Arthritis is a disease affecting millions of people worldwide. The pain and discomfort in the joints affect every aspect of life even causing depression and anxiety. While arthritis is typically managed with painkillers and other medications, is there another way? Is arthritis really inevitable as we age? How should one interpret arthritis from the perspective of Natural Laws? Read more to understand from this article.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a general term given to the condition of painful joints. This condition can be divided into “degenerative” and “inflammatory” forms of arthritis.

• The most common form of arthritis afflicting humans is osteoarthritis, often referred to as “degenerative arthritis” where over a period of time the joints develop pain and slowly deform and are commonly thought of as ‘normal wear and tear’ associated with ageing. Osteoarthritis earlier used to affect mainly older age groups (10-15% of 60 years and above). But due to sedentary lifestyles, wrong nutrition, stress, lack of exercise, obesity, etc, one finds that the average age being affected is declining worldwide.
• There are also other forms of arthritis called rheumatoid, lupus, psoriatic, ankylosing spondylitis etc which are associated with inflammation. They develop more aggressively than osteoarthritis.

How arthritis is generally treated?

1. Medications are given primarily to manage and relieve pain. But in the long run, their side effects can cause gastrointestinal complications, cardiovascular problems, bleeding problems, and liver and kidney damage.Of course, there are other things like steroids, lubricant injections or surgical interventions like joint replacements but these are last recourses and are known to have their own complications.
2. Doctors commonly advise people to lose weight, especially if they have disease of the joints of the lower extremities, and to avoid prolonged and strenuous use of the affected joints. Obesity increases the stress on the weight-bearing joints, such as your knees and your hips so any amount of weight loss relieves pressure on the joints and reduces the pain.
3. Gentle exercises which do not cause pain are also advised

Many people notice that in spite of taking medicines, the condition keeps deteriorating. Most of these medicines need to be taken for life and do not cure arthritis. The reason is that medicines do not address the root cause of the disease.

Natural Healing view of arthritis

In Natural Healing, the cause of disease is one and one only i.e. the buildup of toxins in the body over many years due to wrong lifestyle. Wrong lifestyle encompasses having food which is not natural), overwork without adequate rest, wrong thinking, stress, not taking in enough sunlight and fresh air and sedentary lifestyle. These factors make the body chemistry acidic and affect the PH balance of our body which should normally be alkaline.

This results in development of diseases in stages. You can watch this video on Stages of disease to know more. Arthritic conditions are a disease of Stage 2.

Wrong food & arthritis

• Foods heavy in sugar, oils, non-veg and dairy, refined grains cause weight gain. This puts high load on the joints and causes extra stress to them. Non-veg and dairy products in particular cause inflammation very quickly. Also, all these foods leave an acidic residue on digestion which can add to the toxins in the body, if body is unable to eliminate this residue efficiently.
• Toxins circulating in the body do not allow nutrition to reach the cells of the bones and joints. They don’t get proper nutrition to become strong enough so as to resist the normal wear and tear of daily activities.
• Cooked foods in the form of grains are low in natural water and dehydrate the body causing aches and pains at the joints.

Common myths around arthritis

1. Myth 1 - It is caused due to ageing or is genetic
   • Genetics and age are not barriers for the reversal of this condition. More than biological age, it depends on how many years were spent in the wrong lifestyle.
2. Myth 2 - Oils, ghee and other fats are needed for greasing the joints
   • The truth is that many of these foods are processed, contain harmful chemicals and actually aggravate the condition. You can read more on this in our article about oils.
3. Myth 3- Cold weather causes flare ups of arthritic conditions and more joint pains

It is more probable that the inactivity due to staying indoors,the lack of fresh air and sunlight and the overeating of rich foods we consume more of in winter are the chief causes.

Healing arthritis the natural way

FOOD

The most important change is to have more of alkaline foods – i.e. fruits and vegetables in raw form. These are high in natural water, improve circulation and reduce inflammation.

• Have plenty of fruits especially only fruits till afternoon. In particular, the enzymes in pineapple juice have been reported to reduce swelling and inflammation.
• Increase intake of vegetables by having salads with lunch and dinner or by having vegetable juices. Vegetable juices can be regularly given as they are alkaline. In particular, green juice extracted from green leafy vegetables is helpful. Alkaline raw juices help in dissolving the deposit accumulation around the joints.
• Reduce or stop non-veg and dairy products as they cause inflammation.
• Stop all processed food, sugar, refined grains and deep fried foods as they are high in chemicals and increase toxicity.
• Opt to cook oil free or use only cold pressed oils.
• Reduce grains as they are acidic and cause inflammation.

