Top 5 Health Benefits of Curcumin

Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, native to tropical South Asia with tough brown skin and deep orange flesh. Turmeric is a key ingredient for many Indian dishes, but has also long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both Chinese and Indian medicine.

The active agent in the spice is a plant chemical, or polyphenol, called curcumin. Curcumin gives turmeric its hallmark yellow colouring, and also gives turmeric its numerous health benefits. Here, we give you our top 5 reasons why curcumin should be included in your diet, and how best to go about doing so.

Top 5 health benefits of Curcumin

1) Antioxidant

Curcumin is thought to be a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules by free radicals. Free radical damage can lead to cancer, aging and a variety of nasty diseases. Antioxidants like curcumin are believed to stabilise free radicals, preventing cellular damage.

2) Anticancer

Laboratory and animal research suggests that curcumin may prevent cancer, slow the growth of the disease and make chemotherapy more effective. Clinical trials are currently taking place to investigate curcumin as a way to prevent cancer developing in people with precancerous conditions, as well as a remedy for the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

3) Respiratory system

Studies have shown that curcumin helps decrease the inflammation of the airway that is associated with asthma.

4) Anti-inflammatory

Curcumin is known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin's anti-inflammatory effects help to reduce irritation to tissues characterised by pain, redness, swelling and heat, which is particularly helpful for osteoarthritis patients.

5) Immunity

Curcumin's ability to stabilise cell membranes increases the cell's resistance to infection. Curcumin might help the regulation of several autoimmune disorders including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, asthma, allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and scleroderma.

Ways to include Curcumin in your daily diet

Dried turmeric has a much higher content of curcumin than curry powder. Whilst dried turmeric is widely available, it is best to buy it from ethnic markets or spice stores to ensure that it has not been chemically treated. If you are able to find turmeric rhizomes in the grocery store, you can make your own fresh turmeric powder by boiling, drying and then grinding it into a fine consistency.

In addition, there are some great recipes online that use turmeric as a key ingredient. It's not just curries that benefit from the powder- it can be used in a variety of snacks, starters, mains and even desserts. If cooking isn't your thing, incorporate turmeric into your diet by mixing it into rice, sprinkling it onto your curries or add a spoonful to cottage cheese.

You could also add some black pepper to your curry to increase the benefits of curcumin. The medicinal properties of curcumin cannot be fully used due to its limited bioavailability in the body. But adding black pepper to turmeric enhances curcumin's bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper's hot property called piperine.

Curcumin supplements can be an easy way to add the chemical to your daily routine. However, curcumin supplements may be heavily contaminated - with everything from pesticides to other spices - so you must choose a reliable supplier. But before you start taking supplements speak to your doctor, because curcumin supplements can interfere with other medicines and is unlikely to be covered by health insurance.

Rash on Legs With Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Often when women feel the onset of rheumatoid arthritis - more excruciatingly the joint pain, a rash on the leg or both legs may appear and it can be extremely difficult to find the right solution or supplement to put it to rest.

Psoriatic arthritis tends to be ones first suspicion as to the cause, but what is clear though is that rashes appear at many different times and should not be strictly associated with the ailment you are suffering from at that time, although it's perfectly acceptable to draw a correlation between the two.

So, if you are using NSAID's to treat the swelling around the joints then these themselves could be the culprit as the effects of these are well documented today.

Common prescription medicines for rheumatoid arthritis include Plaquenil, Norco and Ibuprofen, and aside from such treatment affects as liver damage, heart disease and heart palpitations or arrhythmia which can lead to cardiac arrest, they can also give you a rash.

If you are using more than one prescribed NSAID then don't be afraid to chop and change between the two.

NSAID's are just one way to treat joint pain and you shouldn't feel they are the only means you can seek pain relief.

In fact prescription drugs do nothing to stop the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, rather they just numb the pain so if you are using these solely to treat rheumatoid arthritis, in no way are you helping the remission process.

If you want to keep using NSAID's but resorting to just one supplement still doesn't help, then you should seriously start thinking about changing your lifestyle habits so you can incorporate different therapies to treat the pain.

Exercise is the best form of treatment, specifically swimming. By increasing your muscle strength you immediately provide support to the joint and an almost instant lift in your health and how you feel.

