Support orgainic if you can – help your Arthritis
By supporting the organic movement, we help to minimize chemical damage which poses a real threat to the future of humanity. We need to think hard before choosing an intensively produced product over an organic product simply because of the small extra cost.
Organic food is free from insecticides, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, fertilisers and a whole host of other toxic artificial additives, flavourings, colourings and preservatives. The combination of these residues may be more toxic than you realize due to the synergistic effects of multiple residues on foods that can accumulate in human tissue. The health effect of all of this pollution is slowly becoming clear.
Agro-chemicals were not developed with nutrition, health or the environment in mind.So what we get is a cheap but inferior product with a cocktail of up to 40 different chemicals, waxes and insecticides.
Organic farmers are committed to fine food, and they will have left the trees in a meadow with healthy soil, filled with a diversity of butterflies, lady birds, birds and wildlife in general.
There are many hidden costs to intensive farming and spraying especially to the workers that have to handle the chemicals often without safety clothing, suffering all sorts of diseases.
Organic produce may well cost a bit more but this is no comparison to the possible cost if we don’t try to support organic foods. There is the cost to the tax payer for the subsidies to agro-chemical farming. The cost of cleaning up the environment as the chemicals end up in our water-ways killing fish and then there is the possible cost of healthcare as an indirect and direct result of the cocktail of chemicals. Then there is the cost to the wildlife, whose natural habitats are being systematically destroyed.
“The UK pesticide market is currently worth about £500 million every year. It is extraordinary that the cost of removing pesticides from drinking water amounts to a huge £120 million annually,” says Professor Pretty. In Britain subsidies on normally grown food works out at about 40 pence in every pound spent on food. This cost is paid through the taxation system.
Organic farmers earn lower subsidies because they grow rotation crops so they are unable to maximise subsidy income. They cost society about 25 pence in every pound. When you cost in the real cost of industrial agriculture and take away the subsidies that favour the wrong use of resources, you end up with a situation where, organic food would actually cost less than conventional! The situation is also very much like this in the USA.
More and more people are going organic and prices for organic foods have been falling over the last five years as more and more organic food is bought. It is vital that we safeguard the future of organic farming by paying a little bit extra to keep organic farmers in business.
Organic farming is generally smaller scale and more labour intensive, sometimes with smaller crop yields. Farmers also have to convert their land to organic production over a period of years, and as organic farming relies on crop rotation, up to 25% of land may be left to lie fallow at any one time to increase natural soil fertility.
Organic food’s strength lies in what it doesn’t contain. There is, in fact, only food in organic food as regulations prohibit hydrogenated fat that can cause of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity, aspartame thought to be a neurotoxin – affecting the nervous system, phosphoric acid found in many soda drinks causing osteoporosis, antibiotics which interfere with our immune system, hormones that are causing feminization of wild life, low sperm count, obesity, various cancers, pesticides causing or encouraging mutagenic, carcinogenic effects,GM foods – who knows what the long term effects will be, linked to IBS, Crohn’s disease, autism, other gut-based disease, or any of the 7000 artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives and processing aids that are permitted in conventional food that have been linked to cancer, liver disease, gut problems. These are chemicals, food additives and processes that are not allowed in organic foods.
Also look out for wild crafted, hydroponic, bio-dynamic and eco-friendly grown foods.
Change your thinking on arthritis and other chronic conditions
No one has found a ‘magic potion’ as yet, over the centuries so much energy and research has gone into the pursuit of the ‘fountain of youth’ but in recent years much light has been shed on the subject. Thanks to all this effort we now know there is so much we can do to slow down the aging process. Your attitude, the foods and drinks you choose to consume, the products you buy, all have a profound affect on enhancing or accelerating the degenerative process. Of course aging is inevitable, but is so much suffering inevitable? Around 85 per cent of diseases are degenerative illnesses, the other 15 per cent are genetic, infectious or trauma. So what causes our body to fall into rapid decline and disrepair? It never fails to make me wonder why we look after our cars better than we look after ourselves. Yet we can go out anytime and buy a new one when we’ve out lived the old one. It’s not quite as easy for us to trade-in our old body for a new one. I can hear you saying “there are bits we can have replaced”, yes there are, such as a new hip joint, new heart or just the valves, new liver or new blood from a transfusion, and so much more. There are bits that can be removed – saggy baggy skin! This doesn’t make you or your skin healthier. Going back to our car, we don’t generally wait for our car to break down, we have them serviced regularly making sure it has every thing it needs to perform its daily task well. ‘Well’ being the operative word, not ‘just functioning’. We should treat ourselves with the same respect, giving our bodies everything it needs to perform its daily task well and look well. Most people will wait until their body breaks down. So back to the point, why do our bodies fall into decline? Researchers have several theories such as the Hayflick Limit Theory – each cell contains a program that limits the number of divisions a cell may divide before it dies.
