Treatment for Arthritis

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(Scroll down for the treatment protocol outlined step by step) http://www.spiritofhealing.com/articles/html/Rheumatoid Arthritis2.html Biological Treatment Procedures For Arthritis And Related Conditions As early as 1968 a naturopathic physician named Paavo O. Airola, reported on the results of some highly successful biological treatment

procedures for curing arthritis in European clinics. One of the most prominent treatment centers using this powerful and highly successful method of treatment is the Brandals Health Clinic located in Sodertalje near Stockholm, Sweden. The Miracles at Brandal Dr. Airola provides narrative accounts of many of the thousands of patients cured of arthritis at Brandal. Virtually all patients admitted for treatment at Brandal are remarkable in that all suffer from severe pain, mild to profound deformity and many are so crippled and debilitated that they arrive in wheelchairs or on stretchers. The cures were based on the work, research and self experimentation of a courageous and very determined lady, Alma Nissen, who 25 years earlier had desperately sought relief from her own severe and debilitating arthritis. Ms. Nissen

relates: "Twenty five years ago I was so incapacitated by arthritis that I was practically bedridden. After trying all the available medical treatments, consulting dozens of doctors, and several fruitless stays in hospitals I was becoming progressively worse. My hands and fingers were stiff and in constant pain. I could not bend myself, walk, or even turn myself in bed. In addition, I had a chronic ovary inflammation and constant migraine. I was suffering from a bad case of insomnia with resulting nervous exhaustion. I also was chronically constipated. . . I felt hopeless. Nobody could help me. I could not see my way out of the indescribable suffering I had to endure. But my spirit was strong and wouldn't give up. I was not willing to accept my lot as a bedridden invalid for the rest of my life. With the typical Scandinavian sisu

and perseverance I rebelled against my fate. I wanted to live, become healthy again. . . A book by a British physician, Sir McCarrison, gave me new hope and became the turning point in my life. It opened my eyes to the relation between nutrition and health. I started to experiment with myself. I changed my diet. I fasted. I drank fresh vegetable juices and broths made with cooked vegetables. I drank herb teas. I took enemas and utilized colonic irrigation to cleanse my intestines of accumulated toxins and wastes. I read all I could on the nature-cure methods and picked up ideas here and there. I met the famous Danish raw-diet pioneer Dr. e Nolfi, M.D., and read and studied her book The Living Foods. I also took heat treatments and hydrobaths. I must admit, I didn't have much faith in much of what I did, but desperate as I was, I was willing to

try anything. Imagine my surprise when I started to feel better and better! The stiffness in my joints started to disappear. I slept better; pain gave way, and after just a few months I was, to my and everybody's amazement, completely cured! This was 25 years ago and I never had a sick day since. No traces of arthritis...Would you like to see how flexible and elastic my body is?"... Now when I cured myself I was so overjoyed with the discoveries I made that I wanted to share them with others and help as many as I could. I visited Dr. McCarrison and he advised me to open a clinic and help other arthritics regain their health. Encouraged by the enthusiastic endorsement of this great scientist, I transformed my seven-room apartment in Copenhagen to an arthritis clinic. Patients came from

everywhere. They were brought in on stretchers; they came supported on crutches; they came in wheelchairs. And after four to eight weeks on my simple regime they left the clinic on their own feet, without wheelchairs and crutches. The grateful patients spread the news of their cures and a long line of patients were waiting to come in under my care. My arthritis therapies and extraordinary results became widely publicized in the press. The Norwegian Medical Association invited me to present a lecture on my therapies before the leading medical authorities of the country.... My fame spread to Sweden and a wealthy benefactor offered the Brandal, a beautiful estate with a large villa, for my disposition, to be used as a rheumatic clinic. I accepted gratefully. That was 13 years ago. During these years we have helped thousands of arthritis sufferers. . ." (Paavo O.

