Arthritis Relief and Your Diet

Arthritis affects more than 40 million Americans and is referred to as the most common chronic disease in people over 40.http://www.ebiochem.com

Doctors believe there are over 100 different forms of arthritis, all sharing one main characteristic: they all cause joint inflammation.http://www.ebiochem.com

What can you do to relieve the symptoms of arthritis? A lot.http://www.ebiochem.com

There is a great deal of debate in the medical world about the effects of overall diet on arthritis and using diet toward alleviating the condition.

Doctors have known for a long time that diet affects gout, a specific type of arthritic condition, however the jury remained out for a long time on other common types of arthritis such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.http://www.ebiochem.com

What is known however, is that overall dietary health is important and does come into play. Weight and nutrition are two factors that play a role in arthritic pain.http://www.ebiochem.com

Being overweight can affect certain arthritic conditions, forcing some joints to carry more of a load. This added weight stresses the joints, causing overuse or more wear to components, and pain, especially in the knees.

If you suffer from arthritis make sure you eat good foods and get help from healthcare providers to create and follow a well-balanced dietary plan.http://www.ebiochem.com

To begin with, here are some vitamins, minerals, foods, supplements and herbal applications to consider.http://www.ebiochem.com

Vitamins that have shown to reduce tissue swelling or provide relief include Vitamins B5, B6, B12, the antioxidant vitamins C and E, and vitamin K, which improves bone health.

Several independent studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis patients given increased doses of zinc showed marginal improvement.http://www.ebiochem.com

Other minerals to consider include Boron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese (not to be taken with calcium), Copper, Germanium and Sulfur.

The National Institutes of Health is studying the food supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin, for use in relieving symptoms of pain and stiffness for some persons with osteoarthritis.http://www.ebiochem.com

Patients with osteoarthritis taking blood-thinners should be careful taking chondroitin as it can increase the blood-thinning and cause excessive bleeding.http://www.ebiochem.com

Fish oil supplements have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Increasing dietary fish intake or fish oil capsules (omega 3 capsules) can relieve inflammatory conditions like arthritis.http://www.ebiochem.com

For more information, see Omega 3 Fats

Glutathione is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and can be safely boosted by consuming its precursors available in the supplements, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) or undenatured whey protein.http://www.ebiochem.com

For more information, see Glutathione.

Quercetin is also known to help reduce inflammation, while Type II Collagen plays a role in growth and repair of joints, articular cartilage and connective tissue.http://www.ebiochem.com

Because of the risk in overdosing, one should be discouraged from taking doses of vitamins that are higher than recommended without a physician’s direction.

Some vitamins and minerals can actually worsen certain conditions, and the concentration that can be attained through vitamins can be dangerous. It is always better to increase in vitamin or mineral intake through your normal diet.http://www.ebiochem.com

Foods To Avoid

There are many factors to consider with regards to arthritic diets and nutritional healing, and each factor may not apply to each individual.

For example, certain people are allergic to specific foods, and these allergies can indeed worsen arthritic conditions. The best way to approach the situation is to examine each arthritic condition and tailor one’s approach based upon the specifics.

Ingesting foods that contain sodium nitrate or tartrazine can inflame rheumatoid arthritis, while ingesting foods containing a substance called hydrazine can contribute to an arthritic condition connected to lupus.http://www.ebiochem.com

Black walnuts can cause flare-ups in people a rare type of arthritis called Behcet’s Disease.

With osteoarthritis, deterioration of cartilage is a concern. Since there is some evidence that Vitamin A, contributes to cartilage deterioration, those with osteoarthritis should avoid large doses of it.

Although clinical proof is not available, anecdotal evidence suggests that in the case of fibromyalgia, eliminating wheat, dairy, citrus, sugar, aspartame (Nutrasweet), alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco can provide relief.

Many nutritionists and naturopaths suggest that those suffering with rheumatoid arthritis avoid dairy products all together, as they seem to exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups.http://www.ebiochem.com

The report “I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too” suggests that white flour aggravates arthritis symptoms.

Disclaimer: The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.http://www.ebiochem.com

Frankincense to Treat Arthritis?

The answer to treating painful arthritis could lie in an age old herbal remedy – frankincense, according to Cardiff University scientists. www.ebiochem.com

Cardiff scientists have been examining the potential benefits of frankincense to help relieve and alleviate the symptoms of the condition. www.ebiochem.com

“The search for new ways of relieving the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis is a long and difficult one,” according to Dr Emma Blain, who leads the research with her co-investigators Professor Vic Duance from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences and Dr Ahmed Ali of the Compton Group. www.ebiochem.com

“The South West of England and Wales has a long standing connection with the Somali community who have used extracts of frankincense as a traditional herbal remedy for arthritic conditions. www.ebiochem.com

“What our research has focused on is whether and how these extracts can help relieve the inflammation that causes the pain,” she added. www.ebiochem.com

