Healthy Lifestyle

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease (CDC) more than 46 million American Adults suffer from chronic pain and arthritis. While approximately one-half of these 46 million individuals suffer from osteoarthritis and that percentage grows rapidly for those over 50 years of age. In addition, by 2030, the CDC estimates the over 67 million adults in America will suffer from an arthritic condition. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). OA is where the cartilage between the bones of the joints has deteriorated to such a point that it no longer provide significant cushion and the joints may rub together. Another type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This type of arthritis causes inflammation in the joints.

Both type of arthritis OA and RA can cause extreme pain and even immobility. However, arthritis suffers can make lifestyle modifications to decrease the pain and reduce your reliance on prescription medication and painkillers. Here are several action steps you can take to reduce arthritis pain naturally. Apply Both Heat and Cold: By applying heating pad or a cold pack to your joint you’ll be able to control some of the pain. Cold helps to constrict blood vessels and can help to reduce swelling and the inflammation. While applying a heating pad helps to dilate the blood vessels, thus allow more blood to flow to the afflicted helping to relief early arthritis pain.

Drink Plenty of Water: Water helps to keep your body hydrated and your joints lubricated. Reduce your Intake of Saturated Fats: Cut down you consumption of meat, dairy, eggs and sugar while increasing your intake of fruits, Omega 3’s and vegetables. These foods are a good source of polyunsaturated fats. Use Mediation Wisely: Over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may help to less inflammation and the pain of arthritis, but they may also result in ulcers and other ailments if overused. In addition, COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors may also help to reduce inflammation and pain but they have been linked to serious cardiovascular health issues. When taking mediation ask your health care provide questions regarding the dosage and any potential side effects.

Seek Natural Alternatives: When researching natural relief for arthritis pain make sure to study the ingredients of the supplement. While many websites claim their product will help relief arthritis pain you may want to stick with ingredients with a history of effectiveness such as glucosamine, chondroitin and tart cherries. These supplements have been shown to relieve inflammation (tart cherries), build cartilage (glucosamine) and lubricate joints (chondroitin). Relief by taking these supplements usually isn’t immediate and may take several weeks to build up in the body. The most effective daily dosages of these supplements are 1500mg of glucosamine, 1200mg of chondroitin and 1000mg of tart cherry. Tart cherry has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and joints. One supplement you may want to learn more about is the Fruit Advantage Joint Formula made with tart cherries. This is available from Fruit Advantage and Traverse Bay Farms. This supplement delivers 1200mg of tart cherry for each daily serving. You may also consider drinking tart cherry juice.

Control Your Weight: A common thread among arthritis suffers is being overweight. Losing even 5 pounds can have an extremely positive effect on your hips and knees. An simple way to get started is to watch your daily calorie intake and walk at least 15 minutes per daily. Unfortunately many people don’t realize they have arthritis pain until it affects their life with unbearable pain. Start today to make minor changes to your lifestyle so you can manage your arthritis pain today and in the future.