Would you believe doctor’s recommend a good diet and exercise. Seems to be a recurrent theme with all our ailments! Be careful with the exercise though, jogging for example can jar the knees and hips. Most gyms have low impact cardio equipment such as bikes and cross-trainers. So, if you think pounding the tread mill is doing more harm than good, get on your bike!

Rheumatoid arthritis has been linked to food allergy or intolerance. If you suspect this is the cause of your condition then you need to follow an exclusion diet to pinpoint the allergen(s). Your GP should be able to give advice on this and there are medical sites, which will help. The usual suspects are wheat and dairy products, but there are others, such as soya and citrus fruits.

A word of warning though on reading articles and accepting their advice about which foods you should exclude from your diet. For example the nightshade family of foods: potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine and peppers are often quoted. By all means experiment and see if your symptoms improve by eliminating them for a short period, but it seems extreme to remove foods supplying important nutrients, without knowing for sure they are a problem for you. It also seems an irony to suggest removing peppers, given cayenne pepper is often recommended as an aid to reducing inflammation in joint conditions.

Green lipped mussels, fish oils and Evening Primrose oil are widely recommended for their anti-inflammatory properties, and apparently pomegranate can ease arthritic pain. Also try the following herbs for the same reasons:

cat’s claw

devil’s claw

nettle

bromelain

boswellia

willow bark extract

ginkgo and garlic

Ginger and turmeric are also recommended, but my understanding is that an awful lot of both need to be consumed to be effective, which makes it impractical unless you buy concentrated capsules. Curcumin is the ingredient in turmeric, which is useful in this and other conditions.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are touted everywhere as cures for arthritis, but the current scientific evidence does not support the claims, although some small, and so not scientifically reliable, studies have shown the latter two salts, in sulphate form, may help where the condition is not too advanced or serious.

Gout - Is caused by the body not metabolizing uric acid and is a form of arthritis. Anyone suffering should avoid aspirin, as it causes retention of uric acid.

Eating 8 oz of fresh or tinned cherries a day can help reduce uric acid levels in the blood. Drinking plenty of fluids, up to 8 glasses of water per day, and eating plenty of fresh fruit and green leafy veg will also aid the excretion of uric acid. Omega-3 fatty acids, from flaxseed oil for example, will give some relief for swollen painful joints and doctor’s recommend avoiding high purine foods such as: poultry, fish and pulses.

Alternative medicine also suggests the use of leeks, cat’s claw, devil’s claw, nettle, bromelain and celery for their anti-inflammatory properties.

I have a keen interest in using natural remedies and have had years of experience in using herbs and homeopathy.

My site The Apothecary was set up to discuss natural remedies and related subjects. Please feel free to use the forum.

All we can really effectively do here is talk about preventing problems arising in the first place. There are dangers in ignoring medical advice and seeking alternative “cures” when a problem already exists.

Diet and exercise, yes those two old favourites, are the key to prevention in most cases, and presumably a doctor will explore both where a condition exists. Four 20 minute aerobic exercise sessions a week is the medically recommended aim for everyone. No you don’t have to do aerobic classes, four brisk walks will do.

Onions, garlic, soya, oats, cinnamon and walnuts are all highly recommended for reducing cholesterol levels and garlic has been noted for its ability to prevent blood clots developing.

No doubt you are all aware of the reports of how good red wine is. Alcohol increases the level of high density lipoproteins (HDLs). These take away cholesterol from artery walls. However, there’s always too much of a good thing and like everything in life moderation is the key. Too much alcohol increases blood pressure and can cause irregular heart rhythms. I have read that red grape juice is as effective as red wine.

Eskimos are well documented as having low levels of coronary heart disease, which has been attributed to their high in-take of fatty acids from eating oily fish (it is recommended to keep consumption to twice a week). The Mediterranean diet is also highly praised, olive oil being a chief reason for this.

Pomegranates – according to research in Israel, they help prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and improve the amount of oxygen reaching the heart.
Pectin – apparently reduces cholesterol absorbtion, slows the production of cholesterol in the liver, lowers insulin resistence and slows the absorbtion of sugar into the blood stream. Citrus fruit, blackberries, apples, peaches, plums and redcurrants have high pectin levels.
Celery – a compound from the vegetable apparently relaxes the muscles of the arteries regulating blood pressure.
Nattokinase is an enzyme found in a cheese like food, natto, made from fermented soybeans. There are strong claims made for its properties. Apparently it quickly lowers blood presure, controls choleterol levels, and prevents and even breaks up blood clots. If you are using medication, talk to your doctor before considering its use.