Low impact sports are best so as to avoid stress on the joints, and don't be afraid to use natural supplements which include omega 3, 6, 9 proteins, ingredients like reishi and capsaicin, and supplements like vitamin D and magnesium, which is the only element which has been proven to increase bone density by some 11% over the course of 9 months, as was carried out by the Journal Medicine in 2009.

Once you're off the NSAID's and in to a more proactive and positive lifestyle, it's highly unlikely that any rash on the legs will remain.

Top 7 Tips To Treat And Prevent Arthritis

Arthritis is basically a packaging problem. Your joints, remarkable and elaborate hinges, are cushioned by cartilage. They are held together with various other tissues, including muscles and tendons. Lubrication is in the form of some oily goop called synovial fluid, which is released by the synovial lining of the joints. If you have osteoarthritis, the kind that most frequently coincides with aging, the cartilage around the joints starts to thin down or disappear. That is not your fault. What's more, it is not always preventable, either. The runner-up, rheumatoid arthritis, is far less common, more mysterious, and equally pain producing. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease. Therefore, here are some ways that you can use to prevent such disease.

1. Move These Joints

To keep the pain of arthritis from getting an even tighter grip on you, get yourself on an exercise program. If you are over 60, start with low-impact aerobic activities such as 20-minute walks or exercises in a swimming pool at least three or four times per week. Any aerobic exercise program should be matched to your physical capacity. If a person has been inactive for a period of time, then start with something like a five-minute walk in a couple of times per week, and then slowly start to increase your distance as you feel more comfortable.

2. Pepper Yourself

You may not like hot peppers on your sandwich, but you might like hot-pepper cream for arthritis relief. Capsaicin cream, made from the active ingredient in hot peppers, has been shown in studies to ease arthritis pain when used regularly. You can buy this cream over the counter. Follow instructions on the label, wash your hands thoroughly after application, and keep this stuff away from your eyes and other mucous membranes. It can really burn.

3. Ease The Burden

Arthritis gets worse more rapidly in overweight individuals. If you lose 5 to 10 pounds, it considerably lightens the load on all of your weight-bearing joints - hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

4. Vary Your Terrain

Walking is always recommended but it is important to not get into a rut. If you walk the same exact path every day, then you are landing on the same part of your foot each and every day and you are putting stress on your knees and hips the exact same way every day. For the sake of interest as well as exercise, seek out new terrain like hills, fields, and pathways as well as flat road or sidewalk.

5. Ask For Alternative Oils

If you are not a fish-eater, you should pay a visit to the nearest health food store. Look for either evening primrose oil, flaxseed oil, or fish oil. All contain the same omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish. If you take one teaspoon of any of these each day, it may lightly ease some of the inflammatory aspects of arthritis. If you decide to take capsules, follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label.

6. Try A Cold Pack

If you have swelling, especially after any physical activity, put some ice with a thin towel wrapped around it on the area around the affected joint. Ice the area for 15 to 20 minutes after exercise to reduce the discomfort and also minimize the amount of swelling.

7. Give Yourself A Hot Wax

A hot-wax treatment can provide soothing relief if your hands are aching from arthritis. The treatment is available at many hospitals, but it is less expensive to treat yourself at home. A professional therapist should instruct on its appropriate use before you try this at home. For a hot-wax treatment kit, call an orthopedic supply store to check availability. Heat the wax in the heating unit, apply it to your hands, and wrap them in plastic gloves for 10 minutes. You should feel some relief. The beauty of the at-home hot-wax treatment is that the wax can be reused for several weeks. Just be careful when you are using it around children.

How to Treat your Arthritis Naturally

How to Treat your Arthritis Naturally

Arthritis is pain in the fingers, knees, elbows, hips jaw-any place in
the body where there is a joint between bones. It can be very painful. This
because joints are surrounded by many nerves and the nerves are needed to make
the complicated joints work properly. There are many forms of arthritis like
Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid; to name just two, but we are not going into that
now. What we are looking at here is natural remedies.

A lot of arthritis sufferers very often turn to natural herbal remedies
and botanical methods to gain release from their symptoms. But do these
natural alternatives do what they promise? Can you find relief from herbal
supplements? There are many herbs and such like that has shown some promise in
helping treat the symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis and we will just look at a
few of them:.

