B.C. Batton-Wright, D.Sc., F.R.I.C., F.I.Bio., is a much respected
scientist in England. In 1974 he published a paper entitled,
"Arthritis: A Vitamin Deficiency Disease."
In that paper, he presented a powerful case for his contention that a
deficiency of pantothenic acid is a definite cause of arthritis in human
beings.
What is pantothenic acid? It is one of the B complex vitamins, and was
first isolated by Dr. Roger Williams, who gave it its name. This vitamin is
found in most plants of nature, but is quickly destroyed by the heat used in
the normal cooking of food. Thus, while there is lots of it around us, very
little gets into our bodies—unless we eat enough raw food.
Cooking destroys pantothenic acid; so does food processing. So cooked
food and canned food alike contains none of this very important vitamin.
Among the best natural sources of pantothenic acid are brewer’s yeast,
alfalfa, and fresh eggs. Other natural foods contain far smaller amounts of
it.
Among its many important duties in the human body, pantothenic acid
enables bones to form and hardens cartilage. But when it is lacking in the
diet, bones weaken, joints decalcify, and cartilage breaks down. All these
are symptoms of osteoarthritis!
Pantothenic acid first came to the attention of Dr. Barton-Wright about
1960, when he was analyzing that amazing substance: royal jelly. He found
this secretion of honey bees to be unusually rich in pantothenic acid. So he
began studying it.
(At this point, the writer of this book wishes to share with you the fact
that much of the royal jelly sold on the market has been processed heavily
enough that it may not have much worth. This information came from a
beekeeper friend in Florida who is a full-time royal jelly extractor. He has
found that his bees refuse to use commercial royal jelly—the kind you buy
in stores.)
Because of the very high loss of pantothenic acid due to unavailability
or loss through processing or cooking, Barton-Wright says, "This
vitamin is required in the human diet in comparatively large amounts, at
least 25-50 milligrams daily." Yet the average American diet only
provides 4.5 milligrams of pantothenic acid per every 2,500 calories. That
figure does not include nutrient losses due to processing and cooking! So
the average person should obtain about 40 to 45 milligrams, a day, more
pantothenic acid than he now receives.
Here is more information on why you need so much pantothenic acid in your
diet: Barton-Wright says that the substance is thermolabile; that is,
it is especially sensitive to dry heat. Large amounts of destroyed food is
toasted or roasted. In addition, when vegetables are cooked, it dissolves in
the cooking water. So those who do not drink all the cooking water lose as
much as 66% of this nutrient.
In addition to high losses through canning, cooking, and water
absorption, the pantothenic acid you do absorb tends to be more rapidly used
up as you physically work or emotionally worry. Since life is full of both,
you are certain to always need it.
Braly’s Counsel
James Braly, M.D. of Encino, California, is something of a specialist in
the treatment of arthritis. Asked about his thoughts on this important
subject, he noted that arthritis is brought on by many different problems in
modern life and needs to be treated by an all-round diet, not just by one
food or the other. He mentioned that allergies are one of several forms of
physiological and psychological stress that contribute to arthritis.
An expert in nutrition, he suggests that a diet for arthritis should be
based on natural, unrefined foods, with the addition of vitamin and mineral
supplementation. He says that it is very important that alcohol, caffeine,
tobacco, refined sugar, and excess fats be totally eliminated. He concludes
by saying that learning to handle emotional stress and getting adequate rest
would rank very high in importance in solving this painful disease.
Health Secrets from Europe
In his book, Health Secrets from Europe, Dr. Paavo
O. Airola outlines several methods used in Europe to treat arthritis:
(1) Fasting, such as is given at the Buchinger Clinic in Germany, where
fasts are from 14 to 21 days in length. It should be understood, however,
that no one should undergo such treatment except under the direct
supervision of an expert in this field. (Beware of long fasts; they can
injure you! Never fast for over three days at a time.)
(2) Dry brush massage of the skin, in order to bring blood to the skin,
stimulates the general circulation, and opens the pores. This helps
rejuvenate the skin, which is the largest eliminative organ in the body.
(3) A five-to ten-minute warm shower, followed by a half-minute to a
minute cold shower. Then comes the dry brushing, described above. A
quickening of the entire circulation and a stimulation of the adrenal and
other endocrine glands is effected by this showering.
