Case study: Overcoming arthritis and anxiety

Belinda is a lovely 53 year old lady who came to see me for help with rheumatoid arthritis. She had developed arthritis in the last 4 months. It came on suddenly and the pain was severe. Her doctor prescribed steroids but told Belinda she wouldn’t be able to take them for long because of the associated side effects.

The steroids reduced the pain by around 50 percent. Belinda was still in a significant amount of pain though and this made her life difficult. It also added to the long term depression she suffered with. The steroids caused Belinda to gain 15 pounds in 4 months. Her doctor even diagnosed her with syndrome X (insulin resistance) as a result of steroid use. This is very common and the weight can be extremely difficult to lose.

The other significant symptoms Belinda suffered with were depression and anxiety. She said “On an average day I feel anxious and unsettled. If something stressful actually happens, I start to feel panicky and like I can’t cope”. I wanted to help Belinda feel better physically and emotionally.

Another problem Belinda wanted help with was brain fog. She complained of having great difficulty concentrating and staying focused on her work. This worried her because her mother had dementia and Belinda was prepared to do anything to avoid going down the same road. Belinda was already aware of the fact that she has a sensitivity to gluten and dairy products, therefore avoided them. These foods typically aggravate pain and inflammation, therefore Belinda was better off without them.

My recommendations for my patient

• Belinda was already taking a magnesium supplement but it was very weak and obviously wasn’t working for her. I asked her to take a teaspoon of magnesium powder with her evening meal each night. Magnesium is wonderful for reducing anxiety and tension, and promoting a deeper sleep.
• Belinda was also already taking vitamin D but again her dose wasn’t strong enough, as her blood test result still showed a deficiency. I asked her to take one 5000 IU capsule each day with breakfast.
• Belinda’s diet included a lot of high carbohydrate foods; she ate gluten free bread with peanut butter for breakfast, a gluten free sandwich for lunch and gluten free pasta for dinner. She had read my book about gluten and was already aware of how it can initiate or aggravate joint pain. There weren’t enough vegetables in her diet and not enough protein or healthy fats either. I asked Belinda to eat a large salad each day for lunch and dinner, along with some protein such as seafood, poultry, eggs or red meat (preferably pastured). I also asked her to add more fat to her diet, in the form of olive oil, macadamia oil, coconut oil and avocados. Healthy fats have anti-inflammatory properties and can help to reduce joint pain, while also improving mood. I asked Belinda to take 2 fish oil capsules with each meal. I asked her to follow the eating plan in my book about autoimmune disease.
• To help detoxify her digestive tract, I gave Belinda Intestinal Parasite Cleanse capsules. She regularly experienced abdominal bloating and occasionally had episodes of diarrhea. Having an overgrowth of harmful gut bugs can create a great deal of inflammation in the intestines. This promotes the development of leaky gut syndrome, which is a driver of autoimmune disease.

Five weeks later

When she returned for her follow up appointment, Belinda visibly looked much calmer and more relaxed. Her joint pain had significantly reduced but she was most thrilled with the mental health improvements. She said “I feel so much calmer and more in control of my life. I feel like my ability to cope with stress has improved significantly”. Belinda also said she was sleeping soundly and felt so much more refreshed in the mornings. This meant her brain fog had greatly improved and she felt it was easier to get her work done.

Belinda felt her digestion had improved significantly too. I gave her a glutamine supplement because it is excellent for helping to repair a leaky gut. This is important for anyone suffering with an autoimmune condition or excessive inflammation. I also gave her Livatone Plus, as her liver had been under significant stress due to the intestinal toxicity. So far Belinda has lost 8 pounds. I plan to see Belinda again in another five weeks and will discuss reducing her dose of steroids.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.