How Cold Exposure Can Benefit Rheumatoid Arthritis

Modern medicine has made huge advances for people suffering from chronic disease. Many people are enjoying longer lives and better lives with fewer symptoms. However, many of these drugs have toxic side effects, and some people, unfortunately, don't respond as much as others.

So, if everything the doctor provides fails, what options are left?

Alternative therapies have become hugely popular

The word of homeopathy and alternative medicine has become immensely popular for the past decade. Many chemicals used to manufacture drugs scare the general population because they are really toxic if ingested in large amounts. Some might consider all medicine to be poison, just taken in very small doses to reduce harm. That's why we always have to watch for side effects when taking medication.

One man uses alternative medicine to successfully treat his chronic illness

No wonder alternative medicine has become so widely popular! Treatments such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness have become hugely popular and proven to be effective in bettering the lives of both the healthy and the sick. Luckily for Scott Riley, alternative medicine helped him solve the suffering of his own chronic illness. Did you know that using cold therapy and breathing can help you with your chronic rheumatoid arthritis? It turns out that's what helped Scott Riley transform his life after being diagnosed with the life-long, autoimmune disease.

For Scott, life as an adult began with a rough start. In his early 20s, he was not only diagnosed with RA but was also battling depression. It was a difficult time, he remembers. But what got him through this trial was special breathing practices and cold exposure.

Scott's lifestyle resulted in rapid weight gain and emotional suffering

Scott gained a lot of weight during his journey to recovery. While trying different drugs to see what worked best with the rheumatoid, some of the side effects included weight loss. Many of these drugs failed to help him and his symptoms continue. Worse yet, they were very toxic with many side effects. Scott was required to get biweekly blood tests to make sure his vital organs were still doing okay.

As a long-time sufferer of mental illness, Scott also had been fighting depression for some time. He had been taking antidepressants since his teenage years, and rheumatoid arthritis only made the pain worse, and soon, Scott found himself with a rampant problem of binge eating. Junky, processed food and cases of beer were his tonic to calm his mood imbalances and anxieties.

Soon, there was a lot of weight gain, and Scott was ashamed of how he looked. The poor self-confidence and self-image also increasingly worsened his depression, making him isolate himself from the rest of the world. It was a vicious circle, and Scott was trapped. Sometimes, he wouldn't leave his apartment for long periods of time because he was so ashamed of his appearance.

Read on to learn more about Scott's story and how he overcame his RA. Remember, what worked for Scott will not work for everyone. Speak with your doctor before committing to any lifestyle changes.

Photo credit: BelfastLive