Reduce auto-intoxification, reduce pain & inflammation of arthritis
Sonia Jones ND from The Haven Spa and Health Clinic
Constipation is a common complaint, especially amongst woman and can get worse as we age. If you have a tendency to get constipated you need to make this situation your priority. Solving this problem will have a profound effect on your over all health, and will reduce inflammation and pain. There are several things you can do and naturopathic treatments are always holistic, enhancing your health, improving all the systems of the body.
Laxatives are not a good idea in the long run. They can cause potassium loss and fluid imbalances, leading to dehydration. A lot of the laxatives are irritating to the bowel lining, stimulating the nerves to encourage a bowel movement (peristalsis), for some causing cramps.
Eventually, a dependency develops due to the weakening muscles of peristalsis and ultimately causing constipation. The very condition you are trying to solve.
The longer matter stays in our bowels the more fluids are reabsorbed back into the blood stream, causing our liver an enormous amount of extra work, which is the last thing it needs. This is called auto-intoxification. You are literally poisoning yourself.
Practical Advice
Here are some steps that will help to solve the problem of constipation.
Cut down on or give up dehydrating drinks and add hydrating drinks to your daily routine.
Hydrating drinks
Water
Herbal teas
Fruity teas
Fruit juice with water
Vegetable juices
Dehydrating drinks
Coffee
Tea
Soft drinks
Chocolate drinks
Milk shakes
Alcohol
Much more fresh fruit and vegetables to your daily diet.
I am sure you have noticed that nature has provided us with plenty of watery fruit and vegetables in the summer such as watermelon and cucumbers etc. In the more wintry months nature has provided us with more starchy vegetables like pumpkins and parsnips.
All fruits and vegetables provide fiber, fluid and nutrients in varying degrees, all of these are necessary for a healthy working bowel and the correct bowel flora. Reducing your toxic burden.
Whole grains are a very important part of any diet. They need to be in their natural state with their fibre and nutrients intact. Drastically cut down on refined flours (foods made with white flour) or better still avoid them altogether, add a variety of whole grains, like brown rice, beans or lentils or millet that provide the all important fiber an much needed nutrients.
Linseeds (flaxseeds) are wonderful little seeds. These seeds are indispensable for a number of reasons. They add loads of fiber to your diet, along with ‘essential fatty acids’ (reducing inflammation), and due to the fact they are mucilaginous have a very soothing affect on our digestive tract. The total opposite is true of wheat bran which irritates the delicate lining of the bowels.
Flaxseeds (linseeds), in research have shown they contain compounds that protect us from breast cancer (men can also get breast cancer, admittedly much less often). They are also good for any inflammatory conditions. Most people find them very effective in relieving constipation in a very mild and soothing way, with plenty of added bonuses.
Read MorePatient handout for Arthritis from Blackmores Company
Arthritis – Osteoarthritis/ Rheumatoid
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints, usually accompanied by pain, stiffness, swelling, loss of function and over time, changes in structure. Arthritis is associated with many diseases including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, psoriasis, scleroderma, Reiter’s syndrome, Sjogren’s syndrome, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Symptoms
Osteoarthritis, usually found in elderly people, develops mainly as a result of the continuous wearing away of the cartilage in a joint. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis. It is characterised by pain and stiffness (especially after exercise), swelling, deformity, and/or a diminished range of motion.
Bone growths or spurs may develop on the margins of affected joints, increasing pain and decreasing mobility. There may be audible cracking or grating noises when the joint moves.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes stiffness (especially in the mornings), swelling, and, often, crippling pain. It may also cause fatigue, anaemia and weight loss. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder: it is a “self-attacking-self” disease. The body’s immune system improperly identifies the synovial membranes as foreign. Inflammation results, damaging cartilage and tissues in and around the joints. Normal spaces within the joints become narrowed and the bones may even fuse together.
Causes
The causes of osteoarthritis can be injury or an inherited defect in the protein that forms cartilage. Mostly, it is a result of the wear and tear related to ageing, diet and lifestyle. Risk factors include obesity, overuse or abuse of joints as in sports or strenuous occupations, and trauma.
The underlying cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown.
Natural Therapies
The application of proper diet, and lifestyle changes, combined with nutritional supplements may relieve the inflammation, pain and slow-down degeneration of the affected joints.
Glucosamine- Clinical trials show that glucosamine may help reduce joint inflammation and swelling, increase joint mobility and provide temporary relief of the pain of osteoarthritis.
Blackmores Lyprinol® is a natural anti-inflammatory supplement containing a unique patented marine extract. Its potent anti-inflammatory action assists in the maintenance of healthy airways and breathing passages, and may provide relief from joint swelling and arthritis.
Fish Oil 1000 contains omega-3 fatty acids which provide an anti-inflammatory action within the body which may be beneficial for the relief of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Lifestyle Factors
- Eat a diet rich in deep sea fish, green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, natural herbs, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, olive oil and drinking plenty of filtered water.
