Natural cures for arthritis may be more of not eating or drinking something, than supplementing with something. There are plenty of foods and supplements which can help you relieve your arthritis symptoms, but let us focus on a few of the items causing arthritis.

One of the items which can cause arthritis is sodium fluoride. This is the active ingredient found in toothpaste and also the chemical being placed into some of the public water systems. Now, there is a difference in sodium fluoride and fluorine, which is found in food and naturally in plants. The natural variety is very important, and does help harden bones and teeth. So, when we see tooth decay, we think lack of fluorine, and add fluoride to the water and toothpaste. The chemically produced sodium fluoride has some undesirable effects:

1. Inhibits proper functioning of the thyroid gland
2. Damages the immune system, and can result in arthritis

The sodium fluoride in the public water is usually in quantities of 1 part per million. Per homeopathic study, this amount is considered toxic if ingested on a regular schedule.

So, just a simple change in going to fluoride free toothpaste, and ensuring your water is fluoride free can help to relieve, and possibly even cure your arthritis symptoms, depending on the severity.

If you are eating a diet rich of animal products, this will cause arthritis as well. See, arthritis results from minerals, especially calcium, being in the joints. And the reason calcium is in the joints is the body is releasing it from the bones to neutralize your blood pH. Protein is a very acidic food, and when eaten, it can make the blood turn acidic. Since the body operates on a neutral pH of around 7.0, it pulls calcium from your bones to neutralize the acidity. It is these calcium deposits in the joints which cause great pain. If you remove most of the animal products you have in your diet, you will have an immediate impact in relieving your arthritis.

So, just the removal of 2 things from your lifestyle, sodium fluoride and animal products, will help to eliminate the pain cause by arthritis, and depending on the severity of it, can be a natural cure for arthritis.

If you want to get rid of your arthritis in 30 days, visit http://www.arthritis-facts.com start your recovery to arthritis free life again.

One of the BIG shocks after I finally got a clue and was able to get accepted by a publisher and got one of my works in print was a facet of the business I’d never imagined - I now had to push and SELL. Mind you, I was of the long standing belief that a large majority of writers were shy, reclusive people, who wrote books and then let the publisher take over as they went on and wrote more books. Something which sounded fabulous to my personality type.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Yes, once upon a time, publishers did take care of everything and writers only wrote. But in the last twenty years or so, the publishing industry has gone through a great upheaval. A lot of the old altruism is gone and the corporations have evolved to be run by accountants and marketing folks rather than nurturing editors. Publishers are now in the interest of actually making a PROFIT.

I don’t blame them. We all want to make money. Unfortunately, however, this has affected the role of the writer and the expectations placed on them as to what they bring to the table, before, during, and after working on a manuscript.

So now, after going through the painstaking years to create your novel, beat it into shape, market it around, and finally (if the stars align just right) get a publisher, your work is only now truly beginning. For once your book is on the cusp of release, you must get yourself out there and sell yourself, your book, some might say your soul.

Okay, okay, so maybe that last was a tad on the melodramatic side but for those of us who do not fall into the category of “outgoing”, it can sure feel that way.

I’ll be honest, I think I am probably one of the most boring persons around. My writing is not the best thing since sliced bread, though I like to think it might actually be semi-interesting and at least tolerably written. So being a realist, the last thing I want to do is try to force people into buying things they may or may not want. Heck, I can’t even talk to someone if I believe I have an agenda hidden somewhere. (Yes, I totally stink at schmoozing!) Can’t push myself on people - I value my own space too much to want to invade and not respect someone else’s. So for me, the Hard Sell is OUT. But I do want to sell books, I do want people to read my stuff…I just want them to want to, for them to be the ones that come to the decision of doing it and not be pushed into it. So I rely on the SOFT SELL.

My Soft Sell plan has several facets, and most of them are totally shy writer friendly.

First - The FREEBIE Table at conventions is your friend! I love these things for three reasons. 1) I can leave my stuff all over it without invading anyone’s personal space. 2) Prospective book buyers will pick up freebie promo without prompting and look at it at their leisure without feeling pressured by anyone. 3) It promotes name and brand recognition as they will be seeing it over and over, year after year.

The type of stuff I have for freebie tables cater to pretty much any and all tastes (I hope). What you decide to use will depend on how much time and money you want to put into it. For me, I bombard them with bookmarks, Sample CD’s, postcards, trifolds, and flyers with the book cover, back cover blurb, and part of the first chapter. I did pens one year, but found them too expensive overall, so have not done them again. If you can find something cheap that ties to your book that you can stick a label on with your name and url, DO IT! Statistics say that your name has to be seen 7 to 10 times before it starts percolating into people’s subconscious, and the freebie table will definitely help!

Second - whenever possible, I get either a dealer’s table or better yet (if the convention has it) and artist alley table. Okay, I can her you already - “But wait, you said you don’t do Hard Sell. What’s up with the table?” I don’t do hard sell. But I do give others the opportunity to check out my stuff, touch the books, read a page or two, if they want.

I sit at this table, my castle, and I smile and smile and smile. And the watch people go past and sometimes back around. When I feel brave or have seen some of them a few times, I will smile even wider and wave or give an acknowledging nod. (Eye contact! Very important!) I load the table with the same stuff as the freebie table (helps them make mental connections and give them yet another pass at my name), I have a banner on the front of the table with my name in big letters, the books are stacked out so they can grab one to look at if they want. I now even have table toppers with a four word or less blurb to catch a passerby’s attention. (These can draw someone from the other side of the room if intriguing enough!) If they stop, I leave them alone, yet keep an eye on them in case they have questions. If they do, I answer them, even if it’s just asking me about panel locations, restrooms or whatever. (I have felt like an information kiosk before. But that too gets you brownie points.) (Oh and be prepared for your face to hurt at the end of the day. Smiling is hard work! lol!)

Third - Panels - oh yeah, doing panels! Not a big thrill for us shy types, but it does get better over time and you’re not up there alone, so it’s nowhere near as bad as a presentation would be. But to get on the guest list, that sometimes takes a little work. All depends on the Con. One of them, I had purchased an artist alley table for several years and as they got to know me, I was invited. Another I got in from the ground floor as they were recruiting from authors at another con. Some I’ve sent emails to the programming staff asking if they are looking for guests. (I can do emails so much easier than one on ones! They can’t see me!)

If you get in, this does several things for you. Usually, it gets your name and url on the con site. Gets your name and short bio in the program book. Gets you to sit at a table with other writers and be seen by fans and other people in the biz.

Just with these three facets I’ve exposed my name/face to the con goers 5 or more times! And I never had to bug anyone directly. See how it works?

Will this have your sale numbers skyrocketing? Probably not. But you will sell. You will get your name out there. You will get recognition. And you can still be your shy old self. Even better, you’ll find yourself becoming familiar with many faces and even having friendships bloom. Oh no, you might even be networking! (Run away!)

It’s Soft Sell all the way, baby!

Gloria Oliver
Unveiling the Fantastic
http://www.gloriaoliver.com

Dick Butkus was born on December 9, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, and is widely known as one of the greatest football players of all time. Not only did Butkus have all of the physical skills to be a top notch player throughout his career, but he was always known as one of the smartest as well. When you put these two things together it is easy to see why Butkus was a force on the gridiron for many years.

After high school Butkus decided to take his game to the University of Illinois where he played from 1962 to 1964. During his time at Illinois Butkus quickly became known as a force to be reckoned with. From his linebacker position, Butkus was a unanimous All American selection in both 1963 and 1964. To go along with this honor he won many other awards including Big Ten Conference Most Valuable Player, and a sixth place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting. In 1983 Butkus was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Additionally, the Dick Butkus award is given to the best college linebacker in the country each year.

Butkus was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. From the very start he showed the entire league why he was the best linebacker in college. During his rookie campaign he led the Bears in tackles, forced fumbles, and interceptions. Over the course of his career Butkus was selected to nine Pro Bowls, and made the all league team on six occasions.

All in all, Dick Butkus will always be known as one of the best linebackers to ever play the game of football. His bone crushing hits and will to win will always be remembered by Bears fans, as well as anybody else who ever had the privilege of watching him take the field.

Bob writes for FanFrenzyZone.com and DraftDayPicks.com. Where you can purchase a Dick Butkus Jersey or get information on Dick Butkus Jerseys

The airline itself is the first step in the process of getting the best deal on airline tickets. Any individual airline sets the price for any number of seats on each individual flight. These price categories are “called class of service”. Seats in one class of service may cost $100 and in another class of service be $500. How many are in each class are determined by the airline. They base their prices on demand and competition. A popular flight with little competition will have the highest prices, and those with a lot of competition and little demand will have the lowest. Typically, the lowest priced seats sell first, and then they move to the higher priced seats. Some of the seats on the flight are allotted to online airline marketers, who buy them in advance. You, the consumer do not know how many of these there are.

