How to Prevent or Counteract Arthritis

Arthritis can take many different forms but the most common types are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the autoimmune system which overreacts to foreign matter in the joints thereby damaging bone and cartilage. Osteoarthritis is either the result of age or high intensity exercise or sports causing continual friction between the bones which initiates an inflammatory process resulting in stiffness and pain.   

Conventional medicine says there is no known cure for arthritis which isn’t very promising for the hundreds of millions of sufferers worldwide. A summary of the methods employed to treat arthritis is as follows: surgery for replacement of the diseased joint; physical therapy involving specific exercises; anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants; gold therapy; and the employment of devices such as back and knee braces and cervical collars. None of these methods have brought permanent relief to sufferers.

The source of the pain caused by arthritis is damaged cartilage. When cartilage is supple and elastic, it protects joints; when it is brittle and eaten away, it loses its protective properties and bones become deformed. Supple strong cartilage allows the ends of the bones to rub against each other without causing damage. Whilst the exact causes of arthritis are not known, experts believe it is linked to aging, repeated shocks to joints and to nutrition.

To keep on regenerating cartilage, your body needs sufficient amounts of the basic element silicon. The latter is the most abundant element on the planet after oxygen. However, the older you get the more difficult it becomes for your body to assimilate silicon, and most foods eaten contain very little of this element. To remedy this situation, some plant therapists prescribe horsetail in capsule form. However, most people over 50 years of age are silicon deficient.

Every time you jump some of your joints are subjected to as much as 2000 pounds of pressure. The heavier you are the more pressure there is. This is the reason why it is critical to keep your weight down if you suffer from arthritis. In some cases cartilage breaks down under repeated pressure, to be replaced by bony growths which are not nearly as supple and do an inferior job.

Modern processed foods tend to cause a build-up of acids in the body –a condition known as acidosis. These acids destroy minerals and accelerate the development of a silicon deficiency. An excess of copper or iron can upset the body’s mineral balance which can lead to a variety of health problems including arthritis. A person can therefore largely prevent arthritis by making the right food choices.

Ideally you should increase your intake of silicon-rich foods as a preventative measure against arthritis. Silicon-rich foods include the following: rye bread or porridge; millet; barley; potatoes; whole wheat products; horsetail; the peel of fruits and husks of grains; onions; garlic; and shallots. Other recommended foods are; apples, pineapple banana, melons, grapefruit, pears, blackcurrants, sorrel, whole grain bread, carrots, celery, cabbage, cucumber, watercress, lettuce, tomatoes, herring, sardines, salmon, cod liver oil and milk.

Some foods, such as cocoa, red meat, processed meats, processed foods or drinks with added sugars promote the production of uric acid which is bad for the joints and therefore should be avoided. Oleaginous fruits and nuts such as olives, peanuts and sunflower seeds should be avoided as they cause the build-up of excess copper or iron in the body.  One remedy for the latter is to make sure you are not deficient in zinc or vitamin C.

Whist it is best to prevent arthritis by being selective in what you eat and drink, there is something you can do from once it is confirmed you have it in order to get relief from the pain. A medical researcher, after decades of work on it, found a form of organic silicon that could easily be assimilated by the human body. He formulated an organic silica gel that could be applied externally to the area of the pain in order to bring relief to sufferers of arthritis or rheumatism.

The best organic silica gel on the market is Artrosilium. In addition to organic silica, it contains a plant called Queen of the Meadow, a kind of vegetal aspirin that relieves the pain without any of the side effects of regular aspirin. It also contains blackcurrant known to have a beneficial effect on arthritis. Artrosilium Gel can be bought over the Internet. Just make sure “ Artrosilium “ is in the title description of what you purchase as there are many similar silica gels on the market.