ARTHRITIS, A NEEDLESS CRIPPLER by Dr. John R. Christopher
This week's newsletter is Volume 3 Number 11 of the Dr John R.
Christopher Newsletter on Arthritis
Arthritis is a disease which affects the joints. It is attended by pain, heat, redness,
stiffness and swelling. Archaeological evidence indicates that arthritis was known as far
back as the earliest dynasties of ancient Egypt and possibly before that time. In the new
world we find "prehistoric" North American Indian skeletal populations
exhibiting arthritic deposits and bone deformities. The disease knows no boundaries as far
as age, social status, or geographical distribution.
I, myself, came into this world bearing the unsavory burden of rheumatoid arthritis, a
chronic form of the disease involving the destruction of the tissues of the joints, the
cartilage of the joints, and even the bone surfaces themselves. Usually this disease comes
upon a person after the age of thirty or forty, but the condition can be inherited. Some
other symptoms include excruciating pain or swelling in the joints, debility, anemia,
weight loss and fever. If there is extensive damage, the joints themselves can become
fused together as the body deposits scar tissue in and around the joints. Rheumatoid
arthritis often occurs and recurs during a person's life as it has done during mine.
Physical stress or emotional stress can bring it on.
The other common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is generally found in older people. It
is characterized by the wearing away of the cartilage, the gristle or white elastic
substance attached to the articular bone surfaces. The function of the cartilage is to
provide a smooth surface for the movement of the bones over each other at the joints.
Often this cartilage is worn away and the bare surfaces of the bones rub against each
other at the joints. This is extremely painful. The knee joints and hip joints are
generally affected because of the constant weight of the body placed on them. The sufferer
feels stiffness in the joints accompanied by pain and inflammation often after activity
and damp or humid weather.
Several other medical terms have been applied to variations of the osteo and rheumatoid
arthritis. These names are not important here. What is important is that we go to the
cause of arthritis and apply our remedies accordingly.
There is an advertisement from the media that states "Arthritis STRIKES one person
every so-and-so minutes, so give your money to us so we can research and find a
cure." Actually arthritis does not Strike an individual. The groundwork for arthritis
is laid by generations of man's transgression against the laws of nature. Arthritis has
been said to be "incurable." This is because most researchers have not looked
into the fundamental reasons for the existence of a disease. We see in our society today,
that arthritis is not just a disease that a few oldsters occasionally get, but that it has
reached epidemic proportions among the population. The so-called incurable diseases,
arthritis, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc., are due to the long-term
suppression of symptoms of these maladies by the extensive and indiscriminate use of
allopathic (in most cases unwholesome and inorganic) drugs. The patient often has to take
over/ under/or around-the-counter drugs for a lifetime in order to "manage"
their disease while the natural body functions slow up and eventually shut down.
There is one basic cause for any disease and this is simply malnutrition. Poor food, poor
digestion, poor assimilation, poor utilization, poor elimination. Add stress to this
picture and you will see how a wonderful and complex mechanism designed by the Creator of
the entire universe, made to function for 1,000 years, can be brutally destroyed by man's
inventions: diseases.
One of the medical discoveries for the relief of arthritis, aspirin, was lauded as being
the panacea of the century. But just a few years later, we found out the extensive damage
that can be done to the stomach by this insipid poison. Mothers who have faithfully
followed their doctor's orders and given their children aspirin for fever are now being
told that this is a very dangerous practice and should be discontinued. Drugs for
arthritic pain have come and gone, each one being replaced by a new, uncertain experiment,
possibly giving forth worse side effects than its predecessors. There is one thing about
Mother Nature, folks, she is consistent. Nature's laws can be applied yesterday, today,
and tomorrow. An apple or a fig was just as good for you in King Solomon's time as it is
today-provided it isn't sprayed with DDT, thanks to our pals in the human race.
In this letter we will give you our recommendations for relief of arthritis. They will
always remain unquestionably simple and wholesome and have helped many through our years
of practice.
