Rheumatoid Arthritis

There's no doubt now that I am suffering from rheumatoid arthritis but not osteoarthritis which is characterised by degeneration of the cartilage of certain joints. My wrists, hands, shoulders, feet and sometimes other parts of my body are being attacked by my immune system to varying degrees, causing stiffness and pain.

The condition was definitely triggered by my fall about three months ago because prior to that I only had sporadic pain in my right shoulder and nowhere else. I'm not too troubled at the moment. The soreness and swelling in my left foot has subsided. There was one night when my wrists were causing me considerable discomfort. Ironically, this had been caused by finger exercises that I had been doing to ameliorate the stiffness in my fingers.

I have been walking between 2km and 4km a day, sometimes more, but I notice my knees are weaker than they used to be and sometimes hurt when I'm walking up stairs. I definitely need to resume by leg band exercises and squats. I just have to accept that the arthritis is not going away anytime soon. The more I can find out about the condition and how to manage it the better. This post was prompted by this YouTube video and is where the screenshot came from.

The body's decline creeps like a vine.

Day to day, the changes can be imperceptible.

You adapt. 

Then something happens that finally makes it clear

That things are no longer the same.

My condition is certainly not severe at the moment. There is no redness and swelling of the joints of my hands and certainly no deformities. Maybe that will come later. Maybe it won't. One thing is incontrovertible. My body is in decline. The price one pays for longevity. Fortunately, my mind seems largely intact. Let's hope that continues.

Vitamin B12 Dangers

I came across an interesting tweet recently that concerned Vitamin B12 supplements. Here's the content:

Dr. Dennis Walker
@drdenwalker

URGENT: Go to your medicine cabinet right now and look at the type of B12 you are taking. If it says “cyanocobalamin,” any where on the label, then throw it in the trash immediately. Although it the most common form of B12 in the world, cyanocobalamin is a synthetic, man-made form of B12, which includes “hydrogen cyanide." Look for vitamin B12 supplements in the form of adenosylcobalamin, methylcobalamin, & hydroxycobalamin.

RT for others awareness
Last edited 5:17 AM Nov 25, 2023 1.3M Views

This was interesting because there's a popular B12 supplement that I've taken over the years that has cyanocobalamin in it.

Just another reason not to trust BIG PHARMA, even when vitamin supplements are involved. Here is a link to a YouTube video that discusses the problems associated with cyanocobalamin and that recommends supplements that contain methylcobalamin instead. Many energy drinks contain cyanocobalamin in high amounts as do fortified grains. Here is an excerpt from his comments to the video:

The best form of vitamin B12 is the natural version called methylcobalamin. This version is the active form of vitamin B12 and stays in the body longer than the synthetic versions.

Potential benefits of methylcobalamin:

• It may help improve sleep

• It can decrease the need for sleep

• It can help you wake up feeling alert and refreshed

• It can help you fall asleep faster

• It's great for the nervous system (especially the myelin sheath)

• It supports healthy eyes

• It increases melatonin

• It decreases homocysteine

• It can help regulate cortisol

• It supports the red blood cells

Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency:

• Not consuming foods high in vitamin B12

• Stomach inflammation

• H. pylori

• Low stomach acid

• Gastric bypass

• Inflammation in the intestines