Airola, There Is A Cure For Arthritis, 1968, Publishing Co. New York). Dr. Airola goes on to say "I also met a 43-year-old woman from Stockholm. She had been ill with arthritis for 14 years. For 14 long years she visited hospital after hospital, took drug after drug. You name it -- she'd had it: gold injection, cortisone, Imagon, Butazolidin, etc. The best arthritis specialists in the country from Sodersjukhuset and the famous Karolinska Institute in Stockholm treated her until finally they all gave up, admitting that they could do nothing more. She had come to the clinic just five days before and started fasting immediately. "I am so happy. It is unbelievable !" she said to me with enthusiasm. "In just four days all pain is gone. I could not straighten this leg before --look at it now!

It is completely straight. After 14 years of pain and suffering--it is just unbelievable! It's a miracle!" (Paavo O. Airola, There Is A Cure For Arthritis, 1968, Publishing Co. New York). Many cases are described in Dr. Airola's book. With the high success rate seen at Brandal and many other European clinics treating arthritis, the question arises as to why this approach to treatment has been absent in the U.S. for all these years? Insufficient time? Not hardly. Recall that his book was written in 1968 and was based on extensive clinical findings including double-blind, controlled studies published in peer reviewed journals. Some of the findings actually extend back as far as 25 years and most of the cases discussed in the book utilized procedures that had been in use since 1957 or 1958 - or at least 10 years. Yet, even as of November, 1996, some 38 years later, neither the Arthritis Foundation, the

American Medical Association nor the average American allopathic physician, were acting as if they had heard of or believed in this highly successful treatment approach. Offering a reason why the arthritic public is still in the dark, Dr. Airola relates: "The reason why you do not hear about this from your television screen is because there is no money in selling knowledge, truth, education. You cannot pack knowledge in a bright labeled bottle, as pill manufacturers do, and make a million dollar business out of it. When your doctor tells you that there is no cure for arthritis he means that there is no cure for arthritis with a drug or a knife -- because the pharmacological and surgical treatments are virtually the only curative methods accepted and employed by the average orthodox, allopathic medical

doctor. And they are 100 percent correct: There is no cure for arthritis with drug or knife. But there definitely is a cure for arthritis with biological therapeutic methods. Thousands of arthritis sufferers throughout the world have obtained complete freedom from pain, recession of swollen joints, and disappearance of every trace of this crippling and agonizing disease. There are dozens of clinics and spas in Europe where arthritis is cured today, along with most of the other common ailments and chronic diseases. The biological methods employed by these clinics are: dietetic restrictions, fasting, herbal treatments, juice therapies, biological medicines, heat treatments, massage, manipulations, hydro-therapies, and a number of other drugless treatments."[emphasis added] The patients discharged from Brandal or any of the dozens of other clinics have learned to follow the routines they

learned there and when put into practice at home these patients continue to be disease free. These routines include hot and cold showers, dry brush massages, exercises and a healthful diet. Biological Treatments that Cure Arthritis and Related Disorders Biological therapies are aimed at (1) correcting the abnormal and health-destroying conditions which cause arthritis, and, (2) assisting the body heal itself. This latter step is accomplished by normalizing all the metabolic processes, cleansing the body of the

accumulated toxins and wastes, strengthening the functions of all vital organs, revitalizing glandular activity, establishing chemical balance and in sum, simply rebuilding the health of the patient. Drug Withdrawal Conventional arthritic drugs are used only to mask and suppress the symptoms. These forms of treatments (i.e. drugs) have absolutely no place in biological treatment programs. It is important to understand that virtually all arthritic drugs are aimed at pain elimination. To suppress pain without attempting to eliminate the original cause is contrary to the philosophy of biological medicine. Rule # 1 becomes: Complete withdrawal of all drugs. It has already been amply demonstrated that to obtain lasting results, the withdrawal of all drugs is imperative. Diet This is the dominant form of treatment. Many observations show that the diets of most (probably all) arthritics is deficient in vital nutrients for prolonged periods and is usually loaded with overcooked, canned, frozen, devitalized and over-refined foods. Usually great amounts of empty calories are consumed from white sugar and white flour. Add to this the problem of overeating, alcohol, smoking, coffee, failure to exercise and this results in a general breakdown of health. The diet during the first two to four weeks consists primarily of raw, uncooked fruits and vegetables with some cooked foods. Most of the procedures

