ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM A Holistic Therapy By Walter Last Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, while the term 'rheumatism'

includes a variety of symptoms, such as inflammation, pain, tenderness and stiffness of muscles and joints. These conditions are extremely widespread and most people de velop some form of arthritis or rheumatism during their lifetime. The most common forms of joint diseases are usually classified as rheumatoid art hritis, osteoarthritis and gout. Apart from joint and muscle pain, rheumatism ma y also involve the tendons, bones and nerves and may manifest as rheumatic fever , sciatica, lumbago, spondylitis, low back pain, bursitis, neuritis and myositis . Rheumatoid arthritis affects mainly younger individuals and is three times more common in females than in males. It can persist into old age, progressively beco ming more disabling. Early symptoms include redness, swelling and soreness of jo ints. Often joints are affected symmetrically, that is both wrists or knees are involved. Pain and stiffness may also travel to other joints and affect the whol e body. In later life lumps and nodules may appear at the joints and lead to def ormities. Osteoarthritis starts usually after the age of 40. It is also called degenerativ e joint disease. It develops more slowly than rheumatoid arthritis and does not spread to different parts of the body. Due to chronic inflammation around a join t, the protective cartilage wears away, causing bone ends to rub together, erode and sometimes fuse together (ankylosis). Gout is characterized by painful joint inflammations, chiefly those in the hands and feet, usually the big toe is prominently involved. There is a high level of uric acid in the blood and tissues. Uric acid and other toxins and metabolic re sidues accumulating in muscles and around nerves, often in combination with food allergies, cause the inflammations and pain in muscles (myositis) and nerves (n euritis). The common medical treatment for these conditions consists mainly of anti-inflam matory drugs, pain relief measures and physiotherapy to maintain a degree of mob ility in affected joints, but it cannot slow or reverse the progressive deterior ation of the disease. As a last resort affected joints may be surgically replace d. WRONG FOOD Arthritis is sometimes called the 'cooked food disease'. A high intake of cooked , sweet and fatty food is usually characteristic in the development of the disea se. Alternatively, there is an inability to handle sweet and fatty food. Other m ain factors are a high incidence of food allergies, nutritional deficiencies as well as an unhealthy intestinal flora. Rheumatoid arthritis in particular is closely linked to food allergy. Most suffe rers greatly improve when they are on a fast or restricted diet, which eliminate s the foods to which they are allergic. Cows' milk products and wheat products a re the most common offenders, but there is usually a whole range of foods to whi ch individuals react with a worsening of symptoms. When aspirin and other commonly used pain relieving drugs are taken, the intesti nal wall becomes less effective in blocking harmful partly digested nutrients an

d frequently a worsening of symptoms occurs in the longer term. The same happens if fruit acids are ingested or sweet food is eaten. The inefficient metabolism of these individuals converts sweet food only partly into energy; the rest forms lactic acid. Acids liberate histamine, which in turn causes swellings and stron g inflammatory reactions. Therefore, inflammatory conditions deteriorate if frui t acids or acid-forming foods are ingested, while alkaline-forming foods, genera lly vegetables and those rich in minerals are beneficial. Another group of foods to increase allergic inflammations and pain sensitivity a re the polyunsaturated oils. These are converted to arachidonic acid (also prese nt in meat) and further into a group of tissue hormones, called prostaglandins, which are pro-inflammatory. Also inorganic iron in supplements and water (brown residues) can trigger inflammations. The opposite effect, reducing pain sensitivity and inflammation, has another gro up of oils containing so-called Omega-3 fatty acids. These are mainly present in linseed and fish oils and form prostaglandins, which are anti-inflammatory. While food incompatibility is a frequent trigger of rheumatoid arthritis, there may also be allergies to inhaled substances, such as gas from a gas stove or hea ter, car exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, solvent fumes, perfumes, moth balls or any strongly or persistently smelling substance at home or work. Even toothpaste , make-up, detergents in dishwater, synthetic clothing, especially nylon or any environmental, agricultural or food chemicals may contribute to this condition. All of the factors causing or influencing rheumatoid arthritis te to the development of osteoarthritis. As the onset later in must be another negative factor, which develops over time. As s not age itself, which is the real problem, but the declining ople with advancing age and that is an important difference. can also contribu life shows, there we will see, it i health of most pe

Joints need to be well nourished to maintain a healthy structure. Vitamins, mine rals and other nutrients are required in sufficiently high concentrations to mai ntain and regenerate the cartilage linings of the joints and the synovial membra nes and fluids surrounding them. Most individuals living on a 'normal' mixed die t are more or less deficient in one or more of these essential nutrients and thi s will lead over time to a gradual deterioration of joints, especially those whi ch are heavily used but do not receive an adequate supply of nutrients. Commonly affected are the weight-bearing joints in overweight individuals and also joint s with old injuries. Medical Evidence There are various experimental studies, which show the extent of the allergy pro blems, especially in the causation of rheumatoid arthritis. In one report all 45 patients significantly improved in all seven objective and subjective disease p arameters while on a 7-day water fast; a similar result was reported by another author in a study with 25 patients. Subsequent challenges with implicated foods provoked intense reactions with severe deterioration. Reactions occur mainly against foods, which are overused in a society. While in Australia these are mainly wheat, cows' milk products and meat, in the United St ates there is also a high incidence of allergy to corn and soy products. However , the deciding factor is the individual food preference of the affected person. Foods to which we are addicted and like to eat every day are usually the worst o ffenders. Another report concerns 6 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who all had remissi ons of joint symptoms when they went on a low-calorie fat-free diet. When, after 7 weeks, either animal fat or vegetable oil was reintroduced they all experienc

