| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
| FOREWORD |
PREFACE | TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH |
| Medical Biases |
| The Importance of “Bio-individuality” |
| Experimental Therapies |
INTRODUCTION | WHAT IS ARTHRITIS? |
| Connective Tissues Affected by Arthritis |
| Joint Structure |
| Key Supporting Structures |
PART ONE: OSTEOARTHROSIS AND GOUT |
CHAPTER 1 | OSTEOARTHROSIS (OSTEOARTHRITIS): |
| A CASE OF DYSFUNCTIONAL CARTILAGE |
| Defining the Disease |
| Symptoms of Osteoarthrosis |
| Diagnosis of Osteoarthrosis |
| Surgical Options |
| What Causes Osteoarthrosis? |
| Who Is Most at Risk? |
CHAPTER 2 | PHYSICAL AND MENTAL THERAPIES: WORKING MIND AND BODY TO REDUCE DRUG DEPENDENCY |
| Exercise, Physical Therapies, and Acupuncture |
| Psychological Therapies |
CHAPTER 3 | ASPIRIN AND ITS OFFSPRING |
| Mechanical Pain Versus Inflammatory Pain |
| Analgesic Options |
| Aspirin: The First Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) |
| Synthetic NSAIDs |
| Stinging Nettles for Pain? Giving NSAIDs an Herbal Assist |
| Side Effects of Aspirin and Other NSAIDs |
| How NSAIDs Help and Hurt |
| Safer New NSAIDs: Natural and Synthetic Alternatives |
| Acetaminophen: Pain Relief with the Leading “Un-NSAID” |
CHAPTER 4 | THE CARTILAGE THERAPY REVOLUTION: |
| GLUCOSAMINE, SAME, CHONDROITIN, BOVINE CARTILAGE, SULFUR, GELATIN, BOSWELLIA HERB |
| Cartilage: Creation and Destruction |
| Cartilage Protectors: Treating Root Causes |
CHAPTER 5 | GOUT |
| What Causes Gout? |
| Progression |
| Diagnosis |
| Drug Therapy for Acute and Chronic Gout |
| Diet and Natural Remedies |
PART TWO: RHEUMATIC DISEASES |
CHAPTER 6 | RHEUMATIC DISEASES: |
| WHAT, HOW, AND WHY |
| Diagnosis of Rheumatic Diseases |
| Prognosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| Inflammation: Why Arthritic Tissues Catch Fire |
| What Causes Rheumatic Disease? |
| Fibromyalgia: A Special Case |
AN OVERVIEW OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES |
| CAUSATIVE FACTORS AND PAIN MANAGEMENT: AN ANALYSIS FROM THE FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE BY LEONID GORDIN, M.D. |
| Factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| Leaky Gut Syndrome |
| Dysbiosis: Bacterial Overgrowth |
| Free Radical Stress and Cartilage Degeneration |
| Acute and Chronic Pain |
| Pain Management |
CHAPTER 7 | GETTING THE RIGHT MEDICAL HELP |
| Rheumatologists |
| Rheumatology Nurse Practitioners |
| Other Medical Doctors |
| Holistic Medical Doctors |
| Naturopaths |
| Chiropractors |
CHAPTER 8 | CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES FOR RHEUMATIC DISEASES |
| Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) |
| An Aggressive New Stance on DMARDs |
| Cytotoxic Drugs |
| Corticosteroids |
| A New Approach: Biologic Response Modifiers |
| Alternative Options |
CHAPTER 9 | CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO RHEUMATIC REMEDIES |
| Using the Remedies Table |
| Ranking Rheumatic Remedies |
CHAPTER 10 | DIETARY THERAPY IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES |
| Leaky Gut Syndrome |
| Stomach Acid (Hypochlorhydria) and Rheumatic Disease |
| Therapeutic Diets |
| Oral Tolerance Therapy |
CHAPTER 11 | VITAMINS AND MINERALS |
| Vitamin A/Beta-Carotene |
| B Vitamins |
| Vitamin C |
| Vitamin D |
| Vitamin E |
| Boron |
| Copper |
| Selenium |
| Zinc |
CHAPTER 12 | TRADITIONAL HERBS |
| Ranking Herbs for Arthritis |
| Primary Therapeutic Herbs |
| Secondary Herbs |
CHAPTER 13 | NUTRACEUTICAL REMEDIES FROM NATURE |
| EPA |
| GLA |
| CMO |
| Emu Oil |
| Bovine Tracheal Cartilage |
| Capsaicin |
| Curcumin Turmeric |
| OPCs |
| Dietary Enzymes |
| Sea Cucumber |
| New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel |
CHAPTER 14 | ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY |
| Bacterial Arthritis |
| Clues from the Heart and Gut |
| How Microbes Might Cause Rheumatic Diseases |
| Early Evidence for Microbe Theory |
| The Changing Fortunes of Microbe Theory |
| Germs on Trial |
| Antibiotic Therapy |
| Antibiotics as Anti-Inflammatory Drugs |
| Are Antibiotics Right for You? |
CHAPTER 15 | HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES |
| Less Is More, Ad Infinitum: The Paradox of Homeopathy |
| The Return of Homeopathy |
| Does It Work? |
| Homeopathy in Arthritis |
CHAPTER 16 | FOLK REMEDIES |
| Alfalfa |
| Bee Venom |
| Copper Bracelets |
| Honey and Vinegar |
APPENDIX A | RESOURCES |
APPENDIX B | MORE HERBAL OPTIONS |
APPENDIX C | TOP HERBS: SCIENTIFIC SUMMARIES |
| NOTES |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY |
| INDEX |
| ABOUT THE AUTHORS |
| ABOUT INNER TRADITIONS |
| BOOKS OF RELATED INTEREST |
| COPYRIGHT |