Arthritis Treated with Alternative Medicine

Bromelain consists of two enzymes that digest proteins, otherwise known as proteases or proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes are obtained from different parts of the plant, one from the stem and the other from the fruit. It also includes protease inhibitors, acid phosphatase, peroxidase and calcium.

First used as a supplement in 1959, bromelain is particularly popular in Germany, where a lot of the recent research has been carried out. Because the stem enzyme is in the greatest amount, eating pineapple will not give a great deal of bromelain, and you will have to take the supplement which is extracted from the stem in order to get the greatest benefits.

Bromelain has several therapeutic effects on the body, and is a good aid to digestion. The enzyme can boost the digestive processes and so reduce the incidence of problems such as heartburn, acid reflux and any other condition caused by the incomplete digestion of foods. It does this by breaking down proteins so they are more easily digested.

In fact its potency is sometimes measured in GDUs (Gelatin Digesting Units), gelatin being a common protein that is easily used for the measurement of bromelain activity. It is also measured in MCU (Milk Clotting Units), since bromelain can also be used to clot milk, and a standardized dose should contain 2 MCU per milligram. The dosage to use depends a great deal on the condition being treated, but a good general average for digestive problems is 500 mg three times daily.

Bromelain works best at an optimum pH of 4.5 – 5.5 and can therefore help to balance the pH in its environment. It is extremely important to the immune system that the pH of the body is balanced and controlled to within certain limits, and bromelain can help to achieve that. In helping to reduce the excessive acidity caused by poor digestion, a balanced pH of the stomach is also maintained, helping to reduce the feeling of nausea, common with some digestive defects. The overall result of bromelain supplement is to help to maintain a better digestive system and ease the discomfort of many people for whom a meal is frequently not the pleasure it should be.

Bromelain is also an anti-inflammatory, and used for temporary relief of the inflammation caused by surgical procedures, arthritis and various injuries and forms of disease It is commonly used for the treatment of sports injuries and also immediately after surgery to reduce the risk of inflammation. It appears to have an inhibiting effect of the production of pro-inflammatory metabolites in the body, although the mechanism by which it works is not yet fully understood.

In fact many of the therapeutic benefits of bromelain have been show to be only partially due to its proteolytic activity, and it is now believed that there are also as yet unidentified non-protein factors present in bromelain that contribute to these forms of health benefit. The biochemistry of bromelain has yet to be fully characterized.

Notwithstanding that, the substance has been recommended for the treatment of a wide range of connected conditions, such as gout, arthritis, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune disorders, hay fever and sinusitis. It is particularly useful where there is pain, where tissues have become swollen and when tissue repair is needed. It appears to inhibit pain-inducing prostaglandins and is also believed in some way to induce the biochemical production of other prostaglandins that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

All of this knowledge has come as a result of studies carried out on the biochemical activity of bromelain, but have not yet been proved and is indicative of the lack of biochemical knowledge on this substance and the chemicals it contains. What have been demonstrated, however, are its effects on platelets and blood clots in arteries.

It appears to do this by the inhibition of the formation of high levels of fibrinogen from which clots are made, and also inhibits the aggregation of blood platelets and their ability to stick to the endothelial cells of blood vessels, particularly the arteries. The fibrin that is produced from fibrinogen not only promotes blood clotting but is also associated wit the retention of fluid. It is a protein, and the proteolytic effect of bromelain also breaks this down.

Bromelain therefore works in a number ways to reduce fluid retention, prevent blood clotting and inhibit the aggregation of blood platelets on artery walls. The measurable effect of this is the thinning of the blood that such activity promotes. It is logical that if fibrin contributes to the viscosity of blood, then its destruction will result in thinner blood, and hence lower blood pressure.

It is also used in the treatment of burns, where it helps to remove the dead skin that can delay recovery after third degree burns. It also appears to promote the absorption of many antibiotics, which again helps in recovery.

Bromelain is relatively safe to use with few side effects, although, curiously, among the side effects are some conditions it is also used to treat. Among these are nausea and allergic reactions, along with diarrhea and excessive menstrual flow. One of its successes has been in the control of menstrual pain.

