Herbal treatment of arthritis and water therapy – Part 3

In the last Thursday’s edition of The Guardian Newspaper I wrote about some simple herbs for the treatment of arthritis. Today I am presenting some more herbs that may be more difficult to come by.

Devil’s claw. Today, we begin with Devil’s claw, whose roots are rich in glucoiridoids, harpagosides and procumbides. These are all known anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances. Devil’s claw has been found over the years to be effective in the treatment of painful joints, arthritis, (particularly of the knee, hip and spinal column), rheumatism diseased joints and tendinitis.
This herb increases joint mobility and flexibility. Also, it improves patient comfort significantly. It is very effective in the treatment of tendinitis and exercise-induced joint pain in athletes.

Horsetail.This herb derives its name from the long, stringy appearance of its talk like the tail of a horse. There is a high concentration of silicon in horsetail. Silicon stimulates the synthesis of collagen in bones and connective tissues. By this action, it helps to reconstitute cartilage. Silicon in Horsetail also helps to remineralize bones and strengthen fractures. It is particularly useful in arthritis when there is damage of cartilage.

Nettle leaves. This herb is rich in numerous active ingredients. It contains vitamin B2, B5 and folate, vitamins A, C, and É. Minerals present in Nettle leaves are magnesium, iron and silica and trace elements as copper and Zinc. All these make Nettle leaves a good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory herb.
Herbs like Horsetail and Nettle leaves are good in remineralise my bones and have been found effective in the treatment of worn out cartilage in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis especially in menopausal women.

Willow. The bark of willow contains salicin, which is a derivative of salicylate. Salicin exhibits the same anti-inflammatory/antypyric properties as aspirin but not the its untoward side effects on the gastrointestinal. Willow is effective in the treatment of all types of pain, headaches, and painful joints associated with arthritis and rheumatism.

Water therapy and arthritis
The human body is 75 per cent water (65 per cent in women) and this amount of water is distributed in the intra and extra cellular fluid spaces. The different compartments of the body (the eyeball, spinal canal, the liver, the joints etc.) have an optimal amount of water allocated to them for their proper functioning. In this, the joint spaces are not left out. Infact, for the cartilage in the joints to glide frictionlessly against each other, there is an optimum amount of water that should be present there. Anything below this level, will increase the friction and cause the cartilage covering the two bones in the joint to rub against each other. As this happens the individual will begin to experience a slight ache in the joint. Dehydration, a condition brought about by not drinking sufficient water, is usually reflected in all the compartments of the body, one way or another. In a state of dehydration, the body goes into a redistribution mode so as to supply enough water to such organs as the brain, heart, liver, lungs and kidneys. These are the 5 vital organs of the body that can not stand dehydration. In order to survive, water is redirected from the rest of the body, including the joints to those vital organs. The consequence is that the rest of the body suffer from lack of sufficient water for their functions. In the case of the joints this is seen as arthritis and it manifests at the point of weakest link or an area suffering from highest regional dehydration.

Drinking water (alkaline water) frequently and regularly is a sure preventive against arthritis
Recommended amount is eight glasses or six bottles of 50cl bottles of water daily.