority of chronic pain patients become completely out of pain or improved.
The diet was developed by Norman Childers, a Rutgers horticulturalist who researched the sometimes-fatal arthritis-like illness in cattle that graze on nightshade plants. He then made the connection to arthritis and pain in people.
What To Avoid
In a sensitive person, it's possible for a single french fry, one bite of hot pepper, or dash of seasoning to trigger joint pain or other pain.
The only way for the no nightshades diet to be diagnostic—for you to find out definitely if nightshades are causing you pain—is to not ingest the smallest bit of nightshades during the trial diet. The most difficult part of this is that nightshade starch and spices are hidden in processed foods.
See the full List of Nightshade Vegetables and Nightshade Family for a list of what fruits and vegetables to avoid.
Tobacco: It's likely that many people are in pain because they smoke. Don't smoke. If you have a debilitating pain condition, avoid second-hand smoke.
Nightshade Vegetables (and a few unusual fruits): Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, green peppers, and chile peppers are served as vegetables. Potatoes are often eaten as french fries, potato chips, and potato salad; tomatoes as ketchup; chile peppers in hot sauces and barbecue sauces.
Hot peppers are used as flavorings in many foods and restaurant meals; peppers are the pimento in stuffed olives.
Nightshade fruits include goji berries and the more unusual cape gooseberry, pepino, and tomarillo fruits.
Nightshade Spices include cayenne and paprika. Hot pepper spices are ingredients in chili powder and in curry. You'll find these spices in typical ethnic cuisines, including Mexican, Spanish, Caribbean, African, Indian, and East Asian.
Processed Food and Prepared Food: Read the ingredients list on the label for any named nightshades or for the generic terms that typically include nightshades. Paprika and chile pepper are frequently used to add "zing" to processed foods, but are listed on the label only as "spices" or "flavors."
Nightshade spices or starch can be listed under any of these terms:
"Flavors"
"Natural flavors"
"Natural flavorings"
"Spices"
"Potato starch"
Any "food starch"
Any "vegetable starch"
Any "vegetable protein"
And can be used in any of the following:
Breads, baked goods, crackers, breading, stuffing
Sausage, cold cuts, seafood, mock seafood
Gravy, sauces, meat sauce, fish sauce, condiments, salad dressings
Baked beans, nuts, seasonings
Cola drinks
Potato starch is a common filler in prescription and nonprescription medications and nutritional supplements.
Unfortunately, the diet requires not only avoiding french fries and tomatoes, but most processed food. However, it sometimes takes only a few days of avoidance to have significant pain relief.
How Long To Do The Diet
Dr. Rogers recommends three months on the diet. It may take that long to get pain relief, as it did in her personal experience. Probably most people will respond within two weeks.
In my own experience, I had some positive effect in about three days. I had maximum pain relief in two weeks. In my case, this was about a 25% reduction in overall pain. This was the difference between not being able to type at all and being able to occasionally type: a significant difference. However, I ultimately went on to a rare food elimination diet.
I've chosen to continue the no nightshades diet based on my experience with experiments. After several years, I'm able to have occasional small amounts of nightshade family foods, about once a month, with no ill effects.
If the diet relieves serious pain, it is typically enjoyable to continue! Of course you are always free to experiment. It is not necessarily a lifetime sentence.
Substitution Tips-
Substitute Spices-
There are many strong flavorings beyond the nightshades:
Garlic
Turmeric
Ginger
Chives
Onion
A no-nightshade Mexican flavor combination: Garlic, cumin, and basil
You can make your own chili powder or curry by mixing the spices yourself and leaving out the nightshade spices.
Substitutes For Potatoes
Sweet potatoes - baked whole or as fries
Fried plantains - substitute for French fries
Turnips
Jerusalem artichokes
Substitutes for Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
Summer squash
Zucchini
http://www.getting-started-with-healthy-eating.com/no-nightshades-diet.html
Lupus - misc info and suggestions
Managing Lupus Flares:
For many of us, the thought of an ache or pain flaring up – think of the stiff knee your grandfather gets when there’s a storm approaching – is a small annoyance. For lupuspatients, a flare can be much more serious and is a reminder that the disease is still with them, no matter how long in the past it has remained quiet.
What causes a flare?:
Lupus patients often suffer unpredictable bouts of the disease – a flare – followed by periods of remission. What causes a flare is almost as unpredictable as when the flare will occur, but there are some common catalysts, including sunlight – especially those lupus patients who arephotosensitive – and an illness that does not go away. But stress, certain medications, and even pregnancy can trigger flares in lupus patients.
Those who have not been diagnosed, this continued reoccurrence of symptoms might be the first clue that lupus is the cause. For patients already diagnosed with lupus, flares may occur less.
What are some signs that a flare is imminent?:
Prior to the onset of a flare, lupus patients may notice a number of indicative signs:
- Out of proportion and persistent fatigue
- Persistent weakness
- Aching all over
- Slight to high fever
- Persistent loss of appetite
- Involuntary weight loss
- Increasing hair loss
- Nose bleeds
- Unexplained skin rash
- Painful, stiff or swollen joints
- Chest pain which increases with breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Persistent unusual headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Puffy eyelids
- Blood in the urine
Treatment plans for lupus help quell the onset of symptoms and flares. Those plans may include:
- Physical and emotional rest
- Aggressive treatment of infections
- Exercise
- Good nutrition; and,
- Avoidance of direct sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light
A note about medications:
Often, one of the more unexpected flare triggers is medications. What seems to be of help, could actually be of harm. So it is always recommended to check with your doctor before taking a new medication – and before stopping any medication, both over-the-counter and prescribed. And make sure you tell any nurse or doctor you’re unfamiliar with that you have lupus, so they are aware when prescribing medications.
Also, be wary of skin and scalp preparations. Check that you do not have a sensitivity to the item by first trying it on your forearm or back of your ear. If redness, rash, itching or pain develops, do not use the product.
Check in with your physician prior to receiving any immunization. Routine immunizations, like those for the flu and pneumonia, are an important part of maintaining your health, but you should make sure your doctor approves before getting the shots.
Sources:
“Signs and Symptoms That May Signal if a Lupus Flare is Beginning. Lupus Foundation of America Newsletter. January 1992. 26 June 2007
Lupus: A Patient Care Guide for Nurses and Other Health Professionals May 2001, Revised September 2006. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases/National Institutes of Health. 26 June 2007
Lupus flares are a sign that your disease activity is increasing. Most patients who have dealt with lupus for some time can tell when a flare is coming on. Sometimes, it’s a surprise.
Although regular doctor visits and medication are effective ways to prevent flares, there are some other things you can do that may also help.
And while, unfortunately, there is little evidence indicating behavioral modifications can affect the rate of lupus flares, it always pays to do what you can to stay healthy and hope for the best.
1. Rest, rest, rest!
If you know a flare is coming on take steps to slow down and give your body a chance to fight the flare. Overworking your body might exacerbate the condition.
2. Reduce Stress Levels
Attempt as much as possible to avoid stress and stressful situations (I know, easier said than done, but it does make a difference on your body). Consider techniques like meditation andmassage to help slow things down and ease stress levels. If you cannot avoid stress, try to develop a support system to deal with it.
3. Exercise Regularly
We don’t need to tell you how important exercise is to overall health. But we will tell you to check with your doctor to see what’s most appropriate for your individual situation. Refer to Techniques No. 1 and 2 for reasons why you want to work with your healthcare team on the exercise technique that’s best for you.
4. Follow Doctor’s Orders
Keep lines of communication open with your doctor so that you catch any potential illness or complication in its earliest stages. And other than your lupus meds (over the counter, herbal and prescription), don’t start anything new without talking to your doctor, first. Any new medication can affect your disease’s activity levels. And don’t suddenly stop taking your lupus medication either –- it can trigger a flare. And tell your doctor about any injuries, infections, or sickness you have right away. These can open the door to a flare.
5. Keep Covered!
This one is a sure way to stave off a flare. Avoid sun exposure and ultraviolet light, including fluorescent and halogen bulbs. Nearly half of people with lupus are sensitive to this kind of light and –- you guessed it -– it can trigger a flare.
Source: Lupus: A Patient Care Guide for Nurses and Other Health Professionals Third Edition, Revised. September 2006.
Preventing Flares
No one can say for certain that there’s any way to prevent a lupus flare, but the Lupus Foundation of America does provide a number of “healthy habits” that can help patients reduce the potential for triggering a flare.
We’ve taken those habits and gone one step further, by providing some suggestions on how to get into those habits and stay in those habits – thus possibly increasing your chances of staving off a flare.
Take Your Medication as Prescribed:
How can you remember to follow your prescription? The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers these suggestions:
- Take your drugs at the same time every day, linking it with something else you do regularly, like brushing your teeth.
- Write it down – and then use different colors to get your attention.
- Keep a chart or calendar. Use colored pens to track more than one type of medication.
- Use a pillbox.
- Use e-mail reminders to alert you to take your medication.
- Remember to refill your prescription. Make a note on your calendar to order and pick up the next refill one week before your medicine runs out.
There’s a simple reason for doing this, and that is to keep lines of communication open and to catch any potential illness or complication in its earliest stages. That said, if you’re feeling well, what should you communicate to your doctor or healthcare provider? And how?
Here are some to dos that will help you make the most of your time with your doctor:
- Make a list of questions, symptoms and concerns
- Have a friend or family member come with you to help you remember or to act as yourpatient advocate.
- Use the time to find out who in your healthcare provider's office can assist you, and the best times to call.
- Review your treatment plan and ask how the plan will help you improve your health. Find out what might happen if you don't follow the treatment plan.
- Review your progress on your treatment plan.
- If there are aspects of your treatment plan that seem to not work, share your concerns with your doctor.
Sulfonomides are used to treat infections such as bronchitis and urinary tract infections. Some common sulfonomides are Acetazolamide, Celecoxib, and Xipamide.
Limit Your Exposure to Sunlight:
This is called photosensitivity, and About Lupus includes an article on what it is and ways to avoid sunlight. Basically, it is suspected that UV light causes skin cells to express particular proteins on their surface, attracting anitbodies. The antibodies in turn attract white blood cells, which attack skin cells, which leads to inflammation. Apoptosis, or cell death, normally occurs at this point, but it is amplified in lupus patients, which increases inflammation.
