Treatment Regimen for RA (continued)
Regulation of bowels: First thing on waking in the morning drink a glass of warm water to which have been added ½ tsp of honey, the juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of salt. This helps to clean out the bowels and to keep evacuation regular.
Diet: One’s diet should be as pure as possible and should include only foods that are fresh, whole and natural. Yoga science provides a guideline by classifying foods as tamasic, rajasic or sattvic, according to their respective effects. Tamasic foods include those that are highly refined or processed, such as bleached white flour and white sugar, and/or contain artificial additives or preservatives. An excessive intake of tamasic foods produces an overload of waste materials in the body, leading to a feeling of heaviness and lethargy. Persons with RA should avoid tamasic foods such as dairy products. Rajasic foods include those foods that are highly spiced, overcooked or those that contain a great amount of caffeine. Rajasic foods tend to activate or speed up the metabolism. For the RA patient, all acidic (rajasic) foods should be avoided as there is already an overly acidic condition in the blood. This includes highly processed rice and acidic fruits and vegetables. Sattvic foods include fresh, whole natural fruits, vegetables and grains that create a feeling of calm alertness.
Diaphragmatic Breathing and Relaxation Techniques: Diaphragmatic breathing, a technique in which one learns to breathe naturally using the muscles of the diaphragm, helps to relax and calm the nervous system, the mind and the muscles of the body. When used along with relaxation techniques these methods can be very helpful to the RA patient since muscle tension and spasm are partly responsible for the rheumatic condition.
Dental Hygiene: The RA patient should be advised to have a thorough dental examination. Any periodontal disease should be treated appropriately.
Biochemics: Schuessler’s tissue salts or biochemics are very effective in the treatment of RA. If given when the first symptoms of the rheumatic process express themselves, they can help to prevent any further expression of the disease. Even after the disease process has significantly progressed, the biochemics can be beneficial in helping to prevent destructive processes and crippling deformities.
Homeopathic Treatment of RA: Homeopathy offers one of the most efficient, multi-level treatments for RA. Not only does it address the physical needs of the RA patient, the homeopathic remedy recognizes that the disease process has developed from the subtlest levels of the individual, including the pranic, mental and spiritual levels. In this way the remedy finds its way to the core of the disease process and can stop it in its tracks so the disease does not progress to the crippling condition that so often results from suppressive allopathic treatment. This of course depends on the level to which the RA condition has taken hold of the organism as a whole.
. . . to be continued
Dr. Barbara Bova, HOD, Dept of Homeopathy.