Wednesday, October 9, 2013

How Proteolytic Enzymes Work For RA


Proteolytic Enzymes are commonly known as proteases which work in harmony with body mechanics to break down proteins. Trypsin from the pancreas, papain and bromelain are three common examples for Proteolytic Enzymes.

When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis, Proteolytic Enzymes are known to work positively by breaking down complex components that build up between antibodies and antigens. Rheumatoid arthritis being an autoimmune system disease benefit through proteases because it facilitates and eases the body mechanics that gets congested due to inflammations that are caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Proteolytic Enzymes is known to contain anti inflammatory properties and therefore, scientists look hopeful on the fact of being able to use it in order to relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. And who could predict, maybe it could even cure the condition up to a certain extent?

There's also a theory which is yet to be proven that states proteases has the ability to dismantle a fibrin mantle that builds itself around affected areas of the immune system caused by rheumatoid conditions. If this notion is true and if Proteolytic Enzymes can actually make a break through, we can consider ourselves to be very much near a new discovery of a rheumatoid arthritis cure because breaking down the fibrin mantle will mean that the immune system can once again; resume its normal duties relieving pain and all other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. However, all this will be possible only if the suspected root cause of rheumatoid arthritis is true and accurate.

Although the theory sounds simple enough, putting it in to practice is not. After all, experiments will need to be longitudinal in nature in order to determine the proper outcomes. Therefore, perhaps we should not get too excited. Instead, let's try to figure out how best we could use proteases for our advantage.

Contrary to the popular myth, Proteolytic Enzymes do not have to be derived from food because our bodies are known to be capable of manufacturing enough of it to suffice body functions. But Proteolytic Enzymes deficiencies do come about giving rise to various illnesses including pancreatic diseases.

If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, it is a good idea to seek professional advice with regards to using a supplement for proteases. Not many traditional medical practitioners will approve you to follow this experimental path however, if you find someone who's willing to support your journey with Proteolytic Enzymes, you may be able to find out the results for yourself.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis is a challenge and getting in to different types of treatments for RA is no second to challenges posed by the disease, itself. Therefore, if you are willing to take a risk, face the challenges in a positive light and move on with whatever circumstances that you may confront in life, enzyme therapy for Proteolytic Enzymes may be the right choice for you.

Before you proceed any further, make it a point to read further more on the topic - purchase a few ebooks on the subject if possible and educate yourself on the matter so that you know what to expect and what not to.

Relieve Arthritis Pain With Honey and Cinnamon


Arthritis pain is nothing to joke about. It makes for miserable lives. While checking into natural remedies, I came across how to relieve arthritis pain with honey and cinnamon. I know it sounds a bit weird - but who cares if it works!

There are a couple of ways to take the honey and cinnamon - as a daily drink or as a tincture to put on painful and swollen joints.

For the drink: For your health, the best quality organic honey would be preferable as well as good quality cinnamon. It seems though there are many 'recipes' out there, so there seems to be no need to obsess about exact measurements. One cup of hot water with two spoons of honey in it and one small teaspoon of cinnamon. This can be taken once or twice during the day (i.e. in the morning and before bed). If this is too sweet, then reduce the honey to one teaspoon. Similarly if the cinnamon taste is too hard to take, then reduce it to half a teaspoon. It seems only important that honey and cinnamon are present in the mix. It really depends on what works for you.
For the tincture: Mix one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder until it forms a paste. Massage this paste onto the itching/painful part of your body in a slow circular motion. Many people have found that their pain gets noticeably less within a matter of minutes.

Considering that there are a large number of people being helped every day by taking this concoction of honey and cinnamon to relieve their arthritis pain, I would imagine it's definitely worth a try. If it doesn't work right away (although many people do report an immediate effect), please try it out for a minimum of four weeks. There really is nothing to lose and everything to gain!

It seems that this combination is also helpful for the common cold, coughs and sinus infections, hair loss, bladder infections, stomach aches, high cholesterol and even toothache (where you put the tincture made with honey and cinnamon without any water on the aching tooth up to three times a day. This mixture taken daily also strengthens our immune system, protecting the body from harmful bacteria and viral attacks. Honey itself has various vitamins and iron in large amounts.

