Rheumatoid Arthritis: What It is and What to do About It

 

If you have recently been experiencing gradual pain in your hands and feet, morning stiffness, dry eyes and tingling, numbing sensations (carpel tunnel syndrome) in certain fingers and hands, then you are not simply getting old. You may be experiencing a condition known as Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is manifested as inflammation of the synovium (synovial membrane containing synovial fluid) in the joints, that acts as a source of lubrication to the joints. White blood cells activated by the adrenals are sent into the synovium for some strange reason. This process causes inflammation and swelling to said spots. Science defines rheumatoid arthritis as an autoimmune disease in which the body is attacking mainly joint areas of the body. But what really is rheumatoid arthritis, and what is causing it?

In truth, rheumatoid arthritis is your adrenal glands attempting to get rid of toxins and primarily unbound iron that is stuck in and hijacking the cells surrounding your joints and other areas! It — RA — is a symmetrical condition that causes internal heat, and pain all over. It can also be accompanied by fever, especially at night. Sitting, relaxing or remaining inactive does not make the condition better; in fact, it makes it worse. People suffering from RA are encouraged to keep mobile, and take hot baths to help alleviate symptoms. RA also displays conditions that may appear to be anemia. But in reality, though it may constitute being a blood problem, it has nothing to do with anemia.

There is a protein connection to Rheumatoid arthritis. Contrary to popular belief, the stomach acid in the human body is rather weak, only capable of digesting max 40 to 45 grams of animal protein per day. It really doesn’t matter if it’s grass-fed or not. So, if you consume a typical serving of steak, only about 15 percent of that will be digested, while the rest is expelled, or stored in the blood vessel walls and connective tissue as collagen fiber. If these storage places are saturated, then the body has no choice but to turn the excess undigested protein into various acids, namely, nitric, sulfuric and phosphoric, similar to auto battery acid. These acids often require minerals to buffer them in preventing the body from becoming too acidic. This mineral requirement depletes the rest of the body of minerals needed elsewhere.

Another acid, usually associated with inflammation of the big toe, a.k.a. gout — may be a hidden conspirator in the onset of RA. That acid is uric acid, made from purines, which in itself is created from the proteins, alcohol and yeast in our bodies. When there is excess uric acid higher than can be excreted by the kidneys through urine, all manner of evil wreak havoc on our biological system. One of those evils may very well be RA. An excellent herb to reduce uric acid comes from ayurveda, called Guduchi. Combining Guduchi with a little ginger will enhance its effectiveness in reducing uric acid.

There is an iron connection to Rheumatoid arthritis. Our body runs on about 25 milligrams of iron every day — ONLY about 1 mg should come from the diet, while the other 24 mg should be recycled by the body, from within the body. There are many breakfast cereals offering 8 to 18 mg of iron filings in just ONE cup serving! We are suffering from iron overload and toxicity from the wrong form of iron, not anemia.

An easy way to manage excess iron in the body from becoming oxidative stress — a fancy term for rust — is to consume natural products that contain bio-available copper. Copper regulates iron in the body. Natural vitamin C found in Amla or acerola is the way to go! Organic bee pollen is another good choice. Pollination does not occur without copper, meaning, bee pollen contains natural copper. Also, grass-finished liver contains both copper and retinol. (Copper needs retinol to be itself metabolized properly). One ounce every other day would be ideal.

An extreme option to getting excess unbound iron out of your body would be to donate one liter of blood every six months to a year, which is equivalent to ridding your body of 250 mg of iron, each session. Still another option would be to use IP-6, on an empty stomach, away from food and supplements. IP-6 a.k.a. phytic acid, will help chelate unbound iron out of your body. This product also chelates other important minerals, such as calcium and zinc. So you would want to replace these minerals with food-rich sources.

There is a toxins and heavy metals connection to Rheumatoid arthritis. For example, glyphosate, which is a herbicide and drying agent sprayed on crops to keep weed away is a potent example. Glyphosate disrupts mineral metabolism in the body, causing a depletion of mineral homeostasis. The usual process to make decaffeinated coffee also causes various toxins to accumulate in the final product, thus many people are developing rheumatoid arthritis from consuming decaffeinated coffee. All of this can be mitigate or even avoided by consuming only organic foods (or certified organic even better) and by avoiding known products — like cigarettes and pharmaceuticals — that are made with or exposed to toxins.

