How To Use Apple Cider Vinegar For Arthritis
Apple cider vinegar can be used internally and externally in the treatment of arthritis. It should be sufficiently diluted before it is taken.
To use apple cider vinegar topically on the skin, it should first be mixed with olive oil or coconut oil and then massaged on the inflamed arthritic joints.
The simplest way to prepare apple cider vinegar is to add a few teaspoons of the vinegar to a tall glass of water. This solution should be drunk preferably with a straw and the mixture taken at least two times daily.
The combination of honey and apple cider vinegar is commonly used for treating arthritis. These two medicinal liquids are combined in different ratios. A commercial preparation of the mixture, called honeygar, combines 4 parts apple cider vinegar with 1 part honey.
However, it is possible to prepare your own mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar at home.
At the beginning of treatment, 1 tablespoon each of honey and apple cider vinegar should be mixed with a glass of warm water. This should be taken once daily and slowly increased to three times daily if the vinegar is well tolerated.
Thereafter, the honey-vinegar ratio can be changed to 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey.
Honey is mixed with apple cider vinegar for a couple of reasons.
First, it sweetens the mixture and masks the sour taste of apple cider vinegar. Secondly, it contributes essential minerals and vitamins to the rehabilitation of weakened joints.
Red Wine Vs White Wine
Theres research that suggests that wine consumption in general is more beneficial than consuming beer or liquor. One study involved over 13,000 men and women between 30 and 70 years of age who were followed for 1012 years. Researchers found an inverse correlation with overall mortality in people consuming wine but not in those consuming beer or liquor. Low to moderate intake of wine decreased the risk of death from all causes, while similar intake of liquor implied an increased risk and drinking beer had no affect on mortality.
Although studies like this show that wine consumption can be beneficial, does it matter if you choose red or white wine? For one thing, antioxidants are more concentrated in red wine. The antioxidant compounds are found primarily in the skin of red grapes, which are removed after the grapes are crushed when making white wine. Although white wine does contain antioxidants that are present in the flesh of grapes that make up the pulp, the levels are higher in red wines.
Can Alcohol Make Your Arthritis Worse
The answer may largely depend on what medications you take to treat your arthritis as well as how as how much/often you drink, and what your other personal risk factors are.
Theres no direct evidence that alcohol has either a positive or negative impact on the condition of arthritic joints, says Rebecca L. Manno, MD, MHS, assistant professor of medicine in the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center in Baltimore.
That said, individuals differ in how alcohol influences how their joints feel. If you notice that every time you drink beer your joints are more achy and sore, its not in your head. It probably means that beer is pro-inflammatory for you. For someone else it might have the opposite effect, easing inflammation. If alcohol makes you feel lousy, its not helping you or your arthritis, says Dr. Manno.
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Supports The Cardiovascular System
Red wine has flavonols that boost the health of the cardiovascular system.It does this by dialing up the bodys production of nitric oxide, which helps dilate the blood vessels. Dilated blood vessels help improve circulation to muscles and joints and lower your blood pressure.Also, it helps reduce the type of cholesterol responsible for clogs in the arteries and reduces blood clots.
Red Wine Prevents Cartilage Damage And Protects Bones
Bone mineral density was studied by a group of scientists in individuals who consumed red wine.
It was found that red wine prevents bone loss in older men. Resveratrol prevents bone loss and promotes bone metabolism.
It stops the synthesis of vascular endothelial growth factor that suppresses activation of kinases in osteoblasts . This is preventive for cartilage damage.
What does this mean? Red wine polyphenols prevent the progression of arthritis by inhibiting bone and cartilage loss. It can prove very useful in treating osteoarthritis.
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Best Drinks For Arthritis
Get recommendations for staying hydrating to support overall health.
Theres an old saying you are what you eat. But what you drink, and how much you drink, can have an enormous effect on your body and health, too. Beverage Basics Start every day with a glass of water before you eat any food, since most people wake up a bit dehydrated, says Sonya Angelone, a dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Its also best to stick with water throughout the day, she says. The typical recommendation is eight glasses a day. In general, avoid soda since it can be full of sugar, aspartame and phosphoric acid. The latter can negatively affect your bodys ability to absorb calcium. Water can get a bit boring, but there are other ways to stay healthy and hydrated. These recommendations can help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of popular beverages.
Nutrition
Resveratrol Has A Chemopreventive Action In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant that inhibits the excessive growth of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes .
RAFLS are specialized cell type present inside the synovial joints which are responsible for RA as it initiates inflammation that can lead to bone destruction.
The hyperplastic growth of RAFLS is a characteristic feature of rheumatoid arthritis. It inhibits proliferation and initiates apoptosis of RAFLS.