After the airline has set the prices for the various seats and flights, this information goes to one of four general reservation systems: Apollo, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. Here prices will be adjusted up if selling well or down if not. The amount of tickets available and the current prices change constantly. Again, you the consumer do not know when these changes occur and all four systems change at different times.

Online travel agencies and other travel agencies tap into the general reservation systems to find tickets for you. There are various types of online travel agencies. Many of the major airlines offer tickets online, but they may not be the best deal.

Orbitz was formed by United, American, Northwest, Delta, and Continental. So you will find cheap tickets for these airlines here. CheapTickets, and OneTravel for example may specialize in certain routes. Then there are discount airlines whose general prices are lower, these are Southwest, American Transair, and JetBlue. You may not find these airlines on an online travel agency.

Last minute sites like Site59, LastMinuteTravel.com offer last minute deals, usually associated with hotel and car rental.

Travelocity also decreases the price of the airline ticket if it is put into a package with hotel and car rental. They also offer flexible date and time options that may save you more money. They will also e-mail you specials.

You need to be a member to access BestFares.com. Air4Less will display one airline at a time for you to compare. DollarTravel has a free newsletter, and will e-mail specials.

Priceline.com uses reverse auction techniques. You name the date, place you want to go and the price you want to pay. You have to give them a credit card number prior to making your bid, and if they accept it you buy it. Then you find out what airline (American, American West, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United or USA) and what connections and length of time your travel will be. You can get some good deals, but you have to be flexible. They will offer package deals as well.

Most discounted tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, but travel insurance can usually be purchased. Changing dates or times will often cost you extra.

The best time to search for the best discounted airline ticket if after midnight on Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning, because this is the time many of the airlines offer changes in the prices. Purchase at least 21 days ahead and you will usually get at good price, or wait to the last minute, but you will have to be flexible as to the date and times of your flight. Plan your travel during the off-season; avoid the holidays, February, March, June and July. Often flying on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday is cheaper than the other days.

Take time to do comparison-shopping online. Use the general rules and search every few days to get the best, discounted price. I think if you utilize all of this information and take the time to search you will find the best price for your vacation package and be happy with your search. Have a good trip!

Take time to do comparison-shopping online. Use the general rules and search every few days to get the best, discounted price. I think if you utilize all of this information and take the time to search you will find the best price for your vacation package and be happy with your search. Have a good trip!

The secret lies in learning how to grow your business effectively. There are several strategies you can use to grow your business, but they fall under four
general categories.

1. Attract more new customers (Reach)
2. Increase the average sales amount (Average Check)
3. Make your customers buy from you more often (Frequency)
4. Hold on to your customers for life (Retention)

I believe small businesses focus to much of their efforts on issues that have nothing to do with these four strategies. It is very easy to act with knee jerk
activities to the issue dujour. The key is to do go through the proper planning process, and then choose the area that needs to be focused on. Today you may
decide to focus on new customers but a year from now you may need to change your focus. This is an ongoing process and your local sales area changes every day.
You will have to change with it or you will die.

Don’t get me wrong. Referrals are the best kind of customers. But if you spend the majority of your time and money trying to get them you may be neglecting a
whole slew of new customers that are waiting to buy from you.

In the same vein, if small business spends all its time marketing to new customers and ignoring existing customers, you may be missing out on a lot of low hanging
fruit.

As I mentioned, there are many ways to leverage your marketing efforts in these four categories. here are just a few ways to improve each of your areas of growth:

Attract more new customers…

*Select a niche market that you can easily contact and dominate it.
*Develop an Education Based Marketing Program that compels your prospects to contact you to learn more about how you can help them.
*Establish a proactive referral program with centers of influence that can open new channels of growth for you and your business.

Increase the Average Sales Amount…

*Up-sell your customers to high quality products and services
*Suggest accessories and add-on items and services that compliment your customer’s purchase
*combine several items into a package that would cost less if sold seperatley

Make your customers buy from you more often…

*Establish ongoing communications that present compelling offers that can’t be turned down.
*Follow up with your customers to see how they’re enjoying the benifits of the new product or service you sold them, and suggest products or services that would increase their satisfaction
*Track your customer’s usage and buying patterns to suggest purchases right before they actually need them (this also helps keep the competition away)

Hold on to your customers for life…

*Deliver uncommon customer service by going the extra mile
*give your customers the opportunity to go on record by giving you testimonials about your great customer service
*Perform stealth surveys with your customers from time to time to gauge their level of satisfaction

Your goal is to design systems and programs that surround these four categories of growth strategies. In the newsletters I will send you will be given specific
marketing tactics for each of these areas to grow your small business.

