Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
The 4 Easiest Ways To Treat Arthritis Naturally...
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While there are several medications on the market that limit pain, few are targeted at your ability to move your affected joints and many carry nasty potential side effects. Fortunately, there are four easy ways to treat arthritis symptoms naturally, without the use of medication. 1. Low Impact Exercise. Once upon a time, if something in your body hurt, you were told to rest until it no longer hurt anymore. What we did not realize was that people with chronic pain were resting for days, weeks, or sometimes even months or years. Such extended “rest” only resulted in muscle atrophy, or deterioration of muscle tissue. While arthritis generally affects the joints of the body, muscle loss increases stress on the joints, allows them to move in ways that are unhealthy and causes more pain. Exercise, particularly strength training, also prevents bone loss and enhances bone density in people who are prone to fractures. Low impact exercise also impacts other symptoms of arthritis that are not necessarily associated with joint pain. Feelings of fatigue that are so common in arthritis patients can be greatly reduced by low impact exercise. After just 30 minutes of low impact exercise, the brain is flooded by the feel-good hormones called endorphins that block pain, minimize any discomfort associated with exercise and even create a feeling of euphoria. Exercise also increases flexibility in stiff joints and makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. 2. Diet & Weight Loss. Tired of having a doctor tell you to lose 10 percent of your body weight for better health? Then perhaps it is time to take that advice to heart. One 2005 study showed that losing just one pound of weight reduces four pounds of pressure on the knees. Another showed that losing weight can reduce inflammation throughout the body, including in the joints where arthritis is so prevalent. That’s not to say that you should take on a drastic weight loss program in order to save your joints. Diet matters as well. Diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can help protect joints and improve blood flow. As a bonus, these nutrients are generally found in fruits, vegetables and lean sources of protein to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, people that consume monounsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds and avocados experience less inflammation in muscles and joints that can lead to pain. 3. Heat & Cold. Yes, that heating pad feels great on aching muscles and joints, but only applying heat to the body does not have the same health benefits as knowing when to apply heat and when to apply cold.
4. Physical Therapy. It is easy to assume that physical therapy is a “one and done” experience. If you suffer from an injury, a physical therapist helps you get back on your feet and back to normal. What most people don’t realize is that physical therapy can offer continuous care for those suffering from chronic conditions, such as arthritis. Not only do physical therapists offer the latest ultrasound therapies, exercise plans and equipment, they can give you tools to manage your arthritis pain and discomfort at home, without the use of prescription medications. They can also help you develop strategies to compensate for any disability you may experience, create an exercise plan for optimal health and discuss your nutritional needs. If you are experiencing pain and discomfort due to arthritis, there has never been a better time than now to come back to physical therapy.
Call us today to speak with a physical therapist, or come on in for a consultation. 408-365-8400
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