Symptoms
Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. The most common forms of arthritis are rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a more destructive form of arthritis. The inflammation can cause crippling and deformation of joints at an early age. It is said that symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are most common in women between the ages of 25 and 50. However, it can affect anyone including children.
Causes
In her wonderful book, Healthy Immunity, Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe said that stress and its ability to disrupt hormones that promote inflammation, allergies, heredity, obesity, nutritional deficiencies, vaccines, a hyperactive immune system, and even viral or bacterial infections, are just a few of the potential causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Ten years ago she said, rheumatologists would have disagreed that these factors play a role in promoting arthritis, but new research has shown otherwise.
Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Green Tea
In her book, Lose Weight With Green Tea, Patricia Rouner writes that case Western Reserve published a study in 1999 that reported drinking four or more cups of Green Tea per day may prevent rheumatoid arthritis and reduce its severity in people who already have the disease. She also said that tea-drinking older women are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink Green Tea.
Experts in the field of Rheumatoid Arthritis say that antioxidant vitamins and minerals should be added to the regime. They function to protect the joints from free-radical damage. According to a number of important studies, Green Tea is believed to contain natural antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols useful in preventing and treating rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists believe the antioxidant of Green Tea are significantly greater than that of vitamins C and E. In her book, Healthy Immunity, Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe also said: “As part of a larger compound in Green Tea, it is more powerful than vitamin E in the fight against free radicals and supports immune system function."