As an orthopedic surgeon I see a lot of patients suffering with arthritis. It’s never an easy condition to deal with, but some forms are more difficult to cope with than others.
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the worst.
When you suffer with rheumatoid arthritis your body’s immune system gets its signals crossed. The antibodies meant to protect you from outside attackers like bacteria and viruses begin to attack your healthy tissues instead.
It usually starts in the small joints of your hands. They become hot and inflamed. They feel stiff and difficult to move. As the condition progresses, other joints will be affected. Your cartilage will be damaged. You may also experience fatigue, general muscle soreness, weakness, and depression.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be a truly debilitating condition, so I am always on the look out for promising non-invasive ways to treat the condition.
Just recently, green tea came to the fore as a possible way to relieve RA symptoms.
How One Simple Beverage Can Do So Much For Your Pain!
Although I’m more of a coffee drinker, I have adopted the British habit of having a cup during the late afternoon, and my preference is Green tea.
One of the main reasons is that Green tea is loaded with antioxidants. It can help protect against heart disease by improving your cholesterol levels. It can also help prevent adult onset diabetes by regulating your blood glucose levels.
And here’s the good news—new research shows that Green Tea can help relieve RA pain. For arthritis sufferers this is a “win-win situation”.
Here’s some of the scientific proof:
Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System looked specifically at the action of one of green tea’s compounds on inflammation. The compound is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). The researchers found that EGCG helps to inhibit your body’s production of certain inflammatory agents associated with RA flare-ups. EGCG had a particularly significant affect on inflammatory compounds within the joints where RA pain is usually the worst.
Since the results were so positive now other researchers are looking into green tea as a possible way to reduce symptoms and cartilage damage in both osteoarthritis and other arthritic conditions.
Because of the myriad benefits of green tea, I highly recommend that you make drinking a mug or two a daily habit—I like mine with just a little honey in it.
When it comes to green tea there’s no limit to how much you can safely drink in a day… and the more you drink, the more benefits you’ll experience, so enjoy!
Stay well,
Mark Bromson M.D.
