Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness that affects about one percent of the world's population, and in my family it has been passed down from mother to daughter for at least 5 generations. It seems I have always lived with the pain of arthritis. I used to just accept the fact that I was helpless to do anything about it. Not anymore. Since I have begun to explore the possibilities of herbal medicine my quality of life has improved and my daily arthritic pain level has decreased markedly. I want to share them with you here, in the hopes that they can benefit someone else who may be fighting the same battle.

Cayenne capsules, and/or cayenne
oil are powerful arthritis
pain relievers

There is much written in the popular literature, on the net and in books that suggests that plants of the nightshade family, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant can cause arthritis flareups.

The culprit seems to be a phytochemical solamine that acts as a defense mechanism in plants, and is toxic in very high doses. Solamine is what is responsible for turning potatoes green when exposed to sunlight. Which is why it is unwise to eat green-tinted potatoes. While study evidence is scant for the avoiding nightshade plants, personal testimonies and folklore are compelling enough to make me want to consume these plants in smaller quantities, especially potatoes. White potatoes are really just big lumps of starch waiting to turn into sugar, and my body does not need that kind of starch calories anyway. However I will not give up the occasional peppers in stirfrys, or tomatoes when in season for my salads. The capsicum contained in peppers in such a powerful anti-inflammatory that is is counter intuitive to me to eliminate them from my diet.

There is more scientific links between the consumption of red meat and arthritis, (along with heart disease etc.). I have been eating a semi-vegatarian diet for a week now,(still eat cheese, eggs and a little milk) and feel better for it. I am also cutting way, way down on table sugar, and do not consume "junk", processed foods that have a lot of trans fats , chemicals, preservatives and such in them. This approach covers more bases for me - weight loss, general health, and less arthritis pain.

The link between diet and arthritis is a complex one. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disorder, and what makes my immune system go haywire may not be the same thing as what triggers yours. The key here is awareness, awareness of what you are putting in your body and what your body is telling you about how it affects you.