Joint Pain - What causes it and how to stop it naturally

(NaturalNews) Joint pain can be caused by injury (including repetitive stress injuries); bacterial, viral, or fungal infections; or autoimmune disease. The pain may be restricted to one joint or affect multiple joints; it may migrate from one to another. Pain and other symptoms may be acute or chronic. Joint pain may be the only symptom of disease or it may be one of many. If you find yourself dealing with a chronic condition, consider the natural approach - treat the cause, find the cure.

Natural Treatment for Chronic Arthritic Conditions

Naturopathic medicine and natural treatments focus on healing through nutrition, detoxification, exercise, and appropriate herbal remedies when indicated. Natural treatment begins with diet.

Diet

First and foremost, our bodies require nutrition that is abundant in fresh, whole, organic foods. The most nutrient dense foods are produce. The healthiest diet consists of 80% (or more) fresh, whole, organic produce – more vegetables than fruits. We also must include healthy fats in our diet.

While filling the body with the most nutrient dense foods, we must avoid adding toxins to the body and we must be vigilant about removing toxins from the body that we cannot help but accumulate from our polluted environment.

To avoid adding toxins and other damaging substances to our bodies, we must eliminate artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives; MSG; trans fats; GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, and all other processed sugars. We also must minimize caffeine and alcohol. In other words, we need to eat real food – not processed foods.

Detox

If we are eating right, we are detoxing our bodies through the food we eat. Green leafy vegetables, along with other produce high in fiber, help to balance the microbiome in the gut, reducing bad bacteria and increasing good bacteria. Garlic, cilantro, cruciferous vegetables, spirulina, and chlorella all help chelate heavy metals and other toxins and remove them from the body.

By eating the right diet, we are helping our bodies detox on a daily basis. It is still a good idea to go through a good, healthy detox regimen twice a year if you are exposed to a heavy toxic load (generally anyone living and urban lifestyle).

Exercise

Yes, exercise is vital. Not only is exercise needed for bone density and muscle strength, our immune system requires movement to do its job. The lymphatic system is a circulatory system that is dependent on body movement to push fluids through the body. Walk, run, dance, jump rope, swim, do yoga – whatever you can do to get moving. Mix it up and have fun.

Next Steps to End Joint Pain

When the body receives the proper nutrition, detoxification, and exercise, it will begin to heal. But we can help the process with supplements and targeted foods.

Anyone familiar with natural healing is aware of leaky gut syndrome. Antibiotics and a poor diet start the deterioration of the gut. Gluten and Candida continue the destruction and imbalance. When a leaky gut allows foreign particles direct access to the bloodstream, allergies and autoimmune disorders result. In order to stop joint pain, you must heal your gut.

While the general belief system is that autoimmune diseases are the result of the immune system running amuck and attacking healthy tissue, the leaky gut connection and systemic Candida suggest a different scenario – that the immune system is attacking foreign particles that have escaped the gut. One thing is for certain: many people who suffer from autoimmune disease report a decrease or a complete resolution in joint pain and other symptoms after healing their gut and following a healthy diet that eliminates gluten, milk, known allergies, and sugar.

An increase in omega 3 fatty acids is also crucial. Flaxseed oil or Udo's 3.6.9. with DHT oil are both great sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Use either on salads or cooked vegetables.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is another common cause of arthritis, frequently associated with pain in the wrist, shoulder, elbow, neck, knee, and hip. Hypothyroidism also causes pain in the arches and triggers headaches, including migraines. Again, it seems that health begins in the gut as hypothyroidism often follows leaky gut syndrome, gluten sensitivity, and Candida overgrowth. Healing the gut and the thyroid can resolve pain in the joints and connective tissues.

Conclusion

Joint pain and disease is not a necessary part of aging. It is a sign that your body is crying out for you to make changes in your life - especially in your diet. Check out What Causes Chronic Inflammation and How to Stop It For Good and Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune Diseases for more on inflammation, with specific protocols and remedies. For an in-depth look at hypothyroidism with natural remedies, see the first source below. Pay attention. Give your body what it needs. It will repay you with years of pain free living.

Sources:

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.healthline.com

http://www.medicinenet.com

www.merckmanuals.com

www.womentowomen.com

http://www.healthgrades.com

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org

http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk

http://www.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Allene Edwards first became interested in alternative medicine and holistic treatment modalities when she successfully used diet therapy to manage her children�s ADHD. Later when she became chronically ill with an auto-immune disease that multiple doctors could not identify, much less cure, she successfully treated both the symptoms and the cause through naturopathic treatment and nutrition. She is the Managing Editor of Organic Lifestyle Magzine and a regular contributor.