An absolute necessity in life is water. It is the universal solvent, the lubricator. The
human body is composed of over 80% water. Most of the water we drink comes from the ground
and carries with it minerals in solution. It is hard water that often has a lot of calcium
in it. I'm sure all of you have seen the calciferous build-up on the inside of a tea
kettle or a water vaporizer. When we drink water, this calcification actually goes into
our system and cannot be processed by the body. It is accepted but not assimilated. It may
be shuttled around the body because it cannot be used. An excess of inorganic calcium can
be deposited around the area of the joints, causing great discomfort. We recommend
drinking steam distilled water instead of any other.
The consumption of meat adds uric acid wastes to the system, producing gouty inflammation.
Processed "foods" with excessive carbohydrate intake also contribute to the
malfunction of every cell in the body. It's always been a wonder how we, as a nation,
spend so much time and monetary energy to find the proper animal feed when we don't even
know what to feed ourselves.
VITAMIN C (citric acid) AND ARTHRITIS
Several studies have been done on the connection between Vitamin C and arthritis. Richard
Lucas in his book, Nature's Medicines reports that in a hospital treating chronic diseases
of the elderly, pain of arthritis was decreased within one month by the addition of 8
ounces of orange juice to the daily diet. In another study it was found that arthritis
sufferers were relieved of gouty symptoms by drinking canned cherry juice. Because many
people eat meat, they have a build-up of uric acid in the system which tends to create
these symptoms. Blood uric acid dropped as a result of taking ½ lb. of fresh or canned
cherries a day.
Many of our herbs contain Vitamin C. One of the highest is rose-hips. Rose hip tea is very
refreshing and will certainly be an aid in eliminating uric acid build-up. Hibiscus
flowers also contain high amounts of C. Any citrus fruits can also be aids.
An article appearing in Food Field Reporter, in 1958, stated that there is no
"definite" scientific data on just how cherry juice aids in relieving pain
caused by diseases where improper balance of calcium is present. They then state that it
may be the pigment in the cherries that brings relief.
One of the best empirical (first-hand observation and experience) studies of the above
phenomenon is by Dr. D. C. Jarvis, M.D. He observed farm animals and folk medicine
practitioners in the state of Vermont.
He noted that Vermont folk medicine, although they did not distinguish between arthritis,
bursitis, rheumatism, gout, osteoarthritis, etc., they were successful in treating all
these diseases with two teaspoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and two of honey in a glass of
water three times a day. They felt that arthritis treatment began in the stomach where the
acid balance prevented putrefaction of food. (Bacteria will not grow in an acid medium.)
These bacteria guard the door to proper assimilation of nutriments in the stomach and
intestine. One of the body's chief necessities is calcium. If the calcium balance is off,
the results will be seen in many ways. There will be frayed nerves, inferior fingernails
and hair, and other disorders including susceptibility to infectious diseases and
arthritis resulting from altered body chemistry.
Calcium enters into solution in an acid medium. The apple cider vinegar creates an acidic
medium which is capable of dissolving excess inorganic calcium--even if it is in the form
of arthritic deposits in the joints. Cows, when allowed to graze by their own instincts,
will always choose acidic vegetation over alkaline. When they are fed winter feed, they
may run the risk of developing milk fever which affects the quality of their milk, often
paralyzes their hind legs, and makes for difficult calf delivery. The acidity of the
system determines the health of the newborn calf as well. Animals even take to drinking
apple cider vinegar voluntarily when it is set before them.
OTHER FACTORS IN ARTHRITIS
When sugar is added to water, the amount of calcium that is absorbed is increased
thirty-five times. There is definitely a correlation between the amount of sugar in the
blood stream and the precipitating out of calcium around the joints.
A malfunctioning nervous and endocrine system can also be a factor in arthritis. The
hypothalamus sends a signal to the parathyroid to begin dissolving bone if the body needs
calcium elsewhere. The thyroid gland is the regulator of the reverse process. If the
thyroid is underactive, bone may continue to dissolve, causing osteoporosis or bone loss.
