You’ve probably heard the “autoimmune” term before but; what does it mean?

Try this…

When bugs like: viruses, bacteria or parasites enter your body, your body’s army, your immune system, goes crazy. You see; your immune system is designed to attack enemies and protect you…your own personal version of “homeland security”.

Here’s the problem.

What if your body’s army mistakenly attacks its allies, your body’s cells, instead of the enemy. We’d call this “friendly fire”. Unfortunately, this is not very friendly to your health. It’s called an autoimmune disease.

Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis takes more than one test. If your doctor thinks you may have rheumatoid arthritis, he or she will use many tools, like a medical history, a physical exam, lab tests, and X-rays.

Taking a medical history from you is usually your doctor’s best way of diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. The more your doctor learns about you, the better he or she will be able to determine if you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Your doctor will probably ask you questions like, “Do you have joint pain in many joints?”, “Do you have stiffness in the morning?”, “When is the pain most severe?”, and “Do you have pain in your hands, wrists and/or feet?”

We have been using the Chinese therapy, acupuncture, for thousands of years to treat all sorts of ailments. Now, acupuncture has become one of the most popular alternative medicine treatments available. Today many doctors, who are open to alternative medicine, think acupuncture is a great way to help alleviate your pain from rheumatoid arthritis.

Like many traditional and alternative medicines, it’s important to remember each person responds to acupuncture differently.

So, while some of you may experience great results using acupuncture, others of you may not see any results. Again, like many traditional and alternative medicines, it is also important for you to remember acupuncture can only help treat your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Acupuncture cannot cure your rheumatoid arthritis. We also know acupuncture can help ease some of your other conditions accompanying your rheumatoid arthritis. Depression is a good example.

Facing a major health problem is not easy. I know, I face one every day. Not only that…deciding on the most prudent traditional and alternative medicine treatments can be very confusing.

As you read, you will have the opportunity to look at your traditional and alternative medicine options. For now, allow me to give you a general overview of why drugs are considered. In the future we’ll have a look at the pros and cons of the drugs used for rheumatoid arthritis.

When drugs are used to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis, we have two goals. Our first goal is to reduce the pain and swelling in your joints. Once we get the swelling in your joints under control, you will experience less pain. Our second goal is to slow or stop your joint damage.

Deciding if you should take drugs and if so…deciding which rheumatoid arthritis medication is right for you, can be overwhelming. With more choices than ever out there, how do you know which drug or combination of drugs is best for you?Let’s go over some of your options.

There are 5 main categories of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis:

· Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

· Analgesic Drugs

· Glucocorticoids or Prednisone

· Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)

· Biologic Response Modifiers (BMRs)

Okay, so now you know the types of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but what do they do?

Deciding if you should take drugs and if so…deciding which rheumatoid arthritis medication is right for you, can be overwhelming. With more choices than ever out there, how do you know which drug or combination of drugs is best for you? Let’s go over some of your options.

There are 5 main categories of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis:

· Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

· Analgesic Drugs

· Glucocorticoids or Prednisone

· Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)

· Biologic Response Modifiers (BMRs)

Okay, so now you know the types of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but what do they do? I talked about NSAIDs and Analgesic drugs in my prior thread,  let’s review the pros and cons of the last 3 types.

Glucocorticoids or Prednisone

These drugs are part of the steroid family. They may relieve your pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and they may even slow joint damage. But, these drugs also have some strong side effects. It is like being under extreme stress constantly. As you can imagine, it’s really important to take the lowest dose possible to treat your disease. The most common side effects people experience when taking these drugs are weight gain, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. In the long term they lower your immune system and make you more likely to get other diseases.

Did you know meditation is a great natural way to ease your rheumatoid arthritis pain?

And the best part is it requires no special equipment, clothing, supplements, drugs or surgery. In fact, it may even be covered by your medical insurance!

You may be surprised to learn today it’s common to find meditation being taught in clinics, hospitals, and even in your doctor’s office. That’s because we know that meditation can help you experience less pain, anxiety, stress, and depression – all common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Some experts even think alternative medicine like meditation can help your immune system heal your body.

If you suffer from arthritis, relief may only be as far away as your chiropractor’s office.

That’s because chiropractors understand if your spine is not aligned properly, you may be at a higher risk for disease.

To fully understand how your chiropractor can help your arthritis, let’s take a look at what you can expect your chiropractor to do:

Years ago, you’d never hear a doctor tell an arthritis patient to “go for a swim” or “go take a hike”. That’s because we used to think that arthritis was just something that came along with old age, and it was just your body’s way of telling you it was time to slow down.

But not anymore.

Today, we know that exercise is a great alternative medicine treatment to help manage your arthritis.