ed return of their symptoms within 72 hours. Chicken, cheese, safflower oil, bee f or coconut oil all caused inflammatory deteriorations in their joints. Foods of the nightshade family frequently have a negative effect on arthritis. T hese include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and capsicum. In a study with 5000 art hritics who avoided nightshades over 70% reported a gradual improvement over the 7 years of the experiment. Nightshade foods contain the alkaloid solanine, which is highest in greened pota toes but also to some degree in green tomatoes and green capsicum. It may be ass umed that it is mainly the occasional ingestion of green parts of nightshades, w hich cause the arthritic problems. This may include green capsicum and the green inner parts of some commercial tomatoes. Also damaged potatoes are higher in so lanine. Arthritics frequently do not have sufficient gastric acid for the proper digesti on of proteins. This causes deficiencies in proteins, minerals and vitamin B12 a s well as over-sensitivity to bacteria in food and water. Of a group of 35 arthr itics 28.6% did not have any gastric acid (achlorhydria) while another 17% had o nly very low gastric acid levels (hypochlorhydria). Supplementing meals with hydrochloric acid to assist in the digestion does not a dversely affect joint inflammations. Such inflammations are aggravated by insuff iciently metabolized fruit acids, such as citric acid, but also vinegar. However , with advancing age inflammatory processes decrease to be replaced by increasin g calcifications and stiffness. In this situation it is actually beneficial to s upply plenty of fruit acids and cider vinegar. This difference in the reaction to fruit acids results from age-related changes in the metabolism. Initially the ingestion of sweet foods causes overacidity in the tissues through accumulation of lactic acid and metabolic fruit acids from t he citric acid cycle. This causes joint erosion by leaching calcium from the bon es. With advancing age, on the other hand, the metabolism slows down. Sugars may then cause diabetes or be converted to fat and cause overweight. Now a deficien cy of metabolic acids develops. The tissues and fluids around the joints become too alkaline, inflammations fade out, instead calcium starts to deposit around t he joints, forming spurs and causing joints to grow together (ankylosis). The generally low gastric acid levels in combination with an unhealthy intestina l flora may be the major causes for the high incidence of malnutrition in indivi duals with rheumatoid arthritis. In one study it was reported that nearly 75% of patients in Alabama have signs of malnutrition. Most frequently deficient are p rotein, zinc, folic acid, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, selenium and cystine. Cys tine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is high in connective tissue, skin, nail and hair. In arthritics the cystine content of fingernails was only 8.9% co mpared to a normal value of 12%. Raw egg yolk is the best source of sulfur-conta ining amino acids (except if allergic to it). The best supplement for organic su lfur is MSM. Sludged Blood A major contributing factor, especially with rheumatoid arthritis, is an overgro wth of the intestines with undesirable bacteria and fungi. The main cause for th is is usually antibiotic treatment, sometimes also the meat from animals reared with routine antibiotic feeding as well as other drugs. The problem is aggravate d by low gastric acidity as well as a diet high in sweet foods. Frequently the intestinal walls are damaged by a high gluten intake as well as b y allergenic inflammations and this allows bacterial decomposition products to e nter the bloodstream and weaken the immune system as well as aggravate the joint

inflammations. Another contributing factor in this process is the use of aspiri n and other analgesics that make the intestinal walls more porous. This invasion of bacterial allergens combined with food allergens not only produ ces joint inflammations, but also a phenomenon called 'sludged blood': the red b lood cells begin to aggregate and clump together. In this condition they cannot be sufficiently charged with oxygen and in additio n they clog the blood capillaries in the muscles, leading to oxygen starvation, lack of nutrients and accumulation of metabolic waste products. This results in a generally sluggish blood circulation, which is a major cause of the morning st iffness in arthritis. The clumped blood cells and the resulting sluggish circulation could be directly observed in the capillaries of the conjunctiva of the eyes of arthritics. This same condition is responsible for a raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate or E.S .R. in the blood with inflammatory arthritis. A raised E.S.R. is usually indicat ive of a general infection or of inflammatory and widespread immune reactions in the body. In addition to infections, inflammations and allergies, also a high fat intake i nduces temporary sludging of the blood. This is probably the reason for the impr ovement experienced on a low fat diet. Arthritics often have poor liver function s and a slow clearance of fat particles (chylomicrons) from the bloodstream. Thi s makes blood cells stickier, causing them to clump together and the resulting o xygen deficiency increases the pain in the affected area. It has been shown that sludging of the blood occurs temporarily in an area, whic h has been traumatized by a sudden impact injury such as a fall or a strong blow . This localized sludging may be the cause of the frequently resulting 'traumati c arthritis'. Meat and Sugar Calcium leaching out of joints, bones and teeth is a major cause of arthritis, o steoporosis and tooth decay. There are two commonly used foods, which lead to el evated calcium blood levels and subsequently increased loss in the urine. These are meat and sugar. Meat stimulates the parathyroid glands to become overactive, due mainly to high phosphorus content. Also many soft drinks are very high in phosphorus. Increased parathyroid activity means raised calcium blood levels and the sources of this additional calcium are the joints and bones. Compared to vegetarians, meat-eater s lose on average two to four times the amount of calcium in the urine; the high er the intake of meat and other animal protein, the greater is the calcium loss. It is similar with sugar. After ingesting sugar, insulin blood levels are raised and these, in turn, raise the calcium level. When individuals with a normal ins ulin response ingest 100 g of sugar, the loss of calcium in the urine approximat ely doubles. However, many individuals have a poor sugar metabolism with an exag gerated insulin response as in hypoglycemia. In these individuals a test load of 100 g sugar increases the calcium loss with the urine about four-fold. It is un conceivable that joints could remain healthy with such huge and continuing loss of calcium. Another important nutrient for joint health is magnesium, which is also regulate d by the parathyroid glands. If calcium is raised in the blood, then magnesium i s lowered and vice versa. This means, an increased magnesium intake will lower t he calcium blood level and therefore less or no calcium needs to be leached from bones and joints. With sufficient magnesium intake calcium may even be redeposi

