The Surprising Link Between Arthritis and These 9 Common Foods

Are we really "what we eat"? 

Things that seem normal for us to eat – hamburgers, pie, french fries, beer, soda, and potato chips – can be related to your hip problem or your neck pain.  

Contrary to what most MD’s will tell you, arthritis is not an incurable, life-long thing you have to suffer with.  I’ve seen hundreds of people reverse chronic arthritis pain and get off or drastically reduce their medication.  

CAUSES OF INFLAMMATION

Arthritis comes from an inflammatory response in your body. But inflammation is not the enemy.  

Inflammation is a blessing in disguise. It's a rush of blood cells sent to an area that needs help.  Think of it as the fire department and EMS showing up at an emergency.   

Along the same lines, surgery to reduce inflammation is only a temporary solution, at best. 

Your genius body creates inflammation to protect itself from something it views as a danger.  (Gee, thanks, body!)

We don't want to create more inflammation than necessary.  It IS necessary to have it after an injury.  Inflammation is what creates a scab or swelling in your lymph nodes that indicates your body is healing.  

But if doing something regularly is causing inflammation, maybe we should just, you know, not do that thing.  

There are several potential causes of inflammation:

1. food sensitivities (or a lack of specific nutrients) 
2. injuries or scar tissue from old injuries 
3. environmental toxins (junk food, radiation from cell phones and bluetooth technology, personal care products and cleaners, food chemicals like preservatives and fake flavors and colors, pesticides, smoke, medications, mercury from dental work or seafood, etc.)
4. emotional stress (via trauma or low-grade continual stress)
5. pathogens (parasites, viruses, fungi, bacteria, etc.)

AVOID THESE INFLAMMATORY FOODS:

Certain foods will almost definitely stir up more inflammation than necessary.  Do the best you can do reduce, and possibly eventually eliminate them from your diet.  

1. White sugar and products that contain them.  I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about here.  If not, start reading labels on your food.  Anything listed as “glucose,” “fructose,” “sucrose,” “lactose,” “dextrose,” “maltose,” “caramel,” “levulose,” or “candy” is sugar.  

2. Fake sugar.  They're just as bad as real sugar, if not worse, because they're not even real food!  They're made in a laboratory.  Humans are not set up to digest these non-foods.  These include “aspartame,” “saccharine,” “sucralose,” “acesulfame K,” “sugar substitute,” “sweetening agent,” etc.  Basically, if you don’t know what it is – DON’T EAT IT.  

3. All fake foods.  This is worse than “fake news”!  If you don’t know where these “benzoates,” “nitrates,” or “sulfites” are coming from, DON’T EAT IT.  

4. Drinks* that are not just regular, old water, herbal tea, or regular coffee.  If a beverage has 10 other ingredients in it, or tons of sugar, you don’t need it.  It’s causing more problems than you need.  Just drink water / tea / coffee.  Your grandparents’ grandparents did that, and they were just fine.  (*alcohol is it’s own separate category; see below)

5. White flour products.  This includes most fast food (pizza crust, buns for hamburgers and hotdogs, crackers, cookies, cakes, pies, white tortillas, white bread) and cheap food.  There’s virtually ZERO health benefits from this food.  Instead, opt for the other 999,999 foods available in the world – whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, etc. 

 6. Highly processed oils.  The more steps it takes something to make it to your pantry from nature, the less healthy it is for you.  Processed oils include trans-fatty acids like “margarine,” “shortening,” “Crisco,” “hydrogenated oils.”  Stay away from fried food and baked goods of "unknown origin."  

Even though our food supply and delivery system hasn’t quite caught up with the concept of “healthy eating” yet, vote for healthy food WITH YOUR DOLLARS.  Don’t buy junk; don’t eat junk.  This is my personal “JUST SAY NO” campaign.  Friends don’t let friends eat junk.

FOODS TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT EATING   

Some foods are 100% guaranteed to cause inflammation.  Other foods MAY cause inflammation, in some people, at some times.  Also, these are foods more likely to be food sensitivities or allergies.  Or you may be tempted to over-indulge in them.   

1. Alcohol – put this one in the “moderation is key” category.  And of course, some people should just avoid alcohol altogether too.  

2. Processed meat – meat by itself is not a bad food. I eat meat almost every day!  It’s about the QUALITY of the meat and the QUANTITY.  Stay away from heavily salted meat, especially when preserved with different types of “sodium” as opposed to regular, old sea salt.  

3. Vegetable oils – some vegetable oils are fine, as long as they're not rancid or over-heated.  Most of us eat too much veggie oil – soybean oil, canola oil, etc.  They’re omega 6 oils. Ideally, we eat twice as many Omega 3s as 6s.  Most Americans eat 15x more omega 6 oils.  Just read the ingredients on the bag of chips in your pantry and you’ll see what I’m saying.  Almost all processed foods are full of veg oils. 

20 SUPERFOODS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 

Some foods potentially cause inflammation, but there are others that have been proven to help reduce inflammation.  

Foods such as whey protein, beets, garlic, carrot, kale and the herb turmeric activate what’s known as the NRF2 pathway in your Liver which enhances its detoxification ability.  This way, toxins leave the bloodstream. Red clover, dandelion leaf, milk thistle, and burdock root also detoxify your liver and purify your blood, leaving you with clearer skin, regulated blood sugars, and reduced swelling.    