Your chiropractor can work with you to create an exercise program that will:

Did you know that homeopathy is one of the most popular alternative medicine treatments in the United States? And its FDA approved.

Homeopathy is based on the idea a person can use very small amounts of a disease-causing substance to help treat the same symptoms a larger amount of the same substance causes. It sounds confusing, but it’s a lot like the theory of getting a vaccination so you don’t get a disease later on.

One reason why homeopathy has become such a popular alternative medicine treatment for those with rheumatoid arthritis is because there are no side effects. Some people who use homeopathy also find that they are able to slowly reduce the amount of rheumatoid arthritis medication they’re taking.

Homeopathy may be a good alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis. I will help you see how homeopathy may fit into a therapy designed just for you and your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and pain.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

When you think of alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, Indian spices probably aren’t the first things that come to mind.

But did you know that studies are now showing Ayurvedic herbs, or herbs used in the traditional medicine of India, may be an alternative medicine treatment to rheumatoid arthritis pain and symptoms?

While these herbs are often used in combination, here’s a little more about what each one offers:

• Ginger

o Reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and reduces pain and inflammation.

• Turmeric

o Relieves rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like inflammation.

• Frankincense

o Like turmeric, it relieves rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like inflammation.

• Ashwagandha

o Reduces inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Today, many sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis are turning to alternative medicines like medicinal oils as a treatment for their rheumatoid arthritis pain. This is something you may want to consider because…these oils, if taken properly, have no risky side effects.

Here’s what you should know about the 4 oils that rise to the top:

• Fish Oil:

o Reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and improves tolerance to cold exposure.

• Primrose Seed Oil:

o Relieves rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like joint tenderness.

• Borage Seed Oil:

o Like primrose seed oil, it relieves rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like joint tenderness, but is more potent than primrose seed oil so you can take less.

• Flaxseed Oil:

o May reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

You may recognize turmeric as a spice widely used in Indian cuisine. But did you know turmeric is also becoming a popular alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis?

The yellow-colored turmeric powder comes from the root of the turmeric plant, and it’s what gives curry powder and mustard their bright yellow color.

To understand why turmeric works, it’s important to know what it can do for you.

For starters, turmeric is extremely rich in antioxidants. Some, like vitamins C and E, I’m sure you’re familiar with. But turmeric also contains some lesser-known powerful antioxidants like curcumin.

Antioxidants have a huge impact on your rheumatoid arthritis and we will look at this topic in great length. Stay tuned!

Now that you know what turmeric is and why you can use it as an alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis, let’s take a look at how much turmeric you should take.

It’s important to discuss with your doctor your interest in taking turmeric to treat your rheumatoid arthritis and any potential interactions with the drugs you are on. But, here’s the problem. Most doctors I know are not aware of turmeric’s value in rheumatoid arthritis. So…don’t be surprised if you don’t get much support.

In Part 3 of our look at turmeric as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, we’re going to explore the possible side effects of turmeric.

If you have a liver, gall bladder or bile blockage, gall stones, or stomach ulcers, turmeric is not for you.

Also…if you develop a rash or hives, or experience breathing problems, stop taking turmeric and tell your doctor. This may mean that you are allergic to turmeric. It’s also important to avoid taking turmeric on an empty stomach.

Turmeric may also leave a bitter taste in your mouth, and can cause stomach ulcers if you take a high dose over a long period of time (You should be OK with the dosages I suggested in Part 2). High doses of turmeric can also act as a blood thinner, so don’t take turmeric if you’re already taking blood-thinning medications.

Check back in with me in the coming days as we explore oils as an alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

You’ve probably heard eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids is good for your heart.

But did you know eating fish and taking fish oils can also be a good alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis? It’s true!

Today, many of us aren’t getting enough of the good omega-3 fatty acids in our diets that help reduce inflammation. By increasing your omega-3 fatty acid intake, you can actually reduce your inflammation caused by your rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, increased inflammation may be a cause of your rheumatoid arthritis.

Unfortunately, many of us are also eating too many processed and fast foods high in bad fats. These bad fats actually cause inflammation in our bodies!

So, to get our fats back in balance, we need to eat less processed and fast foods high in bad fats, and start getting more good fats through fish and fish oil.

Stay tuned and I will help you discover how fish oils fit into an overall alternative medicine supplementation program for rheumatoid arthritis, which oils to take and the right dosage.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

So, now we know fish oils are a good alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

But how do you know what to take?

The usual dose is 2,000 - 4,000 mg per day of EPA/DHA, which is the main ingredient in fish oil. I recommend you look for high potency capsules so you can take fewer capsules each day.

If you opt to take cod liver oil, the old fish oil standby, make sure it doesn’t contain vitamins A or D because these vitamins can be toxic in large doses.

Also…most of the time, unless you have a “wellness spending account”, your health insurance will not pay for these alternative medicines. The cost of this alternative medicine treatment averages about $35-45 a month.

Keep in mind you have to be very careful about the company you buy them from. The worst thing you can do is take bad oils.

Stay tuned as I help you continue to discover how fish oils fit into an overall supplementation program for rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Okay…. We’ve looked at how fish oils work, and how to add fish oils to your overall supplementation program for your rheumatoid arthritis.

Now, let’s review a couple of other things that are good to know if you are using fish oil as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Once you start taking fish oil, it’s important to allow 3 months for the fish oil to work. With any alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, don’t worry about evaluating its effectiveness for at least 90 days.

Also, very rarely, some people experience gas or an upset stomach when they begin taking fish oil. You might want to start out taking a smaller dose of fish oil and work your way up to the recommended dose of 2000 - 4,000 mg per day to reduce the chance of getting an upset stomach.

If you get a “fishy” reflux, try freezing the capsules before you take them. If this doesn’t work…switch brands.

Stay tuned as I continue to help you discover new alternative medicine treatments and supplementation programs for your rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Dealing with stress can be tough, but it can be even tougher when you’re also trying to manage your rheumatoid arthritis.

Let’s take a look at some easy and effective ways to manage your stress while suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

The first step you need to take in learning how to manage your stress is to identify what really matters. A lot of times, we end up getting stressed over things that just aren’t that important. Learning to identify what’s really important to you is the first step in successfully managing your stress.

Exercise is another great way to manage both your stress and your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Exercises like walking and swimming are great stress releasers, and they’re also easy on your joints. Gradually work yourself up to 60 minutes of low intensity exercise per day, moving at a pace where you can breathe through your nose. This amount of movement is the gold standards for health. You will sleep better and battle another symptom of stress – sleeplessness!

That piece of chocolate cake you had for dessert last night may or may not make your rheumatoid arthritis worse in the morning, but there’s definitely a connection between your rheumatoid arthritis and your diet.

We know being overweight puts stress on your joints. So…keeping your weight down helps alleviate joint pain and stress. To help keep your weight down, start by eating a healthy diet and exercising. (There is a lot more to it than that but we’ll talk more about these issues at a later date.)

A daily walk or swim is a great way for you to get in some exercise without putting too much stress on your joints.

It’s also important to eat a balanced healthy diet following these basic guidelines:

· Eat lean proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables

· Eat nuts and seeds

· Drink lots of water

· Avoid sugar, fat, and salt

· Drink alcohol in moderation

Following these tips and guidelines will help you manage your rheumatoid arthritis. Stay tuned…we’ll talk more about special foods and diets that may significantly improve your rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Just imagine, wouldn’t it be great if we had an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis that could relieve your tension, lift your spirits, lower your blood pressure, and fight fatigue?

And wouldn’t it be even better if this alternative medicine treatment had no side effects and was free of charge?

I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “Well, sure! That would be fantastic! But there will never be an arthritis alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis like that!”

Well, you’re wrong. There is an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis like that…. and it’s called meditation.

That’s right… meditation…. the ancient practice to bring about relaxation.

Join me in the coming days as we take a look at how meditation just may be one of the most cost effective alternative medicine treatments for rheumatoid arthritis you’ll ever find.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

We all know stress is unavoidable.

But, let me help show you how to recognize some of the physical symptoms of stress, and teach you how to prevent them from making your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms worse.

This one strategy is a key alternative medicine treatment for arthritis.

Some of the common physical symptoms of stress include:

· Fatigue

· Stiffness

· Headaches

· Sleeplessness

· Nervousness

· Indigestion

When you add these physical symptoms of stress to your physical symptoms from rheumatoid arthritis, you create a dangerous cycle. The more stress you bring into your daily life, the more your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms worsen. And, the more your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms worsen, the more stress you experience.

Join me in the coming days as we continue to look at how stress affects rheumatoid arthritis, and learn some great stress management techniques…alternative medicine at its finest.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

You’d be surprised how often I’m asked this question.

And…I’m sorry to tell you the answer is both “Yes” and “No”.

New research is clear. There is a type of stress that is a cause of arthritis. It is called “oxidative stress” but…it’s not the type you usually think about.

We all know “regular” stress can affect just about every aspect of our bodies – so it’s only natural to think it might also cause rheumatoid arthritis. Although this type of stress doesn’t cause rheumatoid arthritis, we believe it can make your rheumatoid arthritis more difficult to manage.

We all know it can be really tough to escape or manage the stresses of life. And… if you have rheumatoid arthritis and are dealing with a lot of stress in your life, it can definitely make your rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation worse.

