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What makes rheumatoid arthritis different from other forms of arthritis? - Guest Post Excerpt

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I was going to write an article about me and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) which I probably will still do but more from the point of view of my experiences. As far as talking about RA and utilizing natural supplements and what we eat to help with it my friend Renee Sullivan wrote a fantastic article much better than anything I could write :). So I thought I would just share her article with you, my favorite parts that is and you can read her full article HERE. If you don't know what rheumatoid arthritis is Renee provides a very detailed description of it and as one who suffers from it I know she is bang on. I'm including below from Renee's article the natural treatment options but she has even more great advice on her article including the best foods to eat and those not to eat.

I've included a picture of blueberries as along with wild salmon it's a great food for those with RA to consume. It just so happens I love salmon and blueberries too just not together 🙂

There are natural treatment options

Typically, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers have been given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat the pain and inflammation. However, high doses of these drugs are associated with side effects such as peptic ulcers, easy bleeding and bruising, ringing in the ears and fluid retention. Many patients do not want those side effects. There is a more natural treatment option. A one-year, placebo-controlled trial conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, focused on 56 patients between the ages of 18 and 90 with active rheumatoid arthritis. They were given 28 grams of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) per day. For six months the patients were randomized to treatment groups; for the following six months all patients were given GLA. GLA is an essential fatty acid found in plant seed oils, such as evening primrose and borage seed oil.

GLA has been found to control acute and chronic inflammation, including arthritis, in several animal studies. For both six- month periods, treatment with GLA  significantly reduced rheumatoid  arthritis symptoms. Measurements of improvement were based on a physician’s overall assessment of the disease,the patient’s pain assessment, the number of joints with tenderness or pain, the number of swollen joints, duration of morning stiffness and grip strength.  The researchers concluded that GLA at doses used in this study is a  well- tolerated and effective treatment for active rheumatoid arthritis.

However, GLA is typically taken in doses much lower than what was used in the study. The authors recommend further controlled studies on GLA’s effectiveness in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

From Michelle:

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I highly recommend that before buying a GLA supplement that you research the company and how they produce their products, you don't want something that has been made synthetically and not naturally this does make a BIG difference. Remember we're talking about  natural treatment options not synthetic and sadly many supplements out there are not natural. I personally recommend the Shaklee GLA complex it is made naturally and I love Shaklee products. This is why I have switched over getting my supplements from "health food" stores to Shaklee. I don't say this because I'm trying to "sell" you I say it because I believe it. If you're looking for a healthy option food wise you can try out my super smoothie recipes found HERE. Leave a comment and let me know what you think and what you recommend for helping those who suffer from RA as it is obviously a topic I'm keenly interested in.

If you'd like to check out more Shaklee products feel free to go to my website HERE and/or leave me a comment below with any questions you might have. I am more than happy to answer any questions you have on supplements, nutrition etc.. if I can 🙂

By on June 18th, 2012

About Powered by Mom

I’m Michelle aka Powered by Mom. I’m married with one daughter, my hubby was my high school sweetheart, our two dogs Nyx and Cleo and our cat Oliver. As you can see we’re a family of animal lovers. We love to travel when we can, try different food and activities all over the world and enjoy being together. My passions are writing, travelling, creating new recipes, encouraging people to adopt not shop and just to enjoy life while we can.

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3 thoughts on “What makes rheumatoid arthritis different from other forms of arthritis? - Guest Post Excerpt”

  1. Michelle,
    I was inspired by you to write this article, so I am tickled that you approve! I really appreciate you putting this information out there. I sincerely hope it helps people who are suffering. Applied knowledge is power!
    Renee

    Reply

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