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Archive for the ‘Arthritis’ Category

Sep
02

There are many causes of this condition, some of which are controllable (such as your diet) and some of which are out of your control (such as a genetic predisposition to gout).

Your diet can be a contributor to gout through the consumption of foods that contain a high amount of purine. This cause of gout is within your control, but will take some discipline. So what exactly are purines and why do they lead to gout? Purines are an organic compound that is found naturally in the body and in the foods that we eat. Our body breaks down purines into uric acid, which then bonds to the lining of our blood vessels and keeps them from being damaged. However, when too much uric acid builds up in the blood it crystallizes and sticks to our joints and organs, which then become swollen and inflamed (a condition called arthritis). While it is important to have purines in our diet, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.”

Purines are found in virtually all foods, though not all purines are the same. Meats and seafood have a higher purine content and are associated with a greater risk of gout, while the purines that are commonly found in vegetables are not considered to be as much of a health risk. Purines in dairy products are also not considered a gout risk, and it is even claimed that the purines in dairy products may help your body fight gout.

If you have gout and it is determined that your diet is the main culprit, your doctor will likely recommend that you follow a low-purine diet. This means cutting down on fatty foods, white meats, beef, chicken and processed foods. It may also be advised that you cut down on certain vegetables such as mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, etc., as well as legumes (peas and beans). Beer is also a cause of gout as the yeast contains purine. Your doctor will advise that you reduce your daily intake of purine to between 100 and 150 milligrams, depending on your size.

Gout can be a painful, uncomfortable burden, but by identifying the cause of it, at least you can go about combating it. So if you suffer from gout, take a look at your diet and make the appropriate changes to help alleviate the problem.

If you are looking for a cure for gout in a pill form, look for one with the ingredient CM8, a breakthrough gout treatment found in select pills used for joint pain.

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Jul
01

Depression is a most common side effect of osteoarthritis. This occurs when you start out healthy, being able to do things for yourself, but overtime you are less able to take care of yourself as the pains get worse. Research has shown that up to twenty percent of people with osteoarthritis are depressed at any given time, a percentage consistent with that found in other people with chronic diseases.

If osteoarthritis has left you depressed, there are a number of things you can do in addition to the arthritis treatment you get from your doctor.

1 Psychotherapy

This is often referred to as the ‘talking cure’, and it is used to treat mild episodes of depression.

2 Drug Therapy

This is the use of drugs to improve the symptoms of depression. The class of drugs used for this purpose is called antidepressants. It is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any antidepressant because medicines used in treating depression sometimes have different side effects.

Psychotherapy and drug therapy are mostly combined to treat arthritis patients with depression, and this combined approach has advantages.

  • It reestablishes normal body patterns more quickly
  • It helps to ensure compliance in taking medication
  • It recognizes the dual influence of biology and environment.

3 Learn to cope with your condition
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Research has shown that those who cope best with any disease are less likely to develop depression, that is, those who deal with their osteoarthritis are less likely to sink into depression. Be proactive at solving your problem, and try to be as flexible with your daily activities as possible. Be ready to modify your lifestyle in a positive way, thereby winning the battle over depression.

4 Get Social Support

It is advisable for you to join a support group where you can find sympathetic ears and get some advice on coping with your condition.

5 Learn to Relax

Always find a way to cool off and reduce your stress. The best defense against stress is a positive attitude.

Stress itself may not cause depression but can make it worse. It signals certain glands to release high-voltage chemicals that can ’shock’ the body and weaken the immune system, making your osteoarthritis symptoms seem worse while increasing your risk of getting some other disease.

Do anything you can to relax and shake off the stress- listening to music, meditating, or taking up a hobby. Getting enough sleep is also essential to reducing stress.

6 Touch Therapy

Research has shown that touch can reduce psychological stress associated with arthritis. And only a very soft touch is required as bear hugs may be too much for many osteoarthritis sufferers. A gentle, loving touch can be very beneficial in fighting arthritis.

