Arthritis Articles

Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage, which in a normal situation protects the joint, so that the joints and bones start to rub together and can end up with pain, swelling and stiffness.

If you have arthritis there are ways in which the pain and discomfort can be eased.

• Concentrate on wellness rather than the pain – if you can think positive thoughts rather than negative ones, surround yourself with friends who are also positive and enjoy activities and plenty of laughter with them, this will go a long way towards a wellness outlook. The amount of time you spend thinking about pain has a lot to do with how much discomfort you feel.


• Exercise for arthritis is very important to maintain healthy joints, relieve any stiffness, help with pain and tiredness as well as improving muscle and bone strength.  It is best to have professional help (at least to start with) so that you include the right sort of exercise such as stretching, strength & endurance and aerobic.  A physical therapist is often the ideal person to help you with this.  If you have been using one pair of athletic shoes for a year, it is time to replace them as exercising with worn out shoes puts extra stress on the joints.


• Gentle swimming or water aerobics in warm water provides both exercise and relaxation.  The buoyancy of the water reduces the amount of gravity and weight on the joints - an added bonus.


• You might find it helpful to lose weight as this will take some pressure off your knees.  Every time you take a step the pressure across your knees and hips is 2 to 3 times your body weight.  The more weight you carry the more pressure there is on your joint. The more pressure on the joint the more pain you may have, and the faster the joint deteriorates. Losing just 10 pounds can take about 30 pounds of pressure off the knees when you walk.


• Good posture will also minimize the stress on your joints as well as the spine. As you stand keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet and keep your shoulders drawn back and down to lift and broaden your chest. Your chin should be parallel with the ground. To help keep good posture imagine a string attached to the top of your head gently lifting you up.  Also consider the positions and movement you take and make, as holding one position too long, or making certain movements, can put extra pressure on an affected joint.


• Get enough sleep to restore your energy so that you can better manage pain. Sleep also rests your joints to reduce pain and swelling. Most people need 7 to 9 hours sleep per night – you might find you need even 10.  Rest is as important as exercise.  Take a brief nap after lunch to help restore your energy and spirits but if you any have trouble sleeping at night, then rather relax quietly in the afternoon instead.


• Take glucosamine and chondroitin which are the building blocks of cartilage.  Medical studies confirm that these supplements are safe and may improve your arthritis symptoms.  H-Arthritis™ is a natural formula produced form pure essential oils to help eliminate the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis as a complementary therapy.  H-Arthritis is also used as a preventative maintenance program to control the condition.


• Keeping a record - arthritis treatment professionals often recommend that people with  arthritis use a scale from 1 to 10 to measure their pain before and after they begin a new practice or make changes in their daily life, so you can see what improves your pain, and what doesn’t.  A pain diary is also a good idea so that you can record any treatments as well as your pain level at different time and what activities you can and cannot do.  This can be taken with you to your doctor.


• Your diet is very important so ensure one that is rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamin E.  Eat plenty of fruits (especially bananas and cherries) and vegetables plus Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, garlic, whole grains, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, raw walnuts and Brazil nuts.  The fatty acids in fish like salmon, mackerel and herring from safe sources, as well as cod liver oil, will reduce the activity of enzymes that are responsible for damaging the protective cartilage.

Of course, as with just about every condition, stress can make matters worse so make every effort to reduce those stress levels by listening to relaxing music often, take up meditation or perhaps try yoga.