What is Arthritis? 

wear and tear on joints. While osteoarthritis also primarily afflicts the older community, if a job or a sport causes repeated stress on a joint, then that joint can develop osteoarthritis regardless of age. For unclear reasons, women are more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis, and some people can even genetically inherit an increased risk of development.

Obesity has been shown to affect more than one aspect of osteoarthritis. Increased weight adds unnecessary stress to weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. Also, fat tissue increases the number of proteins that can cause inflammation in and around joints.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that worsens with time causing chronic pain. The pain is known to commonly lead to sleep disturbances and depression.

Natural Treatment for Arthritis

Some healthcare providers recommend certain anti-inflammatory diets and foods to help manage all aspects of the disease from pain to joint damage. These include foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as:

• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Fatty fish like mackerel and salmon
• Walnuts
• Seaweed

During a study conducted by Muerzzuschlag State Hospital in Austria, twenty-three patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis were given a solution containing either 0.2 g of fish oil, or a saline infused placebo, and tested for 14 consecutive days. Researchers observed that the group given the fish oil had significantly lowered swelling and tenderness of joints. Another group was given a mere 0.05 g of fish oil for 20 weeks and were observed as having inflammation levels even lower than the previous group.

Foods containing high antioxidant levels may also help reduce symptoms in patients.

These include:

• Turmeric
• Bromelain
• Kidney beans
• Berries
• Dark chocolate
• Artichokes

It is also important to avoid foods that may trigger inflammatory responses. These may be foods containing processed carbohydrates, saturated fat, and trans fat.

In 2016, a review of randomized clinical trials regarding the efficacy of turmeric extracts and curcumin on arthritis was published by the US National Library of Medicine. They discovered that turmeric extracts taken daily at a dose of about 1000mg seemed to result in a general decrease of arthritis symptoms.

This is most likely due to Curcumin (the main active ingredient in turmeric) and its well documented ability to inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress.

Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme derived from the stem, fruit, and juice of pineapples. It has been demonstrated throughout the years to contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties which makes it a contender to be a safer alternative or adjunct treatment for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

A series of three week placebo controlled studies by the University of Southampton concluded in multiple trials that 540mg of bromelain administered daily significantly reduced inflammation in 72.4% of cases while reducing pain caused by the inflammation.

Conclusion

While both the cure, and causes for arthritis remain unknown, there are several immediately applicable natural remedies that may both alleviate symptoms, and relieve patients of unnecessary opioid dependencies. With proper funding and awareness, research can continue to progress to previously unseen heights leading to increased degrees of application within our society. Only through increased research and availability of treatment will we be able to lessen the debilitative effects caused by this chronic affliction.

Disclaimer: This article is written based on general information. This is not a medical advice. So before doing anything, definitely take the help of the doctor and follow their advice.