The core stabilizing routine is nothing fancy: most of you will have performed all of these exercises before. The trick is to do them every single day without fail and in the order given. Once you have done this sequence a few times, you will have it memorized — and all you need is a little floor space. The first 7 exercises are done standing, the second 7 on the floor. Here they are:

1) Standing tall, pull the tailbone back and the heart forward, letting your arms and head dangle. If possible, keep the back of the legs straight, and reach for the floor. You can rest your hands on your thighs or shins, or, if your hamstrings are flexible, plop your palms on the floor. Breathe into the stretch for 4-5 breaths then roll up the spine, leaving the head to lift last.

2) Hold lightly onto the edge of a table or chair back and, one leg at a time, press the back of the leg away, pushing away from the back of the heel. Don’t sway to the side. Stay upright, as though you were toning your bottom on the side of the leg pressing back, which is in fact what you are doing. Go for about 15 push-backs on one side, then switch legs. Stay upright on the standing leg and push the working leg straight back.

3) Same idea, but now moving the leg to the side, leading with the baby-toe edge of the foot, one leg at a time. About 15 times on each side. Towards the end of the sequence you should feel a little burn in the working muscles.

4) Standing tall but with the knees slightly flexed, toes pointed straight forward, twist at the waist and punch both hands behind you at just above waist level. Look towards your punch. Repeat on the other side. Left and right counts as “one.” Repeat the 2-sided twist 10 times.

5) Standing tall feet slightly apart, knees slightly bent, push your hips right and lean your upper body over to the left as far as possible without making this a forward bend. It’s strictly a side bend. If possible, add the weight of your arm. So, if your body is side bending to the left, your right arm will reach up and over your right ear, reaching to the left. Repeat 5 times in a row on one side, then 5 times in a row on the other side.

6) Simple hamstring stretch: put one foot at a time up on a chair or table, turn your body square to the up-stretched leg, then reach forward for that foot with both hands. You can rest your hands on the shin too. Breathe a few times, always directing the breath to the area of the leg (usually the back or side) that feels tight. Repeat with the other leg.

7) Standing tall, bend one knee, heel towards the butt, and catch the foot with one or both hands. If not wanting to practice balance, keep the free hand on the table or chair back. If your quads are not tight, you can increase this stretch by pulling the heel into the butt and/or pressing the bend leg hip forward a bit. Repeat on the other leg.

8 ) Now to the floor. The next 2 exercises are crunches, and it’s all downhill from there! First, do NOT heave your chest up to the thighs with crunches. That is BAD for your low back. You are on your back, knees bent and feet at least hip width apart, not far from the buttocks. Lift your head and shoulder blades off the floor and place your fingertips behind and slightly above your ears. Try to keep your shoulder blades off the floor throughout this exercise. The idea is to tone the abdominal muscles, which means tightening them. This is a horizontal move. By that I mean you slide the bottom of your ribcage towards the hip bones on the exhale. Inhale relax but don’t lie down. Stay up and perform 20 to 80 of these sliding crunches. Towards the end of your sequence you should start to feel a little burn in the abs.

9) Stay in the crunch position and begin bicycling the legs, stretching way out through the heels. The more your feet point to the ceiling, the easier. As you lower your legs to the floor you will feel more strain. Do not strain! You want to challenge, but NOT re-injure yourself! If the bicycling is OK, you can then b ring the elbows to the opposite knees, one at a time. Left and right is one round. Go for 10 to 40 rounds. Then relax.

10) Hug your knees to your chest. Breathe several deep breaths.

11) Place your feet on the floor, at least hip width apart, and lift your hips to make a flat diagonal plane with your front body. Lower, and repeat for a total of 3-4 times.

12) Roll up to sitting and stretch out one leg long in front of you. Bend the other leg, placing that foot on the upper inner thigh of the long leg. Turn towards the long leg and reach for the foot or shin with both hands. Breathe a few times and repeat on the other side.

