Alleviating Arthritis Naturally

Yesterday, I told you how promising new research has found that the antioxidant power of pomegranates may be able to help reduce your arthritis symptoms. However, I also warned that drinking pomegranate juice may do more harm than good because of the fructose (sugar) found in fruit juices.

Fortunately, when it comes to cashing in on the power of antioxidants to help reduce arthritis pain and inflammation, there are many alternatives apart from pomegranates. In fact, most vegetables are loaded with potent phytochemicals that act as antioxidants. Better still, high vegetable consumption will not lead to insulin resistance – the result of consuming too much sugar and a precursor for diseases like type 2 diabetes.

More of the crunchy stuff

There’s no refuting the fact that your diet is a key component to preventing and fighting disease, especially autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.

While pomegranates have the potential to fight arthritic joint pain and inflammation, there are other factors that also have a major impact on this disease. And one of the key players in keeping arthritis at bay is your diet.

By following these simple dietary steps and guidelines arthritis suffers will almost certainly see an improvement in their condition… they ??ll also dramatically reduce their risk of developing any further problems with chronic inflammation:

• Eliminate sugar and most grains
• Eat unprocessed, high-quality foods; organic and locally-grown when possible
• Eat your food as close to raw as possible, especially when it comes to eating vegetables. The closer vegetables are to being harvested, the more potent the antioxidants they contain are – which is why you should consume the majority of your fruits and vegetables RAW and locally harvested. If you eat vegetables that have been harvested weeks before (like most of the produce found on supermarket shelves), you will not be reaping as many of the benefits the food has to offer you.
• Get plenty of high-quality (animal-based), inflammation-fighting omega-3 fats, such as krill oil

In addition, you may also want to focus on taking antioxidant-rich supplements that have been shown to have potential when it comes to helping to reduce inflammation. These include:

• Turmeric has been found to be effective against both acute and chronic pain. In experiments on rats, turmeric blocked inflammatory pathways associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Boswellia is another herb particularly useful against arthritic inflammation and pain.
• Ginger is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties and also offers pain relief. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Astaxanthin has been shown to effectively reduce pain. In one study, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers experienced a 35 per cent improvement in pain levels, as well as a 40 per cent improvement in their ability to perform daily activities after receiving astaxanthin for only eight weeks.

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Bear in mind all the material in this email alert is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Consumption of pomegranate decreases serum oxidative stress and reduces disease activity in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study, Isr Med Assoc J. 2011 Aug;13(8):474-9.

A Godsend for Arthritis Sufferers – May Reduce Pain by a Whopping 62%, published online 09.11.11, articles.mercola.