I have had arthritis in my fingers and neck for about five years, but it's now getting so bad my fingers are noticeably swollen and misshapen. I've heard that following an acid-free diet can help, but I don't know how to go about this. Which natural treatments should I try and do they really make a big difference? I'm 64.

Osteoarthritis seems to affect almost everyone over 60 and is three times more common in women. The protective cushion of cartilage that lines the joints and allows the bones to move freely against eachother degenerates, causing friction that leads to stiffness, pain and swelling.

Acid-forming foods can cause both inflammation and leaching of calcium from the bones because the body uses it to neutralise excess acidity – so avoiding them can make a big difference to arthritis sufferers. Acid-forming foods include animal proteins such as meat and dairy, sugar and refined carbohydrates, and stimulants such as tea and coffee. Instead introduce calming, alkalising foods such as vegetables, fruits and wholegrains such as millet, buckwheat and quinoa. Particularly alkalising are dates, figs, almonds and avocado, so try to ensure you have these every day. Turmeric and ginger can also help to reduce pain and inflammation. It is also sensible to avoid vegetables from the nightshade family, including aubergines, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and chillies as these contain a chemical which inhibits cartilage and bone repair.

For natural joint pain relief Glucosamine sulphate, MSM (organic sulphur) and the herb Boswellia are all helpful, and good results have been achieved with MediOlive olive-leaf extract available from www.xynergy.co.uk An essential fat complex such as Eye-Q or even plain cod liver oil also helps to reduce joint inflammation. To help nourish the bone and cartilage a combination product like Ligazyme Plus or CT241 by Biocare would also be useful.

Homeopathy can really help to ease the pain of arthritis depending on individual symptoms. A commonly used remedy is Rhus Tox, for pain with restlessness that is worse on initial movement but improves with gentle exercise, and is worse for damp weather. For best results seek constitutional treatment from a registered homeopath – see the Society of Homeopaths www.homeopathy-soh.org for a practitioner near you.

Stella New RSHom MBANT is a registered homeopath and nutritional therapist based in West Sussex, and technical consultant for Xynergy Health Products. Prior to her training she spent many years as an expedition leader, taking groups into some of the most challenging parts of the world, where she was inspired by the use of natural remedies for treating all manner of ailments.