These type of exercises will assist you to lessen the pain.

1. Knee Extensions – Using a chair with the back of your thigh supported on the seat, straighten your knee as far as you are able to within the limits of your pain. Lower gently to the ground. Continue this for 10 times. When you straighten the knee hold it straight for a count of 3 and after that lower slowly to the ground. This exercise will help develop the big muscle on the front of your thigh called the quadriceps.

2. Static Quads – This is a simpler exercise for the quadriceps which is excellent if your leg is feeling quite weak. Lying or sitting upright in bed with your legs straight. Push your knee into the bed so that you are tightening the muscle on the front of your thigh, hold for a count of 3 and then relax. Do it again for 10 times.

3. Knee Flexion – Lie on your bed and place a huge tray or board below your foot. Making use of a rolled up sock or a folded cloth underneath your foot slide your foot up and down in order that your knee flexes and straightens. The sock or cloth will glide easily on the bed making it easier for you to move your knee. Attempt to bend your knee further each time. This exercise is great to get the movement back in your knee.

4. Inner Range Quads – Place a rolled large towel or blanket directly below your knee while you’re lying
or sitting down on the bed or floor. Raise your foot off the floor by straightening your knee keeping your leg resting on the blanket. Hold for 3 seconds then lower slowly back down. Perform repeatedly for 10 times.

5. Squats – Stand with your feet slightly apart. Slowly flex both knees and then straighten up back again. Repeat 10 times. When you begin to find this exercise easier make an effort to squat further down.

If all of these knee pain exercises cause any surge in pain it is best to stop and seek medical health advice. By conditioning the muscles around the knee it can help to protect the knee from damage.

Nutritional factors, including dangerously low levels of calcium, magnesium and essential fatty acids can also cause temporary arthritis, but these are probably the most easily solved once they are identified as the culprits.
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What are some of the best natural remedies for arthritis pain?
Along with a host of prescription medications and medical options, those suffering form the arthritis neck pain who want to avoid potential side effects of over-the-counter medicines as well as prescription anti-inflammatory drugs have a variety of natural remedies that have proven quite effective.

One of the most commonly recommended home remedies for arthritis pain is to wrap the painful joint in heat. Heat causes the muscles around the joint to relax, which in turn releases the pressure and strain on the joint and eases the arthritic pain. In general cold-water treatments should be avoided by the patient suffering arthritis as this causes additional tension and can inflame the joints again.

Additional natural remedies for arthritis neck pain depend on the cause of the patient’s arthritis, including a careful and structured loss of weight to ease the strain on the joints. In many cases, arthritic pain caused by weight gain can be completely eliminated when patients lose the extra weight and incorporate joint-healthy exercise into their daily lives.

Arthritis neck pain can also be eased and even eliminated through therapeutic massage. Massage therapy has been shown to ease arthritic pain at any age and with regular massage therapy, many arthritis sufferers can return to pain-free, normal functioning again.

What are the best natural supplements to relieve arthritis?
Some of the natural remedies for arthritis include dietary supplements and some of the most effective supplements are as follows:

Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate – in a recent National Institute of Health (NIH) study, glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant pain relief compared with placebo. Approximately 79 percent of those studied had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 54 percent for those taking the placebo.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) – which is a naturally occurring source of sulfur in the health food industry that has proven to have anti-inflammatory effects on the human body. Some of those suffering osteoarthritis have experience significant reduction in their daily pain and improved physical function without major side effects.
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Manganese – which is a trace mineral that participates in many enzyme processes within the human body has been shown to be helpful in the utilization of key nutrients, such as thiamine and abscorbic acid. While not specifically used to treat arthritis symptoms, manganese has been shown effective in helping the human body properly absorb and distribute nutrients that can be effective at easing arthritis symptoms. In that regard, manganese is more properly defined as a helper remedy.

