Arthritis (Rheumatoid arthritis, RA)

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis

Remedies for rheumatoid arthritis

References

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

There are over 100 forms of arthritis. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). The second most common is rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammation autoimmune disease that can affect anyone at any age. RA affects not only the joints of the fingers, wrists, hips, knees and feet, but also the muscles, tendons and other tissues in the body. Other forms of arthritis include psoriatic arthritis, and various autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection.

In the USA over 33 million people have some form of arthritis of which about 1.5 million of them are rheumatoid arthritis. 75% of RA cases are women.

Arthritis can make it difficult for the sufferer to get sufficient exercise and sleep, so contributing to an increased risk of other degenerative diseases like obesity, insomnia, heart and artery disease. People with arthritis are also at increased risk of depression, probably because of a fear of worsening symptoms and decreasing ability to work and contribute. More than three quarters of people over the age of 50 in rich countries like the USA experience arthritis in some form, to some degree.

Rheumatoid arthritis often develops into osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis first tends to affect the smaller joints like the finger and toe knuckles. As RA progresses it affects the larger joints, spreading to the wrists, knees, ankles and elbows. Lastly it tends to attack the hips, shoulders and spine (usually in the neck rather than lower back). In most cases, symptoms occur equally on both sides of the body unless there is injury on one side.

• Tender, warm, swollen, red-coloured, painful joints.
  Note: severe pain in joints, particularly toes, may be caused by gout.
• Stiffness (especially early in the morning) and restricted movement.
• About 40% of people who have RA also experience signs and symptoms in other parts of the body apart from the joints. Areas that may be affected include bone marrow, blood vessels, eyes, heart, kidneys, lungs, nerve tissue, salivary glands and skin.
• Tiredness, lack of energy, fatigue, not feeling well.
• Fever.
• Weight loss and / or loss of appetite.
• Insomnia.

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis

• Vitamin D and sun deficiency. A primary cause of rheumatoid arthritisis low vitamin D. (7, 8)
• A new bacteria, Subdoligranulum didolesgii, was discovered in the faeces of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It appears that Subdoligranulum didolesgii may be activating specialised T cells in the immune systems of people with this bacteria, setting off a particularly strong intestinal immune response that lets antibodies bypass the intestinal membrane and spread to the joints, causing rheumatoid arthritis. This bacterium was not found in the stools of healthy people and it is currently unknown how prevalent it is in the general population. (2, 3)
• Inflammation is the basis of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Processed food. A diet high in refined and processed foods, deficient in minerals, high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
• Potassium deficiency. (4)
• Calcium deposits, hypercalcemia.
• Mineral deficiencies such as magnesium, boron and copper.
• Trigger foods. The lectins in white potatoes are a trigger for some people. Allergies and intolerances to foods will vary depending upon the individual, but they may include oranges and other citrus, strawberries, nightshade vegetables (eggplant/aubergine, peppers, chili, tomatoes, potato, tobacco).
• Pharmaceutical drugs and medications including Tylenol, Prednizone and Cortisone.
• Work by Prof Roger Wyburn-Mason identified an amoeba in the joint as the cause in certain susceptible people. Boron is an effective control and cure in this case. (5, 6)

Remedies for rheumatoid arthritis

• Vitamin D. Get out in the sunshine. The advice to avoid sun is one of the greatest public health mistakes of the century. Your health care provider should monitor your vitamin D level and ensure that it is at least 70 ng/ml (175 nmol/L). If you can't get sufficient sunlight in the winter take 40,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplement and make sure to also take 500 mg to 1000 mg of magnesium (on the skin) and 150 mcg of vitamin K2 (not K1) per day. They are important cofactors for optimising vitamin D3 supplementation. (7, 8)
• Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid (TUDCA). TUDCA is used to treat a sluggish gallbladder that produces thick bile. It thins the bile and stimulates bile production, assisting with fat metabolism and extraction of nutrients from it.
• Omega-3 essential fatty acids. These should be obtained through your diet, and NOT by using supplements. (1)
• Sulphur, with the best and most absorbable sources being DMSO, MSM or Flowers of sulphur.
• Potassium sufficiency. (4)
• Citrus (lemon) bioflavonoids.
• Vitamin B3 (niacin). Fish, red meat (especially liver), chicken, turkey, spirulina and nutritional yeast are the best food sources of niacin. If you take nutritional yeast, use unfortified nutritional yeast that has undergone minimal processing. Niacin can be purchased as a supplement, and may be useful at 500 mg per day in an extended-release form.
• Borax may assist recovery. However it is not a dramatic cure like it is for osteoarthritis.
• Copper salicylate.
• Alkaline-forming diet.
• Turmeric.
• GABA.
• Probiotics.
• It is possible that antibiotics may be useful in treating the Subdoligranulum didolesgii bacteria which may cause rheumatoid arthritis, but remember that antibiotics eliminate both good and harmful bacteria. Without successful rehabilitation of the gut biome after using antibiotics, gut ailments and other health issues can persist for the rest of the patient's life. It is not clear that removing the bacteria will stop the immune system from attacking the joints once the RA has started as there are currently (2022) no studies in this area. (2, 3)
• Avoid genetically modified foods. Consume only certified non-GMO foods which are organically grown.
• Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT).
• Apple cider vinegar.
• Berberine.
• Earthing or grounding.
• Gum turpentine.
• Kerosene.
• Cinnamon.

References