Healing From the Debilitating Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis Through Alternative Methods: Part 1

I have often been asked how I overcame the debilitating pain, stiffness and inflammation that wreaks havoc from rheumatoid arthritis. It's interesting to note that I have successfully remained "prescription meds" free since 1994. Undoubtedly this success has been due to a complete soul, mind, body transformation, but as with anything, it also takes dedication, focus and determination to remain healthy. And although there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, you still have the ability to heal from it.

Here are some tips, based on my own personal odyssey, that may prove beneficial to improve your well-being if you sufferer from the devastating effects of arthritis. This program is designed to be used in conjunction with whatever conventional medical therapy you are currently provided with from your physician.

Caution: If you are currently taking prescribed medications, continue to follow your physician's advice. Do not stop taking your prescribed medications without your physician's knowledge or permission. Some medications cannot be stopped "cold turkey" and you must be slowly weaned off in order to avoid injury to other bodily functions.

As I maintain in other articles, I truly believe that you have the ability to heal yourself. But quite often what prevents you from doing so is simply due to a lack of understanding, knowledge, education or from a lack of confidence in your own abilities. First you must be willing to recognize, acknowledge, trust and believe in your own power before committing yourself to make positive changes in your life.

General Effects Experienced From Rheumatoid Arthritis

Without going into great descriptive detail, this type of arthritis is a chronic health condition. It's an autoimmune disease, where the body attacks itself, usually affecting both sides simultaneously and can cause a variety of conditions such as:

1. Swelling in the joint lining (sonovial fluid) around the joints

2. Inflammation (redness and heat) in joints

3. Extreme joint pain and tenderness

4. Extreme fatigue

5. Breakdown of joints reducing strength and mobility

6. Joint deformity such as in the hands or feet

7. Crippling in approximately 5% of sufferers where they are confined to a wheelchair

8. Death if major internal organs are affected, such as the heart, etc.

Caution: Only follow the subsequent instructions after you have consulted and discussed your intentions with your physician and only if you are given permission to do so. Monitor and assess your progress every 3 to 6 weeks and if you feel that you are improving with pain and stiffness, then reduce prescribed pain medication by 1/4 of a pill. You know when you have improved if your morning stiffness lasts less time each day or week. E.g. If you usually shuffle around with stiff joints for 15 minutes before loosening up, but now it only takes 8 minutes, then this indicates that your inflammation has improved and you can reduce your prescription meds by 1/4 of a pill. But resist the temptation to eliminate your medication all at once.

Dietary Changes

1. Reduce sugar intake

2. Increase pure drinking water to six to eight, 8 ounce glasses per day (water helps to release built-up toxins from your body, hydrate your body, plus circulate the energy flow throughout your body)

3. Reduce coffee or tea containing caffeine to one or two cups per day

4. Reduce consumption of soft drinks as these can be high in sugar or caffeine

5. Decrease fried foods and fats

6. Decrease junk food (e.g. potato chips and candy)

7. Decrease alcohol consumption

8. Eat a balanced, wholesome diet

Lifestyle Changes

1. Believe, feel and know that you will heal! (E.g. affirm positively to yourself, "I will heal" or "I am healed", instead of, "I think that I might heal - maybe, maybe not" or "I think this might work"). Note: It is important to become consciously aware of how you think and talk to yourself. I THINK - expresses a thought that's a possibility for the future and is not fully believable yet. I WILL - expresses a thought that is about to be realized, but it's not quite ready. I AM - expresses a thought that is happening right now, in the present time. Remember......you are what you "think."

2. If your hands or joints feel stiff and painful, immerse them in tepid water to loosen them. Alternatively, you can use a hot water bottle, electric blanket, or hold quartz crystal wands until you feel relief.

3. Exercise using range of motion exercises. Note: Avoid exercising when experiencing inflammation. Monitor inflammation by amount of stiffness in the joint - how long it takes to loosen up; reduction in stiffness time indicates progress

4. Do low-impact exercises or water exercises - always try to keep moving, no matter how lousy you feel

5. Avoid shuffling your feet even when your ankles are stiff and sore; otherwise they will eventually lock into this position and you will be unable to bend your feet at the ankles

6. Meditate for 20 to 30-minutes daily. Close your eyes, relax and use the "breath" method - count from 1 to 4 and then keep repeating as you visualize each number in front of you. If your mind wanders, return it to the where you left off or start again from number one

7. Use "visualization" techniques to bring in a column of universal white (energy) light to flow from your crown chakra (top of your head) through each chakra center and then flowing from the soles of your feet down to the center of Mother Earth. As the energy flows through your body, verbalize that your body feels and knows that the energy is cleansing, re-vitalizing and releasing all toxins and lower vibrating energies (also called negative energy) from each cell (releasing and cleansing each cell allows your body to rebuild the body with healthy cells rather than duplicate un-healthy cells, thus leading to illness within the body).

8. Release un-healthy thinking (E.g. jealousy, hate, greed, un-forgiveness, etc.)

9. Release un-healthy situations. (E.g. Avoid staying in situations where your energy is being drained by others who are co-dependent or who feed from your energy source to replenish their own energy source)

10. Surround yourself with happy, positive thinking people

11. Avoid being a "perfectionist"

12. Avoid being a "controller"

13. Allow yourself more latitude; avoid scheduling yourself to death

14. Become pro-active to increase your self-esteem and your self-confidence

15. Avoid being a doormat; assert yourself by constructing boundaries for others to honour and respect

16. Love yourself. Use daily affirmations in the positive tense (E.g. "I am love", "I am joy", "I am peace", "I am strength", "I am prosperity", "I am abundance", etc.)

17. Be kind to yourself. Take more time to pamper yourself doing things that bring you total pleasure and peace

18. Allow yourself more rest. If you have a heavy schedule, cut back on your responsibilities in order to release stress

About the Author

Margaret Jang is a Reiki Master Teacher & Practitioner, Numerologist, Intuitive, and a Spiritual/Inspirational Poet & Writer. She currently resides in Vancouver, BC and can be contacted at margjang@gmail.com or through her website www.margaretjang.com.