Arthritis and Salt
Few of us realise we are addicted to salt. Salt is a stimulant. It hits the adrenals and we go into stress reaction. Most of us eat ten times too much salt in a day because we like the 'high'.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 19:54
Arthritis and the Removal of Calcium from Bones
The removal of calcium from bones under stress is clearly one feature of the arthritic process.
Normally calcium moves continuously between blood and bone to maintain balance. A hormone from the parathyroid glands in the neck takes calcium from the bones when the blood level drops. Calcitonin, a hormone from the thyroid gland, encourages calcium back to the bone.
Vitamins are needed for us to absorb calcium from our food and also to help the bone to mineralise.
The balance of calcium is very delicate. If the blood levels drop, our muscles may go into spasms and convulsions. If our bones are continuously leached, they may bend or break. If blood calcium stays high, as in stress, then calcium may be deposited in arteries, tissues, muscles and joints.
This depositing tendency appears to be an error resulting from prolonged stress without adequate nutrition, a parathyroid imbalance or vitamin deficiency.
The adrenals produce cortisol from the hormone deoxycortisol (DOC for short). DOC itself has a remarkable action. It helps the body fight infection and damage by setting up inflammation around bacteria or toxins and walling them off, as in boils for example. Swelling, pain and fever may result but the body has been protected. Normally sufficient DOC will be converted to cortisol to remove the pain and swelling, once the intruder has been dealt with.
When a good diet does not supply the vitamins needed by the enzymes that make and balance these hormones, the DOC may fail to be converted and the areas of pain and swelling may become permanent and collect calcium. Cortisone treatment is not the easy solution. This is because our own DOC production is inhibiting lower resistance, bones are further demineralised, other mineral reactions cause water retention (moon face); the constant robbing of proteins may eat away our stomach cells and give us ulcers.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 19:52
Arthritis and the Stress Response
The reaction of Arthtitis to stress is dramatic. Sugar reserves pour into the blood for immediate fuel. Proteins and fats are broken down to make more. Calcium is taken from our bones for nerve and muscle use. Pain, stiffness and inflammation miraculously disappear. Blood pressure rises so that oxygen, sugar and calcium travel more quickly to the tissues.
This stress reaction is highly protective. Normally the threat ends and the above reactions are reversed. Proteins are built up again and the cells repaired. Calcium is put back into our bones.
Blood pressure drops to normal, and all our familiar aches and pains reappear.
Reserves have been spent and even more will be needed for repairs. More vitamins, minerals, protein, fats and carbohydrates will be needed than usual. When our nutrition is inadequate at this point, or when the stress situation does not come to an end, our body will come under further threat.
By robbing Peter to pay Paul it will do the best it can for as long as it can. But sooner or later we will find we have no more reserves, we make no more adrenal hormones, and we have no further resistance. Disease is the result.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 19:50
Arthritis and the Adrenals
There is a tiny gland at the base of the brain called pituitary. At any sign of stress this gland releases a hormone which sounds the alarm.
The hormone travels in the blood until it reaches two small glands that sit on our kidneys in the middle of the back-the adrenals. When the adrenals pick up this hormone they too release different hormones.
The chief of these is called cortisol (we know it as cortisone).
Messages have come from the nervous system too, and the hormone adrenalin is also released. The presence of these adrenal hormones in the blood tells the whole body that it is under threat.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 19:45
Arthritis and Stress
We call it Rheumatism and Arthritis, but pain and limitation is the experience. What are the events in our bodies that lead to such conditions?
The first condition is stress, that is everything and anything that threatens or damages us - fear, a heavy workload, the kind of food we cat. Although sonic stress is avoidable (we can stop smoking), we must all learn to meet it in some form.
We can learn to live with stress. Physically we must learn to keep putting back what we take out. Our nutrition therefore has to be very good.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 19:40