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Jun
21

Several of us are aware of anti-inflammatory medications, but have you heard of pro-inflammatory foods? The foods you consume actually do have an impact on how you feel and will affect your health and body’s capability to heal. Pro-inflammatory foods increase inflammation, increase your pain from the inflammation and may even raise your chance for long-term disease.
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Loading up on junk foods, high-fat meats, sugar, fast foods and fried foods will increase inflammation in your body. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, particularly trans fats and saturated fats. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites, which are linked to increased inflammation and chronic disease.

Saturated fats are found in meats, dairy products and eggs. Although these foods are an important source of minerals and vitamins, they contribute to inflammation when eaten in excess. These foods also contain fatty acids called arachidonic acid. Even though some arachidonic acid is important for your health, too much may make your inflammation worse. Opting for low fat milk and cheese and lean cuts of meat is very important, as they will not increase inflammation.

Vegetable oils that are high in Omega-6 fatty acid, such as safflower, corn and sunflower oils, margarine and many additional types of plant oils, will increase inflammation in your body.

When suffering from arthritis it is important that you maintain a low calcium to phosphorous ratio; if phosphorous content is high then additional calcium will be lost from your body, thereby aggravating your arthritis problems. Foods that are rich in phosphorous are red meat, red flesh fish, organ meat like kidney, liver, processed meat, and soft drinks. Red meat also contains high levels of uric acid, which worsens the condition.

Whole fruits and vegetables are important for their vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants. Yet some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, pimentos, paprika, and cayenne, could actually increase your pain from inflammation. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine, which commonly triggers pain in some people. Although there aren’t any formal research findings that back the claim about nightshade plants, many people report great relief from the symptoms of pain and inflammation when eliminating them from the diet. Green and sprouted spots on potatoes usually reflect high alkaloid content, and due to this should always be carefully removed.

Gluten found in wheat, barley, and oats aggravates arthritis for many people and it is therefore recommended to reduce their consumption. Researchers discovered that participants who ate a well-balanced diet, free of animal products and foods containing gluten, increased their levels of antibodies, which could protect against inflammation.

Jun
14

Removing gout crystals needn’t be difficult. There’s an easy way that is totally natural and painless. Discover here how this secret natural gout remedy can help you get rid of your excruciating symptoms.

As a gout sufferer you need to do everything you can to remove the gout crystals that have formed in your joint(s). It is your body’s natural reaction to these that causes your gout symptoms of swelling, stiffness, inflammation, redness, heat and very, very great pain.

When you go to your doctor, you’ll most probably be prescribed medication. And these can work for most people, except that they can have some very bad side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, etc., that put many sufferers off. So that more and more gout sufferers are seeking natural gout remedies.

And of all the natural remedies I’ve tried for my gout during my research, the one that I’ve found to be the most effective in removing gout crystals has been baking soda. No kidding! the stuff that you’ve probably had hanging about in your kitchen for ages, can help to alleviate your gout symptoms, and pretty quickly.

Otherwise known as bicarbonate of soda, this cooking aid has been found to be a very valuable gout home remedy. The key benefits are…

  • Helps to dissolve uric acid (gout) crystals to alleviate the excruciating pain you suffer during a gout attack.
  • Increases the amount of fluids in your body to help your kidneys process and flush excess uric acid out of your system.
  • Improves the solubility of uric acid in your blood which again helps your body to excrete it better.
  • Increases the pH of your urine in order to help lower the chances of you getting kidney stones forming.
  • Can be used in conjunction with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help improve their capabilities.
  • How to prepare and take this natural gout home remedy…

    Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 8 oz of water and stir until the powder has completely dissolved. Drink a cupful before bed, one first thing in the morning, and then, one cup every three hours between meals. But don’t drink more than 8 cups per day i.e. 4 teaspoons of baking soda. Repeat this on a daily basis until your symptoms have gone.

