The term arthritis actually describes over 100 related conditions, but among these the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

There is a huge difference between these two diseases so we'll go into the main ones here.

Osteoarthritis is mainly confined to people over the age of fifty. Exceptions to this are people who have put a large strain on their joints for a prolonged period of time, for example athletes, or those whose jobs demand a lot of repetitive physical movements, for example carpenters and even computer keyboard users.

The hormone melatonin has been credited with almost magical abilities from improving sleep to preventing osteoporosis, arthritis and other disabilities that are related to aging.

Can melatonin perform all these wondrous feats? Melatonin has a direct effect on sleep, certainly, but most of the other benefits are due to Serotonin, from which melatonin is formed.

We've all seen see the ads promising instant youth and beauty when we buy a particular facial skin care product. "Scientific Breakthrough!" proclaims one. "Doctors Discover Miracle Cure For Wrinkles," shouts another.

We're only human and can't help wondering if maybe this time, science has actually landed upon the miracle in a jar and perhaps for $150.

Most arthritis sufferers have probably toyed with the idea of switching over to natural arthritis medication for pain relief. Perhaps they are concerned with the dangerous side effects of NSAIDS and Steroids, or maybe because their current medication is becoming too expensive.

Lack of knowledge about natural arthritis pain relief can sometimes put people off changing.

Treating Osteoarthritis should be a joint effort between the patient and their physician that takes into account the patient's personal needs and medical condition. If you think you may have osteoarthritis, the best thing you can do for yourself is to take a pro-active role in your health.

Patients are often unaware that they have osteoarthritis, since the symptoms develop gradually, only to be discovered when joints swell or there is discomfort and pain after a period of inactivity.

Herbal Remedies have been the treatment of choice for arthritis for centuries. Below are listed some of the most effective herbs and supplements for arthritis.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa can be sprouted and eaten with a salad, or used either powdered or drunk as a tea. It's easily prepared by placing one ounce of alfalfa in a pot, adding one quart of water and boiling for thirty minutes and should be strained and drunk over a day.

Have you ever wondered why your mind always seem to be more active at night? Well actually it's not, but because you're trying to relax you are more aware of it.

During the day our minds are taken up with our day to day activities but as soon as we lie down at night, our minds seem to come alive. One thought follows another and another and soon you are worrying about everything, including the fact that it's 2.

Does your child find it hard to get out of bed in the morning? is he sleepy during the day, falling behind in school or just plain cranky?

Although we all need enough sleep to function well during the day, children especially need their sleep, because it's during sleep that body produces growth hormones. These hormones are essential for healthy development.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is when our immune system turns on the body that hosts it and systematically tries to destroy it by attacking healthy body tissue such as the joints (rheumatoid arthritis), muscles (fibromyalgia), pancreas (type 1 diabetes) or nerves (multiple sclerosis).

Think of the immune system as a huge army of white blood cells ready to defend our body against attack by outside invaders such as germs, bacteria, viruses and parasites (also known as antigens).

Did you know that the foods you eat can have a serious impact on your sleep?

Here's an example. Remember the Atkins diet which was very popular a few years back? The reason it was popular was because it worked well. Many people lost weight on the Atkins diet which urged it's followers to eat plenty of meat and other protein foods as well as foods high in fat like fried eggs and sausages.