Join me as we continue to look at how stress affects your rheumatoid arthritis, and how living with rheumatoid arthritis can affect your stress level.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Okay, so we know that meditation is a great alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. But, now let’s take a look at the different types of meditation techniques available.

Meditation is the use of different awareness techniques to quiet the mind and relax the body.

Let’s take a look at the 3 main types of meditation:

· Concentration

· Transcendental Meditation

· Mindfulness Meditation

Concentration techniques allow you to quiet your mind by concentrating on silently repeating a word or sound, or by focusing on your own breathing. This allows your mind to focus on a single thought, idea or movement, and allows your body to gain a deeper state of physical, mental and emotional relaxation.

Let’s wrap up our focus on meditation as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis by taking a look at how meditation can affect your rheumatoid arthritis.

Sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis are all too familiar with flare-ups.

And… we know that a lot of the time your rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups are caused by stress.

We also know that meditation is a proven way to lower stress, chronic pain, and anxiety – all causes of rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups.

So, if you use meditation as an alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis, you will lower your stress level, and, in turn, you’ll experience fewer flare-ups.

You see, meditation actually changes the way your brain and body work.

By meditating, you can slow your heart rate down, lower your blood pressure, increase your melatonin level – which helps you get “healthy” sleep, and you may even reduce the fatty buildup in your artery walls.

Join me in the coming weeks as I continue to share with you great alternative medicine treatments for your rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Can you answer “yes” to any of these statements?

I watch TV or use the computer daily

I skip breakfast and/or lunch

I stay up later at night on weekends

I drink more than 16oz. of caffeinated beverages daily

If you said “yes” to any of these statements, it sounds like you need to use rhythmic entrainment to synchronize your body. This just may be a critical alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis.

“What’s rhythmic entrainment?”

Rhythmic entrainment is simply a way of synchronizing your body’s rhythmic internal waves.

“How does rhythmic entrainment work?”

By synchronizing your body, rhythmic entrainment keeps your body’s natural bio-rhythms from colliding, and works to keep your body fat regulating system working properly.

In the coming days we will take a look at the great benefits of rhythmic entrainment, and I’ll show you how to use it as an alternative medicine treatment for arthritis and…so you can feel more rested, lose more weight, and have more energy.

Stay tuned!

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

One of the best things about rhythmic entrainment, is it only involves 3 steps – so it’s really easy to incorporate rhythmic entrainment as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and…into your every day lifestyle!

Let’s take a look at the first step of rhythmic entrainment: paced-breathing.

Paced-breathing is a great way to get your biological rhythms in order.

Simply follow these steps:

· Breathe in for 5 seconds, and then breathe out for 5 seconds.

· While breathing at the 5 second rate, focus on your heart. Breathe deeply and imagine the area around your heart “opening up”.

· Keep breathing, and begin to focus on the quality of your breathing. Try to keep your breathing flow smooth and constant.

· Smile! While you keep focusing on your paced-breathing, think of all the wonderful things in your life you’re grateful for. This will put a smile on your face!

Keep checking back as we unveil the other 2 rhythmic entrainment steps.

In the meantime, practice your paced-breathing! You’re 1 step closer to creating perfect order for your biological rhythms and using it as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis!

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Hopefully you’ve been practicing the first step of rhythmic entrainment – paced-breathing.

Now, let’s take a look at Step 2: Entraining Your Daily Rhythms.

In order to entrain your daily rhythms and use it as an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to make some simple changes to your lifestyle.

Such as:

· Get at least 45 minutes of exposure to daylight, ever day.

· Try to avoid caffeine after 4pm.

· Try to avoid alcohol after 8pm – and only drink it with dinner.

· Exercise regularly.

· Make breakfast your biggest meal.

· Get adequate sleep – go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

Try incorporating some of these simple lifestyle changes into your everyday routine. You’ll be surprised to see how some little changes can add up to big results. These little changes are in fact, alternative medicine treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

Next time…discover step 3 of rhythmic entrainment and how easy it is to incorporate it into your lifestyle!

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

So far we’ve taken a look at the first 2 steps in rhythmic entrainment – paced-breathing and entraining your daily rhythms.

And…we’ve also taken a look at how easy it is to add these steps to your lifestyle.

Now, let’s learn about Step 3 – a huge alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Step 3 includes: “Developing A Regular Eating Schedule” and “No Skipping Meals!”

Sounds simple, right?

Eating breakfast and lunch is something most of us do anyway, and everybody likes to hear that they should eat 3 times a day!

However, it can be tough for you to eat at a regular time three times a day with all the demands: family, work, and…life.

But this step is really important.

You see, your body is built to store the food you eat later in the day and use the food you eat earlier in the day. This means that breakfast needs to be your biggest meal of the day.

