8 Habits to Help Reduce Arthritis Symptoms
According to the Center for Disease Control
& Prevention, 54 million adult Americans suffer from arthritis.
It’s not just the one disease either, but rather a collection of 100
conditions that affect the joints, causing stiffness, swelling, and
pain. Though you can’t always prevent it, there are some things you can
do to help reduce your arthritis symptoms if you have it. Below you’ll
find 8 of them!
1. Keep Your Weight in Check
Being overweight puts extra strain on
weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. In fact, a 2016 study
found that obesity increased the chances of knee osteoarthritis
4.7-fold compared to those of a healthy weight.
2. Sip Green Tea
It’s warm, it’s comforting, and it’s really good for your joints. Due to
its concentration of potent antioxidants, green tea can help to improve
common arthritis symptoms. It has also been shown to help preserve
cartilage and bone.
3. Drink Baking Soda 
Recent research suggests that a daily dose
of water and baking soda can help to combat inflammatory diseases. The
study discovered that the mixture helped to flip the switch on immune
cells to fight inflammation, rather than promote it. However, the
research carried out on both rats and healthy medical students are
preliminary, so check with your doctor first before trying this remedy.
4. Run a Little
People say that running is bad for your knees, but research suggests
otherwise. A study carried out in 2013 found that running decreased the
risk of osteoarthritis and hip replacement. Pounding the sidewalk
surprisingly helps to protect joints, most likely because the activity
helps people to maintain a healthy weight.
5. Eat More Fish
Research in 2017 on people suffering from
rheumatoid arthritis found that those who consumed fish at least twice a
week experienced fewer aches and pains when compared to those who ate
it less than once a month. The healthy Omega-3 fats found in fish have
anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce arthritis symptoms.
6. Eat a Rainbow
Whether you suffer from arthritis or not, following an anti-inflammatory
diet is a great idea. Sugar and processed foods cause inflammation in
your joints. Therefore, these should be replaced with more lean meat,
fish, fruits, and vegetables. The best diet is a Mediterranean diet –
those who follow it enjoy a 23% lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis
compared to those who don’t.
7. Schedule Workouts
While everyday movement is important, so
too is structured exercise. Arthritic patients that get regular
exercise have less pain than those who don’t. It’s recommended that you
work out four days a week for at least 20 minutes at a time, including a
day each of strength training, endurance, interval workouts, and
stretching.
8. Set a Bedtime
Choose a fixed time that you will turn off the TV and head off to bed. A
good night’s rest can help to ease the pain of arthritis. Enacting a
wind-down bedtime routine with calm music or a guided imagery podcast
can help to ease you into a slumber. Relaxing is very important because
anger, stress, and depression can make pain worse.