use boiled potatoes and vegetable soups in addition to the raw foods. All the clinics use raw milk in the form of homemade soured milk. Some of the clinics exclude all cooked foods during the first phase of treatment as well as all foods of animal origin including meats, fish, eggs, milk, butter and cheese. Breads and cooked cereals are also eliminated as well during the first two to four weeks. Raw nuts, seeds and sprouted grains are included in the raw food. Therapeutic Fasting The quintessential biological treatment modality employed in all the biological clinics treating arthritis is fasting. Fasting is something that most allopathic physicians do not understand nor are they ever taught. Therapeutic fasting is the total abstinence from food. This is done to promote healing and for the restoration of health. Large

numbers of studies all confirm the therapeutic value of fasting. All doctors who employ fasting testify that fasting indeed works. In fact, fasting is perhaps the most efficient way known to correct virtually any disease. Dr. Airola says "The therapeutic value of fasting is based on the following physiological facts: 1. Autolysis is a known metabolic phenomenon of self-digestion or disintegration of the body's own tissues. 2. Therapeutic fasting induces the development of autolysis and directs its physiological effect for constructive healing purposes. To clarify: when

disease takes hold of the body it is usually because of the weakened defensive mechanism and impaired normal functions of the vital organs. Due to continuous neglect in feeding the body properly and failure to observe the other rules of health, the glandular activity and metabolic rate slows down and the eliminative organs lose their efficiency. Many of the toxins and metabolic wastes remain in the body and are deposited in the tissues, causing autointoxication. In rheumatic diseases these wastes, such as uric acid crystals and mineral compounds including heavy metal toxins and other un-natural chemicals (i.e. xenobiotics), are deposited in the joints and soft tissues. Now, we must recognize the fact that the body's own healing powers are constantly trying to correct any and all defects, disturbances and damages if given the slightest chance. Such a chance and opportunity for self-regeneration and healing is made

possible during the fast. First, during prolonged fast (after the first three days) the body will burn and digest its own tissues by the process of autolysis, or self-digestion. In its wisdom -- and here lies the secret of the extraordinary effectiveness of fasting as curative therapy! -- the body will only decompose and burn those substances and tissues which are diseased, damaged, or of lesser importance to the body economy, such as all morbid accumulations, tumors, abscesses, damaged tissues, fat deposits, etc. These are consumed and utilized first. The essential tissues of vital organs are spared. Second, the eliminating and cleansing capacity of the eliminative organs -- lungs, liver, kidneys, and skin -- is increased during

fasting, and masses of accumulated metabolic wastes and toxins are quickly expelled. This is evident in the following typical symptoms of fasting: offensive breath, dark urine (concentration of toxins in urine ten times higher than normal --" ... "continuous and generous discharge of feces, skin eruptions, perspiration, catarrhal elimination, etc. Third, a fast affords a physiological rest to the digestive and protective organs of the body. After fasting, the digestion and utilization of food is greatly improved, which makes the assimilation of all the important nutrients more effective. Fourth, a fast exerts a normalizing and stabilizing effect on all the physiological, nervous, and mental functions. The nervous system is

regenerated; mental powers improved; glandular chemistry and secretions are normalized. It is easy to see, then, why fasting is such an effective therapeutic measure in treatment of a great variety of diseases, including arthritis. Fresh Juices Although the classic form of fasting is the so-called pure water fast (abstinence from all foods and drinks with the exception of pure water), all the practitioners I interviewed in European clinics, including the champion of therapeutic fasting in modern times, Dr. Otto Buchinger, Jr., use fresh juices, vegetable broths, and herb teas during fasting. Biologically oriented doctors feel that freshly pressed

vegetable and fruit juices, given to the patient during the fast, will speed his recovery. This is attributed to the fact that raw vegetables and fruit juices, as well as freshly made vegetable broth, are rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and trace elements, which help to normalize the bodily processes and speed up recovery. At the same time, they are very easily assimilated directly into the bloodstream without putting a strain on the digestive organs. Juices most frequently used in Sweden are: carrot juice, apple juice, black currant juice, and tomato juice. Vegetable Broth Vegetable broth is made by boiling all kinds of available vegetables, but predominantly potatoes, carrots, and celery, chopped to about

