Our society is such that on a daily basis we unknowingly introduce our bodies to countless foreign substances. We are so conditioned to our way of life that we are not conscious to the fact that almost everything we eat, drink, breathe and put in or on our bodies is full of any number of food dyes, additives and preservatives. We routinely ingest toxic and often deadly chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride or heavy metals like mercury and lead. The air we breathe is no better, containing an array of noxious manmade chemicals, any number of which if inhaled in large doses would be considered lethal. When the body is unable to effectively deal with this foreign invasion, it sends in the troops, flooding your system with white blood cells. These cells, which are produced in your bone marrow, are part of your immune system and help to fight off such things as infectious disease and foreign materials. When your body is consistently subjected to these foreign substances however, it essentially goes into a state of constant alert. Eventually, this endless battle overwhelms the immune system to the point it can no longer differentiate between what is normal and natural and what is foreign, initiating a condition known as an autoimmune disease. Arthritis among others, is one such disorder.

In many cases, arthritis can also be triggered by age and longstanding inferior nutrition. Overtime, our joints and the surrounding ligaments, tendons and cartilage can become worn with wear. The cartilage, which is a gel-like substance found between the bones, acts as a shock absorber, protecting the ends of the joints. When the essential enzymes normally produced by our bodies to repair this cartilage are insufficient, severe degeneration can occur. In order for these enzymes to be produced, the cells must be functioning properly. If your body is depleted of fundamental nutrients or overwhelmed by toxic substances, this reparative process will ultimately fail.


There are Over 100 Types of Arthritis

Over 43 million Americans suffer yearly from some form of arthritis. Some worse than others, but for 20 million of these people, the disease has progressed to unmanageable proportions. It is usually at this point we seek medical attention for symptoms such as pain, swelling and increasingly limited joint mobility.

Researchers have classified over 100 variations of arthritis including such things as juvenile arthritis, fibromyalgia and lupus. Most commonly however, people suffer from four main types of this disease: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and infectious arthritis or gout.

There are obvious differences between these conditions. Osteoarthritis for example, is often referred to as degenerative arthritis because is it triggered by consistent wear and tear on the body, which ultimately results in bone-tissue loss in the affected joints. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the true cause of rheumatoid arthritis, the most crippling form of the disease affecting women over 40 three times more often than men, is unknown. They do recognize however, it is an autoimmune disorder similar to lupus. In both cases, the immune system turns on itself, attacking otherwise healthy tissue such as cartilage found in the joints. It is believed a specific bacterium causes infectious arthritis, which is why fever, chills, inflammation and pain usually accompany this form of the disease. Lastly, gout is a form of arthritis that mostly affects men over 40 and is characterized by elevated uric acid levels that cause crystals to form in the joints. These crystals are considered foreign substances by the body, which reacts by sending extra white blood cells to combat the invader, causing pain and inflammation in the afflicted area.
Arthritis can be triggered by a multitude of things such as injury, food allergies, stress, a genetic predisposition or even your physiological and emotional state according to some studies. The bottom line however, is if the body is in optimal working condition, it can effectively heal itself by repairing these damaged cells. So, if you are suffering from arthritis, your body is obviously deficient or toxic in some way and not able to effectively heal. In most cases therefore, it is necessary to support your healing by introducing proper nutrition and natural supplements to aid in the repair of tissue, boost your immune system and detoxify your body.

Nature s Way

Nature provides everything we need to support and nourish our bodies. The typical Western diet unfortunately consists of mainly nutrient deficient, highly refined and processed foods. Fast food for a fast life. It is no wonder that by medical standards, over 60 percent of all American adults are obese, 30 percent morbidly so. Obvious health issues aside, studies show a direct link between obesity and osteoarthritis. In fact, this risk can be up to 10 times higher for extremely overweight individuals.

If you are overweight, your doctor may explain the typical health issues associated with obesity (heart attack, diabetes etc.), but traditional medicine does not yet make the real and most important connection between diet and health. The human body, like all things organic, has a very sensitive acid-base balance. By nature, the human body is deigned to function at optimal levels when it is slightly alkaline (pH of 7.35 -7.41). Anything below a pH of 7 is considered acidic. While certain areas and fluids of the body are more acidic than others, blood levels should be kept somewhat alkaline. When your body becomes too alkaline however, a condition known as alkalosis develops. By the same token, if it is too acidic, acidosis results. Every cell within the human body is slightly alkaline. During the many and often complex metabolic processes they undergo, they create an acidic byproduct known as free radicals from which they then derive energy to function. If this waste material is allowed to build up however, it can trigger acidosis, which ultimately damages cell membranes, DNA and the basic cellular mechanisms needed to function properly. One such process is oxygen synthesis. When your body is too acidic, your red blood cells cannot transport sufficient oxygen to other cells. They begin to break down and die, a process that leads to inflammation as free radicals take over. While inflammation itself is not necessarily a bad thing as it neutralizes harmful microorganisms, when it becomes chronic, you can develop any number of diseases including arthritis. We also know an acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) body is the perfect breeding ground for fungus, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Simply put, disease cannot live in an oxygenated body. So, if your pH levels are normal, you cannot get sick. In this sense, your pH level is truly your first defense against disease.

As a nation, we are slowly killing ourselves with food. The biggest cause of body acidity is diet. Foods like refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, refined wheat, alcohol, caffeine, processed meats, soda, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and all fast food are extremely acidic. Obesity aside, the typical American diet promotes acidosis and disease. Arthritis is directly linked to what you eat.

To restore proper alkalinity we must first change our diet. Low carbohydrate (no refined wheat, sugar etc.), organic fresh vegetables and fruits, natural fats such as cheese and butter, protein and plenty of fresh, clean, preferably ozonated or at least filtered, water. If your body is severely acidic or you are overweight, you may need to first detoxify your body using one of the many safe cleanses. This helps remove accumulated toxins so your body can once again function properly. Drinking lots of water daily and cleansing your body regularly is essential to controlling the acidic build-up responsible for arthritis. As your acid levels decease, so will your inflammation and pain.

While proper diet is key to good health, drinking plenty of water is probably the most critical thing you can do for your body. As humans, we are essentially 70 percent water. Every cell in our bodies is partly water. So, when we begin to dehydrate, these cells, too, become dehydrated, shrinking and dying off. Water acts as a conductor for the millions of tiny electrical charges our body produces in the process of simply functioning from one millisecond to the next. Water helps to flush toxins that result in sore joints and arthritic pain out of your system through your kidneys, cleansing your blood and lymphatic system. When you deprive your body of water, you are in actuality, causing it to malfunction. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day is imperative to preventing and eliminating arthritis.

The Bottom Line

Any way you look at it, arthritis is a preventable and treatable disease. Proponents of traditional medicine would have you believe drugs are the only answer to this painful and disabling degenerative condition. There are currently over 43 million Americans suffering from this disease and 100 synthetic medications available to treat it, yet the cases are still growing. Traditional medicine is failing. Our bodies have reached critical overload and our health is paying the price. At what point does the cost become too high?

The answer is simple you can t put a price on your well being. You have options and changing your lifestyle and diet is the first step toward regaining your health. Despite what we were taught as children, disease is preventable not inevitable.

Michael Koski is the author of several nutritional reports and books including The Truth About Arthritis and Joint Pain, Nature s Vitality Code for Joint Pain and Atkins for Seizures: The Story of One Child s Journey Through Epilepsy. For more information on natural arthritis treatments, go to http://www.smartjointpainrelief.com/index1.html.

By: Michael Koski

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