Arthritis

Arthritis

Foods to Eat More Of:

Fruits: Apples, avocado, cherries, grapes, lemons, mangoes, papayas, pears, pineapple, melons, strawberries.
Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, leeks, lettuce, onions, seaweed/kelp, turnips, watercress.
Fish (especially cod, salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, tuna), omega-3 eggs, yogurt and flax oil.
Beans, peas, olive oil, whole grains, nuts (especially almonds), seeds (especially flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), black-strap molasses.
Caraway, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, mustard, nutmeg, rosemary, turmeric, shiitake and reishi mushrooms

Foods to Avoid or Minimize:

Alcohol, coffee and salty foods,
Vegetable oils and fatty beef/pork.
Rhubarb, cranberries, plums, spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, shellfish.
Can be related to food intolerance - try an elimination diet. (Most common food sensitivities for those with arthritis are meat, dairy, sugar, gluten, processed foods, tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers and eggplant).

Essential Oils:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

Basil, bergamot, birch, black pepper, cedarwood, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, fir, geranium, ginger, helichrysum, hyssop, lavender, lemon, marjoram, nutmeg, peppermint, pine, Roman chamomile, rosemary, spruce, thyme, valerian, vetiver, white fir, wintergreen (on location, bottom of feet, and diffuse).

Natural/Herbal:
*If additional information or precautions are available, the links below will direct you that information. If not, you will be directed to Amazon for purchasing options.

Alfalfa, birch (tea or poultice), black cohosh, borage, boswellia, buchu, burdock, cardamom, cayenne, celery seed, cilantro/coriander, cinnamon, dandelion, echinacea, eucalyptus, evening primrose, feverfew, German chamomile, ginger, goldenrod, gotu kola, lemon balm, meadowsweet, milk thistle, noni, rosemary, sarsparilla, stinging nettle, turmeric, white willow, yellow dock
Chlorophyll/ Blue-green algae
Regular gentle exercise (swimming, stretching, walking)
Ointments/creams/poultices containing arnica, cayenne, comfrey, juniper, turmeric.
Hot herbal massage oils, creams and poultices: products made from chili, ginger, horseradish, mustard, and black pepper will encourage blood flow to area and warm cold joints. Use in moderation as can cause skin blistering, and don't ever apply pure oils directly to the skin. (If using for Rheumatoid Arthritis, cool the product before applying).
1 teaspoon comfrey tincture with 4 tablespoons honey - heat mixture. Soak a thick cloth with solution and apply to affected area. Leave overnight if possible.
Add 2 Tablespoons cream of tartar and 3 Tablespoons Epsom salt to bath water and soak for 30 minutes daily.
Apple cider vinegar bath (1 1/2 cups) - don't miss more than 2 nights in a row.
Garlic poultice: chop 2 cloves raw garlic and soak it in 1 cup of warmed olive oil for 5 minutes. Fill the toe of a sock with mixture and rub the poultice over affected area.
A shot of Montmorency cherry juice daily.
1 teaspoon vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) and 1 teaspoon honey in a glass of water 4 times daily.
2 tablespoons gelatin in a glass of orange juice. Do not heat. Drink once daily.
Mix 2 pounds Epsom salt, 1 dozen lemons (sliced), and 1 Tablespoon cream of tartar in a gallon jug and fill with warm water. Let sit 3 days. Shake well and take 2 oz twice daily. (1 oz if it causes diarrhea).

Yoga Therapy:

Restorative Yoga for Aching Joints - Yoga for Arthritis (16 minutes - Yoga with Kassandra)
Arthritis Alleviating Yoga Routine (23 minutes - Yogea Yoga)
Chair Yoga Sequence For Arthritis, Injuries & Mobility Issues! (24 minutes - Julie Cerrone Croner)
Chair Yoga: Joint Freeing Sequence: Pain Relief (18 minutes - Laura Goellner)

Supplements & Homeopathic:

Glucosamine: 500 mg glucosamine sulfate 3 times daily (with food).
Chondroitin: 400 mg chondroitin sulfate 3 times daily.
Niacinamide (B3): 1,000 mg 3 times daily (high doses can cause liver damage; physician monitoring is necessary).
Pantothenic Acid (B5): 1,000 - 2,000 mg daily.
Boswellia: 1 pill 3 times daily.
Boron: 6 mg daily (for up to 2 months).
Sea Cucumber: 1,000 mg daily (also known as beche-de-mer).
SAM: 400 mg twice daily for 2 weeks, then 200 mg twice daily as maintenance dose (may have mild gastrointestinal side effects. should not be taken by people with manic-depressive illness).
Vitamin E: 400 IU twice daily (check with doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs).
Fish Oils (Omega-3): 2,000 mg 3 times daily (check with doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs).
Vitamin C: 1,000 mg 3 times daily (reduce if it causes diarrhea).
Vitamin D: 400 IU daily may help slow progression of osteo-arthritis of the Knee (taking more than 1,000 IU daily can be toxic).
Zinc/ Copper: 30 mg zinc twice daily (add 2 mg copper twice daily when using zinc longer than 1 month).
Magnesium: As directed
Evening Primrose Oil: 1,000 mg 3 times daily (can substitute 1,000 mg borage oil once daily).
Ginger: 100 mg 3 times daily (should contain gingerols).
Cat's Claw: 250 mg extract twice daily (take between meals, don't use if pregnant).
Rhus Toxicodendron 6c: 1 dose 3 times daily for 2 weeks.
Ledum 6c: 1 dose 4 times daily for 2 weeks.
Belladonna 6c: 1 dose daily for 2 weeks.
Apis Mellifica 6c: 1 dose 3 times daily for up to 2 weeks.
Bryonia 6c: 1 dose 3 times daily for up to 2 weeks.
Pulsatilla 6c: 1 dose 3 times daily for up to 2 weeks.
Ruta Graveolens 6c: 1 dose 3 times daily for up to 2 weeks.

Mind-Body Connection:

Can represent spiritual isolation - a sense of meaninglessness tied to spiritual emptiness. Try to start a meditation/prayer practice daily.
Can also represent an abundance of resentment and bitterness.
Can also represent bottled-up pain/hurt and/or feeling unloved/unappreciated.
Arthritis in the fingers can represent a desire to blame or punish someone or feelings of victimization.
Rheumatoid Arthritis can represent a strong aversion of authority.

Recipes - Food Medicine:
*Note: Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets. Recipes naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free are marked as such (V=Vegan; GF=Gluten-Free).

Smoothies/Beverages:

Meals:

Sides & Salads: