What is Arthritis?

There are many forms of arthritis. For the purposes of our discussion we will focus on what is often referred to as 'common arthritis', or osteo-inflammatory arthritis. In spite of the fact that millions of people suffer from arthritis, medicine has no real cause for the problem. Arthritis occurs when cartilage tissue, the soft spongy substance within joints, wears down faster than it can be replaced. This leaves a space, which sets the joint up for inflammation and further deterioration of the cartilage tissue. Over time, the inflammation and loss of range of motion begins to stiffen the joint area and flexibility is reduced. The pain resulting from the inflammation of the joint and connective tissues makes arthritis an often-crippling condition, destroying the quality of life for the sufferer. We will examine the process of arthritis in detail and discuss the many natural arthritis remedies currently in use. We will then offer a program to help restore joint and connective tissue integrity.

The Arthritis Process

Arthritis is a progressive chronic degenerative condition caused by the body's inability to replace lost cartilage. In the early stages such things as sports injuries to a particular joint or an accident that has damaged one or more joints may cause arthritis, but in the vast majority of cases, arthritis is the result of a breakdown of protein absorption and a lack of key essential minerals needed to repair and maintain connective tissue strength. Exercise plays a major role in keeping the body flexible. Exercise and arthritis can often be uncomfortable but exercise for the arthritis sufferer is essential. You should begin with only what you can comfortably do, but slowly try and increase both duration and resistance of the exercise. By exercising, we can keep the joints and especially the connective, supportive tissues flexible. The best time to gain control over the arthritis process is as early on in the disease process as possible. The longer arthritis ravages the joints of the body, the greater the potential permanent damage that can occur. Almost all arthritic conditions begin with the inability for the body to replace worn cartilage. Every time you move a joint, the friction of the bones on the cartilage wears microscopic amounts of cartilage tissue away. This is normal and causes no problem as long as the body is able to replace the cartilage tissue at the same rate it is worn away. When we are young, this is usually not a problem as our bodies work well and our ability to replace cartilage tissue and prevent arthritis and inflammation of the joints is highly effective. As we age however, we can begin to lose the ability to manufacture enough cartilage tissue to replace what is being worn away. The body make cartilage and in fact, all replacement tissues through the digestion of proteins in the diet and then reassembles them in whatever protein structures are necessary. The problem begins when the body's digestive system begins to become compromised and proper digestion of protein starts to fail. This lack of amino acids can lead to a greater loss of cartilage than can be replaced. The end result of this is a deficit of cartilage tissue, leading to an air space within the joint. This not only caused instability but inflammation of the joint as well. In managing arthritis, it is essential to manage both inflammation and silent inflammation. In an attempt to stabilize the joint, the body fills the air spaces with synovial fluid, which is a highly inflammatory substance. This in turn causes, the joint area to become inflamed and over time the inflammation damages the structure of the joint and the surrounding connective tissues.

Other Factors That Affect The Arthritis Process

In order to better understand the cause of the arthritis process and deal with the arthritis symptoms such as pain, swelling, loss of range of motion, etc., we need to start by improving the digestion of the body. If you suffer from feelings of indigestion frequently, it is a sign that you may not be properly breaking down dietary proteins into basic amino acids so that the body can rebuild necessary tissue structures. Arthritis pain relief then, begins by improving the digestion of the foods, especially proteins that we consume. Arthritis symptoms of pain, loss of range of motion and others, will then begin to improve. In over 30 years of experience in alternative health care and nutrition, I have never met an arthritis sufferer who was not also toxic. The reason is that the inflammatory process produces massive amounts of free radicals, resulting in increased toxicity of the body. By detoxifying the body, we can often reduce, temporarily, the level of arthritis pain and discomfort by 50% or more. Detoxification and arthritis begins by using a multi-herbal/fiber formula designed to detoxify the organs of elimination, namely the liver, kidneys, bladder, bowel and colon.

Natural Arthritis Treatments

Over the last couple of decades, there have been many 'natural' treatments for arthritis. Natural arthritis remedies have come up from many sources. Many of these natural arthritis treatments have had little long-term effect on arthritis pain relief. Yet using the natural arthritis remedies is essential as most of the arthritis medicines can have lasting and serious side effects. In an effort to find arthritis pain relief, many people have gone to extremes in using various natural arthritis treatments. This has often the alternative health approach a negative image because many of these natural arthritis remedies are unproven. Anything that will first alkalize the body for detoxification and then acidify the digestive system to improve digestion will likely prove to be a helpful natural arthritis treatment. Since most chronic degenerative diseases have their root in an altered biochemistry, diet must play an important role. There are many so-called anti-inflammatory diets around, and most of them tend to be too extreme. The idea is to avoid certain foods, which can be pro-inflammatory such as nightshade plants and others. It is often not necessary to stay on these strict anti-inflammatory diets long term. In a few weeks the body begins to change its chemistry. Reducing or eliminating many of the pro-inflammatory foods in the diet can achieve arthritis pain relief. The anti-inflammatory diet is best used in combination with other key nutrients that can help reduce inflammation and also to rebuild both cartilage and connective tissues.

