Is there really such a thing as “natural viagra?” The answer is: Actually, there is! Most people view claims for natural aphrodisiacs with a good deal of skepticism, as they should. But amazingly enough, some natural products do have reputations for enhancing sexual desire in both men and women.

Below are the top contenders:

1. Arginine. Arginine is an amino acid found in meat, nuts, eggs, coconut milk and cheese, has been found as a safe and effective route to increase the amount of growth hormone (GH) released from the pituitary gland that helps to retard many aspects of aging. As a natural female aphrodisiac, Arginine, along with other supplements, enhances sexual desire, can reduce vaginal dryness, increase the frequency of intercourse and orgasm and even improve clitoral sensation and sexual arousal, thus giving a boost to the libido.


2. Chocolate. Favored by the Aztec gods, chocolate helps the release of serotonin that is responsible for feelings of relaxation and pleasure. Dark chocolate is preferable as it contains a higher level of cocoa that is supposed to be more effective. It provides a boost to some good, old-fashioned loving and has the additional advantage of being high in magnesium and antioxidants.

3. Damiana. Damiana has been found to contain alkaloids that directly stimulate the sex organs and is also known for its ability to tone the mucous membranes of reproductive organs. Mexican women used to drink an infusion of the herb a couple of hours before bed, to get aroused for their men. Thus it acts as a sexual stimulant. It not only increases the possibility of reaching orgasm but also increases its intensity and betters sexual performance. It is also known to be helpful for the digestive system. It has been helpful in female physiological/hormonal areas such as irritability, headache and acne, and menstrual difficulties, insufficient flow or delayed menstruation in adolescent girls.

4. Fenugreek. Fenugreek is a medicinal plant, has aromatic seeds which were used extensively by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Harem women used it as part of their staple diet, to increase the size and roundness of their breasts. It is also reportedly used in some herbal products that claim ‘bust enhancement’ properties. It is sometimes recommended to nursing mothers to improve their milk supply. It aids in the synthesis of various sex hormones and has estrogenic effects. The seeds have a maple syrup-like odor, and can freshen breath, making somebody more likely to want to get closer to you!

5. Ginger. A phallic-shaped root, ginger has sexual links by virtue of its appearance, and is known to increase blood circulation to the extremities. It also possesses anti-bloating properties that can help you avoid the postprandial belly. Ginkgo Biloba is a tree, the leaf of which is highly popular for its antioxidant properties, as well as for improving circulation and enhancing memory.

6. Ginseng. Ginseng is a root said to aid sexual desire, satisfaction and orgasm and is effective as a natural aphrodisiac for women by having an effect on the dopamine system as well. It endows a woman with youthful vigor and plays a significant role in fertility.

7. Horny Goat Weed. Horny Goat Weed lives up to its name! A leafy plant growing in the wild, higher altitudes, it is said to provide a boost to the libido and so is useful as a natural aphrodisiac for women.

8. Indole-3-Carbinol. Aanaturally occurring phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, Indole-3-Carbinol helps in removing excess estrogen from the body, a balance of which is essential for a healthy libido in women.

9. Litchi. Also called Wolfberry, Litchi is a tangy fruit known to have rejuvenating effects on sexuality and fertility. It can be dried and prepared as a tea. Scientific studies indicate that polysaccharides found in this fruit, protect the female sex organs in addition to protection of sexual tissue, eliminate fatigue, increase adaptability to exercise load and enhance resistance. It is also reported to have anti-aging properties.

10. Maca. A root/vegetable found in Peru, Maca has been traditionally used as a natural female aphrodisiac to increase energy, vitality, stamina and endurance in athletes and also to promote mental clarity and for fertility. It has also been used to treat female menstrual irregularities and hormone imbalances like menopause and perimenopause. Those with menstrual irregularities have experienced greater consistency, while in women, hot flashes, mood swings and other associated perimenopause and menopause symptoms, have reduced drastically.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease; this means that your immune system attacks other parts of your body resulting to redness, pain, swelling or a hot feeling in the lining of a joint, the place where two or more bones come together.  This redness, pain, swelling and heat around the joint is called inflammation.  The inflammation may also affect other internal organs such as the eyes, lungs or heart, but the most common places are the hands or feet.