You will experience less pain and inflammation from your arthritis. Also, you will regulate fat and natural immunity more effectively when you eat, a big breakfast and at regular times every day.

So, if feeling better and more rested, losing weight, having more energy, and having better immunity sounds appealing to you, try adding these 3 simple rhythmic entrainment steps to your every day lifestyle. You’ll see results in no time.

Now do you see how synchronizing your body clock is an alternative medicine treatment for rheumatoid arthritis?

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Can you guess which healthy habit is hardest for us to follow?

Regular Exercise!

Surprised?

Unfortunately, most of us find it really tough to make time in our busy lives for regular exercise. And if you’re suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, regular exercise may even be painful.

But…there’s good news!

You now know adding deep paced breathing can be a great alternative medicine treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like depression and stress. Now let’s take a look at how to add a great alternative medicine treatment like deep paced breathing to your daily routine.

We’re going to take a look at 2 different deep paced breathing techniques that are great alternative medicine treatments for your rheumatoid arthritis:

• Simple Deep Breathing

Simple Deep Breathing is the most basic form of deep paced breathing.

To begin Simple Deep Breathing the first thing you need to do is exhale completely.

Once you get all the air out of your lungs, your body will be ready to inhale fully.

Breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to 5.

As you do, your belly will expand.

Hold the breath in for 2 seconds, and exhale slowly while counting to 5 again.

Close your eyes and repeat.

Your body will begin to relax and de-stress.

• 3 Part Breathing

If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, I’m sure you understand how joint damage, pain, stiffness and fatigue caused by your rheumatoid arthritis can prevent you from doing many of your daily activities.

Ordinary activities like buttoning your shirt, brushing your hair, or starting your car can be difficult to do. Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers know all to well how these simple, everyday activities can become frustrating and challenging.

But, people with rheumatoid arthritis may be able to find some relief from their frustration and some assistance in their everyday lives from certain rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices that are now available.

Keep checking back this week as we continue to discuss rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices and how you can begin to put them to work for you.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Let’s continue this week’s discussion of rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices by taking a look at what rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can do for you if you are currently suffering from the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can help ease the difficulties caused by rheumatoid arthritis; and rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can range from simple tools and gadgets to motorized equipment.

Rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can also help rheumatoid arthritis patients with:

• Protecting joints

• Relieving pain

• Conserving energy

• Preserving joints

Keep checking back this week as we continue to discuss rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices and how you can begin to put them to work for you to help you maintain your independence.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

Let’s wrap up this week’s discussion of rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices by taking a look at how rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can help you maintain your independence and where you can find rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices.

The primary goal of rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices is to help you maintain independence and be able to function better.

Today’s rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices can help rheumatoid arthritis sufferers overcome problems with:

• Sitting

• Dressing

• Carrying

• Holding

• Walking

• Driving

• Climbing Stairs

• Standing

And this is just the beginning!

Some of the rheumatoid arthritis therapy devices available today include:

Before undergoing a hip replacement, there are some other alternative medicine treatments you may want to consider.

Alternative medicine treatments to hip replacement like exercise, walking aids, chiropractic, physiotherapy, muscle therapy, nutritional supplements, herbs, and medication may help you avoid hip replacement surgery altogether.

For starters, a good exercise program can strengthen the muscles around your hip joint, which can help reduce your hip pain and give you more movement in your hip joint.

Using a walking aid, like a cane, can also help relieve some of the stress put on your hip joint, and can help reduce your hip pain.
In a sense, medications are an alternative treatment to hip replacement surgery. However, as we have discussed and will discuss in more detail, these drugs have serious long term consequences.

Hip resurfacing has been a popular alternative medicine therapy to hip replacement in Europe for years, but it is still a fairly new alternative medicine treatment in the United States. As a matter of fact, the FDA just approved the first hip resurfacing system less than 2 years ago.

So, how do you know if you’re a good candidate for an alternative medicine treatment like hip resurfacing?

The benefit of opting for hip resurfacing in lieu of hip replacement is that hip resurfacing doesn’t require the “ball” of the hip to be removed and replaced. Instead, the hip “ball” is reshaped and capped with metal, and the hip socket is fitted with a metal prosthesis.

Another benefit to hip resurfacing is the capped metal hip “ball” is bigger than the one used in hip replacements, so you have less risk of dislocating your hip in the future.

But what about the risks?

This week, let’s take a look at the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease, so let’s begin by taking a look at what inflammation is, exactly.

Inflammation is the way your body’s white blood cell’s use to protect you from infection, bacteria and viruses. But, sometimes your body’s defense system, or immune system, mistakenly thinks your body is under attack, and triggers an inflammatory response.