13) Find a comfortable cross-legged position, sit tall and twist to the right, putting your left hand on the outside of the right knee to help strengthen the twist. Repeat on the other side.

14) Both legs long in front of you on the floor, reach your hand up and, leading with your heart, reach for the feet or shins with both hands. On the inhale expand the ribcage, and on the exhale undulate your chest closer to the knees. Take several breaths here. That’s it! You are saving your low back! Good job!

Yes, if you:
Smoke
Are regularly exposed to environmental toxins
Drink less than a litre of water daily
Drink soda pop, coffee or alcohol
Eat processed foods such as white flour baked goods and candy
Crave junk food
Are tired, constipated, bloated and lack focus
Have sticky or malodorous bowel movements
Have pasty skin or dark circles under your eyes
Have blood sugar problems
Have unstable emotions
Have unsatisfactory libido or sleep
Are over or under-weight
Use prescription or recreational drugs regularly

If you peruse natural health news, you certainly have read the word “detox” lately.  You may have heard about how “body burden” of unnatural chemicals is higher than ever before. Industrial run-off into our rivers, pharmaceutical pollution flushed down toilets, burning fossil fuels belching into the air, fake food, plastic everywhere — all of this and more comprises an enormous burden for our internal self-cleansing systems.

The amazing human body has several mechanisms by which to rid itself of non-nutrients which come in daily through our nose and mouth.We process food across the entire mucous membrane from the mouth to the rectum.  The enzymes in our saliva, the all-important stomach acid, the pancreatic enzymes, and the bile from the liver all prepare our food for digestion then absorption into the bloodstream.  Elements of our meals which are deemed unsatisfactory for absorption will be eliminated, via the large intestine.  In case you haven’t heard: pooping at least once daily is crucial to optimal health.  It is unhealthy to allow waste products to linger in the colon. Once in the bloodstream, we have several other methods of screening for “toxins” which is defined as anything our cells can’t use for energy.  As the blood passes through the kidneys, they are “strained” by hundreds of super fine sieves.  Of important job of the kidneys is to remove nitrogen from the blood, which we pee out as ammonia. The lymphatic system, which has a vast network traveling alongside the blood vessels all over the body, also picks up “goop” in the blood and funnels it to the “master” lymph node, called the cisterna chyle, which is located between the heart and the left kidney.  From there, the lymphatic fluid passes into the renal system (kidneys). Last, but not least, the skin is a large and important organ of elimination embedded with sweat glands.  Ideally, strenuous exercise would induce free-flowing and non-odorous perspiration.  Smelly sweat and drenching sweats at rest are signs of elimination difficulties.

Other signs of toxic congestion (and therefore need for “detox”) include constipation, bad breath, irritable skin, fatigue after eating, poor sleep quality and moodiness. A body which eliminates properly will stay healthy.  It’s as simple as that.  I approach “detox” with my patients as an opportunity to change bad dietary habits, and to become enamored of feeling great.  The first order of business is to open the “emunctories” which is an old naturopathic word meaning the portals of elimination.

Start with the skin: I encourage everyone to take up the habit of dry skin brushing every morning.  This is a marvelous “bath” which removes the outer layer of dead skin and not only cleanses but invigorates.  Brush the entire body, fairly firmly, except the face, always towards the heart.  See the sidebar for a more detailed description.

Next, the renal system:  during cleansing it is advisable to drink lots of water.  Pure water is the very best drink.  I don’t agree with the idea of alcohol being “therapeutic”.  It is toxic to the heart, liver and kidneys.  Sure, it will help some folks relax — but there are better ways to relax!  And if you are after the deep pigments of red wine, for example, you can take resveratrol in capsule form or simply eat lots of deeply colored fruits and vegetables.