The body’s immune system attacks healthy joints that cause inflammation in the lining of the joints. This inflammation can be painful and can lead to permanent damage if the disease is not treated and controlled.  Joint damage can occur even where the pain is not severe.  Sometimes it may be too late to fix the problem by the time X-rays discover them.  Severe damage can lead to permanent joint deformity or disability. In more stern cases, the pain and the swelling may cause difficulty in walking and you may have trouble using your hands for movement, such as dressing and cooking.

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

What causes rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown, though much has been learned about the process leading to this disease, researchers are yet to discover what leads to these abnormal responses of the body’s immune system. One established theory to what causes rheumatoid arthritis is that, a combination of factors triggers this disease, including an abnormal autoimmune response, genetic susceptibility, and some environmental or biological trigger, such as viral infection or hormonal changes.


Abnormal Autoimmune Response

The inflammatory process is a result of the body’s immune system, which fights infection and heals wounds and injuries; this is the normal immune system response. When an injury or an infection take place, white blood cells gather together to rid the body of any foreign proteins, such as virus.  The gathering of blood cells at the injured or infected area produce factors to repair wounds, clot the blood, and fight any infective agents, during this process the surrounding area becomes inflamed and some healthy tissues are damaged.  On normal conditions, the immune system has other factors that control and limit this inflammatory process.

The primary infection-fighting elements are two types of white blood cells called lymphocytes and leukocytes. Lymphocytes have two subtypes known as T-cells and B-cells, both cells designed to recognize foreign invaders (antigens) and to start an offensive and defensive action against them. B-cells produce separate anti-bodies that can either ride along with B-cells or travel on their own to attack the antigen.  T-cells have special receptors attached to their surface that recognize specific antigen. This type of cell can be further categorized as killer T-cells and helper T-cells.  Killer T-cells directly attack antigens that occur in any cells that contain nucleus while helper T-cells have two roles; they stimulate B-cells and other white cells to attack the antigen and they also produce cytokines, a powerful immune factor that has an important role in the inflammatory process.

The action of the helper T-cells are of special awareness in what causes rheumatoid arthritis. For some unknown reason, the T-cells become overactive in rheumatoid arthritis mistaking the body’s own collagen as an antigen and triggering a series of immune responses to destroy false enemy. The leukocytes, another major white blood cell in the body, are also prompted into action by the overwhelming T-cells; these leukocytes stimulate the production of key players in the inflammatory process that in excessive amounts becomes a damaging substance and may play a major destructive role in rheumatoid arthritis.

Genetic Susceptibility

Genetic factors may play some role in what causes rheumatoid arthritis, however studies suggest that it is not necessarily passed on from generation to generation, although the presence of  genes that influence the tendency of  rheumatoid arthritis may worsen the disease process.  It should be pointed out that defective genes not only can be inherited but not all who inherit the gene will develop the disease, it may be mutated by environmental or other factors. This theory needs more research to determine specific genetic contributions as a factor that causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Environmental Triggers

Infections are being said to be an environmental trigger that causes rheumatoid arthritis, although bacteria and viruses have been studied, no single organism has been proven to be the primary trigger for the autoimmune response and successive damaging inflammation.

A number of chemicals are being studied as triggers or causes of rheumatoid arthritis like silica which was linked with rheumatoid arthritis in a 2003 study. Other chemicals are still under investigation but are still very difficult to determine causal effects of any specific chemical.

Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: RA affects about one percent of the world’s population. It is a chronic inflammatory illness, characterized by the inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is also an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system attacks normal tissue components as if they were invading pathogens. Rheumatoid arthritis inflammation primarily attacks the linings of the joints, however, the membrane linings of the blood vessels, heart and lungs may also become inflamed.

The joints in the hands and feet are most often affected by rheumatoid arthritis, but any joint lined by a membrane may be involved. Medication can control the inflammation; if the inflammation is not controlled, deformity of the joints can result. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, lost function and disability.

There are three stages of rheumatoid arthritis. The first stage starts with the swelling of the synovial lining, causing pain, warmth, stiffness, redness and swelling around the joints. The second stage is the rapid division and growth of cells, or pannus, which causes the thickening of the synovium. In the third stage, the inflamed cells releases enzymes that bone and cartilage may absorb causing the involved joint to more pain, deformity and loss of movement.


