Arthritis is an inflammation of once or more joints. Many different diseases can cause arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, tuberculosis, and other infections. Arthritis involves painful symptoms, but the good news is that many have gotten relief by using herbs to heal the core problem.

Many herbalists believe the main problem is linked directly to a lack of minerals or improper absorption of minerals due to weak digestion. The alfalfa lant (Medicago sativa) should be the first herb you think of when you think arthritis. The Arabs first discovered alfalfa's beneficial uses and referred to it as the Father of All Foods.

Alfalfa is very rich in organic minerals: Its deep roots penetrate the earth and find the minerals it needs to thrive; in turn, it provides us with generous amounts of minerals and vitamins when we consume it. Your dosage will vary depending on how minerally deficient you are; start with the dose recommended on the bottle and work your way up. You can take plenty of alfalfa without doing any harm.

Alfalfa has been used to neutralize uric acid in the body (arthritis sufferers are commonly over acidic in the body chemistry due to weakened digestion). In addition, alfalfa seems to prevent cholesterol accumulation in the veins, cleans deep in the cells, provides enzymes for better digestion and assimilation, rebuilds decayed teeth, and helps relieve pain and inflammation. What a helpful little rascal alfalfa turns out to be!

The blood of the alfalfa plant is sometimes used to make liquid chlorophyll, which helps keep your body from losing calcium. A combination of herbs and supplements to help with arthritis symptoms includes bromelain, hydrangea, yucca, hersetail, celery seed, alfalfa, black cohosh, catnip, yarrow, capsicum, valerian, white willow, burdock, slippery elm, and sarsaparilla.

Other supplements that support digestion and that have been helpful to arthritic patient have been B6 supplements and food enzymes with hydrochloric acid. If you have arthritis, consider these complementary treatments as well:

• Externally, you can apply pure birch essential oil to painful areas to increase blood supply to the area and help ease pain.
• Sodium-rich foods are helpful when suffering from any type of arthritis or structural problem. Juice and drink daily raw carrots, celery, parsley, and okra—all sodium-rich foods used to help relieve or correct arthritis.
• Getting and keeping the circulation flowing will help maintain or bring back flexibility in the joints. Reflexology offers great relief for arthritic feet and hands by stimulating circulation and lymphatic movement. Message also helps all joints and circulation, along with lymphatic flow. Message and reflexology might be slightly painful at first but will usually bring relieve shortly into the treatment.