Here comes the list: swollen, painful fingers, hurting knees, shoulders in agony, a back so inflamed that it hurts to sit, lie or stand... Let's admit it. Arthritis hurts.

No matter how slowly you get out of the car or how carefully you type on your phone or even eat, the pain is a constant, pesky friend. You know the type - the one from whom you would love to hear those beautiful words, "I'm moving." Now, tell me truthfully - have you thought to yourself any of the following:

• My mother had arthritis, so I knew I would, too

• Doc said it's natural with age, so I live with it

• There's nothing that can be done

Have you said these?

I do not agree with any of those statements! Later, I want to explore the cause and share some remedies. For now, let's look a cursory look at the main cause of arthritis. That answer is simple: Acidity Yes, an overly acidic body leads to inflammation which results in pain. Why are we so acidic? We eat too many acidic foods and not enough alkaline foods We don't drink enough water or the bottled water that we drink is also acidic

Lots of medications or over the counter drugs and not enough hydration to give support to the body

Take a look at this Alkaline and Acid chart from Alkaline Diet Health Tips (http://www.alkaline-diet-health-tips.com/alkaline-foods/alkaline-food-list:

In my next blog, we'll talk more about causes and remedies (one of them is mental) and explore other natural solutions. Now, let's look at two of my favorite roots.

Did you know that turmeric fights arthritis really well? Yes, it is an excellent anti-inflammatory. Add ginger to it and you'll have a powerhouse remedy.

Turmeric and Ginger Soother Ingredients

a stainless steel pot (no aluminum or non-stick) 3 cups of water thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric

Directions

Add water, turmeric and ginger roots to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Pour tea and drink one cup, twice daily.