| Coping with arthritis is a massive challenge for several | | | | 4. Taking Regular Exercise |
| million people every day. Making changes in your daily | | | | Regular exercise is critical for your long term health |
| life can offer new hope when you have been given | | | | and is now known to be an important contribution to |
| few treatment options. Finding alternative methods | | | | keeping your joints healthy, as well as nourishing and |
| gives you a choice from the selection offered by the | | | | keeping your cartilage moist. Reducing your exercise |
| medical system, and may help you to avoid the | | | | can drastically increase your symptoms and create a |
| harmful effects of NSAIDs. Following a comprehensive | | | | loss of muscle strength, tone and flexibility. The correct |
| plan is effective and will help. | | | | choice of exercise may help to reduce pain and |
| 1. Meeting with Your Physician for an Accurate | | | | increase mobility. Regular exercise will also help you to |
| Diagnosis | | | | maintain a balanced weight. |
| Several conditions mimic the symptoms of | | | | 5. Maintaining Your Ideal Weight |
| osteoarthritis and because of this many people | | | | Carrying excess weight places a great deal of stress |
| misdiagnose their pain, living with a correctable problem | | | | on your hips and knees, with studies linking excess |
| for years. Joint pains can come from several different | | | | weight to osteoarthritis, as the increased load can |
| sources, and there are instances where cancer o r a | | | | cause cartilage break down. Combining a daily |
| serious joint infection can be the result of chronic pain. | | | | exercise plan with a healthy diet will help you to lose |
| It may be necessary to see a specialist physician for | | | | and maintain your ideal weight. It is important to |
| an evaluation as they spend more time studying | | | | develop a program which is suited to your level of |
| osteoarthritis and therefore have more experience in | | | | health and fitness. |
| this field. | | | | 6. Researching Alternative Treatments |
| 2. Improving Your Biomechanics to Reduce Stress on | | | | As long term use of chemical medicines, and |
| Your Joints | | | | complicated interaction with other drugs, can cause |
| Having a biomechanical evaluation will indicate how you | | | | terrible side effects for patients, more consumers and |
| are using your joints, the stress they are subjected to | | | | scientists are turning back to look at traditional and |
| and whether there is something you are doing that | | | | often natural therapies. Fortunately there are many |
| may contribute to developing arthritis, or worsen an | | | | effective, natural alternatives to drugs and surgery that |
| existing condition. Correcting your alignment or finding | | | | are backed up by breakthrough clinical studies. |
| potential problem areas can change the way you are | | | | 7. Maintaining a Positive Attitude |
| using your joints and make a drastic difference to your | | | | It is very easy to become depressed when |
| condition as well as reduce your pain. | | | | experiencing constant pain. However, a positive |
| 3. Eating a Healthy Diet to Support Your Joints | | | | attitude can make a dramatic difference to your health, |
| In order to maintain a good standard of health it is | | | | with studies showing that negative and positive |
| extremely important to consume a variety of nutrients | | | | thoughts affect your immune system and other areas |
| that are found in a selection of foods, which will help to | | | | of the body. Getting support from your family and |
| reduce inflammation. Foods that are filled with | | | | friends or connecting with your community will help you |
| antioxidants and contain bioflavonoid are important. In | | | | to remain positive. Joining a class designed for your |
| addition, a healthy diet will help you to maintain a | | | | condition will help to motivate you and put you in |
| balanced weight thus reducing strain from your joints | | | | contact with others who are facing a similar |
| and making it easier to follow an exercise program. | | | | experience. |