Nutritional Questions

February 2012

Arthritis Awareness

Osteoarthritis is also called “degenerative arthritis”.  Some refer to it as “old-age” arthritis, although it often starts in middle age.  Knees and hips are the joints most commonly involved, then the “middle” and “furthest-out” finger joints.  Osteoarthritis sometimes involves a small amount of swelling in the finger joints and knees, which if it develops at all – usually is slow in onset and gradual in progression.  Often there’s no swelling at all. 

Osteoarthritis is not at all the same as Rheumatoid arthritis, which frequently arrives with sudden, acutely painful swelling.  Although rheumatoid arthritis can attack any joint, its hallmark is pain and swelling in the joints where the finger bones meet the bones of the palms of the hands.  Considerably, more painkillers are consumed by rheumatoid arthritis sufferers than osteoarthritis sufferers.

Other less common forms of arthritis – although a growing concern – include “gouty arthritis” and “night-shade sensitive” arthritis.  Gouty arthritis (gout) is caused by crystallization of some of the high uric acid circulating in the blood of gout sufferers (this most often in the big toes).  There are indications that high uric acid may be related to type-2 diabetes.

Nightshade-sensitive arthritis usually goes away when sufferers quit eating all nightshade vegetables, which include potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce.  Tobacco is also a nightshade plant to eliminate.

For More Information, Stop in and see us!–  
We’re the nutrition experts!