Another theory is the Waste Accumulation Theory – our cells simply produce more waste than they are capable of eliminating, all helped along by the things we choose to put in and on our bodies. As waste and toxins build up in the cell, it accumulates and eventually the cell drowns in its own toxic bath.
Helping the detoxification process and cutting down on chemicals is a vital part to slowing down aging. The other main theory is the free-radical theory, first developed as much as 50 years ago, offering an explanation that helps us to understand degeneration, accelerated aging, and prevention or at the very least slowing down its onset for much later in life. Free-radicals roam about trying to break up stable pairs of molecules by stealing their partners. A little like a bachelor breaking up stable married couples. Once the free-radical manages to steal a partner, the other molecule is now unpaired, unstable and is now a free radical on the hunt, a bachelor (okay a divorcee) now themselves. This chain reaction is a little like the domino effect setting off a chain reaction of a cell-damaging viscous circle. The most attention is focused on the oxygen-based free-radicals called oxy-radicals. It is these tiny molecules that are responsible for the free-radical damage we know as oxidative stress that contribute to degenerative diseases much in the same way they rust metal. We slow down this process by coating the metal with a protective covering, helping to prevent oxygen and moisture from doing its worst, by applying a primer and then a coat of paint we effectively extend the life of the metal. By protecting the metal from free-radials we can extend the life of the metal by many years. There are things we can do to protect and slow down our own deterioration. We can slow down our own rusting process, however most people choose a lifestyle that speeds up this process.
Having said all of this, not all free-radicals are all bad. We do need some free-radial activity to help fight infections from bacteria and viruses. These free-radical bachelors are also involved in the production of vital substances such as prostaglandins, hormone-like substances vital to many processes of the body. Our bodies also release free-radicals during energy production like periods of strenuous exercise, during prolonged periods of stress, excitement, anger or during an infection (fever or inflammation).
However, the majority of our oxidative damage in our body comes mostly from excess free-radicals found in our environment and the consumables we choose rather than those produced within our bodies as a natural by-product of our own metabolism. Air pollution, tobacco smoke, toxic waste, herbicides, pesticides, chemicals in cosmetics or cleaning products, preservatives, additives in processed foods and processed (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated) oils all form free-radicals. These hydrogenated fats and oils in most foods are really destructive, and aging. Then add these factors to too many negative thoughts and you have a recipe for accelerated aging and damage. So what can we do to protect ourselves from this destruction? What can we do to equip our bodies with the right tools to cope with all this mayhem?
Most of us have now heard of anti-oxidants. They prevent or slow down the damage caused by free-radicals. These days our environment places a tremendous strain on our bodies. However, we do have a choice over whether to consume anti-oxidants or free-radicals, directly speeding up or slowing down our aging process. We do have a choice to use products that have less chemicals, we do have a choice to consume foods that have less chemicals, we have a choice to have less toxic thoughts.Antioxidants act a bit like Kamikasi pilots in that they sacrifice themselves by donating one of their own electrons. Certain vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds are very effective anti-oxidants protecting us from rusting so to speak. Researchers are telling us over and over again how the lack of antioxidants are contributing to degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, eye problems, pain and needless suffering as we age, and more wrinkles than is necessary.
The goal is to look at health care as a method of promoting wellness rather than treating illness, these are two completely different things. Prevention is easier and less expensive than waiting to treat a disease. People often say to me in our clinic when discussing lifestyle changes, ‘I don’t want to live to 110’. I am not saying for one minute that making lifestyle changes will make you live for a very long time. It’s the quality of life that is so important and we owe it to ourselves to be as happy and as healthy as possible. Be positive and play an active role in your own health.
