Some Alternative Remedies For Rheumatoid Arthritis

If there was a way to cut down on our medications for rheumatoid arthritis it would certainly be worth a try. Well there are several natural ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis that can have a beneficial effect. If they work for you you may be able to cut down on your prescription medication. Remember to check with your doctor before you do though.

 

Natural remedies can include food, vitamins, herbs, and lifestyle changes. The best foods you can eat when combating the pain of rheumatoid arthritis are fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates and lean protein, such as chicken and fish. Supplements to take are Omega 3 fatty acids (preferably Krill oil) and a good mutivtamin to ensure there are no nutritional gaps in your diet.

To obtain temporary relief from pain, try bathing or soaking in warm water. The hot water helps to relaxing your muscles and joints. Relax in the water for 15-20 minutes, which allows the warmth to penetrate sore muscles and joints. However be careful if there is inflammation present as the heat may cause this to flare up,

Electrical stimulation machines or T.E.N.S can be a great natural treatment for arthritis, but check with your doctor before using one. These machines are used by physios to treat sports injuries, but you can buy your own personal model to use at home for around $200-$500. The electrical current emitted from the machine blocks pain signals in the brain.

When looking at supplements, there are a few that seem to work well with rheumatoid arthritis. Devil’s Claw is an effective remedy to reduce the inflammation of joint tissues as well as removing uric acid.

Valerian is a known herbal sedative which is also useful for pain relief. People who have liver conditions, however, should avoid valerian.

White willow bark is a very old pain remedy. It contains salicin which is the origin of the drug we now know of as aspirin.

Finally there are two enzymes which help keep away inflammation. Bromelain which is found in pineapple and Papain found in Pawpaw are very effective when taken in between meals. They are almost completely free from known side effects.

Latest Rheumatoid Arthritis News 2012 - Xeljanz

Here is some arthritis news for late 2012. Seeing this is the end of this year, we'll probably have the next update in 2013.

Earlier this month, the FDA approve the drug Xeljanz (where do they get these names?) mainly to treat those patients who do not respond to, or who can't take methotrexate, which is from the family of DMARD medication.

Xeljanz or tofacitinib. which is available on prescription, target patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Ir works by blocking molecules called Janus Kinases which cause inflammation of the joints.

Apparently there have been a few clinical trial that have established the safety of Xeljanz. Still, with these new drugs, there is no history to draw on. I think I'd rather wait until it has been in use for some time and the long term effects come out of the woodwork!

I guess it can't be too much worse than methotrexate (one of the side effects of which is death!), but if you need to obtain it, write it down on a peice of paper so you don't actually have to pronounce it!

NZ Green Lipped Mussel For Inflammation and Joint Repair

The New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel (Perna Canaliculus) is a small crustacean living in the waters of New Zealand, that has an anti inflammatory effect on the body. Although mussels are available elsewhere, this particular green lipped mussel from New Zealand is considered the highest quality and is used for making supplements available in health food stores worldwide.

 

Of course the anti inflammatory effects of the green lipped mussel can be extremely helpful for those suffering from rheumatoid athritis. In fact some people have found them so beneficial. they have cut down, or even cut out their medication. (Don't do this without your doctor's approval!)

 

Along with essentail fatty acids found in most seafoods, the green lipped mussel aslo contains

glycosaminoglycan, which is a polysaccharide claimed to be effective at repairing damaged joint tissues. This can be of huge benefit to RA sufferers who have already experienced some type of joint deformity.

Are Natural Snoring Remedies Any Good?

Natural remedies for snoring DO work, but first it may be a good idea to look at some of the reasons why you snore. Do you sleep on your back? Do you breathe through your mouth? Both these are significant causes for snoring.

You can also reduce your snoring significantly by quitting smoking. Even if you can't give up the habit, cut it down by avoiding tobacco during the hours leading up to bedtime.

Exercise helps prevent snoring by regulating the way that you breathe. Exercise is important in keeping your respiratory system in tip top shape, but it is also a great way to relieve stress. more stress means more difficulty breathing and thus, a higher chance of snoring.

Dry air in the bedroom will dry out your nose and mouth. If your nasal passages are dry, they're likely to become stuffed up which can result in snoring. Leave a window open if you can, or even better, use a humidifier that will moisten the air making your breathing more comfortable.

In my opinion, the best natural remedies for snoring are snoring throat exercises that tone up the throat tissues preventing them from collapsing and vibrating during sleep.

Getting the Sleep We Need Every Night

The vast majority of us will experience sleep disorders at some time in our lives. Common causes of sleep disorders include stress, certain medications, circadian rhythm disorders or simply too much coffee! Insomnia can be temporary or become chronic if it's not dealt with in a timely fashion, so let's examine the above common causes of sleep disorders so we can eliminate them.

