Arthritis Treated with Alternative Medicine

Methotrexate inhibits the immune system, it interferes with cell replication, which may assist in cancer therapy, however, the benefits to those who have rheumatoid arthritis, if any, may be short lived, and the side effects may be life threatening. Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an auto-immune disease, which means your own immune system has overacted to a perceived threat and has gone into overdrive.

Treating an already comprised immune system with an immune system inhibitor may make superficial sense, but adding to an existing problem with such a toxic drug would appear to be adding fuel to the fire. Why has your immune system chosen to attack you instead of protecting you? Long term use of antibiotics for everyday bacterial infections may have contributed to a weakened immune system.

A healthy immune system is capable of destroying infections,unfortunately the over enthusiastic prescribing of antibiotics has reduced the immune system to helplessness, it has in many cases lost its intelligence and therefore its ability to protect its owner. Taking a powerful toxic drug such as Methotrexate and expecting it to help your rheumatoid arthritis is being unrealistic.

Your body is already ailing if you have rheumatoid arthritis, how can you recover your health if you take a drug which can produce the following side effects: Ulcerative stomatitis, leukopenia, nausea, and abdominal distress. Other frequently reported adverse effects are malaise, undue fatigue, chills and fever, dizziness and decreased resistance to infection. Gingivitis, pharyngitis, stomatitis, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hematemesis, melena, gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding, enteritis, pancreatitis. Suppressed hematopoiesis causing anemia, aplastic anemia, leukopenia and/or thrombocytopenia. Pericarditis, pericardial effusion, hypotension, and thromboembolic events (including arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, retinal vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, and pulmonary embolus). Headaches, drowsiness, blurred vision. aphasia, hemiparesis, paresis and convulsions have also occurred following administration of methotrexate.

Following low doses, there have been occasional reports of transient subtle cognitive dysfunction, mood alteration, unusual cranial sensations, leukoencephalopathy, or encephalopathy. Conjunctivitis, serious visual changes of unknown etiology. Interstitial pneumonitis deaths have been reported, and chronic interstitial obstructive pulmonary disease has occasionally occurred. Erythematous rashes, pruritus, urticaria, photosensitivity, pigmentary changes, alopecia, ecchymosis, telangiectasia, acne, furunculosis, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, skin necrosis, and exfoliative dermatitis. Severe nephropathy or renal failure, azotemia, cystitis, hematuria; defective oogenesis or spermatogenesis, transient oligospermia, menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge and gynecomestia; infertility, abortion, fetal defects. Nodulosis, vasculitis, opportunistic infection, arthralgia/myalgia, loss of libido/impotence, diabetes, osteoporosis, sudden death, and reversible lymphomas.

Reference: Medline Drug Database Methotrexate destroys folic acid, possible problems from folic acid deficiency may include: Irritability, anemia, diarrhea, fatigue, forgetfulness, loss of libido, leupkopenia, mental apathy, red tongue, intestinal lesions, reproductive failures, and skin disorders. Vitamin C can increase the toxicity of Methotrexate.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with a change of diet, no need to grab anything else, change your diet to low protein, no alcohol, no tobacco, no sodas either diet or ordinary, no over processed food from the supermarket, no trans fats as found in margarines and crackers. Eat loads of fresh organic green vegetables , and some fruit, wheatgrass, supplement with  krill oil, and  flaxseed meal, and you will see an improvement in your health. Continue to take prescription drugs and you may experience some temporary relief to your pain, but then follows all the possible side effects of the NSAIDs you may be taking, and of course the dreaded Methotrexate, which also may produce a rebound effect. You may think this drug has your arthritis under control,stop taking it, and back it will come with a vengeance.

Foods to eat to help treat your arthritis.

Because sulfur is needed to repair and rebuild cartilage, bone, and connective tissue, as well as assisting the absorption of calcium, it makes sense to add sulfur containing foods to your diet. The best source of sulfur is eggs, green leafy vegetables also contain sulfur, but the sulfur content will vary according to the condition of the soil where it’s grown, whole grains and rice also contain sulfur.

The amino acid histidine benefits those with arthritis, it is found in meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and wheatgerm. Many arthritis suffers have been found to have high levels of copper,lead and iron, histidine removes heavy metals from the body.

Refrain from taking iron supplements, or multi vitamin supplements containing iron, for iron may be involved in pain, swelling and joint destruction, and will only exacerbate your existing condition.

Most everybody with arthritis know to avoid vegetables from the nightshade family, however, as a reminder avoid tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers.

Eat fresh pineapple, it contains the anti-inflammatory bromelain, and will benefit your arthritis, it is also most beneficial if you need to lose weight.

Eat organic flax seeds every day, they have anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being high in Omega-3s. In order to reap the benefits of the flax seed, you must grind the seeds into a meal, otherwise it will only act as fibre and you will not benefit from the anti-inflammatory property.

If you have difficulty eating it, grind the seeds in a spice grinder, and add them to a combination of butter and virgin olive oil. Make sure that you keep flaxseed meal refrigerated for the oil becomes rancid very quickly if left at room temperature.

Eat fresh organic fruit and vegetables, as much as you can manage, excluding the nightshade family.

Do not eat margarines, they contain trans fats which are far worse than saturated fats.

Consume virgin olive oil on a daily basis, the oilve also has anti-inflammatory properties, so olive leaf tea is a great addition to your diet. Do not go overboard with the olive oil, unfortunately it does increase weight, so small amounts every day.

There appears to be a correlation between serum levels of pantothenate and arthritis. A study was done some years back on patients with rheumatoid arthritis, it was found that patients with this disease had low serum levels of pantothenate, and as their disease declined, so did their serum levels of pantothenate.

Pantothenic acid is widely available in many goods, however due to the fact that it is unstable to heat, huge losses occur when grains are milled, when vegetables are frozen, during cooking, canning, and in the presence of alkalis and acids. If you have a lovely fresh salad of organic vegetables and add a dressing of lemon or vinegar, you manage to lose pantothenic acid.

In one study a number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis had pantothenate injections intramuscularly, improvement followed, but was short lived. The patients who were vegetarians in the study had far better results, the improvement and mobility of joints was permanent.