What does prevention mean to you? In conversations I have with people about their health, they tell me they are really healthy. So how does one define healthy? Is healthy merely an absence of a named disease? In other words your Doctor has not given you a label such as angina or diabetes, a named disease, so therefore you must be healthy. I hear things like – I have my annual check-ups and various tests every year and I am told I am 100% okay. What does this mean, “100% okay”?
I observe people who eat and drink all sorts of unhealthy foods and drinks, are not active, are often over weight and put up with many physical annoyances. Annoyances like aches and pains, headaches, migraines, blocked nose, painful digestive problems, asthma, insomnia, fatigue, various skin conditions, hypo-glycemia, and more. They would definitely consider themselves healthy. Many people I know consider taking conventional tests as their ‘preventative’ measure/medicine.
To me this is like ‘Russian roulette’. You are pulling the trigger until one day, bang! The tests, suddenly, come up with a ‘negative result’, you’ve taken the bullet! Just like that. Suddenly you have heart disease or diabetes or suddenly you have a thyroid that has stopped working properly. So why should you worry if your tests keep showing you are in the clear, that the barrel was empty this time? In truth you don’t just wake up one day with a thyroid problem or a heart disease problem. It has taken many, many years to develop. Few tests give you any indication of things in their very early stages, for instance a thyroid that is struggling. The tests will keep showing your thyroid is absolutely fine. Then when ‘broken’ so to speak you are told your thyroid is under-active and you need medication, what happened in the interim, the time leading up to this problem? Of course there are always exceptions, where a thyroid could have a problem overnight – for instance in a case of a car accident, where whip lash can dramatically affect the thyroid function.
It is true some cancers can be detected in their early stages of development, and that is wonderful. However, most research shows time and time again that a really healthy lifestyle can cut down our chances of suffering cancer in the first place. And that a typical lifestyle encourages the on-set of cancer. Here is one example – you may decide to take ‘hormone replacement estrogen’ and as a ‘preventative measure’ take an annual mammogram because artificial estrogen is known to increase your chances of breast cancer. Many people consider these mammograms, as their preventative measures! To me prevention is not even considering taking something that would encourage cancer in the first place but to find herbs, supplements and a change in lifestyle to minimize the natural transition and generally make you healthier in the long run improving your quality of life. Bear in mind that the menopause is natural even though the medical profession have declared it a disease. With that logic then puberty is also a disease! Eat, drink and be merry, after all the tests keep telling you that you are 100% okay. However you know (deep down) that the barrel has a bullet and eventually the gun will go off. Or maybe you think you can cheat that lifestyle of yours and not eventually pay the consequences. Many of the common diseases we are suffering in the developed Western world are preventable in a truly preventable sense, with some changes. Change your lifestyle now, don’t wait until it is serious (a negative test result), before you change things. Get healthy now. This book will show you how to slow down the aging process healthily. How to improve your health and improve your skin, no matter how old or young you are.
This is where alternative medicine differs from conventional medicine. We see things differently. Health is not just the absence of a disease, but a real state of wellbeing and vitality. We see all symptoms and signs as significant (no matter how small) as they all add up to reveal a picture about your state – which organs and systems are struggling, what deficiencies, and imbalance you might have.
I would like to make it clear it is important to have tests, but just because your tests reveal everything is okay, don’t be complacent. Remember chronic conditions take years to develop most often go undetected until it is well advanced, even with tests.
Scientific evidence backs up the idea that the type of diet we choose has a very deep and fundamental impact on the way we age. This has far deeper more reaching consequences than the genes we have inherited. We can’t choose our genes but we can choose our lifestyles. What does this mean? People tell me they have several close family members who are diabetic. So they have the idea that they have no say in their own destiny, that they too will eventually be diabetic. Yet I see them eat loads of refined carbohydrates – doughnuts, cookies, bread, pancakes, pasta, chocolate, sugary foods, sodas, coffees, with next to no fresh food what so ever. Their diet is so very lacking in enough vital nutrients, but full of foods that will speed up aging and encourage diabetes. Though this diet will not guarantee diabetes, it will certainly increase your chances of getting diabetes, regardless of our close family members. A self-fulfilling prophesy. You inherit genes but you also inherit habits. Born in Japan you might have acquired a taste for raw fish, born in America you might have acquired a taste for doughnuts. That is not genes but acquired taste and habits.