Bromelain has been proposed for cancer therapy, its potential use being recommended due to its effect of the adhesion of cells, its regulation of the immune function and its effect on the immunosuppressive cytokine TGF-beta that is involved in several types of cancer and their metastasis (spread to other parts of the body). However, a lot more work is needed on this for definite conclusions to be drawn.

On a more practical note, the effect of bromelain on proteins is put to use as a steak tenderizer. If the product is sprinkled in powdered form onto meat, and then forked into the tissue, the enzymes will break down the protein of the meat and make it tender when cooked. However, don’t overdo it or you will end up eating a meaty mush more akin to a soft meatloaf than a good steak!

All in all, bromelain is a useful supplement for many medical conditions, and does to food in your stomach what it does to steak on the plate. It is generally used in supplement form because the active enzyme is not in a high enough concentration in the fruit itself, but in the stem from which it is extracted after the fruit has been harvested. It is also easier to standardize a supplement than a fruit.

Barley Grass belongs to a family of grasses called cereal grasses. During the first part of the 20th century, the juice of barley grass was discovered to be rich in vitamins and minerals. The light-green leaves of barley plants are usually called barley grass because they are long and narrow like grass. Barley grass has been cultivated as early as 7000 BC, making this food one of the earliest cultivated foods known to man kind. Barley grass is used as a food source in some parts of Asia and it is available for food supplementation as both a juice and a powder that can be added to foods or taken as tablets or capsules.

Barley grass (5 grams) has more protein and fiber than a serving (114 grams) of raw spinach. Barley grass juice contains antioxidants, enzymes, and other phytochemicals that in vitro neutralize free radicals and other unfriendly chemicals, including pesticides and food preservatives. This grass also contains large amounts of beta carotene, folic acid, calcium, and several B vitamins making it a good source of nutrients. Barley juice also contains nutrients such as vitamins C and E, which are much more potent together than when taken separately. Barley grass is high in iron, all essential amino acids, flavonoids, and a number of minerals. Barley grass may sometimes be rich in vitamin K, which interferes with the action of anticoagulants such as Coumadin (the brand name for warfarin, a drug used to treat and prevent blood clots).

Barley Grass is also naturally rich in copper, potassium, manganese, zinc, and may be beneficial for, various conditions including arthritis, asthma, skin problems, obesity, anemia, constipation, impotence, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and kidney problems. It is often combined with alfalfa, spirulina, or other grain shoots, such as oat grass and wheat grass to make products that are advertised as “total nutrition” or “green” foods. Young barley grass contains concentrated nutrients more so than adult barley grass as well as, live enzymes, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Barley grass is also has very high chlorophyll levels. Chlorophyll has been studied for its potential in stimulating tissue growth and in stimulating red blood cells in connection with oxygen supply. Chlorophyll also removes carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and has been found to reduce fecal, urinary, and body odor. Chlorophyll and other essential nutrients act synergistically in barley grass to detoxify the body from destructive toxins such as heavy metals and pollutants that we digest every day. Chlorophyll is anti-bacterial and can be used inside and outside the body as a healer. Chlorophyll reportedly inhibits the growth of cancer cells under laboratory conditions, but its value in human health has not been well studied.

Barley Grass contains perhaps the most balanced nutrient profile of all green plants. Many of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes present in Barley grass act as powerful antioxidants protecting our body from free radical damage, enhancing our immune system and improving cardiovascular health by reducing oxidative stress on cholesterol and the body as a whole.

Although barley grass clearly contains vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the body, the health benefits of these substances have not been subject to in-depth clinical studies. The nutrient concentration in barley grass products varies with the conditions under which the plant is grown. Like other natural supplements, commercial barley grass is not standardized; therefore, different crops contain varying amounts of nutrients.

Although not substantiated, sources have claimed that barley grass is good for the following conditions: skin diseases, hepatitis, asthma, anemia, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity to name a few. There are no known side effects attributed to the consumption of barley grass. Finally, after years of research on over 200 types of plants, including fruits, vegetables, grasses, and herbs, scientists have found that young barley grass is one of the most nutritionally balanced foods in nature. Have you had your barley grass today?