In a nutshell, to fight arthritis, the best diet is one that is high in vitamins and minerals with sufficient good quality protein. Your carbohydrate intake should be from low GI sources and limited in fast-releasing sugar. Your fat intake should be low overall, yet consuming unsaturated fatty food is essential in an arthritis diet. Limiting food that you are allergic to, can prevent an inflammatory response by the body. Foods that irritate the digestive tract and hinder detoxification should be avoided. Typically these are foods containing gluten or dairy. To get the best result for your specific case, getting a dietician to work out a plan for your arthritis diet is a good idea.

A good, well-balanced diet is important for general health, but it becomes especially important if you have arthritis. Often people will need increased amounts of certain nutrients when they have arthritis. A healthy diet is strongly linked to a strong immune system. A strong immune system gives you an advantage for fighting any disease, especially inflammatory and auto-immune diseases like arthritis. You can either consume more whole, fresh foods containing these nutrients, or you can use good quality supplements to make up the shortfall. Most of the current research doesn’t really make any strong connection between your diet as cause, or as a way of treating arthritis. Many people however, believe that certain foods can ease inflammation and swelling, while others avoid certain foods that may trigger a flare up.

As a general guide, anyone should eat a diet rich in oily fish, low-fat dairy (unless have lactose intolerance), fresh fruit and vegetables. Greasy, fried foods should be avoided as much as possible. Foods containing lots of refined sugar is not healthy and could lead to many health conditions. There are many claims, especially for different sources on the internet about certain foods and arthritis diets that will ‘cure’ arthritis. There is little evidence of one specific food provoking or calming arthritis symptoms, except when you are allergic to that food type. Mostly these claims are linked to some kind of commercial benefit for the companies involved. It is however true that specific, goal orientated supplementation can hold benefits for arthritis.

The other key aspect is to make your eating habits a part of your daily life. You should budget time and energy to buy the right foods and plan what you are going to eat every day. If we don’t plan, it is so easy to resort to fast food or processed foods.

Here are some healthy arthritis diet basics for arthritis sufferers:

Healthy Arthritis Diet 101

The key to a healthy arthritis diet is variety, balance and moderation. A variety of low GI carbohydrates, low fat proteins, and fresh fruit and vegetables are universal diet basics that all people should follow. So basically, you need carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals in the right proportions for your arthritis diet.

Carbohydrates

Lately, there has been a lot of literature about the weight loss benefits of low carbohydrate diets. You definitely do not want to go this route if you have arthritis. Carbohydrates are the best source of sustained energy, feeding your body with the calories it needs to stay healthy and fight infection and disease. Carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes contain fibre, essential in helping the body to stay regular and remove toxins from the bowel. Carbohydrates also contain nutrients like calcium, iron, and the vitamin B group. Carbohydrates should ideally make up a third of the total calories that we consume. This means that you should consume about 6-14 portions a day, choosing as many wholegrain varieties as possible. As an example, 1 slice of bread, 3 tablespoons of cereal or a bread roll will constitute one portion.

Carbohydrates high in fibre and with a low GI are beneficial because the make you feel fuller for longer and does not spike blood sugar levels. The high fibre varieties are more bulky, so they take up more space in the stomach, making you feel full. This means foods like pastries, biscuits, sweets and too much sugar in you tea and coffee is not healthy and places pressure on the body to process.

Protein

Eating enough protein is essential keeping every single tissue in your body healthy. Protein is found in your organs, bones, muscles and skin. The whole body is made up of about 25% protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are about 25 different amino acids, 8 of which are essential- this means that the body cannot function without them. The others can be made from these 8. Good sources of protein are fish, chicken, eggs, red meat, dairy products, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils and tofu. These all have about 10g of protein per 100g (10% protein). This means that if you eat enough calories from quality sources, you are likely getting enough protein. In fact, most modern sources say that even if you are strictly vegetarian, you will get all the amino acids you need to stay healthy. However, you would have to eat a varied, healthy diet. These sources also contain the B vitamin group, zinc and iron.

