Natural Remedies for Gout & Arthritis

I've never experienced gout, but from what friends tell me, it's one of the most painful conditions known to humans. There is a prescription drug that keeps it at bay and my neighbor has been taking it every day for about 30 years.

If you prefer not to take a drug every day for life, or if you're sensitive to drugs, you might want to try natural remedies first.

According to the Journal of Nutrition (June 2003 & April 2006) sweet cherries have anti-inflamatory properties that help against both gout and arthritis.

Both sweet and sour cherries block an enzyme that causes inflammation.

The drawback, as with many natural remedies, is that you don't always get instant relief. It can take two or three weeks of using cherry juice daily before you see a real difference in your pain levels.

However... I had an elderly friend who had been suffering from gout and his doctor hadn't even offered anything for relief. He happened to mention it to a clerk in a grocery store one day and she told him to get cranberry juice and start drinking it immediately. He did, and by morning his pain was gone. He was pretty upset at his doctor for not telling him there was such an easy cure.

Thus, different bodies / different results.

Rebound Headaches Caused by Pain Relievers

In our over-medicated society, people are now suffering from headaches caused by too much pain relief!

Anti-inflammatory drugs used to relieve arthritis pain are, quite understandably, being over used, since arthritis pain is more than a once-in-a-while thing. This is not just prescription drugs, but over the counter drugs such as Advil, Aleve, and Motrin IB.

The result, for many people, is headaches that occur just as soon as the medicine wears off. According to a report by Joe Saper,M.D., director of the Michigan Headache adn Neurological Institute, this is the result of brain receptors becoming overly sensitized.

Those who find themselves with worsening headaches may want to consider a topical medicine for arthritis pain, or non-drug approaches such as fish oil, boswellia, ginger, or turmeric.

Another recent report gives a second reason to cut back on these drugs. New studies are showing that continual use can lead to liver failure.

Meanwhile, because of recent deaths due to overdose, some are calling for stricter controls on over-the-counter drugs. While I do feel sorry for the families of those who over-do it, I sure don't want to see the day when we won't be allowed to keep a bottle of aspirin on the shelf!

I know my views on personal responsibility are not politically correct, but I just don't think I need Big Brother protecting me from myself.

Really, it's all ridiculous, since the same people who would limit our use of Tylenol or Advil are perfectly willing to approve drugs whose side-effects can kill, even when used according to prescribed directions.

What do you think?

Vitamin D Deficiency can be Painful

We talked a while back about Vitamin D and important it is to overall health.

A deficiency can lead to brittle bones, joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue - and that makes it a real hazard for older folks, who are already candidates for broken hips, etc.

An article I read recently told about a gentleman who had so much shoulder pain that he could not raise his arm - his range of motion was so limited that it was difficult to put on a shirt or a jacket.

Fortunately for him, he had an endocrinologist who understood about vitamins, and he was tested for Vitamin D deficiency. After about 10 days on 2,000 units per day, his shoulder pain completely disappeared and he once again had full range of motion. The wife who wrote about it considered it a miracle, especially since the orthopedic doctors had been talking about surgery.

This time of year those of us in the Northern climes are especially likely to be low on Vitamin D and should be taking a supplement. When Spring comes we can instead make it a point to get out in the sun for about 15 minutes per day. But, for those who don't get outdoors at all, a supplement is called for year-round.

Joint pain can, of course, be a symptom of arthritis. That's the case for two members of my family: One husband, and one dog. Because I had lost a dog to the prescription drug Rimadyl, I was very careful when the vet prescribed it for this dog. And sure enough, after 2 pills he was throwing up. So we stopped that. The vet gave him a different pill with the same effect. That's when I became determined to find something to help him that wouldn't harm him.

I found it in a product called ArthroIonx - which is nothing more than all natural minerals. When he started on it he couldn't get up into "his" chair and my husband had to lift him into his pickup when they went anywhere. Now, although he is 2 years older, he runs and plays with the other dogs as if he'd never had a broken leg or a torn ligament - or arthritis.

But it gets better. After we saw how this product helped the dog I started wondering if it was safe for human consumption, so I called the company. They said "Absolutely, we just can't advertise it that way because of the FDA rules."

So, I started giving it to my husband. He teased and grumbled about it, so after a couple of months I stopped. A few days later he said "Where's my dog medicine?" I told him I'd quit because he complained and he informed me that he wanted it - he could tell the difference in how his knees felt when he took it.

And that's why I give my husband "dog medicine."

Arthritis pain relieved - by dogs?

It's not too often that the same information posted on my doggie blog would belong here, on my natural health blog ... but it happened today.

An article in the Ladies Home Journal prompted it. They have some kind of good dog story every month, but this time they told about the Xolo dog- and its amazing ability to help relieve pain for arthritis sufferers.

But rather than repeat myself - I invite you to visit my doggie blog for the rest of the Xolo story.

Breast pain - it could be arthritis

According to a recent report, breast pain affects as many as 7 in 10 women at some point in their lives - being most common in premenopausal women.

And of course, pain generates fear. Breast cancer becomes foremost in a woman's mind. The fact is, pain rarely signifies breast cancer. Often it is the result of arthritis that has developed in the intercoastal spaces, and the pain simply radiates into the breast.

Of course worried women should have an exam and tests necessary to rule out cancer, but in the meantime, discomfort may be relieved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory over-the-counter drugs, evening primrose, vitamin E, or hot and cold compresses.

Fear and panic could be the very things that weaken your system and allow disease to take a foothold, and according to the Law of Attraction, continual thoughts of disease can bring it to you. So if you're worried, have the tests, set your mind at ease, and banish those thoughts!

Natural help for arthritic pets

Today Summer arrived in North Idaho - after a cold and dreary "non-Spring." That must mean it's time to celebrate with some good news instead of more warnings.

The good news is about my dog Ralph. Or I should say my husband's dog, since Ralph is his best friend.



Ralph came to us in January 2001, when he was a 6 month old pup with a broken leg. His owner didn't want to pay for the surgery so was going to have him put to sleep. We didn't see it that way, so Ralph came to live with us. (His former owner didn't find out he was alive until about a year later.)

Anyway, his leg is a little bit crooked, and as he aged he developed arthritis. Then last year he played too hard and tore a ligament. The vet didn't want to do surgery because it would put too much strain on the other leg, so he prescribed Rymadyl. That's the drug that killed my old dog, so I watched it carefully. Sure enough, one pill and he was throwing up. So they prescribed a different pill - same results.

Being determined to help this best friend of ours, I started searching on line for something natural - something with no nasty side effects that would make life miserable - or kill him. And what I found has made all the difference in the world. From not even being able to even get into the pickup (or his favorite chair), Ralph is now running and playing with the other dogs as if he'd never had an injury. I think the natural elements in this remedy actually have healed his joints rather than just killing the pain.

Whatever the reason, I'm more than thankful that we found it. So if you have a dog who suffers from joint pain, just click here to learn more about Arthro-IonX.

Yours for natural health!
Marte