If it is overactive, excess calcium is deposited back into the bones. When the bones have
enough calcium, the malfunctioning thyroid can't say "quit!" So, excess calcium
may be deposited on the outside of the bones and even the joints. It would do well to
check that thyroid (through iridology or otherwise) and use kelp or some form of organic
iodine to rebuild it if it is degenerating. The thyroid herbal formula is a good aid here
along with the perfect glandular food, three parts mullein and one part lobelia (as a tea,
capsule, or fomentation over the thyroid area).
We have found that an arthritic person can improve their condition remarkably in a few
short weeks by making three changes in diet (if nothing else):
1. eliminate meat from the diet
2. eliminate refined sugar from diet
3. drink plenty of distilled water
In addition to this, we suggest changing to the mucusless diet and using the lower bowel
tonic and other aids described in the booklet "Dr. Christopher's Three Day Cleansing
Program and Mucusless Diet."
A very wonderful herbal aid for arthritis and rheumatism is the formula consisting of
hydrangea root (a great calcium solvent for any part of the body), Brigham herb (high in
copper), yucca (with saponins that have a detergent-like action within the blood stream to
cleanse and purify), chaparral (also high in copper), lobelia, burdock root, sarsaparilla,
wild lettuce, valerian, wormwood, cayenne, black cohosh, and black walnut. These herbs
detoxify and dissolve old calcium deposits. Some of the herbs are very high in organic
calcium, which can be used by the body. There are also herbs which kill fungus and
infection and some good pain-relievers. We add here that the process of arthritis is a
long one, to have the disease reach a chronic state, and relief (that is, complete relief)
can only be a slow process of rebuilding the system. We have mentioned the herbs that are
high in copper. We have seen many arthritis sufferers wearing copper bracelets to get
relief from the disorder. The marvelous herbs high in copper will do the job much better.
We have found that kidney bean pod tea (one or two quarts daily) to be a Godsend. One old
woman of 91 years drank only a few cups daily without changing her diet at all and was
able to walk without the use of a cane or walker. As soon as she stopped the tea she was
back to her old routine of difficulty with walking once more.
For extreme cases of joint inflammation and pain, we recommend the Bone, Flesh and
Cartilage formula, or the Comfrey Fomentation. This could be used either as a fomentation
or as an ointment. It is wonderful to dissolve calcium spurs. Make a tea of the following
herbs: oak bark, marshmallow root, mullein, wormwood, lobelia, skullcap, comfrey root,
walnut bark, and gravel root. Use one ounce of the combined herbs to a pint of water. Soak
the herbs for four to six hours prior to simmering them down to one-half the original
volume. Then you may add one-fourth the amount of vegetable glycerine if desired. For
severe cases, drink one-fourth a cup of tea with three-fourth's of a cup of distilled
water three times a day.
For very advanced cases of arthritis, we recommend the "Incurables" program. The
fresh fruit and vegetable juices are a necessity. Dr Arthur W. Snyder also recommends
celery and cucumber juice, carrot, endive, and apple juice.
Dr. Norman W. Walker's idea is that arthritis is caused by inorganic calcium deposits in
the joints as a result of eating concentrated carbohydrates in excess. He suggests
grapefruit juice, celery juice, carrot and spinach juice, and carrot and celery juice;
carrot, beet, and cucumber is also recommended.
Arthritis need not be the crippling scourge of mankind. If dietary discretion is applied
early enough, arthritis can be prevented. In the later stages, it can be reversed if care
is taken to apply the simple principles of nature, consistently and faithfully.
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We hope you enjoyed this information and find it useful.
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Excellent herbal formulas inspired by the works of Dr. Christopher and other great natural
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including Cayenne and Detox formulas and teas and Muscle and Joint Repair Oil.
Sincerely,
Ron Radstrom,
Founder
Health Freedom Resources
Copyright 2000 Health Freedom Resources, Inc. All rights reserved.
Health Freedom Resources may be contacted at:
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