ted into joints and bones. However, experience shows that a high calcium intake in this situation leads only to calcifications in the wrong places, such as spur s, kidney stones, ankylosis and arteriosclerosis. With these insights we can also understand why the common medical advice for the prevention of osteoporosis - to ingest more milk products and use calcium suppl ements - is generally ineffective. Clinical statistics show that calcium loss fr om the bones continues unabated. Instead, the real solution is to minimize the i ntake of animal protein and sugar and increase the intake of magnesium and boron . In addition, hormonal changes (menopause) play a role as well as vitamin D def iciency. A diet high in meat and other animal proteins contributes also to the formation of high levels of uric acid. Purines are formed from the breakdown of nucleic ac ids, which are part of the nuclei of cells. Uric acid is formed from the oxidati on of purines, but it can also be synthesized from simple metabolic molecules. W hile it may not be advisable to eat large amounts of cooked beans and peas due t o their purine content, sprouted legumes are still recommended even with gout. Sugars, especially fructose and the fructose part of household sugar, increase t he production of uric acid and possibly the breakdown of nucleic acids. However, an even stronger effect on uric acid production has alcohol, especially in the form of beer. 95% of those affected with gout are males and of these the most co mmon feature is high beer consumption. Caffeine from coffee and theophylline from tea are methylated purines. While the y do not seem to have a direct effect on uric acid levels, they greatly contribu te to the loss of calcium and magnesium from the body. 300 mg of caffeine, which may be found in three cups of coffee, doubles urinary calcium loss in both men and women. SPECIFIC NUTRIENTS Arthritics of all types generally show a wide range of vitamin and mineral defic iencies. Often there are abnormalities in the metabolism, which require much hig her amounts than normal in order to be effective. Nicotinamide (also called niacinamide) is most effective with osteoarthritis and especially with knee problems. In one controlled study 663 patients on nicotina mide had a much better range of joint movements than untreated controls. Decreas ed pain and increased joint mobility are noted in 2 - 6 weeks. The dosage increa sed gradually to 1 g three times daily and was tapered off once effective. In ad dition a high dosage B complex was used. Pantothenic acid, on the other hand, another B-group vitamin, is more effective with rheumatoid arthritis. Acute deficiency of pantothenic acid in the rat produ ced pathological joint changes, which were like those in osteoarthritis. Supplem entation of patients produced a limited variable improvement, which ended when t he supplementation was stopped. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have significantly lower pantothenic acid blo od levels than controls and the degree of the deficiency has been shown to corre late directly with the severity of symptoms: the lower the levels of the vitamin , the more severe were the symptoms. After 2 months on 4 times daily 500 mg of p antothenate a group of patients showed significant improvement in morning stiffn ess, degree of pain and disability. In another trial a group of patients received a daily injection of 50 mg of pant othenate either alone or with Royal Jelly. Symptoms had improved after 7 days bu t showed no further improvement with continued injections. When the injections w

ere stopped, blood levels gradually fell to their original low levels with a ret urn of the former symptoms. Vegetarians generally had higher pantothenate blood levels and responded better to pantothenate supplements. Interestingly, the degree of sludging of the blood and with this the E.S.R. improved with pantothenate supplementation. Vitamin B6 is mainly beneficial for problems with the hands, fingers, wrists, ar ms and shoulders. Numbness, tingling, pain, stiffness and weakness commonly impr oved in 8 - 12 weeks while on 100 - 150 mg vitamin B6 daily. Sometimes doses of 500 mg or more are given daily together with zinc supplements. Vitamin E is an inhibitor of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. In this way it sho uld be beneficial in all forms of arthritis. During a 10 day trial with 900 I.U. of vitamin E daily 52% of patients reported a good pain relieving effect. Vitamin C supplementation has been shown to be beneficial in all forms of arthri tis. Guinea pigs with artificially induced osteoarthritis developed severe sympt oms on a low vitamin C intake but only mild symptoms on a high intake. Blood and tissue levels of vitamin C are especially low with rheumatoid arthritis. With g out 4 g of ascorbic acid daily increased the urinary excretion of uric acid whil e a daily intake of 8 g in addition strongly lowered the uric acid blood levels. High vitamin C blood levels reduce histamine levels and with this inflammations . A high intake of niacin or nicotinic acid, on the other hand, may decrease uri c acid excretion and provoke an attack of gout. While folic acid levels are generally low with rheumatoid arthritis, supplements seem to be most helpful with gout. High doses of 10 - 75 mg daily have been use d to block uric acid production and have been reported to be more effective than drugs in reducing uric acid blood levels. Additional vitamin B12 may be require d with such high folic acid intakes. Minerals Copper has a reputation of being an effective anti-inflammatory agent in arthrit is. Medically it is mainly used in the form of copper salicylate. It can increas e joint mobility, decrease swellings and pain and normalize the E.S.R. In one st udy 65% of 620 patients became symptom free, also other inflammatory joint disea ses improved for an average of 3 years. Commonly 60 mg of copper salicylate are used twice daily for 10 days, if not available experiment with chelates or gluco nate of copper. Copper deficiency causes uric acid levels to rise in gout. Coppe r blood levels in rheumatoid arthritis are elevated as liver stores are mobilize d in response to the inflammatory processes, causing tissue deficiency. However, arthritis sufferers have found that it is often quite effective just to wear a copper bracelet around the affected limb. This practice has been validat ed by medical research. When after one month the copper bracelet in a large grou p of patients was replaced by a placebo (an imitation bracelet) those who had pr eviously improved deteriorated again. The average loss of copper from the bracel ets for one month was 13 mg, presumably dissolved by the sweat and absorbed into the skin. Zinc levels in the blood and cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are mar kedly reduced as compared to controls, however, more zinc than normal is lost wi th the urine. High-level zinc supplements led to significant improvements in mos t patients in regard to all disease parameters. However, if very high intakes (e .g. 3 X 50 mg of zinc) are maintained for long periods, say for more than 6 mont hs, copper deficiency may develop with deterioration in symptoms. In addition, h igh doses of zinc sulfate may irritate the digestive system.

