dual duty- copper

Today I will be talking about something that will pertain to both my blogs, so if you tend to read both, you will find the same article.  The idea of holistic healing properties of copper on arthritis pain.  This particular observation interests me because it hits really close to home, since I am doomed to inherit rheumatoid arthritis from my father and osteoarthritis from my mom.  It has been a concern of mine that have been the basis of many decisions I have made over the last few years regarding my health and body habitus.  The most invasive and probably the most extreme, was gastric bypass surgery.  But, that is a discussion for another day.  If anyone would like to talk to me about it, please feel free to email me at edwards.jessica@gmail.com.  I have first hand experience and would be happy to answer any questions.  I will be honest and straightforward and I am not the type to flower anything up, so be ready.

Anyway, big medicine, as it usually does with the holistic community, will publicly disregard the use of copper as an effective treatment for any body pain.  This being, because they can't make a substantial amount of money on it, therefore it gets rendered useless.  Sadly, this is a fact with a lot of old medicine and the treatments shared with the by holistic healers are based on hearsay and first hand experience.  As with anything nontraditional, you need to come to it with an open mind, as the mind and body is absolutely able to heal themselves if they are allowed to be unhindered.

My dad had very debilitating rheumatoid arthritis.  It, along with other co morbid factors, put him in a wheelchair for the last few years of his life.  He religiously wore a copper bracelet that he had made himself.  He used to tell my kids that the green stuff that was left on his skin after wearing the bracelet was old and rotten arthritis that was drawn out by the bracelet. :)  {he was a great storyteller}. I can say with some certainty, that I cannot remember my dad's left hand ever giving him as much trouble with swelling and pain as his right.  Usually is he was having a bad attack, it was his right hand that would be the culprit.  He never wore his bracelet on anything but his LEFT hand.  This is only what I had observed in someone who was willing to try the treatment with an open mind.  I could go all over the Internet and copy and paste facts and statistics that someone somewhere had managed to collect but have been long since plagiarized and re-posted without any firsthand knowledge.  As you all know, when posting wildcrafting recipes and ideas, I personally have prepared and eaten everything I share and tell all the gory details associated with it so you, the reader, are prepared.

I believe that copper will work as much as you want it to work or as much as you need it to work in conjunction with other holistic remedies, it may be worth trying.  It certainly is safer for you than Big Medicine's experimental drugs with all those side effects that may actually be worse than the original problem.  As I progress through life and the inevitable comes and settles in my joints, I have no qualms with having green wrists sipping on stinging nettle tea.

So anyway, the fun part.  When my dad was alive, he would often experiment with different ideas and when he passed away, I had the privilege of getting to go through his odds and ends.  At some point, dad had sliced a copper pipe for something.  I kept the little rings in case inspiration hit me.
Last night, I was unable to sleep, so I went out int he shop and started playing with these copper rings.

I've never actually done metalsmithing, so it was all a big fun experiment for me.  Several buffing tips later...

I have this fun little ring.  

I chose loved instead of love because sometimes I need to be reminded, not only to give love, but that I am loved unconditionally in return.  Maybe this reminder will help the ring draw out negativity and loneliness as well as pain and inflammation :)