Some basic tips:
- Avoid the midday sun
- Wear the correct clothing
- Use sunscreens
- Turn off other sources of UV light
- Take your medicine as directed
- Know what you’re taking
- Watch your make-up (try to buy brands that are also UV protectors, and that are hypoallergenic).
Since lupus is an automimmune disease, the risk of getting infections is greater for lupus patients. Here are some simple tips on how to reduce your risk of getting an infection:
- Take care of yourself. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get plenty of rest.
- Work and play safe. Consider your risk for infection based on where you work (hospital? clinic? daycare? vet?).
- Pets provide many benefits to owners. To avoid infection from your pet, make sure your pet is up to date on all its shots and vaccinations to prevent disease. And always wash your hands after petting your pet, especially before you eat.
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs
- Wash fruits and vegetables carefully before you eat them.
- Wash your hands, cutting boards, counters and knives with soap and water.
This one is self-explanatory. And if you needed any more encouragement, consider that smoking is responsible for 87% of lung cancers in the United States. If you need help quitting, please read Quit Smoking 101 at About Lung Cancer.
(borrowed from "lupus and Me")
Coconut Oil
Whether you want to ease your muscle aches, loosen up stiff joints or relieve the pain of arthritis, coconut oil can bring you the relief you seek.
Coconut oil is not like other fats. It offers relief to your muscles and joints because it contains a special group of fats known as medium-chain fatty acids. By nature, these fatty acids possess important healing properties.
Internally and externally coconut oil acts as:
- An anti-inflammatory
- A pain reliever
- Muscle & joint lubricant and relaxant
Anti-InflammatoryCoconut oil for arthritis is considered one of the best natural remedies for inflamed muscles and joints. Arthritis can be very painful and debilitating. Even doing simple tasks or getting around normally can be a challenge.
This is why we recommend coconut oil. It effectively reduces inflammation and is very soothing to inflamed tissues and joints. It also strengthens bones.
Pain Reliever
Years ago, I suffered greatly from the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia. Back then, I wish I had known more about fibromyalgia and coconut oil.Although my pain was not centered in the joints, the pain was constant and incapacitating.I am here to tell you that no matter where your pain is located, coconut oil for arthritis or fibromyalgia can lessen your discomfort. The oil works best when you warm it first and then apply it directly to the painful muscle(s) or joint(s).
Doing this:
- Increases blood supply to the area.
- Reduces pain and swelling.
- Is very soothing and healing.
Gentle Lubricant
Using coconut oil for arthritis to lubricate muscles and joints works extremely well. This is especially true after a bath or shower.As a gentle lubricant coconut oil benefits you because:
- It promotes circulation in joints.
- It reduces stiffness and increases joint flexibility.
Over time, they find it can even disappear!
Some people find that applying a heating pad to the area after massaging the oil on the muscle or joint helps even more. This is because the oil becomes more viscous and the heat accelerates and deepens penetration.
Try to combine coconut oil with one or more of the following ingredients:
- Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
- Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
- Turmeric
Dosage-
Coconut Oil Alone:
Coconut oil for arthritis as a natural remedy requires different dosages depending on whether you want to prevent or treat the condition.
Naturally, the dosage will be higher if you want to treat as opposed to prevent.
So, when you begin treatment for arthritis pain, a common guideline is:
“for every 50 pounds of body weight, take 1 teaspoon of oil.”We advise staying at this daily amount until your body gets used to the oil. Then, you can increase your daily intake by another teaspoon.
Eventually, you want to work up to 1 tablespoon per day. (Maybe more depending on severity of symptoms).
For prevention, a good place to begin is 1 teaspoon per day.
Externally, we have seen good results if you massage the oil onto the affected joint(s) 2-3 times per day.
Coconut Oil With Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar or Turmeric:
The ratio is 1:1 coconut oil to molasses or apple cider vinegar.
For example, if you take 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, then take 1 tablespoon of molasses or apple cider vinegar at the same time.
If you take turmeric with coconut oil it depends on whether you take capsules or powder.
Capsules= 8 per day, 2x/day (that is 4 capsules @ 400mg, 2x/day).
Powder= 1 teaspoon per day.
*Both are taken right along with coconut oil.
*Keep in mind that if you choose to take turmeric capsules, you will go thru many more per day than if you purchase turmeric powder.
Coconut oil for arthritis as a natural remedy requires different dosages depending on whether you want to prevent or treat the condition.
Naturally, the dosage will be higher if you want to treat as opposed to prevent.
So, when you begin treatment for arthritis pain, a common guideline is:
“for every 50 pounds of body weight, take 1 teaspoon of oil.”We advise staying at this daily amount until your body gets used to the oil. Then, you can increase your daily intake by another teaspoon.
Eventually, you want to work up to 1 tablespoon per day. (Maybe more depending on severity of symptoms).
For prevention, a good place to begin is 1 teaspoon per day.
Externally, we have seen good results if you massage the oil onto the affected joint(s) 2-3 times per day.
Coconut Oil With Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar or Turmeric:
The ratio is 1:1 coconut oil to molasses or apple cider vinegar.
For example, if you take 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, then take 1 tablespoon of molasses or apple cider vinegar at the same time.
If you take turmeric with coconut oil it depends on whether you take capsules or powder.
Capsules= 8 per day, 2x/day (that is 4 capsules @ 400mg, 2x/day).
Powder= 1 teaspoon per day.
*Both are taken right along with coconut oil.
*Keep in mind that if you choose to take turmeric capsules, you will go thru many more per day than if you purchase turmeric powder.
Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil plays a significant role in the prevention of disease as well as helping the body to fight it. Here are a few examples of its healing capabilities:- Kills viruses that cause mononucleosis, influenza, hepatitis C, measles, herpes, AIDS and other illnesses.
- Kills bacteria that cause pneumonia, ear ache, throat infections, dental cavities, food poisoning, urinary tract infections, meningitis, gonorrhea etc.
- Protects brain and nerve cell degeneration from lipid peroxidation of unsaturated oils.
- Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
- Helps protect against osteoporosis.
- Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.
- Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
- Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.
- Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Helps protect against kidney and bladder problems.
- Helps prevent liver disease.
Zinc and Zinc deficiency
Zinc
deficiency affects brain function and immune function and sexual
function.
Zinc deficiency has been linked with rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, asthma, aids and other chronic diseases.
The test: There is now an easy test. You take some liquid zinc in your mouth and hold it for a minute. Observe the taste – if it is very bitter or gradually becomes very bitter within the minute, you have enough zinc in your tissues. If just tastes like water or gets a little fuzzy tasting, you are deficient in zinc.
The treatment: Supplemental zinc. This is the tricky part.
suggested 100-150 mg. per day (away from meals) until you can pass the taste test.
Then go down to a more reasonable level of about 25 mg. per day.
If you are taking the high level for very long (longer than a month) you need to worry about copper depletion.
It is best if you are working with a health care professional to advise you if you need it.
If you need it you may add 4 mg. copper per day (taken at a different time from the zinc).
If the zinc makes you nauseous, you are taking too much.
Zinc deficiency has been linked with rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, asthma, aids and other chronic diseases.
The test: There is now an easy test. You take some liquid zinc in your mouth and hold it for a minute. Observe the taste – if it is very bitter or gradually becomes very bitter within the minute, you have enough zinc in your tissues. If just tastes like water or gets a little fuzzy tasting, you are deficient in zinc.
The treatment: Supplemental zinc. This is the tricky part.
suggested 100-150 mg. per day (away from meals) until you can pass the taste test.
Then go down to a more reasonable level of about 25 mg. per day.
If you are taking the high level for very long (longer than a month) you need to worry about copper depletion.
It is best if you are working with a health care professional to advise you if you need it.
If you need it you may add 4 mg. copper per day (taken at a different time from the zinc).
If the zinc makes you nauseous, you are taking too much.
Supplements for Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Arthritis
Are there supplements that are good for RA?
Adding natural supplements like Curamin (1-2 caps 3x day),
End Pain (1-2 tabs 3x day),
glucosamine sulfate (750 mg 2x day),
chondroitin (400 mg 2x day), and MSM (2,000 mg a day) can be very helpful for RA.
I would use them all together for 12 weeks to lessen pain.
Then I would stay on the glucosamine and End Pain (1 tab 3x day) long term, using the others as needed.
This recipe is also excellent for regular arthritis.
In RA, I would also add a special Omega 3 (fish oil) called Vectomega (1-2 a day, instead of 8-16 caps of most fish oils!), which can markedly decrease inflammation. These can be taken with the RA medication.
The End Pain Formula provides three powerful herbal ingredients —
cherry fruit extract,
boswellia and
white willow bark
— to help you get back in motion and find relief from occasional muscle pain due to overuse.
It is sold on his website but you can take them separately also.
credit/ref:
http://www.jacobteitelbaum.com/health_articles_a-b/Arthritis-9-step-program-for-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
Adding natural supplements like Curamin (1-2 caps 3x day),
End Pain (1-2 tabs 3x day),
glucosamine sulfate (750 mg 2x day),
chondroitin (400 mg 2x day), and MSM (2,000 mg a day) can be very helpful for RA.
I would use them all together for 12 weeks to lessen pain.
Then I would stay on the glucosamine and End Pain (1 tab 3x day) long term, using the others as needed.
This recipe is also excellent for regular arthritis.
In RA, I would also add a special Omega 3 (fish oil) called Vectomega (1-2 a day, instead of 8-16 caps of most fish oils!), which can markedly decrease inflammation. These can be taken with the RA medication.
The End Pain Formula provides three powerful herbal ingredients —
cherry fruit extract,
boswellia and
white willow bark
— to help you get back in motion and find relief from occasional muscle pain due to overuse.
It is sold on his website but you can take them separately also.
credit/ref:
http://www.jacobteitelbaum.com/health_articles_a-b/Arthritis-9-step-program-for-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
Inflammation and Natural Therapies
Inflammation is your body's response to what it perceives to be an
outside invader or irritant. When caused by infections, the inflammation
can sometimes be rather obvious as occurs with pneumonia. Other times,
it can be very subtle. Keep in mind the following key points regarding
inflammation and pain, treat the underlying infections or irritants when
able.
