Osteoarthritis

This extraordinarily common affliction affects, to a greater or lesser degree, about one in three of those in middle age, and four out of five people over the age of sixty-five.

Osteoarthritis is linked with the ageing process, and is thus not a preventable condition at this time (although the process can be slowed considerably with proper diet and supplementation). It is the combination of deterioration, repair and the subsequent inflammation of the joint cartilage, bones, and surrounding tissues which leads to the familiar painful, creaking, misshapen joints.

Arthritis may be felt as nothing worse than the odd twinge, or sometimes become a debilitating pain when the person gets up to walk or changes position. Rest usually helps, and it does not usually disrupt night time sleep. It develops at a variable rate, but may well degenerate into a severe, chronic condition that is marked by flare-ups (especially in spring and autumn) and swollen, painful joints.

Being overweight aggravates arthritis because of the extra mechanical stress put on the hips and knees (a fact that applies equally well to physical activity and to injuries). Heredity plays a role too, since some of us inherit poor carti lage to begin with, and thus develop the disease earlier than others.

X-rays will confirm the diagnosis and can show up the bone spurs on the vertebrae, which are the result of the bone's rebuilding process. So called chondro (i.e., cartilage) protectortreatments have only a palliative effect at thelmoment (this means that they cannot actually rebuild lost cartilage) Arthritis was long neglected by researchers because it was considered simply inevitable, but more scientists are taking an interest in it now, which leads one to hope for a breakthrough in the near future.

Physical measures

• Rest diminishes the pain and allows the cartilage to regenerate
• Heat is equally beneficial, in all its forms (whether warm water, heat packs, or a warm climate)
• Moderate physical activity nourishes the cartilage
• It is vital to keep one's weight down in order to reduce the stress placed on the joints.

Dietary advice

• Eliminate dairy products temporarily from your diet when your arthritis flares up
• Limit red meat to no more than two meals per week, and eat more poultry instead
• Avoid smoked or cured meats
• Eat oily fish three times per week
• Avoid butter, margarine, vegetable fats, and fried foods

Acupuncture

This treatment is more effective for acute arthritic pain than for long-term prevention

Treatment Regime: three sessions 72 hours apart should bring noticeable relief.

Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy can be used instead of acupuncture treatment, or as a complement to it.

Treatment Regime: two sessions per week are in order during an acute episode.

I would place this technique in the category of reflex therapies, as it uses tiny injectable doses of traditional medicines or homeopathic blends, and it strikes me as being similar to acupuncture, both in its areas of application and in its results.

Homeopathy

Bryonia, Rhus toxicodendron

- Four 5c tablets of one of these remedies, to be sucked slowly between meals

Bryonia alba

- Vegetable origin: the fresh root of white bryony
- The homeopathic remedy for pain made worse by the slightest movement - Two specific indications: the pain eases when pressure is applied or when the patient lies on the painful side

Rhus toxicodendron

- Vegetable origin: sumach, or poison ivy
- The homeopathic remedy for pain improved by a change in position

- A specific indication: the pain is made worse by rest

• You could also try Zeel@ (Heel), containing Rhus toxicodendron D2, Arnica Montana D2, Solanum dulcamara D2, Sulphur D6 and Sanguinaria Canadensis D2:
  - Available in packs of 50 and 250 tablets
  - 1 tablet to be dissolved under the tongue 3-5 times daily
• It is also important that you combine these treatments with a constitutional remedy, to be chosen after consultation with a professional homeopath. Some likely choices are Natrum sulfuricum, Kalium carbonicum, or Tuberculinum residuum.

Herbal remedies

Meadowsweet, white willow

These two plants can be prepared and packaged by your herbalist, either individually or combined in a mother tincture, powdered in capsules, or as dried extracts.

Possible Prescription: obtain a 60ml bottle of mother tincture of either of these plants, and take 30 drops in a little water three times a day for several weeks.

Meadowsweet (queen of the meadows)

Its regal name reflects its importance in medicinal treatment in the past, for it was used to treat practically every illness. Some of its effectiveness is due to its salicylic acid content (the main ingredient of aspirin).

White willow

White willow bark is rich in natural aspirin, which makes it useful against rheumatic pain, as well as for bringing down a fever.

You could also try meadowsweet in a whole fresh-plant suspension (this formulation's cold stabilization process restores the full natural therapeutic effect of the plant). Have your herbalist make up a 60ml bottle, and take half a teaspoonful in a little water twice a day This treatment is for adults only.

• Another alternative is 'Herba Naturelle' tincture of Meadowsweet
  - Available in bottles of 50ml and 100ml
  - Twenty drops in a little water three times daily

Plant essential oils

Yellow birch, Roman camomile, and wintergreen all contain anti-inflammatory ingredients.

• Obtain a 1 ml bottle of one these essential oils from your herbalist, and take two drops twice a day in a little honey. (1 should warn you that the Roman camomile oil is effective, but expensive.) You could also add two drops of essential oil to a teaspoonful of macerated blackcurrant flower buds in glycerine at a dilution of lx, for full effect

Oligotherapy

Cobalt and manganese are almost automatic recommendations for arthritic pain, as are fluorine and sulphur.
Trace elements are usually found in the diet, which should be varied and of high quality. In cases of deficiency, they be given as supplements.

Dietary sources of cobalt

The best food sources of cobalt are shell fish, meats, and vegetables (mushrooms, white cabbage, onions, and radishes).

Dietary sources of fluorine

Florine is found principally in plants and table water, tea ++, beer, seaweed, cereals, vegetables (such as asparagus, carrots, celery, cabbage, spinach, radishes, salsify or oyster-plant, and tomatoes), leafy greens (endive, lettuce, and watercress), saltwater fish, and cherries.

Dietary sources of manganese

Manganese is plentiful in cereals, vegtables and dried fruits, almonds, soya eans, fish and shellfish, and snails.

Dietary sources of sulphur

The main food source of sulphur is eggs, but it can also be found in meat and f ish, garlic, onions, and dried beans.

• Trace element remedies: these are available in various brands and formats, such as Organic Minerals (Colloidals) hich contains 70+ trace minerals:
  - Available in 946ml bottles
  - Take 1-3 caps just before breakfast and/or evening meal
  - Children one teaspoon daily for each 20lbs of body weight

Maximal (Ionized colloidals):

- Available in 500ml bottles
- Take 1/2 capful once or twice daily on an empty stomach

• You could also try Arkopharma@ cod liver oil + multivitamins, which contains fish oil plus vitamins A, C and the B vitamins:
  - Available in containers of 90 capsules
  - One capsule to be taken per day with a glass of water
• Alternatively you could take Seven Seas@ cod liver oil plus vitamins; each 525mg capsule contains fish oil plus vitamins A, D and E:
  - Available in containers of 120 capsules
  - One capsule to be taken daily with a glass of water

Vitamins

Primarily from the B group

Dietary sources of B vitamins

These are found largely in whole-grain cereals, brewer's yeast, wheatgerm, meat (especially liver), fish and seafood, vegetables (such as asparagus, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and lentils), whole-grain rice, and pasta.

• You could also try Vitamin B-100 Complex (Lamberts) a mixture of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid, PABA, choline and inositol:
  - Sold in containers of 60 and 200 tablets
  - One tablet to be taken in the morning

Note: A dessertspoonful of brewer's yeast taken at midday and in the evening will also provide these vitamins.