Are you getting enough protein for your arthritis diet? You typically need about two portions of good quality protein daily to keep you healthy. These portions can come from meat or vegetarian sources. Keep lean meat down to four times a week and try to have fish at least 4 times a week. The other portions can be made up of foods like soya, tofu and beans. This amount of protein should roughly equate to about 10% of your daily caloric intake. The World Health Organisation recommends 10%, which is roughly about 35g of protein. A portion is about 100 grams of whatever source you choose.

Since protein makes you feel full quickly, some diets prescribe a lot of protein rich foods and cut out carbohydrates almost totally. This leads to a loss in muscle tissue, something that you really don’t want if you have osteoarthritis. This is because your body needs the energy from carbohydrates to feed muscle tissues. People suffering from osteoarthritis need good muscle tone around the joint. So diets that promote high protein intake can be toxic to the body and lead to a reduction in muscle mass.

Fats and Oils

Contrary to what some sources might suggest, fat is an essential part of a healthy diet and especially for an arthritis diet. It provides a lot of energy and helps the body to absorb vitamins. We typically need about 25 grams of fat per day. The typical western diet is unfortunately packed with fat, way too much than what our bodies actually need. The benefits of a low fat diet stretches beyond weight reduction which will improve symptoms in the long term. Patients cutting down on fat intake feel rapid relief from symptoms.

There are however two types of fat, one good for you, and the other unhealthy in high levels. Saturated fat, found in red meat, butter, cakes, pastry, and most vegetable oils are unhealthy because they lead to high cholesterol, high triglyceride levels and most importantly, high homocysteine levels. This has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Homocyteine levels can be lowered by following the guidelins of an arthritis diet and by supplementing with a vitamin B complex. Saturated fats block the conversion of the essential (good) fats from being used to lower inflammation in the body. They also hold bad news for those who want to lose weight. Calories from saturated fat are more efficiently stored as fat in the body compared to calories from proteins and carbohydrates. These ‘bad’ fats should be scarce in your arthritis diet.

On the other hand, unsaturated fats, found in olive oil, oily fish, nuts, avocados and some margarines have long lists of health benefits. People consuming olive oil every day are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. They are good for fighting heart disease, lowering cholesterol and homocysteine and may actually reduce inflammation levels in the body. The ideal arthritis diet is one that is very low in saturated fat and sufficient in essential fats. A vegan diet (one excluding meat, fish, eggs and dairy) will definitely reduce saturated fat, but you run the risk of being deficient in vitamin D and B12. Vegans need to supplement these nutrients.

Vitamins and Minerals

The food we consume, especially fruits and vegetables contain much of the vitamins and minerals we need to keep us healthy. We should eat at least three fruit a day and a lot of vegetables with our meals. Some people with arthritis prefer to cut out some foods that they believe might aggravate their arthritis. When you cut out these foods, you are missing out on the nutrients in that specific food. A good idea might be to take that nutrient in a supplement form. Vitamins are also powerful anti-oxidants, especially vitamin C and vitamin E. Don’t make the mistake cutting out citrus and tomatoes from your arthritis diet. There is no evidence that it will relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. This will also mean that you miss out on a vital source of vitamin C. There is quite a lot written about the benefits of taking higher levels of anti-oxidants in your arthritis diet. Anti-oxidants help to neutralise free radicals, chemicals that can damage cartilage and cause inflammation.

Water

70% of our body is water. Water forms an important part of your arthritis diet. For normal daily activities, we need about 1,5 litres of water a day. Drinking fruit juice, flavoured water and herbal tea can also count as fluid. Remember that coffee and alcoholic drinks are diuretics, so you end up with a overall loss of body fluid. Contrary to what some believe, water doesn’t lubricate the joints, but it does help the kidneys to flush out the toxins in the body. An excess of toxins might be linked to worse symptoms. Drinking lots of fluids is linked to a strong immune system, since nutrients are carried throughout the body by means of water.