The easiest way to getrid of insomnia would be to restrict your caffeine intake coffee. Simply cut out coffee completely after lunch. This means tea and cola drinks as well because they contain a significant amount of caffeine.

Look at the medications you are currently taking, both prescription and over the counter. One or more of these may be causing your inability to sleep well. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist or doctor and see if there's another medication you can change over to which won't cause sleep disorders.

Circadian rhythm disorders is a scary name for a disruption in your 24 hour body clock. You may feel sleepy during the day and wide awake come bedtime. This can be fixed with bright light therapy or sleep restriction therapy.

Probably the worst of the common causes of sleep disorders is stress. How you deal with stress is a personal matter and can range from relaxation exercises to hypnosis or meditation. However you do it it is important to reduce the stress in your life to be able to sleep well again.

Undertanding the Effects of Sleep Deprivation Symptoms

The Physical and Psychological Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Anxiety and uncertainty are becoming more common in our ever busy lives. This is creating stress which impacts our ability to sleep. All too often we find ourselves suffering with the effects of sleep deprivation which can have devastating consequences.

Lack of sleep affects both our physical and mental health and both can seriously impact our well being. Psychological effects of sleep deprivation can be anxiety, stress anger and depression and these in turn can have a negative effect on our sleep, creating a vicious cycle.

Physical effects of sleep deprivation may include tiredness, inability to concentrate and can even depress the immune system. This can leave us susceptible to attack from illnesses such as the flu.

There are many ways we can reduce the effects of sleep deprivation, depending what is causing it. If we are purposely staying awake longer, so that we can cram a few more hours into our day, perhaps we could manage our time more efficiently in order to fit in some more sleep. The effects of sleep deprivation are deadly and we should make getting enough sleep a priority in our lives.

Using A Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet Plan To Relieve Symptoms

When looking for natural ways to ease arthritis discomfort, many people are wondering if there really are rheumatoid arthritis foods that work to control pain and inflammation. Does what we eat from day to day really affect how our bodies respond to pain? Surprisingly the answer is yes, most times it actually can. So what should we be eating or, more importantly, not eating?

First there are foods that are good to include in your diet for rheumatoid arthritis. These foods are anti-inflammatory and therefore should have a calming effect on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Fish is one of the foods that can decrease inflammation as it contain Omega 3 fatty acid. However fish, these days may be contaminated by mercury and is not everybody's favorite food. However it is perfectly fine to use Omega 3 supplements instead. Make sure these are screened for mercury and are from a quality source.

 

What foods should you avoid in your diet for rheumatoid arthritis? The easy way to avoid foods that cause inflammation is not to eat anything that comes out of a cardboard box. Also cut out bakery produce such as pies, cakes and biscuits as these contain sugar, vegetable oil and trans-fats which are inflammatory foods. Stick to creating your own meals with fresh ingredients. When it comes to your health and well-being, there is always enough time to do this.

Holistic Health - What is it and Why Do We Need It?

Healthy diet

A healthy lifestyle and nutritious diet are the best weapons we have to combat disease and premature aging. It has been said we dig our graves with out teeth and this is so true. Even though it may be time consuming, the best idea is to cook our foods from scratch. Then at least we know what we are putting in our bodies and we aren't poisoning ourselves with denatured ingredients like white flour or dangerous ingredients like chemical additives, trans fats and sugar.

If you're overweight and relish the idea of counting calories, then don't. Simply cutting out carbohydrates two days a week and eating sensibly for the rest of the week will get rid of excess flab. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour,  wheat pasta, most breakfast cereals and processed foods probably shouldn't be eaten at all. Potatoes can be consumed in moderation and whole grain products such as brown rice are okay most days. Vegetables and fruits are wonderful foods, but if you watching your weight, keep the fruit down to two pieces a day. Legumes can be substituted for meat, chicken and fish for variety.

If we go back twenty years, this type of diet would probably keep us healthy. Unfortunately, today, foods are grown in poor, nutrient starved soils with chemical fertilizers which means they don't contain the nutrition they once did. Cattle are fed grain instead of grass, fish contains ever increasing amounts of mercury and even chicken s are fed hormones in some countries.

To stay healthy today we need supplements to create health and protect us from disease. A good multivitamin should be on everyone's list. Omega three (found in oily fish or capsules) is beneficial for both body and mind. Other supplements can be added according to an individual's needs.

While this may sound time consuming and expensive, consider the cost of prescription medications for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. A good diet, sufficient exercise and the right supplements could keep these diseases at bay while giving us good health, energy and a long life. Which will you choose?