(4) Various therapeutic baths are given in the rebuilding centers of
Europe. These include: sitz bath, whirlpool bath, steam bath, and sauna,
plus several specialized ones: Kuhne-bath, Schlenz-bath, and the warm sand
baths.
(5) Herb teas and fresh fruit and vegetable juices are used both during
and after fasting programs. Recommended juices include carrot, celery, beet,
cabbage, apple, orange, lemon, and grape.
(6) Vegetable broths. Fresh vegetables are cooked, and then the water is
drawn off for drinking.
(7) Vitamin and mineral supplements, such as C, certain B complex
vitamins, bioflavinoids (vitamin P), and cobalamin (B12).
For further information, we refer you to Dr. Airola’s book.
The Brewer Observation
Earl Brewer, M.D., chief of the rheumatology department at Texas Children’s
Hospital, in Houston, was trying to find some practical solutions to
arthritis in children. Then, quite by accident, he found that one of his
young charges gave him an insight into the matter. The boy had been
suffering with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and found that, when he used a
sleeping bag, instead of regular bedding, the usual morning stiffness and
pain was not present. From then on, the boy continued to sleep in the
sleeping bag, with continued good effects.
Then the boy told his grandmother of his discovery, and she tried it. The
next morning, her osteoarthritis (a condition usually affecting only older
folk) did not bother her as much. So she continued using a sleeping bag.
By this time, Dr. Brewer decided to recommend that more of the young
people at the hospital try using sleeping bags. No nutritional changes were
made, so only partial recoveries could be effected; but a number of them
were so pleased with the results that they continued them after they left
the hospital and went home.
Other people have also reported being helped by the "sleeping bag
therapy." Mattresses often do not provide as much warmth as the
blankets laid over the sleeping person. But by placing extra blankets
underneath the bottom sheet—or by using a sleeping bag, which has the
added feature of keeping out many of tie side drafts—it is easier for the
body to provide the needed heat during the hours of sleep to help the
healing blood to flow evenly all night long, as it quietly works to restore
the wear and tear of the day’s activities.
Miller’s Conclusion
As a result of his studies into drinking fluoridated water, John J.
Miller, Ph.D., concluded that osteoporosis, arthritis, and bursitis was
worsened when city water treated with fluoride was ingested (Complete
Book of Minerals and Health, page 380).
Branner’s Work with Sciatica
Dr. E. Branner reported, in the British Medical Journal in 1944,
that vitamin B complex was very helpful in treating sciatica. This is a
painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which is the longest nerve of the
body and located in the back of the upper leg. For this purpose, he used
vitamin B1 (thiamine)
injections, drawn from ampoules containing 25 milligrams of thaimine per
cubic centimeter. Three to six injections on consecutive or alternate days
were given.
Dr. Page’s Work
Melvin E. Page, D.D.S., of Florida, has done extensive work with bone
deterioration and its causes. His field of study concerns the teeth in
relation to a calcium-phosphorus imbalance. It is his belief that not only
pyorrhea and tooth decay, but also arthritis, is caused by an imbalance of
calcium and phosphorus in the body. He found that eating processed foods,
white sugar, and candy were primary factors in producing this imbalance.
In order to obtain a proper balance of calcium and phosphorus in the
system, it is necessary to take in twice as much calcium as phosphorus, in
the diet, and eliminate all highly processed and junk foods.
The Gerber Discovery
A new approach to the relief of arthritis, previously unknown in the
U.S., was unfolded at the 1969 meeting of the American Federation for
Clinical Research. Gathered to hear reports in this Washington, D.C.
session, physicians were presented with an abundance of factual evidence by
Dr. Donald Gerber, associate professor of medicine at the Downstate Medical
Center of the State University of New York.
Dr. Gerber’s view is that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a
deficiency of the amino acid, histidine, in the bloodstream. In his studies,
he repeatedly found that the serum, histidine, concentration in rheumatoid
arthritics was 28 percent below that of other people. He also found that, as
the disease progressed, this percentage fell lower and lower.
