Rheumatoid
Arthritis Medication Implicated in Death of Popular Musician and many more!
As noted in a recent New York Times article, "drug
overdosese are driving up the death rate of young white adults in the United
States to levels not seen since the end of the AIDS epidemic more than two
decades ago." Between 1999 and
2014, the rate of drug overdose deaths for Caucasians between the ages of 25
and 34 rose by 500 percent. The overdose rate for 35 to 44-year olds tripled.
Rheumatoid
Arthritis Medication Implicated in Glenn Frey's Death
As you may have heard, Glenn Frey, from the Eagles, recently
died from complications from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), acute ulcerative
colitis and pneumonia. He was 67.
"The colitis and pneumonia were side effects from all
the meds. He died from complications of [ulcerative colitis] after being
treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over 15
years."
Indeed, the drugs
commonly prescribed for RA are among the most dangerous on the market.
These include prednisone,
TNF-alpha inhibitors (sold under brand names such as Humira, Enbrel, and
Remicade. Side effects of these drugs include infection and an increased risk for
cancer), and harsh anti-cancer drugs like methotrexate.
Chronic use of
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and analgesics like Tylenol
can also result in life-threatening liver and/or kidney damage. Acetaminophen is
actually the number one cause of acute liver failure.
RA affects about 1 percent
of the world's population. Some level of disability occurs in 50 to 70 percent of people within 5 years
after onset of the disease, and half will stop working within 10 years.
Unlike the far more common degenerative joint disease
osteoarthritis (OA or DJD), it can lead to crippling and painful joint deformities and,
as mentioned, can be fatal. Women tend to be disproportionally affected by the
disease.
One of the hallmark symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is pain in your hands and/or feet. It
tends to affect the proximal joints more
so than the distal ones, i.e. the joints closest to your palm, for example,
opposed to the joints further out in the fingers.
At the root of RA you find chronic inflammation — a side effect of a diet too high in
processed fructose and other sugars. So while less than 1 percent of
people with RA experience spontaneous remission, that does not mean the disease
cannot be successfully treated.
RA Sufferers Must
Cut Down on Sugars
If you have RA (or
any other chronic ailment rooted in inflammation, such as diabetes, heart
disease, and cancer, just to name a few), addressing your diet is an important first step to
facilitate healing. Eating a diet of REAL FOOD (ideally organic) is one of
the most important first steps to help suppress painful inflammation. Processed
foods and sugary (including artificially sweetened) beverages should be avoided
as much as possible.
Eliminating grains,
especially gluten-containing ones, can also be helpful. This may be
particularly true if you have certain genetic factors. Those of Scottish-Irish decent, as well as
those with a family history of autoimmune problems such as multiple sclerosis
(MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), may be at higher risk of wheat
and gluten intolerance.
That said, most grains, fructose and other sugars feed
inflammation regardless of your genetic disposition, and you need to be very
careful about NOT adding fuel to that fire. A 2014 study published in
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition specifically links RA with
soda consumption.
How Gut Microbes
Impact Rheumatoid Arthritis
Gut health plays an
important role in RA. Sugar feeds pathogenic microorganisms in your gut,
and once your intestinal flora becomes unbalanced, you end up with a ripple
effect of detrimental health impacts — one of which is immune system dysfunction and
out-of-control inflammation. In addition to cutting out sugar from your
diet,
adding fermented foods and/or taking a high quality probiotic will help nourish
healthy gut flora.
Safer Pain
Relievers
Most conventional rheumatologists have few remedies in their
toolbox besides toxic drugs. While these can help relieve symptoms, they do
absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause of the disease, which
continues to ravage your body. What's worse, many of these drugs can cause more
problems than they solve, and some of the more toxic ones can easily shave well
over a decade off your lifespan.
That said, pain control is an important aspect of
treating RA. If pain is not addressed, you may enter a depressive
cycle that can worsen your immune function and cause RA flare-ups. If
you opt for a drug, be sure to use the safest ones, and only when necessary —
with the goal of eventually managing your pain without medications. More
long-lasting relief will be achieved once you start targeting the inflammation, which is the underlying cause of the pain.