Iron is a problem mineral. Like zinc, it is elevated in the synovial fluid aroun d the joints but too low in the serum. Iron deposits can often be seen in the me mbranes of affected joints. There are reports of female rheumatoid arthritis pat ients deteriorating with ferrous sulfate supplements. On the other hand, there i s often anemia in female patients which calls for more iron. The suggested solut ion is to supplement meals with ascorbic acid, which greatly increases iron abso rption in an organic form, which is less likely to cause problems. Selenium levels are depressed with rheumatoid arthritis. The longer the duration of the disease and the more severe the symptoms, the lower are usually the bloo d selenium levels; conversely, increased selenium levels are also related to imp roved hemoglobin levels in the blood. There is a history of taking sulfur baths for arthritis. The beneficial effect o f this has been confirmed in medical studies. Blood sulfur levels rise following sulfur baths. Alternatively, patients may take powdered sulfur. This resulted i n an improvement in many cases with the generally reduced cystine content of fin gernails returning to normal values. Cystine is a sulfur-containing amino acid, which is high in egg yolk. Molybdenum is required to incorporate sulfur into car tilage. Boron has been reported to be of help to many arthritics. This may be because bo ron lowers the urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium and raises the blood l evel of sex hormones, especially in post-menopausal women. Boron occurs naturall y in fresh fruit and vegetables or may be supplied as borax or boric acid. Other Anti-Rheumatic Agents While polyunsaturated oils from oil seeds tend to produce inflammatory tissue ho rmones or prostaglandins, fish oils, the linolenic acid in linseed and a rare ki nd of oil in evening primrose oil (gamma linolenic acid) help to produce anti-in flammatory prostaglandins. Commonly linseed oil, cod liver oil or capsules of fi sh oil concentrates are used. With evening primrose oil (e.g. 4 times daily) it may take 4 - 12 weeks for benefits to be felt. Some patients who show the best l ong-term benefits may feel worse during the first 2 weeks. Also other anti-infla mmatory remedies are helpful, such as fresh ginger, turmeric, feverfew, golden s eal and propolis. Flavonoids are mainly yellow, orange, pink or purple plant pigments as in variou s fruits and flower petals. Some of the more potent ones are called bioflavonoid s; these include rutin and hesperidin. Flavonoids strengthen the blood capillari es, improve the absorption and action of vitamin C, they are strong antioxidants and have anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. In this way, they are especially beneficial with inflammatory forms of arthritis. In particular, some flavonoids inhibit the autoimmune reactions around the joints. A good diet conta ins 1g or more of flavonoids. They are also available as supplements. The amino acid D,L-phenylalanine is quite effective as a pain reliever. It may t ake up to 3 weeks to get results. Commonly 750 mg 3 times daily has been used; i f not effective double the dose for another 3 weeks. Inflammation and swellings may be reduced. A similar beneficial effect has been found with the amino acid t ryptophan. Patients who had been treated with tryptophan for depression also had relief from arthritis. Also the amino acid L-histidine may be beneficial. Mucopolysaccharides, also called proteoglycans, form long chains which are the b asis of the cartilage and connective tissue. Normally proteoglycans make up abou t 80% of cartilage. In arthritic cartilage this may be reduced to 40% or less. I ngesting proteoglycans as food or supplements has been shown to be very benefici al.

These can be supplied from green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus). Several expe rimental studies have shown significant improvement in most patients with long-t erm supplementation. In addition, calf cartilage has been used with good results , especially injections of pre-digested cartilage. Now also liquid oral bovine c artilage is available. I regard it as preferable to shark cartilage, which is di fficult to digest and absorb. Other foods rich in proteoglycans are Aloe vera, o ats, okra, sweet potato leaves, shark fin soup, Irish moss and especially broth of fish heads. The amino sugar glucosamine is a main raw product for the synthes is of proteoglycans. Supplying sufficient glucosamine, about 1.5 g per day, help s to restore normal cartilage composition and is very beneficial for affected jo ints. Another basic building block of cartilage is chondroitin sulfate. Yucca is one of the few herbs that have been scientifically assessed in the treat ment of diseases. Of 149 arthritics 61% had less swellings, pain and stiffness. Some required several months of treatment before improving. Encouraging reports are also available for the bitter root of devil's claw. Protein-digesting or proteolytic enzymes are well known for their anti-inflammat ory properties. Bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple, was found to improve most i nflammatory arthritic conditions. WASTES, TOXINS AND MICROBES Tense muscles surrounding a joint have a further strong influence on joint deter ioration. Such muscle tensions may originate from overwork of this particular mu scle group or the cause may be unreleased emotional tensions. If we feel an emot ion but do not properly act to release it, then this energy is stored in a corre sponding muscle in the form of a permanent contraction of some muscle fibers. This is called muscle armoring. Unreleased anger may, for instance, affect the s houlder muscles and unreleased sexual tension may amour pelvis and hip muscles. An armored muscle has a permanently contracted core with greatly reduced blood a nd lymph circulation. This in turn encourages the accumulation of toxins and met abolic wastes in this area. Such armored muscle groups around a joint will also prevent an adequate supply of nutrients from reaching the joint. Furthermore, armored muscles, because of their lack of nutrients, tend to produc e large amounts of lactic acid. This in turn liberates histamine and leads to in flammations. At the same time, these over-acid conditions contribute to the eros ion of bones and joints (e.g. osteoporosis). On the other hand, when conditions are too alkaline (e.g. when the metabolism slows down with advancing age) then c alcifications will occur as with joint deformities. While armored muscles will in this way lead to malnourishment of joints and to a rthritis, also the reverse is true: an inflamed joint will lead to muscle tensio n and armoring around it and this in turn will further contribute to the long-te rm joint deterioration. Dental Hazards In addition to an unhealthy intestinal flora, another main source of endogenous toxins, those produced within the body, are dead teeth. Dead teeth are even more dangerous than mercury amalgam fillings and having two different kinds of metal in the mouth. Teeth with a root canal filling, a post-crown and sometimes also teeth with large fillings or pins are dead. Dead teeth slowly disintegrate and cause a chronic osteitis with softening and i nflammation of the surrounding jawbone. Toxins are continuously released into th e surrounding tissue and blood stream. This process may continue even after remo val of a dead tooth if the diseased bone is not curetted or scraped out back to

