To Your Health

Arthritis

Bayside Natural Health March 07, 2014

Arthritis

· Emphasize raw fruits and vegetables for a diet low in protein and calories and rich in the nutrients needed for re-building.

· Limit protein consumption to plant sources such as legumes and potatoes. An overload of protein, especially animal protein, causes painful uric acid deposits in the joints.

· Consume large amounts of dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, as they maintain and build cartilage.

· Silica as found in alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, and cabbage, helps alleviate arthritis.

· Include good amounts of cold pressed oils such as flaxseed, pumpkin seed, and walnut oil, as these oil lubricate joints and help generate and deposit bone material.

· Until you are healed, avoid vegetables from the nightshade family. These would include green peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and tomatoes.

· The most beneficial vegetables for arthritis are kale, watercress, celery, garlic, comfrey, and endive; the most beneficial fruits are bananas, sour cherries, pineapples, and sour apples.

· Turmeric is very useful for relieving arthritis pain.

· Consume foods high in essential fatty acids such as flaxseed and flaxseed oil, as they have an anti-inflammatory effect. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower also have anti-inflammatory properties.

· Raw pineapple, whether whole or juiced, has an enzyme called bromelain, which has been shown to reduce inflammation.

· Eat lots of fibre in the form of raw vegetables and whole grains. It will sweep away mineral and acid build-up and keep your digestive system free of harmful bacteria.

· Foods high in sulphur will help repair cartilage and bone. Try eating some asparagus, cabbage, garlic, or onion every day.

· Drink a glass of clean water every two waking hours to keep cartilage lubricated. Dehydration has been linked to arthritis pain.

· Avoid acid forming foods such as red meat, eggs, saturated fats, oils, fried foods, sugar, dairy products, refined carbohydrates, foods high in gluten (such as breads, pasta, and pastries), alcohol, and caffeine.

· A vegetable juice or water fast is helpful to reduce joint pain. Lemon and grapefruit juices are especially supportive of an arthritis fast. Mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey into a glass of clean water, and drink it every day of your fast. This concoction will help alkalinize your body.

· Green drinks are excellent for detoxification.

· Exercise is very important for improving your health. Go for walks daily in the sunshine to get your vitamin D which is crucial to bone health.

· Foods containing the amino acid, histidine, include wheat, rye, and rice. Histidine helps remove metals, and many arthritics have high levels of copper and iron in their bodies.

· Eat high amounts of beta-carotene rich foods.

· Control weight, as excess weight increases strain on the joints.

· Hot packs applied to stiff joints tend to decrease morning stiffness. Cold gel packs on inflamed joints relieve pain.

Note: Ounce for ounce, kale contains more calcium than milk, and the calcium is more absorbable by the body. Calcium from kale is easily assimilated, making it a wonder food to protect against arthritis.