arthritis is characterized by painful, red, and swollen joints and it is accompanied by pain, restricted motion, warmth, and swelling. There are more than 200 causes of arthritis; however, the two most common forms are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that often occurs in older people; it is caused by deterioration of the cartilage between joints, which forces the bones to rub together. Rheumatoid arthritis is an unrelated type of arthritis, which occurs when the body's immune system destroys the synovial membrane lining the joint. Both types of arthritis are exacerbated by obesity.

arthritis and other degenerative disease conditions affect 43 million Americans, according to the Center for Disease Control. arthritis can create a challenge for those trying to function normally while managing the pain arthritis causes. Alternative medicine treatment options for arthritis include acupuncture, electromagnetic therapies, homeopathy, bodywork therapies, physical therapies, chiropractic care and skeletal manipulation, and dietary supplements.

Natural arthritis remedies either provide nutritional support to help manage pain and inflammation or are applied topically for arthritis pain relief. Traditional arthritis treatments include drinking raw juices (to fortify and alkalinize the body) and applying heated or camphorated oils directly to joints with arthritis symptoms. Coconut oil has helped patients with arthritis, both taken internally and rubbed on joints. Copper is said to have a soothing effect on arthritis and may be worn as jewelry next to the skin.

Recommended vitamins:

• Vitamin A -- reduces inflammation
• Vitamin B-3 -- helps to reduce pain and increase mobility
• Pantothenic acid -- reduces inflammation
• Vitamin C -- this powerful antioxidant mops up the free radicals that cause rheumatoid arthritis
• Vitamin D -- controls calcium absorption
• Vitamin E -- an antioxidant and also helps improve mobility in osteoarthritis

Recommended minerals:

• calcium -- crucial for bone health
• Copper -- relieves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
• Selenium -- an antioxidant that enables the body to produce glutathione, a substance that fights free radicals and prevents oxidation, thereby protecting the joint linings

Recommended nutrients:

• Bioflavonoids: 500 mg daily
• Chondroitin sulfate: 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily
• Niacinamide: 1,000 mg three times a day
• Digestive enzymes: one to three capsules with each meal
• Glucosamine sulfate 
• Potassium: 700 to 1,050 mg
• Omega-3 Fish Oil capsules: 50 mg, one to three times daily
• Omega-6 oils, for their anti-inflammatory properties
• Boron, which aids the retention of calcium in the bones
• Alder buckthorn
• Alfalfa
• Black currant
• Black poplar
• Boswellia
• Buck bean
• Burdock
• Buttercup
• Cat's claw
• Cayenne cream
• Chickweed
• Comfrey
• Dropwort
• European aspen
• European centaury
• European goldenrod
• Feverfew
• Garden Violet
• Ginger extract: one to two, 170-mg capsules daily
• Ginseng
• Horseradish
• Juniper
• Lady's thumb
• Licorice root
• Life everlasting
• Marsh tea
• Meadow saffron
• Meadowsweet
• Monkshood
• Mountain holly
• Pokeweed
• Red bryony
• Restharrow
• St. Benedict thistle
• SAMe
• Sassafras
• Sea cucumber
• Shave grass
• White melilot
• White willow bark
• Willow
• Wintergreen
• Witch grass
• Wormwood
• Yellow melilot
• Yew

Foods to choose:

• Sardines (with bones for extra calcium)
• Chicken
• Bananas
• Herrings and kippers
• Salmon and trout
• Cheddar cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Dark green vegetables, including spinach and broccoli

Foods to avoid:

• Meat fats, which stimulate the production of inflammatory agents
• Hydrogenated oils
• Foods that may cause allergies, such as dairy foods, refined sugar, citrus, fruits, and wheat
• Junk food and fatty, greasy foods