the healthy jawbone, or if any fragments of root or metal remain embedded. In addition, in the acupuncture system each tooth is related to a specific energ y meridian, organ and also joint. Therefore, an interference field in a specific tooth can trigger or intensify arthritis in a related joint. To give some examp les, number 3 teeth in all locations are associated with the hips, the lower 6 t o 8 and the upper 4, 5 and 8 are related to the shoulders and elbows, also to th e hands, feet and toes in various locations, numbers 1 to 3 in all locations con nect to the feet, back of knees and sacrococcyx and lower 4 and 5 and upper 6 an d 7 to the front of knees and the jaws. To avoid problems, all dead teeth should be removed and any areas of osteitis cu retted. If in doubt about the condition of the jawbone with missing teeth consul t a therapist who does electro-acupuncture testing as with Vega equipment. As th ere are no nerves, there may be no pain to indicate osteitis. Many testimonials of former sufferers attest to the benefits of having hidden dental hazards remov ed. For further details see the article on Dental Problems. The P.C. Microbe As a result of the accumulation of waste products and the chronic release of end ogenous toxins in combination with food allergies there is a serious decline in our immune functions, which then allows the proliferation of harmful internally generated microbes. Virginia Livingston-Wheeler has named this endogenous microbe Progenitor Cryptoc ides or short P.C. It normally lives in a virus-like form in a beneficial symbio sis within our body cells, but when our immune system becomes too weak, P.C. can leave the cells and start an uncontrolled growth with changes in size and shape to bacterial and fungus-like forms. In its virulent condition P.C. has been shown by various researchers to be a maj or factor in the development of the group of collagen and connective tissue dise ases. These include rheumatoid arthritis and even cancer. P.C. attacks mainly th e areas with the lowest vitality by releasing enzymes, which lead to a localized disintegration of the collagen structure. This allows any cancer cells, which may be present to become embedded and start growth as a tumor. If this process of connective tissue disintegration starts in the joints the immune system initially contains the damage by infiltrating the attacked area with a large number of white blood cells. These release enzymes, w hich dissolve the fragments of denatured cartilage resulting from the activity o f P.C. and most likely also try to kill P.C. This process looks superficially as if the immune system destroys its own tissue and is therefore called an autoimm une disease. In animal experiments it has been shown that the injection of large doses of vir ulent P.C. culture leads to tumor development while lower doses lead to various forms of degenerative connective tissue diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis . Finally, the immune system becomes too weak and the body limits the damage by calcifying the joint. Poor Elimination Generally, in arthritis the organs of elimination are weak, leading to mucus con gestion of the lymphatic system and to fatty degeneration of organs and muscles. Uric acid is an especially unpleasant metabolic residue because of its low solub ility, which leads to deposits of needle-like crystals. These crystals irritate muscles and joints and greatly add to the pain caused by tight muscles with tens

ion and inflammation. This results in gout and various forms of rheumatism. High levels of uric acid are formed by a diet high in meat, sugar, coffee and te a. Because uric acid is only slightly soluble, it needs plenty of water and well functioning kidneys to flush it out of muscles and joints and remove it from th e body. Other organs that are usually weak in arthritis are the stomach, the liver, gall bladder and generally the whole of the digestive system. The prominent involvem ent of the big toes with gout is especially significant as these are the startin g points of the acupuncture meridians of the liver. While the sugar metabolism i s especially weak with other forms of arthritis, with gout it is mainly the prot ein and fat metabolism. Besides the kidneys, other organs of elimination are the bowels, the liver, the skin and the lungs; all of these need to be greatly stimulated to remove toxic a nd obstructive waste residues from arthritic joints and rheumatic muscles. DIET The basic arthritis diet consists of plenty of raw food such as sprouted seeds, fresh vegetable juices with plenty of wheat or barley grass and beetroot, also v egetable salads in increasing amounts according to the strength of the digestion . You may cook lentils and brown rice, usually eaten together at the same meal, and also steamed vegetables, especially onions, green beans, okras, sweet potato leaves and beetroot. Generally, sweet vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkin turn ips and sweet potatoes are best eaten raw and finely grated as part of a salad. Frequently have raw food days. Instead of using commercial bread, experiment with sourdough baking from lentils , buckwheat and brown rice, soak and blend the seeds, possibly use acidophilus c ulture as starter. Use free-range raw egg yolk (e.g. as part of a salad dressing ), otherwise soft-boiled egg. Fish and seafood are good and especially the broth of simmered fish heads and bones. Liver may be used occasionally except with go ut. Other helpful foods are avocado, almonds, pecans, celery, coleslaw, peanuts, peanut oil and extra-virgin olive oil. The more sensitive the skin is against cold, insect bites and irritants, the les s fruit should be used or, alternatively, any fruit acids may be neutralized wit h sodium bicarbonate. With insensitive skin use a fair amount of fruit, includin g bananas, before or instead of meals. Mix 1 tbsp. of ground linseed (grind in b lender or coffee grinder and refrigerate) and 1 tsp. of lecithin with most meals . Some arthritis sufferers improve when avoiding foods of the nightshade family: t omatoes, potatoes, capsicum and peppers, eggplant or aubergine. These may contai n the toxic alkaloid solanine, especially high in green parts of potatoes and to matoes. Best avoid these until sufficient improvement, then introduce gradually with car eful self-observation. Use only red capsicum, not green ones. However, raw potat o juice and broth of potato peels are helpful to some sufferers and you may expe riment with these. Avoid cows' milk products, wheat products (except wheat grass juice), and other gluten foods such as rye, barley and oats; sweeteners and sweetened food, salt, red meat, yeast fat, fried products, commercial polyunsaturated oils, margarine or other highly processed food or food containing preservative, coloring or othe r unbiological chemicals. If sensitive avoid also unneutralized food acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar, fruit juice or dried fruit. Avoid alcohol and smoki