And there are also herbs to cleanse toxins from the body — a most notable one being Punarnava. Literally meaning “the one that renews”, Punarnava helps renew the body and blood from old toxins. Another herb, called Andrographis, can add a cleansing effect to the liver, purging it and reinvigorating it from old toxins.


 

Reversing RA will surely involve managing your blood’s production of acids, namely, nitric-, sulfuric- and phosphoric- acids that developed from a high animal protein/dairy diet. Uric acid is also highly suspected in RA onset, and Guduchi with ginger should be implement to reduce said acid. Removing unbound iron out of the cells through fasting and with herbs such as Turmeric with coconut oil, which actually helps get rid of iron. You also need bio-available copper to manage iron! You also need to watch out for any food or product that may expose you to toxins and heavy metals.  And you need to maintain a healthy colon through daily bowel movements — thus limiting the possibility of any toxic build-up of iron, or any other toxins and heavy metals.

So in summary, to reduce the effects of or prevent rheumatoid arthritis:

Minimize animal protein intake

Take Guduchi with ginger to reduce uric acid

– Practice occasional intermittent fasting

– Minimize synthetic iron intake

– Increase bio-available copper with amla, acerola, or organic bee pollen

– Eat one ounce of grass-finished liver EVERY OTHER day

– Donate 1 liter of blood or use IP-6 to chelate unbound iron out of your body

– Take Punarnava to renew the body

– Take Andrographis to renew the liver

– Take small amounts of Turmeric with coconut oil to excrete unbound iron

Eat organic foods only and avoid any product that may have a hint of toxins or heavy metals

– Move your bowels daily


Note that the six prime herbs listed to alleviate rheumatoid arthritis are: Guduchi, Ginger, Amla, Turmeric, Punarnava and Andrographis.

 

Fibromyalgia: This Pain Must Stop!

 

Fibromyalgia — often accompanied with fatigue and irregular sleeping patterns — is a widespread inflammation of muscle tissue throughout various parts of the body, causing pain and tenderness. Currently medical science has classified its origin of unknown cause. In this article, we will examine more closely the possible core cause of fibromyalgia, and natural remedies to alleviate its symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome, which means it’s like putting many puzzle pieces together to conclude what it is. It is not simply diagnosed with a blood test or any single test at current. Totaling up tender-points that trigger pain is the main method used to determine whether or not someone has this condition. Many people who are diagnosed are actually not suffering from this condition. Simply increasing certain minerals, like iodine and selenium, have corrected symptoms that appeared to be fibromyalgia. Simply decongesting the gallbladder has given pain relief to some who taught they had incurable fibromyalgia.

If you have fibromyalgia, it was initiated by some type of stress trauma you may or may not be aware of. That stress is what is keeping a fight or flight hormone on high 24 hours a day, when really it should almost never be on high. That hormone is adrenaline.  That hormone is also dehydrating your body. Your critical concern should be on knowing how to hydrate your tissue cells — not just your body — but specifically tissue cells. Did you know that inside your brain cells consist of about 85% water/fluid? The reason why your cells are dehydrated is because they are corrupted with toxic deposits, such as heavy metals, including unbound iron, making them unable to “breathe”/function properly. A quick way to fix this dehydration problem is by sipping water — not just any water: hot water. One or two sips of hot water every half an hour throughout the day will cleanse and rehydrate your tissue cells. It will also make you lose excess weight safely. (Water should be boiled for 20 minutes, then stored in a stainless thermos to keep/remain hot.)

Additionally, you should be consuming at least four (4) cup of regular — preferably spring — water throughout the day. Stay away from caffeine; and even decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated beans can be more acidic than caffeinated. This can create the onset of a host of health problems, including quadrupling the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Instead, drink Ojibwa tea — hot. Research this tea — this alone can significantly improve the conditions created by fibromyalgia.

