John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

There are apparently more than 14,000 diseases that can affect human beings.

We develop chronic illnesses because various tissues and body systems have become dysfunctional. It is worth remembering that failing body systems are just accumulated damage to the cells that make up tissue, such as cartilage in our joints.
As an example, we now know that the main driver of osteoarthritis is the gradual destruction of the specialised cells (chondrocytes) that secrete and maintain joint cartilage. Research by K Yudoh (2005) demonstrated that free radical damage to chondrocytes resulted in a reduced ability to maintain cartilage matrix. Over time, these cells die and this results in loss of cartilage. This leads to cartilage malfunction and then disease. Central to nutritional therapy with OA is to significantly increase dietary antioxidants that are known to protect damaged joint cells. This same pattern of cells being damaged, leading to tissue damage, is really how most chronic diseases start. Nutritional therapy is designed to help restore cells back to normal function. If that is not possible, as in advanced OA, our goal is to stabilise the immune response to prevent the body from making the problem worse through unnecessary inflammation. About six months, ago I was contacted by a man with chronic shoulder problems including rotator cuff damage and bursitis.
We put him on a programme with therapeutic levels of anti-inflammatory compounds including fish oils, acai, grape seed, resveratrol and many others including broad spectrum minerals and vitamins. By reducing the inflammation, his shoulder was able to repair itself; and the result has been a return to almost normal joint function.
He has also noted a distinct improvement in energy and general wellness.

My online newsletter at: www.johnarts.co.nz and has the extended version of this column.
Also visit: www.abundant.co.nz.
John Arts is a qualified Nutritional Therapist and founder of Abundant Health.
Contact John on 0800 423 559.