When we think of aging, we think of it involving some degree of physical and mental decline, however there are many people who maintain comparatively full physical and mental health throughout a very long life. A healthy life depends on many aspects; a person’s constitution, their family or society, their past lifestyle, whether they are lonely or fulfilled. Whether they smoke or drink too much. Diet plays a huge part in our physical and mental well-being, but it is not the only aspect we need to consider. Too much research has been done to ignore the facts – aging can be a very pleasant experience. It can be the best years of your life. There is a huge amount to look forward to.
I recently came across a 55 year old man in our clinic with mild diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor digestion, heartburn, over weight, but for him the biggest worry was that he had been refused further medical insurance (he was from the US) due to his state of health, the amount of surgery he’d already had and the large amounts of medication he was taking. The condition this man was in is pretty typical in our Western society. On the other hand there is a 64 year old who visits the clinic for acupuncture as part of his maintenance program (prevention), has none of these problems, is taking no medication what so ever, is not over weight and is extremely fit, still riding a bike for many miles up and down the mountains around here. I don’t except you to buy a mountain bike for one moment, I am just pointing out that anything is possible. You can choose your path.
We are all at great risk of not getting adequate nutrients due to refining and processing of food but even more so as we get older, due to the decline in our digestive function. Fewer calories are needed due to a reduction in general activity, and for some appetite declines, which may be in part due to changes in taste and smell. As we get older we can often lose our sense of thirst, so dehydration is more likely. Our digestive system starts to cause us a problem, having been so abused for years. The stomach slows down its production of digestive juices and enzymes this in turn affects absorption of vital nutrients. There is a big reduction in lactase (enzymes that breaks down lactose, milk sugar) production, which causes milk intolerance. Constipation is often a problem as we get older (especially for women), as more fiber is needed compared to our younger days. Medication can change the way food tastes, cause nausea or the way the bowel works. For some people having to eat alone can put us off bothering to cook and eat well. Smoking robs the body of large amounts of vital nutrients. Nutrients that are needed to repair joint ‘wear and tear’ or maintain healthy bones or even teeth, or good healthy skin, – the list is endless.
Are the scales screaming out “you are over weight” but you knew this before you got on the scales, because your ‘lower front’ was causing your ‘lower back’ a problem!
They are now telling you that menopause is a disease! What does that make puberty? That osteoporosis is only a matter of time. Prostrate cancer, no man gets away with it! That incontinence pads are now for life! And soon you will be battling with false teeth!
We need to look at the facts – a speedy decline is not inevitable. There is so much research that proves things can be different, that your life can be different. That your life can be so much better, you can be healthier, happier, slimmer, and more active and more attractive, late into your life.
Do not be brain-washed by the advertising companies, by the lure of all those addictive ingredients, sitting on the shelves that are aging you. Think positively, as it is never too early or too late to start an anti-aging program.
See the article on inflammation and anti-inflammation – To slow down degeneration and aging you need to understand this aspect.
Read MoreA good nights sleep can help ease arthritis suffering
Sleep can be a problem for many due to pain and anxiety. Somehow pain seems to get worse while we lie there in the early hours, trying not to focus on the pain. For others just lying down in bed seems to aggravate their problem. Some people just can’t switch off their brains. Recuperative sleep is essential to every aspect of our well-being in general. After a few nights of disturbed sleep, look at your face in the morning, can’t you just tell. Most adults need 6-8 hours of good quality sound sleep per night. Few people can stay looking good and function optimally with just a few hours on a regular basis, long term. Since we spend approximately 1/3 of our lives in bed it is important that this environment is as healthy as possible. That it is as conducive to sleep as possible. Keep the bedroom as dark and quiet as possible. Light and sound tends to activate our brains. If your curtains let in too much light change them or add a window blind underneath the curtains. Closing the blind and the curtains should certainly keep your room dark enough. Today our rooms are filled with televisions, DVD players, and radio alarm clocks all giving off substantial amounts of light.
