Arthritis is an inflammation of the connective tissue in the joints. Pain is not the disease itself. It is the result of a long standing nutritional imbalance.
Our modern, improper diets and stresses encourage the formation of toxins in the digestive tract.
At one time teeth, tonsils and appendix were removed because they were thought to be the source of toxins that caused arthritis. However, when arthritics still had their pains and misery after the removal of these supposed offenders, this procedure was abandoned.
As the disease progresses, the involved joints are moved less and less because of the pain. Consequently the surrounding muscles begin to atrophy, resulting in crippling.
While not a fatal disease, arthritis causes the greatest number of disabilities.
Many types of therapy have been tried to cure arthritis. It is admitted though that a cure has not yet been found.
Any factor that adds to the state of health may be considered as helpful.
Be optimistic, be patient and persistent. A pessimistic attitude upsets the whole glandular system, causing functional imbalance.
If you feel stiffness coming on, breathe fast and deep for five minutes.
Walking is good if particular attention is paid to posture and breathing. Briskness and duration depends upon the endurance of the individual. Walk should be stopped at a point just short of fatigue.
Take care of your feet. Ill – fitting shoes can cause joint pain.
Correctly applied massage helps to maintain the tone and circulation in the muscles, the activity of which is inhibited by pain. The greatest drawback to massage therapy is the tendency to overdo it. Too much or prolonged massage can be harmful
While under a hot shower (as hot as can be borne) massage all the area near the aching joint.
Soak the feet in hot Epsom salts water. Then massage every part of the feet especially the soles.
Also filmy massage the hands, paying particular attention the palms.
A bath (soak) in hot Epsom salts water will help to alleviate the pain.
Spinal alignment is also helpful
Exercise daily. Exercise increases the range of motion in the affected joint, strengthens the muscles moving the joint prevents deformity.
Arthritics should rest often. Rest does not consist merely of cessation form physical and mental labours. Relaxing the muscles is resting. Five minutes of relaxation out of every hour can minimize pain.
Exercise, rest, relaxation, proper food, vitamin and mineral therapy and B-12 injections will go a long way to reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis.
Since arthritis is a condition of the joints where the bones or cartilage are either eroded or roughened by calcium deposits, they may be an insufficient supply of phosphorus to maintain a calcium balance. Calcium would then be precipitated into the joints or tissues. Almost any deficiency will depress the metabolism of calcium.
It has been found that arthritics have oil deficiencies. Any good vegetable oil is good to add to the die. Cod liver oil is especially recommended.
Natural vitamins and minerals are always more effective than the synthetic kind. Molasses provided the much needed iron. There is a sulphur deficiency in the cartilage of joints of arthritics. Sulphur is found in amino acids.
Fruit and vegetable juices have eased joint pains, especially raw carrot juice. Celery is recommended as a preventive of arthritis. It is dyad that if celery is cooked and eaten freely with a little milk, the excess acids in the system would be neutralized and arthritis would be impossible. Parsley is also recommended. Pour one quart of boiling water over one cup of parsley (firmly packed) , both leaves and stems. Steep fifteen minutes. One small glassful daily is said to be helpful. Excellent result has been reported in the use of garlic; also uncooked proteins, such as are found in sesame and sunflower seeds and reheat germ, are recommended.
The arthritic has need of an abundance of pantothenic acid, B-6 and manganese. These are removed from wheat in the milling of flour.
In an animal experiment, one group which was fed cooked foods, including pasteurized milk, developed joint stiffness in the other group, given the same diet except the raw chard leaves were added, all joint stiffness disappeared.
The best dietetic therapy includes alfalfa, desiccated liver, brewer’s yeast, bone meal, fish-liver oil, lecithin, sesame and sunflower, seeds, B-12, parsley, garlic and molasses.
Refrain from eating white sugar, white flour, saturated fats and pastries.
The following recipe is said to be helpful. Put a whole lemon peel, pulp, and seeds, in a blender with water and honey. Drink this half an hour before eating breakfast or on an empty stomach. Some have used apple cider vinegar and honey, two teaspoonfuls of each in a glass of water before meals.
Some herbs or formulas are helpful. The following are recommended:
Cayenne (amount, size of a pea) in a glass of milk; or a No. capsule filled with the cayenne may be used. Take the capsule with a glass of milk also.
Comfrey has been given to arthritics with amazing results. It may be used as a tea or eaten raw in salads.
I have used rosemary leaves with excellent results. Drink hot every morning and night.
The Mexican yam has been discovered by modern scientist. The tuber is the source of dysgenic, which yields cortisone and other hormones and steroids used in treating rheumatic diseases.
Willow bark tea has been used by African natives for generations to relieve the pain of rheumatism. The willow bark contains silicon, a pain- killing drug.
The medication most often prescribed today for arthritis is aspirin. Salicylic acid is one of the ingredients of aspire. Wintergreen leaves contain an abundance of salicylic acid. Wintergreen may be prescribed as taken as the oil of the wintergreen. However, care should be taken as to the amount to be taken. Three or four drops in a glass of water or on a half teaspoonful of sugar is sufficient for a dose. This may be taken three or four times day, not more than every three or four hours.
Arthritis is one of the affections of man that requires a good house-cleaning. A daily fast once week for several weeks is good. Drink copious of pure water and /or fruit juices during the fast. One kind of juice only to be used during a day. Juice may be diluted.
A few herbal formulas which are recommended for arthritis are:
Poke root, one ounce; prickly ash Bark, one ounce; Black Cososh, half ounce; and Burdock Root, one ounce.
Virginia snake root, prickly ash bark, burdock root, yarrow and wintergreen leave.
Wahoo bark, rocky mountain grape root, black cochosh and wintergreen leaves.
