Bones that won’t mend and arthritis.

The possible benefits of silica.

Some years ago while living in Hawaii, I met a researcher named Dr. Barmakian. His research was centered primarily around the benefits of silica (silicone) on skin, hair, nails and bone health. His research, and that of a Dr. Kervran, showed people who had been having problems with healing broken bones, some as long as a year even though on high amounts of calcium, were able to heal quickly with small amounts of silica added to their diet. There was also information about biological transmutation, a subject that includes fusion, fission and the changing of one element to another.

The highest known source of silica is Horsetail (Equisetum arvense). Everything concerning Horsetail states it should be used under the direction of a competent holistic practitioner. There are some possible side effects, but nothing stated what they were. Other sources of silica are barley, chickweed, cucumbers, parsley, stinging nettle, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios nuts, string beans and turnips.

Cucumbers, parsley, dandelion and turnips all grow well in the majority of soils and most weather conditions. Parsley and dandelion seldom maintenance except to harvest it. (Author’s note) I’ve known for years that there is something in parsley that works for me. I can feel an almost instant boost in energy after drinking a couple cups of fresh parsley tea or eating a small handful of raw parsley. I put a small amount of fresh parsley in a tea ball, pour boiling water over it and let it steep for a few minutes. Dried parsley doesn’t have any obvious effects. Fresh, naturally grown parsley is available at most health food stores.

There are bone strengthening broths in various reference books. The ingredients include fish bones, wrapped in cheesecloth to facilitate removal after the broth is cooked, cabbage, dandelion greens, stinging nettle, parsley, purslane, pigweed and soybeans. Avocados are high in vitamin D which is necessary for turning calcium into bone. Black pepper contains four anti-osteoporosis compounds and six that help combat high blood pressure.

Food can be our best friend or our worst enemy as far as arthritis in concerned. Good, whole foods contain lots of beneficial compounds. Junk food contains little or no nutritional value and is usually high in sugars, plus other acid and inflammatory causing chemicals.

Ocean sailing is hard on hands and joints. You’re cold, wet and it requires a lot of physical work. One sailor friend swears by celery. He claims that every time he has a problem with arthritis, mostly in his hands and wrists, he eats a few stalks of celery and the pain’s gone. Celery also contains apigenin, a chemical that dilates blood vessels and can be beneficial in helping to prevent high blood pressure.

Parsley contains large percentages of boron and boron can be beneficial in relieving arthritis pain. Turmeric, marjoram, peppermint, spearmint, thyme, oregano, rosemary and sage all contain compounds that are beneficial in relieving the pain of arthritis. These same plants are high in antioxidants which can contribute to health in other ways, including slowing the aging processes. Oregano has the highest percentages of antioxidants of the above herbs and spices.

People low in glutathione are more likely to suffer arthritic pains. Asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, purslane, avocados, grapefruit, oranges, peaches and watermelon all contain high amounts of glutathione. Vitamin C has proven to slow the progression of osteoarthritis in lab animals. No follow-up research project on humans was found, but vitamin C is beneficial for lots of different maladies and it wouldn’t hurt to increase the amount to see if it helps. Rose hips are a good natural source of vitamin C and rose hip powder is available at most health food stores.

While researching arthritis I found the following. Apparently Paul Harvey, the radio newsman, soaked raisins in gin and used them for aches and pains, including arthritis. Hearing about his success a group of listeners in Phoenix decided to give it a try and found it worked for them too. According to the article they all found relief from not only arthritis pain but also from the pain of migraines, gout, joint pains of all sorts and pain that awakened them during the night. Raisins contain several pain relieving compounds and antioxidants, more than the same weight in grapes since they contain less water.

If you suffer from gout, which is a form of arthritis, it might be prudent to look at the amount of red meat you consume. Meat is high in uric acid and diets high in uric acid are triggers for gout. Alcohol can also cause gout. If you’re going to eat raisins soaked in gin, you’re better off to increase the raisins and decrease the percentage of alcohol.