Millions of people in England have (long-term) joint pain or inflammation. There are many conditions (fibromyalgia is linked to arthritis and makes the body more sensitive to pain). Swollen joints and fever could be an infection (call 999). The three most common joint-pain conditions are:
Osteoarthritis is mostly costed by age and general wear/tear of the joints. Eventually the cartilage breaks down and the joints rub together.
Gout is a painful arthritis caused by build-up of uric acid crystals, it commonly affects the big toe. Linked to purine-rich foods (red meat, fish and alcohol).
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune condition which mostly affects younger people. This can be genetic and often accompanied by anaemia (lack of iron in the blood). Lupus is another auto-immune disease, when the body’s cells attack other healthy cells (a bit like happens in cancer).
Due to lack of proper regulations, beware of ‘health charlatans’, as some do more harm than good. Tell GP of medications/supplements you are considering. Avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing and affected medical conditions, and keep them away from young children and pets (never pour neat essential oils down sink, as they can harm aquatic life).
eat an anti-inflammatory diet
See below for ways to help rheumatoid arthritis. But for osteoarthritis and gout, avoid red meat, dairy, gluten and alcohol and take plant-based omega 3 fatty acids (to avoid mercury and contributing to over-fishing, which also by-catches whales, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins and seals).
The Vegan 8 is a wonderful book. All recipes are free from gluten and oil (you still eat fat, just in natural form – olives over olive oil). The author wrote it after healing her husband’s painful gout, when doctors couldn’t. These recipes really do work and there are beautiful photos throughout. A corker!
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people & pets (many human foods are unsafe around animal friends).
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (a US organisation) conducted a 4-week trial on over 1000 arthritis patients and found most were pain-free after eliminating foods below:
- Red meat, dairy and eggs
- Wheat & nuts
- Nightshade plants (tomato, aubergine, peppers, potato)
- Chocolate & citrus fruits
- Onion & corn
- Apples & bananas
Kurk is a liquid supplement based on curcumin (turmeric only contains a tiny amount). Founded by two cancer survivors (a medical doctor and martial arts teacher), add to plant milk, a smoothie or hot drink (most users have less pain in weeks). Endorsed by athletes and physiotherapists.
how to help treat rheumatoid arthritis
The Paddison Program is recommended by Irish medical doctor Gemma Newman. It offers evidence-based guidelines for diet, exercise, drugs, supplements and stress to provide fast relief (the program costs around £100). Dr Michael Klaper says that when he sees patients with rheumatoid arthritis, he just ‘puts them on this program’. Dr Renae Thomas writes ‘if you have joint pain, the Paddison Program is probably going to work for you’. Some patients have even reclaimed full body use, after being hospitalised.
A Kitchen Fairytale is a beautifully illustrated reicpe book by a patient who followed the program and began to regain her own health. The book is endorsed by Paddison Program founder Clint Paddison, an Aussie comedian whose career was halted, when diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Within 2 years, he could hardly walk as inflammation spread to over 20 joints. After conventional treatments failed, he healed himself with a unique combo of plant-based foods and exercises, and now has helped hundreds of thousands of other patients worldwide.
wear footwear designed for your feet!
Ahinsa Vegan Shoes are designed by physiotherapists, so not only are your shoes comfortable and kind, but they help you walk in proper alignment, which is excellent for foot or leg pain. Walking in the wrong shoes overburdens back muscles and weakens your ab muscles, increasing risk of arthritis. High-heels worn extensively can destroy knee cartilage, due to negatively affecting the Achilles Tendon.
take regular gentle exercise
Gentle exercise keeps weight down, which helps reduce pain and pressure on the joints). Swimming is good, as is yoga (practice a gentle version, with a qualified teacher). Yoga with Adriene offers a free 25-minute video routine for chronic pain. The book Chair Yoga has sequences to help, with variations to adapt each pose.
Physiotherapists (available on the NHS) can teach useful exercises, and recommend equipment for occupational therapists to fit. Osteopaths and chiropractors can sometimes help, but are not always available on NHS.
use a gentle heat pad on affected areas
Use a gentle heat pad (with clothing inbetween, to avoid burns). You don’t need to buy expensive heat pads, a towel soaked in warm water will do. This brings more blood to the affected areas, and helps to reduce joint stiffness.
If you prefer something a bit more deluxe, cherry-stone heat pads are used extensively in Switzerland. Although they should be kept away from children and pets, they are safer than hot water bottles, and the stones easily adapt to body shape, for instant relief. You can also freeze them as ‘cold packs’ for injuries, headaches and insect bites. Fully biodegradable, and designed to last a lifetime.
switch donations to humane medical research
International Anti-Vivisection Congress, 1913
Don’t throw money at big animal-testing medical charities, to try to find cures for arthritis. Medical research on animals is not just cruel and expensive, but massively outdated. There are vested interests in keeping the status quo due to huge donations and often government grants.
