[Dr. Al Sears Health Tips] It's important to know the benefits and risks associated with each medication to determine which ones are right for you. (Photo via Dr. Al Sears)
And a team of researchers from the University of Bern, in Switzerland, has just proved it.
The researchers gathered data from 74 randomized trials involving 58,500 patients. And what they discovered was that acetaminophen — marketed as Tylenol in America and Paracetamol in Europe, Australia and elsewhere — has no impact at all on osteoarthritis pain, no matter what the dosage.
Arthritis Treatments Can Have Side Effects
Tylenol also puts arthritis sufferers at risk of serious side effects if taken in high doses over long periods.1 In the U.K., the government's medical watchdog has already advised doctors to stop prescribing the pills for long-term treatment of arthritis. …show more content…
And they've warned of health impacts, like heart, kidney and intestinal problems.
But here in the U.S., doctors are still pushing these dangerous drugs as if they were candy. (Photo via Dr. Al Sears)
I've been helping patients prevent, treat and beat arthritis for years without these painkillers. I do it with dietary changes that include a special arthritis-fighting nutrient, which I'll tell you about in a minute.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the joint condition, is the leading cause of pain among the patients I see over the age of 50, and it strikes more women than men.
But like many of today's chronic health problems, osteoarthritis is an inflammatory condition — in this case, it's your joints that are impacted —caused by the breakdown of cartilage. In severe cases, you're left with bone rubbing on bone.
A modern inflammatory diet, genetic factors and physical injury all play a role in developing the condition. Environmental toxins and pollutions also trigger inflammation and contribute to the disease.
How To Treat Arthritis Naturally That's why I treat arthritis by helping my patients cool the inflammation with diet and nutrients — like vitamin K2. I also recommend a special herb called Ocimum sanctum linn, more commonly known as holy basil. This herb is so important, I've devoted an entire chapter to it in my forthcoming book, Healing Herbs of Paradise. (Photo via Dr. Al Sears) You see, Holy basil contains dozens of inflammation-reducing nutrients, including one called ursolic acid. This nutrient inhibits the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme, but without the nasty side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.2 It also inhibits the 5-lox enzyme, which converts arachidonic acid in your body into highly inflammatory and cartilage-degrading enzymes called leukotrienes. Holy basil and long and ancient history is used to treat arthritis by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine, the world's oldest health system. Numerous modern clinical studies have also confirmed holy basil's pain-relieving and inflammation-reducing power.3,4 You can purchase holy basil at most health food stores or on the Internet. To make a tea, all you need are a few leaves, dried or fresh, of the holy basil plant. First, heat a quart of water. Put in 3 heaping teaspoons of leaves. Let them decoct for about 5 minutes. Strain into a cup or glass. You can also get holy basil capsules — but make sure the product you're buying has at least 2.5% ursolic acid to get the anti-inflammatory effect. I recommend 150 mg three times a day. I also recommend vitamin K2 as an effective for treatment for osteoarthritis — and rheumatoid arthritis. This forgotten vitamin not only helps reduce inflammation, but it also helps your bones absorb calcium to keep joints strong. You don't need a whole lot of vitamin K2 to reap its benefits. In one study, patients with osteoporosis received 45 mg per day for 24 months. Researchers found that the vitamin K effectively prevented fractures and helped sustain lumbar bone mineral density.5 Sadly, the modern Western diet is deficient in vitamin K2. But you can get plenty of K2 by eating traditional primal foods like our ancestors did. Here are a few ways to make sure you're getting enough vitamin K. Grass-fed Organ Meats – If you've got a taste for it, liver is an excellent source of K2.