Medical World News for February 13, 1970, reported on Gerber’s
discovery (which was actually based on earlier tentative research done in
Europe). The whole matter still remains something of a medical mystery. This
is because Histidine is a fairly common amino acid found in most protein
substances that you eat. It is not difficult for the average person to
obtain this in his diet. Why, therefore, should there be any shortage of
this amino acid in the bodies of arthritics?
Yet the fact remained that when Dr. Gerber had given histidine to
arthritic patients, the results were always favorable.
A total of 59 rheumatoid arthritic patients, many with very severe
symptoms, were given histidine by mouth. Although the amount given them
varied in accordance with the severity of their condition, it averaged 3
grams a day.
Looking over the results, it appears that the histidine plan is not
adequate in itself to solve the problem; yet it is a factor and, as such,
should receive our thoughtful attention. The histidine treatment required
many months and, in many cases, achieved only a partial recovery. When 18
patients were taken off the histidine, 14 immediately got worse. So it would
not be wise to bank too much on that route as a solution to one’s personal
arthritic problems.
Histidine, being a perfectly natural dietary substance and not a drug,
produced no side effects. (The present writer suspects that there may be
something in the diet of many people, possibly the purines in meat, which is
blocking histidine utilization or destroying it.)
Folic Acid and Arthritis
"Arthritis patients have been found to be lacking in folic acid, a
vitamin of the B complex. Diets that are not nourishing increased the need
for folic acid because of the arthritis or possibly increased demand for it
because of the aspirin taken by the patient."—Ruth Adams, Complete
Home Guide to All the Vitamins, pages 180-181.
Vilyansky Turns to Vitamin C
Dr. I.M. Vilyanski reported on his work with 39 patients in the Russian
journal, Klinicheskaia Meditsina, in which he gave 200-300 milligrams
of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) intravenously. This was one of the first
Eastern European research studies on vitamin C and rheumatism. His tests
showed all 39 rheumatics to be quite deficient in ascorbic acid; and
supplementing their diet with it resulted in less pain, less swelling,
better mood, and increased mobility in twenty-six of the patients. Eleven
took longer to respond and two showed no effect. Those two had earlier been
treated with salicylates (aspirin). He concluded by stating that three to
five injections of ascorbic acid were sufficient to eliminate the attack of
rheumatism in most of the cases he worked with (Klinicheskaia Meditsina,
Vol. 19, p. 121, 1941).
One Doctor’s Report
The work of John M. Ellis, M.D., with rheumatism has been discussed
elsewhere in these pages. Here is a brief quotation from his book, Vitamin
B6: The Doctor’s Report,
which summarizes the results he obtained by giving pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
to patients suffering with rheumatism in their hands:
"Because the objective findings in the patients I successfully
treated for rheumatism were so apparent to patients and doctors alike, I
would like to outline briefly the results obtained by pyridoxine. The ten
main features include:
"1. Reduced edema. 2. Reduced pain. 3. Increased range of flexion
[bending the fingers]. 4. Increased speed of flexion. 5. Eliminated locking
of finger joints. 6. Increased strength of grip. 7. Improved sensation. 8.
Improved coordination. 9. Reduced stiffness. 10. Sustained flexion."
The above quotation was then followed by three more pages of descriptions
of other symptoms that were alleviated (such as edema, sweaty palms, pain,
numbness and tingling, etc., in the hands and elsewhere in the body).
Arthritic and Rheumatic Theories
Scientists are busily at work trying to figure out the cause of arthritis
and rheumatism. Many discoveries have been made and many more will be made.
Some of the most important of these discoveries are be found in the book you
are now reading.
As a practical base from which to operate in carrying on their research,
scientists tend to fall into one of four major groups; and the premises
which direct them in their work are known as the "arthritic and
rheumatic theories."
The first of these is the viral theory, which views arthritis and
rheumatism as a result of a virus invasion of the body. The second is the metabolic
theory, which sees these diseases as caused by a somehow weakened body
metabolism. The third identifies the problem as some kind of weakness in
the autoimmune system. The fourth major theory considers arthritis and
rheumatism to be the result of a nutritional disorder: not enough of
the right food and/or too much of the wrong food or some kind of physical
absorption problem.
At this time, the far greater portion of medical research into the causes
and possible alleviation of arthritis and rheumatism are based on the viral
theory. This is the view that, if the right antivirus vaccine can be found,
it would solve the whole problem. However, a growing number of researchers
are recognizing that diet is a crucial factor. Far too much of the junk food
on the market provides little nourishment, but instead clogs the system and
produces acids which are stored in joints and muscles.