Read this and other marketing articles at http://www.thewizofmarketing.com

Just why are some metals coated with chromium? That is something I had always wondered and I guessed it had something to do with corrosion and rust protection. But why not make the item out of solid chromium to begin with?

For starters, some metals are coated with chromium to make them look more attractive. Chromium is shiny and sparkly - it is a good reflector and is bright. The metal is silver in appearance and can enhance all types of objects that it coats. And , sure, it certainly does protect from corrosion and tarnish.

It was discovered in 1798 and is a non-corrosive material which is very strong and resistant to heat. It is ideal for coating other metals in particular steel.

The coating process is done by electroplating - immersing the object in an electrolyte solution and passing an electric current through it. This is the only way it is done - there is no other reliable method and all other descriptions (such as “Chrome Dipping” and “Chroming”) refer to electroplating methods. The electrolyte contains chromium in a different form but the chromium is displaced onto the desired object during the electroplating process.

You will see chromium plating in lots of different places and in particular on appliances around the home (for example, taps) and on automobile and motorcycle parts. Other places you might find it commonly is in the tool shed - on tools of all kinds, and on electrical equipment. Virtually every object that is chromium plated is enhanced by its presence and can be polished up to a pleasing shine.

Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions at the worlds best homepage - chrome plating or submit or use content at free content resource.

In my article: Does Playing Hard To Get Make You More Attractive? I mentioned that the two biggest mistakes men and women make with playing hard to get is to 1) Play hard-to-get even when they don’t yet know if the other person is interested at all; 2) Play much too hard to get that the other person thinks you are “not interested”.

If you are playing hard to get and no one is chasing you, that is not playing hard to get, that is lying to yourself. Before you start playing hard to get you must first make the sure the other person wants to play, and is interested in the chase. You must first give him or her reason to want to chase you.

In the culture I was raised in, this is called: “the delicate art of arranging to be caught”. It is a courtship ritual that our ancestors discovered watching the courtship behaviour of other wild animals and fine tuned it for their own use. This ritual is still part of selfishly guarded rituals and esoteric arts.

The whole strategy is to give the other person the thrill of a chase when in actual fact you are the one who arranged to be caught. I’ll just reveal one secret of the delicate art of arranging to be caught.

You’ve probably heard that it’s always best to “leave something to the imagination.” There is some sense in this in as far titillating and perhaps some extra provocation is concerned, but this is not the best way of arranging to be caught especially when the little that is revealed, shown or exposed does nothing to the imagination except to ask “why?” or “what for?” Even beautiful eyes, a sweet voice or interesting story have away of putting one off (and in some cases even distinctly revolting) if what is presented to the eyes has no apparent or sincere hint of fun and enjoyment, excitement and adventure or attraction and arousal.

The other person should not have to guess about anything. Most people are unable to accurately read other peoples’ body language let alone their minds. Take nothing for granted. Leave nothing to guesswork. I am not suggesting that we all wear revealing clothing, eyeball or ogle at every hot man or woman, flash breasts or grab crotches à la Michael Jackson; this is not “leaving nothing to the imagination”, it’s bad taste and a sign of under developed sexual and social skills.

Leaving nothing to the imagination basically means that you build up enough intrigue and mystery (with every lingering look, every expression, every body move you make etc) to make the person wonder what makes you tick and what’s going on in your “sexy” head. The person is excited, stimulated and aroused by their own imagination. Their own imagination feeds the thrill for the chase.

You do not really have to do much but relax and wait to be caught. There is no need for any “seduction techniques”, no need to act like you’re not as excited, no need to wait as long as you can before you call after a first date and no need to pretend to be busy etc. In fact you can call him/her everyday or go out every evening just to feed more into his/her imagination. Nothing is more powerfully seductive than a person’s own imagination.

So - the obvious question must be: How the heck do you work with something as high speed and fickle as the imagination? This is a whole other secret. A I discuss a little bit more on my website.

