Joints in Trouble

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Joints in Trouble

 

Arthritis literally means " joint inflammation. " According to the

Arthritis Foundation, there are more than 100 different diseases

that produce joint pain and inflammation--everything from the flu to

certain cancers. But when people say " arthritis, " they usually mean

osteoarthritis.

 

Also known as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is the most

prevalent of more than a dozen different kinds of arthritis. Some 16

million Americans have it. The hips, knees, spine and the tiny

joints of the hands and feet are most frequently affected.

Osteoarthritis usually develops gradually, beginning with minor

aches that eventually lead to extended pain, stiffness, swelling and

limited range of motion. Symptoms sometimes subside with gentle

physical activity, but not always.

 

Another common form of arthritis is the rheumatoid variety.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has a nasty reputation because it can

cause crippling joint deformity. But many of the 2.1 million

Americans with RA--approximately 75 percent of whom are women--have

milder, noncrippling cases that flare up and subside mysteriously.

 

Frequently, both hands are affected, but RA can strike other joints

as well. In addition to joint pain, swelling and warmth, possible

symptoms include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, enlarged lymph

nodes, lumps under the skin and muscle stiffness after sleep or

inactivity. Stiffness usually subsides with moderate activity.

 

Green Pharmacy for Arthritis

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and turmeric (Curcuma longa). In one

study, Indian researchers gave three to seven grams (11Ž2 to 31Ž2

teaspoons) of ginger a day to 18 people with osteoarthritis and 28

with rheumatoid arthritis. More than 75 percent of those

participating in the study reported at least some relief from pain

and swelling. Even after more than two years of taking these high

doses of ginger, none of the people reported side effects. This

study is one reason that Jean Carper, author of Food: Your Miracle

Medicine, drinks ginger tea for her osteoarthritis.

 

The curcumin in turmeric is a close chemical relative of some

compounds found in ginger, so I'm not surprised that this herb also

has a major reputation as an arthritis treatment.

 

You can enjoy both herbs in a wide variety of spicy dishes as well

as use them to make teas.

 

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Some intriguing research suggests that

bromelain, a chemical in pineapple, helps prevent inflammation. For

some time now, athletic trainers have been recommending pineapple to

athletes to prevent and treat sports injuries. I think it's also a

good bet for people with arthritis. Bromelain can help the body get

rid of immune antigen complex, compounds that are implicated in some

arthritic conditions. It also helps digest fibrin, another compound

suspected of being involved in some types of arthritis. If you need

an excuse to indulge yourself with fresh, ripe pineapple, this is

it.

 

 

Pineapple

This tasty fruit is rich in vitamin C and immune-boosting minerals.

 

 

 

Red pepper (Capsicum, various species). Red pepper causes some pain

on the tongue, but ironically, it interferes with pain perception

elsewhere around the body. The pain-relieving chemical in red

pepper, capsaicin, triggers the body to release endorphins, nature's

own opiates. Red pepper also contains aspirin-like compounds known

as salicylates.

 

You can make a tea by mixing red pepper into water, but it would be

a whole lot more pleasurable to have your red pepper cooked in a

variety of spicy dishes. For a quick hit, try a splash of hot-pepper

sauce in tomato juice.

 

Compounds in red pepper can also help relieve arthritis when you

apply the herb to the skin. Researchers have discovered that you'll

get significant pain relief if you apply capsaicin cream directly to

painful arthritic joints four times daily. In one study of this

treatment, the capsaicin cream reduced RA pain by more than half.

Osteoarthritis pain was reduced by about one-third.

 

Capsaicin creams are generally believed safe and effective for

arthritis. Look for capsaicin in the ingredient list of over-the-

counter pain creams such as Zostrix or Capzasin-P or ask your doctor

for a prescription capsaicin product. If you use a capsaicin cream,

be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterward: You don't want to

get it in your eyes. Also, since some people are quite sensitive to

this compound, you should test it on a small area of skin to make

sure that it's okay for you to use before using it on a larger area.

If it seems to irritate your skin, discontinue use.

 

 

 

Multi-mint Antioxidant Arthritis Tea

 

Rosemary and oregano are both antioxidant mints. Add several more

antioxidant herbs to these two, and you get my Multi-Mint

Antioxidant Tea. The mints are basil, bee balm, horehound, hyssop,

lemon balm (also known as melissa), marjoram, oregano, peppermint,

rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint and thyme. It makes sense to top

it off with a dash of ginger and turmeric.

