Inflammation is your body’s protective response to infection or injury. Yet this normal response can become a chronic condition when it occurs even though there is no threat to your body. Long-term inflammation can damage your body tissue and create disease.
“Inflammation is a key underpinning of every disease process,” writes Jack Challem, personal nutrition coach and author of The Inflammation Syndrome.Furthermore, the dominant diet in North America consists of pro-inflammatory foods and drinks that are high in trans-fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates. This low-quality nutrition induces inflammation and creates a body environment where disease thrives. According to Challem, this inflammation-promoting diet leads to insulin resistance, high levels of body fat, high blood pressure, accelerated aging, and inflammatory diseases, including allergies, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Many experts agree that poor nutrition depresses the immune system and opens the door to life-threatening illnesses.
The unnatural nature of arthritis
Inflammation is a major factor in arthritis – joint inflammation. Arthritis comes in over a 100 different conditions ranging from tennis elbow to crippling rheumatoid arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis, which affects the joints that bear your weight, such as hips, knees, and feet. But it can also cause pain in your finger and thumb joints. Even though it is classified as a non-inflammatory arthritis, inflammation is a factor.
The pain of osteoarthritis results from the breakdown and wearing away of cartilage – a continually remodeled, durable tissue that covers the ends of your bones. Cartilage is kept slippery by synovial fluid. If you think of your body as a machine, synovial fluid would be the oil your body needs to keep your moveable parts in good working order. However, the synovial lining and fluid, which lubricates your joints and keeps your cartilage smooth, strong, and healthy, can become inflamed as the disease progresses. If your cartilage degenerates, the ends of your bones rub together, causing pain.
Osteoarthritis affects one in 8 Americans. Up to 90 percent over the age of 75 are affected by osteoarthritis but it is starting to show up in those much younger – even children. Whatever your age, osteoarthritis is not a natural fact of life. And whether the risk factors are dietary, hereditary, injury-induced, or from being overweight, your actions can help to prevent its onset or relieve its symptoms.
Avoiding the pain of arthritis
Common sense tells us to eat nutritional meals that include several daily servings of fruits and vegetables, which promote alkalinity. Maintaining an alkaline body environment is one of your best defenses against inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
More common sense tells us to exercise regularly. Similar to the modern diet that lacks many of our essential nutrients for good health, modern lifestyles eliminate the movement that is so necessary to keep your body in shape and your joints healthy. Sitting in front of computers for work or play is not a physical workout. You have to find some form of exercise that gets you moving regularly.
AIM’s common sense confirms the benefits of whole-food concentrates and natural health products that add nutrients to your diet and target specific health issues, including arthritis.
AIM defense against arthritis
AIM Frame Essentials® combines glucosamine, Boswellia serrata, and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) for a synergistic formula that helps to relieve osteoarthritic pain, whether you have debilitating joint soreness or tennis elbow.
Glucosamine contributes to the formation of cartilage, tendons, and synovial fluid and helps to relieve joint pain. As you age, the body produces less glucosamine. Dr. Michael Murray, author of the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, defines osteoarthritis as “a degenerative condition where the body does not manufacture sufficient quantities of cartilage. Eventually you get bone rubbing on bone.” Murray recommends supplementing with glucosamine, which “leads to growth and regeneration of the cartilage.”
Boswellia serrata provides boswellic acids that are known to maintain blood supply to inflamed joints, reduce joint swelling, and reduce pain.
Sulfur is a mineral that is naturally present in every cell of your body, and most notably in the cartilage. MSM may help to reduce pain and maintain healthy joints.
AIMega® provides a necessary 2:1 ratio of omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids (EFAs). Essential for the health and function of all of your cells, EFAs may also play a pivotal role in balancing the inflammatory response of the body.
Whole-food concentrated greens, such as AIM LeafGreens® and AIM BarleyLife®, contribute to your overall wellness by providing a wealth of nutritional support. Their alkalinizing effect on your body goes a long way in keeping chronic inflammation at bay.
This combination of products taken in the correct amounts may combat arthritis.
Dancing in the Streets (or at least the backyard …)
When it comes to relieving the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, the whole-food concentrate BarleyLife proved to be the answer for AIM Member Christopher Hancock, who was diagnosed with this debilitating form of arthritis back in 1985. At that time, Christopher had no idea how much this disease would affect him and his family. Severe pain, joint deformity, and fatigue eventually required that he quit his job in 2000.
His pain was alleviated by medication, but over the years Christopher had to try different drugs after a drug stopped being effective. “Doctors warned me that everyone and their uncle would try to make me better through some ancient formula or secret that had been handed down through their families,” says Christopher. “Well, when you are in severe pain, you try other things, and I tried several, which always ended in disappointment.”
In 2006 Christopher’s good friend, AIM Director Ken Campbell, gave him a couple of free canisters of BarleyLife. “To be honest,” says Christopher, “I thought, oh well, here we go again, another secret formula that will have me dancing in the streets.”
At first he did not notice any great improvements and was ready to stop taking it. After attending an AIM meeting, it was suggested that Christopher give BarleyLife more time. This is the case with many severe conditions and natural medicine – it can take time to feel the health improvements.
After about four or five months, Christopher noticed that his energy level was up and his pain level was down. “I also found that I was sleeping better,” he explains, “With less pain, I didn’t wake up every time I had to turn over in bed.” Rest allows the body to repair itself. Christopher also found that he could go shopping and be on his feet for four to five hours.
And things got even better. “In 2008, I built a forty-five-foot-long wooden fence in my backyard, practically all by myself. Before BarleyLife, I could barely pick up a hammer,” says Christopher. “Now I’m not saying that BarleyLife is a miracle remedy for everyone, I can only tell you about my experience and how much it has relieved my pain and improved my energy levels.”
You do not have to suffer. AIM provides natural solutions to help relieve arthritis or prevent its onset.
This testimonial should not be construed as representing results everyone can achieve.