When this happens, your body’s immune system actually begins to fight your own body because there are no bad infections or viruses to fight. When your immune system begins to attack your own body, your body’s tissues become damaged in the fight. As your body’s tissues become damaged, your body begins to treat your normal tissue like it’s infected.

When your immune system begins attacking your body, instead of protecting it, we call this an autoimmune disease.

Join me this week as we continue to discuss inflammation and the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis.

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

In “Pathophysiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis Part 1” we took a look at what inflammation is, and what happens when your immune system mistakenly thinks your body has an infection.

Now, let’s continue learning about the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis by taking a look at the symptoms of inflammation.

Symptoms of inflammation include:

• Redness

• Swollen joints that are warm to the touch

• Joint Pain

In “Pathophysiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis Part 3” let’s continue learning about the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis by taking a look at what causes inflammation symptoms.

So, what causes the symptoms of inflammation?

Well, when inflammation occurs, your body’s white blood cells send special chemicals to the tissue it thinks is infected. These special chemicals fight the infection or virus that’s attacking your body.

Your life depends on glutathione.

Now that I’ve got your attention, let me explain.

Glutathione is a small protein that is produced naturally in the body. It has a very important role to play in the maintenance of health.

Without it your body wouldn’t be able to resist disease and your liver would become over-run with toxins. Our immune systems are constantly under attack from pathogens and toxins; present in our environments and as by-products of some of our bodily systems.

The body needs a steady supply of glutathione to counteract the damage done by those attacks on your cells.

Increased interest in the role of glutathione has come about due to a variety of societal and environmental factors. Turn on your television and you are bombarded with stories about the growing resistance of infections to antibiotics. Trying to stay healthy can feel like a walk through a minefield; cancer, AIDS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s.

I’ve introduced you to something called “glutathione” but... you may still be wondering why you have never heard of it. Surely something so important should be common knowledge.

In truth, your family doctor may only have a vague idea about this essential health aid. The reason for this ambiguity has to do with society’s attitude toward health and the treatment of health issues. Changing attitudes, combined with advances in research and technology, have opened up a whole new approach to health enhancement and disease prevention.

Let’s use an example to help illustrate. Not so long ago, if you were feeling under the weather, you would go to your family doctor who might prescribe you some medication to cure whatever was ailing you. Now we’re finding that antibiotics are not as effective as they used to be. Micro-organisms are more resistant to treatment and there are new ones being discovered that the medical community is unsure how to treat.

Glutathione is a very small protein that occurs naturally in your cells. As cells use it up, it has to be replenished. Your cells work to neutralize toxins, as they do so, your body must continually produce glutathione from three building blocks: glycine, glutamate, and cysteine. These building blocks are all amino-acids which is why glutathione is called a “tripeptide”.

Stay with me, this won’t be a chemistry lesson!

When all three building blocks are present, your cells can manufacture glutathione and you are more resistant to disease. Cysteine is the most important of the three building blocks because it is hard to find in food.

The diets of most people are deficient in foods containing cysteine. As a result you don’t have enough to produce the glutathione you need.

The research has been growing in support of the importance of glutathione (GSH). Over the last twenty years glutathione has been connected to almost all of the body’s processes; without GSH the body’s systems simply wouldn’t work.

The cardiovascular system, the digestive system and the immune system all require glutathione. GSH is known to help prevent heart disease and, if the patient is sticking to a healthy lifestyle, glutathione has been shown to reverse atherosclerosis.

In the digestive system increasing glutathione levels can help with bowel disease, pancreatitis, and ulcers. Our immune systems are strengthened by glutathione allowing our bodies to fight against infectious diseases and to minimize the damage done by carcinogens.

As we age, we become more at risk for contracting certain diseases such as prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cataracts. A search of the internet will result in many articles discussing the benefits of elevated GSH to treat these disorders.

Scientists call glutathione (GSH) an essential health “A.I.D.” The acronym, A.I.D., refers to glutathione’s uses as an Antioxidant, an Immune system booster and a Detoxifier.

These terms are probably familiar, you know they are things that are good for you, but what exactly do they mean?

Let’s take a closer look at the role of antioxidants.

If you’ve ever owned a vehicle that rusted you already understand what oxidation is. Simply put oxidation is the reaction of a substance when oxygen is present. Our bodies need oxygen to live; cells consume oxygen and nutrients to produce energy. That oxidation process creates free radicals. Free radicals damage cells much like rust damages your car. Free radicals are waste products that our cells must neutralize by using antioxidants. GSH is the body’s main antioxidant.

Waking or sleeping your body is working to keep you healthy. It does this by using antioxidants to prevent or repair damage to cells by free radicals. GSH may be the master antioxidant, the healing orchestrator, but it needs other antioxidants to really do a great job. The power of vitamins like C and E is boosted when working in the presence of glutathione.

What is glutathione’s role?