When one treats the associated fibromyalgia, patients often find that their lupus is actually a minimal problem. In addition, several studies have shown that taking DHEA (5mg or 25mg), 200mg a day, significantly improves the outcome of lupus and allows the patient to get by with a lower dose of prednisone. The main side effects of a too high DHEA (5mg or 25mg)level are darkening of facial hair and acne. If either of these occurs, lower the dose. It is unnecessary to follow blood levels of DHEA (5mg or 25mg) at this dose, because this is a very high dose and you can assume the blood level will be high. Lower doses, however, are not as effective as 200mg a day. As many, if not most, inflammatory and/or autoimmune illnesses can cause a secondary fibromyalgia, and fibromyalgia is now treatable, it is important to keep this possibility in mind. If you have widespread pain, fatigue, and insomnia, look for and treat the associated fibromyalgia!
Inflammation (In General)
Inflammation is a common cause of pain and many other medical problems that we experience in Western society. For example, anything that ends in the letters "itis" means that the problem is inflammatory. This includes things like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, spondylitis, appendicitis, etc. Inflammation is obviously a major cause of pain.
Our body's armies of inflammation are often on high-alert when they don't have to be. Much of this occurs because of the high amounts of animal fats relative to fish and vegetable oils in our diets. Land animal fats tend to contain arachadonic acid (in the "omega 6 fatty acids" family), which stimulate inflammation. Fish oils (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) and some vegetable oils, such as flaxseed, contain what are called "omega 3 fatty acids." These decrease inflammation. Over the last few hundred years, we have markedly decreased anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids and increased pro-inflammatory omega 6 fats in our diet. This often results in our bodies being on "inflammatory overdrive" unnecessarily. This excess inflammation has been associated not just with an increased tendency to pain, but at times with increases in heart attacks and other diseases as well. You can sometimes see this tendency to over-inflammation in yourself when you get a paper cut. Sometimes the paper cut heals so quickly that you barely notice it's there. At other times, the same type of cut will be red and inflamed and will continue to hurt beyond the initial few seconds of the cut.
How Do I Decrease My Tendency to Excess Inflammation?
Medically, we do this by using steroids such as prednisone or the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs-e.g. medications in the Motrin® family). Unfortunately, both of these can be fairly toxic. In the long run, using diet and nutrition is a much safer and more effective way to get your inflammatory system into balance.
A recent study, for example, showed that taking a multivitamin can reduce inflammation with vitamin C and B6 seeming to play the largest role. The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) by Enzymatic Therapy replaces 35 tablets of supplements with one good tasting drink, and makes nutritional support easy. Many other natural therapies (see below) are also helpful in decreasing inflammation.
For acute injury, remember the old standbys. These have the initials R.I.C.E., which stand for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. These are the standard treatments recommended by coaches, trainers, and other professionals to treat muscle or joint injuries such as sprains or strains. When combined with Traumeel (one of several wonderful products for traumatic injuries that contains arnica), acute injuries heal much more quickly. Adding another supplement called MSM can help when tissue healing is necessary (e.g. sprains or broken bones). The The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) can also give overall support for healing as well.
Inflammation is part of our natural healing process. Whenever there is injury, our body puts out "cytokines" in those areas to bring in white blood cells to knock out any infections and bring in other cells to begin the healing process. Because of this, healthy inflammation is a very beneficial tool that our body uses to heal. The cells come in, eliminate any infections, fix the problem, and then dissipate. When healthy, it is almost always localized and short-term.
Inflammation can become unhealthy, however. In these situations it is often generalized throughout the body. In addition to causing pain and disability, it can also cause premature aging. As noted above, anytime you see the letters "-itis" at the end of the word, it tells you that unhealthy inflammation is present. Excess inflammation is very common. For example, over 40 million Americans have arthritis. The inflammation can then damage the joints, causing deformity. Allergic rhinitis, which causes swelling of the nasal passages, is also common, affecting approximately 40 million Americans. Gastritis and colitis, which cause abdominal pain, are two other examples. Dermatitis, including psoriasis and eczema, are inflammatory illnesses of the skin. Even Alzheimer's disease and heart disease have been associated with increased inflammation. Asthma, with its associated bronchitis, is also an inflammatory condition -- and one that has doubled in frequency during our lifetime. In treating these allergies and asthma, we sometimes mistakenly focus on the trigger. But the trigger is not the main problem because most people don't have problems when they come in contact with that trigger. It is more important to look at the cause of the overall reactivity in each individual.
We are now beginning to understand why we are so much more prone to inflammation these days than we were in the past. As noted above, clues for understanding this can be found by looking at how the modern diet has changed over the last several thousand years.
Research shows that prehistoric hunter gatherers were much less likely to have degenerative diseases; their main problems were infection and trauma. They had a high-protein, high complex carbohydrate, and high-fiber diet. Most importantly, their diet was high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in inflammation stimulating omega 6 fatty acids (e.g. fats from meat, saturated and trans fats, shortening, margarines, and grains). Their diet was also high in antioxidants, nutrients that put out the "inflammatory fires." Foods were also unprocessed and low in refined sugar.
As society became more farming-based, our diet included more grains, and cattle were more likely to be grain fed. All this resulted in higher levels of the omega 6 pro-inflammatory fats. These omega 6 fats stimulated cytokines and inflammation. At this time, inflammation began to increase. This problem had been seen once before in recorded history in ancient Egypt. This civilization also had the osteoporosis and inflammatory diseases seen today.
Our current diet has continued to degenerate to where we are getting as much as 12 to 20 times as many inflammatory fats in the diet as we used to! In addition, we have a massive amount of sugar, potatoes, and white flour in our diet. This stimulates insulin resistance and release, further increasing the production of pro-inflammatory hormones (arachadonic acid) from these omega 6 fats. At the same time, our intake of antioxidants to put out these fires has markedly decreased.
What Does Modern Medicine Do About This?
Doctors give anti-inflammatories like Motrin® and Celebrex®, which block conversion of the omega 6 fats to the pro-inflammatory cytokines by blocking the enzyme cyclooxygenase. Unfortunately, these also block your body's ability to make anti-inflammatory messengers. This is one reason why over 16,000 Americans a year die from NSAIDs and ~ 139,000 have had heart attacks or strokes from Vioxx. We also use high dose steroids as anti-inflammatories, which used long-term, can be highly toxic. Other treatments include new tumor necrosis factor blocking medicines for rheumatoid arthritis that cost $10,000 a year. We focus on prescription medications because that's where the money is -- so the pharmaceutical industry makes sure that we learn about them!
What Natural Alternatives Do We Have That Are Safer and Effective?
Substituting olive oil for other oils can be very helpful. In addition, increasing fish, nuts and seeds, berries, free range chicken and grass fed meats, spices and herbs, and green leafy vegetables (not potatoes and grains) can be a very helpful start. For more information on this, there is an excellent book you can read, The Inflammation Syndrome: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies, and Asthma by Jack Challem. In addition to this book, an excellent set of two cassette tapes will help you understand excess inflammation in more detail. Inflammation and Aging by Ronald E. Hunninghake M.D. (Tapes 1 and 2) are available by calling 1-800-447-7276. You can either pay $10,000 a year to use the new tumor necrosis factor blocking medicines for rheumatoid arthritis, or you can take fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) and other nutrients and clean up your diet (do it in ways that taste good)! Which one do you think the drug companies will be encouraging your doctor to recommend?
Does that mean you should only eat things that you hate? Of course not. You may find that substituting a wide variety of nuts such as peanuts, cashews, walnuts, etc. for chips and sugary snacks actually tastes better. Eating more salmon and tuna is not a big deal if you like these. If you don't like them, don't eat them. You can always add fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) (using one, of course, that is mercury free) instead. Take 1/2 to 2 Tbsp daily or 1 softgel 3 times a day. When you feel better you may be able to lower the dose.
When you're shopping for meat, go to Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, Sprouts, or a similar store where you can get free range chicken and grass fed beef. Although it is a bit more expensive, it tastes much better, may not make you put on as much weight, and will save you a fortune on doctor bills. Olive oil is also tasty and can be used for frying, cooking, and instead of butter on your bread. Substitute stevia or saccharin for sugar. Use sugar-free chocolates (Russell Stover® makes a delicious line and there are now an enormous amount of yummy sugar-free options for those on the Atkins' diet). T hey taste just as good as foods with sugar but will not make you sick. In addition, as a general rule of thumb, the more colorful a vegetable the healthier it is. or example, sweet potatoes or carrots are a lot healthier than white potatoes. The The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) will also supply extensive antioxidant support, simplifying the process dramatically.
The effects of treatment with diet are not subtle. In a study done at the University of Washington, it was found that women who ate 1 or 2 servings of fish a week were 22 percent less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. Those who had more than 2 servings a week were 43 percent less likely. Those who had deep fried fish (usually fried in omega 6 fats), however, were more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. In another study done in Scotland, 64 men and women with rheumatoid arthritis were given fish oil. They began to feel better in three months. By one year, they had decreased NSAID medicine use by 40 percent. There is also evidence suggesting that fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) helps heal the joints and may decrease osteoporosis as well.
Unlike prescription medications, which can result in quick results (but some such as like steroids and NSAIDs cause long-term toxicity), natural and dietary therapies take longer to see the full effect. They are more likely, however, to build up and heal your system. I find that benefits usually start to be seen by 6 to 12 weeks and continue to build over years as the person gets healthier and healthier. Because of this, I tend to use medications as an initial "band-aid," while the natural therapies heal the underlying problem over time.
What Natural Anti-inflammatories Can I Use?
In addition to using fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3), it can be very helpful to use the End Fatigue Pain Formula (by Enzymatic Therapy), which contains willow bark, Boswellia (also known as Frankincense), and cherry. These natural elements can wonderfully decrease both pain and inflammation.
Can You Summarize What I Need to Do?
