Mother-of-three now planning to run a half marathon

The mother with crippling arthritis who's now running a half marathon - all thanks to a pair of copper insoles

Helen B**oon, 39, feared she would end up in a wheelchair after being diagnosed with arthritis in every joint of her body

But three months after inserting the copper insoles she astounded doctors by beginning to walk freely

Helen B**oon, who had arthritis in every joint of her body five years ago, can run pain-free thanks to a copper shoe heel

A mother-of-three is training for a half marathon after beating excruciating arthritis - thanks to a pair of £30 copper insoles.

Garden designer Helen B**on, 39, feared she would end up in a wheelchair after she was diagnosed with arthritis in every joint of her body after the birth of her third child.

Her condition was so bad she was unable to lift her baby out of his cot or get into the bath unaided.

But within three months of inserting the copper insoles, recommended to her by her mother-in-law, Mrs B**on astounded her doctors by beginning to walk freely.

She is now planning to take part in a half marathon in February.

She said: 'I couldn't do anything. I had to be helped off the toilet and getting in and out of the bath was extremely difficult.

'It was terrifying - I was a young woman and I feared I would end up in a wheelchair.

'The low point was a check-up at the hospital when they inserted a fluid into me and discovered I had arthritis in every joint.

'There was a time when I thought I wouldn't be able to walk again, so running a half marathon will be incredible.'

The apparent healing powers of copper were first pioneered by the ancient Greeks who used copper bracelets to ease aches and pains (the insoles claim to contain 14 times more copper than bracelets).

Copper is an essential mineral in the body and is thought to keep blood vessels, the immune system and bones healthy.

The Arthritis Foundation reports there is no scientific research to prove the effectiveness from copper bracelets. However it also says there is scant research to prove there are no benefits.

Mrs B**on, with eight-year-old son Theo, feared she would end up in a wheelchair. But within three months of inserting the copper insoles she could walk freely again

Mrs B**on first noticed something was wrong after her son Theo was born in May 2004 and she was unable to straighten her left arm.

It wasn't long before the discomfort spread to her knees, wrists, hips, elbows and ankles. She went downhill so quickly she was unable to walk more than 100 metres.

Mrs B**on, who lived in Devon before her children were born but now lives in France, was shocked when a rheumatologist at her local hospital in Nice told her the arthritis was in every joint of her body.

The agonising condition left her in too much pain to vacuum, iron or clean the house - meaning her husband James had to do everything.

Then late in 2007 her mother-in-law recommended the 'copper heelers' which had eased the pain for her some months earlier.

The mother-of-three has astounded doctors with her progress and now plans to run a half marathon

Within three months of inserting them into her sandals Mrs B**on, who refused drugs prescribed by doctors, began to notice a difference.

Setting herself small goals she started to walk more, building the distance up gradually.

When the condition eased she started training for the Rock 'n' Roll Nice, a half marathon around the streets of the city in southern France.

She said: 'As well as inserting the copper heelers I changed my diet and stopped having dairy, alcohol, caffeine and gluten. Now I am able to do everything I want to do. I have even started sailing again.

'The doctors are amazed. They cannot believe I have managed to control the arthritis without any drugs.

'I still get a few aches and pains, but I have learned to manage the condition now.'

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