Imagine the antioxidants, vitamins C and E, as workers in a mine. They pick up the free radicals and carry them out to be handed over to glutathione. While GSH neutralizes the free radicals, C and E are able to go back into the mine to pick up more. An abundant supply of antioxidants results in more effective elimination of free radicals. This adds up to a healthier you!

I have and will stress the importance of an exceptional diet but...glutathione is not found in a fruit or vegetable. GSH is the only antioxidant that is manufactured in the cells. All the others come from the foods we eat; vitamins C, E, and A, Selenium, beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and some meats. There are many good resources available that can help sort out which foods contain which nutrient. Also...keep reading and I will help you walk through this information.

Until next time, eat your fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds...

Steps to Improve Your Health

Dr. Steven Dell

When you were young, did your grandmother ever tell you to keep your head warm or to not get your feet wet because you would catch a cold? There are many misconceptions in our society about how illnesses are “caught”. You might even catch yourself saying someone “gave” you a cold.

The truth is you may have been exposed to the virus but your immune system wasn’t up to the job of fighting it off.

Your immune system is your body’s first line of defense against diseases and it needs to be maintained and strengthened regularly. The human body is constantly bombarded by microorganisms. Bacteria, parasites and fungi are found inside the body and are abundant in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we consume. Over time the immune system’s resources are depleted and if they are not reinforced by glutathione the immune system is not able to resist disease.

Last time you learned in order for the immune system to perform effectively it needs to be maintained by sticking to a healthy lifestyle. In order to understand how glutathione plays a role, you need to better understand how the immune system works.

Viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, allergens and other microorganisms that are not supposed to be in your body are called “antigens”. When the immune system detects them, it responds quickly by activating specialized cells called “lymphocytes”. Studies have shown that glutathione is “food” for the immune cells, boosting the strength of lymphocytes. B-cell lymphocytes identify the unwanted antigen which is then attacked by T-cells. T-cells also shut down the immune response when the job is done. These cells have a memory that allows them to block a returning antigen before it can do any damage. That’s why cold viruses have to evolve and change in order to defeat this acquired immunity and most people only have the measles once in their life.

Previously you learned the immune system needs glutathione in order to operate effectively. Like any other cell in the body, the immune cells must manufacture their own glutathione. Many studies have shown that the level of glutathione in the lymphocytes corresponds directly to the ability of those lymphocytes to combat infection and disease.

If glutathione plays a pivotal role in the immune response then it makes sense a lack of glutathione is connected with many diseases. This connection is especially apparent in the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). Recall that our immune system uses B-cells and T-cells to identify and fight antigens. HIV destroys T-cells which make up 80% of the immune system’s lymphocytes. The result is the body’s inability to protect against the invasion of microorganisms. Patients with HIV/AIDS can suffer life threatening infections from a virus or bacteria a healthy immune system hardly even notices.

Sometime ago I said glutathione (GSH) is an essential health “A.I.D.” Doctor’s have known about glutathione’s detoxifying role, the “D” in A.I.D., since the 1970’s. Emergency room doctors have long used glutathione (GSH) promoting drugs like NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine) to detoxify patients with certain drug overdoses such as acetaminophen.

New discoveries, thanks to growing interest in glutathione (GSH), have shown that the liver and kidney contain the highest levels of glutathione (GSH). These two organs are the most important organs for detoxification within your body.

You may be thinking, “I’m a healthy person, I don’t have any addictions. Why should I care about detoxification?”

In “Glutathione and the Detoxification Process – Part 1!” you learned it was impossible to avoid toxins; they are in your environment. But...by making lifestyle changes you can limit your exposure to toxins. Some of the toxins I’ll talk about may come as no surprise to you; cigarettes and radiation get a lot of media coverage.

This one may come as a surprise...did you realize there is a toxin risk associated with dental fillings? In addition, mercury, lead and other heavy metals put some people at risk in their workplaces.

Now more than ever we need to pay attention to the detoxification of our bodies.

Today I’ll focus on cigarettes.

Today you will learn more about how glutathione (GSH) supports your body’s detoxification efforts. Specifically, we’ll talk about the harmful effects of radiation.

Most of your exposure to radiation comes from natural sources such as the sun but a small amount also seeps out of soil and rocks, particularly bedrock, in the form of radon gas. Of these natural sources sunlight represents the biggest threat because of ozone layer depletion. The ozone layer filters out the harmful ultra-violet light that enters our atmosphere.

The biggest source of man-made radiation comes from medical procedures such as x-rays; radiograph, mammogram, and CT scan equipment emit very weak levels of radiation but the effect is cumulative...it builds with repeated exposure.