Thunder god vine

A supplement that is derived from a perennial vine that is
native to Asia, also in areas of China, Korea, and Japan. The root is peeled
away to make this herbal supplement and is by tradition, been used to treat
autoimmune illnesses and inflammatory conditions. It has been find by research
that thunder god vine does indeed contain anti-inflammatory activity, and some
immune-boosting activity has also been discovered. One clinical trial carried
out at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that roughly
80 per cent of those patients who were given a high dose of the plant
supplement found that their Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms got better
considerably. However, researchers have found that this and other studies are
too small to prove the true efficacy of this plant-derived supplement.

Cherries

To take away the pain of gout, eat 6-8 cherries per day. They can be
tinned, frozen or fresh. This is a Japanese treatment, which they have used
for centuries. They also boil the cherries down into a syrup which makes a
strong sweet drink. The cherry is a very good source of magnesium (which is a
natural painkiller) and potassium. The potassium acts as a diuretic, reducing
inflammation by ridding tissue of fluid.

Dandelion leaves

One of the best remedies for treating arthritic conditions probably
grows right in your backyard: fresh young dandelion leaves. Because of the
high vitamin A and C content, when eaten raw in salads, these greens help the
body to repair damaged tissues and help the liver clear toxins out of the
blood. European herbalists have used these anti-pain dandelion recipes for
many years. Older leaves should be steam or sauté - like spinach, this is
because they are too tough to eat raw. You can also improve the taste by
cooking with garlic or add olive oil for a tasty dish. Dandelion can also be
made into a tea: Steep, just 1 teaspoon of dried leaves or 3 teaspoons of
fresh leaves in 1 cup of boiling water. Or make a coffee-like, but
bitter-tasting, beverage by boiling, and then straining, 4 ounces of fresh
root in 2 pints of water. Taken daily, this is a good guard against winter
colds.

Desert devil Devil's-claw

An ominous-sounding cure - comes from the Kalahari Desert of South
Africa. For at least 250 years, the Hottentots, Bantus, and Bushmen (all
native tribes of this region) have treated arthritis pain with this large
claw-like fruit that can trap and injure livestock. The tribesmen's favourite
method is to draw an extract from the root and brew it into a tea.
Alternatively, devil's-claw can be dried, powdered, and taken in tablet form.
Recent French and German studies found that the pain-relief of devil's-claw is
similar to that of cortisone. The root acts mainly as an anti-inflammatory, an
effect of harpagoside, its active ingredient. Preparations using the whole
plant work even better because it contains additional compounds, such as
flavonoids, that enhance the anti-inflammatory effect. Devil's-claw is
available in many forms through most mailorder herb companies and health food
stores.

Molasses

The British, known for their fondness for sweets, swear by crude
blackstrap molasses dissolved in water. When taken every morning, they say
this preparation eases and even eliminates pain in the joints. This is some
feat in England! (Cold, damp climates usually aggravate a case of arthritis.)
The molasses is an excellent source of minerals, including iron, potassium,
and magnesium. It is also a concentrated sweet. So it is important to rinse
your mouth out or brush your teeth after using this treatment. Otherwise, you
may be trading one pain (arthritis) for another - a toothache!

Cooper bracelets

This does vindicate old wives. Until recently, Western doctors dismissed
as folklore the idea of wearing copper bracelets as a way of treating
arthritis. Indeed, there are many doctors who are still sceptical. Researchers
in Australia, however, have found that copper, when coupled with aspirin, is
more effective than aspirin alone in treating the pain of arthritis. Since
many substances are absorbed through the skin, there may be some truth in this
old wives' tale. Cooper bracelets are available all over the net.

Ginger.

Ginger is very effective in the treatment of arthritis and a host of
other ailments. Recent medical research in Holland has indicated that this,
too, is much more than just myth. Eating ginger does, according to the Dutch
doctors, help alleviate arthritis pain. Use the ginger with anything...soups,
sauces, or salads.

Bee Stings

An arthritis therapy that may sound more like a punishment was used
2,000 years ago by Hippocrates - bee stings. Once considered to be the leading
cure for rheumatism, arthritis, and gout, bee stings were used for centuries
by ancient Europeans.Based on this traditional therapy, scientists in
Switzerland, France, Germany, and Great Britain devised a treatment that
employed a series of injections of the venom- using either a hypodermic needle
or a live bee! The bee venom, like many noxious substances, stimulates the
immune system to release inflammatory substances. This is known as the counter
irritation theory.