If you have excess inflammation, your body can often repair the damage over time. This means decreasing sugar and simple carbohydrates (keep chocolate but make it sugar free), increasing protein and healthy oils (e.g. fish, olive, nuts), and getting optimal nutritional support (e.g. the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder - Berry or Citrus). Use the End Fatigue Pain Formula to decrease inflammation. Your dietary changes can actually be simple (similar to the Atkins' diet but using healthy fats), and will leave you younger-looking, thinner, healthier, and feeling great!
credit/reff: http://www.jacobteitelbaum.com/tools-support/101_inflammation_natural_therapies.html
- Often the inflammation causes more harm than good. It is often worthwhile to simply decrease the inflammation using natural remedies, diet and nutrients.
- Sometimes the inflammation is obvious because it causes redness, heat, and swelling. At other times, it can be quite subtle and needs to be looked for.
When one treats the associated fibromyalgia, patients often find that their lupus is actually a minimal problem. In addition, several studies have shown that taking DHEA (5mg or 25mg), 200mg a day, significantly improves the outcome of lupus and allows the patient to get by with a lower dose of prednisone. The main side effects of a too high DHEA (5mg or 25mg)level are darkening of facial hair and acne. If either of these occurs, lower the dose. It is unnecessary to follow blood levels of DHEA (5mg or 25mg) at this dose, because this is a very high dose and you can assume the blood level will be high. Lower doses, however, are not as effective as 200mg a day. As many, if not most, inflammatory and/or autoimmune illnesses can cause a secondary fibromyalgia, and fibromyalgia is now treatable, it is important to keep this possibility in mind. If you have widespread pain, fatigue, and insomnia, look for and treat the associated fibromyalgia!
Inflammation (In General)
Inflammation is a common cause of pain and many other medical problems that we experience in Western society. For example, anything that ends in the letters "itis" means that the problem is inflammatory. This includes things like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, spondylitis, appendicitis, etc. Inflammation is obviously a major cause of pain.
Our body's armies of inflammation are often on high-alert when they don't have to be. Much of this occurs because of the high amounts of animal fats relative to fish and vegetable oils in our diets. Land animal fats tend to contain arachadonic acid (in the "omega 6 fatty acids" family), which stimulate inflammation. Fish oils (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) and some vegetable oils, such as flaxseed, contain what are called "omega 3 fatty acids." These decrease inflammation. Over the last few hundred years, we have markedly decreased anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids and increased pro-inflammatory omega 6 fats in our diet. This often results in our bodies being on "inflammatory overdrive" unnecessarily. This excess inflammation has been associated not just with an increased tendency to pain, but at times with increases in heart attacks and other diseases as well. You can sometimes see this tendency to over-inflammation in yourself when you get a paper cut. Sometimes the paper cut heals so quickly that you barely notice it's there. At other times, the same type of cut will be red and inflamed and will continue to hurt beyond the initial few seconds of the cut.
How Do I Decrease My Tendency to Excess Inflammation?
Medically, we do this by using steroids such as prednisone or the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs-e.g. medications in the Motrin® family). Unfortunately, both of these can be fairly toxic. In the long run, using diet and nutrition is a much safer and more effective way to get your inflammatory system into balance.
A recent study, for example, showed that taking a multivitamin can reduce inflammation with vitamin C and B6 seeming to play the largest role. The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) by Enzymatic Therapy replaces 35 tablets of supplements with one good tasting drink, and makes nutritional support easy. Many other natural therapies (see below) are also helpful in decreasing inflammation.
For acute injury, remember the old standbys. These have the initials R.I.C.E., which stand for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. These are the standard treatments recommended by coaches, trainers, and other professionals to treat muscle or joint injuries such as sprains or strains. When combined with Traumeel (one of several wonderful products for traumatic injuries that contains arnica), acute injuries heal much more quickly. Adding another supplement called MSM can help when tissue healing is necessary (e.g. sprains or broken bones). The The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) can also give overall support for healing as well.
Inflammation is part of our natural healing process. Whenever there is injury, our body puts out "cytokines" in those areas to bring in white blood cells to knock out any infections and bring in other cells to begin the healing process. Because of this, healthy inflammation is a very beneficial tool that our body uses to heal. The cells come in, eliminate any infections, fix the problem, and then dissipate. When healthy, it is almost always localized and short-term.
Inflammation can become unhealthy, however. In these situations it is often generalized throughout the body. In addition to causing pain and disability, it can also cause premature aging. As noted above, anytime you see the letters "-itis" at the end of the word, it tells you that unhealthy inflammation is present. Excess inflammation is very common. For example, over 40 million Americans have arthritis. The inflammation can then damage the joints, causing deformity. Allergic rhinitis, which causes swelling of the nasal passages, is also common, affecting approximately 40 million Americans. Gastritis and colitis, which cause abdominal pain, are two other examples. Dermatitis, including psoriasis and eczema, are inflammatory illnesses of the skin. Even Alzheimer's disease and heart disease have been associated with increased inflammation. Asthma, with its associated bronchitis, is also an inflammatory condition -- and one that has doubled in frequency during our lifetime. In treating these allergies and asthma, we sometimes mistakenly focus on the trigger. But the trigger is not the main problem because most people don't have problems when they come in contact with that trigger. It is more important to look at the cause of the overall reactivity in each individual.
We are now beginning to understand why we are so much more prone to inflammation these days than we were in the past. As noted above, clues for understanding this can be found by looking at how the modern diet has changed over the last several thousand years.
Research shows that prehistoric hunter gatherers were much less likely to have degenerative diseases; their main problems were infection and trauma. They had a high-protein, high complex carbohydrate, and high-fiber diet. Most importantly, their diet was high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in inflammation stimulating omega 6 fatty acids (e.g. fats from meat, saturated and trans fats, shortening, margarines, and grains). Their diet was also high in antioxidants, nutrients that put out the "inflammatory fires." Foods were also unprocessed and low in refined sugar.
As society became more farming-based, our diet included more grains, and cattle were more likely to be grain fed. All this resulted in higher levels of the omega 6 pro-inflammatory fats. These omega 6 fats stimulated cytokines and inflammation. At this time, inflammation began to increase. This problem had been seen once before in recorded history in ancient Egypt. This civilization also had the osteoporosis and inflammatory diseases seen today.
Our current diet has continued to degenerate to where we are getting as much as 12 to 20 times as many inflammatory fats in the diet as we used to! In addition, we have a massive amount of sugar, potatoes, and white flour in our diet. This stimulates insulin resistance and release, further increasing the production of pro-inflammatory hormones (arachadonic acid) from these omega 6 fats. At the same time, our intake of antioxidants to put out these fires has markedly decreased.
What Does Modern Medicine Do About This?
Doctors give anti-inflammatories like Motrin® and Celebrex®, which block conversion of the omega 6 fats to the pro-inflammatory cytokines by blocking the enzyme cyclooxygenase. Unfortunately, these also block your body's ability to make anti-inflammatory messengers. This is one reason why over 16,000 Americans a year die from NSAIDs and ~ 139,000 have had heart attacks or strokes from Vioxx. We also use high dose steroids as anti-inflammatories, which used long-term, can be highly toxic. Other treatments include new tumor necrosis factor blocking medicines for rheumatoid arthritis that cost $10,000 a year. We focus on prescription medications because that's where the money is -- so the pharmaceutical industry makes sure that we learn about them!
What Natural Alternatives Do We Have That Are Safer and Effective?
Substituting olive oil for other oils can be very helpful. In addition, increasing fish, nuts and seeds, berries, free range chicken and grass fed meats, spices and herbs, and green leafy vegetables (not potatoes and grains) can be a very helpful start. For more information on this, there is an excellent book you can read, The Inflammation Syndrome: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies, and Asthma by Jack Challem. In addition to this book, an excellent set of two cassette tapes will help you understand excess inflammation in more detail. Inflammation and Aging by Ronald E. Hunninghake M.D. (Tapes 1 and 2) are available by calling 1-800-447-7276. You can either pay $10,000 a year to use the new tumor necrosis factor blocking medicines for rheumatoid arthritis, or you can take fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) and other nutrients and clean up your diet (do it in ways that taste good)! Which one do you think the drug companies will be encouraging your doctor to recommend?
Does that mean you should only eat things that you hate? Of course not. You may find that substituting a wide variety of nuts such as peanuts, cashews, walnuts, etc. for chips and sugary snacks actually tastes better. Eating more salmon and tuna is not a big deal if you like these. If you don't like them, don't eat them. You can always add fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) (using one, of course, that is mercury free) instead. Take 1/2 to 2 Tbsp daily or 1 softgel 3 times a day. When you feel better you may be able to lower the dose.
When you're shopping for meat, go to Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, Sprouts, or a similar store where you can get free range chicken and grass fed beef. Although it is a bit more expensive, it tastes much better, may not make you put on as much weight, and will save you a fortune on doctor bills. Olive oil is also tasty and can be used for frying, cooking, and instead of butter on your bread. Substitute stevia or saccharin for sugar. Use sugar-free chocolates (Russell Stover® makes a delicious line and there are now an enormous amount of yummy sugar-free options for those on the Atkins' diet). T hey taste just as good as foods with sugar but will not make you sick. In addition, as a general rule of thumb, the more colorful a vegetable the healthier it is. or example, sweet potatoes or carrots are a lot healthier than white potatoes. The The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder (Berry or Citrus) will also supply extensive antioxidant support, simplifying the process dramatically.
The effects of treatment with diet are not subtle. In a study done at the University of Washington, it was found that women who ate 1 or 2 servings of fish a week were 22 percent less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. Those who had more than 2 servings a week were 43 percent less likely. Those who had deep fried fish (usually fried in omega 6 fats), however, were more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis. In another study done in Scotland, 64 men and women with rheumatoid arthritis were given fish oil. They began to feel better in three months. By one year, they had decreased NSAID medicine use by 40 percent. There is also evidence suggesting that fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) helps heal the joints and may decrease osteoporosis as well.
Unlike prescription medications, which can result in quick results (but some such as like steroids and NSAIDs cause long-term toxicity), natural and dietary therapies take longer to see the full effect. They are more likely, however, to build up and heal your system. I find that benefits usually start to be seen by 6 to 12 weeks and continue to build over years as the person gets healthier and healthier. Because of this, I tend to use medications as an initial "band-aid," while the natural therapies heal the underlying problem over time.
What Natural Anti-inflammatories Can I Use?
In addition to using fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3), it can be very helpful to use the End Fatigue Pain Formula (by Enzymatic Therapy), which contains willow bark, Boswellia (also known as Frankincense), and cherry. These natural elements can wonderfully decrease both pain and inflammation.