half-inch pieces, for 30 minutes in a pot of water ... Then it is strained and the vegetables are thrown away. The remaining liquid is a highly alkaline, mineral-packed broth, which is considered to be of extraordinary importance in biological arthritis therapy. It combats acidosis or a tendency toward a high acidity in the bloodstream and tissues. It helps to normalize the mineral balance in the tissues, which, according to Dr. Lars- Essen, is of utmost importance for the effectiveness of the fast. Both vegetable broth and fresh vegetables and fruit juices are concentrated nutrition. Perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call such therapy a liquid diet, rather than a fast. Herb Teas All

biological clinics use various herb teas, both during fasting and while on a diet. The medicinal value of herbs is well known. Herb medicines are the oldest remedy known to man. The herb teas used in Swedish clinics are usually made from native herbs: rose hips (very rich in vitamin C), peppermint, milfoil, etc... Enema Fasting is always accompanied by enemas, or colonic baths, taken two or three times a day. Most clinics administer an enema twice a day; some, like Kjorkagarden and Vita Nova, three times a day, two or three small enemas as a time. An enema is generally considered to be an extremely important measure for keeping the large intestine

clean from wastes and speeding evacuation of toxic matter from the system through the bowels. Intermediate Diet After the fast is broken, the patient is put on a special diet. This consists of an abundance of raw vegetables and fruits, vegetable and fruit juices, some cooked dishes, such as boiled potatoes, vegetable soups, beans, homemade soured milk (from raw unpasturized milk), whey cheese, and salt-free cottage cheese. Colonic Irrigation In addition to an enema the patients who have a record of chronic constipation prior to coming to the clinic (a common affliction of many arthritics) are given a colonic irrigation once or twice during the first week. This

is a treatment which employs a specially constructed appliance to thoroughly wash the large intestine and colonic tract. Hot and Cold Shower One of the treatments which many practitioners, particularly at the Brandals Clinic, attach a great importance to, is an alternating hot and cold shower. It is administered in the morning. The procedure is as follows: First, a warm shower for about ten to 15 minutes to get the body really warmed up. This is followed by a cold shower for approximately one to three minutes. Water should be as cold as the patient can stand. After that the patient receives a vigorous dry brushing with a stiff brush and is rubbed with a coarse towel until he is completely warmed up. The

importance of the alternating hot and cold shower lies in the fact that it stimulates the adrenal and other endocrine glands and reactivates their functions. Alma Nissen calls such a shower "a cortisone injection -- but without cortisone's undesirable side effects!" Sufficient Rest All biological clinics stress the importance of sufficient rest for patients with arthritis. After lunch, 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M., there is an obligatory quiet hour, when all patients take a long afternoon nap. Exercise Various therapeutic exercises are a standard routine in the biological clinic. Exercises are adapted to the condition of the patient. Walks in the woods

are encouraged -- all the Swedish clinics which I visited are surrounded by beautiful woods that afford invigorating walks in the fresh air. In addition, special relaxation gymnastics are given in some clinics. Baths Therapeutic baths are an important part of the biological program. In addition to alternating hot and cold showers, mentioned before, the following baths are employed: whirlpool massage, sitz bath, Kuhne-bath, steam bath, sauna, Gusse-shower, warm sand bath (Bircher-Benner), etc. Massage Dry brush massage is an important therapeutic measure. It stimulates the circulation; brings the blood to the skin; keeps skin clean from dead cells

and impurities; and opens pores. The skin is your biggest eliminative organ and it is of vital importance that it functions as such efficiently. In addition, conventional massage -- so-called Swedish massage -- is frequently used to help the affected joints to regain their lost elasticity and movements. Many Other Forms Many other forms of biological treatments are used in addition to the "standards" outlined above. Every clinic has its own specialties. Bjorkagarden stresses vacuum massage and modern cupping as being of extraordinary importance. Vita Nova uses nontoxic biological medicines in the form of subcutaneous injections. Various forms of heat treatments are used in almost all