Saint Hildegard's Ointment

Hildegard was a mystic from 12th century Germany whose wisdom still
holds true to day. She said " Detoxify, purify, and regenerate the whole
organism." Hildegard's recipe for an arthritis ointment was to take 4 parts
vermouth, 2 parts deer fat, and 2 parts deer marrow, and mix it into a salve.
This ointment was massaged on the painful joints while the sufferer sat in
front of an elmwood fire. The warmth of the fire and the stimulation of blood
flow from the massage were really the important parts of the treatment. So if
you cannot get your hands on any deer fat. goose fat is a much better option
and is available all over the net. To get rid of the rheumatic toxins that
caused pain, Hildegard prescribed eating fragrant, raw quince. The fruit can
be cooked in water or wine, baked in a cake or pie, or made into jellies and
candy ( this is popular today during holiday seasons). Hildegard's advice to
gout sufferers was to slowly chew (before breakfast) 1 to 3 teaspoons of
celery seed powder mixed with spices such as rue, cloves, and saxifrage. For a
better taste, the celery powder can be sprinkled on bread with quince jelly.
Celery is a diuretic, and the loss of excess fluid can reduce the inflammation
associated with the arthritis. Rue contains ruin, which can strengthen blood
vessels (preventing them from leaking fluid into tissue and thus preventing
inflammation).Warning: Don't use rue during pregnancy. It can bring on
bleeding.

Aloe Vera

Aloe, by its self does not cure or heal anything; it is the
beneficial effects of over 200 different nutritional constituents and the way
they react to help reduce inflammation and pain which promote healing. Aloe
Vera gives a great boost to the immune system and energy levels. So, In other
words.....Aloe Vera provides the body with the right agents to take care of
itself and to restore and repair body functions and the body's own healing
process.

Many people think that because they are taking an herbal supplement or
botanical-based drug therapy, there will be no side effects. The truth is that
herbal supplements can be quite powerful and can have strong side effects.
Many if not most of all conventional drug therapies are derived from plants
and herbs.

The bad news is that there is not enough sufficient research to
conclusively prove the efficacy of many of these herbal supplements and
botanical-based drugs. Before you try any herbal supplement, it is
important that you discuss its use with your doctor.

Spice Up Your Food and Beat Arthritis Pain Naturally

Herbs for arthritis can be an important part of your relief plan. Unlike medications that just deaden pain, many plants have compounds in them that repair the damage of an injury or degenerative disease and provide relief. Some act as natural muscle relaxants and others as anti-spasmodics or anti-inflammatories. With arthritis, a comfrey ointment may help repair damaged and degenerating bone and anti-inflammatory herbs like willow, devil's claw or meadosweet may help relieve pain. There are also cleansing herbs that can detoxify the joints, like yellow dock or celery seed. The Chinese have been using herbs for arthritis for centuries, and they are generally classified as warming or cooling, depending on their actions inside the body and what "evils" (like heat, cold, or damp) they are counteracting.

The Europeans have been studying herbs for arthritis and other chronic conditions for years. In fact, in the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) for Herbal Medicines, many of the research on herbs and their effects are taking place in Germany. The Japanese are also doing a lot of research on native plants and fruits and publishing the results. There is much knowledge out there on plants that can help you. Here, I'll only discuss the top few that you can easily get in the United States (because that's where I'm located) and that have the best safety record.

Angelica - a good herb for arthritis that can be used topically in a compress, or added in a hot bath. It's a warming and stimulating herb, good for "cold" types of osteoarthritis (if you have circulation problems for example). It's available in tincture form (recommended) or you may purchase the dried leaves or root (not recommended).

To use, dilute the tincture in hot water and apply to a cloth to use as a compress. You may also dilute 10 drops of Angelica oil in 25 mL of almond or sunflower oil to use as massage oil for arthritic joints. For a bath, add 5 drops of the oil to the water in the tub.

Do NOT use Angelica during pregnancy.

Devil's Claw - is a potent anti-inflammatory and its action has been compared to that of cortisone. It's better for degenerative arthritis than for RA. This herb is best taken internally, but do NOT take it if you have stomach or duodenal ulcers, as it increases gastric juices production.
Devil's Claw is supplied in capsules. Take between 1-3 grams per day in divided doses during flare ups. Capsules normally contain between 400-600 mg each.