Can You Summarize What I Need to Do?
If you have excess inflammation, your body can often repair the damage over time. This means decreasing sugar and simple carbohydrates (keep chocolate but make it sugar free), increasing protein and healthy oils (e.g. fish, olive, nuts), and getting optimal nutritional support (e.g. the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder - Berry or Citrus). Use the End Fatigue Pain Formula to decrease inflammation. Your dietary changes can actually be simple (similar to the Atkins' diet but using healthy fats), and will leave you younger-looking, thinner, healthier, and feeling great!
credit/reff: http://www.jacobteitelbaum.com/tools-support/101_inflammation_natural_therapies.html
Arthritis Pain-Effective Natural Therapies
Arthritis Pain-Effective Natural Therapies
Joint pain, known as arthritis, comes in many forms. The most common type is osteoarthritis, known as "wear and tear arthritis".The joints mainly affected by osteoarthritis are the finger, knee, and hip joint. A more severe form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which is inflammatory and results in hot swollen joints. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack the joints. I suspect that infections are common triggers for this attack.
The American College of Rheumatology has defined the following criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis:
- Morning stiffness of over 1 hour
- Arthritis and soft-tissue swelling in over 3 of 14 joints or joint groups
- Arthritis of hand joints
- Symmetric arthritis
- Subcutaneous nodules
- Rheumatoid factor at a level above the 95th percentile
- Radiological changes suggestive of joint erosion
In addition to using long-term antibiotic therapy with minocycline in rheumatoid arthritis, it is worth considering dietary changes as well. Diet can play a major role in inflammatory arthritis. A recent study tested the role of diet in 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 3 0 patients were given a standard American diet and the other 30 an anti-inflammatory diet low in meat and high in fish oil-with supplements given to supply approximately 2 g of omega 3 fish oils (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3) daily-for eight months. The patients on an anti-inflammatory diet had a 28 percent decrease in the number of tender joints. In addition, decreasing inflammation by giving borage seed oil (supplying 1.4 g of GLA-Gamma Linolenic Acid) decreased the swollen joint score by 41 percent in the active group vs. a 40 percent worsening in the placebo group. No patients had to withdraw because of side effects. Many other nutrients, including pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, boron, copper, zinc, and selenium have been found to be deficient and/or helpful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, see Inflammation- Natural Therapies for more information on treating rheumatoid arthritis with diet and supplements. High doses of fish oil (Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3 (e.g. 1 to 2 Tbsp a day for at least 3 months) have been shown to be especially helpful in over six studies. As always, use fish oil that is mercury and lead free.
As baby boomers begin reaching the age of retirement, the number of Americans developing arthritis-type disorders is expected to soar. This increase will add to already significant arthritis rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of four American adults has been diagnosed with arthritis and another 17 percent may be suffering from it without having been diagnosed. In 2002, the percentage of those diagnosed with one or more forms of arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis and gout), lupus, or fibromyalgia ranged from a low of 17.8 percent in Hawaii to a high of 35.8 percent in Alabama. Thirty-six million workdays are lost each year because of osteoarthritis. A CDC (Center for Disease Control) arthritis expert stated that the number of cases of arthritis in America is huge compared to most other diseases. Fortunately, there are many natural and prescription therapies that can be effective.
Natural Therapies
I prefer using natural rather than prescription therapies for osteoarthritis. The most common prescription medications in use (NSAIDs like Motrin) kill over 16,000 Americans yearly and do not slow, and may actually hasten, the progression of the arthritis. I recommend you begin with a natural treatment program that will decrease inflammation and help repair the joints.
This natural treatment program has four main components:
- Repair
- Prevent Damage
- Restore Function
- Rule Out and Treat Infections and Food Allergies
Repair
The joint cartilage can be repaired using a combination of glucosamine sulfate, Condroitin, and MSM. It is also critical that you get comprehensive nutritional support, as discussed earlier, to promote wound healing. Glucosamine, a cartilage compound that has been shown to actually heal your joints, is as effective as NSAIDs (e.g. Motrin® and other anti-inflammatory drugs). In addition, a recent animal study showed that glucosamine and the anti-inflammatory drugs work synergistically. This means that when the two are taken together, it is much more effective than simply taking either one alone. Using glucosamine can therefore allow you to stop the anti-inflammatory drugs, or at least lower the needed dose. This can improve the safety, effectiveness, and cost of treatment dramatically.
Because of this, for tissue repair I recommend Glucosamine Sulfate, 500 mg, 3 times per day. Also consider MSM, 1.5 to 3 grams a day for 2 to 5 months, and Chondroitin, although these last two are less important. MSM supplies the Sulfur amino acids needed for healing in general. Although most of the research on MSM and arthritis has not been placebo-controlled, two studies were. One showed an 80 percent decrease in arthritis pain after 6 weeks using 1500 mg in the morning and 750 mg at lunchtime. Another showed that Glucosamine and MSM are synergistic for reducing pain and swelling in arthritic joints. One hundred and eighteen patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis were treated 3 times daily with either 500 mg of glucosamine, 500 mg of MSM, a combination of both, or placebo. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that the combination treatment had a faster effect on decreasing pain and inflammation compared to Glucosamine or MSM alone.
Glucosamine sulfate is a cartilage building compound that has been found to be helpful in arthritis in many studies. Although its exact mechanism of action is not yet fully understood, it is a major component of the cartilage that is damaged in arthritic joints. Glucosamine taken by mouth is incorporated in the molecules that make up this cartilage, likely contributing to the healing of arthritis. As you may have noted above, I recommend the sulfate form (as opposed to Glucosamine hydrochloride) because the sulfate can also help with wound/joint healing.
Unlike aspirin/NSAIDS that do not slow down destruction of joints in arthritis, Glucosamine has been shown to actually help stabilize, and often heal the joints, as shown on x-ray. Doses of less than 1000 mg a day do not affect symptoms, and the standard dose is 500 mg 3 times a day. It can also be taken as 1500 mg once a day. It can be taken with or without food, and had no more side effects than placebo.6 Chondroitin sulfate is sometimes added to Glucosamine or taken by itself. Its benefits are modest because less than 10 percent of it is absorbed, as opposed to 90 percent for Glucosamine sulfate. Because of this, I rarely use Chondroitin. On the other hand, 1200 mg a day can be helpful in slowing down arthritis and is worth trying if you do not get adequate relief with the other treatments. It can be taken all at once or 400 mg 3 times a day with equal effectiveness.
Overall nutritional support is also critical. For example, low concentrations and low intake of vitamin D seems to be associated with an increased risk of progression of osteoarthritis of the knee. In addition, SAM-e can be helpful. This nutrient is produced from methionine (an amino acid) in combination with multiple nutrients, including B vitamins, folate, and inositol. It was initially tested and found to be effective in treating depression. Researchers also noted that it improved patients' arthritis as effectively as anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS). A number of studies were done including one that gave 600 mg a day for 2 weeks followed by 400 mg daily for 2 years. Pain and stiffness decreased within one week and the improvement continued throughout the two-year trial. A study that reviewed seven other studies was inconclusive. A major problem with SAM-e products is that they are not stable and break down easily, with many products not really delivering what they claim. In addition, it is quite expensive. A better alternative is to take the nutrients your body needs to make SAM-e. Combining the nutrients found in the Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder and B complex (Berry or Citrus) (by Enzymatic Therapy) resulted in increased blood levels of SAM-e similar to those found in people taking 400 to 800 mg of SAM-e daily.
These are only a few of many examples of the importance of overall nutritional support in treating arthritis. Dozens of other important nutrients can help arthritis (e.g. niacin, pantothenic acid, B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, boron, selenium, and zinc). As you can tell, it important to get optimal nutritional support. The Energy Revitalization System vitamin powder and B complex (Berry or Citrus) makes this easy to do.
Prevent Damage
I recommend a mix of several natural remedies, many of which can be found in combination. The formulation that I like the most combines boswellia, willow bark, and cherry. These are combined in an excellent product called End Fatigue Pain Formula (also by Enzymatic Therapy). Using these three together can powerfully decrease many kinds of pain while preventing damaging inflammation. Take 2 tablets 3 times a day until your pain subsides (approximately 2 to 6 weeks) and then you can often lower the dose to 1 tablet 2 to 3 times a day, or as needed. Curcumin can also be a healthful anti-inflammatory but requires the addition of piperine from black pepper for the curcumin to be adequately absorbed. I do not generally recommend that you use these if you take any prescriptions, however, because piperine may potentially also increase the absorption of other medications, causing them to reach toxic levels. Fish oil Arctic Omega or Eskimo 3), 1/2 to 1 Tbsp daily, also has strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Restore Function
Restore function with stretching, exercise, and heat. Exercise at least 20 minutes a day. Swimming, walking, and yoga are good choices. Use a heating pad or moist heat for up to 20 minutes at a time to give relief.
Diet, exercise, and lifestyle can be important in the treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis. For example, losing 11 pounds will reduce a woman's risk of developing arthritis of the knee by 50 percent over a 10 year period. Adding exercise may further decrease arthritis pain.
Rule Out and Treat Infections and Food Allergies
These can aggravate arthritis. New techniques that combine acupressure and applied kinesiology can be a very powerful way to eliminate allergies and sensitivities. I recommend using a brilliant technique called NAET. It was developed by Dr. Devi Nambudripad (see www.NAET.com for more information). If you also have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, I recommend using a spin off-of this technique called JMT (see www.jmttechnique.com for more information). For rheumatoid arthritis, I also use long-term antibiotics (Minocycline) because I feel this is an infectious disease in many cases, and research has shown antibiotics to be effective.
In addition to these four treatment areas, although it may seem silly, copper bracelets have actually been shown in a blinded crossover study to be helpful in relieving arthritis, and I have also seen patients get better using them .
