“Doctor B, you're having a laugh” you're whispering to yourself ... “arthritis and rheumatism - food allergies? Surely not!”

Well, strickly speaking, arthritis and rheumatism are not officially classified as allergies, but there is a very good reason for connecting the two medical fields.

A food allergy is defined as an adverse physical reaction to a specific type of food, such as wheat, fish etc.

Arthritis and rheumatism are musculo skeletal disorders that can be caused, prevented and healed depending on several factors – and one of the leading ones is the food you eat!

Yes, there is a lot of truth in the old adage “you are what you eat”!!!

If you're already battling the pain and aches of arthritis and rheumatism, or even if you're still pain free and generally active, you must act now to prevent the onset of problems or to eliminate the symptoms that already exist – and your food intake is key to achieving those goals!

“All the experts agree on one point at least: ingesting too much animal fat, especially uric acids and omega 6 oils, is the number one cause of inflammation.

Animal fats contain a lot of acids. When these acids decompose they are deposited in muscles and joints where they have an eroding effect.

Animal fats congest your liver. To metabolise them your liver secretes more acid, creating a viscious circle of increased acidity in your system”

So if we eat too many foods containing acids, especially the highly damaging uric acid, our body ends up gnawing away at itself producing chronic pain, gradual disability and a loss of independence!!!

FOODS THAT CAN HEAL OR POISON YOU -
For example, were you aware of the amazing curative powers of raw molasses, or that yoghurt is an absolute must for those that want to prevent or heal symptoms related to arthritis and rheumatism.

Do you like your potatoes? Many practioners of alternative and natural medicine firmly believe that potato peel are very good for arthritis, because it helps to preserve healthy tissue. So, choose jacket potatoes over chips – always a good rule for your overall health by the way!

Those small changes will soon become second nature to you and then you can eat without worry, knowing that you're giving your body every chance of long term mobility.

Acupuncture - has been recognised since 1998 by the prestigious National Health Institute in the USA as an effective therapy for joint and muscular conditions. This ancient Chinese treatment can energise and revitialise your body.
Injection therapy – has been used since the 1950's to treat sports injuries such as tendonitis. It's a low dosage shallow injection applied directly to the damaged area, and the pain relief is almost immediate. Also avoids effects associated with oral medications (stomach/kidney etc)
Naturopathy – Proven excellent results by using three basic principles: The body has everything needed to heal itself; disease is a malfunction of vital energies in the bodies; and that disease does not just affct one organ but instead the entire body and being.
Herbal therapy - Prescribed medications are responsiblefor for 10%-20% of all hospitalisation, and can be particularly problematic for arthritis and rheumatism sufferers. Don't take that risk when there are proven traditional herbal treatments that are often more effective.

Chiropractic manipulation – This treatment is best for back and neck problems, although a mixed chiro practioner can deal with a number of other parts of the body and conditions.

Aromatherapy – Essential oils applied externally or orally. Excellent for pain releif and relaxing muscles.
In my experience once we hit 40, we should seriously start taking care of our joints and muscles, otherwise we run the great risk of ending up almost crippled by the pain and stiffness of arthrits and rheumatism.