Arthritis
Arthritis is a joint disorder. Arthritis literally
means inflammation of one or more joints. A joint is an area of the
body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the
body parts connected by its bones. There are many forms of arthritis
(over one hundred and growing). The forms range from those related
to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those
associated with inflammation resulting from an over-active immune
system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many forms of
arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United
States.
In normal healthy joints, the end of the bone is
covered by synovial membrane and is kept lubricated by synovial
fluid. Arthritis sufferers have less fluid and the membrane thins or
wears away, causing bone to rub against bone, creating pain and
inflammation. Small pieces of bone may break away and become lodged
in the joint creating more pain.
Certain foods have been found to aggravate arthritis
symptoms, and if this is the case, should be removed from the diet.
Recent research has shown that supplementation of the nutrients that
the body needs to create cartilage and tissues in the joints has
been helpful.