Do whatever it takes to enjoy the daily poop.  Three times a day, after each meal, is ideal, but many of us just can’t make time for that.  I like using a stool, or “Welles step”, under my feet while at the toilet because it helps simulate a squatting position, which is how we were designed to poop. Cold stewed prunes (just put some prunes and water in a small covered jar and keep in the fridge) or 500 mg of Magnesium at bedtime are simple, non-addictive laxatives.  Avoid cascara sagrada — it is too harsh.  Digestive aides such as fennel seed, ginger root and mint leaves, in teas or whole form, can help improve digestion and elimination.

I advise my patients to avoid cleansing or fasting during cold weather, when we are directing energy towards staying warm..

It’s a good idea to cleanse or fast with at least one “buddy” if possible — so you can cheer each other and help maintain your mutual commitment to optimal health.  I advise against advertising to all your friends and family that you are undertaking a cleansing project because they might not all be supportive.  If they ask, you can tell.  Figure out a good time and how much time you can commit.  Remember, this is not a crash diet.  It’s a chance to open the emunctories, enjoy some deep internal cleansing, and explore the possibility of healthy eating and healthy living every day for the rest of your life.  The most important part of detox is coming off the program.  Your stomach will be smaller and your internal organs more sensitive to “junk.”

Please go slowly in the week after a detox program.  Do not plan or attend a gastronomic extravaganza soon after cleansing.

Three Day Plan
This is an all-fresh fruit cleanse.  Fruits are high in water, fiber and slow-releasing sugars.  They are tasty!  Neither juice nor dried fruit is allowed — too concentrated.  Eat whatever fruits appeal to you, one serving every two hours while awake.  A serving means 1 large or 2 small apples, 6 apricots, 1 medium banana, 1-2 cups berries, cherries or grapes, 2 oranges or nectarines, 1 cup of pineapple, 1 large pear, 2 kiwis, 3 plums or tomatoes, 2 cups of cubed melon.  Mix it up!  Eat only fruit.  For a complete description see “Fruit Flush” by Jay Robb.

Seven Day Plan
This involves 2 days of preparation, 3 days of “fasting” and 2 more days of slowly re-introducing your regular (but hopefully transformed) diet.  During the first 2 days, eat only raw food: mixed salads, fruit, steamed veggies.  Drink plenty of water between fruit or veggie meals.  Avoid juices.  However, during the 3 “fasting” days you will drink diluted juices and broths and tea and plenty of water.  No solid food because the idea is to give the digestive system a rest.  Sip on fluids all day long.  Fresh juices are best.  Green drinks or protein powders are fine.  The last 2 days are like the first 2: raw fruits and veggies only.  I recommend fruit only in the morning and veggies after noon.  For a complete description, see “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” by James and Phyllis Balch.

Fourteen Day Plan
This allows 3 days of preparation with raw food only, and also using a bulking drink (1 T psyllium husk or other fiber such as ground flax seeds, mixed with water) three times daily, ½ hour before eating.  Next follows 5 days of liquid only: broths, fresh juices, tea, water.  You should be able to go to work and do your normal day, you will have good energy, but don’t plan extra activities.  Allow for more rest in your schedule.  If no stool is produced during the liquid-only days, an enema is strongly recommended.  Colonics are fine too if you are squeamish about giving yourself the treatment!  The last 6 days are the most important.  You will SLOWLY re-introduce foods one day at a time.  For a complete description of this plan see “The Fasting Diet” by Dr. Steven Bailey.

Twenty Day Plan
This is a slightly longer but less rigorous cleansing plan.  The rules are simply to eat foods high in beta-carotene (sweet potato, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, pumpkin, kale, winter squash) and high in Vitamin C (citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, melons, potatoes, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) for 20 days.  Additionally you will drink plenty of water between meals and snacks.  You are allowed to eat anything in moderation except for the following:
Wheat and other gluten-containing grains        
Milk and dairy products        
Eggs, meats or farmed fish        
Sugar        
Artificial sweeteners        
Alcohol        
Caffeine        
Soft drinks        
Foods containing artificial flavorings, colorants or preservatives        
High-fat foods        
Salty foods

