Dietary supplements and medications
The past ten years have seen a considerable increase in the number of medications available to treat all forms of arthritis. (The more frequently used of these are discussed here.) Although many people find these a primary avenue of relief from arthritis, they all carry some risk of side effects. The NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can irritate the lining of the stomach and in some cases can cause ulcers when used over a long period. Commonly used NSAIDS include aspirin and ibuprofen. Treating arthritic symptoms by altering your dietary habits carries none of these risks.
The following dietary supplements have been shown to have special healing properties that counter the effects of both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis:
Vitamin E is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants identified to date. It works best when combined with vitamin C and the mineral selenium, both of which are well known for their antioxidant properties. Scientific studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis have lower blood levels of antioxidants than others, and there is growing interest in what this means for the treatment of the disease. In a controlled study of osteoarthritis patients with knee and hip joint problems, 400mg of vitamin E was shown to be as effective in controlling symptoms as 50mg of Diclofenac, a medication classified as an NSAID. The effects of the NSAID were faster, but it produced more side effects than vitamin E. As pain relief over time was comparable, vitamin E was thought to be the treatment of choice.
Another study showed that rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with vitamin E had less pain and improved symptoms when treated over a three-month period. Vitamin E can be taken in large quantities with little risk of side effects.
Fish oil supplements are an important source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, and part of the Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet. You can read more about this subject here. If you are a vegetarian, or cannot tolerate fish oil, try flaxseed oil instead. This is another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, although they are in their original plant form, and have not been through the metabolic processes that produce the DHA and EPA fatty acids known to be deposited in the flesh of oily fish. These specific fatty acids are necessary for the body’s production of small hormone-like molecules with strong anti-inflammatory properties, known as prostaglandins. Many people suffering from inflammatory illnesses experience dramatic effects when they supplement their diets with a fish or flaxseed oil supplement. For maximum benefit:
Note: there is a difference between fish oil and fish liver oil. Liver oils contain substantial quantities of vitamin A, which is stored in your liver and can be toxic if taken in large amounts. If you are setting out on this diet, it is recommended that you use fish oil supplements.
Flaxseed oil is the richest known source of omega-3 fatty acids, and also contains substantial amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. It also contains plant chemicals known as lignins, which are plant estrogens that help control the body’s estrogen level. Lignins are also believed to have other biological effects, including anti-viral and anti-bacterial activities.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are naturally occurring substances in the body that act as a building block in many tissues. Of the two, better curative effects have been demonstrated by glucosamine than by chondroitin, so it is suggested that this is the supplement of choice. Sometimes called the ‘basement membrane builder’, glucosamine is an essential substance in manufacturing and maintaining the ligaments, tendons, cartilage and synovial fluid found in joints. More detailed information on glucosamine and how it is thought to work can be found on page here.
What is the Eat to Beat Arthritis diet?
Since the 1930s, scientists have been aware of a possible link between rheumatoid arthritis and food allergies. Some scientists went so far as to suggest that symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis could be completely controlled by dietary changes.
Max Warmbrand, a naturopathic doctor who practised up until the mid-1970s, advocated a very low-fat diet in the treatment of both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. In addition he told his patients to avoid eating all red meat, eggs, dairy foods, sugar, chemicals and processed foods. Six months were required before improvement was noticeable, he claimed. The diet seemed to work for a few people, but not others.
In 1979, Giraud W. Campbell wrote A Doctor’s Proven New Home Cure for Arthritis, a book that helped millions of people break the bonds of this crippling disease. Using the information available at that time, he prescribed a strict regime that called for raw fruits and vegetables, hearty amounts of lightly cooked organ meats (liver, kidney, sweetbread, brain, heart and tripe), and daily doses of unpasteurized milk, nutrient-rich black treacle (molasses) and brewers’ yeast. The diet began with a brief period of fasting, during which the body was freed of toxins from previous poor eating habits. He instructed his readers to shun all drinks containing caffeine, and cautioned against all processed foods – including canned and frozen items. If you followed this somewhat Spartan plan, you could end the pain of arthritis in seven days, he claimed.
The science of nutrition has changed greatly over the past several decades, and we know more about how and why you can control illness through diet. The Eat to Beat Arthritis Diet therefore builds on the Campbell diet, but also uses new information and a more modern approach to food and dietary supplements. At the same time, it recognizes some of the realities of modern life. For example, not all frozen foods are taboo: frozen peas, sweetcorn and spinach are very useful items in any kitchen. Soaking and cooking dried pulses such as chickpeas (garbanzo beans) takes