Open the newspapers on any morning and it’s not long before you’re confronted with the latest health scare. Whether it’s the continuing HRT debate, withdrawal of Vioxx from Arthritis sufferers or worries about the effectiveness of antibiotics we can often feel bombarded and confused. Increasingly, people are looking for natural alternatives to pharmaceutical products. Many are food items which we have used for years and have no known adverse side-effects. We are unlikely to read health scares about them as we peruse the morning papers. One such food is apple cider vinegar.

The powerful health and healing properties of apple cider vinegar have been known since biblical times. Indeed traces of the substance were found in Egyptian urns dating back 5,000 years. It is thought that the Egyptians used apple cider vinegar as an antiseptic and healing agent. References to it appear in the Bible.

Knowledge of the health giving properties of apple cider vinegar arrived in Britain about forty years ago. Dr Jarvis, a New England medic, reported the folk medicine of Vermont which emphasises the importance of keeping the body supplied with all the minerals it needs for optimum health. Dr Jarvis recommends two teaspoons each of apple cider vinegar and raw honey mixed with water, taken one or more times per day to replenish the minerals needed by the body. Dr Jarvis found this regime to be particularly beneficial to Arthritis sufferers and those seeking to lose weight. He went on to write ‘Arthritis and Cider Vinegar’ which is sadly out of print.

So why is this foodstuff so beneficial to the body? Let’s start by considering the humble apple. Although familiar with the phrase ‘An apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away’, most are unaware that the apple is one of Mother Nature’s most perfect foods. The apple provides a host of beneficial vitamins and minerals and when turned into cider vinegar this goodness is provided in a concentrated form. Although acidic, apple cider vinegar provides alkalising minerals which have the effect of alkalising the body.

A high acid environment is implicated in a myriad of conditions from arthritis and cardiovascular disease to chronic fatigue and it hinders any attempts at weight loss. Acidity in the body is caused by a combination of factors including high intake of meat, dairy products, alcohol and processed foods. A stressful lifestyle and lack of beneficial alkalising fruits and vegetables also contribute to the problem.

Over the years, many have experienced success using apple cider vinegar. Most notably in the UK is a lady called Margaret Hill. Trained as a nurse, at the age of 21 years Margaret was diagnosed with acute rheumatoid arthritis. By the time she was in her late 30s she was wheelchair bound and in excruciating pain. This was the late 1950s and conventional medicine was unable to help. Margaret, having read Dr Jarvis’s book, began following the apple cider vinegar and raw honey regime. This regime, coupled with a healthy diet, was instrumental in ridding Margaret of the pain she had been suffering for most of her adult life. Keen to share her knowledge with other arthritis sufferers, Margaret wrote ‘Curing Arthritis the Drug-Free Way’ and opened the ‘Margaret Hills Clinic’ in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Since opening, the clinic has helped thousands of people crippled with rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Its regime is three pronged:

1. Three times per day, apple cider vinegar and honey in water

2. Acid free diet

3. Appropriate supplementation

Interestingly, Margaret found that most arthritic patients were also suffering from other ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, eczema, and diverticulitis. As they progressed with the regime, there was often a marked improvement in these additional ailments. Those patients who needed to lose weight found that the regime helped in achieving their weight loss goals. There is also evidence that apple cider vinegar acts as a natural probiotic, increasing levels of gut flora and aiding the digestive tract.

So how is apple cider vinegar made? Crushed whole apples are fermented to become cider. The cider is then fermented to become vinegar. There are a number of brands available but arguably the best is Aspall’s organic cyder vinegar still produced by the Chevallier-Guilds family after 8 generations. It can be found in most supermarkets and health food stores.

So is this the end of the apple cider vinegar story? Well no. As well as using apple cider vinegar internally it also has many other uses. It’s an incredibly versatile and powerful household cleaning and deodorising agent which is free from dangerous chemicals. Try cleaning your windows with it and watch them sparkle! It’s also good added to the final rinse when washing hair. The result is a lovely sheen.

So when the next health scare comes round – don’t panic! Remember the natural alternatives, like apple cider vinegar, and turn to the sports page.