Need info on vitamins | Arthritis Information

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I have been seeing lot have been written on Vitamins which some of you are taking.  Since  have not been taking any, I will need some guidance in this area. 

 
Is it making any difference in RA?  I am a vegetarian.  Don't eat any meat or eggs.  I take iron.
There is a very good book called Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyillis A. Balch.  Costco usually carries it.  I have the 3rd edition, but think there is now a 4th edition.  So my edition:  It breaks up the suggested herbs and vitamins for what condition you are looking at into categories of importance, plus the book is a wealth of information about natural healing, old remedies, and explains vitamins, herbs, and lots of great explanations of things like making a poultice, etc.
 
Here is a condensed synoposis of what is recommended for arthritis (not RA, no separate section for RA):
 
Essential:
 
Bromelain, chondroitin sulfate, essential fatty acids (fish oil), MSM, SAMe, sea cucumber, silica, SOD, TMG, and Vitamin E.
 
Very Important:
 
Boron, calcium, magnesium and copper with Vitamin D3 and zinc, CMO, DMG, free-form amino acid complex, kelp or alfalfa, multienzyme complex, selenium, Vitamin B complex with extra Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B5 (panothenic acid) and B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 and folic acid, Vitamin C.
 
It also has a "helpful" section, but you can look that up yourself. 
 
It recommends the following herbs:  alfalfa, bowellia, cat's claw, cayenne, du ho jisheng wan, nettle leaf, noni, olive leaf extract, phytodolor, tumeric, and willow bark.
 
I buy cayenne and tumeric in the organic spice section, cheaper than in tablet form, and purer and easier to digest.  You can see where there is an emphasis on digestion, which is critical with RA and leaky gut. 
 
Under Weakened Immune System (not broken down into separate categories like the rest of the book, which is interesting, and recommends specific products from stated manufacturers):
 
Acetyl-L-carnitine, acidophilus, Aerobic 07, Beres Drops Plus, Beta-1, 3 glucan; Body Language Super Antioxidant, Bovine colostrum, Coenzyme Q10, essential fatty acids (fish oil), free-form amino acid complex, garlic, kelp, Kyo-Green, L-Arginine and L-ornithine, L-Cysteine, L-methionine plus L-lysine (your body does not produce L-lysine, you have to supplement it like Vitamin C), lecithin granules, Maitake extract, manganese, multivitamin and mineral complex, proteolytic enzymes, pycnogenal, quercetin plus bromelain, raw thymus glandular plus multiglandular complex with raw spleen glandular, selenium, shark liver oil, SOD plus DMG, taruine plus, Vitamin A plus natural carotenoid complex with beta-carotene, Vitamin B complex plus extra Vitamins B6 and B12 plus raw liver extract, Vitamin Cwith bioflavonids, Vitamine E, zinc plus copper. 
 
Herbs:  astragalus, bayberry, fenugreek, hawthorn, horehound, licorice root, and red clover, black radish, dandelion, milk thistle, boxthorn seed, ginseng, suma, wisteria, echnacea, ginkgo biloba, goldenseal, St. John's wort, ligustrum, picrorrhiza.
 
Please pick up the book and read it carefully before using any of these products - there is lots of explanation and lots of warnings about interactions, so you need to pay close attention.  I call this book my "bible" for my vitamin/herb intake.  But my parents were/are into health food and I was raised on vitamins and herbs, so its natural for me.  For someone who is new to this, I bet this post is making your eyes bug out.  There are things you can do in addition to your prescribed medications.  Be sure to let your MD know what you take, this is very important for drug interaction.  Good luck and buy the book.  Let me know how you do.  Take care ~~ Cathy
 
DISCLAIMER:  It's late and I could have typos, so get the book.  I am not a licensed nutritionist or have any training in vitamins, this is all from reading this book and figuring out what works best for me.  PM me if you would like what I personally take.  C 
justsaynoemore2009-03-28 18:58:24I hope you are trying to eat well.... that's ultimately the best thing you can do for yourself.. go fresh.. try not to eat already prepared foods.. cook fresh..  use the 5-9 rule.. eat 5 -9 helpings of fruit and veggies every day.
Take an excellent multivitamin...
have your VitD tested... I'd bet you're deficient.. the majority of us appear to be... and adjust your D intake based on that..
take good care!!
babs102009-03-28 19:53:02Great info Cathy and Babs, thank-you. 

Veenu, I usually get all fired up about supplements, then forget to take them! LOL!  I eat well though, very little red meat, fresh fruits and veggies (love, love, love that part!) and fish at least 2x weekly (that is the hardest thing for me to get in, so I make sure and supplement with fish oil).  Yogert and oatmeal with berries every morning is another (favorite) thing I do. 

I try and eat only what is in season and as local as I can get it.  I rarely buy produce from out of the country, just because it can not be all that fresh and the likely hood something was sprayed to retard ripening is high.  I NEVER eat packaged food and ALWAYS make sure I know what is in what I eat.  I think this has helped me loads.  I sometimes wonder where I would be if I didn't eat this way??????

Cathy, that book sounds great and a good resource too!  I am looking for it tomorrow!

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