Living With Arthritis
Arthritis can be very painful and keep you from doing the things you love. If you have arthritis, you should read these tips to find out how you can manage your condition.
Arthritis can get worse if you do not make an effort to get some exercise, lose some weight and stay away from the things that cause you pain. You need to meet with your doctor regularly to monitor the progression of your arthritis and do the best you can to live a healthier life. If you do not start making changes to your lifestyle as soon as your arthritis appears, your condition will eventually get out of control.
How much do you weigh? If you have some pounds to lose, you should consider going on a diet and getting more exercises. Losing some weight means the pressure on your joints will not be as important, especially on your knees. You can do some exercises at home to get in shape: do some abs to lose weight in your midsection and find a good cardio workout to burn some calories. You also need to adopt a healthier diet: replace fast food, processed foods and sodas with lean meats, fruits, vegetables and water.
Be more active throughout your day and your joint will eventually become more supple. Start very slowly and try finding new activities that allow you to relax while being active. You could go for walks, do some yoga, tai chi, swim or do some yard work. Avoid sitting for hours in front of your TV or computer. Being more active will allow you to stretch your joints and keep your weight down too. Talk to your doctor about different activities you enjoy and make sure these activities are not going to make your arthritis worse.
You can prevent the pain by avoiding repetitive tasks and not staying in the same position for hours. Do your best to improve your posture and not put any unnecessary pressure on your joints. If you are hurting, stop what you are doing and focus on making the pain disappear. Usually, applying a hot treatment followed by a cold one is very efficient. You should also try stretching, getting a massage and simply relaxing until the pain goes away. If these treatments do not work, ask your doctor about medication.
Do not let your arthritis make you feel depressed or stress. In fact, anxiety can make your arthritis even worse. It is very important that you remain active throughout your day, watch what you eat, avoid activities that hurt your joints and relax. No matter how busy you are, take a break once in a while and do something you enjoy. You can relax by doing some meditation, listening to music, doing some breathing exercises or go for a long walk in the woods.
Make good use of these tips and meet with your doctor regularly to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your arthritis under control. Consider joining a support group so you can share your stories and tips with people who have arthritis too.