    Also, change over to a low sodium, or better still, a salt-free diet whilst using this remedy because baking soda is already very high in sodium. Plus, if you suffer from hypertension — high blood pressure — then please talk to your doctor before attempting it.

    As I’ve said, I’ve found this to be great for removing gout crystals and relieving the pain of an actual gout attack. But we can’t take this every day, so what happens in between gout attacks? What’s to prevent further gout attacks causing long term joint damage and even kidney problems?

    This is where you need to do what I did and start to focus on the underlying issues such as your diet, your weight, lifestyle, medications being taken, underlying medical conditions, family history, etc. These are typical issues that can affect your propensity to get gout. And now that you’ve had one gout attack, your chances of suffering more are considerably higher.

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    May
    21

    Gout is becoming like a pandemic disease! Despite the fact that it is not contagious, but it has shown signs and patterns of a pandemic disease. It is affect more and more adult males at a very fast pace and the affected age group is getting younger and younger.
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    If I would to say gout is a pandemic disease, then what is the transferring agent that spreads this malicious illness globally, especially in the developed countries? Is it a virus, bacteria, or fungus? No! The name of the agent is… Lifestyle!

    Gout can be considered as a social disease, a disease where shows an analogical and significant correlation between lifestyle habits, especially diet and social development. Take a trip some not so developed countries where for the people living there, the luxury of having yummy meaty food can only happens in their dreams.

    If you ask among the adult males above the age of 30, how many of them or their friends and relatives are suffering from gout. You might get blank stares with puzzles wondering what you are talking about. Gout can be very rare in places like, so rate that most of the local citizens hardly heard of throughout their lives!

    As stated by Dr. Gillian McKeith in her popular book, you are what you eat! Gout is a result of what you put into your mouth. Gout is a benchmark of how much meat and alcohol you have consumed through out your life.

    There are many different theories on how gout comes about. Some say it is because of the lack of certain enzyme in to body that can help to get rid of the excessive uric acids. Some say it is because of the weaken kidneys that failed to excrete the uric acid through urine properly. Some even say it is because of family genetic inheritance.

    What ever the reason it may be, one thing for sure is that gout is proven to be a disease of a ‘rich’ lifestyle. As more and more people having good life as a result of rapid economy development, more and more people will join the rank of gout army.
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    Gout might not be a deadly disease but the impacts it can bring to you and your family immeasurable. Not only it brings the unbearable torturing pain, it brings along emotional stress that can spread to everyone else in the family.

    May
    17

    Arthritis of any sort is painful, but gout is probably tops in that department. Forget shoes and socks, bed sheets cause too much pain. If you can walk, it’s not very far and definitely not easy. That’s because gout usually attacks the right big toe first.

    Once the doctor has diagnosed the problem, treatment options are discussed. If you want to avoid a repeat performance, prepare for your life to be changed. Your choices of food and drink will be limited, as will the use of some medications and herbal remedies. You may even have problems with your normal exercise routine.

    Gout is caused by excess uric acid, the waste product from the purine found in protein. If the kidneys don’t filter it all out, it forms into crystals. After they hit a certain weight, they become to heavy and get dropped off into joints. The irritation caused by the sharp crystals are the symptoms of gout.

    You can limit the number of flare ups with a careful diet. Avoiding some foods can help, and adding or increasing others will also be beneficial. Here are a few examples:

    Alcohol: With the exception of limited amounts of red wine, alcohol should be avoided. Beer and its cousins are particularly bad, as they do two things; dehydrate and provide extra purine. Dehydration is one way to ensure a new bout.

    Aspirin: This pain killing product can change how well your kidneys filter out uric acid, leading to an excess amount in the blood. Low dose aspirin (81 mgs and under) may not be as bad as higher dosages.

    Cherries: This fruit and tart cherry juice may be a tasty way of getting rid of a gout flare up and preventing future ones. Recent studies indicate that cherries may significantly reduce uric acid levels in the blood and increase excretion of it.