Salt

Salt is necessary to keep the correct water balance in the body. If you have hypertension problems, salt can make things worse. Most people probably eat too much salt. Do you put salt on your food without tasting it first? This can be a bad habit, since your sense of taste can adapt to less salt. More than a teaspoon of salt a day is probably too much already.

Alcohol

Alcohol need not be cut out totally from the arthritis diet. One or two drinks can actually fuel the metabolism, but obviously most alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, so it can contribute to weight gain. Alcohol can also exacerbate the side effects of many of the medications of for arthritis. Too much alcohol puts pressure on the liver to detoxify the alcohol. This is important because many of the arthritis medications also put pressure on the liver. Too keep things safe, men should not drink more than 3 units of alcohol a day and 21 units a week. For women, no more than 2 units a day or 14 units a week. A unit is about 1 pint of beer or cider. A glass of wine is about two units.

Controlling your weight

The best place to start a weight loss program is in the office of a dietician. These professionals are trained in the latest, most healthy ways of gaining or losing weight and in selecting your arthritis diet. Avoid wasting your time and money by following diets you found in a magazine or somewhere on the internet. If a diet claims fast weight loss, you should already be cautious, because losing weight quickly is not healthy. If you lose or gain weight, you should also inform your doctor, since it might mean that your medication has to be adjusted.

Overweight

This is one of the risk factors for developing or worsening your osteoarthritis. If you are overweight, it places more stress on the weight bearing joint. More specifically, carrying more weight than you should puts pressure on the cartilage, which may be worn out already. Remember that the cartilage is only a few millimetres thick, so the pressure can grind it away so that you eventually have bone rubbing against bone. The joints in the hips and knees are especially vulnerable. Studies show that by losing just 5 kilograms over a ten year period can reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis by 50%.

Arthritis sufferers often become inactive because of their symptoms, leading to further weight gain. Depression because of the symptoms and the outlook can also lead to compulsive eating and a lack of motivation to exercise.

Being overweight also seems to make people with rheumatoid arthritis more prone to inflammation. Obesity also limits your options of having joint replacement surgery. Obese people are at greater risk for complications when receiving a general anaesthetic.
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Besides affecting the symptoms of your arthritis, being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and various types of cancer like prostate and colon cancer.

If you want to lose weight there are a few principles to discuss with your dietician:

Eat regularly: Skipping meals will make your blood sugar levels fluctuate and make you feel tired. This could also cause you to be very hungry, leading to you eating too much at once. Eat before you feel hungry.

Eat about 6 small meals that fit in with your ‘arthritis diet’: This fuels your body regularly, speeding up your metabolism. A sluggish metabolism tends to go into storage mode.

Cut down on sweet drinks and foods: Many foods contain hidden sugar, so read the label. Remember that fruit juice contains a lot of calories, so don’t drink too much. Two glasses a day is enough. Use a sweetener or some honey in your coffee and tea.

Snack on fruit and nuts through the day: If you feel hungry between meals, rather have a handful of nuts and a fruit.
So there you have it, a short yet comprehensive guide to get you started. Remember to always discuss any new dietary changes with a registered dietician!

Gout is normally caused due to high levels of uric acid in the body. This condition of having high level of uric acid in blood is known as Hyperuricemia. The main factor responsible for such a condition is diet. A diet consisting of high purine foods can lead to this condition. This is because purines are converted to uric acid once they are eaten.

What Foods to Eat and Avoid

Sea foods have high purine content. Tuna, trout, octopus and sardines etc are some of the examples of such sea foods which gout patients should avoid. Other than sea food, beef, poultry and duck meat also have high levels of purine. You should also avoid soy milk, meat, beans, spinach, peas, mushrooms.

There are some foods which have low level of purine and gout patients might consume these:

If someone is suffering from gout, they should try to get it treated early. If left untreated, the condition may worsen and you may develop chronic gout. Gout attacks may become more frequent, more severe and last for longer time if proper treatment and prevention steps are not taken on time. Gout may even spread to multiple joints, thus making life very miserable.