It can also be made into an infusion by using 1 teaspoon (about 4.5 grams) in 300 mL of boiling water. Steep this for 8 hours and strain. It can then be taken up to 3 times a day or used as a compress.

Bogbean - is a "cooling" herb, so it's good for flare ups with hot, aching joints. This herb is used primarily in Europe for loss of appetite and and stomach discomfort, but it is also known an aid for gout and swelling; so I'm listing it here in herbs for arthritis.

In tincture form, you can take up to 8 mL three times a day. You may also use it as an infusion. To make a tea, pour boiling water over 0.5 to 1 gram of the finely chopped dried herb, let steep for 5-10 minutes and then strain. You may drink 1/2 cup, unsweetened, before each meal.

White Willow - is rich in salicylates (the active ingredient in aspirin) so it is well known as an anti-inflammatory. It's useful during flare ups and for associated muscle pain. It's available in powder and tincture form.

Take up to 5 mL tincuture three times a day. It may also be combined with other herbs for arthritis like angelica or yellow dock. To make an infusion, put 2-3 grams of finely chopped or powdered herb in cold water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and steep for 5 minutes. Strain. You may drink 1 cup 3-5 times daily.

Caution should be used if you're already taking NSAID's or other salicylates (like aspirin). Do not take if you are on anti-platelet medication or any medicine that prolongs the PT time. White willow should NEVER be given to children with flu like symptoms due to the association between salicylates and Reye's syndrome.

Cooking with herbs for arthritis relief

Herbs and spices can be easily integrated in your meals to help ease arthritis pain, too. This is a great, easy way to get the healing properties of these plants into you. Spices are full of antioxidants and phytochemicals and some have anti-inflammatory effects. Here are some herbs for arthritis you probably have in your kitchen cupboards and can start using right away.

Turmeric - this comes from the curcumin plant and helps inflammation. A study in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism showed turmeric slowed down cartilage destruction, blocked inflammation and reduced swelling.

Eat dishes made with curry several times a week or take in capsule form.

Ginger - This spice is used in traditional Chinese medicines and inhibits inflammation. It's especially good for people whose symptoms get worse in cold weather since it increases blood flow.

Ginger can be drunk as a tea daily or you can take it in supplement form. The root is good grated and used in soups and stocks or even added to juices (but use it sparingly).

Rosemary - This herb contains antioxidants that reduce inflammation and helps block pain.
You can use it in cooking as a dried or fresh herb or you can use essential oil in a bath or mixed with almond oil and massage it into your sore joints. Do NOT use rosemary during pregnancy.

Saffron - This herb is handpicked from crocus blossoms and is a powerful antioxidant. True saffron is expensive, but it doesn't take much in cooking to release it's scent and color.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of saffron into boiling water and you can drink it as a tea. You can also mix saffron essential oil with some almond oil and rub it directly into your joints. It's also excellent when added to rice dishes and soups. You don't want to use more than 2 grams a day, though, as that might cause nausea.

Cayenne - Cayenne pepper is best known for the heat it adds to chilis and other spicy dishes. The active ingredient, capsaicin can block pain signals to the brain when used topically.

Use it as you would any pepper, but it doesn't take much to go from warm to burn your mouth hot, so be careful. It is sold in capsule form, but may cause nausea. Many over the counter pain relieving creams contain it, and you can use those on painful joints as directed.

If you make the switch to low glycemic eating (it's naturally anti-inflammatory) you may find that you'll want to use herbs and spices to flavor your food, especially if you've been eating a lot of processed foods. Boxed foods have salt and other food additives in them to make them taste good. If you eat a lot of these, your taste buds are used to the additives, and herbs and spices are a great way to boost flavor of natural, unprocessed, whole foods.

Know How to Identify An Arthritis Symptom

There comes a time in everyone's life when age starts to creep up on us. In some cases, the amount of damage we've done to our bodies in our youth has a way of coming back to haunt us, especially when it comes to certain types of arthritis.

As we grow older, most people wake a little stiffer in the morning and experience typical aches and pains, but how do you know if it's arthritis that's troubling you? Knowing how to identify an arthritis symptom can take a load of worry off your mind.