- Avoid refined, devitalised, processed foods, excess sugar, caffeine, saturated fats and alcohol.
- Exercise (especially non-weight-bearing exercise such as swimming) is important in both the prevention and treatment of arthritis. It improves muscle strength and maintains mobility.
- Overweight and obesity also affect the weight bearing joints, which become irritated and stressed by having to carry too much of a load.
- Correct posture is also important in avoiding uneven distribution of body weight, causing stiffness and crippling.
Remedy
Exercise is important in both the prevention and treatment of arthritis . It improves muscle strength and maintains mobility.
Overweight and obesity also affect the weight bearing joints, which become irritated and stressed by having to carry too much of a load.
Correct posture is also important in avoiding body weight to be distributed unevenly, and causing stiffness and crippling.
Important Notes
- If you suspect you are suffering from arthritis, prompt diagnosis will help to determine the type, and therefore, the right treatment and prevention.
- Food allergies may be a cause for some individuals especially if there is only occasional joint pain. An elimination diet, or allergy diet, may be necessary to determine which foods are the offending allergens.
- Arthritis is sometimes described as just a symptom of an underlying condition. If you are suffering from arthritis, it is imperative to investigate the health of all the different systems of the body, especially the health of the digestive, circulatory and immune systems. Arthritis is a complex, and also very individual condition requiring individual attention.
Arthritis management – Good digestion is needed
As we get older our digestion begins to slow down, especially as we have taken it for granted for so many years. We have constantly been eating foods that have taken their toll over the years.
For the body to perform this enormous task each day it needs plenty of fluids and a huge amount of nutrients to produce enough enzymes and digestive juices.
Unfortunately, the foods that most people have chosen to eat over the years have been hard to digest, supply few nutrients the very nutrients needed for their own breakdown leave alone enough nutrients for all the other systems in the body.
The Perfect Scenario
↓
Choose to eat foods that are nutritious, making sure a large proportion
of them contain ‘live’ enzymes (fresh fruit and vegetables, live yogurt etc)
↓
Easy to digest, provide plenty of nutrients for their own digestion with plenty left over for other functions
elsewhere in the body, ‘live’ food bring with them plenty of enzymes, sparing the body’s reserves for other
important processes like regeneration of deteriorating joints
In reality was has actually happened over the years
↓
Consumed a diet typically full of refined foods and processed foods
↓
Provide next to no nutrients or enzymes – use up a lot of energy not in the
sense of calories, more like vital reserves. In the digestion process of these foods
the body has had to steal nutrients from other systems, digestion struggles
and deficiencies are created – hence aging and deterioration are further encouraged.
For instance a shortage of zinc – affects every aspect of digestion, also affecting your taste and smell, as we age it is noticeable how people add more salt to compensate for the decline in taste.
A zinc deficiency affects the quality of hydrochloric acid levels, the correct levels
·break down calcium sufficiently to enable us to absorb and utilize calcium properly, vital as a we age
·kills bacteria before they enter the body and cause problems
·ensures proper protein breakdown
Enough zinc is also needed for healing and repair, for the immune system, to fight infections, involved in anti-inflammation, it’s an anti-oxidant. It’s a very busy mineral.
Our zinc supplies are primarily stored in our muscles, also found stored in red and white blood cells, the retina of the eye, bones, skin, kidneys, liver, and the pancreas. It is also found in the prostate gland.
Zinc also has some antioxidant properties, which means that it helps protect cells in the body from the potential damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, cigarette smoking, and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Free radicals are believed to contribute to the aging and degeneration processes.
The typical daily intake of zinc is approximately 10 mg, this much lower than the woefully low recommended dietary allowance (RDA). RDA is the lowest setting it’s not for optimum health.
Osteoporosis
Zinc is essential for maintaining proper bone health throughout life. Zinc has been shown to stimulate bone formation and inhibit bone loss, as well ensure the correct breakdown of calcium so it can be used by the body. Depending on your digestive the body will absorb anything from 20% to 40% of the available zinc in foods.
Zinc is more readily absorbed from animal sources like red meat, fish, seafood (is particularly good), cheese, and poultry, than from plant sources as phytates particularly in wheat hinders absorption of zinc. Beans and seeds like pumpkin, sesame and sunflower contain good sources of zinc.
Zinc is also an extremely good antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory actions. Making it invaluable for arthritis suffers. It has been noted that higher levels reduce the generation of inflammatory cytokines, especially as we age. It would seem low levels of zinc allow greater levels of inflammatory cytokines to flourish.
Supplements
Digestive enzymes will improve digestion and absorption.
Mineral - Zinc 25mg
Vitamins – B complex
Food - Apple cider vinegar (no other vinegar will do). Take a dessertspoon in a little water 30 minutes before each meal.