 

I checked my database to see if, in addition to their antioxidant

value, any of these herbs contain proven anti-arthritic compounds.

Sure enough, basil had five, while marjoram, oregano and rosemary

weighed in with a few each.

 

How much of each herb should you use to make this tea? People always

ask me that, and I never know what to say. My teas are never the

same; I use a little of this and a little of that. But to satisfy

people who need recipes, I'll say to use two parts of the

ingredients you like and one part of those you find less appealing.

Pour boiling water over the herbs and let them steep for 10 to 20

minutes before drinking.

 

 

 

stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Beyond stinging painful joints,

there's another method of using this herb to treat arthritis--

steaming the fresh leaves and enjoying them as a vegetable. You'll

be relieved to know that although you do have to wear gloves to

harvest the leaves, the fuzzy stingers lose their sting when the

leaves are cooked.

 

The Rheumatoid Disease Foundation suggests that three milligrams of

boron, taken daily, may be helpful in treating osteoarthritis and

RA. An analysis of stinging nettle provided to me by USDA scientists

shows that this herb contains 47 parts per million of the mineral

boron, figured on a dry-weight basis. That means that a 100-gram

serving of stinging nettle, easily prepared by steaming several

ounces of young, tender leaves, could easily contain more than the

recommended three milligrams of boron. (You can also get a good

portion of nettle in my Arthritis Soup; see page 56.)

 

According to the Rheumatoid Disease Foundation, boron is effective

because it plays a role in helping bones retain calcium. It also has

a beneficial influence on the body's endocrine (hormonal) system,

and hormones play a role in helping the body maintain healthy bones

and joints.

 

Oregano (Origanum vulgare). Studies are accumulating that

the " pizza herb, " oregano, is a powerful antioxidant. Like other

antioxidants contained in fruits and vegetables, the compounds in

oregano may help prevent the cell damage caused by free radicals--

highly unstable oxygen molecules that steal electrons from other

molecules they encounter. Free radical reactions are probably

involved in inflammation, degenerative arthritis and the aging

process in general. And evidence is accumulating that antioxidants

may help relieve osteoarthritis and RA.

 

In a test of nearly100 plants in the mint family, of which oregano

is a member, the pizza herb was the one that had the greatest total

antioxidant activity. Research has shown that the antioxidant

activity of oregano and other medicinal mints is due in large part

to rosmarinic acid, a compound with antibacterial, anti-

inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties. Considering how

highly it ranks for this kind of protection, oregano is definitely

worth adding to your pizza, or any other food, if you have

arthritis. You could also try my Multi-Mint Antioxidant Arthritis

Tea.

 

Willow (Salix, various species), garlic (Allium sativum) and

licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Willow bark was the original herbal

aspirin. It contains a chemical called salicin, which the Bayer

Company eventually transformed into little white tablets of

acetylsalicylic acid--the painkilling drug called aspirin that so

many people with arthritis take daily.

 

Willow bark tea has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects

similar to those of aspirin. But because the irritation-causing

ingredient in aspirin tablets is diluted in tea, you'll have less

risk of stomach upset, ulcer and overdose if you take the tea

instead of the pills.

 

Still, willow bark might upset your stomach. That's why I've

included licorice in this formula. Not only does licorice have anti-

inflammatory effects, it may also help treat any gastrointestinal

problems caused by the willow.

 

But the formula is not quite complete without garlic. While long-

term use or ingestion of large amounts of licorice can raise some

people's blood pressure and lead to other problems (headache,

lethargy, sodium and water retention, excessive loss of potassium),

garlic helps reduce blood pressure. So here's the formula for a well-

balanced Anti-Arthritis Tea: approximately three parts dried willow

bark, two parts dried licorice root and one part minced garlic. Pour

boiling water over the mixture and steep for about 15 minutes. If

you don't like the taste, add lemon and/or honey, plus ginger and

turmeric to taste.

 

Brazil nut (Bertholettia excelsa) and sunflower (Helianthus

annuus). SAM is shorthand for

S-adenosyl-methionine, a chemical shown to have pain-relieving and

anti-inflammatory properties similar to those found in the over-the-

counter medication ibuprofen.

