Tips for Managing Crohn's Disease-Related Arthritis

As those of us living with Crohn’s disease know, its symptoms aren’t contained to the gastrointestinal tract. In fact, arthritis is the most common sign of Crohn's disease outside the intestines, and it can be a tricky one to manage. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to help keep those creaky joints at bay.

Warm water bath
It is well known that a hot shower reduces pain and has a prolonged effect, especially if you soak in a warm tub.

These sneakers are made for walking...

Walking is one of the simplest exercise which most people can do. All it needs is a good pair of shoes which gives you solid support and cushioning. With such a pair of shoes walking will be pain free.

Avoid sugar

White, sparkling sugar are known to cause inflammation and should be avoided. We all crave for sweets some time, best to eat a whole fruit, as it will give you a feeling of satiety due to fibre and less calories too. If at all, you love sweets, use unrefined sugars, jaggery / molasses/ honey.

Yoga is better than jogging for arthritic patients

High-impact exercise like running can be tough when you are in an arthritis flare and could make matters worse. However, you definitely shouldn’t cut out exercise all together. It is critical to keep your joints loose and moving, especially during a flare. Stick to low-impact exercises like yoga or swimming. Do whatever you find it easy and makes you happy.

Meditation

It is seen that meditation can reduce mental distress for those living with rheumatoid arthritis. Managing stress is important, as stress is known to trigger inflammation. Meditation makes one relaxed and at peace and is known to reduce chronic pain.

Add Omega 3 in your diet

Studies have shown that adding onega-3 foods or supplements significantly reduces the need for pain medications.  Any anti-inflammatory supplement can be beneficial not only for arthritis but also for Crohn's disease too.

Don't miss sleep

Sleep is essential for overall health, poor sleep has negative impacts on joint pain. To get good sleep, keep off electronic gadgets at least 30 minutes before you hit the bed. It is good to meditate before going to bed to get some sound sleep and to relax your body and your mind.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint essential oil contains menthol, which has anti-inflammatory properties. When applied on the skin it feels cooling and soothing. You can safely apply peppermint oil mixed with coconut oil directly to aching joints to potentially help manage pain and reduce swelling.

Avoid NSAIDs

Some researchers say NSAIDs raise the risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like Crohn’s. So instead of popping ibuprofen for your pain, consider using acetaminophen or another type of pain reliever as prescribed by your doctor to help manage pain and inflammation from arthritis.

Discuss the best treatment options for you with your doctor

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing. The good news is, many of the medications prescribed for Crohn’s disease also treat the arthritis symptoms that can present with IBD. Take time to ask your doctor if they have specific recommendations for your arthritis pain and inflammation management.

One can try alternative treatments too to get relief. What is most important with arthritis is to keep moving, as when you move, the joints get flexible due to synovial fluid which reduces friction between the articular cartilage of synovial joints during movement.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
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Habits That Boost Your Immune System Naturally

We all know that we must have a good immune system , to protect us from getting sick.  Often one may wonder, if it is in our hands to boost our immunity, surely, it is all in your hands.

What you eat, your attitude, and the amount of exercise you get can all play a role in strengthening your immune system and preventing illness

What exactly is the Immune System?
The immune system in layman language can be considered as a protective cover of the human health system. We are surrounded by millions of pathogens (disease-causing germs) that have the ability to enter into the body and cause damage to it. Our immune system, in reality, is the body’s natural shield against these pathogens.

How can you boost your Immunity? 
You definitely cannot evade all the pathogens and get a top-notch, impeccable immune system, but you can at least try and listen to what your body has to say and take steps accordingly.
The first and foremost protective measure can be to follow certain general good-health guidelines.

1. Do not smoke. There can be no compromise on this issue. Smoking or consuming tobacco in any form brings about a host of health complications; the most pronounced of them all is probably cancer. Smoking, in more ways than one, can spell real trouble for your immune system. So better cut down on your puffs or gear up to face the various medical banes of smoking.
   
2. Eat a diet which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low in saturated fat. Some examples may include citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables such as spinach or lettuce, yoghurt, almonds and  lean meat. Sipping on green tea thrice a day is a wise choice in this regard. These measures strengthen the immune system to a great extent.
   
3. Drink plenty of water. Water keeps the body hydrated, the ultimate prerequisite for a strong immune system. It helps to flush out all the toxins and ensures that the cells get the optimum levels of oxygen. Drinking a glass of lukewarm water mixed with honey and lemon on an empty stomach after getting up in the morning can prove to be one of the best health choices that you can make for your body.
   
4. If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. Excessive alcohol consumption causes dehydration and it can deprive your body of the valuable immunity-boosting nutrients. It also impairs the body’s ability to fight off germs and infections.
   