clinics: high-frequency, pulsed, short-wave therapy; infrared heat lamps; cold and hot packs; mud packs (Heilerde); etc. Positive Attitude The importance of positive attitude on the part of patients is emphasized in all clinics. After years of pain and suffering, persons afflicted with arthritis are often irritable, tense, bitter, and resentful. These negative emotions can do much to make efforts to regain health difficult, even impossible. Therefore, fostering a positive, trustful attitude in the patient and insuring his thorough understanding of the various biological treatments and expected reactions is a very important part of the total program in every biological clinic. Several evenings every week special lectures are presented to acquaint new patients with the intricate

metabolic processes of the body and the functions of various organs. The causative factors leading to the development of the disease are explained. The mechanics and effects of biological treatments, as well as the whole philosophy of biological medicine, is made clear and comprehensive. The fact that there are no shortcuts to the cure of arthritis is emphasized. A biological program of treatments is not easy. There are no specific miracle treatments, no specific diets which can cure arthritis. Arthritis can be cured only by the efforts of the body's own healing powers. With the assistance of the wide arsenal of biological treatments and with the full and cheerful cooperation of the patient it can be done. It is done every day. But in order to achieve lasting and effective results, full co-operation and a positive effort on the part of the patient is imperative. The patient must understand

that the cure is possible only if he is willing to discard completely his former mode of living and accept a new way of life. He must have the willingness and determination to follow the new biological programs and have a trustful and cooperative attitude. The negative attitude will lock up the healing forces of the body, whereas a positive attitude will unlock them and spur them into full action. It requires a certain amount of intelligence, understanding, and patience, in addition to a sense of determination and self-discipline, to undertake a biological program of treatments and not give up before noticeable results are observed. It often takes time to induce a betterment. . ." Biological Methods Scientifically Proven By now it must be evident to the average reader

that the biological approach to arthritis is quite different from conventional practices. As with every new concept and new approach, it takes an unprejudiced and objective attitude on the part of practitioners to be able to grasp and accept the new discoveries. It is natural to be doubtful and even skeptical of something which is contrary to common practice and the accepted line of thought. Moreover, the new biological approach seems to be so down-to-earth simple that for a technologically minded and pseudoscientifically trained, twentieth century space-oriented man it may seem too simple to be true. However, hundreds of medical doctors in Europe have given this down-to-earth, commonsense, nature-cure approach a fair trial. They were soon convinced of its extraordinary merits. Its effectiveness is proven by actual result-producing application on thousands upon thousands of successfully treated patients... It is unfortunate, indeed, that it takes such a long time before new discoveries and original ideas become universally accepted and officially endorsed. Millions of sick people suffer because of unwillingness on the part of conservative practitioners to accept and use new, unconventional methods of treatment. . ." (Paavo O. Airola, There Is A Cure For Arthritis, 1968, Publishing Co. New York). NUTRITION: A VITAL ROLE IN CURING ARTHRITIS Problems steming from faulty nutrition is perhaps the most important causative factor in the etiology (causative history) of arthritis. Not only must digestion be improved, the foods that are being digested must be correct, whole and organic. The digestive wastes must be eliminated quickly and efficiently as well. A problem that always arises is the average American's conception of what he eats. He often believes that he is eating properly. For example, he might say to you that he has always tried to eat healthy foods. He may say that he eats plenty of meat and eggs, and drinks lots of milk. He may also say that he eats cereal for breakfast, and one or two vegetables with his meat each day. He will often tell you that he eats his "One-A-Day" vitamin each day, faithfully. He believes that this is a health diet. But in actuality he is eating lots of polluted animal protein; devitalized, foodless cereals; canned vegetables and instant mashed potatoes; white bread; sugared desserts where even ordinary sugar is missing, having been replaced by corn syrup and where hydrogenated vegetable oils and tons of preservatives are used to prevent the junk from going stale. Imagine

