In the case of acute rheumatism, the patient should be put on a short fast of orange juice and water for three or four days. The procedure is to take the juice of an orange diluted in warm water, if desired, every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nothing else, whatsoever, should be taken, otherwise the purpose of the fast will be entirely lost. While fasting, the bowels should be cleansed through a warm water enema.
After the juice fast, the patient should be placed on a restricted diet for 14 days. In this regimen, orange or grape fruit may be taken for breakfast ; lunch may consist of raw salad of any vegetables in season, with raisins, prunes, fit or dates; and for dinner, one or two steamed vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, carrots, turnips and cauliflower and a few nuts or some sweet fruit may be taken.
No bread or potatoes or other starchy food should be taken, otherwise the effect of the diet will be lost. Thereafter, the patient may gradually commence a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups, namely seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits.
In case of chronic rheumatism, the patient may be placed on an all-fruit diet for four or five days. In this regimen, he should have three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits such as apples, grapes, peaches, pears, oranges, pineapples and grapefruits. He may, thereafter, gradually adopt a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups.
The short juice fast followed by a restricted diet in case of acute rheumatism and the all-fruit diet in chronic cases may be repeated at intervals of two or three months, depending on the progress being made.
The patient should take ripe fruits and fresh vegetables in abundance. Lemons are valuable and the juice of two or three lemons may be taken each day. Lots of butter-milk should be taken. The foods which should be avoided are meat, fish, white bread, sugar, refined cereals, rich indigestible and highly seasoned foods, tea, coffee, alcohol, sauces, pickles and condiments.
Rheumatism is particularly responsive to raw vegetable juice. The alkaline action of raw juices dissolve the accumulation of deposits around the joints and in other tissues. The carrot juice combined with juices of red beet and cucumber is especially valuable. Three ounces each of best and cucumber juices may be mixed in ten ounces of carrot juice in this combination.
Other helpful methods in the treatment of rheumatism are application of radiant heat and hot packs to the affected parts, a hot tub bath, cabinet steam bath, dry friction and sponge. The hot Epsom salt bath is also beneficial and should be taken twice a week for three months in case of chronic rheumatism and once weekly there-after.
The affected parts should also be bathed twice daily in hot water containing Epsom salt ( 1/4 lb. of salt to a bowlful of hot water) after which some olive oil should be applied. Fresh air, deep breathing and light outdoor exercises are also beneficial. Dampness and cold should be avoided.