Turmeric with coconut oil will help remineralize your cells, as well as re-oxygenate them. Turmeric is particularly full of rich macronutrients, such as magnesium, and micronutrients, such as copper, which makes it work so well. You may also want to add magnesium in a concentrated form by taking magnesium malate. This form of magnesium works particularly well for those suffering from fibromyalgia.

There are studies showing CoEnzyme Q10 (or its reduced form, Ubiquinol) reducing levels of lipid peroxidation and pro-oxidative markers in the serum of the blood; in addition to reducing fatigue, pain and soreness. CoEnzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone) and its reduced form, Ubiquinol, are molecules naturally produced in the body, known to have antioxidant effects on a cellular, mitochondrial level. It helps in creating ATP, thus boosting systematic overall energy.

Pau d’arco and olive leaf extract are also two of the most effective natural antibiotics in the world, destroying a plethora of pathogens (beware of the Herxheimer-reaction though, which may last less than one week or up to two weeks).

Consider also getting more vitamin D naturally by exposing much of your skin to the sun at least at the right time. Sunrise or sunset are great times to expose your naked eyes to the sun, while between the hours of 10:30 AM and 3 PM are the best times to expose your skin, including chest and stomach, to the sun’s UV-B rays. Consider also supplementing vitamin D found naturally in mushrooms and lichens.

It will not hurt also to increase your intake of natural vitamin C found particularly in amla (berries) or acerola (berry) — my two favorite sources. Natural vitamin C helps heal inflammation, thereby reducing oxidized LDL cholesterol. Natural vitamin C also contains an enzymatic form of copper, which gives our bodies an electrical boost. Centenarians are known to have high levels of copper.

Avoid aspartame, tobacco (products), fish oil, flaxseed (oil), gluten, chia seeds, iron supplements, high-fructose corn-syrup, ascorbic acid and any type of pharmaceutical medicines (if you can): these all exacerbate fibromyalgia.

So in summary, to help alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia:

– sip hot water

– drink more spring or filtered water

– avoid caffeine and decaffeinated coffee

– drink Ojibwa tea

– take turmeric with coconut oil

– add magnesium malate

– take a good brand of Ubiquinol

– try pau d’arco and olive leaf extract

– find sources of natural vitamin D, including sunlight, mushrooms and lichens

– try natural vitamin C found in amla or acerola berry and

– avoid harmful products.

 

 

 

Oral Hygiene: How to Obtain and Maintain It

 

What causes cavities in our teeth? Is it bad bacteria? No, bad bacteria only show up after the crime scene. Then what is it? It’s our oral pH. That’s right! If our mouth is too acidic, then that changes the natural environment our teeth and gum needs to thrive in. Consequently, if it’s too alkaline, then that gives way for destruction bacteria to thrive and once again turn its environment acidic also.

Are your teeth decaying? Are you considering a root canal? If you are, then know this: Your blood is full of destructive bacteria! To prove this, then just do this: Get Olive leaf extract in tincture form and use it according to the label instructions. I can assure you by the third day, you will feel as if you are sick, with a cold or something, even a sore throat maybe. This sick feeling — you probably know– is actually a good thing. It is only temporary. It’s called the Herxheimer reaction. It is the mass destruction of bad bacteria in the blood that the stomach and liver could not have neutralized.
To change the environment of your mouth to a neutral— not too acidic, not too alkaline — to prevent tooth decay, to reverse tooth decay, and gum disease, there is an old ayurvedic method that has been practiced for thousands of years: Oil pulling (a.k.a. oil swishing).
Oil pulling as we know it in the U.S.A don’t work. It uses the least effective kind of oil — coconut oil — and for too long: 20 minutes. Flossing too can be dangerous, and using a hard toothbrush can also be too abrasive . What will work?

1.  Unrefined, organic, cold-pressed (or expeller-pressed) sesame oil, first thing in the morning before you eat anything. Slowly swish one (1) tablespoon of this for no more than 3 minutes. Then spit out and rinse your mouth with salt water. Repeat if desired. Then brush teeth with (toothpaste and) a soft bristle toothbrush.