 

SAM can be found in high-methionine seeds and nuts, particularly

sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts. It would take 250 grams of

sunflower seeds (about 9 ounces) or 500 grams of Brazil nuts (18

ounces) to provide a dose of SAM that's more effective than a

standard dose of ibuprofen. It's not feasible to eat that many nuts

and seeds, but I believe that every little bit helps, especially if

you use the other natural approaches this chapter recommends.

 

So go ahead and sprinkle some sunflower seeds on your salad. And

when you're nibbling mixed nuts in company, don't apologize for

monopolizing the Brazil nuts.

 

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) and other herbs containing

glutathione. Studies indicate that people who are low in the

antioxidant compound glutathione are more likely to have arthritis

than those who have higher amounts.

 

Vegetables rich in glutathione include asparagus, cabbage,

cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes and purslane. Fruits with healthy

amounts include avocados, grapefruit, oranges, peaches and

watermelon.

 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary was known in antiquity

as the herb of remembrance. I find that quite fitting, since

rosemary has antioxidants that help prevent aging in cells, and the

aging process is certainly associated with memory loss. One Greek-

American herb grower tells how her fishing relatives set out to sea

with fish dishes heavily covered with rosemary. Even when it was

unrefrigerated, this food lasted for days, thanks in part to the

antioxidant activity of the rosemary.

 

Can an herb that keeps fish from spoiling help preserve your youth?

The jury is still out on that one, but rosemary has preservative

powers comparable to the commercial preservatives BHA and BHT. And

since we know that antioxidants do help treat arthritis, it makes

sense that this antioxidant-rich herb would help thwart this

disease.

 

Vitamin C. Vitamin C inhibits the progression of osteoarthritis in

guinea pigs. Does it work in humans? There's no proof yet that it

does, but it certainly can't hurt to get more vitamin C. Red pepper

and many of the other herbs and vegetables mentioned in this chapter

contain good amounts.

 

 

Arthritis Broth

 

To make this broth, begin with a couple of cups of water and add red

pepper, burdock, black pepper, celery seed, dandelion, garlic,

ginger, horseradish, juniper, lemongrass, oregano, papaya,

sarsaparilla, thyme, turmeric, valerian, watercress, white mustard

and willow bark. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer

for a few minutes.

 

I confess that I have never made this broth in its entirety. I just

opportunistically seize any of these ingredients that are near at

hand. If you press me for a recipe, I'd say use four dashes each of

burdock, dandelion, papaya, turmeric and watercress; two dashes of

celery seed, garlic, ginger and oregano; and one dash each of the

others, as available. This might be too spicy for your taste, but if

so, you have my permission to alter the recipe to suit your own

taste.

 

Arthritis Soup

 

Here's one for people who like quantitative recipes. Start by

combining the main ingredients, then season them with dashes of any

of the seasonings that appeal to you. You don't need all of these,

and you can play with the proportions and flavors, if you like. If

an ingredient doesn't appeal to you or is unavailable, simply leave

it out.

 

3­4 quarts water

 

2 cups chopped cabbage

 

1 cup sliced string beans (1 " pieces)

 

1 cup chopped celery

 

1 cup stinging nettle leaves

 

1/2 cup diced carrots

 

1/2 cup chopped asparagus

 

1/2 cup dandelion leaves

 

1/2 cup finely chopped dandelion root

 

1/4 cup chopped spinach

 

1/4 cup cubed eggplant

 

1/4 cup chopped chicory

 

2 tablespoons minced garlic

 

2 tablespoons turmeric

 

2 tablespoons licorice

 

2 tablespoons evening primrose seeds

 

Ground red pepper

 

Ground black pepper

 

White mustard

 

Flaxseed

 

Sarsaparilla

 

Fenugreek

 

Lemon juice

 

Place the water in a large soup pot. Add the cabbage, beans, celery,

nettle, carrots, asparagus, dandelion leaves, dandelion root,

spinach, eggplant, chicory, garlic, turmeric, licorice and evening

primrose seeds. Season with the red pepper, black pepper, mustard,

flaxseed, sarsaparilla, fenugreek and lemon juice. Bring to a boil

over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 30

minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

 

Makes 4 servings

James A. Duke, Ph.D.

" The Green Pharmacy "