You can make some changes in your lifestyle and eating habits in order to prevent and restrict gout. There are also some natural home remedies available for this disease.

Gout Prevention Tips

Here are some gout prevention tips to be followed:

1. Eat a well balanced diet which is not high in purine content
2. Avoid foods which have high or medium levels of purine
3. Eat foods which are rich in Vitamin C. Examples are cherries and blueberries
4. Drink a lot of water to flush out uric acid through urine
5. Exercise regularly – at least walk for 30 minutes daily
6. Eat foods which are rich in potassium
7. Avoid alcohol at all costs

The above are just prevention tips which should be followed at all times by gout patients. Apart from these, you should try out gout treatment so that you don’t get gout attacks in future. Medication might be necessary in severe cases. However, natural remedies are more preferable.

Despite warnings to the contrary, including a report in the medical journal The Lancet that concluded the drug should have been pulled years earlier, advisory panels in the U.S. and Canada actually voted in favour of returning the drug to the market, citing the fact that Vioxx had side effects similar to ibuprofen. This statement was not consoling, but rather alarming considering the seriousness of these side effects and the number of over-the-counter products containing ibuprofen. Luckily for unwary consumers, Merck considered their options and did not put Vioxx back on the market.

There are now indications that all NSAIDs may have similar effects on the cardiovascular system. Considering that these drugs work by blocking prostaglandins that are essential for arterial health, this isn’t a surprising finding.

One of my favorite statements about pharmaceuticals comes from Dr. David Brownstein: “The most commonly prescribed drugs in use today primarily poison enzymes or block receptors in our body. I do not think you can poison an enzyme or block an important receptor for the long-term and expect a good result.”

So what is an effective alternative treatment for arthritis?

Boswellia. It has been in use for centuries but has recently undergone several clinical trials where it has been proven to perform as well or better than pharmaceuticals in the treatment of arthritis. What is surprising is that it treats rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis equally well. It goes a step further and not only slows down the progression of osteoarthritis but actually improves arthritis, something that NSAIDS cannot do. Why simply mask something and risk serious side effects when you can treat a condition with a natural substance that works better?

How does it work?

Studies have shown that boswellia significantly reduces a substance called matrix metalloproteinase-3, which breaks down cartilage. Taking a larger dose in the beginning can also speed up the results. For instance, the long-term dose according to studies is 1000 mg of extract that contains at least 400 mg of boswellic acid. Doubling this for the first few weeks until symptoms improve, greatly speeds up the healing process without risking side effects. Boswellia appears to work better when taken with meals that contain healthy fats. According to a study completed in Germany, dietary fat makes boswellic acids about 4 times more bioavailable than they are when taken separately.

Boswellia is also effective for other conditions involving inflammation and is showing promising results in Crohn’s Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and in maintaining a healthy prostate as men age. Clinical trials are currently underway in the U.S. to determine boswellia’s effect on tumor growth. We are just beginning to learn about this amazing gift from nature.

Are there any side effects? There have been no serious side effects reported in any of the studies. At most, there was mild gastro-intesinal discomfort in a few subjects while on the loading dose. This may be mitigated by taking boswellia with meals. Boswellia does not block or inhibit prostaglandins and does not carry the same risk as NAIDs.

How long does it take to see results?

While NSAIDs work almost immediately to relieve pain by masking the symptoms, boswellia will take longer. Expect to see comparable results after about 8 weeks. As mentioned previously, doubling the dosage of boswellia for the first few weeks can speed results. It is important to note that while results may take a little longer with boswellia, they are also longer lasting.

When to see your doctor

Pain and discomfort are not a normal part of aging. If you are experiencing join pain and it has continued for a period of longer than two weeks, it may be time to see your doctor. Do not try to self-diagnose. Many other medical conditions can result in joint pain and it is important to understand the cause before considering treatment. Once you have a diagnosis, do your research and then discuss all the options with your doctor or health care practitioner.

