Arthritis Health and Diet
Arthritis Diet
For people with arthritis, health is a very important issue. It’s a well-known fact that there is no cure for arthritis once it started, with gout being the only exception from this rule. Many people start thinking about a proper arthritis diet in order to restore the balance in their body and possibly control the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.
There are two very important things to remember. Firstly, an arthritis diet should be well-balanced and not lead to gaining weight, as extra kilos present additional pressure that your joints will have to handle. You should include lean proteins, vegetables and fruit into your meals, while keeping the amounts of saturated fats to the minimum. It’s not enough to eat healthily, though; you should also take up some exercise that will help you stay in good shape.
Secondly, it has been suggested that certain types of food can actually help reduce inflammation and therefore soothe the pain. Cold-water kinds of fish (mackerel, salmon, herring, and sardines) contain omega-3 fats, which are believed to reduce joint stiffness in patients with RA significantly. However, there is no reliable information on whether these effects remain or disappear as soon as you stop eating fish. Try to include these kinds of fish into your diet, as it will never hurt.
People with arthritis need to learn how to understand their body and the signals it is sending. Don’t overload your joints with exercises, as it will lead to even more pain, stiffness and swelling. You can see a doctor and ask for advice on how to protect your joints properly, how to exercise with maximum efficiency and minimum damage, how to deal with your daily routine, etc. You will be surprised to learn how much you can do when you have arthritis and your health is not great.
Try to avoid stress
Don’t overload your joints with additional weight or special arthritis exercises. If you absolutely have to use the affected joints (to open a jar, for example) try putting pressure on it using other body parts. For such small household problems, there are a variety of can openers and other tools you can get.
Don’t stop moving
Try not to remain in the same position for a long period of time. If your work involves being seated most of the day, get up every 15 minutes and do some stretching exercises. The same can be said about watching TV at home or driving.
Find strength inside yourself
When you have to push a door or do a similar thing, try not to use your affected joints not to inflict pain and cause more damage to the cartilage. Instead, use the joints that are healthy or wait until someone else opens the door.
Plan everything beforehand
There are so many things we really don’t absolutely need to do every time, such as ironing, for example. While this may seem a simple task, the repeated movements of the iron can cause you great amounts of pain. So, when you buy clothes, go for the ones that do not need ironing. You also need to think about organizing your tables and rooms to keep the objects that you often need within reach. Some devices can simplify your kitchen activities, etc.
And lastly, never be afraid to seek arthritis help – there are many doctors and organizations that will give you advice on how to live with arthritis and enjoy your life.
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