ng; be careful with coffee and tea. Try to avoid chlorinated and fluoridated wat er for cooking and drinking. Minimize cooked legumes with gout. Because of the usually weak digestive powers, it is important to have only small meals, chew very well. Have breakfast as the main meal or possibly lunch, but o nly a light, early evening meal. Ingest any water in which vegetables or brown r ice has been cooked. If meat, fish or nuts are used, eat these as the first part of any meal. If possible, lie down after lunch. While it is important to have plenty of fluid-intake, this should not be taken w ith or after meals so that digestive juices are not diluted. Drink about one lit er of preferably warm water, weak herb tea (peppermint is good) or, most recomme nded, fresh diluted vegetable juice about 30 minutes before breakfast. Use mainl y wheat grass, barley grass, celery, parsley, edible weeds and other green leave s as well as beetroot for a vegetable juice and only a smaller amount of flavori ng sweet vegetables (e.g. carrots, pumpkin) and apple. A further glass of water, herb tea or fresh juice may be taken before other meals. Drink juices slowly an d spaced out to minimize any rise in the blood sugar level. For further informat ion on allergy testing, juices, food selection and preparation as well as metabo lic types and blood groups see Healing Foods. Cleansing Periods Fasting or cleansing periods are of greatest importance, the more so, the more t he disease has progressed. Frequency, duration and food restrictions are to be s elected according to the severity of the disease and the sensitivity of the body . On the average, fast about one week each month until much improved, then gradual ly less. However, you may start with one-day fasts and then three days before pr oceeding to a full week. Insensitive individuals and those with gout may often f ast on fresh fruits, especially (unsprayed) apples. Sensitive individuals should use mainly fresh green vegetable juices, sprouted seeds and vegetable salads, f lavored only with herbs and a small amount of olive or peanut oil. On the first morning of each fasting period take a tablespoon of Epsom salts in water to clean the bowels. If your digestion is rather weak, use mainly freshly pressed raw vegetable juices; wheat grass or barley grass juice is excellent. Th e first cleansing period may have added cooked brown rice. After fasting reintro duce new foods gradually and watch for signs of allergy or worsening of symptoms , exclude any reacting food. Sanitize your intestinal flora by taking a course of cultures of acidophilus and bifido bacteria. Preferably eradicate most harmful bacteria and fungi by drinki ng one liter of water with the addition of 1 tbsp. of Epsom salts or if this is not tolerated with 1-heaped teaspoon of table salt and also one large crushed cl ove of garlic. Drink this first thing in the morning of each fasting day. Then take a suitable acidophilus - bifido culture as yoghurt or as high potency capsules or powders i n a large glass of diluted vegetable juice one hour after the last garlic drink. After starting with the cultures use only small amounts of fresh raw garlic to flavor meals, large intakes would kill the beneficial bacteria. For further info rmation see The Basic Cleanse and also Intestinal Sanitation. Supplements As a basic supplement take a B-complex tablet with each meal. Additions of speci fic vitamins may be of vitamin B6 used for certain problems, such as 500 mg or m ore for hand, arm and shoulder problems, up to several grams of pantothenic acid

with rheumatoid arthritis and up to 3 g of nicotinamide with osteoarthritis, es pecially effective with knee problems, all to be taken in divided doses during m eals and snacks. Mix half a teaspoon of sodium or calcium ascorbate with each me al and a natural form of vitamin E in tablet form for easier absorption, prefera bly also mixed tocopherols. Minerals that have been found to help are 30 - 50 mg of zinc, 10 - 20 mg of mang anese, 500 mg of magnesium, 100 - 200 mcg of selenium and also chromium and moly bdenum. The therapeutic dose of boron commonly is 9 mg and the maintenance dose 3 to 6 mg. 50 mg of borax or boric acid contain about 6 mg of boron. To measure this amount, dissolve one level teaspoon of borax in one liter of water and take a teaspoonful twice daily with meals. Chelated or otherwise organically bound copper has been used to reduce inflammat ions; mainly as copper salicylates (copper salicylates do not appear to cause pr oblems like other salicylates). Often it helps instead to wear a copper bracelet around the affected limb. Sulfur is an important ingredient of cartilage. If on e or two egg yolks are not used daily or plenty of onion, use 5 - 10 g of MSM, a lternatively the amino acids methionine and cysteine or, if these are not availa ble or affordable, even about 300 mg of powdered sulfur may be helpful. Kelp and dried thyroid (absorb in mouth) increase energy. Preferably use plenty of magnesium chloride as recommended in the article on Magnesium Chloride or alt ernatively use vinegar of fruit acids neutralized with dolomite. Dolomite suppli es calcium and magnesium in the ratio of 2:1. For details see The Acid - Alkalin e Balance with inflammations also select foods high in calcium and low in phosph orus. Highly recommended is glucosamine, 500 mg before or with each meal, if available also liquid bovine cartilage (1 tsp daily) or possibly extract of green-lipped mussel, about 350 mg 3 times daily. Also try chondroitin sulfate. Cod liver oil is very helpful. You may shake a tablespoonful together with some lecithin and f resh orange juice in a jar, some recommend taking this before going to bed. This provides the essential omega-3 fatty acid DHA and the vitamins A and D. If you suspect fat malabsorption you frequently need to rub cod liver oil into the skin . You may rinse it off several hours later. If insensitive, elderly or with signs of mineral deficiency (soft fingernails), a hydrochloric acid supplement with meals may be beneficial, especially with pro tein foods. For further information see Hydrochloric Acid. Also digestive enzymes from supplements or pineapple, pawpaw or ripe Kiwifruit w ill be helpful in advanced conditions with cooked food meals. The protein-digest ing enzymes bromelain and papain (pineapple and papaya) can also be taken before meals to reduce pain and inflammation. If food or chemical sensitivities remain a problem even after allergy testing and avoiding offenders, then several grams of the amino acid glutamine can help to make the intestinal wall less leaky . D-or D,L-phenylalanine (but not L-phenylalanine) reduces pain by blocking enzyme s which destroy natural pain-killing hormones in the brain. Start with 500 mg 3 times daily. It may take up to 3 weeks until it becomes effective; possibly incr ease to 1500 mg per dose, once effective decrease again to a minimum maintenance dose. White willow bark may be used as herbal salicylate for pain relief but is not recommended for long-term use as it may increase allergies, it is much bett er to use copper salicylate. With gout copper salicylate and 5 mg of folic acid with meals are helpful. Other beneficial supplements are Royal Jelly (absorb under the tongue), evening primrose oil, octacosanol, spirulina, bee pollen, ginseng and yucca; with rheuma toid arthritis also immune stimulants such as propolis, echinacea, and freeze-dr