Among pain
relieving drugs, some of the safest ones are as follows:
Medical cannabis. One of the strongest areas of research
regarding marijuana's health benefits pertains to pain. In 2010, the Center for
Medical Cannabis Research released a report on 14 clinical studies (most of
which were FDA-approved, double-blind and placebo-controlled) on the use of
marijuana for pain.
The studies revealed that marijuana not only controls pain,
but in some cases it did so better than available alternatives.
Non-acetylated salicylates,
such as salsalate, sodium salicylate, and magnesium salicylate (i.e. Salflex,
Disalcid, or Trilisate)
Key Elements of a
Natural Treatment Protocol
The sooner you start incorporating more natural treatments
and reduce your reliance on drugs, the better. Just remember to be patient. If
you have severe RA, it may take up to three years to
reach full remission. Consistency and commitment is also necessary, and
the dietary changes are an absolutely essential component, so please do not
take them lightly.
Eat REAL food;
unprocessed, organic, and locally grown if possible. Eat your food as close to
raw as possible. Vegetable juicing is also highly recommended.
Eliminate processed foods and
other sources of refined sugar/processed fructose, along with most grains. For
most people it would be best to limit fruit to small quantities. If you're unable to decrease your sugar
intake, your chances of recovery are slim.
Optimize your gut flora by
consuming naturally fermented vegetables and/or a high potency probiotic supplement;
work your way up to 4 to 6 ounces per day of fermented veggies.
Also be sure to get plenty of high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. Krill oil seems to be
particularly helpful as it appears to be a more effective anti-inflammatory
preparation than regular fish oil. It's
particularly effective if taken concurrently with astaxanthin, which is a potent
antioxidant bioflavanoid derived from algae.
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Naltrexone is a pharmacologically active
opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug and alcohol addiction.
However, in very small doses, it is inexpensive, non-toxic, and has
immunomodulating properties widely reported by physicians as effective in
getting people off of dangerous arthritis medications.
Astaxanthin A powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant
with very powerful pain control properties. In one study, RA sufferers
experienced a 35 percent improvement in pain levels, as well as a 40 percent
improvement in their ability to perform daily activities, after only eight
weeks on astaxanthin. Astaxanthin
at 4 mg per day is particularly useful for anyone placed on prednisone because
it offers potent protection against cataracts and age related macular
degeneration.
Vitamin D Vitamin D deficiency is strongly
associated with the development of RA. Ideally, you'll want to get regular and
appropriate sun exposure, or take an oral D3 supplement, and closely monitor
your levels to assure you maintain your level within the therapeutic range of
40 to 60 ng/ml year-round.
Vitamin D also helps
improve and regulate your immune system and fight infections.
Exercise Regular exercise is critical if
you want to prevent functional decline from arthritis. RA can lead to diminished
muscle mass and reduced strength that can be as debilitating as the physical
damage to your joints. Just be careful not to overdo it, and take care with
inflamed joints, icing them when necessary before and after exercise.
Curcumin (turmeric) Curcumin has been shown to be effective
against acute and chronic pain and is best known for its potent anti-inflammatory
properties; inhibits inflammatory enzymes and blocks inflammation pathways;
shown to influence more than 700 genes.
Boswellia Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," boswellia is another herb
found to be particularly useful against
arthritic pain and inflammation.
Ginger Exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and can
offer pain relief. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or
grated into vegetable juice. In
addition to pain relief, the study found that some of the phytochemical
constituents of ginger can help stop
RA-induced bone destruction.
EFT Lingering emotional trauma is pervasive
in people with RA. One of my favorite tools for addressing this is EFT
(Emotional Freedom Techniques), which has been described as "acupuncture
without needles." Although EFT is
something you can learn to do yourself in the comfort of your own home, you may
want to employ the help of a well-trained professional.
Your Natural approach should include a range of activities,
including weight training, high intensity exercises, cardio, stretching and
core work. Walking and swimming are also excellent (if you have access to a
chlorine free pool), as are practices like yoga and tai chi.