5. Get adequate sleep. One reason behind stressing on the need to get adequate sleep is because it’s so closely linked to the immune system. While you sleep, the body secretes certain hormones and substances which help better fight infections and diseases. This makes these hormones so vital and indispensable at the same time. So, now you know what wonders can those 8 hours of sleep do to you.
   
6. Exercise Regularly. If you're looking for a safe and smart way to boost your immunity, regular exercise is the answer to it. But we are not talking about being an ardent, hard-core gym-junkie; rather exercising in moderate amounts would suffice. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking or swimming, performed 30-45 minutes a day, can prove to be very beneficial.7.
   
   7.Have a giggle-Laughter can boost your immune system along with your mood. It raises levels of antibodies in the blood and those of the white blood cells that attack and kill bacteria and viruses. It also increases the number of antibodies in the mucus made in the nose and respiratory passages, the entry points for many germs—here are some other  weird facts about laughter you probably didn't know.

   8.Sing your way healthy-A study of a German choir revealed that singing activates the spleen, helping to increase the blood concentrations of antibodies and boost the immune system. If group singing isn’t for you, belt out your favorite tunes in the shower. 

   For benefits of music see my next post
   9.Choose friendly fats-Some fats are essential for building cells and for the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like compounds that help to regulate the immune system’s response to infection, such as the way it reacts by making white blood cells that combat invaders. Italian athletes on very low-fat diets were found to be significantly short of these cells. The secret is to choose your fats with care. Opt for unsaturated vegetable fats rather than saturated ones from animal foods, which reduce the ability of white blood cells to zap bacteria. And avoid trans fats, manufactured fats labeled as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated.” Often found in processed foods and baked goods, they can interfere with the immune system.

   10.Stay away from sugar- Just 10 teaspoons of sugar—the amount in two 12-ounce cans of soda or carbonated lemonade—impairs the ability of white blood cells to deactivate or kill bacteria. Opt instead for a natural sweetener, such as one made from the stevia plant to boost the immune system. Try to limit calorie-free alternatives such as aspartame.

   11.Feast on fish-Oily fish such as sardines, herring, and mackerel contain protein—essential for building the cells that boost your immune system—and the fatty acids called omega-3s, which regulate immune system function. When the body is attacked, acute inflammation is the body’s first response. But omega-3s lower the production of inflammatory compounds and increase the production of anti-inflammatory ones, thus aiding recovery and even suppressing the growth of cancer cells. In clinical trials, omega-3s have also been found to activate parts of the immune system that switch off the activities of attack cells once their job is done.

   12.Make room for mushrooms-The rare reishi mushroom has been valued in the Far East for more than 2,000 years. Experts now know that this fungus stimulates the production of T-cells—white blood cells involved in protecting the body from infection. It increases levels of substances that strengthen the immune response. And it promotes sleep and reduces stress by suppressing the production of the stimulant hormone adrenaline.

   13. Eat more citrus-Vitamin C, found in high concentrations in oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit, boosts the activity of phagocytes (cells that engulf and digest bacteria) in the blood (and, vitamin C is found in these foods that aren't oranges as well !). The body can’t store vitamin C, so you need to consume some every day to boost your immune system.

   14. But get rest too-Moderation is key. If you work out intensively for 90 minutes, production of germ-fighting cells called macrophages dips temporarily, increasing the risk of infection. So always include plenty of recovery days in your training schedule to preserve immune system health.

    15.Toughen up with almonds -To help ward off viral infections, make 3 ounces of almonds part of your daily diet—but keep the skins on. Italian researchers studying the herpes viruses that cause cold sores have found that a chemical in almond skins improves the ability of white blood cells to detect viruses; they found that the chemical could also help prevent a virus from spreading throughout the body. Add a handful of almonds to your morning cereal or oatmeal to boost your immune system and keep viruses at bay.
   

   16.Don’t let yourself freeze-Mom was right: You’re more likely to catch an infection if you—especially your extremities—are cold. In one study, 90 people kept their feet in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes and the same number put their feet in an empty container for a similar length of time. Five days later, 20 percent of people with chilled feet had developed colds compared with 9 percent of those whose feet stayed warm. Having cold extremities seems to reduce the supply of white blood cells, the immune system’s first line of defense against invaders.

   17. Resist infection with veggies-Garlic and onions in soup, stews, and other dishes are both sources of potent antiviral substances that can boost your resistance to infection. Plenty of other vegetables can add to your infection-fighting armory, including carrots and sweet potatoes. They are rich in beta carotene, which has an anti-inflammatory action and raises the rate at which white blood cells are produced. Other powerful allies include chili peppers, which thin nasal mucus; shiitake mushrooms, which aid white blood cell production; and ginger, which counteracts inflammation (ginger also has these other surprising benefits as well.).

   
   

Including good hygiene habits in your daily routine, such as washing your hands properly, bathing and brushing your teeth daily, etc. can be useful as well.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                             https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                       FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com