Massage for a sore big toe and an acidic body

Gary I want to thank you for the great video you have on Youtube about massage as a treatment for this problem.

I am 53 and have had this toe issue for many, many years. I have never considered surgery or other allopathic treatments because of my own bias against those approaches. I am quite active (I install plumbing, radiant floor heat and solar systems) and play handball regularly. Last month I began twice weekly Traditional Thai Massage sessions with an excellent practitioner and have found these to be helpful for me in improving my overall physical health. I recently read your blog entry about the acidity issue and am considering reducing my sugar intake because I am guessing that also causes an overall alkaline/acidity problem.

Here's a brief question for you: Have you ever had success with reversing hallux rigidus with a person that has had this problem for more than 20 years?

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. The reach and scope of the internet never ceases to amaze me.
Sincerely, Paul
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Gary Moller comments:
Paul,
The first step with regards to the acidity issue is to find out for sure if your body is acidic or not.

If your body is acidic then follow the guidelines for restoring as near to 7.4 PH as you can. An acidic body can be implicated in much chronic ill health, including feeling tired. This is common in people who work and exercise too hard. An acid body is recognised as a factor in osteoarthritis and rheumatism. While the focus has traditionally been on acid foods, the problem is more due to the body being under capacity in its ability to buffer acidity. A healthy body should have no trouble tolerating acidic foods such as citrus and tomato.

With regards to arthritic big toes, the answer is "No". Everyone I have personally seen have come to me well within 20 years. As with all health and injury conditions, the earlier one intervenes the better the prospects of a full recovery. However, just because you have had the conditon for 20 years does not mean you do nothing. It just means you must work more carefully and for much longer. And there may be more pain. While there may not be total relief from pain, the goal is to prevent further deterioration, if possible.

If your body is acidic, then deal with that by ingesting alkaline foods and a course of supplements like Floradix Magnesium. Support your joints with nutrients such as glucosamine and chondroitin, vitamin C and vitamin E. Get about barefoot in the sand and dirt and remain positive throughout.