What is arthritis and what might cause it
Osteoarthritis represents a disease group with disease subsets that have different underlying pathophysiological mechanIsms. In other words. everyone is different! Arthritis is an umbrella term that encompasses over 200 conditions Involving the joints, distinguishable by their symptoms and causes. The word arthritis stems from 'anthro'. meaning joints, combined with tins', meaning inflammation. However, some forms of the condition do not necessarily Involve Inflammation and are better described as a degenerative breakdown of the joint function due to a variety of factors. Osteoarthritis, which may affect just one or two joints, is considered to be the simple form; it involves a gradual degeneration of joint cartilage. which eventually impairs the function of the joint. Other forms of arthritis may involve severe inflammation. affecting not only the joints but also muscles and even, in some cases, organs of the body such as the heart.
Many different factors. often occurring over a period of years. contribute to the onset of arthritis. These may Include poor diet, undue stress, lack of fresh air, environmental factors and emotional issues, to name but a few. In my experience. however. the common theme among people with arthritis is The build-up of acid that crystallizes within the joints and causes pain and injury. All the other issues simply contribute to this acidity level. 11w symptoms of arthritis differ greatly from one person to the next and vary hugely in severity. But arthritis is generally considered a progressive disease, meaning it worsens over time. Its responsiveness to drug treatment varies a great deal. So how, given all these variables, can we expect a single wonder cure ur drug? A wider, more holistic view is necessary to make any progress. No matter how effective the next new drug is for pain or inflammation.
unless it takes Into account the differing causes and individual nature of the condition the solution will not be found. I believe that treatment of the condition using naturopathic principles is the way to success. In the next chapter we will look at what that entails. First, though. we need to look at the reasons why people are affected by arthritis, as these need to be understood in order for treatment to be effective.
What is the root cause of arthritis?
There are many theories and opinions as m what causes the onset and progression of arthritic diseases, but so far none of them are particularly conclusive. My experience and understanding supports the theory that joint problems are caused by an excess of add, both In the whole body and within the joints themselves. Over time, often years. acid accumulates and has a degenerative effect on the joints. Acidity in the tissues of the body causes Inflammation and pain. By exploring this theory, we can be clearer about treatment options that aim to reduce and clear out the excess acid.
What does it mean to have too much acid in my body?
The term used when measuring die acidity or alkalinity of a substance is PH. It is a scale ranging from Ito 14,1 being extremely acid and 14 being extremely alkaline. Alkali neutralizes acid and vice versa. A neutral pH is simply somewhere in the middle of the two and so can neither be described as acid or alkaline. Water is neutral at pH 7.
The pH level Is a crucial aspect of the body's overall balance for healthy living. This healthy balance is referred to as 'homeostasis'. which means the ability of the body to adjust its internal environment in order to maintain a stable equilibrium (balance) of critical factors such as body temperature, blood sugar and pH level. Homeostasis is critical to life.
Many diseases, including arthritis, occur as a result of disturbed homeostasis, specifically one that entails a reduced p11 level. The resulting excess acid within the body can create all sorts of health problems, such as pain, inflammation and progressive damage to joints.
Osteoarthritis represents a disease group with disease subsets that have different underlying pathophysiological mechanIsms. In other words. everyone is different! Arthritis is an umbrella term that encompasses over 200 conditions Involving the joints, distinguishable by their symptoms and causes. The word arthritis stems from 'anthro'. meaning joints, combined with tins', meaning inflammation. However, some forms of the condition do not necessarily Involve Inflammation and are better described as a degenerative breakdown of the joint function due to a variety of factors. Osteoarthritis, which may affect just one or two joints, is considered to be the simple form; it involves a gradual degeneration of joint cartilage. which eventually impairs the function of the joint. Other forms of arthritis may involve severe inflammation. affecting not only the joints but also muscles and even, in some cases, organs of the body such as the heart.