To summarize this is definitely something to include in your family's medicine cabinet - even though honey and cinnamon reside in the kitchen!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Best Water Exercises For Arthritis in the Knees, Hips and Joints - Nurse's Guide


If you have arthritis, either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you may have been thinking about doing some water exercises for your knees, hips or other arthritic joints. Water exercises, meaning either those used in aqua aerobics or resistance exercises, have been used for years by arthritis sufferers to find pain relief.

Over the years water exercises for arthritis have been fine-tuned so right now the best exercises have been developed by many experts in the field. Exercise physiologists and doctors who specialize in sports medicine, rheumatologists, physical therapists and other health professionals have come up with the best arthritis exercises for use in the water.

Water exercises work very well for people who have arthritis in their knees and hips. People without arthritis greatly benefit too. The floating feeling or buoyancy of the water takes the stress off knees and hips.

If you're doing water exercises on your own it's best do the exercises with the water at chest-height. If you're going to take aqua exercise classes, the instructors may make aerobics a part of your exercise period. Of course aerobic exercise will greatly benefit your heart and may even lower your blood pressure.

Aerobic exercise in the water may consist of exercise that moves the large muscles such as those in your legs. You'll be kept constantly moving to get the heart rate up and sustained for at least 20 minutes or so.

Resistance exercise in the water contributes to building your muscles and strengthens them. Noodles (which are flotation devices) are used to exercise the arms and shoulders. The noodle is held at about the level of the waist while you are under water then you lift it over your head. You will feel resistance. Make sure to start the lift under the water.

You can do these exercises on your own in a public pool, private pool, Jacuzzi or wherever you have access to water. You may want to check with your doctor before starting any new water exercise routine or before you sign up for any water exercise or aqua aerobics classes.

If you're using public pools, try to find pools that use salt water rather than chlorine. Chlorine is very hard on the body and skin. Much is absorbed and the long term effects are not known. Olympic swimmers will not swim in chlorine pools. Many public pools have switched from chlorine to salt water. Call around and see what the pools are using before you get started.

Doing these exercises may help relieve some of your arthritis pain. Many arthritics have reported pain relief after starting a water exercise program. You can find relief too.

And don't forget that diet plays a big part in arthritis and exercise coupled with an arthritis diet or raw food diet will get you on the road to superior pain-free health.

Diet For Gout Patients - Food, Good and Bad, to Include in a Gout Diet Plan


What foods should a diet for Gout patients contain or not contain? If you're reading this article then you are either afflicted with Gout or know someone who is. This disease is agonizing and can be very frustrating. Maybe you have lost sleep as a result of the "fire" of gouty pain in your big toe? Missed special occasions? Taken time off work, and unable to accomplish what you would like to do in your free time? The culprits are those cruel, needle like crystals of uric acid that form in your bodies soft connective tissue and joints. These gremlins can do more damage and give you painful kidney stones if they are allowed free reign. Every diet program for gout should take a look at reducing uric acid levels within your blood, and that means low purine foods.

Purines aren't all bad! They are natural substances found in nearly all foods, and all your body's cells. Purines are a part of the chemical composition of our genes and are components of our genetic material and the genetic material of all plants and animals. The problem is when they are broken down within the body. This leads to uric acid!

So let's have a look at some of the foods to include and exclude in your gout diet.

Food - Good For Gout

There are two foods which have been extensively reported as being really helpful in the battle against Gout. The first is more akin to an additive rather then a food - baking soda. If taken properly this can alleviate symptoms in 2 hrs! The link to the eBook below tells you how to do this. The second really effective food is cherries! Cherries and cherry juice contain anthocyanins which have anti-inflammatory properties. Also cherries can lower the uric acid level. Other berries can also help, mainly because they can neutralize uric acid, or they have anti-inflammatory properties:

  • Strawberries

  • Blueberries

  • Grapes

Food - Bad For Gout

You might not like what I'm going to say next. Too much alcohol is a leading cause of Gout. Gout and alcohol don't go well together! But just how much is excessive? Two drinks a day for males and one drink a day for females. Alcohol, particularly beer interferes with the elimination of uric acid from the body. This is because when alcohol is metabolized, lactic acid is produced which hinders the excretion of uric acid by the kidneys.