Supplementation of resveratrol in the diet was found to be protective against rheumatoid arthritis as it reduces the amount of cytokine induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the serum of the patient. A significant reduction in knee swelling was observed.
What does this mean? Resveratrol contained in red wine significantly reduces the pathological symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
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Tea For Arthritis Relief
Tea is among the oldest drinks known to man other than water. It is also one of the most studied and widely used drinks when it comes to natural medicinal treatments. Green, black, and white teas are packed full of polyphenols healing and regenerative compounds that offer anti-inflammatory effects when consumed on a regular basis. Green tea is often hailed as the best, but any naturally brewed tea can help balance minerals and keep us hydrated. Many teas can also help flush toxins from the body and reduce inflammation and pain in the joints.
Protects Joints Against Destruction
An extract of spirulina was evaluated in animal models suffering from arthritis 3. After eight days of treatment with spirulina, scientists found that this supplement protected against cartilage destruction and also reduced inflammatory markers 3. The authors concluded spirulina’s anti-arthritic effect may be due to phytcocyanin, an active ingredient of spirulina 3. The study was published in March 2002 issue of Mediators of Inflammation.
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Considerations For Newer Ra Medications
When it comes to mixing newer RA medications with alcohol, the risks remain unclear, because studies on possible interactions havent been conducted. For example, many doctors consider it safe for people who take biologic drugs, such as adalimumab or etanercept , to drink in moderation. The manufacturers also indicate that its safe. Biologics work on specific pathways in the body that arent broken down in the liver, making these drugs less of a risk than RA medications that do affect the liver, according to the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Another newer class of drugs, called Janus kinase inhibitors , also have no known interactions with alcohol. But this class of drugs, which includes tofacitinib , baricitinib , and upadacitinib , are often prescribed along with methotrexate, meaning its still important to limit alcohol to less than 14 drinks per week to avoid liver damage.
Red Wine Benefits In Gout
Resveratrol has been found to be effective against gouty arthritis which is caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition thereby resulting in an increased amount of uric acid in the patient.
It inhibits articular inflammation and downregulates serum uric acid. It can prove beneficial in the management of gouty arthritis as it can prevent recurrent acute attacks of gouty arthritis.
What does this mean? Resveratrol, a potent antioxidant can prevent attacks of chronic gouty arthritis by reducing the level of uric acid in patients serum. This is a preventive measure for managing gouty arthritis.
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Could Drinking Red Wine Help With Knee Pain
A number of years ago, at a dinner party, one of the quests asked me why her knee pain improved when she drank red wine.
She stated that she only would have one glass of wine every couple of nights and that regimen had a greater effect on her knee pain than any of her medications. At that time, I did not have a reasonable answer for her, but perhaps I have an answer now.
Recently I read a medical research article showing that resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, improved the effectiveness of a nonsteroidal pain medication for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis of the knee causes the cartilage to die and wear away. It is the result of chronic inflammation in and around the knee joint.
Factors that promote osteoarthritis include muscle weakness, obesity, prior joint injury, overuse and aging.
Ultimately the cartilage disappears and the bones of the knee begin to grind against each other with every step. Almost 55 million Americans have symptoms of some form of osteoarthritis.
As the population ages, that number is expected to almost double over the next 12 years. The end result of this process in the knee is often knee replacement surgery . Nonsurgical treatment of osteoarthritis is not cheap. Lifetime costs have been estimated to be over $140,000.
A medical study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food showed that daily resveratrol significantly reduced the need for pain medication.
Diet And The Microbiome
However, despite Shoenfeld and Isenbergs early suggestion of the role of environmental factors, such as nutrition, in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, it remains a relatively unexplored area, only now coming to the fore as we move towards an era of digitisation and personalised medicine.
An important factor alongside diet and nutrition is the human gut microbiome, comprising bacteria in the order 1013 living in symbiosis with their host . It responds quickly and dramatically to changes in available nutrients. For example, consumption of purely animal or plant-based products for 5 days significantly alters the microbiome , and our habits of beverage consumption are likely to have similar effects. One of the earliest sources of nutrition for humans is breast milk, which has been shown to be critical in laying the foundations of the infant gut microbiome . As we grow and our diet diversifies, beverage consumption has implications for our gut microbiota. High consumption of sugars such as fructose, found in juices and carbonated drinks, can reduce the density of beneficial gut bacteria, as demonstrated in both animal and human studies . Chronic caffeine consumption also alters the microbiome, although it is unknown to what extent these changes are beneficial or harmful .
Whilst the gut microbiome provides one plausible aetiological explanation for beverage consumption in RA, the role of beverages is far more complex and deserves a more in-depth review.