ied thymus (absorb under the tongue). Good anti-inflammatory herbal remedies are golden seal, feverfew, ginger, pau d arco or taheebo and turmeric. To improve liver functions use Kyolic aged garlic, milk thistle, and after meals half a cup of a bitter liver herb such as centaury, devils claw or gentian. At other times also diuretic herb teas are useful, such as meadowsweet and sarsapar illa which both help to remove uric acid. For osteoarthritis the homeopathic rem edies Rhus.Tox and Bryonia taken in alternation may be beneficial. Increase and decrease high-dosage supplements gradually, such as initially or be fore and after fasts and with improvement. The more you use fresh green juice, r aw food, cleansing and suitable additional therapies, the less supplements will be needed BLISTERING Blistering, also called counter-irritation, is a direct cleansing method for loc al conditions and has been used successfully for centuries with arthritis and ot her rheumatic complaints. It often gives results quicker and more reliably than other methods. The usual technique to irritate the skin over a painful or stiff joint is by app lying a blistering agent. One may also vigorously brush affected joints or even intentionally expose them to insect bites or stings. A folk remedy for arthritis it to hold a stiff or sore joint in an ants nest or let it be bitten by sand fl ies or mosquitoes, even bee stings have been used. Another folk remedy is beatin g the affected area with a bunch of stinging nettles. The principle is to draw the toxins and congesting energies from the inside to t he surface. Liniments, compresses and plasters may be used. Vegetable turpentine or kerosene are suitable as blistering agents, but most commonly used are cayen ne, mustard powder and Cantharides. Cayenne or mustard powder may be mixed with water to make a paste. This is spread on a linen or cotton cloth and applied to the affected area. Leave it on until the burning becomes too uncomfortable. Pref erably a blister should have been raised or pussy pustules may appear. Wash off any remaining paste residues and open the blister with a needle to drain the flu id. For healing the skin keep a fresh cabbage leaf over the blistered area, late r rub vitamin E oil onto it. If Cantharides plaster is available cut out and apply a piece the size of one to several postage stamps. Leave for 12 - 24 hours, depending on the sensitivity o f the skin. With rather insensitive skin, the skin must first be pricked in many places or otherwise mechanically irritated over the affected joint before apply ing the plaster. In long-standing conditions blistering may have to be repeated several times in different places around the joint or along the course of an inf ected nerve as with shingles. Blistering can also be used with low back pain, sciatica, myositis, bursitis, ne uralgia and neuritis, lumbago, spondylitis as well as with pain, inflammation an d infection of inner organs. While in many countries Cantharides plaster is not for sale, in Germany it is freely available in health food shops (Reformhaus). I n Germany also a combination of cantharidin and croton oil is available as Oel B raunscheidtii (Pyonex Oil), which is rubbed into the pricked skin (Pyonex Treatm ent or Braunscheidtismus). Continue the blistering process until the pain or sti ffness has disappeared. I found kerosene very effective. Moisten a cloth with kerosene and d the affected joint. Possibly cover the cloth with plastic. After skin may start burning but try to keep the pack on as long as you This may be less than half an hour with sensitive skin or several wrap it aroun some time the can stand it. hours if the

skin is insensitive. After removing the pack, the burning will stop very quickly , but do not wash with water. The skin should be very red as after sunburn and i t may start peeling after a few days, just like sunburn. FURTHER MEASURES In addition to the direct elimination of harmful residues through the skin it is of greatest importance to improve the elimination through the bowels and kidney s. Much of the morning stiffness with arthritis is due to water retention. This, can improve by avoiding salt and taking herbal diuretics, such as juniper berri es or tea of elder or peach leaves, also meadowsweet, sarsaparilla or sassafras. Bowel Cleansing Fatty and fat-soluble toxins and wastes are released through the liver and gall bladder into the bowels. Bitter herbal teas as recommended to improve the digest ion will also assist in this task. In addition, the bowels must be kept active a nd open. The cleaner the bowels are the easier and quicker it is to clean the re st of the body. Congested bowels lead to congested lymph, blood and tissues. Use sufficient laxative food, foremost ground linseed and magnesium chloride, to have 2 - 3 bowel movements daily. In addition, you may take 1 tsp. of Epsom sal ts with warm water first thing in the morning or at bedtime. A good herbal clean ser is aloe, which may be combined with senna for an occasional thorough cleanou t, especially before and during fasting. If available, have initially a series o f professional colonics (colonic irrigations). See also the page on Hydrotherapy . Packs, Rubs, Baths, Colors Packs, baths and rubs can be very helpful. As a rub use warm peanut oil. Rub it into affected joints while at the same time and for 5 - 15 minutes afterwards ke eping the area warm with an infrared lamp or heater. For more immediate pain rel ief, you may also add some oil of sassafras, wintergreen or cloves to the peanut oil. As a pack use Epsom salts. Soak a cloth in a saturated solution of Epsom salts o r alternatively in very warm water, wring out lightly and cover with a heavy lay er of Epsom salts. Apply this to a painful or stiff area and keep warm for 1 - 2 hours with a hot water bottle. If the problem is in the hands or feet, make a c oncentrated Epsom salts solution and bathe the affected part in it while keeping the solution as hot as possible. For the hips or if joints and spine hurt in ma ny places, you may buy a big fertilizer bag of Epsom salts and dissolve 1 - 5 kg in a hot bath, the more concentrated the better. Repeat all of these once or tw ice a week. Often induce sweating after a bath. If you can obtain the necessary herbs, a very warm hand or foot bath with the fo llowing may bring relief: one crushed head of garlic, one handful each of greate r celandine leaves, dandelion (whole plant), buttercup (whole plant), meadowswee t flowers and two handfuls of nettle (whole plant). Even if not all of these are available, you may try it with part of the ingredients. If you like to experiment with color therapy, you may shine a strong blue light at close range onto a painful or inflamed area, while for chronic weakness and s tiffness use an orange light. You may use a colored light bulb, or alternatively a color-filter or colored cellophane may be used with a normal light bulb or th e sun as a light source. Expose the affected area for about 60 minutes at a time with a colored light bulb as close as possible to the skin but far enough that excessive heat is not a problem. Eliminate other light sources during this time, for instance by covering the colored light source and the irradiated area with