Proper sleeping support is essential and is different for every person. Some people feel more comfortable and sleep better on a firm mattress and others with a softer one. Choose what feels best for you. Invest in a good mattress and get rid of your old one. While you are choosing your new bed get one bigger than you would have bought normally. It is so much more peaceful if you have plenty of room, especially if the person in the bed next to you is a bit restless. On the other hand you may have just bought a big new bed and still not find it as comfortable as you would have hoped, as often is the case. You can solve this problem by buying a ‘memory foam’ (this uses new technology) topper, they range from about 2 to 4 inches and are placed on top of your existing mattress. They really are wonderful. Some beds come with a built-in memory foam topper. If you can’t find one or can’t afford it, then try a thick puffy quilt on top of your mattress, especially if you have a firm mattress. Comfortable supportive pillows are also essential, particularly if you have neck and/or shoulder discomfort. If you sleep on your back a pillow that provides gentle neck support is ideal. If you sleep on your side it is important not to have the neck kinked left or right with a pillow that is too high or low. While sleeping on your side your upper knee should not touch the mattress, this puts stress and strain on the spine as it is twisted. A cushioned support between the knees can help prevent this twisting. Sleeping on your stomach is not a good idea as it twists your neck too much and can arch your lower back excessively. The best position for sleeping is on your back.
Your room should be the right temperature, with enough covers, so you feel neither too hot nor too cold. Some people find a bath (with or without essential oils) before they retire to bed helps them to sleep; for others it’s reading a book (maybe this one is sending you to sleep). Try relaxing essential oils in an oil burner. There are also sprays you can make with relaxing essential oils, that can be sprayed onto your pillow or that you can spray into the room just before you retire to bed. Do not use any stimulants such as tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate, alcohol, or cigarettes etc. If you consistently have difficulties sleeping well, you need to consider giving up stimulants altogether. Your room should be un-cluttered. Walls should be painted or wallpapered in smoothing calming colors, nothing stimulating or vibrant.
Make sure the bedroom is aired regularly by opening the window or better still sleep with the window open. Do not have radios or electrical clocks too near your head area, due to the electrical emissions that interfere with your own electrical circuits, known as electro-magnetic stress. One last thing, keep in-depth conversations out of the bedroom just before you go to sleep. Too much stimulating discussion just before you go to sleep can hinder your quality of sleep.
Grinding and disturbed sleep Your dentist can advise if you are grinding your teeth at night. Many people grind their teeth and have no idea. The dentist can detect wear and tear. This grinding can cause people to have jaw aches, headaches, neck aches or many times just have sore teeth and gums making them sensitive to everything you eat or drink. Having a mouth guard can eliminate this problem for some people. Get a mouth guard made especially to fit your teeth and mouth, so when you grind your teeth there is a cushioning to reduce the impact. With a guard especially fitted, it is extremely comfortable and will enhance your quality of sleep. Then there is the problem of too much anxiety causing poor quality of sleep and grinding. There are herbs and nutrients that can help you get a more peaceful night’s sleep.
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Good quality sleep is essential to reducing the signs of aging, reducing inflammation and pain of arthritis type conditions, to our overall health, vital to our healing processes in general, and coping with our every day lives. |
Good quality sleep really is a big deal. It is vital to our healing process and the production of our growth hormone also known as our ‘youth hormone’, along with other substances.
This hormone maintains –
muscle mass, healthy skin, vitality, bone density, improves memory, health of our organs, and much much more.
Our human growth hormone declines as we get older but we can greatly accelerate this process by the food and drink we choose to consume, and the life we choose to lead. However, there is a hormone that does increase as we age – Cortisol.
Read MoreYuca (Cassava) root can help arthritis
Sonia Jones ND from the Haven Spa and Health Clinic, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Locus eating yuca plant
I love 99.99% of fruits and vegetables, but this one is in the 00.01% for me. However, I do know a lot of people who really enjoy this vegetable, each to their own. It is a good source of B3 (helps to lower cholesterol), plus iron and calcium. Yuca is a root vegetable with a rough hard thick brown covering, a little like bark. The inside is hard, white and dense, it’s quite heavy. Similar to the potato in that it must be cooked before you eat it. It is quite a lot starchier than the potato and a tad sweeter.
This is not to be confused with the yucca plant – yuccas are widely grown as an ornamental plant in gardens or indoor house plants in cooler climates. Some will bear edible parts – like fruits, seeds, and flowers or stems , but not the edible roots we are talking about here. The yucca plant has long blade like leaves growing from a central point from the ground, similar in configuration as the aloe vera plant (but with softer leaves). The yucca plant is like a small tree, with three medium oval shape blades on each small stem.