The idea is, you will feel so good after this program that you’ll decide to eat this way for the rest of your life!  For a complete description see “The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program” by Dr. Jeffrey Bland.
Detox Super-Tool:

Skin Brushing

Brushing your skin with a long handled dry skin brush (I like Bass or Yerba Prima brushes) each morning before or instead of showering is the finest “bath” your body could ask for.  Nearly 80% of ordinary household dust is shed skin cells from the outermost layer, a completely natural process.  Brush in long firm strokes towards the heart.  I start standing next to a chair or bathtub so I can put one foot up at a time.  Brush firmly under the sole of the foot then up and all around the leg.  Repeat on the other foot and leg.  Then gently brush the hips and buttocks, which should turn a bit pink.  Brush the hands and up the arms.  Stroke the belly in a clockwise direction (to follow the flow of the colon) and up the side ribs.  Brush up under the breasts (and, ladies, be aware of the consistency of your breasts as you do this).  Brush under the chin and down the top ribs, then reach behind with the long handle and scrub the back as thoroughly as possible.  Don’t forget the shoulders.  You may want to get a small soft brush for your face.  This feels absolutely divine and is marvelous for your skin.
Detox Reactions

When you give your body a rest from the daily onslaught of processed food, elimination begins to progress immediately.  This can “stir up” toxins that have been stored in the colon or in fat cells and create a variety of reactions such as depression, headaches and fatigue.  Your skin may break out as toxins are eliminated.  Here are several ideas that can help:

1) drink more water to flush toxins through the kidneys more quickly

2) increase Vit C to up to 10 grams for tissue repair and to hasten the ridding of toxins

3) use bentonite (clay) baths to pull toxins out through the skin.  These baths may be taken twice daily: use ½  cup liquid clay in a tub of warm (not hot) water and soak for 20 minutes

4) eat steamed organic beets, which will turn your stool deep purplish.

Simple, inexpensive ($2.44) shoes for the beach would seem to have mass appeal. Unfortunately, what they have caused is mass peeling because of an as yet unidentified chemical reaction between human skin (maybe sun screen?) and the chemical composition of the sandal. The area of irritation on the tops of the feet, which you can view in the pictures below, corresponds exactly to the thong portion of the plastic sandal.  Clearly the chemical burns are linked to wearing the sandals.

Since September of this year, Walmart has reportedly sold “over a million” of these colorful plastic
Sand ‘N Sun sandals, which has been supposedly now recalled because they have burned the skin (first and second degree burns) on the feet of at least a dozen consumers.  The flip-flops were made in China.

One shopper recently reported that she presented the sandals at a Midwest location Walmart check-out register and the scanner didn’t recognize the code because the flip-flops had been recalled.  Nevertheless, the helpful cashier over-rode the blocked sale, and one more pair of nasty Chinese sandals went home with an unsuspecting consumer.  Why are these plastic sandals still even in the stores?

A Walmart representative, when questioned about this fiasco, asserted that “consumer safety is our utmost concern.”  However, there has already been a major flap this year about Chinese-made Walmart goods: not only the date-rape drug in children’s beading kits, but also toys painted with lead-laced dyes.

This is not an urban legend. Snopes has verified this report: (http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/flipflop.asp)

To view some of the feet that have been burned, here is a website that was launched in September, and which has received over 140 emails and photos from Walmart consumers similarly burned (http://www.lamanaphotography.com/walmart6.htm)

This website was launched in September by Kerry Stiles of Ocklawaha, Florida, in order to “help Walmart keep track of folks injured by their sandals.”  Walmart has asserted that it will test the flip-flops to try to determine what chemicals are responsible for the caustic irritation.  As yet, no results of such testing have been publicly announced.  Meanwhile, Ms. Stiles says she is mounting a class-action suit against Walmart.  She claims that her own feet are still “raw and tender” two full months after wearing the Sand ‘N Sun sandals twice, each time for only 10 minutes.

were invited by reporters to participate in a cutting-edge study to measure industrial chemicals in their bodies. www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/22/body.burden/index.html#cnnSTC

The parents were horrified to find that their children – a boy, then 18 months, and a five-year old girl – had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents.

