Prescription drugs scare me! I was wondering if anyone has had any success with more naturopathic remedies to help keep inflammation at bay. I have had hip and knee surgeries due to loss of cartilage. ( I have also done alot of lifting, which probably contributed to joint problems.) I am not currently dealing with psoriasis symptoms, but am worried about the inflammation traveling to other joints. Any suggestions? My first rhuemetologist appt. is coming up in December. Thanks, Nature Girl
Curcumin (the active ingredient in the spice Tumeric, used as the spice or available in capsule form) is anti-inflammatory, as are omega-3 fatty acids (from fish, fish oil, etc.), bromelian (found in pineapple, also available in pill form), green tea and some other herbal teas, flavonoids (in strawberries, blueberries, etc.) and some other food/natural sources that are escaping me at the moment.
Eating a diet of food in as close to their natural form as possible and avoiding sugar, processed foods, white flour, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils can help a great deal as well.
I can't take anti-inflammatory drugs due to high liver enzymes, and do fairly well with a combination of watching what I eat, balancing activity with rest, and using cold / heat on my joints and muscles as necessary.
Hi, nym, Thanks for the info, I think I had read about most of what you said except for the curcumin. I will look for that at the natural food store in town. I made an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, so I will let everyone know if she suggests anything new.
I also have high-liver enzymes and don't really want to take prescription drugs anyway! I do watch my diet and am starting to exercise a bit more (still recovering from double knee replacement surgery). All your suggestions are great! Thanks again for the feedback.
nym said:
Hi Nature Girl!
Curcumin (the active ingredient in the spice Tumeric, used as the spice or available in capsule form) is anti-inflammatory, as are omega-3 fatty acids (from fish, fish oil, etc.), bromelian (found in pineapple, also available in pill form), green tea and some other herbal teas, flavonoids (in strawberries, blueberries, etc.) and some other food/natural sources that are escaping me at the moment.
Eating a diet of food in as close to their natural form as possible and avoiding sugar, processed foods, white flour, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils can help a great deal as well.
I can't take anti-inflammatory drugs due to high liver enzymes, and do fairly well with a combination of watching what I eat, balancing activity with rest, and using cold / heat on my joints and muscles as necessary.
I totally agree, a whole-foods diet can help with a lot of different ailments. My rule is: If I can’t find it growing like that, I don’t want to eat it. I’ve had people tell me my diet sounds restrictive, but it’s really not: I eat unprocessed meats, fresh fruits and veggies (or frozen, try to avoid canned due to higher salt content), and cheese. I don’t eat any grains, and have found that after a few months of no HFCS, no PH oils, no artificial colors or preservatives, that my systems feel a lot better. I’ve also lost 10 pounds, and believe me, I still have my share of burgers, just w/out bun or mayo (and I research first to see if an establishment uses wheat in its burgers). I have special recipes for muffins that use almond flour instead of wheat, which makes them packed with protein and very satisfying; I make my own pie crusts out of minced nuts, melted butter, stevia, and cinnamon. And because of how I feel, how my digestive issues are leaving, I’m convinced, and I don’t miss the bread. And nym has some really good ideas in there
One really good resource for the attempt to help with diet and nutrition is http://nutritiondata.self.com/ It is put together by Us Magazine but seems to be a good source for the inflammatory factor of foods. When you look up a food in the database, it give LOTS of data about it including the inflammatory factor for every food (and has very helpful info on how to read the data). It also lets you keep track of your food if you would like.
I'm new to this website. I have used Theraflax for years and it has helped my joints and my skin tremendously. Take a look at the website (theraflax.com). It's a natural product from South Africa. I found their website claims to be very honest. Let me know if you are interested. I'm working on getting them to open up their website for ordering in the USA.
The difference between prescription meds and herbal or natural meds is that for prescription meds, the drug companies have to do extensive testing to prove that the drug is effective and safe. And then the prescription drug companies have to disclose all their findings.
With herbal meds, there is no testing, and no disclosure. The company can claim anything it wants. I'm afraid of herbal meds. The companies that sell them don't know what the drugs do, and furthermore when they do suspect something bad, they don't have to disclose it.
There are some amazingly good prescription remedies for PsA right now. Go to Psoriasis.org
There you can get information on all types of treatments, herbal, diet, and prescription. Good luck to you, and I'm sorry you have PsA. :(
Thanks for your comments. I will go to my rheumatologist appt. as an info gathering session. I did go to a naturopathic doctor, who added bromelain supplements to my fish oil and a couple of other supplements I had been taking. She also had me try a 'medical food' called Ultra infammx which I am not crazy about. The taste is horrible and it seems to have alot of preservatives which I am trying to avoid. I am doing well right now with a mostly gluten free, whole foods diet. I have lost 15 lbs. without being hungry. I read a great book entitled "How to Eat Away Arthritis". It made sense to me, but to each their own. I do believe that food plays an important part in the health of our bodies, and so far, I feel more confident in my ability to stay away from prescription drugs. I will keep you posted....
trees said:
Hi Nature girl. Please speaak to your rheumatologist about your fears. I would hate to see you miss out on a medication that would get your disease to slow down or stop. I too have bilateral knee replacements and am now facing an ankle erosion problem that will hopfully not get worse. My disease had been very aggressive in a very short time. I am on humira, MTX and naproxen. Humira has given me my life back( with limitations of course ) so much so that I am able to travel overseas( with help of course) but I get around now. :):) Diet is an excellent way to stay in good health. I don not use it myself to control inflamation and do not know fo anyone who has had their disease progression slow down or stop from diet alone. My observations only I can't speak for anyone who may be having good luck with diet. anyways good luck at your appt. take a list of questions of everything you can think of to ask