These are more commonly eaten foods, very high in purines that need to be avoided completely in a diet plan for those who have Gout:

  • Anchovies, Sardines, Mackerel

  • Meat extracts, Yeast extracts

  • Gravy, Broth

  • Sweetbreads

Generally, foods lacking in vitamins A, B5 and E can lead to the development of Gout symptoms.

Now I guess your thinking - he's going to say eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Well actually some fruits and vegetables can worsen the symptoms of Gout, particularly acidic ones. So here they are, any diet designed for Gout ought to keep away from these, but remember these are less important to lowering your intake of high purine foods.

  • Cranberries

  • Oranges

  • Tomatoes

These items really aren't as bad as the heavy weight purine foods like mackerel etc, so cutting out these is of secondary importance.

Don't forget the power of supplements to enhance any diet for gout. Just as cherries have anti-inflammatory properties, so other foods have properties that can reduce uric acid in the blood. There are lots of supplements that can help alleviate symptoms and get gout under control. See the link below for more information.

Arthritis Sufferer's Should Definitely Treat These Foods With Caution


Arthritis is sometimes referred to as the 'cooked food disease'.

A high combined intake of cooked, sweet, processed and fatty food can be  characteristic in the development of arthritis.

Arthritis along with certain other serious diseases are more prevalent in western society.

Research shows that diseases such as arthritis, cancer, heart conditions are far less common in remote or more primitive areas of the world, the reason for this is not hard to see, our industrialised, modern environment is slowly killing us all.

The foods which cause the most confusion amongst nutritionists and arthritis professionals are those referred to as from the 'nightshade family',

The group of foods known as nightshade contain a substance called alkaloid which is known to have an impact on nerve and digestive function in humans and animals.

I personally use less of these foods than I used too and I would advise you to do the same. I found it beneficial to completely remove all nightshade foods to begin with and added them back into my diet slowly and one at a time.

If you add one of these caution foods at a time, it will become far more obvious which if any, are your personal triggers.

Potatoes (especially when green and sprouting),Tomatoes (especially when green), Hot peppers, Sweet peppers, Paprika, Eggplant,  Cayenne, Tobacco.

The amount of alkaloids contained in these foods is minimal, health problems arising from nightshade foods are rare and tend to only occur in individuals who are especially sensitive to these alkaloid substances, highly sensitive people are very likely to include arthritics.

While it is obvious that a healthy and nutritious food intake will indeed help the body repair itself, I also believe that for any arthritic to gain their best chance of reversing or curing their arthritis, they must tackle all elements of the disease at the earliest point.

Having said that diet could be a good place to start.

Permanent Solution To Cure Arthritis


Arthritis is a disorder of the joints. The word "arthritis" is a Greek Words "Arthon" which means joint and "Itis", which means inflammation.

That goes to mean that arthritis is the inflammation of joints which a lot of people will experience in their life time. There are hundred types of joint disorder and they are all related. This means everyone will experience joint pain at some time of their life but you may not know when it will be your turn.

Arthritis is usually characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness which can lead to deformity. Sometimes it can also be called rheumatism which is a term use commonly to describe aches and pains in muscles and joints.

A joint is where two bones meet. There are immobile and mobile joints. Immobile joints are referred to as inflexible and semi-inflexible joint of the body. These joints does not move much as they have no cavity, e.g. head and spinal cord.

Mobile joints are the flexible joints of the body; for example the shoulder, knee, waist, toe, finger, etc. They all have a cavity.

