What is rheumatism and what causes rheumatism

Rheumatism are a group of chronic diseases in the joints, tendons and the muscular system. By rheumatic ailments normal tissue is destroyed, the afflicted area will also often be red, warm and swallen, and there will be chronic ache or pain. There is also often some proliferation of abnormal tissue, making the afflicted areas permanently swallen and more or less deformed.

The rheumatic conditions can be grouped in three groups based on the causes and the type of disease process.

- In the largest group, inflammation is the basic process. The inflammation in this group is usually caused by an auto-immune process, and not by an infection in the joints or muscles. An infection somewhere in the body can however release substances that bind to the joints and there trigger an immune response, and thus cause such a disease to begin. The inflammation can then in turn make tissues grow outside their limits and deforme joints, tendons and muscles.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most well-known disease in this group. Anchylosing pondylosis, an inflammatory process of the spinal verebrae and of the discs between the vertebrae, is another exmple. Systemic Lupus eruthematosus is a rheumatic disease giving inflammation in joint structures throughout the body and also inflammatory reactions in nearly any organ system.

Inflammatory rheumatoid diseases can not allways be clearly classified. Often people suffer from conditions that look like blendings of several diseases.

Often by arthritis and sometimes by other inflammatory rheumatoid diseases there is a substance in the blood called rheumatoid factor. This substace is an antibody that is directed at other antibodies in the blood, especially directed ay IgG type antibodies. The autoinflammatory condition makes the immune system produce abtibodies against own tissue. These antibodies can then be detected as something alien to the body by the immune system, and the immune system can then also make antibodies against the antibodies of the abnormal autoimmune responce.

Sometimes by arthritis and other rheumatic diseases there is a accumulation of protein waste between the cells in many tisues, so-called amyloid, complicating the disease. The condition is called amyloidosis. The amyloid seems to accumulate within cells at first. Then the cell full of amyloid dies, and mostly dissolves, but the amyloid remains and disturbes the structure of the tissue.

- In the second group the joints, tendons or muscles are destructed by wearage. Tissues in joints, bones and muscles can be injured if they are subjected to exaggerated daily impacts during sport or work. If the tissues for some reaon also have impaired repair processes, the injuries by the dayly wearage wil be even greater.

Osteoarthritis, a wearage and break-down of the joints in the limbs, is an example of this group of diseases.

- In the third group a chronic infection in the joints is the basic process. The infection makles the joints inflamed and makes them morer esily susceptible for daily wearage.

Inflammation in the joints will make the joints swallen. The joints can be red and feel warm. The swelling will in the accute face be made of extra tissue fluid assambled in the joints. When the inflammation gets chronic, the tissues wil begin to grow abnormally and exaggeratedly. The abnormal growth can in extreme cases even resamble the growth of cancers.

The inflammatory reaction is seldome confined to only the muscles and joints, but often other organs are affected to some degree also, or inflammatory disease in other organs occur simultanously, for example in the intestines, the kidneys or the heart.

The exact process and causes by inflammatory theumatic diseases will be different for the different types of rheumatic diseases. There are however some common causing factors, or factors aggraviating the condition.

Some types of food tend to increase inflammatory reactions and thus aggreviate rheumatic disease. Oils containing omega-6-poly-unsaturaed fatty acids are among these, like soy oil or corn oil. Too high consume of ceraeals, and especially wheat also trigger inflammation. Altered fatty acids, trans-fat, are among the worst triggers of inflammation.

Infections that are not necessary serious themselves, can sometimes trigger auto-immune reactions, and thus cause rheumatism. This may occure because substances produced by the bacteria fixes to the tissue in muscles and joints, and cause the immune system to react against the points where these substancs are fastened. It may also occur if substances produced by bacteria are so similar to components of the own tissue that the immune system gets confused.

Problems in the joints, tendons and especially muscles can also be caused by neurological conditions. Such conditions can cause pain and partly or totally paralysis. Examples of this is carpal tunnel syndrome where nerves get squeesed because of inflammation or wearing in surrounding tissues and restless leg syndrome where sensorial dysfunction causes an unresistable urge to moove or directly automatic cramps and movements.

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Dietary advices to help for rheumatic conditions

Things you should consume: You must have a great enough consume of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids, since these fatty acids reduce inflammation and thereby alleviate rheumatic diseases.

Fish, especially fat fish, seafood, fish oils and flax seed oil contain omega-3-polyunsaturated fat, and you should use much of these food types.

