Natural Remedies Explored - Joint Problems

Would you believe doctor's recommend a good diet and exercise. Seems to be a recurrent theme with all our ailments! Be careful with the exercise though, jogging for example can jar the knees and hips. Most gyms have low impact cardio equipment such as bikes and cross-trainers. So, if you think pounding the tread mill is doing more harm than good, get on your bike!

Rheumatoid arthritis has been linked to food allergy or intolerance. If you suspect this is the cause of your condition then you need to follow an exclusion diet to pinpoint the allergen(s). Your GP should be able to give advice on this and there are medical sites, which will help. The usual suspects are wheat and dairy products, but there are others, such as soya and citrus fruits.

A word of warning though on reading articles and accepting their advice about which foods you should exclude from your diet. For example the nightshade family of foods: potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine and peppers are often quoted. By all means experiment and see if your symptoms improve by eliminating them for a short period, but it seems extreme to remove foods supplying important nutrients, without knowing for sure they are a problem for you. It also seems an irony to suggest removing peppers, given cayenne pepper is often recommended as an aid to reducing inflammation in joint conditions.

Green lipped mussels, fish oils and Evening Primrose oil are widely recommended for their anti-inflammatory properties, and apparently pomegranate can ease arthritic pain. Also try the following herbs for the same reasons:

• cat's claw




• devil's claw




• nettle




• bromelain




• boswellia




• willow bark extract




• ginkgo and garlic

Ginger and turmeric are also recommended, but my understanding is that an awful lot of both need to be consumed to be effective, which makes it impractical unless you buy concentrated capsules. Curcumin is the ingredient in turmeric, which is useful in this and other conditions.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are touted everywhere as cures for arthritis, but the current scientific evidence does not support the claims, although some small, and so not scientifically reliable, studies have shown the latter two salts, in sulphate form, may help where the condition is not too advanced or serious.

Gout - Is caused by the body not metabolizing uric acid and is a form of arthritis. Anyone suffering should avoid aspirin, as it causes retention of uric acid.

Eating 8 oz of fresh or tinned cherries a day can help reduce uric acid levels in the blood. Drinking plenty of fluids, up to 8 glasses of water per day, and eating plenty of fresh fruit and green leafy veg will also aid the excretion of uric acid. Omega-3 fatty acids, from flaxseed oil for example, will give some relief for swollen painful joints and doctor's recommend avoiding high purine foods such as: poultry, fish and pulses.

Alternative medicine also suggests the use of leeks, cat's claw, devil's claw, nettle, bromelain and celery for their anti-inflammatory properties.

I have a keen interest in using natural remedies and have had years of experience in using herbs and homeopathy.

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