Image credit:Trang Doan via pexels

ACTIVITY

• Exercise - Keep active and do as much as possible without taxing your joints. Gentle stretching and rotation of joints, walking with a cane if needed will help.
• Practice deep breathing to get fresh air into your lungs which help in detoxing.
• Make sure to get atleast 1 hour in sunlight every single day. Expose as much area of your skin as possible.

REST

• Rest when body asks for it
• Sleep by 9:00 p.m or maximum by 10:00 p.m most days in a week

EMOTIONS

• Let go of old hurts, resentments and negative emotions which do not serve you.
• Engage in hobbies which give fulfillment. Take up meditation.

In our Health Journey’s section, you can read the inspiring story of how Nandini Gulati healed from Arthritis.

Some home remedies

1. Raw potato juice therapy- Cut potato into thin slices without peeling the skin, placed overnight in large glass filled with cold water, water should be drunk in the morning on an empty stomach. OR Fresh juice can also be extracted from potatoes and drunk diluted with water on a 50:50 basis, first thing in the morning.
2. Lime has been used as home remedy for arthritis. Lime contains citric acid which helps in dissolving uric acid which is primary cause of arthritis.
3. Have a teaspoonful of powdered fenugreek seeds in warm water.
4. Take a pinch of turmeric in water with breakfast (if possible with black pepper as it increases its bio-availability).
5. Teaspoon of Honey with pinch of cinnamon powder with warm water empty stomach or last thing in the night before sleeping is also known to help.
6. Massaging the joints with warm oil, ginger juice can help in some cases.

All these are supposed to reduce inflammation. One could try some of these and figure out which suit them the most. But do note that these home remedies must be combined along with lifestyle changes of food, activity, rest and emotions mentioned above to experience a sustained level of healing.

Assistive measures for arthritis management

Some non evasive measures to manage the pain and discomfort of arthritis are mentioned below.

1. Physical therapy or Yoga or Tai chi which involve regular but gentle exercises or stretches that strengthen the muscles around the joint, increase range of motion and reduce pain. Swimming or walking, also can be equally effective. Avoid moves that cause pain in joints.
2. Occupational therapy can help you discover ways to do everyday tasks or do your job without putting extra stress on your already painful joint. For instance, a toothbrush or knife with a large grip if you have finger osteoarthritis. A bench in your shower could help relieve the pain of standing or higher bed or chair could help relieve the pain of sitting and getting up if you have knee osteoarthritis.
3. Use heat and cold to manage pain - Heat also relieves stiffness, and cold can relieve muscle spasms and pain.
4. Constipation should be avoided as it adds to the toxin levels and irritation and inflammation of joints.
5. Body should be kept warm; however, joints should not be bandaged very tightly as this limits movement and circulation of blood. Long exposure to humid weather is not very good as it leads to aggravation.
6. Assisting devices - can make it easier to go about your day without stressing painful joint.
   1. Braces or shoe inserts- devices that can help reduce pain when you stand or walk, can immobilize or support your joint to help take pressure off it.
   2. A cane may take weight off your knee or hip as you walk. Carry the cane in the hand opposite the leg that hurts.

Conclusion

Image credit:Noelle Otto via pexels

Though commonly believed to be a disease of old age, arthritis is in fact a disease of wrong lifestyle. By aligning to the Laws of Nature, one can find relief from this disease. This may require commitment of time and effort from the patient’s side. One should not expect that he / she will be healed within a few days or weeks. The time depends on many factors like the degree of adherence to the natural lifestyle, how long the person was suffering from the disease, the age etc. Particularly in the case of osteoarthritis, the healing may take longer. It needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis. But be assured, your body is always healing you. It is up to you how you want to support your body.

Recommended read / watch

1. How to Prevent and Treat Degenerative (Osteo) Arthritis -Dr John McDougall
2. Acharya Mohan Gupta’s video on aches & pains
3. The natural way to a pain free life

Title image credit:rawpixel via Pexels.com

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