Arthritis and vegan remedies / painkillers

[Marie]

Hi!
I'm looking for natural ways to reduce the development of psoriasis arthritis (in addition to eating vegan). I have already done some research on my own and with my boyfriend, but I wonder if there are others in here that have some good advice to share?
Thanks in advance!
Marie

[ridgerunner]

Yes there is real help for those suffering with all forms of Arthritis (osteo, rheumatoid and psoriatic). I highly recommend reading the book: "Fasting and Eating for Health: A Medical Doctor’s Program for Conquering Disease", by Joel Fuhrman M.D. (http://www.drfuhrman.com/) (1995). In this well researched and thoroughly documented book, he describes the dietary causes of many common chronic illnesses which include autoimmune diseases such as arthritis (he's got a whole chapter dedicated to this). In a nutshell, by removing the causes of disease (excessive low nutrient foods = toxins) and eating a nutrient dense diet of (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts) the body is naturally able to fix itself without the use of medications. In the case of some tricky/stubborn diseases (arthritis, migraines, asthma, lupus, etc), a medically supervised water only fast is sometimes required followed by a careful reintroduction of suspect food triggers. Here is an excellent article on his web site covering the topic of Arthritis: Preventing and Reversing Arthritis (http://www.drfuhrman.com/disease/arthritis.aspx)

I also highly recommend his more recent book: "Eat to Live". There is an excellent review of this book here (http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/fuhrman_eat_review.htm) over at VegSource.com (pay particular attention to the testimonials at the bottom from the likes of John Robbins, Howard Lyman, T. Colin Campbell, etc.) Dr Fuhrman is my hero!

Let me know if you find this information helpful - ridgerunner

[Marie]

Hi again.
Thanks for your reply. I'm going to order the book you recommended "Fasting and eating for health" and hope to find something there which I haven't tried- Marie

[Gorilla]

The Argus, 1st December 2004.

The veggie food that can mend your bones

by Jessica Mangold

It has been favoured as a meat substitute by vegetarians for decades, but tofu has now emerged as the latest alternative for mending broken bones and damaged tissue.

Researchers from the University of Brighton uncovered the hidden properties of soya bean curd after reheating slices of the food and discovering its use in dental and reconstructive surgery.
Senior lecturer Matteo Santin said: "We cut tofu into slices and warmed it up to eliminate all the water.

"We ended up with a type of plastic and found this material sucks in water and bodily fluids, like blood, and becomes very elastic. It acts as a physical support for new tissue to grow in the body but also stimulates cells inside the bone to grow relatively quickly."

Teams from the university's school of pharmacy and biomolecular sciences in Lewes Road, Brighton, have received £149,000 toward their research from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta).

The money will be used to carry out tests on the tofu-based biomaterial, with the help of specialist medical staff to develop its use for surgical procedures. Dr Santin's research into biomaterials first got underway in 1991, after increasing frustration at the obstacles presented by existing materials for regenerating tissue.

Most are derived from animals and carry high costs and the risk of transmitting disease.
But tofu remains a cheaper alternative and experts first stumbled upon it when they witnessed the low rates of osteoporosis among people who eat a lot of the product.

Dr Santin, 41, said: "This new material is a completely natural product, which degrades in the body without causing any adverse affects. It is less expensive than the products currently available on the market, which provide a physical support for damaged tissue in the body but do not stimulate growth in the bone. The cost of the products on the market limits the number of people who can have access to this type of surgery but we are hoping to have this new treatment widely available in the next three years."

Nesta director Mark White said: "Cheap and simple to manufacture, the tofu-based biomaterial is the first to integrate quickly with a patient's own tissues and encourage re-growth of the surrounding tissue. We are confident Matteo and his team will be able to progress the material to a real commercial opportunity."

[snaffler]

Fight/prevent many common cancers and , Tofu helps lower the amount of unhealthy LDL cholesterol in the blood, which lowers blood pressure and will protect you from a heart-induced seizure the next time someone pushes in front of you at the supermarket.

[Andie]

Does anyone know some good alternative remedies for arthritis. My sister had been taking viox before it was taken off the market?
Thanks

[Mystic]

CHERRIES - it fixed everything for me

[SilverBird]

Glucosamine and MSM are worth a try. They help maintain the cartilage, tendons and ligaments. An affordable vegan glucosamine is now available from Zipvit (http://www.zipvit.co.uk). Chondroitin is also helpful but unfortunately is not an option for vegans. Glucosamine and chondroitin work best when taken together in the ratio 500/400 but, again, not an option for vegans. I'm mentioning this because you didn't say if your sister was a vegan. Glucosamine, chondroitin and msm are all found naturally in the human body.

A neighbour finds devil's claw and ginger helps her rheumatoid arthritis and has also started taking glucosamine, chondroitin and msm. She is recovering from some nasty side-effects after taking vioxx.

The anti-oxidant benefits of green tea may also help.

[Marie]

I use glucosamine which I do think workes for me, beside ginger, omega 3 and vitamin C. At least those times I tried to take a brake the pain gets worse.

[Marie]

Andie, I'm reading a book " Pain-Free Arthritis" by Harris H. McIlwain, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, Ph.D. It contains a Program for feeling better and how to eliminate arthritis pain through exercise, anti-inflammatori diet, alternative therapies and the latest prescription drugs. (from Amazon.co.uk)

[tails4wagging]

It is playing me up rotten at the moment, must be the cold weather.Any solutions to help would be grateful.

[PinkFluffyCloud]

St. John's Wort is a painkiller, aswell as an anti-Depressant, which helps with S.A.D, too, Tails! :)
Devil's Claw also seems to offer some relief.
P.S - St. John's Wort takes a few weeks to show effect, though, but it is good!

[Mystic]

If you can get your hands on some fresh cherries, buy LOTS and eat them all. If not, go to the health food store and buy 100% cherry juice and drink lots of that. Cherries always fix my arthritis pain :)

[tails4wagging]

Thanks, pfc, have tried st johns wort for my S.A.D but had to stop it, it caused palpations!!.

I will try cherry juice, thanks banana.

[Geoff]

Isn't there a synthetic glucosamine available now?

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Isn't there a synthetic glucosamine available now?

Yes, there is a Vegan version now available. :)

[Gorilla]

i don't have arthritis but i do get severe joint and muscle pain sometimes, i find that Meadowsweet's muscle rub is pretty good and i've just tried the Merry Hempster hemp muscle balm which seems to work quite well too. :)

[Andie]

thanks everyone.

[eve]

I know someone who suffers with gout from time to time; it is a form of arthritis. Since eating cherries - either fresh or frozen, it has made an enormous difference.

[Marie]

Andie what kind of arthritis do your sister have? It is different treatment to different type. Vioxx belongs to medication called cox-2 NSAIDs and in this category there is also, celebrex, bexstra and mobic. I have never tried them because I do not use medication.

[tails4wagging]

Any idea where I can get cherry juice from, her in Britain?

[Gorilla]

i think Holland & Barrett sell cans of apple and cherry juice, i can't remember the name of the brand though

[eve]

Can't you get real frozen cherries, and just have a spoonful every day? Better that juice which often has other stuff in it, including water. :)

[Mystic]

Eve, at the health food shop I bought 100% cherry juice with nothing added. It was organic, and expensive but well worth it as it relieved my arthritis.

[Andie]

MzNatural,

I'm not sure what type of arthritis she has. She just said that she hurt some since discontinuing the vioxx.
Someone else asked if she were a vegan. No, LOL, she's quite the carni.