Ask the doctor

Better Nutrition, Feb, 2005 by Frank Ervolino

My mother is 82 and is suffering from arthritis. She's in very good health except for that. She was on Vioxx until it was taken off the market, and now she is in pain again. What can she take to naturally help alleviate the pain?

--Jill

Natural anti-inflammatory compounds can help replace Vioxx. Look for one that contains curcumin, ginger and, if possible, green lipped mussel extract, which has performed well in double-blind studies on rheumatoid arthritis.

Your next strategy involves changes to your mother's diet and supplementation regimen. Your mother should ideally be on a primarily vegan diet, and her intake of saturated fats and trans fats should be greatly limited. As for supplements, she should be put on a 10-capsule-per-day dosage of omega-3 fatty acids. And I would also recommend 1,000 international units (IU) per day of vitamin E and 400 micrograms (mcg) of selenium per day.

Your mother should have her thyroid checked because a thyroid imbalance can affect rheumatoid arthritis (RA). And she should see a licensed naturopath or acupuncturist as well. A naturopath can monitor her supplement program and diet so that your mother has the newest developments in natural medicine at her disposal.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can cause a dramatic improvement in your mother's condition. If she gets regular acupuncture treatments, her symptoms will improve. Chinese herbal medicine has been treating rheumatoid arthritis for more than 1,000 years and has developed very effective formulas for RA over that time.

I had my gall bladder removed in 1999. What can I do to maintain health without a gall bladder? Are there symptoms I should watch for?

--Vandana

Even after the gall bladder has been removed, one still can have pain from a spasming of the remnants of the ductal system. The best way to keep your health without a gall bladder is to increase your fiber intake and decrease your intake of refined carbohydrates.

Regular exercise also helps by moving our Qi, or "chee," which is a Chinese medical term for the energy that courses through our bodies in pathways called meridians. The gall bladder meridian in Chinese medicine is active even after removal of the gall bladder. These meridians have mental-emotional qualities as well.

The gall bladder meridian is the seat of anger, frustration and decision-making. Therefore, if one has too much of these activities in one's life, this can aggravate the gall bladder meridian. It can cause stagnation, and stagnation causes pain. There's an old Chinese formula called Xiao Yao Wan that's used to treat this aggravation. Its name translates in English to "Free aim Easy Wanderer."

Lastly, if you still suffer from pain after gall bladder surgery, then allergies might be the cause. Allergies to foods can trigger spasms of the gall bladder duct, so you should visit a practitioner who can diagnose any allergies you may have and adjust your diet accordingly.

Frank Ervolino, ND, lives in Palm City, Florida. He's on the staff of Jupiter Medical Center Hospital as an acupuncturist. He received his doctorate of naturopathic medicine and a master's of science degree in acupuncture from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. In 2003, he was appointed by the governor to the Florida State Board of Acupuncture.