The baby boy had three times the level of flame retardants in his body that’s been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats, although so far he seems fine.

The technology to test for these flame retardants – known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) – and other industrial chemicals is less than 10 years old. Environmentalists call it “body burden” testing, a reference to the chemical “burden,” or legacy of toxins, running through our bloodstream. Scientists refer to this testing as “biomonitoring.”

Many of these chemicals harm rats, but studies on humans are preliminary.  Modern-day humans are living an unnatural experiment and may be creating a monster that will never go away.

Study the following list of chemicals and help force to change “business as usual” practices in the US:

Phthalates:
Chemicals that make plastics soft and pliable.  They’re found in all kinds of plastic bottles, as well as plastic containers, kitchen wrap, soft toys and medical devices.  Phthalates are also used as solvents for fragrances, so they’re in a lot of personal care products like shampoos, conditioners, lotions, perfume, nail polish and cosmetics.  Animal studies show that phthalatesdisrupt hormone levels, causing neurological dhysfunction and reproductive defects in lab rats. Preliminary studies on humans show that phthalate exposure may be associated with genital birth defects in males as well as male infertility.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs):
Flame-retardant chemicals.  They’re found in foam products such as mattresses, couches and carpets, and in plastics such as casings for TVs, computers and othe electronics.  Animal studies show PBDEs cause liver, thyroid and neurological damage in lab rats.  Health experts worry most about PBDEs potential harm to fetuses and children under 6, but studies on human toxicity have only just begun.

Bisphenol A:
A chemical used to make plastics hard.  It’s in polycarbonate plastic products such as baby bottles, hard water bottles and food containers, as well as in the resin lining of aluminum cans and some dental sealants.  A study published in the journal Reproductive Toxicology found a link between bisphenoal A and female reproductive disorders such as cystic ovaries and cancers.  In August, an expert panel from the National Institutes of Health expressed concern that bisphenol A may harm children and adults and recommended more research be done

Perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOAs):
Chemicals used to make nonstick and stain-resistant products such as nonstick frying pans and water-resistant materials.  PFOAs have been shown to cause developmental problems and liver toxicity in lab rats.  Animal studies have caused concern among health experts about PFOAs’ toxicity to humans since they stay in the body for years at a time between exposures.  Some studies have suggested that PFOAs are human carcinogens.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs):
Chemicals used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment as well as older models of microwaves and refrigerators.  They were banned in the US in the late 1970s, but they are long-lasting compounds that persist in the environment.  The EPA calls PCBs a “probable carcinogen,” meaning they probably cause cancer.  PCBs have been associated with immunological and psychosocial problems in children, such as changes in motor skills and a decrease in short-term memory.  In adults, PCBs have been associated with rashes, acne and liver damage.

Q: I work at a keyboard and my wrists get really sore. What can I do to prevent damaging my hands and wrists? I can’t quit my job.