The yuca root contains high levels of a phyto-compound, called saponins which acts as a natural steroid. When the compound is extracted from the yuca it makes a perfect natural soap or shampoo.
How do these compounds affect our health when we consume them? These saponins are similar to steroids. They help to reduce inflammation of the joints particularly and in the body in general. Yuca is often included in formulas for inflammatory conditions like arthritic and rheumatoid conditions. It has been reported that yuca has the ability to break up mineral and inorganic deposits. What does this mean? It helps to break down or prevent the built up of calcification of kidney stones, gall bladder stones or calcification of joints. And due to its anti-inflammatory properties it can also help conditions like an inflamed prostate. However, no one plant should be seen as the be all and end all – it should be consumed along with a whole host of other plants.
Yuca has a positive affect on encouraging the action of the ‘good guys’ the friendly intestinal bacteria, which in turn aids the proper digestion of food and prevents the ‘bad guys’ from flourishing. In research it has been shown that the high content of saponins in this plant when ingested stay in the intestines and act on the intestinal flora helping to regulate the balance, stimulating the friendly normal flora and inhibiting others.
In the US much research is being carried out on the use of saponins from the yuca on its use in sewage treatment plants to breakdown organic waste faster, also on farm and factory waste.
When we eat foods (beans and lentils) or herbs (alfalfa, fenugreek, garlic or tribulus) that are high in saponins they stimulate better absorption of vitamins and minerals and decrease the amount of toxins we absorb. This helps to put less of a strain on our already over worked detoxification organs. So with more nutrients absorbed, an increased action of anti-inflammation, improved immune system, better functioning organs – conditions like arthritis and other degenerative diseases improve. The saponins provide a more alkaline environment (most people’s systems are too acidic these days) aiding the digestive tract improving digestion, reducing incomplete digestion and decomposition in the colon which causes unpleasant smelling gases.
The common potato has the opposite effect to yuca, the potato is part of the Solanaceae family, and contains plant compounds that encourages pain and inflammation, another main member of this infamous family is the tomato! Many people have found their aches and pains have improved by eliminating tomatoes, a long with eating healthier. The other attribute yuca has, is its rich source of absorb-able manganese, this helps in the process of repairing joints. Researchers have looked closely at this plants action and its affect on joints and cartilage, the amazing steroid like saponins strengthen the bowel flora of the intestines, breaking down organic body wastes like uric acid (which causes pain) and cleansing mineral deposits that might exist in the joints.
Native Americans used the soapy leaves from yuca for numerous conditions. Poultices or baths were used for skin sores and other diseases as well as for sprains. Certainly used in all sorts of inflammatory conditions.
Other uses – it acts as an astringent so will help to reduce bleeding. Some people find it extremely helpful as a mild laxative, encouraging bowel movements.
How to use yuca? Any recipe that calls for potatoes you can be substituted with yucca, just needs more cooking. First, peel of the rough brown skin, cut open and remove the hard core.
Boquete Bash
2lbs fresh yuca
Milk or you can use rice or soy milk
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
½ cup of chopped cilantro
A squeeze of lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
A little extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (optional)
Peel the yuca, cut into thick chunks. Cooking time is longer than for potatoes – cover with water and boil until soft. Drain completely (save the boiled water for soups etc) and add milk, garlic, cilantro, the squeeze of lemon, oil (optional), pepper, and salt. Mash and combine all the ingredients, add more milk if you need to, and serve with your favorite meat stew.
Read MoreNatural substances, in natural foods can increase arthritis suffering.
Sonia Jones ND from the Haven Spa and Health Clinic, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
We all know the saying there are always exceptions that prove the rule. Here we discuss the general rule that all natural foods are good for you, but there are exceptions to this rule, that might surprise you.
Some natural foods contain compounds that hinder your health. For instance – oxalic acid is found in rhubarb, spinach, parsley, strawberries, cranberries, beets, and Swiss chard. Oxalic acid binds with minerals like calcium, iron and zinc in the digestive tract hindering their absorption. If you are prone to kidney stones I suggest you avoid the above foods, as kidney stones are often made up of oxalates, coming mainly from the diet.