Also omega-9 mono-usaturated acids are good at reducing inflammatory processes, and they are good for the heart and blood circulation. Food types you should use to get these fatty acids are: Olives, olive oil, rape oil, canola oil and almonds.

If you add the listed oils to your diet, you should reduce the intake of other types of fat, so that you do not get too much fat.

You should also eat much vegetables, since also these make a body chemistry that reduce inflammation.


Things you should not over-consume

Some types of fatty acids are necessary in the diet, but nevertheless tend to increase inflammatory processes in the body, namely the omega-6 poly-unsaturated acids. You should avoid consuming too much of food with a high content of these fatty acids.

Many common oils contain very much of these acids. Oil types you should avoid consuming in great amounts because of a high content of omega-6 fat are: Soy oil, corn oil and sunflower oil.

Most food you buy that is ready to eat from the factory or restaurant contain these types of fat. You should therefore reduce the consumption of food you do not cook yourself.

Sunflower seeds and most nut types contain omega-6-oils. Sunflower seeds and nuts should absolutely be a part of your diet, but do not over-consume them.

Bread, cereals and products made of corn or cereals also increase the inflammation response, especially if they contain wheat. Wheat causes a special type of inflammation in the intestines called celiac disease in some individuals, but may also trigger inflammation of non-celiac type. However, full-corn cereals and full-corn bread are valuable types of food, so you should not stop eating them. But if you eat bread or corn products at every meal, you should reduce your intake of these and eat more potatos, beans and peas.


Things you should avoid

You should aviod chemically altered fat. This type of fat has a very negative effect on the health and may be very potent inflamatory agents. Margarine, snacks, fast food and ready made cakes or cookies often contain this kind of fat. Unfortunately this type of fat is also often added to bread. A good idea could be to bake your bread yourself.

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Herbs and natural substances that help for rheumatic diseases

Here are listed some herbs that help against rheumatic diseases. Some of these herbs alleviate inflammation, others stimulate tissue healing. The products presented above contain one or more of these herbs as ingredients.

BioCell Collagen Type II™ - This is a protein that gives important building blocks used to restore the normal structure of the joints.

Boron - This element is found natyrally in the structure of joints and help to give the joints their normal physical structure.

Condoirine sulphate - This is a structural component in joints and tendons. A supplement of this substance may help to rebuild damaged joint structires.

Copper - This element has shown to counteract inflammation.

Glucosamine HCI - This sugar-like compund has shown to reduce pain by osteoarthritis and to help joints restore their natura structure and lubrication.

Hyaluronic acid - This is a structural component in joints and tendons. A supplement of this substance may help to rebuild damage joint structires.

Methylsulfonyl Methane (MSM) - This component contains sulphure that is used as a building block in the structure of joints and tendonms, and thus helps to restore normal joint structure.

Boswellia Serratat - This hebs alleviate inflammation. The ingredient in the herb, boswellic acid, reduces production of enzymes that are effectors in the inflammation process.

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) - This is a moemga-6-fatty acid that helsp to alleviate inflammation and auto-ommune responses. This is one of very few omega-6-acids having this property. Most omega-6-acids increase inflammatory processes. GLA is under research as an anti-cancer agent that can suppress metastais. This property may be of importance also by rheumatic diseases, since also by these diseases tissue often grow past their natural borders.

Omega-3- fatty acids. Omega-3-fatty acids tend to alleviate inflammation. You find such acids in Fish, especially fat fish, seafood, fish oils and flax seed oil

Ginger - This herb stimulate the restoration of normal structure in damage joints, as by osteoarthritis.

Cat's Claw - This herb reduces inflammation, reduces excessive storage of water in the tissues and thereby reduces tissue swelling. Active ingredients is a group of glycosides.

Tumeric - Turmeric counteracts inflammation and by means of anti-oxydants counteract damage of jopint structures.

Grape Seed Ext -Turmeric counteracts inflammation and by means of anti-oxydants counteract the action of certain components in the inflammatory process.

Valerian root (Valeriane officinalis) - Valeria can help to relieve crams in muscles. It can also be helpful against restlessness, poor sleep and anxiety.

Vitamins B3 and C - These vitamins has shown to counteract reduction of the structures in the joints by rheumatic processes, to reduce pain and increase range of motion.

Vitamin B5 - Pantothenic acid. A study has swown that people having severe arthriotis have low levels of vitamin B5. This vitamine also stimulate tissue regenereation.

Zink - People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis often show to lack zink in their tissues. Zink is also imprtant for the regeneration of damaged tissues.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is nutritional in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.