Specialized rosehip powder has an interesting history. It began back in the early 90’s when Erik Hansen, a Danish farmer who grew rosehips for making marmalade, discovered by chance that his specific rosehip powder alleviated his joint pain and improved his flexibility. He then gave this powder to his friends and neighbors and they too were amazed with the positive results they obtained. So Erik and his son, Torbjorn, visited the local hospital to seek out scientists to test out his product. Although the scientists were at first very skeptical they agree to test it in patients with osteoarthritis and to their surprise they observed that it did in fact alleviate joint pain and increase joint flexibility in these patients. So farmer Hansen decided to form a business to sell his rosehip powder. He went on to develop and patent a gentle drying process of the whole fruit to preserve the active ingredients. Since then, several well designed scientific studies involving a couple of hundred people have been undertaken and published in recognized scientific journals. Here are the key scientific findings:

82% of osteoarthritis subjects responded with reduced pain scores after 3 weeks on specialized rosehip powder compared to 49% of subjects consuming placebo or dummy pill. A significant reduction in stiffness and improved ability to perform daily activities was also demonstrated with the specialized rosehip powder versus the placebo after 3 months.
In a 4 month study 65% of the osteoarthritis subjects versus only 44% on the placebo experienced a reduction in joint pain. Joint mobility also improved significantly compared to the placebo.
In a 3 month study 66% of osteoarthritis subjects given specialized rosehip powder achieved joint relief compared to 36% of the subjects given placebo.
Specialized rosehip powder was also tested versus placebo in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and demonstrated to significantly improve their disability index scores at 6 months while scores for the placebo group worsened.

Based on the proven science specialized rosehip powder had many benefits over other joint health products including the following:

Until now, medical experts are still trying to come up with a cure for gout but there are already available treatments to manage the pain and to prevent such condition. The pain attacks suddenly and this usually happen at night or early morning. Although the pain is concentrated on a single tissue, tendon, or joint, it’s quite unbearable. Aside from frequent gout attacks on the biggest toe of your foot, gout can also take place on the elbows, hands, wrist, ankles, foot, and knees.

You can easily tell if you’re having a gout symptom because it is precise and extensive. When the gout attacks, the person will usually feel tenderness, sharp pain, tightness, redness, and swelling or inflammation. The sharp pain can last for about three hours or less when left untreated. Even if the pain subsides, gout may return after a couple of days, weeks or months.

The treatments available for gout are quite effective although they don’t necessarily cure the condition. All the treatments are focused in combating the overproduction of uric acid. If the gout is genetically developed, a different treatment regimen will be given; if the gout is caused by external factors, a different treatment will be given as well.

Gouts are often mistaken as fractured joints, broken bones, or dislocations. A competent and experienced doctor will be able to identify your condition. After accurate diagnosis, you will be given a drug therapy to treat the gout attacks. The primary objective of this therapy is to stop the gout pain and reduce the incidence of the gout attacks.

Gout is a progressive illness or condition but if given proper treatment, recurrence can be avoided. There are different techniques in curing gout. Some of the medications are focused in reducing inflammation while other treatments are aimed at reducing uric acid production.

Natural treatments to cure gout are also encouraged and this includes herbal remedies and supplemental foods. Herbs like devil’s claw, dandelion, and cherries are quite effective in treating the gout pain. Since gout is associated with certain kinds of foods, avoiding the consumption of such foods can prevent gout symptoms from developing. The diet plays a significant role in preventing gout and if you’re unsure about your diet, you’d better consult a dietician or doctor.

Living a healthy lifestyle is the key to excellent health. Examine your lifestyle now. Are you drinking too much? Do you eat unhealthy foods? If your answer to these questions is ‘yes’, you’d better think twice especially if you have a history of gout in your family. You will be prone to such illness or condition if you don’t change your unhealthy ways.