A: Repetitive strain injury from computer work is a wide-spread problem in this age of electronic communication. You may touch keys up to 200,000 times a day — the equivalent of your fingers walking 10 miles. Holding your wrists, hands and back STRAIGHT while keyboard walking is crucial to ongoing comfort and prevention of strains and pains. When you work with straight wrists and fingers, the nerves, muscles and tendons involved in this complex maneuvering can stay relaxed and comfortable. A straight wrist is a level, flat wrist. This position keeps excess pressure off muscles, tendons and nerves in your wrists and hands. Make sure your keyboard is set up just slightly higher than elbow level to prevent the wrists from flexing, extending or twisting unnecessarily. The ideal position for the back includes sitting straight in your chair, muscles relaxed, with your body tilted slightly back. If you lean your body forward (flexing) or too far backwards (extending), or if you slouch, your wrists and hands adapt by becoming flexed or extended too. This means that the nerves, muscles, and tendons that support your wrists and hands become tense and strained. Sit up straight, facing the computer monitor straight on. The top of the screen should be about eye level. Hold your head at a slight downward tilt to avoid straining muscles in your neck and shoulders. Touch the keys lightly. Keep your feet flat and pointed toward the workstation. This may mean placing a flat prop under your feet. Adjust your chair height and seat back so that you can touch the keyboard with straight wrists and hands. A wrist rest (like a small rolled-up towel) can help support your wrists and keep them straight. A lower back pad or pillow may help you sit up straight. A copy stand should be the same height as the screen so you don’t have to strain your neck to read what you’re typing. A telephone headset will help to keep your head upright and your body straight. NEVER hold the telephone handset by pressing it against your ear with your shoulder. The mouse pad, if you use one, should allow the mouse to float friction-free over it, requiring little effort. At any moment during the day when convenient, stretch your fingers out widely away from the palms 5 to 10 times. Also, rotate your wrists gently first in one direction, then the other, and then shake your hands out by letting them dangle from the wrists. Shake your hands first up and down, then sideways. You can also prevent build-up of tension in the upper body by reaching your arms strongly overhead for 5 seconds, then lower and relax. Repeat 5 times. Next roll your shoulders in a wide circular motion, forward five times then back five times. Get up and walk around whenever possible, and shift your gaze to a far focus – such as out the window – at least one time during an hour of working close to the screen. If you can, program your computer to beep at you at least once hourly as a reminder to take a stretch and re-focusing break. One of my favorite “head” relaxing exercises is to mouth the vowel sounds with greatly exaggerated facial gestures. A – E – I – O – U. On the “U” scrunch up your whole face toward the tip of your nose. This can be especially entertaining performed in a group… When you’re at home, try to avoid repeating the same movements you use at work. Exercise aerobically by walking or swimming. Play ball. If these suggestions don’t help your wrist pain, please see your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

• Licorice and Aconite C.; Cinnamon, Aconite and Ginger C. (Gui Zhi Fu Zi Tang): Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Qi Stagnation: Severe pain, redness and swelling, chillphobia, heat in the joints, tenderness to touch, decreased range of motion: use Cinnamon, Aconite and Ginger if less severe
• Ma Huang and Coix C. (Ma Xing Yi Gan Tang): Wind-Damp: after the acute stage, joint swelling
• Coix C. (Yi Yi Ren Tang): Xue (Blood) Stagnation: more severe: every joint swollen with painful movement, especially upper body
• Cinnamon and Anemarrhena C. (Gui Zhi Shao Yao Zhi Mu Tang): Wind-Cold Damp Bi, with warmth in joints due to localized constraint: chronic articular rheumatism with swollen and emaciated fingers, worse at night, weak constitiution, chills
• Stephania and Astragalus C. (Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang): Deformed knee joints in overweight women
• Tu huo and Vaeicum C. (Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang); Feng Shi Pian (patent): Wind-Damp Bi with Liver and Kidney Xu (Deficiency): chronic low back pain, heavy and painful sensations at fixed locations in low back and lower extremities with weakness and stiffness, aversion to cold; may be paresthesias or numbness
• Juan Bi Tang (see modifications in materia medica): Wind-Damp Bi Syndrome: early stage Bi, joint pain worse cold and better warmth
• Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (patent): in weak patients: fatigue, cold sensations, lumbago, tremor.
• Shen Rong Hu Gu Wan (patent): Chronic, with deformity and dull or no pain.
• Kang Gu Zeng Sheng Pian (patent): spinal inflammation
• Te Xiao Yao Tong Pian (Specific Lumbagalin) (patent): Bi Syndrome with Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency) causing low back pain (Zhu, p. 112)
• Clematis 19 (patent): Wind-Damp Bi Syndrome with Xue (Blood) Stagnation; plus Alisma 16 (patent) with joint swelling; plus Clerodendron 6 (patent) with Heat signs
• Bao Zhen Gao (patent plaster); Yun Xiang Jing (patent lotion): external application.

