The unbalanced calcium in dairy products contributes to arthritis and atherosclerosis, as well as kidney stones. (Please see “Dairy dubious for health”.)
Damage due to excess protein from animal products includes leaching of calcium from the bones. Phosphorus from animal products also causes leaching of calcium. Phosphorus is especially concentrated in cheese and colas. (Please see “Acid-alkali balance”.)
Increasing intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, can improve arthritis by decreasing inflammation and helping to repair tissues. (Please see “Outstanding Omegas”.)
NaCl can aggravate osteoarthritis through swelling, which can worsen inflammation and pain. (Please see “Salting the wound”.)
Those with rheumatoid arthritis may not be getting enough C, D, folic acid, or zinc (Taste for Life magazine August 2004 pg 42).
Pharmaceuticalsmay relieve pain but damage cartilage. Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate on the other hand are building blocks for cartilage. They’re not analgesics; several weeks of supplementation may prove necessary before any symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis can be obtained. They may have side effects similar to the blood thinning action of heparin. Further side effects could include stomach upset, heartburn, diarrhea, nausea, and indigestion. The Arthritis Foundation advises consulting a health professional before supplementing. Those who are pregnant beware that any side effects on the fetus have not been thoroughly researched. These products are concentrated derivatives of bovine cartilage. Most people do make these components of cartilage naturally in sufficient quantities without supplementation. However, utilization can be inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain killers, drinking alcohol, and inflammatory bowel disease.
It’s possible that a form of arthritis called gout can result from reduced kidney function due for example to stress from a diet high in animal protein. Weakened kidneys cannot handle the load of uric acid concomitant with such a diet, so that the acid forms sharp painful crystals in joints, and sometimes in the kidneys. Blueberries, cherries and strawberries tend to neutralize uric acid. Alcohol both increases uric acid production and reduces its elimination. For information regarding gout and purines, found in flesh and in caffeine as derivatives that are precursors to uric acid, please see (www.arthritis-pain-cure.com/Gout/purine_diet.htm).
Mercury compounds have been linked to arthritis.
Exercise increases the flow of lubricating fluid to the cartilage. Swimming may prove less painful than walking.
Root canals can set up an environment that nourishes pathogenic bacteria, including those that cause some cases of arthritis (http://webpages.charter.net/kyarbrough/rootcanals.htm).
Huge consumption of the seed coats on alfalfa sprouts may worsen rheumatoid arthritis (pg.300, Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens ISBN 1-55643-285-2). The coats can be removed. (Please see “Appendices: Sprouting”.)
Arthritis may respond well to switching to a vegan or near-vegan diet with plenty of naturally alkaline leafy greens helping to lower inflammation. (Please see “Reversing advanced clinical disorders”.) The dietary information in “Back Sore?” also applies to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout. Excellent sections with many very worthwhile tips regarding rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout can be found in Balch (Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch MD, ISBN 1-58333-077-1, available at many large health stores).
Smoking suppresses one’s immune system, needed to destroy pre-cancerous and cancerous cells. Nicotine damages joints and tissues, including those of the neck and back, by decreasing blood circulation and the flow of nutrients. Smoking deactivates enzymes critical to formation of DHA and other key molecules. (Please see “Outstanding Omegas”.) For anyone who may wish to stop smoking, supplements other than nicotine are available at many health stores.
According to company literature, the following are intended to reduce the “craving”: “Nico-Stop” by Enzymatic Therapy, Natra-Bio’s “Smoking Withdrawal Relief”, “Smokers’ Helper” by Apothecary Herbs, and Boericke & Tafel’s “Smoke Free”. Formulas that contain the herb lobelia (such as “Smokers’ Helper”) may prove particularly effective since the herb contains an alkaloid that is similar to nicotine. Calamus root is reputed to make the taste unpleasant. “Smokeshield” can help one to detoxify, but no supplement can make smoking safe (Smokeshield: www.NewChapter.info Brattleboro VT).
Vitamin B-3 (nicotinic acid, niacin) can reduce cravingsfor addictive substances, alcohol and drugs, including nicotine from tobacco. B-3 is closely related to nicotine. In the form nicotinamide (niacinamide), or inositol hexanicotinate, B-3 does not cause the “niacin flush”, an itching and reddening of the skin.
Many people find the craving for nicotine worse when their blood sugar is low. Elimination of sugar and refined carbs (white flour products), and substitution of protein foods that help keep blood sugar stable can be helpful. Eating sunflower kernels at the onset of a cigarette craving makes a great nutritional cigarette substitute.
Smoke causes inflammation throughout the body, including the circulatory system.
A tinypiece of fresh ginger root gives a burning quality that can substitute for a cigarette. It also leaves your mouth feeling refreshed.
Deep rhythmic breathing helps provide the relaxation of the meditative breathing pattern developed while smoking. “Progressive relaxation” involves tensing, relaxing muscle groups while breathing deeply (“Easing into Sleep” audio tape by E.E.Miller ISBN 1-56170-365-6). The audio recording of Sylvester’s method is free linked from SylvesterJohnson.com.
Tissues more toward the acidotic remove nicotine more quickly from the body than more alkaline tissues. Eating more alkaline-ash foods retains nicotine longer in the blood, reducing cravings. (Please see “Acid-alkali balance”.)
Addiction may be rooted in an addictive lifestyle: 1] Irritating the nervous system with acid-forming foods and drink rather than soothing with alkaline-forming such as naturally alkaline leafy greens 2] Focusing on the outer, material world to the exclusion of the inner that can be accessed through meditation, balancing. Acidic ash-forming foods and habits that may seem to provide relief in the short term may have longer term irritating effects, deepening the cycle of irritation of the nervous system in a literal and figurative “feedback” loop. Since addictive foods such as alcohol, cheese and caffeine may play a role in an overall addictive lifestyle feedback loop, the book Breaking the Food Seduction by Neil D. Barnard, MD may prove useful. (Please see “Dairy dubious for health”.)
