NATURAL REMEDIES
In my personal healing journey, I’ve made it a priority to search out natural supplements and products to support my health and promote wellness.
I have sought out the assistance of a Functional Medicine Doctor ( a specialized Naturopath) to assist me on my journey and to work along with my medical team.
On this page, I will share a few things that I regularly take that help me manage my symptoms and improve my overall health.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. I’m simply sharing some of the products I personally use and ones that I have researched.
Be sure to consult a health professional prior to taking a new supplement. Even though supplements are natural there can still be contraindications with your mediation or with your particular health issues.
One of the first supplements I started taking, before even seeing my naturopath, was Vitamin D3.
I knew I was deficient. Living in the north where you can go months in darkness in the winter, and with generally cool temperatures even in summer, there is often little flesh exposed to the sun.
Studies have indicated that many who suffer from autoimmune diseases are low in vitamin D. They are researching the connection between the deficiency contributing to the disease, or the disease contributing to the deficiency? Like the chicken and the egg situation…
Regardless, I knew that this was most likely an issue for me so I started supplementing right away since I had neglected it. Even for healthy people, it’s recommended for people to take this supplement daily so I knew it was a good place to start.
My research led me to a vitamin spray because of the high absorption rate. Also, I was thrilled not to have another pill. 😉
I now get regular blood work done by my doctor to be sure my levels are good and my last test result was “perfect” by my doctor’s standards so I’m thrilled the supplement is working so well, even for a Northerner like me. 😉
As a bonus, it tastes great (and I have tried a few and not been able to use some of the others because I couldn’t get past the taste).
The first time I saw my functional medicine doctor, one of the first things she put me on was a good omega oil.
If you do research for Rheumatoid Arthritis and the use of omega oils, you will see there are some great studies that show it has many benefits in RA patients.
She recommended the high EPA liquid from NutraSea and said that it was the best on the market for the value.
By having it in liquid form, it is easier for the body to absorb and more affordable than taking the equivalent amount in capsules.
I have to admit that I was worried about the taste and wondered about the typical “fishy burps” that can come with some supplements. I was pleasantly surprised, though, to discover the taste was light and clean and there were no “fishy burp backs”.
I take a lot of supplements but the one I notice the most quickly if I miss it or if I happen to run out is this one: Boswellia.
Boswellia is from the frankincense plant and I came across the many benefits it has for RA in some of my online research.
The improvements I noticed when taking this was slow and steady and, to be honest, it wasn’t until I ran out of the Boswellia and went a few days without it that I really began to see how much it was helping me.
When I take Boswellia daily I find my hands are much less stiff in the morning and they can handle much more throughout the day without tiring out.
If you would like to research Boswellia more, here are a few links you might want to check out:
Years before I knew I had RA (but was already dealing with the symptoms of it) I was struggling with two debilitating symptoms: Brain Fog and Fatigue.
My brain fog was so bad at one point that I could hardly read! I would have to read the same paragraph over and over in order to comprehend it. And if I had to read out loud, I was often stumbling over words and embarrassed.
My fatigue was so bad that I started a vicious cycle of relying on caffeine to get me through the day (and since I don’t drink coffee it came in the form of sugary cola drinks which only complicated my health issues).
When a friend told me about this supplement I figured I had nothing to lose.
Of all the supplements I take, I would definitely say this one is a life-changer.
One of the things that set this supplement apart from others is that it crosses the blood/brain barrier…which is why it’s so effective: it works!
I’ve been taking this for over 8 years and noticed so many improvements it’s something that every member of our family takes now.
It’s available on Amazon and in many health food stores.
This company has an amazing history and back story if you enjoy research. There is a lot of information about it on YouTube as well. The benefits of it have also been tested and proven to have huge improvements for mental health issues as well, such as depression and anxiety.
Another one of the supplements that my functional medicine doctor recommended for me on my first visit was Turmeric/Curcumin.
Turmeric is the plant that contains curcumin, and curcumin is where the “power” is for helping to reduce inflammation.
Not all supplements are created equal, especially when it comes to turmeric and curcumin so I’ve learned to choose this supplement carefully. I’ve been taking it for three years now and have used a few different brands but this is the brand I’m currently using : Terry Natually Canada .
One of the reasons I was attracted to this brand was that they have approval from Health Canada (similar to the USA’s FDA) to say that their supplement helps with Rheumatoid Arthritis which is NOT easy to get this approval and can only be given if sufficient proof and studies have been provided.
Taking this supplement daily has definitely helped to reduce the stiffness and pain in my joints.
If you want to learn more about curcumin you may want to check out these links:
PubMed Article on Curcumin and RA