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From: christophero@hotmail.com
Date: 24 Apr 1999
Time: 16:47:50
Remote Name: arc2a10.bf.sover.net
******Yes, bovine cartilage is very good. The best is soluble bovine cartilage by Enzymatic Therapy, because it is soluble and that much easier on the digestive system. Enzymatic Therapy has an excellent article on bovine cartilage which you can get at many health food stores or contact Enzymatic Therapy at (www.enzy.com).
*****Please note, however, that bovine cartilage works for arthritis chiefly because of its high content of chondroitin sulfate, which is synergistic to the famous glucosamine sulfate. Therefore the best results will probably happen if you combine the use of soluble bovine cartilage with glucosamine sulfate. Enzymatic Therapy also sells glucosamine sulfate, but in this case your "best buy" is probably NOW FOODS "Glucosamine Sulfate with MSM." This also contains a small amount of pure chondroitin sulfate.
*****If you really want to attack the problem seriously, please keep in mind that like the "CV Joint" of your car, your knees are under constant friction and maintained by not one but four distinct categories of material: bone, cartilage, lubricant, and collagen. A bad CV joint needs a new boot and new lubricant, as well as new metal--and similarly for your joints. Therefore here are some other products to consider:
******Richardson Labs "Arthred-G" collagen powder. An extremely digestible form of collagen, with added glucosamine and chondroitin. If you like powders, this goes well in fruit juice and is a fairly complete formula which might be equivalent to bovine cartilage + glucosamine. (And if you have the money--why not use all?)
******Twinlab "Chicken Collagen Type II." The most well-researched collagen for arthritis.
******Futurebiotics "CMO." An extremely advanced nutritional lubricant--"teflon for your joints." Quite expensive but you do not need to use as much as the label suggests--even one capsule every other day will eventually help. (If not taking CMO, please be sure at least to eat raw olive oil regularly.) (Cheap substitutes such as "CM Source" are probably not worthwhile.)
******Nature's Way "BF&C" ("bone food and cartilage"). A famous herbal formula designed to stimulate the repair of bone and cartilage. Comes in both capsule and cream.
******The "BF&C" cream is important because it contains comfrey, also called "knit bone," no longer recommended for internal use. Another important cream is cayenne or capsaiacin. Cayenne is accepted by medical authorities and such creams are common in drug stores. An exellent value is NOW "Joint Support Cream"--also contains Boswellin and just about everything. Because this stings a bit, it is not a bad idea to alternate the cayenne cream with the comfrey cream. A "softgel" of 200 i.u. vitamin E can also be cut or bitten open and rubbed on the area to provide significant healing powers. A fourth possiblity especially for postmenopausal women (but also not bad for men) is Born Again "Wild Yam Cream with Vitamin E." This provides "natural progesterone" and should ideally be applied to soft tissues in a precise schedule. However, to make things easy, I like to suggest simply "rotating" yam cream (or E)/cayenne cream/comfrey cream--each day use a little of one on the affected joints and then put it behind the others. In this way you will use each twice per week, never get "sick and tired" of any one, and never receive an excessive dose. This may take 3 to 6 months for noticable results--but the true test of any such program is not "fast results" so much as that it must be sustained over the years. As soon as you stop to rebuild the joints they will once again wear down.
******Magnets are also helpful because--as proven by infrared photography--they will bring circulation to the joints. Expensive supplements may not work well if the blood flow is not available to bring that material to the joints. This is the idea of cayenne and also magnets. If you like the idea of magnets but "don't want to be bothered," at least put some under your mattress. If you can afford six hundred dollars, the best is made by Dr. Dean Bonlie at (www.magneticosleep.com). (Say hi from Christophero.)
******Supplementary support: a good multivitamin (such as NOW "Vit-Min 75 Capsules") and chelated magnesium (such as magnsium glycinate) during the day, and a good calcium-magnesium at night (such as "Mezotrace" or Enzymatic Therapy's "Ionized Calcium with Magnesium" or Standard Process "Calcifood Wafers"). An algae product such as Blue-Green Algae, Chlorella, or Spirulina, plus a colliodal trace mineral product containing added silica such as "Optimin Plus," will help ensure an abundance of trace mineral factors needed to maintain bone density. Bones are not just blocks of calcium.
******One or more capsule per day of Futurebiotics "Colon Green" will also help ensure that the rest of your digestive system is in good order. Includes acidophilus and a few enzymes.
******Another common need is digestive enzyme supplements which may or may not need to include betaine hydrochloride. Lack of hydrochloric acid as indicated by "bloating," thirst, sweating, or tiredness after eating, is a common contributing factor to osteoarthritis because it prevents absorption of key nutritional factors. In addition to or instead of supplements, the famous "cider vinegar" cure is another way to stimulate better digestion, hence its fame for the arthritis sufferer. Between meals: ginger tea and eating or juicing fresh pinneapple and papaya, if available, is also always a good idea second to none.
******"Just right" exercise is also critical to joint repair. This must be in a low friction situation. For example: walking and jogging are bad for the knee--lifting excercises, sitting and with ankle weights, are good unless the degeneration is advanced. Swimming is ideal. Keep in mind that "bone density is proportional to muscle tension"--i.e., "weight lifting" stimulates bone growth. The more you use the muscle, the stronger the bones will become. BUT if you do this while gravity is rubbing against the joints, the reverse can happen. Therefore athletes are in general LESS healthy than average when it comes to healthy joints. The RIGHT KIND of exercise is nonetheless a key factor in bone and joint repair. Consult a physical therapist to determine your specific needs, if at all possible.
******P.S., although it is reasonable to say that "bovine cartilage is not a cancer cure," I must point out that it IS just as much a possible "cancer therapy" as shark cartilage. This subject is also discussed in the excellent pamphlet, "Bovine Cartilage--Panacea or Placebo?" put out by Enzymatic Therapy. In my opinion, bovine cartilage is always better because shark cartilage is so indigestible it can devastate the digestive system. Enzymatic Therapy's product, on the other hand, "melts in the mouth"--chew on a few capsules of theirs vs. any other and you will immediately see how much more "body friendly" it is. Vita Carte is "not too bad" but shark cartilage will downright make you gag.
******I am now in the process of making a general health information video, which will put special emphasis on arthritis and osteoporosis, due to the frequency of occurrance, availability of exceptional products, and also high level of consumer confusion about just which products are most important. Make no mistake: 90% of the time the consumer ends up with something like aspirin or Tylenol which does nothing more than relieve pain and inflamation, thereby worsening the problem in the long run. Cayenne, acupuncture, and magnets can help the circultion but might not be of much use if there is no joint-building material to circulate. Oils and lubricants will relieve the friction that wears down the joints--but again, where is the material to rebuild? Therefore in choosing Bovine Cartilage you have chosen an actual material the joint needs, second to none, and have made a wise decision.
******The above is off the top of my head so please excuse me if not every detail or spelling is quite right. Keep in touch if interested, and e-mail questions are welcome:
******christophero@hotmail.com