Project Description
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the bodies immune system primarily attacks the joints causing inflammation, pain and joint damage. However, other areas of the body can also be affected.
What are the common signs and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?
-
Stiffness, pain and swelling of the affected joints.
-
Severe cases can lead to significant joint damage or complete destruction of the affected joint
-
Other areas of the body such as the blood vessels, lungs, and heart can also be affected, however, this is less common
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed?
-
Physical examination
-
X-rays of affected joints
-
Laboratory test findings
What laboratory findings are consistent with Rheumatoid Arthritis?
-
Rheumatoid factor (RF) is present in the blood of most patients
-
Anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (Anti-CCP) is present in the blood of most patients
-
A patient can have Rheumatoid Arthritis even if these markers are not present in the blood
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis commonly treated?
-
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
-
Corticosteroids
-
Low dose chemotherapy (methotrexate)
-
Targeted immune suppressing drugs
-
Many of these drugs can have serious side effects (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and infection)
Is Rheumatoid Arthritis a genetic disease?
No, Rheumatoid Arthritis is not a genetic disease. There are certain gene variations that can increase a persons risk of developing an autoimmune disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis. However, it is important to remember that just because someone may have these gene variations does not mean that they will definitely develop Rheumatoid Arthritis. Important factors that affect “gene expression” play a significant role and are discussed below. Your genes are not your destiny.
What causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?
According to conventional american medicine the cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis and other auto-immune diseases is unknown. However, a careful analysis of the peer reviewed scientific literature reveals a number of important factors that can lead to the imbalanced and malfunctioning immune system seen in Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is these important factors listed below that will ultimately determine whether or not a person will develop an autoimmune disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis.
What are these important factors?
-
Vitamin D deficiency
-
Increased gastrointestinal permeability (Leaky Gut)
-
Gastrointestinal microbial imbalances (bacteria, yeast, parasites, etc..)
-
Adrenal gland dysfunction (the adrenal gland regulates the immune system)
-
Environmental chemical exposure (pesticides, herbicides, industrial pollutants, etc..)
-
Toxic metal exposure (mercury, aluminum, arsenic, etc…)
-
Nutritional deficiencies
-
Over consumption of inflammatory or potentially antigenic food molecules (gluten, partially hydrogenated fats, omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, lectins, advanced glycation end products, etc…), Europeans refer to some these molecules as food toxicants
-
Over consumption of high sugar and high carbohydrate processed foods (cake, cookies, pastry, soda, juice, pasta, bread, etc…)
What should a Comprehensive Holistic Health Protocol for Rheumatoid Arthritis include?
A Comprehensive Holistic Health Protocol should always be customized to meet the unique needs of each person. Not only do people have different genetic variations, but differ in important lifestyle factors that influence their overall health outcomes. A persons diet, stress levels, professional and family responsibilities, sleep patterns, exercise choices, as well as pre-exiting and concomitant medical conditions all must be considered in protocol design. Of the over 11,000 Customized Holistic Health Protocols we have designed in the last 27 years of clinical practice, no two have been exactly the same. An appropriate protocol should accomplish the following:
-
Evaluate and Establish how many of the above factors are involved in each persons unique clinical situation
-
Design and implement a Customized Dietary Plan (CDP) that will address the above factors involved in each persons condition
-
Design and implement a Targeted Nutritional Supplementation (TNS) strategy that will address the above factors involved in each persons condition