a blanket. It may be more convenient just to wrap the affected joint or area wit h colored cellophane and expose it to normal daylight or sunlight or electrical light. Deep muscle massage can be extremely effective. Unfortunately it is also rather painful, but if you have the opportunity and courage, I strongly recommend it. I f it cannot be done professionally you may ask a friend or relative to press dee ply into sore or tight muscles or you may even do it yourself. Also press sore s pots in the shoulders for arm problems and in the buttocks for leg problems. Vomiting Therapy Another method that can bring surprisingly good results in difficult cases is in duced vomiting. This not only clears the stomach of any accumulated waste but mo re importantly, it relaxes the digestive organs and stimulates the solar plexus. To induce vomiting, drink five or six cups of lukewarm water within a few minute s and then touch or tickle the throat far down. Repeat induced vomiting until th e water comes back clear. If this is not successful to induce vomiting, herbal e metic may be used, such as bayberry bark, black root, boneset, horehound, lobeli a, mustard, ragwort or vervain. Afterwards drink mint tea to settle the stomach. Best consult an herbalist or herb book about the correct use of herbal emetics. Exercise The best exercises to energize and relax tight muscles are tensing and shaking e xercises. Sometimes you may shake the whole body, at other times just the affect ed parts. You may do this standing, sitting or even lying down. Shake the limbs or the whole body for one minute or longer while at the same time breathing as r apidly and deeply as you can. Tensing, too, may be practiced in any position. You may either just tense the mu scles around a painful, weak or stiff joint or leg, or gradually tense all your muscles, starting with the feet and proceeding towards the top. At the same time inhale deeply. Hold breath and maximum tension for several seconds and then exh ale while at the same time relaxing the muscles from the head downward. Do this about ten times and repeat several times during the day. Also isometric exercise s may be done: press with the arms or legs against a wall or other unmovable obj ects. Hold a deep breath while pressing and pay attention to relaxing the muscle s afterwards. If you can walk without much pain, then go for long walks and practice deep brea thing in clean air at the same time. If you have difficulty walking, try swimmin g. As a general health measure, get into the habit of doing suitable yoga exerci ses, especially those, which strengthen the spine or the back and the intestinal area. Emotions and Imagination Unreleased emotions contribute significantly to muscle armoring and with this to the development of arthritis. The most frequent problems are suppressed anger, suppressed sexuality and resentment. If you have arthritis in the leg joints or hip, violently kick a cushion or some thing similar for several minutes. If the problem is in the arms or shoulders, h it a cushion or mattress with the fists. If you remember having felt a grudge ag ainst a particular person, you may imagine hitting or kicking him or her. Make a ngry sounds at the same time, you may also cry or shout. You may have to repeat this on subsequent days. When you feel that you have reacted out all the stored resentment, frustration and anger and feel emotionally empty, begin creating an

imaginary scene in your mind in which you forgive that person and any others you do remember. Try to send out some kind thoughts in the end. Even if you do not remember a particular incident or person that caused you to b e frustrated and resentful, do the exercise anyway. Some memories may come up wh ile you are doing it. Finally, forgive yourself formally for problems you may ha ve caused to others or which others may have caused you. Another very helpful exercise is mental imagery. Sit or lie in a comfortable pos ition and do one of the many available relaxation exercises. Then imagine that w ith each inhalation you draw in a cool blue stream of healing energy, which you mentally direct to any painful area. Imagine the pain as a red fire ball around the inflamed joint. See the blue healing energy washing away at the fireball and with each exhalation a murky mixture of red and blue energy leaving the body. G radually the fireball becomes smaller and smaller until after several minutes it has completely disappeared. Feel the joint being immersed in the soothing blue healing energy. Repeat this exercise as necessary to control any pain. If a joint is weak or stiff, you may imagine the healing energy to be orange or golden-yellow and see it washing away any constricting grey or black waste matte r or calcifications. Then see the joint in a perfect shape and condition, have a look at an anatomical picture to know what a healthy joint should look like. Fi nally, see yourself in a mental movie exercising, working and using the diseased joint and also the whole body in a normal way or as you would like to use your body. Other Aspects There are various other aspects, which may have either a positive or negative in fluence on your condition. I want to mention briefly just some of them. Keep war m during cold nights. It may be beneficial to sleep in a natural fiber sleeping bag during cold periods. A featherbed, on the other hand, may aggravate symptoms due to static electricity generated between feathers. Have a pillow of some nat ural material and preferably the same for the mattress. If you want to continue sleeping on a foam rubber mattress, put several natural fiber blankets on top. Do not sleep or work for long periods close to operating high-powered electric a ppliances, avoid being exposed to fluorescent lighting for long periods see Elec tromagnetic Pollution. Do not sleep with the head resting on an arm or sit with your knees crossed. Do not wear synthetic clothing. Preferably have natural fibe r carpets and curtains and only a minimum of large synthetic or plastic items in living and work areas. Minimize wearing glasses, frequently look without glasses at the blue sky and gr een surroundings; be outdoors as much as possible. Walk barefoot on moist grass. As an elderly male restrict semen loss from sexual activity until much improved . Females should avoid strenuous activity during period time, which may suppress menstruation and worsen arthritis. However, it is fine for the period to stop d ue to a vegetarian or raw food cleansing diet. Have any dead teeth removed and osteitis in the jawbone curetted. Preferably hav e also amalgam fillings replaced with biocompatible composite fillings, if in do ubt find a therapist who does electro-acupuncture testing, also called electro-d ermal screening. Try reflexology, it is very effective; see the article on Reflexology. Also stim ulate the skin with alternating hot and cold showers and with vigorous skin brus hing, especially over stiff areas. Low back pain is often due to problems in abdomen and sexual organs. An excellen

t therapy for low back problems, beside yoga exercises, is to hang upside down. Special inversion equipment is available from sporting goods stores. However, if you are sufficiently adventurous, you may also hang from a firmly secured ladde r. Cushion two upper rungs, sit on the lower of these and let the torso hang dow n, the feet find safe support behind the upper cushioned rung. Have a helper for support. As you can see there is so much you can do to help yourself that you may not kno w where to start. Begin with the most essential items: diet improvement, basic s upplements, cleansing, blistering and improving the intestinal flora. By and by as your time, money and energy allow experiment with other recommendations. Your reward will be proportional to your efforts. For interesting and helpful articl es on arthritis and related skin and collagen diseases see http://www.glucosamin e-arthritis.org or http://www.arthritistrust.org (click "Education" and then "Ar ticles").