The Qi of the body travels through 12 major and two “extra” meridians. The energy of each meridian congeals in tiny “pools” along the course of the meridian which can be tapped into to move sluggish energy or draw out excess energy. These pools of Qi are where the acupoints are located. The more than 400 primary acupoints are located in very specific locations on the surface of the skin and are useful for treating not only local complaints, but tap into an organ system, an emotional state, a sensory pattern (sucy as vision or hearing) and may also have other special applications. TCM acupoints to consider for osteoarthritis,after having a thorough constitutional assessment, are located largely after the two Urinary Bladder meridians (which travels twice up and down the spine) and the Kidney meridians (running from the inner ankles, up the inside of the legs, and across the chest to just under the collarbone).

The following TCM diagnositic “patterns” relate to oesteoarthritis, and the acupoints will be chosen according to your particular diagnosis. Kidney Xu (Kidney Deficiency); Jing Xu (Essence Deficiency); Liver Xu (Liver Deficiency); Qi Xu (Qi, or “vital force”, Deficiency) with Qi Stagnation; Xue (Blood) Stagnation; Wind-Damp Bi; dysfunction of the Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel). Moxibustion (”moxa”) applied above the specific site of pain or discomfort works well in treating oesteoarthritis. With instruction from your TCM doctor or acupuncturist, this is something you can effectively do at home. Moxa or needling on points at or around the joints are often used to treat oesteoarthritis. Expect your acupuncturist to choose points around your knees, elbows, wrists, ankles according to your particular symptoms and personality. You are a unique individual; and so your treatment plan should be individualized for you!

There are over 100 different types of “arthritis” that affect people of all ages. If you have arthritis, it’s important to get a correct diagnosis because treatments vary for each type. The most common type of arthritis (7% of the population) is osteoarthritis, whose cause is probably wear-and-tear of the large, weight-bearing joints. Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disese, “DJD”) seems to be related to certain types of occupational stress, possibly to injuries, to heredity, and to being overweight. One percent of the U.S. population suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which is thought to be a hereditary, auto-immune disease and affects primarily the smaller joints of the hands and feet. Other kinds of arthritis include infectious arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus), Lyme disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, fibromyalgia, juvenile arthritis, etc.

Early warning signs of various arthritic diseases are:

1. Swelling in one or more joints
2. Early morning stiffness
3. Recurring pain or tenderness in any joint
4. Inability to move a joint normally
5. Obvious redness and warmth in a joint
6. Unexplained weight loss, fever or weakness combined with joint pain
7. Symptoms like these persisting for more than two weeks

The conventional medical establishment “treats” arthritis with anti-inflammatory drugs, from non-steroidals (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen, to hormone-like steroidal drugs such as cortisone and prednisone. Aspirin is quite effective in releiving both the pain and the inflammation of many arthritic diseases, and is inexpensive. However, since the therapeutic dose is high, toxicity often occurs, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and gastric irritation. Other non-steroidals can work well initially also, where aspirin is not tolerated, but also have unpleasant side-effects such as gastrointestinal upset, headaches and dizziness. One side effect of aspirin and other NSAIDs that is often not mentioned is their inhibition of cartilage repair and acceleration of cartilage destruction in experimental studies. Since many arthritic diseases involve degeneration of cartilage it appears that while NSAIDs are fairly effective in suppressing the symptoms, they possibly worsen the condition by inhibiting cartilage formation and accelerating cartilage destruction.

If these conservative treatments don’t work, more aggressive tactics are available. Gold salt injections, for example, help about 60% of patients, but one-third of these experience severe side-effects. The last resort is surgical joint replacement.

Naturopathic treatments emphasize prevention. For example, many early sufferers of arthritis experience significiant reduction in symptoms by avoiding caffeine, alcohol, strong spices including salt, refined sugar, refined flour, red meat, dairy products and the “nightshade” vegetables. The “nightshades” (or Solanacea) are eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and tobacco. If total “abstinence” from the food products is impossible, minimizing consumption is certainly a good second best.

