A Nutritionist's Insight on Arthritis
Carol Koester
A Nutritionist's Insight on Arthritis by Carol Koester
Here is some of my knowledge about nutrition's role in ARTHRITIS from past experiences. I am speaking as a nutritionist, not a medical specialist. Most arthritics I have dealt with experienced marked relief usually within a short time after enriching their diets with GLYCONUTRIENTS, along with PHYTOGENENS in a complex that includes additional herbs that assist the body in diffusing pain after strenuous exercise or in conditions where there is chronic pain. For best results, balancing all four systems of the body speeds recovery time, so support from PHYTONUTRIENTS and FOOD-MATRIX TYPE VITAMINS AND MINERALS is also important. These nutrients play the following support roles in the body:
GLYCONUTRIENTS: immune system modulation, either upward or downward as needed; anti-inflammatory; anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and delivery system for all other nutrients.
PHYTOGENENS: hormonal balance, fat metabolism, bone metabolism, stress management, energy levels, mental clarity, help in building new nerve pathways.
PHYTOGENENS IN A SPORTS FORMULA: all of the above, plus pain management and recovery from physical stress.
PHYTONUTRIENTS: help with repairs in the body of bone, muscles, tendons, tissues, nerves; protect against tumors; aid body's host defense system.
FOOD MATRIX TYPE VITAMINS AND MINERALS: nutrients that the body can recognize as food and utilize 100% (instead of the average 7% for non-food forms of vitamins and minerals); act as a catalyst for other nutrients in the body.
When relief of arthritis symptoms doesn't begin to happen soon for someone I always investigate to see if perhaps they might have an allergy to dairy products. That can imitate a lot of the arthritic symptoms! My nephew was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, but when he got off of all dairy his symptoms all left, and they discovered that he did not have arthritis, actually. Also, a few are allergic to a lot of grains such as wheat and corn, and that needs to be explored also. This can be done easily by leaving off all those foods for two weeks, and see if it makes a difference. If there is just a slight difference, than taking care to eat those offending foods only once in four days can be a big help, and they don't necessarily need to give them up permanently. Over time, adequate amounts of glyconutritionals in the body usually help correct or reduce most allergies.
Drinking adequate amounts of water is absolutely essential to speeding up this process. Divide the body's weight by half, and that is how many ounces of water an individual needs. Eight to ten glasses a day is average; bigger people require MORE. And for every cup of caffeine containing beverage that is consumed, one EXTRA glass of water is needed, as caffeine dehydrates the system further. It is amazing how many symptoms can disappear just by being properly hydrated - including depression. When we feel depressed, often the rest of the body has been dehydrated for several days, and now the brain is!
Mild exercise is also a must for arthritics. They may be very limited to what they can do, but any movement is helpful, even gentle stretching. We lose what we do not use! Sitting with feet on a mini-trampoline while someone else jumps on it is a great aid in exercising the lymphatic glands when other normal exercise is limited. I hope this is helpful in your support of people who suffer from arthritis. As you know, rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease. Glyconutrients are necessary fuel that the immune system uses to counteract autoimmune diseases, so that the right signals can be sent out between cells to modulate the immune system back downward so the body will stop attacking itself. It may sound complicated, but put simply, it spells RELIEF - and that's what people are looking for. It is best for overall health when that can be attained through improved nutrition instead of toxic drugs. Carol Koester
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