[Fwd: Excuse me, Kathleen...]

[Guest guest]

Forwarding on to loop, since others may

be interested

>>>KATHLEEN WROTE>>>I want something natural and SAFE

for an anti-inflammatory effect on my arthritis and asthma. Don't get

me started on my soapbox of "It's natural, so it's safe" rant. Arsenic

is natural, too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me... as I climb up next to you on

your soapbox.... ;-)

You're so very right- just because things are 'all natural' does

not make them safe. I go nuts everytime I hear some new diet miracle

supplement or arthritis-curing supplement being all natural. The only

reason many of the bottled 'miracle' capsules of different roots, oils,

extracts and herbs are even on the shelf is because the FDA does not

have a say in regulating them. Many have dangerous side effects and

shouldn't even be on the market. Just because one can buy something on

the shelf at Wal-Mart does not mean it's safe. Just look at how

dangerous that all natural root that ephedra is derived from turned out

to be. Many of the supplements interact with presciption drugs, but

because they aren't regulated, you won't read that on the bottle.

Also, because they aren't under FDA control, the purity of what's in

the bottle isn't regulated. You're doing the right thing in

researching any supplements that you might be considering. As far as

the supposed anti-inflammatory qualities of flaxseeds... well, I

wouldn't spend my money on them for that. I injured my knee almost a

year and a half ago. I have serious edema/swelling just below it and

the flax has never made that go down, so I can't vouch for any

anti-inflammatory benefits of it.

If you're trying to find something to help with the

anti-inflammatory effects of arthritis and asthma... perhaps instead of

trying to find something to take... look at what foods you can avoid

that cause inflammation. (Although, I'm sure you are very well aware

of that)

I know that if I eat certain foods I get achey. I can remember years

ago, when 's used to have a salad bar... in fact I think it was

really one of the first restaurants that I went to that even had a

salad bar. Well, everytime I ate a salad from there, I used to feel

awful all over... not a stomach ache- just plain achey all over. I

also experienced the same thing at a restaurant where I was working as

a waitress while in high school... anytime I ate a salad from the salad

bar there. I never ate a salad there again after one day when a

customer complained about the lettuce being brown. I took it back to

the kitchen and the cook sprinkled something he called "potato-white"

on it and tossed it around. Well, I know now that it was a sulfiting

agent... and many of the restaurants used it back then on salad bars.

I worked at the restaurant in 1983-84. Here is a bit of info re:

sulfites.....

SULFITES: Used

to preserve foods (especially dried fruits), occurring

naturally as a result of fermentation in alcoholic beverages (wine

& beer).

Although sulfites have been used since Roman times as a preservative,

many

people have an allergic reaction when they ingest sulfites. They are

particularly implicated in worsening asthma.

Sulfiting agents are used to help prevent spoilage

and discoloration and were banned by the Food and Drug

Administration in 1984 for use on foods that are meant to be consumed

raw,

such as salad bar items (vegetables and fruits), but are still legally

used

in processed foods. They are still illegally used in some restaurant

salad

bars. They are also added to some commercial cookies, crackers and

cereals.

Might be worth looking into, especially

since sulfites "are particularly implicated in worsening asthma". It

doesn't say whether asthma is worsened by it due to inflammation... but

that's what asthma is... inflammation in the bronchial passages. And

if it causes inflammation there, it can very well cause it everywhere

in the body... and I really believe that the sulfites were what caused

me to feel so achey back then. In addition to sulfites, I'm sure

there's a whole host of foods that cause inflammation... particularly

foods that make the body more acidic, because acid in the joints will

cause inflammation. There's alot of info on the web regarding this (of

course, we know that just because it's on the internet, it isn't

necessarily true, BUT if gives one a starting point) I did alot of

research several years ago for my mom who has fybromyalgia, among other

things. She has been in pain pretty much her entire adult life. I

tried to get her to not eat refined sugar for awhile just to see if

that would alleviate her pain, but she wasn't willing to give up

pastries and such. She says its the German in her.

Kathleen, thank you for letting me share your soapbox. I'm getting

down now. I have my own soapbox here at home... and my family would

tell you that I'm on it quite often.

;-)

hugs,

Janet