Phytic acid also hinders absorption of minerals, it is especially high in wheat. Grains like brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, and oats are much better for you. Wheat bran would be super high in phytic acid and causes a mineral deficiency. So remove one grain from your diet and add five more grains.
Sulphur rich foods cause some people digestive problems like wind and discomfort or even pain, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, and onions. If your digestive system blows up with these foods, never eat them raw, cook them with seeds like dill, caraway, fennel these seeds help the digestive system to cope better. Sulphur is an important part of our body’s make-up and has long been used as part of a healing program for arthritis. Sulphur has been prized since ancient times for healing throughout history by bathing in sulphur springs – often recommended for rheumatic or skin problems, high blood pressure, neuralgia or digestive disorders and so much more. So if you have problem with its digestion, no problem. There is an answer, soak your feet in Epsom salts (sal de Epsom) it is magnesium sulphate and the feet (being highly absorbent) will allow the body to soak up what it needs, by-passing your digestive system.
The deadly nightshade family they contain traces of a poison known as Solanaceae. The foods most people eat that are from this family are tomatoes, potatoes, aubergine or also known as eggplant, and any colour peppers. The alkaloids in these vegetables can and do acidify the blood. Alkaloids have been known to subtly remove calcium from the bones and deposit it in soft tissue and for some it a contributory factor to kidney stones, osteoporosis, arthritis, aches and pains in general etc.
Then there are foods that contain goitrogens, these compounds block the body from using iodine, this could negatively affect the thyroid function, if the function is already weak. Found in foods like soy and products made from soy, mustard, and cabbage. If you suspect your thyroid is struggling – cut down on soy products. The little you might have in the way of mustard is not worth worrying about.
Tannins also hinders the absorption of minerals like iron, calcium etc. Where would you find substantial amounts of tannins? Substantial amounts are found in black tea. If you are going to drink black tea – then cut down the amount you have and don’t drink tea with your meal.
So what does this all mean? If you have a problem like osteoporosis, you should think about the amount of foods mentioned above that you are consuming. Give your body the best chance possible to absorb and utilize minerals. So if you are eating loads of wheat and wheat bran consider cutting down or giving up wheat altogether and add the other grains to your diet. If you suspect you have a thyroid problem avoid all soy and soy products. If you are someone who is full of aches and pain, it would be worth asking yourself if you eating too many foods from the dead nightshade family? If you have a propensity to form kidney stones you need to write down everything you eat, to see if you are eating too many of the above mentioned foods.
If you don’t have any of the above problems, just make sure you are not eating these foods too often, moderate the amount you eat by varying your diet with other natural foods. One of our biggest problems these days is that most people in reality eat few foods, when you think of the various foods there are to choose from these days. There are no longer seasons in the supermarkets, generally foods are available all year round. Some people consider that pasta one day, pizza the next, and a cheese and tomato sandwich is eating a variety of foods. When in reality they are all variants of wheat, tomato and cheese.
The key – eat more variety of natural foods, eat the above mentioned foods less often. Many people have said to me in the past if they cut down or remove these foods from their diet they will have nothing left to eat!! This is the point – their diet has become very limited. There’s a whole world of food out there, a vast variety – for instance most people eat one or maybe two grains, when in fact there are loads of grains to choose from. We know from statistics that most people eat very few fruit and vegetables except potatoes and tomatoes, yet there is an exciting variety of fruit and vegetable to choose from.
Read MoreArthritis sufferers strategies for sleeping better
Is is so depressing not being able to sleep properly for anyone, but much much worse if your pain is preventing you from sleep properly. Many arthritis sufferers send hours lying awake at night and its hard not to focus on the pain. How much worse everything looks and feels when you are tired and in many cases exhausted. Lets look at all strategies that can help you get a better night’s sleep. I doubt one thing will make much difference, but take a collection of strategies (not necessarily every one) and I guarantee you a better quality of sleep.
1) All stimulants should go from your diet completely even for breakfast, get into the habit of taking herbal teas, you will soon find one you like.
2) Essential oils can really help a
a) use relaxing essential in a oil warmer in your bedroom – use lavender essential oil
b) take a bath in the evening with 8 drops of essential oils – lavender 4 drops, basil 3 drops, and clove 1 drop, stay in the bath and soak away the day for at least 20 minutes to allow the therapeutic oils to take effect.