Klemes Uses B12 on Bursitis
The ball on the long end of the arm or shoulder bone fits into a little
pocket which is called the "bursa." Fluid and tissue inside the
bursa enable the bones to move without friction or irritation. If this
tissue becomes inflamed, if the fluid thickens, or if calcium deposits form—bursitis
is the result.
Dr. I.S. Klemes, medical director of the Ideal Mutual Insurance Company,
did extensive research into this problem and wrote up his conclusions in the
Journal of the American Medical Association for July 1956. He later
wrote another article for the June 1957 issue of Industrial Medicine and
Surgery. Klemes treated sub-deltoid bursitis (shoulder bursitis) with
vitamin B12 with very good
success. He concluded: "Vitamin B12
and folic acid both seem to be essential in the synthesis of nucleoproteins
. . It seems certain that vitamin B12
is of importance in the metabolism of nervous tissue, although the mechanism
of its action is not known . . Vitamin B12
has proved effective in relieving the pain of trigeminal neuralgia in a
significant proportion of patients."
Included in his two research papers were several case histories that show
the value of giving vitamin B12,
along with folic acid, to sufferers with bursitis. (Vitamin B12
and folic acid are both in the B complex and tend to work closely together
within the human body.)
Of the 140 bursa, or joint pockets, in the body, it is the sub-deltoid
bursa in the shoulder joint that is the primary source of pain and bursitis.
It is of interest that genuine "arthritis" only occurs in the
shoulder in about 5 percent of the cases; all the rest are due to an
inflamed bursa—bursitis.
Chilling the shoulder during the day or at night, the habitual use of one
arm more than the other in one’s occupation, and the acids in meat eating
are other causes of bursitis.
The Childer’s Study
About ten years ago, the research of Dr. Norman Childers came to light.
His findings were written in a large book that he published. Here is a
summary of what he discovered:
The nightshade family is one of the six primary plant families used for
food on planet earth. Yet all members of it contain the chemical, solanine,
which, when eaten, tends to cause an arthritic-like condition in the body
joints of certain people. The symptoms include swelling and pain.
The members of this family which have this chemical are the following:
tobacco, white potatoes (not sweet potatoes, or yams), peppers (both green
and cayenne), tomatoes, and eggplant.
At the time, the present writer learned of Childers’ study, he told his
wife. Shortly thereafter, because she was beginning to have arthritic joint
pains and swelling, she stopped eating the solanaceous crops in her garden
(white potatoes, green peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes). Immediately, the
pain went away and shortly thereafter the swellings went down. Others have
had similar experiences.
Fortunately, if you have a problem with the solanaceous crops (solanum is
a genus of the nightshade family), then you can very easily determine it:
Simply stop using the above named vegetables. If the solanine in these foods
is causing your arthritic pains, you should see improvement within a month
or so. If you do not, then go back to eating them again.
Keep in mind that tobacco leaves, used in all tobacco products, are in
this family also, Another member of this unusual plant family is the deadly
nightshade which farmers call ‘loco weed,’ because of its effects on
cattle which eat it before dying a miserable death.
Leitch’s Investigation
Back in, 1937, a British researcher, Leitch, conducted nutritional work
with a number of arthritic patients. He later reported that much of their
middle-aged arthritic problems stem from insufficient dietary calcium over a
long period of time.
Iodine and Rheumatism
Iodine Facts, a publication of the Government of Chili, says that
rheumatism; anemia; and diseases of the ear, nose, and throat are much more
common among people who have goiter. It is well-known that a lack of the
trace mineral, iodine, is the primary cause of goiter.
Cromwell’s Investigation into Calcium
The Gerontological Society, in its annual meeting held in San Francisco,
heard Dr. L.W. Cromwell’ report on his research linking a lack of calcium
with the crippling effects of arthritis.
This flies in the face of currently accepted theories regarding calcium.
It is generally thought that avoiding calcium and calcium foods (such as
fresh and dried fruits) may alleviate arthritis! Dr. Cromwell’s research
indicated just the opposite.