Other Natural Therapies
As noted above, I recommend that you begin with the End Fatigue Pain Formula and glucosamine/MSM. You may also want to try this popular home remedy:
Purple Pectin for Pain. Purchase Certo in the canning section of your local grocery. It is the thickening agent used to make jams and jellies. Certo contains pectin, a natural ingredient found in plants. Take 1 to 3 Tbsp of Certo in 8 ounces of grape juice 1 to 2 times a day (1 to 2 Tbsp a day is enough for most people, but you can try more). If it's going to help, you'll likely know in 7 to 14 days. As the pain disappears, the dose can be reduced to 1 tsp in grape juice once or twice a day as needed. Many people have found this simple, safe, and cheap treatment to be effective.
As you can see, arthritis can be treated very effectively and safely using natural therapies. You don't have to choose between being in pain or taking dangerous medications any more!
credit / ref: http://www.jacobteitelbaum.com/tools-support/101_arthritis_pain.html
Anti inflammatory info
anti inflammatory info
by Debbie Tapp (Notes) on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 6:57pm
How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Relieve Joint Pain and Stiffness?
Potassium deficiency eventually causes joint stiffness and muscle cramps. The rich source of potassium in ACV is an agent in removing toxins and acid crystals from the body, maintaining joint pliability. A build up of acid crystals lodge themselves in joint spaces causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Apple cider vinegar helps to put acid crystals into solution so they can be excreted from your body relieving stiffness and pain.
The best way to ingest apple cider vinegar:
Mix 1 tablespoon of ACV and 1 tablespoon of raw unfiltered honey in an 8oz glass of luke warm (not hot) water. Drink 1-3 times per day.
*Raw honey is also a rich source of potassium.
(I prefer the ACV tablets I get at Vitamin Shoppe)
Rosemary - Powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial culinary herb.
Turmeric - Super anti-cancer herb, also known for enhancing joint health, ending arthritis pain and increasing muscle and tendon flexibility.
Ginger - One of the world's best-known tonic herbs. Boosts immune function and circulation, helping to remove metabolic toxins from the body's cells. Well known antibacterial and anti-viral properties.
Holy Basil - Also known as tulsi, holy basil is used in Ayurvedic medicine to combat arthritis, asthma, heart disease and many other conditions. It's also a well-documented anti-stress herb that been studied extensively for its stress-reduction properties.
Green Tea - A phenomenal healing herb, green tea exhibits strong anti-cancer benefits as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Hu Zhang - Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an herb that invigorates the blood and eases inflammation of the lungs. The name for this herb is quite fascinating: The "Hu" means tiger, and "Zhang" means cane (like a walking cane). The "Hu" is used to denote strength, and the "Zhang" means "supportive." Hu Zhang dissolves phlegm and stops coughing, among its many other actions.
Chinese Goldthread - This is another Chinese herb that contains several bitter alkaloids. One of them is berberine, which is a phenomenal anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal nutrient. It has even been studied as a defense against MRSA superbug infections. Under ultraviolet light, berberine exhibits a natural fluorescence, meaning it exhibits a natural resonance with certain wavelengths of light.
Barberry - An herb used by ancient Egyptians (and still in use there today) for treating inflammatory fevers. It also aids in digestion and liver function. It's more of a support herb in this formula than the celebrity.
Oregano - Oregano is a very potent anti-parasite herb, but it's also used as a natural decongestant and anti-allergy herb. Highly-concentrated wildcrafted forms (like you find from North American Herb & Spice) will blow your mind. Baikal Skullcap - Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat intestinal inflammation, this world-renowned herb also relieves anxiety and insomnia. It also helps lower blood pressure and reduce tension throughout the body.
______________________________
_____________________
Turmeric, ginger and green tea ingredients are powerful anti-cancer remedies all by themselves. Turmeric contains ingredients that halt the growth of cancer tumors by cutting off their blood supply. Ginger boosts circulation to extremities and greatly enhances immune function. Green tea offers powerful prevention for breast cancer and prostate cancer!
___________________________________________________
Keep a food diary for one week. Yep, just write down every single thing you eat or drink for a week. Really. If you're like most people, the list will absolutely shock you.
The anti-inflammatory diet
The anti-inflammatory diet has a lot in common with the Mediterranean Diet. You've probably already heard about the many health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, right? Among them are greatly reduced risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer. The reason for those benefits is simply that the Mediterranean Diet is anti-inflammatory!
Here are the basics of the anti-inflammatory diet:
• 90% plant-based foods (or more)
• Fresh produce at every meal
• No processed foods (made in a factory)
• No fried foods, no cheap oils
• Lots of cold-refined, extra virgin olive oil
• Lots of avocados, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
• Drink fresh vegetable juice daily (juice it yourself!)
• The best anti-inflammatory juices are cucumber and celery
• Lots of superfoods (berries, sprouts, etc.)
• Green tea and water as your beverages
• Lots of raw walnuts, pecans and other nuts
If you switch to this kind of diet, you'll experience a complete reversal of inflammation in your body (that sounds like a bold, sweeping statement but it's really just cause and effect). And not just inflammation, but also cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, kidney stones, osteoporosis, allergies and many other degenerative health conditions. This is the diet of LIFE, and it's the mainstay of the raw foods community that's right now curing serious diseases by juicing raw vegetables and fruits on a daily basis.
5 truths about inflammation
1. Inflammation is the underlying cause of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes and many other conditions.
2. Inflammation is NOT caused by bad luck. It's caused by a bad diet.
3. Inflammatory foods are meats, dairy, sodas, processed foods, fried foods and foods cooked at high temperatures. Keep a food diary if you want to discover just how many bad foods you're really eating.
4. Anti-inflammatory foods are fresh, raw, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Eat more of this good stuff!
5. Anti-inflammatory supplements like Zyflamend and astaxanthin are powerful modulators of inflammation, but don't use them as a way to avoid the responsibility of making serious changes to your diet. Use them to support your positive changes, and you'll see accelerated results!
http://www.newchapter.com/zyflamend/zyflamend-whole-body
Zyflamend can be purchased from Amazon also.
read this from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/zyflamend
My arthritis in my hands cleared using
1) generic store brand of triple strength Glucosamine Chondroitin 2 pills a day (1500mg and 1200mg)
2) Apple Cider Vinegar tablets from Vitamin Shoppe as a result of search and research (600mg daily). These don't store up in the system but I instantly notice if I miss a day.
Google any of these and learn more :)
Potassium deficiency eventually causes joint stiffness and muscle cramps. The rich source of potassium in ACV is an agent in removing toxins and acid crystals from the body, maintaining joint pliability. A build up of acid crystals lodge themselves in joint spaces causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Apple cider vinegar helps to put acid crystals into solution so they can be excreted from your body relieving stiffness and pain.
The best way to ingest apple cider vinegar:
Mix 1 tablespoon of ACV and 1 tablespoon of raw unfiltered honey in an 8oz glass of luke warm (not hot) water. Drink 1-3 times per day.
*Raw honey is also a rich source of potassium.
(I prefer the ACV tablets I get at Vitamin Shoppe)
Rosemary - Powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial culinary herb.
Turmeric - Super anti-cancer herb, also known for enhancing joint health, ending arthritis pain and increasing muscle and tendon flexibility.
Ginger - One of the world's best-known tonic herbs. Boosts immune function and circulation, helping to remove metabolic toxins from the body's cells. Well known antibacterial and anti-viral properties.
Holy Basil - Also known as tulsi, holy basil is used in Ayurvedic medicine to combat arthritis, asthma, heart disease and many other conditions. It's also a well-documented anti-stress herb that been studied extensively for its stress-reduction properties.
Green Tea - A phenomenal healing herb, green tea exhibits strong anti-cancer benefits as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Hu Zhang - Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an herb that invigorates the blood and eases inflammation of the lungs. The name for this herb is quite fascinating: The "Hu" means tiger, and "Zhang" means cane (like a walking cane). The "Hu" is used to denote strength, and the "Zhang" means "supportive." Hu Zhang dissolves phlegm and stops coughing, among its many other actions.
Chinese Goldthread - This is another Chinese herb that contains several bitter alkaloids. One of them is berberine, which is a phenomenal anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal nutrient. It has even been studied as a defense against MRSA superbug infections. Under ultraviolet light, berberine exhibits a natural fluorescence, meaning it exhibits a natural resonance with certain wavelengths of light.
Barberry - An herb used by ancient Egyptians (and still in use there today) for treating inflammatory fevers. It also aids in digestion and liver function. It's more of a support herb in this formula than the celebrity.
Oregano - Oregano is a very potent anti-parasite herb, but it's also used as a natural decongestant and anti-allergy herb. Highly-concentrated wildcrafted forms (like you find from North American Herb & Spice) will blow your mind. Baikal Skullcap - Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat intestinal inflammation, this world-renowned herb also relieves anxiety and insomnia. It also helps lower blood pressure and reduce tension throughout the body.
______________________________
_____________________
Turmeric, ginger and green tea ingredients are powerful anti-cancer remedies all by themselves. Turmeric contains ingredients that halt the growth of cancer tumors by cutting off their blood supply. Ginger boosts circulation to extremities and greatly enhances immune function. Green tea offers powerful prevention for breast cancer and prostate cancer!
___________________________________________________
Keep a food diary for one week. Yep, just write down every single thing you eat or drink for a week. Really. If you're like most people, the list will absolutely shock you.
The anti-inflammatory diet
The anti-inflammatory diet has a lot in common with the Mediterranean Diet. You've probably already heard about the many health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, right? Among them are greatly reduced risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer. The reason for those benefits is simply that the Mediterranean Diet is anti-inflammatory!
Here are the basics of the anti-inflammatory diet:
• 90% plant-based foods (or more)
• Fresh produce at every meal
• No processed foods (made in a factory)
• No fried foods, no cheap oils
• Lots of cold-refined, extra virgin olive oil
• Lots of avocados, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
• Drink fresh vegetable juice daily (juice it yourself!)
• The best anti-inflammatory juices are cucumber and celery
• Lots of superfoods (berries, sprouts, etc.)
• Green tea and water as your beverages
• Lots of raw walnuts, pecans and other nuts
If you switch to this kind of diet, you'll experience a complete reversal of inflammation in your body (that sounds like a bold, sweeping statement but it's really just cause and effect). And not just inflammation, but also cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, kidney stones, osteoporosis, allergies and many other degenerative health conditions. This is the diet of LIFE, and it's the mainstay of the raw foods community that's right now curing serious diseases by juicing raw vegetables and fruits on a daily basis.