3) Is your mattress comfortable – today various mattresses are available – like pillow top or memory foam, feels like you are sleeping on a cloud almost. They will alleviate pressure points. What if you can’t afford a new bed?
a) Memory tops are available separately – you just place it on the top of your existing mattress. They come in various thicknesses.
b) Can’t afford a memory form topper – buy a piece of ordinary foam 2 to 3 inches thick to fit your mattress that will help.
c) Do you have any quilts you are not using – if a) and b) are not possible then sleep on a quilt, it is better than nothing.
4) If your partners snores this is a problem to the quality of your sleep.
a) gets some ear plugs
b) get them help
c) they say sewing a hard object into the back of a top they sleep in will help, as it prevents them from sleeping on their back? I have not needed to put this to the test.
5) Having curtains that truly black out the light helps a lot. Either add a blind behind the curtains or add much thicker lining or change them.
6) If you sleep in a noisy area – have a double grazed window fitted or a secondary glazing is cheaper and really cuts out the noise.
7) Keep all the electrical items as far away as possible – clocks, radios, TV, DVD etc
8) Avoid all DVDs or films that contain chases, danger, speed, murder, or violence for an hour before you go to bed. In the last hour wind down – also no heated discussions last thing at night. Instead watch comedies or read a book – preferably a boring book.
9) Don’t eat late at night – eat as early as you can 6 or 7 would be good, I know this is not always possible. Don’t eat too much at night.
10) Avoid drinking alcohol on a regular basis in the evening. At first you will feel tired and then later the brain gets a burst of energy.
11) Avoid exercise in the evening.
12) Don’t skip meals during the day – keep your blood sugar levels even throughout the day by eating regularly.
13) Try (easier said than done) to resolve unresolved issues that day, try not to leave then for the next day or the next week.
14) Avoid foods that are stimulants like sugar and all foods and drinks that have sugar in them like sodas. Besides they are acid forming and will increase inflammation and pain.
15) If you work from home there is a great temptation to continue working until late never giving your brain a chance to switch off. Take a couple of hour off before you go to bed.
16) Herbs that help – passiflora, and valerian – follow the instructions on the packaging.
17) If you take a B complex or any B vitamin only take them in the morning – they can be energizing.
18) Take magnesium 400mg to 500mg – helps encourage repair, relaxes the brain, and eases muscles tension and a whole lot more.
19) If you are taking ginsing, stop taking it. It is a energizing tonic.
20) Foods that help the brain relax due to tryptophan when these foods are ingested they are used by the brain (so to speak). The brain turns tryptophan into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that controls our feelings such as depression, it encourages sleep, and enhances our mood.
Bananas
Beans
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Fish
Hazelnuts
Lentils
Meat Nuts
Brown Rice
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Shellfish
Sunflower Seeds
Tofu
Tuna
Turkey
Yogurt
Read MoreWhat is the difference between Pilates or Yoga?
Both Pilates and Yoga will help manage the various forms of arthritis, Pilates or Yoga.
Pilates and Yoga are similar and at the same time very different, like Pilates from the West and Yoga from the East.
Yoga is centuries old, its roots are in Eastern philosophy, and ancient healing with almost meditative states of exercise. It about harmony, peace, at one the whole body, mind and soul.
Pilates is the young upstart from the West, designed by German born Joseph Pilates. It’s an exercise method that is all about physical conditioning of honing and toning.
Both Pilates and Yoga emphasis correct breathing, control and physical strength, and balance.
Both Pilates and Yoga require physical and mental concentration to get the pose or position correct.
Do do Pilates or Yoga, you don’t need special equipment to do the routines and poses.
However, Pilates workout can be enhanced with equipment.
Yoga does make you more flexible physically, the emphasis is on the mind.
Pilates does work the mind, but the emphasis is on the body, building strength and flexibility.
Yoga holds a pose and in so doing it dispenses stagnant energy and helps to get your chi flowing again. Tension in the body eases as you center your mind and condition your body.
In a nut shell Yoga emphasizes on feeling good and then looking good
Pilates emphasizes looking good and then feeling good
Still can’t make up your mind – no problem there are now YogaPilates classes so you have the best of both worlds.
Read MoreArthritis & Pain Program at The Haven