First of all, it's important to know what arthritis is. It's not just a disease that strikes old people. Many children, teens and young adults are diagnosed with some form of arthritis every day. While over 40 million adults suffer from one form of arthritis in the United States, nearly a quarter million of those are children.

As a matter of fact, most people who suffer from arthritis are under the age of 65, and nearly 60 percent of those are women. In addition, there are over 100 different forms of the disease, though the two most common, and generally known, are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

An arthritis symptom can be one issue, or a multitude of issues. For most, the classic symptom is joint stiffness, followed by swelling, redness and even warmth in the affected joint area. For some, these symptoms may be fleeting and may occur more often in cooler weather than warm. For some, joints may be painful and tender to the touch, while for others, pain is felt as a persistent ache that lingers for days.

Because arthritis is a rheumatic disease, arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, can affect more than just the bones, muscles and other connective tissues to involve major body organs. For some, arthritis symptom signs may also include fever, as well as an unexplained weight loss, fatigue and a general feeling of blase.

Early diagnoses of many forms of arthritis can prevent future damage to bones and tissues as well as to prevent loss of joint movement through various treatment methods such as exercise, medications and rest. If you feel that you may have an arthritis symptom, or are uncertain, schedule a visit to your doctor and explain your concerns. Your doctor may ask for a series of x-rays to determine bone health and size, and he or she may also request blood work to determine what's going on.

In many cases, primary care physicians will refer people to a rheumatologist, or in plain English, an arthritis doctor, in order to determine exactly what form of arthritis you may be suffering from. However, keep in mind that just because you wake up occasionally with achy joints doesn't mean you have arthritis. Knowing your body is the key.

Most people are able to determine when something's not quite right with their body, and accompanying pain is often an indication that it's time to visit the doctor. Early diagnosis of arthritis can prevent further damage and help you to get back to that healthy, active lifestyle that you've always enjoyed.

Knowing your body and understanding different arthritis symptom clues may greatly enhance your chances of maintaining that lifestyle, so always listen when your body is trying to tell you something.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Remedies

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder that predominantly affects the joints of a human by way of inflammations that can over time cause damage or significantly damage the articulate cartilage. At least 1% of the world's population suffers from this condition and it is three times more likely to affect women than men. It is usually detected in those aged between 40 and 50 years although this does not mean that younger persons aren't affected. The condition can become very painful and cause severe restrictions on one's movement. It is primarily diagnosed via its symptoms though blood tests and X-rays are also useful in accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately though there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis and this has resulted in a growing demand for all types of rheumatoid arthritis remedies.

Given the absence of a cure the focus for treatment of the disorder lies in alleviating the pain and preventing the progress of the condition. For both cases there are commonly prescribed medication which, when used consistently, can bring about enough relief without having one's lifestyle completely or significantly affected. The lack of a cure has in effect brought about a wide array of remedies, most of which have not been proven to be effective. However this does not mean that the rheumatoid arthritis remedies available out there are completely useless. Most sufferers might actually swear on their effectiveness.

One cannot discuss rheumatoid arthritis remedies and not discuss home remedies. The list here is long and complicated and the results may differ from patient to patient. Therefore what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. Some say that gently wrapping a red flannel over the joint and leaving it overnight helps to alleviate pain while others prefer to try out a hot treatment where heat is applied to the affected joint. Heat helps to reduce both the pain and stiffness and can be applied with a moist pad or cloth dipped in hot water. Make sure you gently but firmly pad the affected areas when doing so. Hot water baths with Epsom salt and hot water showers will also help towards this end while general massages, massaging hot oil onto affected areas and regular exercises all help towards alleviating the pain and stiffness and therefore can be treated as effective rheumatoid arthritis remedies.

Other examples of rheumatoid arthritis include sea baths, rubbing the affected areas with hot vinegar before retiring to sleep, use of dandelion leaf extracts and the use of Boswellia herbs. Some also recommend mixing 10 grams of Camphor with 200 grams of mustard oil and placing the mixture in a bottle and then leaving it under the sun, until the camphor melts. Then use the contents to massage the areas that are causing pain. Rheumatoid arthritis remedies also include homeopathic treatments.

While there are no proven scientific evidence of the success of any of these methods, the fact that they have helped in one way or another to alleviate the pain and disability that comes with the condition prove that they cannot be brushed aside as easily as one would want to.