Natural Arthritis Supplements

Natural arthritis supplements have become increasingly popular as more and more people suffer from the pain and inflammation of arthritis. The oldest remedy for arthritis pain is apple cider vinegar. This alone has worked quite well for eliminating the pain of arthritis as well as some inflammation. The reason that this works is because it acidifies the digestive system of the body, causing better digestion. In more recent years many other natural arthritis supplements have been identified and have become popular. Tumeric, fish oil, omega fatty acids, garlic, devils claw and most recently capsaicin, a derivative of hot peppers, have all been used in various combinations, to help reverse and manage arthritis. These fatty acids and herbal extracts, when used in the right combinations, can help reduce arthritis inflammation. Tumeric, a spice, together with garlic, devils claw and capsaicin lowers the inflammatory process inside the body. Other powerful nutrients can help to rebuild the lost cartilage such as glucosamine and chondroitin sufate. The protein structure of chondroitin sufate is very similar to that of human cartilage and as such may be used to help build new cartilage tissue naturally. Glucosamine has shown the ability to increase the flexibility of joint connective tissues. In combination, chondroitin and glucosamine work together to improve the integrity of all the joints in the body. In recent years, powerful natural anti-inflammatory supplements have been identified. Substances like MSM, a natural organic sulfur molecule and CMO a specific fatty acid, have been used with great success in the control of both inflammation and silent inflammation within the body. MSM and CMO have a direct effect on the inflammatory response system of the body and by keeping arthritis inflammation under control; MSM and CMO can protect the joints and reduce the arthritis pain. In addition to the use of MSM and CMO compounds, the mineral manganese also plays an important role in natural arthritis treatment. Here at The Institute of Nutritional Science, we have developed a formula containing many of these natural arthritis remedies and put them in one formula. This formula is now called Joint Flow. In addition, we recently developed a powerful natural anti-inflammatory formula that has proven to be very effective with clients that have used it. It is called InflamEze and it is also available as a natural arthritis support formula.

Natural Arthritis Program

Natural arthritis supplements have become increasingly popular as more and more people suffer from the pain and inflammation of arthritis. The oldest remedy for arthritis pain is apple cider vinegar. This alone has worked quite well for eliminating the pain of arthritis as well as some inflammation. The reason that this works is because it acidifies the digestive system of the body, causing better digestion. In more recent years many other natural arthritis supplements have been identified and have become popular. Tumeric, fish oil, omega fatty acids, garlic, devils claw and most recently capsaicin, a derivative of hot peppers, have all been used in various combinations, to help reverse and manage arthritis. These fatty acids and herbal extracts, when used in the right combinations, can help reduce arthritis inflammation. Tumeric, a spice, together with garlic, devils claw and capsaicin lowers the inflammatory process inside the body. Other powerful nutrients can help to rebuild the lost cartilage such as glucosamine and chondroitin sufate. The protein structure of chondroitin sufate is very similar to that of human cartilage and as such may be used to help build new cartilage tissue naturally. Glucosamine has shown the ability to increase the flexibility of joint connective tissues. In combination, chondroitin and glucosamine work together to improve the integrity of all the joints in the body. If we put together all the factors we now know abut osteo-arthritis, we can come up with a natural support program that helps the body to naturally manage and even improve most arthritis conditions. We begin by detoxifying the body with a combination of herbal extracts and high fiber. We continue the detoxification process with an oral oxygen supplement, designed to further detoxify the cells of the body from the byproducts of the degenerative arthritis process. After detoxification, we then add our formula InflamEze to provide natural support in controlling inflammation within the body. We then help the body to better rebuild the cartilage and support the connective tissues surrounding the joints by a combination of capsaicin, MSN, CMO, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and herbal extracts. This formula is sold under the name Joint Flow. By approaching the problem of arthritis and the pain and inflammation that arthritis can cause, we can best support the body and create an environment wherein it has the best possible chance to heal itself.