Complimentary Treatments For Arthritis - from cherries to bioenergy

It starts out small and is often ignored at first in the hopes that today's minor ache is not tomorrow's arthritis. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2002 more than 43 million Americans were diagnosed with some form of arthritis. Statistically, that means 1 in 5 of us will have arthritis this year.

Allopathic medicine has come a long way in helping us cope with the pain that comes with this ailment. Thanks to medical research, there is now a whole host of prescription remedies available to reduce the trademark symptom of arthritis: inflammation. But, as a complement to traditional healthcare, affected persons also have a variety of homeopathic options including affirmations, visualization, and Healing Touch, just to name a few.

Let's start with one of the most obscure alternative treatments for arthritis - cherries. Tart cherries, to be exact. Jill Tall, Ph.D. of The Johns Hopkins Hospital directed a scientific report that found tart cherry extracts, specifically anthocyanins, reduced pain and swelling related to inflammation. While the results of this study were published in Behavioural Brain Research (August 12, 2004), studies of the effects of anthocyanins on inflammation have been conducted for quite some time. In fact, studies show that raspberries provide similar benefits. Less effective, but still beneficial are strawberries, blackberries & cranberries.

If tart cherries don't appeal to your taste buds, you can try something as simple as positive affirmations. These quick quotes, when used consistently, can work to counteract the negative thoughts that often follow pain. To get you started, here are a few affirmations created specifically for arthritis:

"My fingers (joints) move freely and easily." "My hands (joints) are free from pain." "I have healthy joints."