    Protein: Foods high in protein, including meat, seafood and vegetable sources, contain purine. Organ and processed meats contain the highest amounts, but even beans and other vegetables have some. It’s not known if vegetable purine acts the same way that meat purine does, but it is a good idea to watch even those foods.

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    May
    07

    Diet is important in getting rid of gout. But knowing what makes a good diet is confusing. Here, you’ll find a recommended gout diet that lists foods to avoid and foods you can eat, to help you get rid of gout.

    Why is diet just so important when trying to get rid of gout? It is all because of chemical compounds called ‘purines’. These help to convert your food to energy and your genes to protein among other things. During this metabolizing process, they break down and uric acid is produced as a byproduct.

    And, as you probably already know, high levels of uric acid can lead to the formation of uric acid crystals in your joints that cause the symptoms of gout. So, as a gout sufferer, you need to lower your uric acid levels to help get rid of your gout.

    Now, purines also exist in your food, as well as your body’s cells, so that you need to reduce your intake of those foods that are high in purines. But there are foods which have relatively low purine levels which you can eat without any problems.

    In general, the foods with the highest purine concentrations are those that have high protein levels. This includes fatty red meat, offal, game, poultry, some fish, shellfish, legumes, yeast, etc. Alcohol should also be avoided.

    In particular, it is recommended that you avoid venison, pheasant, partridge, heart, liver, kidneys, anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, broth, gravy, shrimp, scallops, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, soy, oatmeal, mincemeat, meat extracts, and yeast including yeast extracts.

    And the foods, with low purine levels, that you can safely eat, generally fall within; low-fat dairy products, high vitamin C foods, essential fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, most green leafy vegetables, and fruit.

    So typical foods you can eat as part of a recommended gout diet are: tuna, flax-seed, nuts, rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes, red bell peppers, red cabbage, green cabbage, kale, parsley, celery, low-fat yoghurt, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk (not soy), cherries, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, etc.

    But there are other important issues that affect your propensity to get gout such as; your lifestyle, your weight position, your family history of gout and/or arthritis, medical conditions, medications, etc.

    And preventing recurring gout is really important, because frequent gout attacks can result in permanently damaged joints over time, as well as kidney problems such as very painful kidney stones.

    You’re in luck though. There’s a special gout report available online [see below] that has all the information you need in one place. It is what thousands of ex-gout victims worldwide have successfully used to prevent their gout returning. It also contains a special 2 hour gout pain relief program.

    And it uses fully-researched, totally natural methods. So that you benefit two ways:

    (1) you get rid of your excruciating pain very fast, and,

    (2) you prevent your gout returning, so that you reduce the risk of permanent damage.

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    Apr
    30

    Gout crystals (uric acid crystals) cause excruciating pain. Here, as well as the causes of gout, you’ll learn how to remove gout crystals naturally using water.

    WHAT ARE GOUT CRYSTALS?

    Gout crystals are crystals of uric acid that form in your joints, tendons and surrounding tissue when you have high uric acid levels in your blood.

    Your body considers them as ‘foreign’ matter and so sets up its normal inflammatory reaction. It’s your body’s reaction to these crystals that causes your symptoms of gout; swelling, redness, stiffness, inflammation, and, excruciating pain.

    WHERE DOES URIC ACID COME FROM?

    Uric acid is actually a byproduct of the breakdown of purines in your body. These are chemical compounds that exist in your body’s cell structure and in the foods you consume.

    They are extremely important to you because they help convert genes to protein, food to energy, aid muscle contraction, get rid of excess nitrogen from your cells, and protect them from cancer causing agents.

    During their process, purines breakdown completely and uric acid is one of the byproducts.

    WHAT CAUSES HIGH URIC ACID?

    Normally, your kidneys process the uric acid produced by purines, retain sufficient for your body’s needs and then excrete excess waste out of your body via urine.