About the Author: Christine Akiteng is an internationally renowned
Sexual Confidence/Dating Coach and author of e-Books: The Art Of
Seducing Out Of Fullness, Breaking A Bad Relationships Pattern, and
Playing Hard-To-Get The Love Way.

http://www.torontosnumber1datedoctor.com

http://www.theartofseducingoutoffullness.com

http://www.playinghardtogettheloveway.com

Research is firm on the health benefits that people receive when they exercise. Blood pressure and cholesterol decrease, energy levels increase, weight is lost, and people experience an over all sense of well-being. What often isn’t commonly considered a fitness program is jump rope exercise.

Jump rope exercises are an excellent cardiovascular program according to the US Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council. It is also among the exercises recommended for conditioning by the American College of Sports Medicine. There is less damage done to client’s joints and it isn’t as hard on the muscles as jogging and running.

During running and jogging the foot absorbs up to five times body weight from the force of impact against the ground. During jump rope exercises the shock of hitting the ground is absorbed by both feet, allowing the calf muscles to control and absorb the impact.

Did you know that 10 minutes of jump rope exercising is equivalent to 1 mile of running?

There are many advantages to jump rope exercises including improvements to the heart and lungs and, if done correctly, will make you more agile and coordinated. Not to mention that it is cost effective and down right cheap. Fitness trainers often include jump rope exercises in their programs for both new and advanced athletes.

It is important to start with the right equipment - even though there are few pieces. Shoes should be supportive with good lateral stability; they will prevent ankle injuries and save wear and tear on the joints. Cross training shoes, tennis shoes and basketball shoes have great lateral stability built into the shoe. Be sure they are real tennis shoes, built specifically to play tennis and not generic shoes.

Use the right jump rope. Exercise without a good rope and you are setting yourself up for frustration and failure. The rope should be heavy enough to develop a steady rhythm and long enough that the ends reach your armpits but you stand on the center of the rope. The handles should be thick and comfortable.

And your last piece of equipment is the floor. Try to use a floor that has some cushion that will reduce the impact to your legs. A floating wood floor like on a basketball court is significantly better than the concrete floor in your basement. Even better is jump rope exercises done outside in the grass. The ground provides cushion to your joints and resistance that means more energy expenditure for you.

As with any new physical program you should consult with your doctor to be sure that you are not interfering with any current medical condition, medications and that your goals match your current physical condition.

Warming up and cooling down is essential to prevent injury and improve your flexibility. Warm up exercises can be a quick walk, climbing the stairs for a few minutes or jump rope exercises slowly. Only after your jump rope exercises are finished should you do your stretches. Stretching before you exercise will actually cool your muscles down and do the opposite of what you intend.

Many adults give up on jump rope exercises because they feel uncoordinated and miss the rope. Don’t give up. It’s not long before you’ll notice improvement, increased coordination and flexibility - all goals that are very achievable with jump rope exercises.

Vanessa Youngstrom, a nurse practitioner, enjoys writing and educating on health and wellness topics. You’ll find more articles at http://www.YourHealthHere.com

Could there really be a Yoga teacher who is struggling to find success in life? If every Yoga teacher training program taught the spiritual aspect of abundance, and the Law of Karma correctly, this should not ever happen.

The abundance theory allows Yoga teachers, and anyone else who is interested, to acquire what is needed, and more, through positive thinking and by using universal energy (Prana) for good and noble purposes. When you show loving kindness, and help others, the universe will respond, despite social and economic circumstances.

However, if a person completely believed in pre-determined fate, and was full of negative thoughts, it would be difficult for that person to believe in the abundance theory. This should have been purged from the prospective Yoga teacher intern’s personality, when he or she was a Yoga student.

Yet, what kind of a Yoga teacher training program avoids teaching the spiritual aspect of abundance and the Law of Karma? How could a Yoga teacher be unfamiliar with the Law of Karma?

If you train Yoga teacher interns to believe that Yoga is an exercise program, with a couple dozen asanas, and a quick certification scheme, then they understand nothing about the spiritual, mental, and emotional benefits of Yoga.

In this case, a Yoga teacher, who is trained to instruct the public, in this way, could not even help him/ or herself. How could this person be qualified to help his or her Yoga students? In a quick Yoga certification program, you do not have to learn about Yogic philosophy, meditation, Pranayama techniques, japa, the subtle body, mudras, nadis, chakras, or the causal body.

If a person is taught Yoga as an exercise only, and then was trained to teach the public, they should be titled, “Yoga Exercise Instructor.” If a person has tremendous physical prowess and flexibility, they should be titled “Yoga Gymnastics Instructor.”

This would be great for fitness centers and for Yoga studios. Most fitness centers want an exercise instructor, and most Yoga studios want a 200-hour minimum trained Yoga teacher.

The fitness center clientele would not have to meditate, practice Pranayama, or learn much about Yoga, except for the exercise aspect. The Yoga studios and ashrams already know what a Yoga exercise instructor is, even if he or she has the title “Yoga Teacher.” My feeling is: Be honest with the students. If all they want is exercise, get them an exercise instructor.

Now let’s get back to unsuccessful Yoga teachers. The initial training is in question because Yogic philosophy was never covered, but marketing and business skills, specific to teaching Yoga, would have helped.

It has been said, “A leopard cannot change its spots,” which indicates that the inherent nature of something will not change. Now, if a new Yoga instructor finds that a weekend Yoga fitness certification was not adequate, go back to the “drawing board” and find a comprehensive Yoga teacher training course.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Juvenile arthritis or formerly called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) is described in children under the age of 16. The word ‘rheumatoid’ was dropped from the name because it is a misnomer giving people the idea that the disease process is much like the adult Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is not.

Juvenile Arthritis is also called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Juvenile Chronic Arthritis, and Childhood Arthritis. It is actually a collection of three different diseases that are arthritic in nature.

Juvenile arthritis affects 1 in 1,000 children in the United States. The hallmarks are pain, stiffness and swelling that last longer than six weeks and are not caused by an injury or another illness. Although the arthritis may initially present itself after an injury or illness these are not the cause.

The cause is actually unknown. There are no genetic factors that can be found, it doesn’t run in families and it cannot be passed from one person to another. The how is known - the immune system of the sufferer begins to attack healthy tissue. The why is a mystery.

There is no single symptom or arthritis test to diagnose juvenile arthritis. Physicians will use blood tests and x-rays to rule out other illnesses such as rheumatic fever, and to gauge the extent of the disease as they plan treatment. The most qualified physicians to treat arthritis in children are rheumatologists. These are physicians who have had more years of special education and testing to diagnose and treat diseases that cause inflammation in joints, muscles and other tissues.

The diagnosis of the disease is often made in the first six months following the onset of symptoms. Pauciarticular arthritis is the most common accounting for approximately ½ of the cases diagnosed. In this arthritis the inflammation usually affects four joints or less, affects girls more than boys and is diagnosed under the age of four. Children with Pauciarticular arthritis can also develop inflammation in the eyes (uveitis) which leads to blindness if not treated.

Pauciarticular arthritis responds well to natural remedies such as Omega 3 fatty acids, which may decrease the amount of medication the child needs to maintain a level of comfort. Very few children go on to develop systemic symptoms and in some cases the arthritis resolves in several years.

Polyarticular arthritis accounts for 40% of the children diagnosed with arthritis each year. These children have at least 5 joints affected and the disease will often affect symmetrically. In other words if the left hand is affected the same joints in the right hand will also be painful and swollen.

Polyarticular arthritis is more likely to affect the small bones and joints and when the large bones are affected they grow at different rates affecting the way the child walks. The child will develop a limp and can develop osteoarthritis later in life. Children go to the doctor with complaints of fever, rash and a decreased appetite. The diagnosis is most severe when the child is over 10 and also is positive for rheumatoid factor.

Systemic arthritis affects joints and some of the organs. Children have skin rashes, fever and inflammation of internal organs like the spleen and liver. Some call the disease Still disease after the doctor who first described it.

Systemic arthritis affects boys more than girls and accounts for only 10% of the childhood arthritis diagnosis each year. The children first complain between the ages of 5 and 10 years. The initial symptoms don’t usually affect the joints. There are serious complications from the inflammation throughout the body but interestingly this inflammation doesn’t affect the eyes.

Treatment of all three types of arthritis center on decreasing pain and inflammation of the joints to improve the comfort of the child and improve the potential for normal growth and development of the bone structures as the child continues to grow.

Treatment can also include exercise programs that do not overly stress the joints and tissues such as swimming and stretching. Exercise will release endorphins that decrease the perception of pain and are an antidote for depression.

Juvenile arthritis is a catch phrase for a group of illnesses that cause inflammation, pain and redness in the joints, soft tissue and some organs of children. An accurate arthritis tests are needed to assign the correct treatments and to plan for the child’s future.

Vanessa Youngstrom, a nurse practitioner, enjoys writing and educating on health and wellness topics. You’ll find more articles at http://www.HealthAndWellnessIssues.com