Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Difference Between Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis - 5 Easy Tips That You Can Use Today!

May 30th, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized | 0

Welcome back!

What is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis? What are their special precautions and natural treatments? Find out the expert answers in this article.

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have got some similarities as well as differences. Their exact causes are not known. While osteoarthritis often accompanies aging, rheumatoid arthritis can occur in any age group and is also found in children and adults.

Osteoarthritis can be commonly found in people around the age group of 60. The intensity of pain and degree of the problem varies according to their lifestyle. Rheumatoid arthritis might develop at any age, although during remission period, there might be a complete lack of symptoms of pain.

Broadly speaking, these are the major signs of difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis -

1) Pain is a common characteristic in both forms of arthritis. It is also one of the major distinguishing factors which doctors use for diagnosis and to identify the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In osteoarthritis, the pain might occur in only one joint, for example in the right knee. On the other hand, in rheumatoid arthritis the pain is generally found occurring on the joints on both sides of the body. For example, there might be pain in both knees.

2) “Wear and tear” of the cartilage cushions is the primary reason for osteoarthritis. The cartilage cushions act as shock absorbers that prevent the bones of the joint from rubbing together. When this cartilage is damaged due to overuse or injury, it causes osteoarthritis and leads to inflammation and swelling in the joints.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the pain and inflammation in the joints take place well before any damage occurs in the cartilage cushions. In fact, frequent occurrence of chronic inflammation causes damage to the cartilage and intense pain.

3) Factors that might lead to the occurrence of osteoarthritis are - obesity, joint injury, overuse of joints and heredity. On the other hand, obesity might aggravate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but it does not play any role in developing of that condition in the first place.

4) One of the major difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is that osteoarthritis affects only the joints, while rheumatoid arthritis can also affect many other parts in the body.

5) What is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in terms of treatment? In rheumatoid arthritis, drugs that suppress immune system activity are often prescribed; whereas they are not required in osteoarthritis. However, anti-inflammatory drugs are common mode of treatment in both forms of arthritis.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in the diet by using fish oil supplements is one of the best, most effective and natural ways of treating the symptoms of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

They are also free of the potential side effects that most of the description based anti-inflammatory drugs suffer from. On the contrary, they provide a lot of health benefits such as improvement in brain health, cardiovascular health, digestive system, memory and concentration, skin health, joints and much more.

Green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is also another excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. It plays an effective role in reducing pain and joint stiffness, increasing grip strength and enhancing mobility in people suffering from osteoarthritis. It has excellent anti-inflammatory properties and is used in combination with fish oil supplements to provide effective long-term relief in arthritis symptoms.

However, if you are using blood thinner medications such as aspirin on medical prescription, then you should consult your doctor before including omega-3 supplements or fish oil supplements for arthritis relief as they are natural blood thinners. This is to ensure that you do not take too many blood thinners as it could lead to potential side effects.

Vijay K Raisinghani is a Natural Healthcare Expert and a passionate advocate of Omega 3 Fish oils for a healthy mind and body. His website http://www.your-omega3-fish-oil-guide.com provides a wealth of information on what works and what doesn’t work in Omega 3 fish oils to achieve a young, vibrant and robust health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/difference-between-osteoarthritis-and-rheumatoid-arthritis-5-easy-tips-that-you-can-use-today-944908.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Appetite Suppressant

May 29th, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized | 0

Appetite suppressant supplements are one of the most popular diet pills marketed and purchased today. Why is that you ask? Well, they actually help a lot of people to “get back in line” after periods of binging such as the holidays, by helping to decrease appetite and get back into a normal, healthy eating routine in order to lose weight or even just to prevent over eating.

Natural hoodia growing in the deserts of southern Africa has been used by native peoples for food (though not a preferred food item), for medicinal purposes and to suppress their hunger and thirst during long hunts. South African hoodia gordonii is now available to people all over the world for use as an appetite suppressant.

Nicotine is known to help improve mood, concentration and memory, as nicotine switches on the receptors on the surface of cells in parts of the brain, causing neurons to release the chemical dopamine, which is associated with feelings of pleasure.

Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and bok choy are terrific natural appetite suppressants. They are remarkably low in calories and are a good source of fiber. And here’s a bonus - these are considered “negative calorie” foods because it can take more calories for your body to digest these foods than there are in these foods themselves!

The hoodia gordonii natural appetite suppressant works by tricking the brain into thinking that you are not hungry so that you feel full and you will not eat or eat a lot less. If you have struggled with food cravings, hoodia gordonii natural appetite suppressant will curb those cravings. Many scientific studies have shown that hoodia contains an active molecule called P57 which curbs appetite. This molecule therefore helps you to lose weight because you will eat a lot less, and you will therefore store less fat in your body.

Appetite suppressants such as hoodia supplement work by tricking your brain into believing that your stomach is already full, this way you can go longer in-between eating. Another reason that this herb is becoming more popular is because it does not raise your heart rate or blood pressure. It does not raise your metabolism either. You can simple loss weight naturally because you eat less.

There are five main problems with appetite suppressants, which include the side effects, the loss of healthy nutrients, stomach problems, energy loss and low caloric intake, and the body backfiring. Most appetite suppressants contain caffeine and ephedra. When put into the combinations it is used for in appetite suppressants, ephedra becomes more of a drug. Though one side effect is that of appetite loss, there are plenty that are not quite as desirable. Some side effects of appetite suppressants include irritability, increased heart rate, nervousness, insomnia, and high blood pressure.

Another natural appetite suppressant is exercise. Most people consider that exercise gives you a large appetite. This could not be further from the truth, as when you exercise regularly, you are more likely to have a healthy, normal appetite. One of the reasons for this is that exercise releases fat and glucose, which is stored for energy, from your body tissues. This cause your glucose levels to remain constant, and so you won’t feel hungry.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/natural-appetite-suppressant-943130.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) Review

May 29th, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized | 0

Eurycoma longifolia popularly known as tongkat ali or pasak bumi is a traditional herb used widely in countries like China, India and Malaysia as a libido enhancer , recently it has grown in popularity worldwide in this article we are going to discuss about its benefits and it can help one overcome reproductive and other health problems.

Protects Against Cancer
Tongkat ali has been found to inhibit anti lung and breast cancer properties. As a result of which great deal of research is being carried out to find out to which extent it can help in combating these two types of cancers.

General Health
It has been also found useful in conditions like fever, malaria, dysentery and other ailments.

Boosts Testosterone Levels
This herb takes the testosterone levels to an altogether new level as a result of which it has become highly popular among men who are into bodybuilding  as increased testosterone levels means better performance and extra mass without any side effects like those caused by harmful steroids.

Improves Performance In Bed
Eurycoma Longifolia is considered as a magical herb in Malaysia, while modern medicine could cause dangerous side effects in some cases, eurycoma is completely safe to use. It acts both as an aphrodisiac and a libido booster. As it helps increase testosterone levels it enhances performance in bed  in variety of ways like intense orgasms, longer and enjoyable sessions , boost in energy and vitality, improved sperm quality.

Side Effects of Tongkat Ali
Tests performed on rats in laboratory have shown that it is safe for human use. It has been used in Asian countries for thousands of years for a wide array of ailments and has benefited everyone who has taken it as a medicine.

Final Outcome
Looking at all the benefits of eurycoma longifolia we can say that it is indeed one of the most powerful and effective herbs present. The increasing popularity has lead to over collection of this herb and in many countries it has been declared as a protected plant. All in all it is worth trying out this herb especially for men over the age of 35 to maintain their testosterone levels.