Keep Moving Naturally
As the cold & damp weather slowly creeps in each year, lots of people approach me wanting advice on how to they can reduce their arthritic pain & inflammation.
There are many types of arthritis the most common being osteo-arthritis which can affect most joints in the body but most commonly manifests in hips, knees, ankles, feet, wrists & finger joints.
Arthritis often occurs in joints which have been damaged by injury or weakened by another condition.
Many people resort to medication but what are the other options? There are several principles which if understood and applied can reduce arthritic pain. If you have arthritis I challenge you to try these & let me know what happens!
PH BALANCE
Arthritic pain is present where there is an excess of acids which build up in the cells. Create a Ph balance by increasing alkalising foods especially apple cider vinegar, green vegetables, green barley grass, alfalfa sprouts & alfalfa seed tea, & by decreasing acid forming foods such as sugar, wheat, meat, dairy, caffeine & alcohol. Mrs A, shares her experience... 'I was in pain for years with arthritis & every time I got up from the chair it was painful. Since I have been taking barley grass for a month my pain has gone!
CELL MEMBRANE HEALTH
Essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 & 9) are very important to keep the semi-permeable membranes of the cells open & healthy allowing nutrients & water to enter the cells & crucially, acids, toxins & waste products to leave. Take oily fish 3-4 times a week, 1-2000mg marine fish oil daily & raw oils 3-4 tsp per day such as olive, flax, hemp, pumpkin & avocado. Reduce cooked oils which contain no omegas and also create hardening in the cell membranes.
ELECTROLYTE BALANCE
Excess sodium in the cells can create inflammation & pain & excess calcium creates hardening - arthritis is a picture which reflects both of these To balance this out increase potassium which is found especially in green vegetables, even better taken raw in a green juice or smoothie - email me for the recipe. Most importantly increase your intake of magnesium which is lacking in our soil & therefore in our vegetables - the most enjoyable way to increase your magnesium is with regular 20 minute epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) baths, you can also take it internally as magnesium citrate.
LIVER HEALTH
The body will do its very best to eliminate toxins but if the main organ of elimination - the liver - is overloaded, the body will intelligently dump toxins as far away from our vital organs as possible. This is especially common in post-menopausal women, because menstruation as an exit route for toxins has been lost. Support the health of your liver with green barley grass powder, choline bitartrate & bitter herbs such as milk thistle or dandelion.
MOVEMENT
Exercise, especially the type that focuses on gentle movement of the joints such as yoga, increases blood flow & ensure the extremities can receive the nutrients & water that is needed for health as well as ensuring adequate elimination of toxins. Mental agility is also important, in mind-body medicine the emotional root of arthritis is said to lie in habitual inflexibility of the mind, holding on to old ideas or mental rigidity - so take up a hobby, learn something new and make new friends - especially ones that get you moving!
FOODS TO INCREASE
Foods with natural anti-inflammatory properties are abundant so make sure you include plenty of these in your diet especially ginger, turmeric & lemons plus those I mentioned above. Also herbs like devil's claw, boswellia, celery and arthritis supplements like glucosamine sulphate will work even more successfully if you apply these other tips! And don't forget to hydrate your body with 1.5l. water a day - ideally warm with cider vinegar or ginger!
FOODS TO DECREASE
Foods that exacerbate acids & toxins include potatoes, peppers, aubergine, oranges, refined products such as white flour & bread, all processed foods, fried foods and fizzy drinks. Make a food diary & note what you have eaten the day before your arthritis is worse or better. Remember everyone is different so don't give up - if you need further advice pop into your local health food shop or speak to a nutritionist who will be able to look at your inherent health picture & advise accordingly.
There are many types of arthritis the most common being osteo-arthritis which can affect most joints in the body but most commonly manifests in hips, knees, ankles, feet, wrists & finger joints.
Arthritis often occurs in joints which have been damaged by injury or weakened by another condition.
Many people resort to medication but what are the other options? There are several principles which if understood and applied can reduce arthritic pain. If you have arthritis I challenge you to try these & let me know what happens!
PH BALANCE
Arthritic pain is present where there is an excess of acids which build up in the cells. Create a Ph balance by increasing alkalising foods especially apple cider vinegar, green vegetables, green barley grass, alfalfa sprouts & alfalfa seed tea, & by decreasing acid forming foods such as sugar, wheat, meat, dairy, caffeine & alcohol. Mrs A, shares her experience... 'I was in pain for years with arthritis & every time I got up from the chair it was painful. Since I have been taking barley grass for a month my pain has gone!
CELL MEMBRANE HEALTH
Essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 & 9) are very important to keep the semi-permeable membranes of the cells open & healthy allowing nutrients & water to enter the cells & crucially, acids, toxins & waste products to leave. Take oily fish 3-4 times a week, 1-2000mg marine fish oil daily & raw oils 3-4 tsp per day such as olive, flax, hemp, pumpkin & avocado. Reduce cooked oils which contain no omegas and also create hardening in the cell membranes.
ELECTROLYTE BALANCE
Excess sodium in the cells can create inflammation & pain & excess calcium creates hardening - arthritis is a picture which reflects both of these To balance this out increase potassium which is found especially in green vegetables, even better taken raw in a green juice or smoothie - email me for the recipe. Most importantly increase your intake of magnesium which is lacking in our soil & therefore in our vegetables - the most enjoyable way to increase your magnesium is with regular 20 minute epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) baths, you can also take it internally as magnesium citrate.
LIVER HEALTH
The body will do its very best to eliminate toxins but if the main organ of elimination - the liver - is overloaded, the body will intelligently dump toxins as far away from our vital organs as possible. This is especially common in post-menopausal women, because menstruation as an exit route for toxins has been lost. Support the health of your liver with green barley grass powder, choline bitartrate & bitter herbs such as milk thistle or dandelion.
MOVEMENT
Exercise, especially the type that focuses on gentle movement of the joints such as yoga, increases blood flow & ensure the extremities can receive the nutrients & water that is needed for health as well as ensuring adequate elimination of toxins. Mental agility is also important, in mind-body medicine the emotional root of arthritis is said to lie in habitual inflexibility of the mind, holding on to old ideas or mental rigidity - so take up a hobby, learn something new and make new friends - especially ones that get you moving!
FOODS TO INCREASE
Foods with natural anti-inflammatory properties are abundant so make sure you include plenty of these in your diet especially ginger, turmeric & lemons plus those I mentioned above. Also herbs like devil's claw, boswellia, celery and arthritis supplements like glucosamine sulphate will work even more successfully if you apply these other tips! And don't forget to hydrate your body with 1.5l. water a day - ideally warm with cider vinegar or ginger!
FOODS TO DECREASE
Foods that exacerbate acids & toxins include potatoes, peppers, aubergine, oranges, refined products such as white flour & bread, all processed foods, fried foods and fizzy drinks. Make a food diary & note what you have eaten the day before your arthritis is worse or better. Remember everyone is different so don't give up - if you need further advice pop into your local health food shop or speak to a nutritionist who will be able to look at your inherent health picture & advise accordingly.