Calcium deficiency in the body first leads to a condition of
osteoporosis, of which those having it are not aware; for there is no pain
(unless they break a bone) and the blood calcium continues to remain at
normal levels. The bones are gradually losing their calcium, but at the same
time, because of other nutritional deficiencies, calcium from the bones is
being laid down in the soft tissues, around the joints, and between them.
Whedon, Lutwak, Smith, and the Calcium Balance
The American Rheumatism Association, at its June 1961 meeting, learned
about the research of G. Donald Whedon, M.D. and his associates, Leo Lutwak
and Preston-Smith. These staff members of the National Institute of
Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, in Bethesda, Maryland, had just completed
extensive work on calcium in relation to osteoporosis. In the paper they
presented at this meeting, they explained that a higher dietary calcium
intake provided definite help in solving the problem—whereas the giving of
corticosteroids was found to increase the severity of the osteoporosis!
The Rheumatoid Factor
The majority of rheumatoid arthritis patients have a mysterious
"factor" in their blood serum. Lacking a better name for it,
scientists call it the "rheumatoid factor" (RF). This blood
factor is known to involve an antibody which has an immune reaction to
denatured (altered) gamma globulin (which is itself an antibody).
Every theory of arthritis and rheumatism has to take into account the
fact that, due to the RF factor, the arthritis-rheumatism problem is, in
some way, related to the immune mechanism of the body.
Dr. Gerber’s Discovery about Gamma Globulin
Dr. Donald Gerber (mentioned earlier in this book), in the course of his
work with the amino acid, histidine, also discovered that it tends to
suppress the denaturization of gamma globulin! This is an important
observation, for it would indicate a nutritional and metabolic link to the
rheumatoid
factor. To summarize the situation:
(1) For some reason, arthritics and rheumatics have this mysterious rheumatoid
factor in their blood. The factor is itself an immune reaction-caused
antibody. This antibody was produced in reaction to gamma globulin in the
blood which had, for some unknown reason, been restructured. (The altered
gamma globulin is referred to as "denatured gamma globulin.")
Gamma globulin is an important protein that is formed in the blood. The
ability to resist infection is related to the amount of this substance in
the blood. Thus it is part of the immune system of the body.
(2) Dr. Gerber’s very significant discovery was that gamma globulin
cannot be changed or "denatured"—as long as the normal blood
amino acid, histidine, is in the blood with it.
(3) Dr. Gerber also established that arthritics and rheumatics do not
have the normal amount of histidine in their blood. His research has also
shown that the amount of histidine missing in the blood is directly related
to the severity of the disease in the person being tested.
At this time, we are not fully certain as to what mechanism blocks the
absorption of histidine—or destroys it in the blood—but enough is known
to indicate that arthritis and rheumatism have a metabolic and nutritional
basis.
Arthritis as an Emotional and Stress Disease
A growing number of researchers are recognizing that arthritis is more
than a war between vitamins and minerals on one side and junk food on the
other; the state of a person’s mind is also involved.
One of the first scientific articles given to this topic was published in
the Canadian Medical Journal for September 15, 1957. This pioneer
article discussed still earlier research on this, going back into the 1930s
and 1920s. For example, a 1935 study by a Dr. Thomas, involving 32 patients,
revealed "a fairly severe emotional disturbance of one kind or another
had been present before any sign of rheumatoid arthritis had developed.
Another study, in 1937 and 1942 by a Dr. Halliday, indicated a definite
restriction, or bottling up, of emotional expression by arthritics.
The 1957 study, reported in the CMJ, told of 18 arthritic patients who
were compared with 18 non-arthritic patients similar to them in other ways.
Psychological interviews and personality and mental tests were given to
all 36 people. They ranged from 20 to 60 years in age.
A general tendency was for the 18 arthritics to become quite restrained
in personality upon becoming adults. Tidy, punctual, shy, and lacking in
self-confidence, they tended to withdraw within themselves.
A parallel study, involving 43 rheumatoid arthritis patients, was
reported in the August 15, 1957, issue of the Canadian Medical Journal.
This study indicated that a majority of the 43 first experienced
arthritic difficulties on the death or divorce of a spouse, as well as
prolonged family separation; and that it was all woven in a personality
fabric of emotional dependence and immaturity, concealed hostility, and an
excessive need to do everything in tandem with another person—rather than
alone.