    High uric acid levels usually occur when your kidneys can’t handle normal acid production levels, or, the purines are producing too much acid for your kidneys to deal with.

    With high acid levels there is a much greater chance of gout crystals forming and causing a gout attack.

    HOW CAN I REMOVE GOUT CRYSTALS NATURALLY?

    More and more gout sufferers are turning to natural ways to get rid of gout crystals and their symptoms. They just don’t like the nasty side effects of drug-based medications, e.g. nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, ulcers, bleeding, etc.

    Natural home remedies can reduce inflammation, relieve gout pain, and, help neutralize and remove gout crystals from your body.

    One of the most effective in removing gout crystals is water! Yes, simple, clean water can be very effective in eliminating your gout crystals…

    REMOVING GOUT CRYSTALS BY DRINKING LOTS OF WATER

    Crystals find it harder to form when your body is properly hydrated. And most of us just aren’t hydrated enough in our everyday lives.

    So by drinking lots of water everyday you are helping to prevent the crystals forming, and, helping your kidneys to flush excess uric acid from your body.

    You should drink at the very least, 12 x 8 ounce glasses of water every single day. But don’t binge two or three times a day, drink little and often regularly throughout the day for best effect.

    OTHER ISSUES CONCERNING YOUR GOUT

    No matter how effective the water remedy is, there are a host of other issues that you need to address. In order to, not only remove your gout attack symptoms, but to prevent recurring gout attacks that can lead to permanent joint damage and potential kidney problems.

    You need to investigate and consider things like your weight, diet (purines in food), lifestyle habits, medications, underlying medical conditions, family history, etc.
    You’re in luck though. There’s a special gout report available online that has all the information you need in one place. It is what thousands of ex-gout victims worldwide have successfully used to prevent their gout returning. It also contains a special 2 hour gout pain relief program.

    And it uses fully-researched, totally natural methods.

    So that you benefit two ways:

    (1) you get rid of your excruciating pain very fast, and…

    (2) you prevent your gout returning, so that you reduce the risk of permanent damage.

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    Apr
    10

    No single condition causes arthritis. Rather, it is a whole group of problems that cause inflammation and severe pain in the body’s joints. The joints are the areas where bones meet and allow us to move around in so many different ways. When the joints are damaged it can cause us to become unstable, have a decreased range of movement, cause weakness and cause us to look deformed.

    As we get older our joints degenerate without the help of a specific condition. If the body feels stiff and there is a lot of pain then there is a good chance that arthritis is involved.

    Arthritis, as common as it is, can leave a person in a dire situation. It can become so serious that life will not be enjoyed as it once was. The most common tasks, such as, walking, eating, changing a light bulb or typing on a computer can become extremely difficult and painful. Not only are people above the age 60 prone to getting arthritis but infants can develop this disease. Nobody is immune to it.

    Joints that are suffering from the effects of arthritis are likely to be inflamed, in pain and swollen. They can turn red and feel warm when touched. Arthritis does not always appear gradually. It can flare up suddenly with no warning whatsoever. Arthritis is often coupled with trouble sleeping, feeling tired all the time, depressed mood and aching muscles.

    When you visit the doctor he will give you a thorough physical and might take X-rays and bloodwork to allow diagnosis of the exact type of arthritis that you are dealing with.

    I will only go over the two most common forms of arthritis. Fact is, there are over a hundred medical conditions that can be classified as one type of arthritis or another.

    Rheumatoid arthritis is a result of the body’s immune system working improperly. With this disease the joints become inflamed on the interior and the immune system fights it. As a result, the joints become broken down from their constant struggle against the immune system.

    Osteoarthritis is the type of arthritis that is commonly experienced as we reach our golden years. It is caused by the gradual damage we cause to our bodies over time, just like wear and tear on a vehicle. The areas most commonly affected are the knees, hips and fingers.