The Cardiff scientists believe they have been able to demonstrate that treatment with an extract of Boswellia frereana – a rare frankincense species – inhibits the production of key inflammatory molecules which helps prevent the breakdown of the cartilage tissue which causes the condition. www.ebiochem.com

Dr Ali adds: “The search for new drugs to alleviate the symptoms of conditions like inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis is a priority area for scientists. What our research has managed to achieve is to use innovative chemical extraction techniques to determine the active ingredient in frankincense. www.ebiochem.com

“Having done this we are now able to further characterise the chemical entity and compare its success against other anti-inflammatory drugs used for treating the condition.” www.ebiochem.com

The research comes as a result of a seedcorn project, funded by the Severnside Alliance for Translational Research (SARTRE), through the MRC Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme devolved portfolio. www.ebiochem.com

 

 

Common Arthritis medication (2)

Ketoprofen

Ketoprofen is in a class of medications called NSAIDs. It works by stopping the body’s production of a substance that causes pain, fever, and inflammation.ebiochem.com

Ketoprofen is also sometimes used to treat juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (a type of arthritis that affects children), ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis that mainly affects the spine), Reiter’s syndrome (condition in which many parts of the body including the joints, eyes, genitals, bladder, and digestive system become swollen), shoulder pain caused by bursitis (inflammation of a fluid-filled sac in the shoulder joint) and tendinitis (inflammation of the tissue that connects muscle to bone), and gouty arthritis (attacks of joint pain caused by a build-up of certain substances in the joints). Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.ebiochem.com

Oxycodone

Oxycodone extended-release (long-acting) tablets should be used only to treat people who need regularly scheduled doses of pain medication to treat continuous pain for an extended period of time. Extended-release oxycodone tablets should not be taken as-needed or to treat occasional episodes of pain. Oxycodone is also available in combination with acetaminophen (Endocet, Percocet, Roxicet, Tylox, others); aspirin (Endodan, Percodan, Roxiprin, others); and ibuprofen (Combunox). If you are taking oxycodone concentrate solution from an ampoule (small pre-packaged tube containing oxycodone liquid), be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for taking a dose. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about measuring your dose or taking your medication.ebiochem.com

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is used for the relief of pains associated with many parts of the body. It has analgesic properties comparable to those of aspirin, while its anti-inflammatory effects are weaker. It is better tolerated than aspirin in patients in whom excessive gastric acid secretion or prolongation of bleeding time may be a concern. Available without a prescription, it has in recent years increasingly become a common household drug. Paracetamol can relieve pain in mild arthritis[citation needed] but has no effect on the underlying inflammation, redness, and swelling of the joint. It is as effective as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen in relieving the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee.ebiochem.com

Paracetamol has relatively little anti-inflammatory activity, unlike other common analgesics such as the NSAIDs aspirin and ibuprofen.ebiochem.com

Codeine

Codeine is used to relieve mild to moderate pain. It is also used, usually in combination with other medications, to reduce coughing. Combination products that contain codeine and promethazine should not be used in children younger than 16 years of age. Codeine will help relieve symptoms but will not treat the cause of symptoms or speed recovery. Codeine increases tolerance to pain, decreasing discomfort, but the pain still is apparent to the patient.ebiochem.com

Common Arthritis medication (1)

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), like aspirin, that is used to reduce the inflammation that causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling.ebiochem.com

Ibuprofen is in a class of drugs called Nonsteroidal AntiInflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS). The NSAID class includes aspirin, naprosyn (Alleve, and many others. Ibuprofen is a nonspecific cycloxygenase inhibitor. Cyclooxygenase is an enzyme that changes a specific fatty molecule (arachidonic acid) into other chemicals (prostaglandins) that cause inflammation. NSAIDS block this conversion and thereby decrease inflammation. Ibuprofen is nonspecific, blocking both of the two types of cyclooxygenase, called COX1 and and COX2. Because it blocks COX1, ibuprofen is damaging to the stomach, as is aspirin.ebiochem.com

Propoxyphene and acetaminophen

Propoxyphene is a strong narcotic pain-reliever and cough suppressant but is weaker than other narcotics such as morphine, codeine, and hydrocodone. The precise mechanism of action is not known but may involve stimulation of opioid receptors in the brain. Propoxyphene increases pain tolerance and decreases discomfort, but the presence of pain is still apparent. In addition to pain reduction, propoxyphene also causes sedation and respiratory depression. Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic analgesic and antipyretic (fever reducer). Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold. It reduces fever through its action on the heat-regulating center of the brain. The combination of propoxyphene and acetaminophen achieves greater pain relief than either taken separately. For more information on acetaminophen, please see acetaminophen (Tylenol). The FDA first approved propoxyphene/acetaminophen combinations in October 1972.ebiochem.com

Naproxen

It works by inhibiting the action of certain hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Naproxen is available as either an over-the-counter or prescription drug, and comes in tablet, caplet, or liquid form. Common side effects include nausea, heartburn, and constipation. It used for arthritis symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and swelling. Naproxen can be used to treat several different types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis (also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), ankylosing spondylitis, and gout.ebiochem.com