having to eat stale junk food. After all, fresh junk food is bad enough. There are essentially seven rules that must be followed regarding foods. 1. Natural Foods The first rule of optimum nutrition is that you must eat natural foods. This is because the condition of your health is in direct relation to the naturalness of the foods you eat. Here in the United States we have almost lost our ability to tell what is natural and what is not. For example, we think that eggs are eggs and that any egg therefore is natural. Wrong. "Eggs laid by hens which have access to the outdoors, green grass, seeds, insects, and worms are natural, fertile eggs full of nutritive value. But eggs produced in an egg factory, by hens who never see a rooster, nor

sunlight, and eat only synthetic laying mash, are not natural. Not only is the chemical composition of such an egg altered and unbalanced, but also its nutritional value is far below that of a natural egg." The fruits and vegetables that you eat should also grow in healthy, fertile soils, without chemical fertilizers or sprays. The importance of eating organic foods cannot be over stated. Even the milk we drink must be organic. Cheese, meats, and other products derived from animals must be organic as well. This means that they must come from healthy animals fed organically grown fodder and not artificially raised with the help of hormones, antibiotics, fat promoters, milk-fat enhancers, etc. 2. Whole Foods The second rule of vital nutrition is that your foods must be whole, complete, unrefined and

unadulterated. Examples of whole foods include: whole wheat, brown rice, oranges, sugar cane (not corn syrup) and potatoes are all whole foods. Whole foods are simply foods which still contain all the nutrients which nature intended us to eat. They have all the vitamins (with certain exceptions), minerals (with certain exceptions), proteins, carbohydrates and a natural compliment of enzymes which are essential to good health. Whole foods are unrefined. Whole foods are not concentrates, nor parts of whole foods. It is hard to believe that upwards of 95 percent of the foods consumed by the average American today has been tampered with in some manner, adulterated in some manner, overcooked, and processed in such a manner that it is virtually devitalized of all nutritional value. White bread, white sugar, breakfast cereals are examples of devitalized, nutrition

less foods. And our children only know Honey-Nut Cheerios. Remember, only whole foods can supply optimum nutrition for optimum health. 3. Living Foods The third rule of vital nutrition is that every food you eat should be eaten as fresh as possible. They should be eaten raw in the case of fruits and vegetables. They should not be cooked, canned or frozen. If cooking is necessary, they should be cooked as little as possible, preferably steamed or cooked with little or no water. All of the broths that result from cooking should be consumed as well. Raw foods are necessary for proper nutrition because of the enzymes they

contain. Cooking always destroys the enzymes in food. Completely destroyed. The heat of cooking also damages some of the vitamins, particularly vitamins B and C. Even freezing destroys the nutritive value of foods. Canning, drying (dehydrating), preserving and keeping such foods stored for long periods of time also destroy the nutritive value of foods. Raw foods act as intestinal cleansers. They are the best preventive measure against constipation. Cooked food is dead food. Only living foods can build and/or restore health. 4. Poison-Free Foods The next rule is simply that your food must be poison free. If you can't get foods that are organic and free of colorants, waxes, etc, at least

wash them thoroughly before preparing them. Special peroxide-containing products are especially useful in de-contaminating all foods. Remember, there are more than 3,500 different chemicals used in the processing of foods. Our deteriorating health rests squarely on the shoulders of the chemical industry's powerful lobby! 5. Balanced Diet You can forget that stupid little pyramid that is supposed to represent the latest Washington-based thinking on what we should eat. All you need to know is that the optimum diet for optimum health and vitality is a diet low in animal protein and rich in natural carbohydrates and protein foods from vegetable sources. Such a diet would include raw fruits and vegetables. 6. Under eating It is a fact that under

eating leads to longevity. Foods eaten in excess of your bodily needs act as poisons, interfering with digestion, causing internal sluggishness, gas and incomplete assimilation. Excess foods are the greatest causes of fermentation and putrefaction. 7. Correct Eating Habits It is not only what you eat but how you eat that is important. We are not what we eat, but rather what we assimilate. Many of us gulp our food, without chewing it properly. Many of us eat out of habit, eating when we are not hungry. All foods must be properly chewed and chewed thoroughly. Never eat in a hurry. It is also necessary to eat in a relaxed atmosphere. Eating should be a pleasure. But eat to live, don't live to eat.

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