It is so very important to chew your food properly. Never over fill your stomach. When you have eaten a meal wait 10 minutes before you have anything else to eat. The reason being it takes that long before your body tells you whether you have eaten enough food or not.
Spice – Crack fresh pepper on your food. Ginger encourages the production of digestive enzymes.
Herb – Anything that has a bitter taste before a meal will do wonders for digestion. The bitter taste stimulates all the digestive juices. That is why aperitifs often contain bitter herbs.
Remember – Zinc is only one vital nutrient the body needs in adequate amounts there is a huge array of others it needs to function properly.
Read MoreBetter breathing better detoxification for arthritis suffers!
If you focus on how you breath for a moment – you might find you breath too shallow, too rapidly or even times when your breathing is irregular. Lungs get squashed due to poor posture, or the diaphragm (a powerful muscle) becomes tight. Like many muscles in the body it can be affected by stress or poor posture or dehydration.
The diaphragm is the main breathing muscle, located around the bottom of the rib cage and lungs. This muscle like any muscle in our body can become tight and hinder breathing properly even if you are not aware. Diaphragm tension can be caused by a number of things like stress, anxiety, poor posture, and pregnancy.
If you have ever suffered from a back problem I wonder if you have ever given your diaphragm a second thought. Tension in the diaphragm could be part of the cause of your back problem and the pain you are suffering.
When you breathe properly the diaphragm moves massaging the abdominal organs (stomach, liver and intestines), a tight diaphragm muscle doesn’t work as efficiently, therefore the organs do not get massaged in the same way. This will slow down the cleansing process.
So breathing better and being aware of your poor posture is vital to encouraging better detoxification. Part of the arthritis problem is the build up of toxins in the joint and or muscles. Anything you can do to reduce the load and get organs working better will be helpful in treating your arthritic condition.
The Alexandra technique is excellent for teaching posture and breathing, as is yoga and tai qi, or qi gong.
The way you breathe can affect your whole demeanour for instance; breathe fast – excited, and maybe tense, slow gentle breathing – calm and relaxed. So deep, slow, conscious regular breathing a)is the key to more oxygen to the lungs, bloodstream, heart, brain in fact to every cell in the body b)will support better removal of carbon dioxide (toxic gasses) from the lungs c)allows for better massage of the organs of the abdominal area. Helping to prevent constipation, improving digestion and encouraging the liver function d)with an improved posture – sitting correctly when eating, driving watching TV, working on the computer etc will allow your lungs and diaphragm to expand more freely e)imagine releasing – toxins, muscle tensions, worries, and stress.
As a arthritis suffer anything you do to lighten your toxic load will help to your reduce pain and inflammation. Few people are lucky enough to find one thing has made a huge difference to their condition BUT a lot of people have found a huge improvement to their arthritis by regularly doing a number of things. For instance changing their foods and drinks, taking supplements, taking tai qi or walking, improving posture and breathing correctly, using some detox techniques at home like Epsom salts, maybe having regular treatments like acupuncture, or reflexology.
Arthritis simple free questionnaire – are you in need of a detox?
Sonia Jones ND from The haven Spa and Health Clinic
Answer yes to half or more of these questions, its time to detox -
1) Do you lack energy a lot of the time?
2) Do you feel dull-headed?
3) Do you have general aches and pains?
4) Feel a little hung-over or feel a little poisoned?
5) Is you skin a little dull and lifeless?
6) Do you have an oily, blemished skin?
7) Do you have bad breath?
8) Do you have foot odor?
9) Do you drink tea, coffee, sodas and not enough water?
10) Do you eat less than 5 fruits and vegetables every single day?
11) Do you get headachy?
12) Are you often irritable?
13) Do you go to the bathroom less than once a day?
14) Do you eat enough fiber every day?
15) Do you perspire too much?
There are tips on detoxing on this site and over the coming weeks we will discuss more tips, methods and various levels of detoxing. Simple and inexpensive ways that will help to relief your arthritis.
Epsom Salts Bath
Skin Brushing
Juicing
Smoothies
Raw Foods
Aromatherapy
Hydrating
Sea Salt
Deep breathing
Movement
More over the coming days and weeks
Read MoreArthritis – don’t allow yourself to seize up
Self-help – at work or at home – The 5 Minute Mini-Breaks
Most of us sit at our desks or in front of our computers for far too long, or drive for long stretches at a time, without a break, without getting up, for hours on end. Our neck and shoulders tense up and soon the muscles begin to ache, you become so engrossed forgetting to drink something hydrating, and as time goes on you get eye strain, and a headache begins to develop or a pain in the neck and shoulders. Whether you whether you have arthritis or not you should follow this advice each day
a)Get up and stretch
b)Take a short walk around
c)Go and get some water, or make a herbal tea (without milk or sugar).
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