Coping with Arthritis

Get The Facts About Chronic Inflammation and Natural Remedies

If you're one of the millions of Americans with arthritis, you know first-hand how painful and debilitating it can be. Most people associate arthritis with osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition in the joints that affects more than 30 million Americans. What many don't realize is that there are more than 100 types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis (psoriasis), even juvenile arthritis.

Author and medical journalist, Lorna Vanderhaeghe, believes that chronic inflammation is at the root of the pain and destruction caused by arthritis and various other common diseases. In her book, Get a Grip on Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Disorders, Vanderhaeghe explains how chronic inflammation is caused by the immune system's excessive response to infection. She also provides suggestions for relieving the pain naturally, without drugs and their potentially serious side effects.

According to Vanderhaeghe, "Stress, bacteria, viruses, parasites, environmental poisons, certain foods, smoking, high blood-insulin levels and obesity are just a few of the factors that promote inflammation."

So what can we do to better control our bodies' inflammatory response and the accompanying pain and stiffness? "Many nutrients halt the action of inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins without the side effects associated with drugs," explains Vanderhaeghe. The following natural remedies for inflammatory conditions are included in the book:

style="text-decoration: underline;">Celadrin - Celadrin is a natural anti-inflammatory made up of a patented blend of special fatty acids. It is available in capsules, tablets or as a cream. Studies indicate Celadrin improves joint and mobility problems. Published research has shown that people taking Celadrin experienced significant improvement in knee range of motion and decreased knee pain, without side effects.

Boswellia - Boswellia, an extract from the Boswellia serrata tree, has been shown to have several anti-inflammatory effects in human studies. According to Get a Grip on Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Disorders, "It inhibits inflammatory factors and the Cox enzyme pathway and therefore reduces inflammatory prostaglandins. It also acts as an analgesic and may improve circulation to damaged joints and inflamed tissue."

Chondroitin Sulphate - A natural substance that is normally found in the body in cartilage, chondroitin sulphate is manufactured from animal sources such as cow cartilage. "By halting the breakdown of old cartilage and stimulating the production of new cartilage, chondroitin sulphate is an effective treatment for the protection of joints," according to the book. "Long-term, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies performed in Europe found that chondroitin sulphate reduced pain, and that damage to cartilage from arthritis was repaired to a significant degree within as little as three months."

Essential Fatty Acids - Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are natural substances that can be found in cold-water fish such as herring and salmon, as well as various cooking oils and food supplements. "EFAs form the lipid layer of all cells in the body and control the development of the brain, eye and nervous system. They also regulate both good and bad prostaglandins that promote smooth muscle contractions and influence hormones. Early research has shown that essential fatty acids reduce the level of pain stimulators, and researchers have suggested that EFA supplementation is useful in decreasing the pain associated with osteoarthritis."

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