What Is Arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

How Does Flax Seed Oil Help People With Arthritis?

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What Is Arthritis

Arthritis is a complex disorder that comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any stage of life. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.  These 2 forms have very different causes, risk factors, and effects on the body, yet they often share a common symptom—persistent joint pain. The joint pain of arthritis can appear as hip pain, knee pain, hand pain, or wrist pain, as well as joint pain in other areas of the body. If you have joint pain, stiffness and/or swelling for more than 2 weeks, you may have arthritis. Make an appointment with your doctor.  Reference this information at www.arthritis.com.

Osteoarthritis

According to WebMD.com, Osteoarthritis is know as the "wear-and-tear" arthritis.  Over time, there is a gradual breakdown of cartilage - the cushion that covers the tips of bones which allows joints to move easily.  When cartilage wears thin, bones rub against each other--causing stiffness, pain, and difficulty in movement.  While there isn't any single cause of osteoarthritis, there are several risk factors associated with it.  These include advancing age, excess weight and obesity, and history of joint injury and/or overuse.  Family history osteoarthritis is also a risk.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis causes tissues lining the joints to become swollen, stiff, and painful (inflamed).  Over time, this inflammation may destroy the joint tissues. This can limit your daily activities and make it hard for you to walk and use your hands.  The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known. But rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body's natural defense system attacks the joints. The disease also runs in some families.  The main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints of the hands, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles, knees, or neck. The disease usually affects both sides of the body at the same time. In rare but severe cases, it may affect the eyes, lungs, heart, nerves, or blood vessels. 

RA affects 2.1 million Americans, or about 1% of the adult population in the United States. This disease is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men, and generally affects people between the ages of 20 and 50. However, young children can develop a form of RA called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  More info at  http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/frequently-asked-questions-about-osteoarthritis .

Regardless of the type of arthritis, the end result is pain and inflammation at the site of affliction.   

How Does Flax Seed Oil Help People With Arthritis?

Because of the pain and inflammation associated with the arthritis, over-the-counter and prescription medications continue to gain popularity to combat and diminish the pain.  According to Dr. Herb Joiner-Bey in is book 'Healing Power of Flax',  such medicines as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) come with long term side effects, including a worsening of the arthritis conditon.  They work by interfering with the enzymes that produce the hormone-like compounds called prostaglandins.   Dr. Joiner-Bey suggests another avenue of healing which may be much more safe.  That involves the use of omega 3 fatty acids such as those found in flax seed oil to regulate the body's inflammatory processes.  Omega 3 oils such as flax seed oil have been scientifically proven to be powerful anti-inflammatory agents.  'Healing Power of Flax' - page 101.

The family of local tissue hormones, prostaglandins, regulates local inflammatory response.  If too much of the omega 6 fatty acid called arachidonic acid is located on cell membranes, the enzymes that synthesize prostaglandins will convert arachidonic acid into pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.  If instead there is a preponderance of EPA on the cell membranes, the enzymes will convert EPA to non-inflammatory prostaglandins.  Thus the non-inflammatory prostaglandins are produced from omega 3 fatty acid dietary sources - seed oils such as flax seed oil or from wild deep water fish.  The high content of omega-3 fatty acids in these sources stimulates the body's production of non-inflammatory prostaglandins.  Flax seed oil is the highest plant source of omega 3.

Unlike medications that interfere with prostaglandin metabolism, omega 3 oils naturally temper the inflammatory prostaglandins, resulting in a decrease in painful inflammation.  The difference between the drug approach and that taken with omega-3 oils is that the oils do not come with the common side effects prevalent to the medications.  Flax seed oil, at around $30 dollars a month, is far less expensive than common anti-inflammatory medications -- and a whole lot safer and healthier.  Not only do the omega 3 oils come without side effects, but they also have been medically proven to benefit as many as 50 other common afflictions.  In other words, don't be surprised if you notice other health improvements beyond your expectations.  Beyond the power of regulating prostaglandins, omega 3 oils have been found to modulate the immune system, lessening the severity of autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.  'Healing Power of Flax' - Dr, Herb Joiner-Bey - page 102.