How to Alleviate Osteoarthritis Naturally

Osteoarthritis, also called “wear and tear” arthritis, affects an estimated 80 percent of people over the age of 75. It is the breakdown of joint cartilage, which eventually leads to abnormal bone changes. The joints most commonly affected are the knees, hips, spine, hands and toes. It can result from trauma or repetitive use. Luckily, several natural remedies can help alleviate the inflammation

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Exercise equipment
• Foods rich in omega-three fatty acids like salmon
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Fruits and vegetables
• Glucosamine supplement
• Anti-inflammatory herbs
• Anti-inflammatory essential oils
• Carrier oil like jojoba or sweet almond
• dark glass bottle

1. Exercise. If you are overweight, lose weight because the added weight intensifies stress to the affected joints. Swimming, yoga, Pilates and weight-lifting are all good options that will keep joints flexible. Avoid any exercises that stress the affected joints.

2. Make some dietary changes. Research shows that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in oily fish like salmon, and the spices ginger and turmeric may help reduce inflammation. Also, antioxidant-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, may help reduce tissue damage caused by inflammation. Some foods known to increase inflammation are dairy, wheat and nightshade plants, like potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatoes. Tobacco is also considered a nightshade plant and known to cause inflammation.

3. Try using a glucosamine supplement. Many studies on glucosamine have shown that it has the ability to spur regrowth of cartilage, ease symptoms and even reverse osteoarthritis. Glucosamine stimulates connective tissue production and the repair of the arthritic joint. One study compared Glucosamine to Indocin, a common medication used for inflammation, and found that the glucosamine performed 10 to 30 times better than the Indocin.

4. Know that herbs with anti-inflammatory properties are another method to ease the pain. Some of these herbs include devil's claw, willow bark, stinging nettle, cat’s claw, kava kava, ginger, turmeric, alfalfa, black cohosh, feverfew, yucca, ginseng, licorice and oregano.

5. Have an anti-inflammatory massage oil ready to rub onto the affected area when flair-ups occur. This can made by selecting an essential oil with anti-inflammatory properties like chamomile, cypress, eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, lemon, peppermint, rosemary or sandalwood. Next, select a carrier oil of your choice like almond or jojoba oil. Add a few drops of essential oil to three tablespoons of carrier oil. Store the solution in a dark glass bottle for anytime a flair-up occurs.

Tips & Warnings

• Read all warnings associated with herbs and essential oils before using.

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[peterpan56]

on 5/7/2008 Sorry, but you need to check your research. There are not studies that show that glucosamine can spur the growth of cartilage, yes not one single study. Also there is not one single study that shows that glucosamine can reverse arthritis. This is pure propaganda.
http://arthritis-symptom.com/Osteoarthritis-Symptoms/index.htm