An email response to treating RA with natural supplements

By prgerber Monday, March 16, 2009

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This is a response I gave an individual about what I am taking and my thoughts.

"First, I am happy to see you take an interest in natural supplements. It will take longer to feel effects but you have no side effects or long term effects to worry about. I first started taking a glutathione accelerator from MaxGXL. Go to there website (www.maxgxl.com) and read all their information about what it does. When I took that, my energy level increased. I take about six in the morning and three at night. Now it depends on the person and the severity of the symptoms. Everyone is different. This has really helped. Let me know if you would like more information on it. Then I started taking MSM (methylsufonylsulfate) for inflammation. I take 4 in the morning and 4 at lunch and maybe, depending on how I feel, 3 at dinner. Then I have read and research on the benefits of tumeric (in the capsule form) 3 a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). That has really helped and I see a huge difference. I've been taking that for about two weeks now. I also take two omega-3 fish oil (for inflammation) a day. Lastly, I drink twice a day, 12 oz of purified water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (with the "mother"). You can only get this at a health food store for about $5 for a 1/2 gallon. I notice within 15 minutes results with pain and swelling with that. I have read with RA people, the pH level is too low. Plus with ACV you get other health benefits.

I know it sounds like a lot of trouble, but I have a friend who is a pharmacist say the the RA drugs will cripple you faster than the RA.

I have been doing this for 9 months now and I have noticed a remarkable difference. Also, an Indian friend of mine said that her grandmother has had RA since she was in her late thirties, and she is 93 and take tumeric everyday and drinks ACV. That's encouraging.

I tell you all of this information because I understand and want to help people with RA and show there is another alternative to drugs. Also, control your stress level (I know...right) and stay away from your nightshade vegetables (eggplant, green bell peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes) Instant flare up for me, especially in hands.

Let me know what you think about the Max and I can help you get signed up with that. Everything else, health food store. Hang in there and never stop trying. For whatever it's worth, I am a anal-rententive, chemical engineer. I investigate EVERYTHING. I never take somebody's word. I have done a lot of research on RA and natural supplements to help with it. I hope you do the same. But I guarantee, you will feel a difference, just give it time."

Comments (6) | Add comment

Ellen Galo

3/17/09 10:25am

Hi - I've done the apple cider vinegar thing (I usually do a spoonful of vinegar, a spoonful of honey, in a mugfull of hot water, in place of tea or coffee, particular if I feel like I'm coming down with something.

You sure are right about the pH thing - Only once have I seen mine above normal, usually it's a whole point below. The one time above was right after Tai Chi!

I've also heard about turmeric, but have not tracked down where I can get capsules. Just did buy a bottle though! Do you put it in capsules yourself?

Let me know about the vinegar/mother though! I'm not going to just walk away from Enbrel but it can't hurt to find out what's possible. Especially because there are time when I have to go off the Enbrel, either due to infection (not often now) or surgery (may have to do that again sometime in the future). Or - if I end up with some kind of cancer - I have both parents dead from cancer.

Ellen

StarHill13

3/19/09 8:46pm

The esiest way to find turmeric is on the internet. Look for curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric). I go to vitaminaisle.com. They sell curcumin by Now Foods. I have noticed a difference in pain level. I ran out a couple of months ago and tried a turmeric supplement I found at WalMart, and it just didn't work the same. Good luck!

Lene Andersen, Health Guide

3/17/09 8:29pm

I agree that alternative remedies can be a valuable part of the treatment approach to RA, but as I am not familiar with the remedies you're taking, I need to learn more before I can comment on that aspect.

However, I do want to comment on what your friend the pharmacist at about RA drugs "crippling you faster than the disease". This is simply not true. DMARDs (disease modifying antirheumatic agents) suppress your RA and thereby prevent damage to your joints. Not taking these types of medications can lead to uncontrolled flaring which will most definitely damage your joints and impact your mobility in the future. I got this disease 40 years ago at a time where there were no treatments and I use a wheelchair. If I got RA today, it is quite likely that I would never have to use a wheelchair. Just because somebody is a pharmacist or other type of medical professional doesn't mean that they are unbiased. You should always double check any information you get.

prgerber

3/19/09 9:21am

Thank you for the comment. And I do read and research everything before I try it. But I am concerened about the drugs that suppress your immune system since RA is an autoimmune disease. What are your thoughts?

Lene Andersen, Health Guide

3/19/09 10:45am

That they're lifesavers. Both figuratively and sometimes literally. Yes, they suppress your immune system and yes, in some cases, that can cause serious problems. However, for the majority, side effects are manageable and the benefits far outweigh the risks. I got RA over 40 years ago when I was four years old in a time where there were no treatments. I spent most of the time between 11 and 16 in a hospital and was in wheelchair by a 16. If I got RA today, I wouldn't end up in a wheelchair because the drugs that suppress your immune system and thereby suppress your RA can keep you functioning at a relatively normal level for decades. And the newer Biologics have changed that prognosis even more, improving health - e.g., for 40 years, I've had weird bloodwork because of my RA. I started Humira two years ago and about a year in, we did some bloodwork, just to check things out and if you only looked at the results, not at me, it was the bloodwork of a perfectly healthy woman. Not only did the Biologics save my life four years ago (quite literally) so that I'm able to work, go out, be independent, be there for my family and friends, etc., but it has also made me healthier than I've ever been. Despite the suppressed immune system.

We all do our own cost-benefit analysis when considering going on what I called the Big Drugs. However, RA can be a really, really big problem. To solve a big problem, you need a big solution and big solutions carry more risk. The question becomes what is your life worth? How much are you willing to risk to minimize damage in the joints, have manageable pain and the ability to live your life instead of being in excruciating pain, and watching your body slowly turn into a gnarled thing? In my mind, I'll take the suppressed immune system

Any disease that's severe and life altering changes your perspective on what's acceptable. When you have cancer, you accept drugs that poison you so you can live. When you have moderate or severe RA, sometimes it's necessary to take a big risk so you can live.

Ellen Galo

11/ 6/09 2:58pm

For those who might be interested ---

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00752154?term=turmeric&rank=8

Participation involved a certain number of weeks on curcumin (turmeric compound) and a certain number off, and you don't know which is which (double-blind both ways).

However, there are a lot of conditions. People on biologics are not eligible - on the other hand, we can always get turmeric in the spice aisle and not have to switch on and off except when it seems best for us! From what I read on these studies (it's also being tests Phase 3 for advanced pancreatic cancer - but only if you've had no chemo previously. Up to 12 grams is supposedly safe - sounds like a lot, but I guess that's good if you need a lot. I'm using it addition to Enbrel, but if I have to go off Enbrel at some point, at least I can take more turmeric!

An email response to treating RA with natural supplements

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