Well, if you are consuming dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt (poor sources of magnesium) without adequate dietary magnesium intake or taking calcium supplement that contains no or inadequate amount of magnesium (the recommendation is at least half as much magnesium as calcium), that may very well be the case.

How? Calcitonin is a hormone necessary for the deposition of calcium into the bones and for preventing it from being accumulated in the soft tissues, such as the joints. Magnesium is a mineral that stimulates calcitonin production. Studies suggest that without magnesium, calcium does not get into the bones and teeth. In fact, people with osteoporosis and tooth decay have low bone and teeth magnesium content.

In many forms of arthritis (inflammation of joints), especially osteoarthritis, there is excess calcium in the joints, and not enough calcium in the bones. Magnesium helps stimulate calcitonin production to remove calcium out of the joints and increase its levels in the bones, states Paul Pitchford in his book Healing with Whole Foods.

A study published in The Journal of Arthritis Care and Research, was designed to find out whether the group of patients with calcium crystal deposits in the knee joints had a lower blood magnesium levels compared to the controls (the group without calcium deposits). The results showed that the prevalence of calcium crystal deposits in the joints was significantly higher in patients with low blood magnesium levels.

Excess alcohol and caffeine, and certain medications, such as thiazide diuretics and birth control pills deplete magnesium; and antacids block its absorption.

Many people who regularly consume refined foods, such as white flour and white sugar, which are both found in common breads, pastas, cookies, pastries, etc., may be deficient in magnesium. The refining process – used to make white flour from wheat berries and white sugar from sugar cane removes many of the essential nutrients, including magnesium. About 85% of magnesium is lost when white flour is made.

The unrefined or whole foods rich in magnesium are legumes, such as soy products, peas and lentils; whole grains, particularly buckwheat and wheat, also oats, brown rice, rye, and millet. Nuts, especially hazelnuts, almonds and brazil nuts are also good sources. Chlorophyll rich foods, such as wheat or barley grass products and micro algae spirulina and chlorella are excellent sources, as are leafy green vegetables, such as kale, turnip greens and collard greens.

These whole foods contain not only magnesium, but also many other so-called calcium cofactors, such as vitamins A, B and K1, and minerals manganese, zinc, copper, boron, silica, selenium and chromium, all of which are important for the proper utilization of calcium.

But on thing to remember is that magnesium and some other minerals’ content of a particular food may vary significantly from one region to another, depending on the mineral content of the soil in which it was grown. One exception is barley – and wheat – grass products and micro algae spirulina and chlorella, since they are usually grown in mineral rich soil and water. Although some say we should consume only locally grown foods, it’s a good idea to include in our diet some of the foods grown in other regions to prevent mineral deficiencies.

A whole food diet, rich in magnesium and other calcium cofactors should be consumed along with calcium rich foods for prevention and treatment of disorders associated with improper calcium utilization, such as arthritis and osteoporosis.

The typical cause of arthritis is long-term, chronic inflammation of the joints. It can occur throughout the body, but is most commonly seen in the extremities. It is a common problem, particularly among senior citizens, and was long thought to be the natural and unavoidable result of aging.

It may well be “natural,” if by that definition one means something that so many people have suffered from down through the ages that it seems “normal.” But in fact, science is showing and doctors are beginning to realize that – as is the case with so many chronic, degenerative diseases – arthritis represents nothing less than the outward, obvious manifestation of “unnatural” imbalances and problems in the body.

When the body cannot control or resist the toxins that are taken in everyday – through polluted air and chemically-laced and often toxified food and water – inflammation results. Long-term inflammation can lead to many ailments. The first, foremost and perhaps most obvious of these is arthritis.

But in point of fact, inflammation has been linked to a wide variety of maladies beyond arthritis: muscle and joint pain, allergies, breathing problems, digestive disorders, to name some of the more well known ones. Even more serious maladies, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart and circulatory problems and more have been closely linked to chronic inflammation as well. Again, arthritis may be simply the most obvious of these many inflammation-related illnesses.