Rest, relaxation and adequate sleep are key in preserving the quality of your life despite arthritis. Arthritis is most often a systemic problem, and is thus often accompanied by a low grade fever and fatigue.

Exercise, particularly non-weight bearing exercise such as swimming, is crucial. Daily gentle aerobics along with range-of-motion (ROM) work, such as stretching, and strengthening and endurance exercises help offset fatigue as well as maximizing joint function.

Infectious arthritis is quite common and most be investigated with any arthritic presentation. A strep or proteus infection can be treated with a course of antibiotics quite effectively. Make sure your doctor does tests to rule-out these causes.

Which leads into the importance of being an active partner with your doctor in caring for your arthritis. Learn about your type of arthritis; write down question as they arise, then ask the doctor at your visit. Get written information about your specific type of arthritis from your doctor, and find out about support groups, especially exercise support groups. Follow the doctor’s advice; finding the right treatment may take time, and will certainly require patience. Beware of miracle cure treatments.

Keep doing the exercises and keep taking the recommended medications, be they allopathic or traditional. You will have “good” and “bad” days nevertheless. Generally it is best to exercise during the times of the day in which you typically have the least amount of pain. Exercise in a smooth, steady rythm.

Daily home treatments such as maintaining good posture, talking about your feelings, balancing work with rest and using hot/cold compresses will all provide not only immediate, but long-term relief. The idea with the alternating hot and cold wrung-out towels is that the hot promotes blood flow to the area, and the cold constricts the local vessels, thus shunting the blood away, allowing for fresh blood to pour in, in effect creating a local “pump.” It is best to use 2 minutes of very hot (not burning) followed by 30 seconds of ICE cold, and repeat at least three times. Always end with cold.

Traditional medical remedies include all the flavone-containing plants, particularly blueberries, blackberries and hawthorne berries. The bioflavonoids inhibit a natural irritant, and by-product of protein metabolism, called hyaluronic acid.

Dr. Bastyr recommends avoiding carbonated drinks, and drinking plain water 10 minutes before meals, but not during or after meals, so as not to compromise the potency of the stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Topical applications of fresh comfrey leaves, or castor oil, or hot paraffin, or epsom salts, or cayenne pepper, camphor, aconite and wintergreen oil all have significant therapeutic benefits. There is also a famous “Formula A” make of equal parts devil’s claw, yucca and chaparral.

Some people find great relief from homeopathic remedies, in particular Rhus tox, Metorrhimun, Bryonia, Causticum, Ledum, Pulsatilla, Sanguinaria, Arnica and Calc. carb. Make sure your Calcium, Magnesiu, Potassium and Sodium are balanced; and beware of decrease stomach acid, which is quite common in arthritis patients.

Fragments of undigested food passing into the blood and settling in the joints may well be a cause of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, and is certainly the cause of gout. So-called anti-oxidants such as Vitamins C, E and A, selenium and zinc are important to minimize tissue damage throughout. A very powerful antioxidant (“free radical scavenger”) called super-oxide dismutase (SOD), injected, is supposed to work as well as injected gold salts, without nearly the incidence of side effects. It can be obtained from local veterinarians.

Last but not least is meditation, biofeedback, mental imagery, positive thinking all help effect the immune system via the endocrine system by way of the nervous system. The field of knowledge that supports such reasoning is the fascinating and promising field of psychoneuroimmunology. A big word to say that not only are you what you eat, but also what you think.

A toll-free number for basic information on arthritis, or finding your local Arthritis Foundation chapter is 1-800-542-0295.

General References

• Arthritis Foundation, Washington State Chapter, various brochures, 100 South King St., Suite 300, Seattle WA 98104
• class notes, Bastyr College of Natural Health Sciences, Seattle, WA, 1990-92.
• Merck Manual, 15th Edition
• Murray, M and Pizzorno, J “Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine,” Prima Publishing, Rocklin CA 1990