Arthritis is a painful, limiting condition and the CDC reports that 53 million Americans experience it. Shockingly, that number is growing every year. The main types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear. It’s a form of physical degeneration where the cartilage and underlying bone in the joints breaks down over time.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mainly characterized by an abnormal immune response where the body attacks the synovial fluid and other joint tissues.
Both kinds of arthritis are optional. You don’t have to just live with them.
When we experience symptoms like arthritis it’s important to understand what the body is telling us. The body has a limited vocabulary, and pain is one of the main ways it communicates with us.
So, we ask, why are the joints breaking down? Why is the body attacking itself? What does the body need?
No matter what kind of arthritis you suffer from, acupuncture and nutritional therapy have answers and offer amazing benefits for reversing the condition and healing it altogether. Working WITH the body and understanding why it is breaking down or attacking itself is essential.
In all forms of arthritis, lifestyle and diet play a huge role in recovery. Moving the body regularly increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the joints, removes damaged tissues from the joint and increases the production of synovial fluid.
Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” A whole food diet devoid of bleached white flour, refined carbohydrates and processed foods will support the body’s overall health and balance blood chemistry. Healthy fats like butter, olive oil, coconut oil and lard play an important role in managing arthritis symptoms due to their tissue building and anti-inflammatory properties.
While exercise and diet are the foundation of arthritis treatment, we want to know more. Each unique individual will have a slightly different presentation. That’s why we treat the person, not just the disease.
In some cases, the liver may be overwhelmed, and the kidneys might not be functioning well. In other cases, there may be calcium metabolism problems. In some other people there may be nutritional deficiencies that prohibit the building of healthy tissues and joints. There could be toxins that the body has deposited in the joint spaces away from the organs. Each shows up in a different way but all get the best care.
Solving arthritis is a uniquely individual process and we do it all the time. Using the ancient science of acupuncture and healing power of nutritional therapy we empower the patient with knowledge and resources so that they can heal themselves and return to life without painful arthritis.
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