Arthritis
The word ‘arthritis’
means ‘inflammation of joints’. It comes from two Greek words, athron meaning
joints and its meaning inflammation. It is a chronic disease process. In the
early stages, the whole body is usually involved and one or two joints may
become completely deformed, leaving the patient handicapped and somewhat
weakened. Arthritis assumes various forms, the most frequent being osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation is the main feature of arthritis, which
is a reaction of the joint tissues to some form of damage or injury.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which
usually occurs in the older age-group. It results from structural changes in
the articular cartilage in the joints, usually those which are weight-bearing
such as the spine and knees. The chief symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and
stiffness in the joints. The pain usually increases after exercise. Other
symptoms include watery eyes, dry neck, leg cramps, allergies, arteriosclerosis,
impairment in the functioning of the gall-bladder and liver disturbances. The possible
causes include malnutrition, continuous physical stress, obesity, glandular
insufficiency, calcium deficiency and shortage of hydrochloric acid.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious disease which
affects not only the joints of the fingers, writs, hips, knees and feet but
also the muscles, tendons and other tissues of the body. The disease is due to
an inflammatory process of the synovium or lining of the joints accompanied by
swelling and eventual deformity. Rheumatoid arthritis is often called the "cooked
food disease". It usually develops gradually over several months with
persistent pain and stiffness in one or more joints. Ultimately the whole body
is affected. Symptoms include anemia, colitis, constipation, gallbladder disturbances,
low blood pressure, deformed hands and feet. The condition may be caused by hormonal
imbalance, physical and emotional stress, infection, severe fright, shock and
injury. Hereditary factors may also be responsible for the onset of this
disease.
Treatment
The diet of the arthritis patient should be planned
along alkaline lines and should include fruits and vegetables for protection
and proteins and carbohydrates for energy. It may consist of a couple of fresh
raw vegetables in the form of a salad and at least two cooked vegetables. Cabbage,
carrot, celery, cucumber, endive, lettuce, onion, radishes, tomatoes and
watercress may be used for a raw salad. The cooked vegetables may include
asparagus, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, celery, brinjal, mushroom,
onions, peas, beans, spinach, tomatoes, squash and turnips.
In severe cases, it will be advisable to put the
patient on raw vegetables juice therapy for about a week. Green juice,
extracted from any green leafy vegetable, mixed with carrot, celery and red beet
juice, is specific for arthritis. The alkaline action of raw juices dissolves
the accumulation of deposits around the joints and in other tissues. Fresh
pineapple is also valuable as the enzyme in fresh pineapple juice, bromelain
reduces swelling and inflammation in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Repeated juice fasts are recommended at intervals of every two months. The raw
potato juice therapy is considered one of the most successful biological
treatment for rheumatic and arthritic conditions. It has been used in folk
medicine for centuries. The old method of preparing potato juice was to cut the
potato into thin slices, without peeling the skin, and place them overnight in
a large glass filled with cold water. The water should be drunk in the morning on an empty stomach. Fresh juice can also be
extracted from potatoes and drunk diluted with water on 50 : 50 basis, first
thing in the morning. Black gingerly seeds, soaked overnight in water, have
been found to be effective in preventing frequent joint pains. The water in
which the seeds are soaked should also be taken along with the seeds the first
thing in the morning. Drinking water kept overnight in a copper container also serves
the same purpose. This water has traces of copper which helps strengthen the
muscular system. For the same reason wearing a copper ring or bracelet will
also help. Warm coconut oil or mustard oil, mixed with camphor, should be
massaged in case of stiff and aching joints. It will increase blood supply and
reduce inflammation and stiffness on account of gentle warmth produced while
massaging. Camphorated oil is an ancient rubefacient used for the purpose. The
time has also been used as a home remedy for arthritis since long.
The citric
acid found in lime is solvent of the uric acid which is the primary cause of
arthritis. Other remedies found useful in relieving pains in the joints include
green-gram soup mixed with crushed garlic cloves and a teaspoonful of powdered
fenugreek seeds in warm water taken everyday. Sea bathing is considered
beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. The natural iodine in the sea water
is said to relieve arthritis pain. As is well-known, iodine regulates the
acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues, helps to repair and regenerate worn
out tissues and nourishes the skeletal structure. It enters into the thyroid
gland’s secretion. The hormone uses this iodine to nullify germs in the
bloodstream and to create a self- cleansing of internal toxemia. If sea bathing
is not possible, the patient should relax for 30 minutes every night in a tub
of warm water in which a cupful of sea salt has been mixed. The minerals in the
sea salt, especially iodine, can be absorbed through the skin pores. This will
help correct an internal imbalance. The body should be kept warm at all times.
Joints should not be bandaged tightly as this limits movement and interferes
with the free circulation of blood. There should be plenty of indirect ventilation
in the bedroom. Rest is of greatest importance to arthritis, who should not
overdo their work, exercise or recreation activities. Constipation should be
avoided as it poisons the system and adds to the irritation and inflammation of
the joints. Light exercises such as walking, hiking and swimming are
beneficial.
Maintaining a normal body weight is also an important
factor in preventing arthritis. Obesity places excess stress on weight-bearing
joints and interferes with the smooth functioning of tendons, ligaments and
muscles. The yogic asanas helpful in curing arthritis are trikonasana,
bhujangasana, shalabhasana, naukasana, vakrasana and shavasana. Arthritis
patients should practice these asanas regularly. Yogic kriyas like jalneti and
kapalbhati and pranayamas such as anulomaviloma, ujjai and bhrameri are also beneficial.
The patient should be given a lukewarm enema for a few days to cleanse the
bowels. Neutral immersion baths, hot foot baths, ultrasonic diathermy and
exposure of the affected parts to infra-red rays, a knee pack applied for an
hour every night, stream baths and a massage once a week are beneficial in the
treatment of arthritis. All general cold water treatments, such as cold baths
and cold sprays, should be avoided.
Source: www.healthlibrary.com through
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