Many different factors. often occurring over a period of years. contribute to the onset of arthritis. These may Include poor diet, undue stress, lack of fresh air, environmental factors and emotional issues, to name but a few. In my experience. however. the common theme among people with arthritis is The build-up of acid that crystallizes within the joints and causes pain and injury. All the other issues simply contribute to this acidity level. 11w symptoms of arthritis differ greatly from one person to the next and vary hugely in severity. But arthritis is generally considered a progressive disease, meaning it worsens over time. Its responsiveness to drug treatment varies a great deal. So how, given all these variables, can we expect a single wonder cure ur drug? A wider, more holistic view is necessary to make any progress. No matter how effective the next new drug is for pain or inflammation.
unless it takes Into account the differing causes and individual nature of the condition the solution will not be found. I believe that treatment of the condition using naturopathic principles is the way to success. In the next chapter we will look at what that entails. First, though. we need to look at the reasons why people are affected by arthritis, as these need to be understood in order for treatment to be effective.
What is the root cause of arthritis?
There are many theories and opinions as m what causes the onset and progression of arthritic diseases, but so far none of them are particularly conclusive. My experience and understanding supports the theory that joint problems are caused by an excess of add, both In the whole body and within the joints themselves. Over time, often years. acid accumulates and has a degenerative effect on the joints. Acidity in the tissues of the body causes Inflammation and pain. By exploring this theory, we can be clearer about treatment options that aim to reduce and clear out the excess acid.
What does it mean to have too much acid in my body?
The term used when measuring die acidity or alkalinity of a substance is PH. It is a scale ranging from Ito 14,1 being extremely acid and 14 being extremely alkaline. Alkali neutralizes acid and vice versa. A neutral pH is simply somewhere in the middle of the two and so can neither be described as acid or alkaline. Water is neutral at pH 7.
The pH level Is a crucial aspect of the body's overall balance for healthy living. This healthy balance is referred to as 'homeostasis'. which means the ability of the body to adjust its internal environment in order to maintain a stable equilibrium (balance) of critical factors such as body temperature, blood sugar and pH level. Homeostasis is critical to life.
Many diseases, including arthritis, occur as a result of disturbed homeostasis, specifically one that entails a reduced p11 level. The resulting excess acid within the body can create all sorts of health problems, such as pain, inflammation and progressive damage to joints.
The immune system may also be affected, causing the body to attack Its own joints - a condition we know as rheumatoid arthritis. The pH level Is one of the most critical components of homeostatic balance, so It makes sense that restoring pH to Its correct level will halt the disease process and gradually relieve the symptoms of the condition.
How does our body pH become out of balance?
Because of the way we live today - our foods, our work pressures and our lifestyles - our body's pll is likely to become inure acidic rather than more alkaline. Acid is produced in the following ways:
• from normal metabolism (i.e. within the body itself);
• from dietary sources (i.e. acidic food and drink):
• from stress - both chronic stress and acute periods of stress a trauma:
• from environmental pollutants (e.g. cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, electro-magnetic pollution, etc.).
It is not always detrimental to produce acid as it is part of our body's normal functioning. Acid only becomes a problem to our health when it builds up so much that there are no longer enough alkaline resources to deal with it. A lack of alkaline minerals and other substances plays a major role in creating a pH imbalance and if these substances am not replenished in some way, through foods especially. the resulting excess acidity can lead to poor health.
When we consider acid/alkaline (pH) balance. the most important area of the body is the blood. The pH of the blood must be kept within very ILLIJILOW limits to prevent serious consequences to health. The body's homeostatic control mechanism. therefore. causes any excess acid found in the bloodstream to be Immediately removed and deposited in the surrounding tissues in order to maintain the blood pH within its narrow limits. The PH environment of the surrounding tissues is not as critical. so the body's innate protective mechanism uses them as a storage place for the extra acid. Frequent off-loading of acid from the blood over a period of time can eventually lead to arthritis as the acid builds up. crystallizes and then attacks the joints, muscles and soft tissues.
This accumulation of acid In joints was made evident In a 2010 research study.The PH level of joints was investigated and it was found that if a joint had a lower level of bicarbonate (an alkaline substance), this correlated with a significant increase in inflammation of the area. The research also discovered a link between the acidity of a joint and abnormalities that show up in blood tests, particularly when markers of inflammation such as C-Reactive Protein are found to be present.