    Aside from what your doctor prescribes you a regimen of healthy food and herbs can make life much easier for you. Devil’s Claw is an herb that helps with the most common forms of arthritis. Alfalfa is great for helping to reduce the pain. An infused oil of cayenne is great for rubbing into the affected joints, to help stop the pain.

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    Apr
    07

    Osteoarthritis back pain is one of the most commonly diagnosed sources of chronic dorsopathy, especially in the lumbar and cervical spinal regions. Arthritis comes in many varieties ranging from normal and asymptomatic to terrible and debilitating, but the osteo variety is particularly interesting to back pain scholars.

    Osteoarthritic change is virtually universal in the spine of every adult human and is one of the greatest back pain scapegoats in the medical industry. It is the goal of this article to provide an objective view of this condition and how it relates to the way chronic pain is treated in the healthcare sector.

    Osteoarthritis describes a condition that affects many of the joints in the body. It most commonly occurs in the hands, hips, knees, elbows, shoulders and spine, although it can strike virtually anywhere. The signs of the condition include a wearing away of the protective mechanisms in the joint capsules, as well as the growth of bone spurs called osteophytes. As the protective cartilage is worn down between bones, friction occurs, causing bone spurring to begin where one bone touches another. Spurring can be seen on diagnostic x-ray, although MRI technology will provide a far more comprehensive view of the actual joint deterioration.

    All this sounds really bad, but the reality clearly shows that osteoarthritis is universal, normal and expected to experience as we get older. Most arthritis truly begins to kick in around middle age, although genetic and lifestyle factors can make it commence later or far earlier. Abnormal wear and tear on the joints can make arthritis take hold at unusually early ages in some cases. Widespread research shows that arthritis can certainly be responsible for minor discomfort and some occasional pain. However, there is no evidence linking mild to moderate arthritic change to the types of chronic back pain most commonly associated with the condition. Despite these findings, osteoarthritis continues to be the second most common back pain scapegoat, bested only by intervertebral disc concerns, such as degeneration and herniation.

    When a patient complains of back pain, doctors virtually always look for a structural source on which to blame the symptoms. This is an inherent practice of Cartesian medical philosophy. The advent of advanced diagnostic imaging technologies has made it simple to look into the joints and find evidence of arthritic changes which are subsequently blamed for enacting pain. In my experience, when arthritis is found in the spine, it is almost always cited as a primary causation or partial contributor to back pain, even though there is absolutely no reason to see it as a malignant factor.
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    In fact, doctors rarely inform diagnosed patients of the complete picture when it comes to osteoarthritis. Here are some lesser known facts that may surprise you if you have been diagnosed with spinal pain blamed on bone spurs, facet joint changes or vertebral degeneration common to arthritic processes:

    • Arthritis is found in almost every adult. Most people do not have pain, despite varying degrees of arthritic evidence. The degree of arthritic change has little or no bearing on whether a person may complain of pain or not. Many patients with minor arthritic change have severe pain, while some people with extreme conditions have no pain whatsoever.
    • Regardless of whether a condition actually causes pain or not, the typical treatments used for spinal arthritis will do nothing to resolve symptoms, if indeed they are caused by the condition treated. Physical therapy, chiropractic, pharmaceutical treatment, epidural injections and a host of others will not change spinal anatomy or do anything to resolve arthritic evidence.
    • Often symptoms are obviously affecting soft tissues, such as muscles or ligaments, or involve neurological tissues. This is not consistent with arthritis, although the diagnosis usually stands firm if structural evidence is found.

    I hope to have provided a different view on arthritis in the spine and possibly provided the groundwork for affected patients to do more research on their own diagnoses. As a final thought, the only treatment typically effective at ridding the body of arthritic alteration is spinal surgery. Although the supposed structural reasons sourcing the pain can certainly be eliminated using invasive interventions, the facts show that back surgery is the least effective and most risky of all treatments possible. If arthritis was truly to blame for all the pain, then an objective observer would expect the exact opposite to occur.

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