You are also exposed to radiation through waste from nuclear plants, other industrial waste, building materials and combustible fuels. Obviously the people who work in these industries are the most at risk but you are exposed to some degree; we all need to think about detoxification to protect our health.

We know radiation exposure causes approximately 3% of all cancers. This fact has been studied extensively. When you are exposed to radiation a very reactive type of free radical is formed called a “hydroxyradical”. Studies have shown glutathione’s (GSH) detoxification abilities play a key role in neutralizing hydroxyradicals and cancer specialists are now raising glutathione (GSH) levels in patients who are undergoing radiation therapy as part of their cancer treatment.

Some time ago, you learned cysteine, an amino acid, is a building block of glutathione (GSH). I also mentioned a healthy, balanced diet includes foods that provide some of the essential amino acids so important for good health. Unfortunately cysteine is difficult to get through diet alone.

I stress the need for a healthy diet because the supplement and vitamin market is a big one but not all of the claims made are accurate and some of the research is contradictory....if any exists in the first place. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take your multi-vitamin or other supplements. I am saying and recommend you become informed about what you are putting into your body.

Now, I need to refresh your memory about the precursors for glutathione (GSH); the building blocks: cysteine, glycine and glutamate. These building blocks travel into the blood stream and through the cell wall. The cell then joins them together making glutathione (GSH). Think of these building blocks like 3 Lego Blocks; a red one...a blue one and...a yellow one. When the red, blue and yellow make it to your cells, they join forces to become glutathione (GSH).

Some time ago, you learned cysteine, an amino acid, is a building block of glutathione (GSH). I also mentioned a healthy, balanced diet includes foods that provide some of the essential amino acids so important for good health. Unfortunately cysteine is difficult to get through diet alone.

I stress the need for a healthy diet because the supplement and vitamin market is a big one but not all of the claims made are accurate and some of the research is contradictory....if any exists in the first place. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take your multi-vitamin or other supplements. I am saying and recommend you become informed about what you are putting into your body.

Now, I need to refresh your memory about the precursors for glutathione (GSH); the building blocks: cysteine, glycine and glutamate. These building blocks travel into the blood stream and through the cell wall. The cell then joins them together making glutathione (GSH). Think of these building blocks like 3 Lego Blocks; a red one...a blue one and...a yellow one. When the red, blue and yellow make it to your cells, they join forces to become glutathione (GSH).

A molecule of the Drug: N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)!

Most of the studies about glutathione (GSH) have been done using pharmaceutical drugs; many of these drugs have been around for years. The most common drug used is called: N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). You may have even seen it at the health food store. An ‘acetyl’ molecule is added to enable the cysteine to travel through your digestive system.

Doctors use NAC to treat diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema because it breaks up mucus in the lungs. Emergency room doctors reach for NAC when they treat an acetaminophen overdose. This is the drug most commonly used in glutathione (GSH) studies on people.

Cancer research has shown that NAC has the ability to substantially raise glutathione (GSH) levels. Even more exciting is the fact that NAC shows promise as an anti-carcinogen because it elevates glutathione levels (GSH). Good news for all you smokers out there! NAC also has an anti-tumour effect and we already know that elevated glutathione (GSH) is a detoxifier that can counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. If you are a cancer patient considering NAC, be sure to talk to your oncologist. He or she will probably recommend a more natural, non-drug, non-toxic alternative.

You’ve been reading about the drugs doctors use to raise glutathione (GSH) levels. Last time, you read about N-acetyl-cysteine, the drug most commonly used. Today you’ll learn about two other drugs used in research and very rarely by doctors.

As you can see, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) contains methionine, a building block of cysteine. In other words, cysteine needs methionine just like glutathione (GSH) requires cysteine as a building block. SAM is used to treat cirrhosis and cholestasis, both conditions that prevent the liver from functioning properly. There is also some research being done into its use as an anti-depressant. This drug is an expensive one and it interacts negatively with other drugs. If you take SAM as a therapeutic treatment, it can cause dry mouth, agitation and stomach upset.

In addition, methionine is a building block of homocysteine, a molecule linked to heart disease.

You would only want to take SAM and methionine for very unique reasons and under strict doctor’s guidance and monitoring.

If you are simply looking to elevate glutathione (GSH) levels, there is a better, safer way.

You’re beginning to recognize how critical glutathione (GSH) is for good health and by now you’re probably very curious about how you can raise your glutathione (GSH) levels naturally, without drugs.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to do because your food does not contain enough building blocks, however, there is a supplement proven to do it. You’ll learn more about it very soon!

In the meantime, here’s a list of supplements touted as ways to raise glutathione (GSH) levels. You’ll also see their precautions...

Oral glutathione (GSH) and cysteine:

Both glutathione (GSH) and cysteine are available in pill or powder form. But...I don’t recommend you buy them.

Read this...