There are different type of Arthritis:

1. Osteoarthritis is the most common type that almost everyone will experience at some point of their lives. This is because it is a degeneration or wearing out of joint due to old age, over-exertion or injury. This type of arthritis affects the mobile joints of the body and can be due to wear and tear, heredity or excessive stress on dislocated joint, not properly healed injured joint and overweight that put extra weight on those hips and knees.

Those who stand for longer hours every day are prone to pain on the knees. And those whose occupation requires lifting heavy objects are prone to waist pain which is usually called lumbago.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is an inflammation of the same joints on the two sides of the body e.g. say you experience a pain in the right knee or shoulder on one side, it will still be showing up at the other side. The pain or symptoms tend to come and go. This is more common between the age of 25 and 55. Infants can also experience this type of arthritis.

This type is usually caused by viruses that live in the body for a long time undetected and never treated. It can be cause by immune-deficiency syndrome, a situation where the anti-bodies that was suppose to fight against foreign agents begin to attack the tissues of the joint which cause inflammation and pain.

Early Signs Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Pain and stiffness in one or two joints like the hands and feet and the pain come and go. It is usually worst in the morning and wears off during the day. As this progress, the pain and inflammation becomes more painful and starts to spread to other parts of the body such as the elbows, knees, hips, waist, ankles, shoulders and neck. It can make the person weak, tired, feverish and pale plus the eyes become dry due to a reduction in tears. The mouth also becomes dry due to reduction of salivary fluid and lack of appetite which can be followed by weight loss.

How To Eradicate Arthritis Pain

To treat arthritis and eradicate the pain, the aims are:
1. To strengthen the bones
2. Repair damaged joint tissues e.g. the cartilage
3. Strengthen the immune system against bacteria and viruses
4. Eradicate the pain symptoms

To achieve these aims, diet is very important. Processed or refined food and drinks like sugar, cold foods, biscuits and ice-cream or coffee must be avoided. Smoking and alcohol of all kinds must be avoided.

Take plenty of water upon rising up daily and use fruits for breakfast. Fruits and certain vegetables can help mops off uric acids deposited from the joints and help in the healing process.

Get the right bone supplements that can repair damaged cartilage (the damaging of the cartilage is what results in deformity or folding of body due to arthritis) and strengthen the immune system against bacteria and viruses.

Coffee Causes Arthritis?


There are unfounded statements on the internet today that says, "coffee are bad for arthritis", or worse so, "coffee induces arthritis" or "coffee worsens the prognosis of arthritis" or something else along those lines. So, is a cup of coffee so dreadful for arthritis patients? The answer is NO. When it comes to adverse effects of coffee it is very much a matter of quantity, usually, for an average person, drinking less than 6 cups of coffee per day has no known adverse effects or what so ever, caffeine intoxication or long term side effect due to any other chemical substances in coffee only occur when large quantity of coffee is consumed.

Is there any solid scientific basis to support the fact that coffee isn't the culprit in occurrence of arthritis? The answer is yes, and it lies in the nature of arthritis disease itself. Take for example Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is obligatory for both predisposing and triggering factors present at the same time for the disease to occur in a person, predisposing factor is in this case, gene that codes for HLA, while the triggering factors are up to date not clearly understood. Triggering factors can be stress, viral infections other co-morbid diseases, certain food and seasons. Coffee, is being accused by many, as one of the triggering factors, a statement mostly agreed by most sufferers of RA. But do patients themselves understand the mechanism of the disease? Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Journal. The research study says that people drinking more that 4 cups of coffee daily are at a higher risk of developing RA, but the research is not a scientific research in a true sense, it is simply a survey conducted on a small number of RA patients. So, is this study result reliable?

Consider another research result and judge by yourself the role of coffee in arthritis development. 19000 coffee drinkers picked up randomly from a general population, observed carefully for 15 years, and at the end of 15 years, none of them show any signs of Arthritis. Researchers that initially back the statement - "5 cups of coffee per day double the risk of RA" later withdraw their support, because they found that most of their patients have other triggering factors such as smoking age and high protein diets.

So in conclusion, we can say that, drinking coffee doesn't necessary lead to Arthritis, but as in any other food and drinks, practice moderation.