2.  Wheatgrass (juice) powder, 1/4 teaspoon in 2 ounces of water — also for 3 minutes. This is many times more effective than coconut oil pulling; providing ideal pH for oral bacteria.

3.  Food-grade hydrogen peroxide (3 percent), 1/4 teaspoon in 1 ounce of water. Swish for 10 seconds, then spit out! I recommend you do this on a restricted bases, being that hydrogen peroxide kills both bad and good bacteria in your mouth. You need those good bacteria as much as you don’t need the bad ones. So I recommend hydrogen peroxide use only once or twice per month. Don’t even breathe in bottle when you open. AVOID the 35 percent hydrogen peroxide: it is too concentrated and (in my opinion) dangerous.

You should also spray your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide each time before and after brushing teeth, as toothbrushes harbor a plethora of bad bacteria!

Instead of flossing, use a (quality brand) waterpik.

So, after swishing (sesame oil or wheatgrass) slowly for 3 minutes, spit out. Do not swallow either the sesame oil, wheatgrass mix or hydrogen peroxide. They will be filled with bacteria. Only 3 to 4 minutes is necessary. (Ten seconds is enough for the hydrogen peroxide.) Any longer will make the bacteria reabsorb back into your blood, teeth, etc. So, sesame oil in the morning, wheatgrass in the afternoon, and hydrogen peroxide once or twice per month is how I would do it. Or just choose one product of the three choices only — my personal favorite is the sesame oil swishing, followed by the wheatgrass juice mix.

Also, if your teeth is bad, your stomach, liver and blood are toxic because of toxins and nutritional deficiency. Your mouth depends on a healthy stomach to work properly. Think of your mouth as the door to a cave, the teeth are the gate,  and the esophagus and rest of the digestive system are the pathway within that cave. The exit to the cave is the anus. To keep bad things from backwashing into the entrance area (the mouth) or gate area (the teeth), we need everything else to be working properly. Use Icelandic sea kelp for your micro nutrients and wild chaga tea for your macro nutrients. And as previously mentioned, use olive leaf extract occasionally to destroy excessive bad bacteria.


In our effort to perfect oral health, we often overlook gum health. There are two diseases mainly associated with the gum. The first is caused by the build up of plaque, that then leads to the formation of a hard structure called tartar. That disease is called gingivitis! Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum. If gingivitis is not treated, it leads to the second gum disease, known as periodontitis! This second disease not only affects the gum, but also the bone structure that holds the teeth in place.

Plaque by itself is not a bad thing. It would be a terrible idea to try to continually eradicate all plaque from your mouth by using something like  xylitol gum, or hydrogen peroxide, all the time. We need plaque to:

  • Provide nutrients to teeth
  • House friendly bacteria which create a proper pH of no less than 5.5 (ideally 6.9) for the mouth
  • House friendly bacteria which create their own hydrogen peroxide to drive off bad bacteria.

Plaque is only dangerous when it increases to a level intolerable for healthy teeth and gum.

To maintain proper gum health, consider a tree sap product known as:

  • Dragon’s blood (tincture).

This product will help heal receding gum that may lead to gingivitis. Add the tincture to the gum area for 30 seconds or 60 seconds. It will produce a feeling in your mouth that takes time to get use to.

To maintain proper plaque levels on the teeth or to reduce excessive plaque, consider

  • vitamin K2 MK-7, in its trans form.

This will help remove excess plaque from teeth and gum area.

To prevent gum bleeding, natural vitamin C is the remedy for that. Try

  • Amla or Acerola

So in summary, for proper oral hygiene, try:

– Unrefined, organic, cold-pressed, sesame oil (3 minutes) first thing after waking up

– Wheatgrass (juice) powder (3 minutes)

– Food-grade hydrogen peroxide (10 seconds). For short-term use only!

– Dragon’s blood tincture (30 seconds to 60 seconds)

– Vitamin K2 MK-7 in its trans form. Ingest.

– Natural Vitamin C: Amla/Acerola

– Also consider ingesting icelandic sea kelp, wild chaga tea and olive leaf extract for digestive health; spray your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide before each use, and use a quality brand waterpik instead of a regular tooth floss.