Dear Dr. Cutler,

My wife suffers terribly from joint pain caused by arthritis and must take strong pain medications to be able to function. But she and I both know that continuously taking pain meds could eventually cause serious health consequences and we would love to find some natural solutions to control the problem. Could you give us some ideas that might help?

—Benny K.

Dear Benny,

My advice to my arthritis patients is to embrace a healthier lifestyle including…

• A whole foods diet filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables with more than half in their natural state
• Plenty of fresh, pure water—eight to nine 8-ounce glasses—each day
• A moderate and consistent exercise regimen
• A concentrated effort to reduce stress

These patients experience a dramatic reduction in their arthritis pain, their mobility increases and their reliance on painkilling drugs is minimized. But you and your wife must also delve into what may be causing the arthritis pain in the first place, and there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that refined sugar triggers harmful inflammation throughout your body, including your joints.

As a matter of fact, a well-known study published in The Lancet proves that sugar can be the original cause of arthritis. And research has shown that sugar increases your risk of gout, weakens your joint integrity and leaches away the protective materials in your bones and synovial joint fluid.

What can you do? Begin by eliminating refined sugar and any products that contain them such as white sugar, white flour, sweetened drinks and even grains if you feel worse after eating them. Replace these with natural sweeteners like stevia, agave nectar, yacon syrup or better yet, real fruits like dates, raisins and kiwis.

Plus, if your wife includes natural herbs in her daily diet she may be able to get rid of her pain relievers for good. Natural herbs that can help her fight her pain and rebuild her joints include S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAMe), bromelain, alfalfa, boswellia extract, curcumin, capsicum, devil’s claw root and ginger extract.

All the best!

Michael Cutler, M.D.