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Beverages To Ease Arthritis Pain
Remember the saying You are what you eat? Well, turns out you are what you drink, too! When we think of nutrition, we often think only of solid foods. But what you drink is a large part of what we put into our bodies and should be considered as part of our overall nutrition. Making healthy beverage choices is equally as important as choosing healthy foods.
What you eat and drink is passed on as information to your bodys organs and can have an adverse effect on how you feel. Consuming sugary drinks such as soda can negatively affect your bodys ability to absorb calcium. Instead, try these drinks. Besides being healthy choices, you may very well find them to help relieve arthritis pain!
Consumption Guidelines: The Best Red Wines How Much To Consume Andways To Incorporate Wine In Moderation
Scientists have found that the darker the wine, the higher the antioxidant content, and research points to pinot noir as the red wine with the highest antioxidant levels. Dark red wines contain higher levels of antioxidants because the grape skins and seeds soak in the liquid for a longer period of time, thereby increasing the extraction of nutrients during the fermentation process. Although red wines that are labeled as organic may still contain some additives, it has to be in small amounts so I recommend you choose organic red wines that are a deep red color.
Stick to light or moderate drinking by having no more than five glasses of wine per week, and dont drink more than two glasses in one day. I like to drink a glass of red wine once in a while in order to get a boost of the powerful antioxidants that restore the overall health of my cells and body, along with the other benefits of red wine.
Sometimes its easy to lose track of how much wine youve consumed in one day or sitting. For instance, during holiday dinners, as the family sits around talking and feasting, you may drink a few too many glasses of wine without even realizing it. Heres a few easy tricks that I use to keep my alcohol portions small, even during parties, family dinners or special events:
Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Red Wine
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Red Wine Is Good Take Care With The Chillies
The foods below have a natural anti-inflammatory action that’s particularly beneficial for those with arthritis – however, some may trigger an idiosyncratic reaction in some sufferers.
Apples: Contain anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Red Delicious apples contain the most. The antioxidants are five times more concentrated in the apple’s skin than the flesh.
Avocados: Contain antioxidant monounsaturated oils, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E. Promote cartilage repair in osteoarthritis.
Chillies: Contain capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin which block transmission of pain messages. They also trigger endorphins – the brain’s own morphine-like painkillers.
Dark green leafy vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, cabbage and parsley, for example, supply antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium.
Macadamia nuts: The richest source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Also contain Vitamin E and selenium.
Oily fish: A great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Red wine: A good source of antioxidant polyphenols which reduce inflammation.
Walnuts: A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Some research shows that eating them daily can help alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Benefits Of Red Wine For The Heart Body & Mind
May 15, 2018
Have you ever heard of the French paradox? Its a well-researched phenomenon that refers to people who live in certain parts of France where red wine is commonly consumed during meals having fewer cases of death from coronary heart disease, even though these people live a lifestyle thats considered to have higher risks than those living in the United States and other developed countries. Studies show that this phenomenon may be due to the many cardioprotective benefits of red wine.
Taking advantage of the health benefits of red wine is not a new practice. Research conducted at Harvard University found a jar in the tomb of King Scorpion I, dating back to 3150 B.C., that contains traces of wine along with herbal residue. Based on the findings, researchers attest to the great antiquity of Egyptian herbal wines as medicine and their importance under the pharaohs during the countrys initial unification. These wines contained dissolved herbs, including balm, mint, sage, thyme, juniper berries, honey and frankincense, and they were consumed to treat a number of health conditions, from digestive issues to herpes.
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Red Wine Can Help Prevent Arthritis Pain
Uncork this delicious secret for pain-free joints
I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read, Keep calm and drink wine.
Thats probably not the right message to slap on the back of a moving vehicle.
But if youre worried about those aging joints if that occasional knee or hip pain is keeping you off the golf course or out of the garden it just may be the best advice you can get.
Keep calm and drink wine.
Because a new study out of England shows that a glass or two of red wine a night may be the secret to keeping your joints young and limber and could even prevent you from developing painful arthritis.
For the study, researchers studied the drinking habits of 2,000 men and women suffering hip or knee arthritis and compared them to 1,000 healthy people, ages 45 to 86.
The results were remarkable. Wine drinkers who consumed at least 7 glasses a week lowered their risk of knee arthritis by an unbelievable 50 percent.
Red wine is loaded with several healthy compounds, including resveratrol. Resveratrol is an anti-aging wonder thats been proven to help ward off painful inflammation, especially in your joints.
And the wonders dont stop there. Resveratrol has even been shown to improve your heart health, ward off certain cancers, and protect against hearing loss and cognitive decline.
Its truly a wonder nutrient, which is why I recommend it to my own patients all the time.
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