Rheumatoid arthritis patients suffer from cycles of severe and light symptoms. The following are symptoms and effects of rheumatoid arthritis:

? Joint swelling in small joints of the hands and feet
? Joint tenderness, stiffness, and pain especially in the morning
? Hardened lumps in joints
? Cartilage and bone destruction

Rheumatoid arthritis can have a serious effect on a person’s life and health, especially if it is not detected and treated early. Knowing the correct diagnosis early is very important because it helps you start the appropriate treatment immediately thus giving you a better chance to avoid disability and deformity.

It is always advisable to consult your physician regarding the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. With the proper diagnosis, you can take control of the disease with the right medication. Doctors have many ways to treat this disease, the goals of which is to take away pain, reduce swelling, slow down or stop joint damage, help people feel better, and help people stay active.

Currently, the exact cause of the disease is unknown, although there are several theories, like abnormal autoimmune response, genetic susceptibility, and some environmental factors. Scientists are well on their way to understanding the events that lead to abnormal responses of the body’s immune system. And while there is no cure, controlling the disease through the use of new drugs, exercise, joint protection techniques and self-management techniques have been done by patients to have happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disorder for which there is no known cure.  Because rheumatoid arthritis presents itself in many different forms and ways, treatment must be designed for the individual, taking into account the severity of the arthritis, other medical conditions and lifestyle.  It therefore requires a comprehensive program that combines medical, social and emotional support for the patient.  The main goal of rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to reduce pain, discomfort, prevent deformities and loss of joint function, and maintain a productive and active life.  Rheumatoid arthritis treatments are most often medications, reduction in joint stress, surgical intervention, exercise, and life style change.

Medications

Proper medication treatment is important in controlling your rheumatoid arthritis.  Commonly used drugs for rheumatoid arthritis treatment are:

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

These drugs are used in the reduction of inflammation and relieving pain.  Medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin and COX-2 inhibitors such as valdecoxib and celecoxib are some of the common drugs.

Analgesic Drugs

These drugs relieve pain, but do not necessarily have an effect on inflammation.  Some of these medications include: acetaminophen, propoxyphene, mepeidine, and morphine.

Glucocorticoids or Prednisone

These drugs are prescribed in low maintenance doses to slow joint damage cause by inflammation.

Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)

These rheumatoid arthritis treatment drugs are used with NSAIDs and/or prednisone to slow joint destruction caused by rheumatoid arthritis over time.  Some of these medications are: methotrexate, injectable gold, penicillamine, azathioprine, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine and oral gold.

Biological Response Modifiers

These drugs inhibit proteins called cytokines which contribute to inflammation. Some of these drugs include:  etanercept, infliximab, adaliumumab and anakinra.

Protein-A Immuoadsorption Therapy

Although this is not a drug, this is a therapy that filters the blood to remove antibodies and immune complexes that promote inflammation.

Reduction in Joint Stress

Ideal body weight should be achieved and maintained.  The less you weigh the less stress on the musculoskeletal system.  Generally, rest is an important feature of management.  Vigorous activity should be avoided when the joints are actively inflamed, because they can intensify joint inflammation or cause a traumatic injury to structures weakened by the inflammation.  Conversely, patients should be encouraged to maintain a modest level of activity to prevent laxity and muscular atrophy.  Immobilizing acutely inflamed joints particularly at night and using walking aids like canes or walkers are all effective means of reducing stress on specific joints.  Consulting with therapist is always recommended early in the course.

Surgical Approaches

The decision to have surgery is a complex one because lots of things must be taken into consideration, such as the motivation and goals of the patient and their ability to undergo rehabilitation and their general medical status.

Synovectomy is one form of surgical approach but is not ordinarily recommended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, mainly because the relief is only momentary.  However, an exception is synovectomy of the wrist, which is recommended for intense synovitis that has been continual for over six to twelve months despite medical treatments.

Joint arthroplasties of the knee, hip, wrist and elbow are highly successful.  Arthroplasty of the MCP joints can also reduce pain and improve function.  Other operations include removal of symptomatic rheumatoid nodule, release of nerve entrapments like carpal and tunnel syndrome, and arthroscopic procedures.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment should start with education about the disease, the possibility of joint damage and disability, and the risks and benefits of potential treatments.  Along term-treatment plan should be developed by patients and their health professionals.


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