Humane research charities are kinder, cheaper and more effective, yet receive no government funding. If everyone switched donations, we would find cures much quicker for ‘incurable diseases’. They use methods like test tube research, computer modelling and human volunteers (living and dead). Their brilliant boffins do wonderful work, yet the charities never get the publicity of the big guns.
a bone/muscle supplement in sustainable packaging
Dr Vegan bone/muscle supplement is sold in a metal tin for the first order, then just order replacement packs in sustainable pouches. Formulated by expert nutritionists, this supplement is ideal for people with bone conditions, or people on a plant-based diet who are concerned about the health of their bones.
Before taking supplements, check with GP if pregnant/nursing or you have medical conditions or are taking medication. Keep supplements away from young children & pets.
The supplement’s main ingredients are calcium (which begins to decrease after age 35), magnesium (the superfood mineral – 75% of this mineral is stored in your bones), vitamin D3 (from plant-based sources, to help bones absorb calcium) and vitamin K2 (transports calcium to your bones).
Bone density is lost as we age, and some post-menopausal women can lost up to 30% of bone density, leading potentially to osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise and plant-based calcium foods are good, but this supplement also can help. This supplement is also certified by Informed Sport, as a good supplement for professional athletes.
linen heat pads with organic flax seeds
These linen & flaxseed therapy packs are ideal alternatives to pharmacy painkillers, for mild conditions. Made from linen (from the flax plant) and filled with organic flax, these are sold in a set of 2 (warm in the microwave for 30 seconds and store the other in the freezer, to keep as a cold pack for injuries, headaches or insect bites). Choose from an array of natural colours including cocoa, grey, sandstorm, brick, golden brown or dandelion.
Use clothing in between the pad and yourself, to avoid burns. Choose unscented version for pregnancy/nursing, affected medical conditions or near pets (keep away from young children & pets). Swollen joints & fever could be an infection (call your doctor or 999 if serious).
Heat packs help to dilate the blood vessels which can increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to muscles, ideal when you need a ‘warm hug’ over aching joints or tummies (these are also good for menstrual pain). You can also use this as a neck warmer or even as a safer alternative to a hot water bottle. If you don’t have a heat pad, use a towel soaked in warm water.
tips to help joint pain & inflammation
The three main joint pain conditions are osteoarthritis (when cartilage breaks down & joints rub together), rheumatoid arthritis (an auto-immune genetic condition often linked to anaemia) and gout (a build-up of uric acid from red meat, fish & alcohol, it commonly affecting the big toe). Related conditions are lupus (when the body’s cells attack other cells) and fibromyalgia (makes the body more sensitive to pain).
Read up on food safety for people & pets. Check with GP before taking supplements and avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing & affected medical conditions (keep away from young children & pets). Never pour essential oils down sinks (can harm aquatic life).
An anti-inflammatory diet (no red meat, dairy, gluten, alcohol) can help osteoarthritis & gout. The Vegan 8 is a book of recipes (no gluten or oil) by a woman who healed her husband’s gout, when doctors couldn’t.
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine conducted a 4-week trial on 1000 arthritis patients and found most were pain-free after giving up: red meat, dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts, nightshade plants (tomato, aubergine, peppers, potato), chocolate, citrus fruits, onion, corn, apples & bananas.
Ahinsa Vegan Shoes are designed by physiotherapists, to help you walk in proper alignment to reduce foot & leg pain and avoid weakening the back/ab muscles, which increases risk of arthritis (as does wearing high-heels too often, due to affecting the Achilles tendon, which can destroy knee cartilage).
Good gentle exercise choices to reduce weight & joint pressure are swimming & yoga. Also ask your GP to refer you to an NHS physiotherapist to teach useful exercises.
Nothing Fishy omega-3 supplement (use code ENGNF15 for 15% off first purchase) is sold in glass jars with with refills in cardboard packaging. These soft gel capsules are made from algae, farmed in a pool of salt water to protect the oceans.
Dr Vegan bone/muscle supplement is sold in a metal tin for the first order, then zero waste refill pouches. Formulated by expert nutritionists, this includes calcium & magnesium (the ‘superfood mineral’ – 75% is stored in bones), plant-based vitamin D3 (helps bones to absorb calcium) and vitamin K3 (transports calcium to bones). Bone density is lost as we age (up to 30% post-menopause which can lead to osteoporosis). Plant-based calcium foods & weight-bearing exercise can also help.
Kurk is a liquid supplement based on curcumin (turmeric only contains a tiny amount). Founded by two cancer survivors (a medical doctor and martial arts teacher), this is endorsed by athletes & physiotherapists. Just add to plant milk, a smoothie or hot drink.
The Paddison Program (plant-based recipes & exercises) is recommended by Irish medical doctor Gemma Newman. Devised by an Aussie comedian who healed his own condition that spread to over 20 joints so he could hardly walk, this is recommended by many medical doctors, with some patients regaining fully body use, after being hospitalised.
Donate to humane research charities (use test tube research, computer modelling & human volunteers) to find cures for disease, without using innocent animals. These brilliant boffins do wonderful work, yet never get the publicity of the big guns (they spend money on research, not TV ads).