5 truths about inflammation
1. Inflammation is the underlying cause of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes and many other conditions.
2. Inflammation is NOT caused by bad luck. It's caused by a bad diet.
3. Inflammatory foods are meats, dairy, sodas, processed foods, fried foods and foods cooked at high temperatures. Keep a food diary if you want to discover just how many bad foods you're really eating.
4. Anti-inflammatory foods are fresh, raw, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Eat more of this good stuff!
5. Anti-inflammatory supplements like Zyflamend and astaxanthin are powerful modulators of inflammation, but don't use them as a way to avoid the responsibility of making serious changes to your diet. Use them to support your positive changes, and you'll see accelerated results!
http://www.newchapter.com/zyflamend/zyflamend-whole-body
Zyflamend can be purchased from Amazon also.
read this from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/zyflamend
My arthritis in my hands cleared using
1) generic store brand of triple strength Glucosamine Chondroitin 2 pills a day (1500mg and 1200mg)
2) Apple Cider Vinegar tablets from Vitamin Shoppe as a result of search and research (600mg daily). These don't store up in the system but I instantly notice if I miss a day.
Google any of these and learn more :)
Coffee!!!
The next time someone tells you to stop drinking so much coffee, that it isn't good for you, arm your self with a good defense.
"The best effects in terms of longevity and diabetes and Alzheimer's protection are actually the people who drink 5 cups or more a day. Isn't that crazy?"
Every morning, many of us sip our coffee with no real thought given to the beans behind the brew. But coffee beans are extra-ordinarily complex fruits containing over 1,0001,2 compounds - only a handful of which have ever been individually investigated by scientists. Not only is coffee packed with antioxidants,3 but it is the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet.3,4
The average American coffee drinker consumes about 3.1 cups of coffee a day,5 but extensive research has found that higher volumes - as much as 4 to 12 cups daily - can help prevent most major killers, including cardiovascular disease,6-8 cancer,9-11 diabetes,12-14 liver disease,15-17 and Alzheimer's disease.18-20
For instance, in case-controlled human studies, compared to coffee abstainers, those who drank the most coffee cut their risks of breast cancer by 57% and diabetes by 67%.10,21
In this article, you will learn about recent research into the benefits of coffee consumption, what's missing from most commercial coffee beans, and what people should do who are overly sensitive to coffee beverages.
************
Those who drink the most coffee have a substantially reduced risk of developing diabetes, cancer, liver disease, cognitive decline, and DNA damage. But the health benefits of coffee's complex phytochemistry don't end there:
"The best effects in terms of longevity and diabetes and Alzheimer's protection are actually the people who drink 5 cups or more a day. Isn't that crazy?"
- Coffee is the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet.3,4 And the good news is that sound scientific studies have found that the common fears about excess coffee consumption are invalid, and higher intake means bigger benefits.
- An impressive number of studies have shown a strong association between higher consumption of coffee and a significantly reduced risk of most chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and others.
- With over 1,000 phytochemicals, coffee's unparalleled antioxidant punch no doubt plays a role in its protection against disease. But a multitude of direct biological actions on the body are suspected, such as an improvement in intracellular signaling,95,96 which may help prevent cancer, diabetes and more.
- Drinking just one cup of coffee a day - caffeinated or decaffeinated - can decrease the risk of developing diabetes by 13%.24 But at 12 cups a day, the risk of getting diabetes is slashed by 67%.21
- Far from being a risky habit, coffee has now been shown to provide powerful protection against an epidemic of diabetes and a rising tide of other age-related diseases. It's an all-natural and inexpensive elixir - to go!
Every morning, many of us sip our coffee with no real thought given to the beans behind the brew. But coffee beans are extra-ordinarily complex fruits containing over 1,0001,2 compounds - only a handful of which have ever been individually investigated by scientists. Not only is coffee packed with antioxidants,3 but it is the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet.3,4
The average American coffee drinker consumes about 3.1 cups of coffee a day,5 but extensive research has found that higher volumes - as much as 4 to 12 cups daily - can help prevent most major killers, including cardiovascular disease,6-8 cancer,9-11 diabetes,12-14 liver disease,15-17 and Alzheimer's disease.18-20
For instance, in case-controlled human studies, compared to coffee abstainers, those who drank the most coffee cut their risks of breast cancer by 57% and diabetes by 67%.10,21
In this article, you will learn about recent research into the benefits of coffee consumption, what's missing from most commercial coffee beans, and what people should do who are overly sensitive to coffee beverages.
************
Those who drink the most coffee have a substantially reduced risk of developing diabetes, cancer, liver disease, cognitive decline, and DNA damage. But the health benefits of coffee's complex phytochemistry don't end there:
- Decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee lowered the risk of kidney stones in women by 9 and 10%, respectively.107
- Caffeinated coffee reduced the incidence of gallstones and gall bladder disease in both men and women.108,109
- Scientists found that coffee boosted regular weight loss by 8 pounds and promoted body fat metabolism.91,110,111
- Sometimes-inconsistent findings have generally linked coffee drinking with reduced all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.6,112-115
- For athletes, caffeine reduced muscle pain, increased energy (ergogenic aid), and enhanced endurance.116-119
- One study found caffeine, taken 2 hours before exercise, prevented exercise-induced asthma.120
- Confirming earlier research, a 2011 study on over 50,000 women found that 4 cups of coffee daily lowered the risk of depression by 20%, compared to coffee abstainers.121
- Antibacterials in coffee were found to inhibit plaque formation and prevent dental decay.122
- Whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, coffee consumption prevents constipation 123,124 and - despite the myth that coffee dehydrates the body - contributes to the body's fluid requirements.125-127
- Caffeine is believed to boost by 40% the effectiveness of pain relievers against headaches. Caffeine also helps the body absorb headache medications more quickly.128
- A large, as-yet-unpublished study presented October 24, 2011, found that men and women with the highest coffee consumption have a 13% and 18% lower risk, respectively, for basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer).129
Sore, Tired Feet- Vinegar foot soak remedies
Vinegar foot soak remedies-
A mixture of warm water and vinegar is the best one for relaxing your tired feet. Moreover, soaking feet in vinegar is known to cure various feet problems. Here are a few foot soak recipes which you must try.
Foot Soak Recipe for Regular Care
Mix 1 cup white vinegar and 2 gallons warm water together and a few drops of essential oil.
Soak your feet for 45 minutes in this mixture.
Now use a pumice stone to remove the skin from heels and callused areas of your feet.
Take a soft brush and rub your upper foot area and toes.
Doing this once or twice a week, followed by application of a moisturizer is sure to help you have soft and supple feet. This is one of the best solution for smelly feet and nail fungus. Make sure that you do not use the same solution more than once.
Vinegar Foot Soak for Tired Feet
In order to make this foot soak, you need 1 cup sea salt, 1 cup Epsom salt, 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup dried lavender.
Now heat enough quantity of water till it is hot, yet bearable for soaking your feet.
Pour this water into a tub which is wide and deep enough for soaking your feet properly.
Now put all the above-mentioned ingredients in warm water and stir the water for a minute.
Just sit in a relaxing chair and put your feet in the tub. Soak them for at least 20 minutes and see how great it feels.
Foot Soak for Athlete’s Foot
Most of you must be aware that vinegar can cure athlete’s foot. You can try soaking feet in this solution for the same.
Prepare a foot soak by mixing 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 teaspoon of salt and enough warm water to cover your feet. Apart from this remedy, you can also apply white distilled vinegar to the affected areas for curing athlete’s foot.
Saturate a cotton ball with vinegar and rub it over the affected areas.
Remember that you will have to do this for a few weeks even after the symptoms disappear as the fungus might affect again.
Both the methods, soaking feet in vinegar solution or applying it vinegar directly on the problem area are very effective in treating this foot problem.
You can soak your feet in a solution made of equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water as the same is also effective in curing athlete’s foot. Soak your feet in this mixture for 10 minutes daily for ten days or until the symptoms disappear. Moreover, this also relieves itching and peeling caused due to athlete’s foot.
Foot Soak for Toenail Fungus
Vinegar cure for toenail fungus is very popular.
Soaking feet in vinegar and water for at least 30 minutes, twice a day or more will help kill the fungus.
The acidity of vinegar restores pH balance of nails and helps in soothing the discomfort caused due to toenail fungus. Though most types of vinegar can be used in toenail fungus treatment, apple cider vinegar is known to be most effective.
You can also soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it directly to the nail, but ensure that vinegar stays on your nails for a significant amount of time. Let me tell you that apple cider vinegar is the most commonly used solution for curing fungal infections. It is a strong astringent and has anti-fungal properties. It is also known to reduce inflammation and pain linked with some stages of fungal infections. Combining vinegar with hydrogen peroxide forms a solution effective in wiping out bacteria and viruses.
A mixture of warm water and vinegar is the best one for relaxing your tired feet. Moreover, soaking feet in vinegar is known to cure various feet problems. Here are a few foot soak recipes which you must try.
Foot Soak Recipe for Regular Care
Mix 1 cup white vinegar and 2 gallons warm water together and a few drops of essential oil.
Soak your feet for 45 minutes in this mixture.
Now use a pumice stone to remove the skin from heels and callused areas of your feet.
Take a soft brush and rub your upper foot area and toes.
Doing this once or twice a week, followed by application of a moisturizer is sure to help you have soft and supple feet. This is one of the best solution for smelly feet and nail fungus. Make sure that you do not use the same solution more than once.
Vinegar Foot Soak for Tired Feet
In order to make this foot soak, you need 1 cup sea salt, 1 cup Epsom salt, 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup dried lavender.
Now heat enough quantity of water till it is hot, yet bearable for soaking your feet.
Pour this water into a tub which is wide and deep enough for soaking your feet properly.
Now put all the above-mentioned ingredients in warm water and stir the water for a minute.
Just sit in a relaxing chair and put your feet in the tub. Soak them for at least 20 minutes and see how great it feels.
Foot Soak for Athlete’s Foot
Most of you must be aware that vinegar can cure athlete’s foot. You can try soaking feet in this solution for the same.
Prepare a foot soak by mixing 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 teaspoon of salt and enough warm water to cover your feet. Apart from this remedy, you can also apply white distilled vinegar to the affected areas for curing athlete’s foot.