Juniper berry, in small doses, reduces pain and eases emotional stress.  Cayenne pepper is another natural pain reliever.  

Cordyceps Sinensis, a type of mushroom, improves respiratory health, increases oxygen uptake, boosts heart health, detoxifies the body, and prevents certain types of cancer. It slows the aging process, increases energy, and improves the immune system.

Collinsonia root improves microcirculation, reduces varicosities, and even heals hemorrhoids quite well.  

Spanish black radish is an amazing food:  it expels congestion, detoxifies your blood and liver, regulates blood pressure, and prevents constipation. Black radish is also believed to aid weight loss and reduce cholesterol levels.

Barley grass is a perfect vitamin source for vegans.  It even has iron and B12.  Chlorophyll from barley helps to heal your internal organs as well.  

Grapeseed oil is a strong fat-soluble antioxidant.  This helps reverse damage to your cells and prevent future damage.  

Herbs such as Boswellia (frankincense) and Ginger have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine systems as pain relievers.  

Black currant seed oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). GLA has been used for years for its natural inflammatory response support; this fatty acid is also important for the absorption of Boswellia for reducing pain and improving circulation.  

10 DAY INFLAMMATION-REDUCING CLEANSE

So, what can you do about inflammation?  I would start with the basics, which includes what you’re consuming on a regular basis.  This is the foundation of your whole health.  Food.  Get this area right, and other natural therapies that reduce inflammation like acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage will work so much better.

To jump-start healthy eating and feeling less tension in your body, I recommend the Standard Process 10-Day Healthy Inflammation Response cleanse.   It’s like a reset button for your body.  Gives you a fresh start.  

Don’t worry:  you eat during this cleanse.  You actually will eat a lot – of vegetables.  Plus, you’ll still have some proteins and small portions of healthy fats and fruit.  If this information is making you want to close this computer tab, listen up:  we will help you come up with ideas and solutions.  

You can do this!  We are here to help you through this.  

• We do a consultation before the cleanse to make sure you’re ready;
• we’re there for you during the cleanse to troubleshoot or answer questions, and
• we help you transition to a permanent healthy diet after.  

The cleanse also includes whey (or pea) protein powder supplements; you’ll really have more than enough food during this cleanse, I promise!  Another crucial part of the cleanse is the nutritional supplements listed above.  All of the 20 superfoods listed above are in the cleanse package in supplement form, plus other ones not listed, that all assist with body purification and inflammation reduction.  

After the cleanse, we help you come up with a long-term eating plan that will incorporate what you learned about nutrition through the cleanse, but it won’t be nearly as restrictive.  You’ll still be able to have fun at parties and eat at restaurants and on trips.  Long-term nutrition plans should be relatively easy, fit your lifestyle, and support your health.  

What others are saying about the cleanse:

Great for Athletes

“For the most part, I have been a very healthy person. I’ve been running for about 12 years now, and eat very healthy. I haven’t had a weight issue, as I’m 6ft and weighed 168 at the time of start of the cleanse. My purpose was purely experimental, to see if the claims of the product were true.  Overall, I was able to get long-lasting energy throughout the day. Usually, I would start to crash around lunchtime, and take a quick 20-30 min nap between classes. After the cleanse I wasn’t taking naps. I wasn’t going for weight loss, but it helped me cut out some of the fat that I had, which helped me with racing, but someone with weight problems this can really help.  My mental clarity improved drastically. I was having more productive study sessions, and not having my mind wander during class during the long days.”

Nutritionist Recommended

“This is a wonderful product. My husband and I do it every January, and I recommend it to all the clients that I counsel on nutrition. My husband and I are both 60, take ZERO prescriptions, and no one can believe we have four grandchildren. Compared to: husband taking two prescriptions, and me being four sizes larger when we started two years ago.”

Sleep Restored

“On day two of the cleanse, I couldn’t get over how great I felt. I had actually slept through the night, which was a HUGE feat for me because I suffer from insomnia. My insomnia was so bad at one point I was only sleeping 45 minutes in a night. As the days progressed it got easier and easier and I was feeling good. The biggest benefit I had from the program was getting rid of insomnia. Not only did I sleep through the night it was very restful sleep, which I hadn’t experienced in years. My clothes started to get looser on me and I knew I was losing inches, which was an added benefit to the program. Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone who is considering it.”

No More Ibuprofen!

“Prior to (the cleanse), I was taking 2-3 ibuprofen pills per day, experiencing erratic sleep, morning aches/pains and gaining weight.  After the purification program, I am 25 pounds lighter, free from taking ibuprofen and sleeping better. I’ve improved my awareness about which foods were affecting my health.”

In the Long-Run, Cost Effective

“I’ve come to the conclusion that in the end, I’m actually saving money. Yes, up front the groceries themselves are more expensive, however, that doesn’t count for a) the processed groceries I’m now NOT buying (sodas, crackers, cereals, etc.) b) the Kleenex and Ibuprofen I no longer need and c) the walk around money that used to fly out of my wallet for the odd soda, pretzel here or there not to mention lunches from the food court. I just realized that I had marked down an ATM withdrawal last Thursday in my checkbook because I only had a few bucks on hand and I didn’t actually take the money out until today. That was unheard of before I started this.”