Also cayenne pepper, gingko and hawthorn are noted for their properties in helping protect the heart and circulatory system. Hawthorn is prescribed by doctors in Europe for treating heart conditions. Ginkgo is noted for its anti-inflammatory attributes and cayenne can help reduce cholesterol and clot formation.

If you do have a heart condition or high blood pressure do not take ginkgo without seeking medical advice first.

I have a keen interest in using natural remedies and have had years of experience in using herbs and homeopathy.

My site The Apothecary was set up to discuss natural remedies and related subjects. Please feel free to use the forum.

I had a very bad bout of bronchitis years ago, which led to a chronic asthma condition.

I lost 2 stone in weight over a 2 month period and I had little idea of how to deal with the debilitating illness…I was frequently struggling to be able to breathe. It’s not something I would like to go through again, but it took me the best part of two years to get to grips with the condition.

As a child I often had winter colds that developed into bronchitis, with the inevitable regular visit to the doctor. Every time antibiotics were prescribed, why I do not know, but I believe this was what led to me developing asthma later in life. Colds are caused by viruses and are not killed by antibiotics, which kill bacteria, all bacteria even the necessary one’s that help with digestion. In addition to weakening the digestive system the bodies immune system is also compromised as it has lost a vital ally in fighting yeast and fungi. These are always present in the body but the good gut bacteria keep them in check. Mainstream medicine now recognises the effect Candida can have on a compromised immune system, although you might still counter some scepticism. Alternative medicine has known about it for a long time. If you do have to use antibiotics then it is sensible to repopulate your gut with good bacteria. There are now plenty of probiotic products available, many advertised on the TV.

Through experience and from reading many health books I now know why my colds developed into bronchitis. I know it’s a damn nuisance but we cannot avoid colds. However, we can make life much easier for ourselves.

The first step is to remove wheat and milk products from the diet (before you panic, this is only a temporary measure). Why you ask? Because when you have a cold or bronchitis the body produces more mucus and you do not want to add to this by eating mucus producing foods. I know some of you will be sceptical, but what have you got to lose…just try it and see.

Also try adding garlic, onions, ginger, chillies, cloves and liquorice (not the sweets, but do not take if you have high blood pressure) to your diet, as they all act as decongestants. The following herbs are also very useful: astragalus, coltsfoot, echinacea, elderberry, elecampane, ephedra, eucalyptus, fenugreek, gingko, goldenseal, lobelia, mullein oil and reishi.

Please feel free to let me have any tips of your own.

I have a keen interest in using natural remedies and have had years of experience in using herbs and homeopathy.

My site The Apothecary was set up to discuss natural remedies and related subjects.

A subject I feel well qualified to write about having suffered for a good many years until I got to grips with what was causing the problem. I’m not cured, but I no longer use chemical inhalants.

I have discovered that I have antibodies to house mites, cats and dogs, and grass pollens (there are probably more). These are true allergies rather than intolerances, as indicated by the antibodies. I knew long before I had the blood tests that I was allergic to dust, cats and dogs (a shame because I like both). To control the dust allergy I learned to wet dust, as I find polish to also be an irritant.

Recently I have found that I can tolerate cats and dogs without becoming a sneezing wreck. I attribute this to a combination of the following: euphrasia, butterbur and chlorophyll.

The triggers for asthmatics vary from individual to individual and so there is no blanket cure that I am aware of, although my junk mail tells me there is; but of course I have to buy the book first.

Observation was my way to recovery, a long process for me unfortunately. I have always been a fan of real ale, but it was not as freely (I wish) available as it is now, so in the past I used to drink keg beer, which has chemical additives. After a weekend I would always find that my asthma would worsen and then by mid-week alleviate. However, now that I drink nothing but real ale, well apart from the occasional glass of water the Monday and Tuesday syndrome no longer exists.

I have also found that the removal of dairy products from my diet has helped tremendously. Wheat is also recognised as a common allergen for some asthmatics, but I’ve not been able to pin-point it for my condition. However, it may be worthwhile for sufferers to experiment with exclusion diets, but please take qualified medical advice.

Also try adding garlic, onions, ginger, chillies, cloves and liquorice (not the sweets but do not take if you have high blood pressure) to your diet, as they all act as decongestants. I find that using liquid gingko helps a lot in relieving wheezing and that this is probably due to its anti-inflammatory properties. As a habit I now use it daily first thing in the morning.

I am very interested in peoples anecdotal stories about how they overcame niggling or even chronic health problems so please feel free to pass on your advice at my site.

I have a keen interest in using natural remedies and have had years of experience in using herbs and homeopathy.

My site The Apothecary was set up to discuss natural remedies and related subjects.  Please feel free to use the forum.