Cobb Researches the "Arthritic
Personality"
Dr. Sidney Cobb of the Institute for Social Research at the University of
Michigan studied 97 couples and concluded that wives are more likely to
develop rheumatoid arthritis if there is continual quarreling in their
marriage.
The Baufeld Observation
H. Baufeld, in his article, "Ascorbic Acid in the Treatment of
Poly-arthritis," in Deutsche Gesundheitswesen, a Berlin
medical journal (Vol. 7, p. 1077, 1952), described his research with
vitamin C, in which he gave intravenous dosages of 6 grams of ascorbic acid
for acute and chronic rheumatism. He said that he witnessed
"astonishing"—results in some cases. He also noticed good
response in the treatment of lumbago, sciatica, and bronchial asthma.
The McCormick Testing
Dr. W.J. McCormick published an article in 1955, entitled "The
Rheumatic Diseases: Is There a Common Etiologic Factor?" in the
"Archives of Pediatrics" (Vol. 72, pp. 107-112, 1955), in
which he first presented a scholarly review of medical information about
rheumatic problems from the seventeenth century onward, showing a
relationship between scurvy (lack of vitamin C) and rheumatic diseases.
Then, in the article, he discussed several of his acute rheumatic fever and
incipient arthritis cases, in which 1 to 10 grams of vitamin C were given
daily. In each instance, there was rapid and complete recovery in three to
four weeks, with no cardiac (heart) complications.
The Solomon-Moos Research
George F. Solomon, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at Stanford
University, conducted research work on arthritis and the mind. He presented
his work in May 1968 at the Second Conference on Psycho-physiological
Aspects of Cancer, held in connection with the New York Academy of Sciences.
Solomon believes that the emotional turmoils in the life lead to a faulty
hormonal balance.
At about the same time, Dr. R.H. Moos reviewed the case studies of over
5,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients—and found that they tended to be
conforming, self-conscious, shy, inhibited, and deeply concerned about
following routines.
Solomon found that, instead of choosing positive adaptations to life and
its problems, the "arthritic personality" reacts negatively.
Keeping his feelings penned up inside, he will brood over a supposed
embarrassment for days or weeks thereafter.
Solomon then teamed up with Moos to conduct further research. The
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, a test designed to analyze
basic personality makeup, was given to a group of women arthritics.
The team discovered that they tended to bottle up their expressions of
emotion, were concerned to comply and be subservient, had a great need for
security, and were shy and introverted.
Solomon then did a very significant study of non-arthritic women who had
these same personality qualities. He found that they did not develop
arthritis because, although they tested out with the same personality traits
as the arthritic women that he tested—they lacked the rheumatoid factor
in their blood. His studies indicated that both the "arthritic
personality" in the mind and the "rheumatoid factor"
in the blood—had to be present in order for a person to develop rheumatoid
arthritis.
As noted earlier in this book, the rheumatoid factor is an antibody in
the blood serum which has an immune reaction to (reacts against) altered or
denatured gamma globulin, which is another antibody in the blood.
The Keinholz Finding
The British medical journal, The Lancet, for March 1, 1975,
reported the experience of Dr. Eldon W. Keinholz in eliminating arthritis in
his own knee. The condition gradually worsened after strenuous leg work
(hiking, mountain climbing, etc.) until, in 1973, he could hardly bear the
pain. He then began research into the medical literature, and discovered
research into the use of selenium (a trace mineral) and d-alpha tocopheral
succinate (a form of vitamin E). Here is his story:
"I learned that selenium ingestion has been suggested as a method of
relieving some types of arthritis. In January 1974, I began to ingest
gelatin capsules, each containing one milligram of sodium selenite plus 68
milligrams of d-alpha tocopherol succinate. One capsule was taken regularly
with meals every third day. A week before a hike in September 1974, I ran
approximately one-half mile each day (as I had done before in hikes of
previous years) and I increased my selenium and vitamin E intake to one
capsule per day. Insofar as I was able to plan the experiment, everything
was the same as in previous years with the exception of my selenium and
vitamin E intake. I hiked 11 miles in one day, ascending and descending
2,875 feet with absolutely no knee discomfort. This contrasted with past
hikes, especially one in which the distance was identical; but I only
ascended and descended 1,685 feet and knee pain was nearly unbearable during
the last 20 percent of the hike.