Saturate a cotton ball with vinegar and rub it over the affected areas.
Remember that you will have to do this for a few weeks even after the symptoms disappear as the fungus might affect again.
Both the methods, soaking feet in vinegar solution or applying it vinegar directly on the problem area are very effective in treating this foot problem.
You can soak your feet in a solution made of equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water as the same is also effective in curing athlete’s foot. Soak your feet in this mixture for 10 minutes daily for ten days or until the symptoms disappear. Moreover, this also relieves itching and peeling caused due to athlete’s foot.
Foot Soak for Toenail Fungus
Vinegar cure for toenail fungus is very popular.
Soaking feet in vinegar and water for at least 30 minutes, twice a day or more will help kill the fungus.
The acidity of vinegar restores pH balance of nails and helps in soothing the discomfort caused due to toenail fungus. Though most types of vinegar can be used in toenail fungus treatment, apple cider vinegar is known to be most effective.
You can also soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it directly to the nail, but ensure that vinegar stays on your nails for a significant amount of time. Let me tell you that apple cider vinegar is the most commonly used solution for curing fungal infections. It is a strong astringent and has anti-fungal properties. It is also known to reduce inflammation and pain linked with some stages of fungal infections. Combining vinegar with hydrogen peroxide forms a solution effective in wiping out bacteria and viruses.
Migraine help
Supplements supposed to help if you tend to get migraines:
vitamin B2 (400 milligrams a day)
magnesium (600 mg per day)
peppermint oil- rub a drop on temples
5-HTP (600 mg/day)
butterbur, 75 milligrams twice a day
4,000 to 6,000 mg of omega-3 fish oil daily
CoQ10 (3 x 100 mg/day)
***********OTC Excedrin Migraine taken with 1000mg Cal/500mg Magbesuyn
************
***********OTC Excedrin Migraine taken with 1000mg Cal/500mg Magbesuyn
************
- MigreLief, contains magnesium, B2, and feverfew. You take one tablet in the morning and the evening with a meal. You should see results in 30 to 90 days.
- Migravent, which contains butterbur, a plant effective at helping to prevent migraine headaches.
The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino
The Spoon Theory
by Christine Miserandino
My best friend and I were in the diner, talking. As usual, it was very late and we were eating French fries with gravy. Like normal girls our age, we spent a lot of time in the diner while in college, and most of the time we spent talking about boys, music or trivial things, that seemed very important at the time. We never got serious about anything in particular and spent most of our time laughing.As I went to take some of my medicine with a snack as I usually did, she watched me with an awkward kind of stare, instead of continuing the conversation. She then asked me out of the blue what it felt like to have Lupus and be sick. I was shocked not only because she asked the random question, but also because I assumed she knew all there was to know about Lupus. She came to doctors with me, she saw me walk with a cane, and throw up in the bathroom. She had seen me cry in pain, what else was there to know?I started to ramble on about pills, and aches and pains, but she kept pursuing, and didn’t seem satisfied with my answers. I was a little surprised as being my roommate in college and friend for years; I thought she already knew the medical definition of Lupus. Then she looked at me with a face every sick person knows well, the face of pure curiosity about something no one healthy can truly understand. She asked what it felt like, not physically, but what it felt like to be me, to be sick.
As I tried to gain my composure, I glanced around the table for help or guidance, or at least stall for time to think. I was trying to find the right words. How do I answer a question I never was able to answer for myself? How do I explain every detail of every day being effected, and give the emotions a sick person goes through with clarity. I could have given up, cracked a joke like I usually do, and changed the subject, but I remember thinking if I don’t try to explain this, how could I ever expect her to understand. If I can’t explain this to my best friend, how could I explain my world to anyone else? I had to at least try.
At that moment, the spoon theory was born. I quickly grabbed every spoon on the table; hell I grabbed spoons off of the other tables. I looked at her in the eyes and said “Here you go, you have Lupus”. She looked at me slightly confused, as anyone would when they are being handed a bouquet of spoons. The cold metal spoons clanked in my hands, as I grouped them together and shoved them into her hands.
I explained that the difference in being sick and being healthy is having to make choices or to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn’t have to. The healthy have the luxury of a life without choices, a gift most people take for granted.
Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions. So for my explanation, I used spoons to convey this point. I wanted something for her to actually hold, for me to then take away, since most people who get sick feel a “loss” of a life they once knew. If I was in control of taking away the spoons, then she would know what it feels like to have someone or something else, in this case Lupus, being in control.
She grabbed the spoons with excitement. She didn’t understand what I was doing, but she is always up for a good time, so I guess she thought I was cracking a joke of some kind like I usually do when talking about touchy topics. Little did she know how serious I would become?
I asked her to count her spoons. She asked why, and I explained that when you are healthy you expect to have a never-ending supply of “spoons”. But when you have to now plan your day, you need to know exactly how many “spoons” you are starting with. It doesn’t guarantee that you might not lose some along the way, but at least it helps to know where you are starting. She counted out 12 spoons. She laughed and said she wanted more. I said no, and I knew right away that this little game would work, when she looked disappointed, and we hadn’t even started yet. I’ve wanted more “spoons” for years and haven’t found a way yet to get more, why should she? I also told her to always be conscious of how many she had, and not to drop them because she can never forget she has Lupus.
I asked her to list off the tasks of her day, including the most simple. As, she rattled off daily chores, or just fun things to do; I explained how each one would cost her a spoon. When she jumped right into getting ready for work as her first task of the morning, I cut her off and took away a spoon. I practically jumped down her throat. I said ” No! You don’t just get up. You have to crack open your eyes, and then realize you are late. You didn’t sleep well the night before. You have to crawl out of bed, and then you have to make your self something to eat before you can do anything else, because if you don’t, you can’t take your medicine, and if you don’t take your medicine you might as well give up all your spoons for today and tomorrow too.” I quickly took away a spoon and she realized she hasn’t even gotten dressed yet. Showering cost her spoon, just for washing her hair and shaving her legs. Reaching high and low that early in the morning could actually cost more than one spoon, but I figured I would give her a break; I didn’t want to scare her right away. Getting dressed was worth another spoon. I stopped her and broke down every task to show her how every little detail needs to be thought about. You cannot simply just throw clothes on when you are sick. I explained that I have to see what clothes I can physically put on, if my hands hurt that day buttons are out of the question. If I have bruises that day, I need to wear long sleeves, and if I have a fever I need a sweater to stay warm and so on. If my hair is falling out I need to spend more time to look presentable, and then you need to factor in another 5 minutes for feeling badly that it took you 2 hours to do all this.
I think she was starting to understand when she theoretically didn’t even get to work, and she was left with 6 spoons. I then explained to her that she needed to choose the rest of her day wisely, since when your “spoons” are gone, they are gone. Sometimes you can borrow against tomorrow’s “spoons”, but just think how hard tomorrow will be with less “spoons”. I also needed to explain that a person who is sick always lives with the looming thought that tomorrow may be the day that a cold comes, or an infection, or any number of things that could be very dangerous. So you do not want to run low on “spoons”, because you never know when you truly will need them. I didn’t want to depress her, but I needed to be realistic, and unfortunately being prepared for the worst is part of a real day for me.
We went through the rest of the day, and she slowly learned that skipping lunch would cost her a spoon, as well as standing on a train, or even typing at her computer too long. She was forced to make choices and think about things differently. Hypothetically, she had to choose not to run errands, so that she could eat dinner that night.
When we got to the end of her pretend day, she said she was hungry. I summarized that she had to eat dinner but she only had one spoon left. If she cooked, she wouldn’t have enough energy to clean the pots. If she went out for dinner, she might be too tired to drive home safely. Then I also explained, that I didn’t even bother to add into this game, that she was so nauseous, that cooking was probably out of the question anyway. So she decided to make soup, it was easy. I then said it is only 7pm, you have the rest of the night but maybe end up with one spoon, so you can do something fun, or clean your apartment, or do chores, but you can’t do it all.
I rarely see her emotional, so when I saw her upset I knew maybe I was getting through to her. I didn’t want my friend to be upset, but at the same time I was happy to think finally maybe someone understood me a little bit. She had tears in her eyes and asked quietly “Christine, How do you do it? Do you really do this everyday?” I explained that some days were worse then others; some days I have more spoons then most. But I can never make it go away and I can’t forget about it, I always have to think about it. I handed her a spoon I had been holding in reserve. I said simply, “I have learned to live life with an extra spoon in my pocket, in reserve. You need to always be prepared.”
Its hard, the hardest thing I ever had to learn is to slow down, and not do everything. I fight this to this day. I hate feeling left out, having to choose to stay home, or to not get things done that I want to. I wanted her to feel that frustration. I wanted her to understand, that everything everyone else does comes so easy, but for me it is one hundred little jobs in one. I need to think about the weather, my temperature that day, and the whole day’s plans before I can attack any one given thing. When other people can simply do things, I have to attack it and make a plan like I am strategizing a war. It is in that lifestyle, the difference between being sick and healthy. It is the beautiful ability to not think and just do. I miss that freedom. I miss never having to count “spoons”.
After we were emotional and talked about this for a little while longer, I sensed she was sad. Maybe she finally understood. Maybe she realized that she never could truly and honestly say she understands. But at least now she might not complain so much when I can’t go out for dinner some nights, or when I never seem to make it to her house and she always has to drive to mine. I gave her a hug when we walked out of the diner. I had the one spoon in my hand and I said “Don’t worry. I see this as a blessing. I have been forced to think about everything I do. Do you know how many spoons people waste everyday? I don’t have room for wasted time, or wasted “spoons” and I chose to spend this time with you.”
Ever since this night, I have used the spoon theory to explain my life to many people. In fact, my family and friends refer to spoons all the time. It has been a code word for what I can and cannot do. Once people understand the spoon theory they seem to understand me better, but I also think they live their life a little differently too. I think it isn’t just good for understanding Lupus, but anyone dealing with any disability or illness. Hopefully, they don’t take so much for granted or their life in general. I give a piece of myself, in every sense of the word when I do anything. It has become an inside joke. I have become famous for saying to people jokingly that they should feel special when I spend time with them, because they have one of my “spoons”.
© Christine Miserandino
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