Arthritis and Diet: The Linkages

Many doctors, nutritionists and health experts recommend a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as a way of combating arthritis. Indeed, certain arthritis diets have been shown help sufferers feel better and reduce their symptoms. However, it is safe to say that despite better nutrition, many continue to suffer the effects of arthritis. Sadly, a better diet is not going to undo many years – even decades – of damage to the body. What is needed is a powerful, pro-active solution to the underlying root cause – chronic inflammation.

The inflammation associated with arthritis is caused by free radicals running amok and damaging the tissues in the body. Free radicals are caused by toxins that create out-of-control oxidation in the body. One way to limit the ongoing damage of free radicals is to consume high-levels of antioxidants. To help repair the damage that’s been done, one must reduce the levels of toxification so that the body can begin to repair itself.

How Nopalea Juice Helps Arthritis Sufferers

Fortunately, there is a class of super-powerful nutrients known as betalains that are among the most powerful toxin and antioxidant fighters known to man.

These betalains are found in only a few kinds of plants – for instance, Swiss chard and a handful of fungi and weeds. However, the Nopal cactus, native to the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, is by far the best source of high-quality betalains. It is from this cactus that Nopalea juice is made, under an exclusive process.

Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that betalains help to detoxify the body, reduce inflammation and restore cells so that they can function properly and repair themselves. The best and fastest way to ensure that your arthritis and diet issues are covered may be through a supplement like Nopalea that is designed specifically to both detoxify the body and repair the damage that causes inflammation.

They are constantly looking for ways to alleviate the pain and stiffness in their joints. Some turn to medications that in some ways may be worse than the symptoms, because of the harmful side effects, or the way it makes them feel. A lot of folks don’t understand that in many cases, there is relief for this ailment through more natural and perfectly safe methods; diet.

A diet for arthritis doesn’t mean you have to diet; is means a change in your diet. There are many different kinds of foods that make arthritis worse, just as there are many foods that help with joint strength, pain, and inflammation. One of the most important things you can do is take control of your own body, not the other way around.

There are many different foods, which can make your arthritis worse. They can cause allergies, increase inflammation and even cause hormonal imbalances, all of which can effect the health of your joints and bones. Some of these are chocolate, red peppers, salt, any foods that contain chemical additives, as well as refined sugars. Red meat also is not good for you, yeast and white flour, as well as many dairy products. Cutting down or eliminating these foods from your diet can help greatly.

There are also many healthy foods that you should be eating. Many are full of vitamin C, beta carotene, and Omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are essential for not only maintaining healthy bones and joints, but can improve your overall health as well. Fruits and vegetables that are important to a healthy diet are mango, cantaloupe, dark berries, and apples even have anti-inflammatory properties. Vegetables that are important are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, carrots, and cabbage, just to name a few. There are an abundance of nuts that have important Omega-3 in them, some of these are almonds, and walnuts, and even pumpkin seeds.

People who are experiencing arthritis often have a high level of acid in their bodies, and in order to counteract this, you need to have more foods that are alkaline rich. Coffee, dairy products, red meat, and gluten are all foods that have a tendency to increase the acidity in your body. Aloe Vera supplements, wheat grass, green leafy vegetables, and drinking enough water can help. Whole unprocessed foods are rich in required dietary fiber. They also have the right nutrients that can destroy the free radicals in your body, and improve not just your arthritis, but your overall health as well.

Part of the problems with arthritis is being overweight. Eating foods that are high in fiber can help control weight, improve you internal waste removal, and improve your life. Whole foods, ones that are rich in fiber fill you up better, longer, and help increase bowel movements, flushing toxins from your body.

While there is no one diet that can eliminate arthritis, changing your eating habits can help you in the long run. It is important to understand that this is not a quick fix, and needs to be continued over time in order to benefit from the full effects. Don’t just stop eating right because you are not feeling better immediately, keep at it. It’s much safer, and better for you than prescription or over the counter medications.