Relief Without Surgery: A Natural Approach for Osteoarthritis

Addressing Osteoarthritis Without Surgery

While knee replacement surgery has become common practice in our modern age, it still carries risk. Even though it is considered relatively safe and routine, a 2016 study may give you pause for thought when the research team found that a small number (1 in 200) of knee replacement patients lose their lives within three months of having the surgery.¹ There is also substantial recovery time and often considerable pain involved. Additionally, one in five patients tends to be dissatisfied with the outcome.

However, if you are suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), knee replacement may appear to be the only option. The good news is this isn’t set in stone. You can often alleviate your symptoms — if not fully eliminate them — with a few simple lifestyle shifts and support from natural remedies.

Obesity, Cholesterol, Inflammation, & Joint Health

Researchers have found that obesity is one of the top modifiable risk factors of osteoarthritis — not only for the extra weight and stress placed on the joints, but also because it is pro-inflammatory and triggers high cholesterol, which in turn promotes further joint inflammation, just as it does in our arteries.^2,3

Even moderate weight loss — at the rate of one pound per year over a decade — can lower your risk of developing osteoarthritis by an impressive 50 percent.⁴ In fact, a clinical trial published in the journal Osteoarthritis Cartilage found that obese patients who lost 20 pounds of fat improved knee function within eight weeks at the same level as those who underwent knee replacement surgery. The researchers concluded “[I]n our patients with knee OA, a weight reduction of 10% improved function by 28%.”⁵

It’s not just those who are obese that are at risk for OA — those who are only an extra ten pounds overweight have a 36% increased risk of developing osteoarthritis.⁶ On the flip side, losing ten pounds means that you will be exerting four times less force on your knees and significantly lower your chances of developing the condition.⁷

You might be wondering if there is a single diet that can address not only extra weight, but also high cholesterol and inflammation to improve joint mobility and overall health. The answer is a resounding yes.

A study published in the journal BMC Medicine found that those who consumed a green Med diet not only lost more visceral fat and reduced waist circumference compared to a traditional Mediterranean diet, but it also significantly lowered cholesterol and inflammation.

“The green Mediterranean diet group was enriched with polyphenols — compounds in various plant-based foods —and have potential antioxidant and antiinflammatory roles in the prevention and management of several diseases, such as cardiovascular, hypertension, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease”, notes lead author of the study, Hila Zelicha RD, PhD, clinical dietitian and postdoctoral fellow at the Department of General Surgery at the University of California Los Angeles.⁹

As I wrote in “Seeking the Best Diet for Brain Health? Green Mediterranean is the Answer“, here are the key elements of the diet:

“For the green-MED diet, you can enjoy moderate amounts of seafood, wild-caught fish, and dairy. But red meat and processed meats are off-limits. The green-Med diet also includes 3-4 cups of green tea per day as well as 100 grams of Mankai duckweed, which is a high-protein aquatic plant, blended into a smoothie. You will also want to consume about an ounce of walnuts daily. The focus is on unprocessed, whole foods that are preferably organic.”

Seeking additional lifestyle habits that help improve knee health? Low-impact exercise is important to improve flexibility and support weight loss. Good examples include:

• Walking
• Bicycling
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Swimming
• Strength training
• Tai chi

Herbal remedies are also helpful for reducing inflammation and subsequent joint pain. Below, I discuss my top recommendations.

Plant-Based Relief

If you suffer from mobility issues and physical discomfort due to osteoarthritis, our Joint and Movement Bundle can provide welcome relief. It contains reishi and turkey tail medicinal mushrooms to address inflammation and lower LDL cholesterol, while stinging nettle is widely recognized as a traditional remedy for arthritis and calming the inflammatory response that can lead to joint pain. Our Balanced Gut Blend helps to cool systemic inflammation and modulate immune response, offering a holistic approach to joint health. Lastly, this bundle also includes our popular Joint & Movement Salve. Considered a miracle-worker by many, it contains powerful herbs that soothe sore and inflamed muscles, tendons, and joints.

ALL I CAN SAY IS “WOW”!

“I have had an ugly RA nodule on my finger for 2 years. Recently it was more painful than usual so I applied [your Joint & Movement Salve] more often than normal. Now it is almost gone! I cannot believe it. Thank you so much for This AWESOME product!” -Kirsten

There’s no better time than now to discover the power of natural remedies for easing osteoarthritis pain and discomfort. Traditionally used to calm inflammation, soothe joint stiffness, and support mobility, these time-tested botanicals help you to take control of your joint health — naturally!

Whether you’re looking to stay active, reduce discomfort, or avoid invasive procedures, these plant-based solutions offer a gentle yet effective path to relief. Stop by my apothecary today and experience the difference herbal medicines can make!

Nicole Apelian

Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post

References

1. Bernstein J. (2017). Not the Last Word: Safety Alert: One in 200 Knee Replacement Patients Die Within 90 Days of Surgery. Clinical orthopaedics and related research, 475(2), 318–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-016-5197-1
2. Ertürk, C., Altay, M. A., Bilge, A., & Çelik, H. (2017). Is there a relationship between serum ox-LDL, oxidative stress, and PON1 in knee osteoarthritis?. Clinical rheumatology, 36(12), 2775–2780. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-017-3732-4
3. Thijssen, E., van Caam, A., & van der Kraan, P. M. (2015). Obesity and osteoarthritis, more than just wear and tear: pivotal roles for inflamed adipose tissue and dyslipidaemia in obesity-induced osteoarthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 54(4), 588–600. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keu464
4. Felson, D. T., Zhang, Y., Anthony, J. M., Naimark, A., & Anderson, J. J. (1992). Weight loss reduces the risk for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in women. The Framingham Study. Annals of internal medicine, 116(7), 535–539. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-116-7-535
5. Christensen, R., Astrup, A., & Bliddal, H. (2005). Weight loss: the treatment of choice for knee osteoarthritis? A randomized trial. Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 13(1), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2004.10.008
6. Bliddal H, Leeds AR, Christensen R. Osteoarthritis, obesity and weight loss: evidence, hypotheses and horizons – a scoping review. Obes Rev. 2014 Jul;15(7):578-86. doi: 10.1111/obr.12173. Epub 2014 Apr 22. PMID: 24751192; PMCID: PMC4238740.
7. Messier SP, Legault C, Loeser RF, Van Arsdale SJ, Davis C, Ettinger WH, DeVita P. Does high weight loss in older adults with knee osteoarthritis affect bone-on-bone joint loads and muscle forces during walking? Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2011 Mar;19(3):272-80. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2010.11.010. Epub 2010 Dec 4. PMID: 21134477; PMCID: PMC3444807.
8. Zelicha, H., Kloting, N., Kaplan, A. et al. The effect of high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled trial. BMC Med 20, 327 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-022-02525-8
9. “Green’ Mediterranean Diet Reduces Twice As Much Fat As Mediterranean Diet” by Kaitlin Vogel | Fact checked by Sheeka Sanahori, Healthline, 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/green-mediterranean-diet-reduces-visceral-fat-by-14