Arthritis, the Real Story
And now it’s time to discuss that unwanted and common visitor, arthritis. The word is derived from arthros or joint and itis or inflammation. Arthritis is inflammation of joints and the most common form of joint disease. It involves a progressive loss of joint cartilage and reactive changes of joint margins (erosion and degeneration.) It is estimated that 33% to 90% of people over the age of 65 years are afflicted in the U.S., or approximately 60 million patients at any one time; and is the leading cause of disability in those over the age of 65.
Signs and symptoms include slowly developing joint pain and stiffness, especially in the morning and after sitting long periods. Medical treatment includes a regimen of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, etc., culminating in the widely distributed Vioxx and Celebrex. These drugs have a pain killing effect but, can cause severe stomach irritation leading to ulcers as well as kidney and liver function impairment.
I attended a research symposium in recently that covered all the major studies conducted concerning my profession; some interesting data came through that I would like to share with you.
One study, conducted at the Institute of Pathology and the Dept. of Radiology at Case Western Reserve University, induced mice with arthritis in specific joints with collagen injections. After four weeks the mice developed crippling arthritis, similar to rheumatoid arthritis. The mice were assigned to one of four groups and were treated with different methods for each group for two weeks. One group received no treatment (the control group, or the group on which the others were gauged against), another group received saline, another received a popular anti-inflammatory, and the last group received a nutritional product called proteolytic enzymes (inflammation eating proteins that cause NO SIDE EFFECTS). The results were dramatic. While the enzymes and anti-inflammatory drugs equally reduced swelling and pain, the enzyme actually spared the destruction of the cartilage within the joint!
The conclusion from the researchers in the article from the Journal of Rheumatology, 2001, Sept; 29(9):2049-59, protease (the enzymes) appear to offer potential as a disease modifying therapy, and are clearly better than NSAID in this respect joints from mice treated with enzymes showed much better preservation of cartilage.
This is exciting news for arthritis sufferers who eventually can become quite disabled from joint destruction and other complications. Several companies I operate with have carried these products for years. Why didnt you know about it? Good question.
The FDA cannot patent a natural substance for distribution as a pharmaceutical; no money, no endorsement, no distribution through your family M.D. Ask him/her, they will tell you the same thing.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge -Hosea 4:6
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