"I hope that the success of this small personal experiment will
encourage further research into vitamin E and/or selenium therapy of
arthritis problems in human knee joints. However, the hazards of selenium
supplementation must be borne in mind—one milligram of selenium supplement
per day probably approaches the adult human toxicity levels. The vitamin E
levels did not exceed those in widespread use."
Here is some additional information on vitamin E and the trace mineral,
selenium: Selenium occurs generally in those foods which also contain the
most vitamin E (mainly whole-grains and other seed foods). When these foods
are refined and processed, both the selenium and vitamin E are taken out,
along with many other vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. So eating only
refined cereals and breads will almost guarantee a deficiency in both the
vitamin E and the trace mineral, selenium.
It is significant that animal experiments have shown that the more
vitamin E you obtain—the less selenium you will need! If you are getting
sizeable amounts of vitamin E, you will not need much selenium in your diet.
An excellent source of trace minerals is Nova Scotia dulse or Norwegian
kelp. California kelp is an inferior source.
The Ana Aslan Geriatric Studies
Several years ago, Dr. Ana Aslan, a Romanian physician, conducted a
series of research studies into the effects of a B complex vitamin on
arthritic conditions. Her initial studies have since generated further
research into this by scientists elsewhere in the world. Studies have shown
that the B complex factor, paraminobenzoic acid (PABA), has a softening
effect on various body tissues, especially glandular or organ tissues,
causing them to act more normally and to improve hormone output. In
addition, PABA acts as a coenzyme in the breakdown and utilization of
protein. It acts synergistically with the body’s own cortisone in the
treatment of arthritis. It also aids in normalizing the sedimentation rate,
which also is a problem in arthritis. Last but not least, PABA favors the
growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria, enabling them to produce folic
acid (another B vitamin), which in turn is used by the body to assimilate
the much needed vitamin, pantothenic acid.
The Folkers-Ellis Research
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a special type of arthritis experienced by
certain individuals. Characterized initially by a sense of numbness and
tingling in the fingers, the condition can later become much worse.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when fluid accumulates inside what is known
as the "carpal tunnel." This is an elongated opening within the
wrist that is surrounded by bones and ligaments. This tunnel-like space is
needed in order to provide space for the many different things that are in
the wrist or pass through it, without placing pressure upon one another.
Just now, move your wrist back and forth. It is the carpal tunnel that
enables continual wrist movement to occur without any problem or pain—in
spite of all the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves, tendons, and blood
vessels within it.
But when this unwanted fluid begins to collect inside the tunnel, what is
first experienced as numbness and tingling in the fingers can spread to the
entire hand, wrist, and later even to the elbows and shoulders.
Karl Folkers, Ph.D., and his staff at the Institute of Biomedical
Research at the University of Texas, in Austin, worked over a period of time
with John Ellis, M.D., of Mount Pleasant, Texas, on this strange
accumulation of fluids that begins in the wrist space.
Their discovery was that patients with carpal tunnel syndrome actually
had a severe deficiency of vitamin B6
(pyridoxine)—and that, supplementation of this vitamin would cause the
symptoms to disappear!
Commenting on this remarkable finding, Dr. Folkers said, "They are
improved so much that the patients do not need orthopedic surgery for their
hands. And what I think is almost unbelievable (but it seems to be true) is
that individuals who have had symptoms for years—a decade, even 15 years—show
remarkable reversal and improvement of their condition. It doesn’t even
take huge doses of B6.
However, I am convinced that the RDA [Recommended Dietary Allowance] of 2
milligrams is far too low. I believe that an effective RDA would be around
25 milligrams, or possibly 35 milligrams."
The Siri Khalso Concept
In his book, You Can Do Something about Common Ailments, Siri
Khalso discusses the importance of certain food nutrients in the diet:
"Because the arthritic person generally suffers from an inefficient
digestive system, the addition of betaine hydrochloric acid and glutamic
acid HCI, both of which are digestive enzymes, can be of use ‘in
alleviating this problem. Combined with ammonium chloride and calcium
chloride, they work to establish the correct acid/alkaline balance in the
body" (page 29).