diseases 193
lion root, gingerroot, Siberian ginseng root, buckwheat leaf, and
ginkgo leaf. General heart herbs for maintenance would be haw thorn
leaf, berry, and fl ower, and ginkgo leaf tea.(^) ~ Inhale and massage with rosemary, eucalyptus, and juniper essential oils.
~ Stop smoking.
arthritis and rheumatism
There are several types of arthritis and rheumatism. Arthritis is the
infl ammation of one or more joints, causing stiffness, swelling, pain, and a
reduction in mobility. Osteoarthritis is the most common form, occurring
in those over forty years of age and causing a degeneration of cartilage,
muscles, ligaments, and joints. Rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis
are much less common forms and are autoimmune diseases. The body
wrongly identifi es the lubricating fl uid in the joints as foreign matter and
produces an immune response, which in turn induces an infl ammatory
response coupled with the destruction of, or damage to, the joints by the
immune system itself.
The whole subject of arthritis in its various forms is complex.
Sometimes bacterial, fungal, or viral infections of the joints are to blame.
Here are some general tips:
- Drink plenty of water to lubricate the system.
- Eat plenty of garlic.
- Cut out dairy products, red meats, salt, and sugar.
- Do not eat any foods from the Solanaceae family, such as potatoes,
peppers, and eggplants, as they interfere with muscle enzymes. - Avoid oxalic acid–rich foods, as they make matters worse. Avoid tea,
coffee, wine, spinach, rhubarb, tomatoes, gooseberries, oranges, straw-
berries, black currants, and red currants. Some of these may eventu-
ally be reintroduced without incurring pain and infl ammation. - Use juice cleanses and superfood. Use lots of pineapple with both of
these; it will help reduce infl ammation. - Take apple cider vinegar on a regular basis, as it works on a similar
principle to lemon juice.
f For excessive infl ammation and to help mobility, use three parts Si-
berian ginseng root, two parts wild yam root, two parts tumeric root,
and one part plantain leaf.
f For general help, use St. John’s wort fl owers, meadowsweet leaf and
fl ower, marshmallow root, Astragalus root, licorice root, garlic, bur-
dock root, and red clover fl ower.
193 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition