According to a new study published in IOS Press, one thing defines the treatment of arthritis.
Without it, all drugs in the world wouldn’t help.
Interestingly, by testing an old, natural healing method, participants not only improved this factor but also drastically improved all markers of arthritis.
Sufferers of arthritis are more prone to depression than the general public. And without addressing their depression, their arthritis won’t improve either, no matter what.
Even if you do not experience clinical depression, this article will also apply to you if you have arthritis.
Given these findings, a group of scientists decided to test the effects of yoga on both depression and arthritis by comparing a group who practiced yoga to one that did not.
They placed half of their 72 subjects on an intensive eight-week yoga program.
Before the yoga program and after its completion, the researchers collected blood samples from all 72 subjects to test for inflammatory markers.
They also used a scientific measure called a Disease activity score 28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28ESR) to assess disease activity at the beginning and end of the eight weeks. They also had participants complete a health assessment questionnaire disability index at those same times to check how functional they were.
The participants filled out the Beck Depression Inventory II scale every two weeks throughout the study to monitor their depression levels.
What they discovered was remarkable:
1. Unlike the non-yoga group, the yoga group’s depression levels improved throughout the study at every stage where it was tested.
2. The yoga group had substantially lower levels of inflammatory chemicals in their blood than the non-yoga group.
3. The yoga group’s arthritis was much less active than that of the non-yoga group.
4. The yoga group was more functional and less disabled than the non-yoga group.
5. Those whose depression improved the most also experienced the greatest arthritis relief.
As that wasn’t all:
The cells of yoga participants were healthier and aged slower. Their immune systems were better regulated to fight off infections without needlessly attacking harmless joint tissue. Their nerve cells showed an increased ability to adjust and form neural connections to compensate for the disease (an ability scientists call neuroplasticity).
It must be noted that the yoga regiment was intense, lasting 120 minutes for five days a week, which most people would be likely to complain about. But the benefits are worth it.