Your Health Online | Arthritis

Arthritis is a medical condition that affects the tissues in between the bones of our joints. Arthritis usually attacks the hip, knees and hands, leaving the individual feeling swollen, stiff, with impaired movements because even a slight move can send darting pain to the joints. This condition is progressive, as time goes by other areas of the body can become affected, and/or the condition can worsen in the already afflicted areas.

Joint inflammation or arthritis can be further classified as any of the following: rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis. All of these conditions include inflammation, swelling and pain of the joint area, but each has specific traits that make it stand out from the others.

An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure so avoiding arthritis is the best way of dealing with the condition. As with most diseases and ailments, a healthy diet can help decrease the likelihood that you will develop arthritis.

1. Dairy products have been shown to cause increased pain and swelling – the real culprit is the dairy protein rather than the fat, so even skim products cause problems.
2. Meat consumption should be trimmed down to a lean diet and should be consumed in moderation. Too much meat in the diet causes your body to increase its acidic levels. Adding more fish and less meat is a good idea.
3. Processed foods make your body too acidic as well.
4. Try adding more half-cooked or raw fruits and vegetables in your diet because you need the extra vitamins and minerals that are loaded into these food items.
5. Dietary health supplements are okay but make sure to read the labels because some ingredients added to them are synthetic and are difficult to be absorbed by the body. Omega 3 supplements, which promote health and over all well being are a good choice.

Exercising slowly but surely is going to make living with arthritis easier. The key is starting out very slowly and increasing momentum at a gradual pace. This will allow your body time to adjust to the changes and receive maximum benefits as time goes on.

Consider taking a warm shower before you exercise because the warm water soothes and lubricates the joints; staying warm helps to minimize the pain associated with arthritis so it is a good idea to dress warm and keep sweaters and throws handy for chilly climates.

Slowly start with a 5 minute low-impact exercise like abs exercises while you’re sitting down and watching TV. Then you can slowly progress to standing up to walking briskly on different times of the day.

If you are taking medication for the pain, try to exercise an hour to 2 later after the medicine has kicked in so that you will be more comfortable during the workout. But if you still feel pain, stop and rest.

Before beginning any new exercise regimen you should talk with your doctor about your current level of activity and what exercises are best for you. Exercising too briskly or too frequently, or for too long at a session can worsen the symptoms of your condition. Always get advice from a healthcare professional before making any changes.

Excess weight adds stress to your joints which in the end results in increased pain and swelling. Get advice from your doctor or nutritionist about the diet choices that are best for you.

Warren Tattersall has been a full time nutritional consultant for over a decade and works with people all over the world to help them improve their health, increase their personal energy levels and to use supplements to assist with diet related health issues.

To have a free personal consultation with him to learn how incorporating nutritional supplements may improve your health concerns just visit his site https://www.thehealthsuccesssite.com/Health-and-Nutrition-Resources-Index.html and download the free health report available there, or email warren@TheHealthSuccessSite.com to request a personal one-on-one consultation by email or phone.