May is National Arthritis Month
How to keep arthritis away, or
reduce symptoms if you already have it
If there is arthritis in your family, and even if there isn’t, there is one thing you can do to keep it away. Lose weight. A 10-pound loss reduces joint stress.
If you already have osteoarthritis pain, it could be a symptom of dehydration in the joints. Increasing water intake often improves the condition after about four weeks, the time needed to rehydrate the joints. Drink half your body weight in ounces each day. If you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces or 10 eight-ounce glasses per day.
Eat foods that fight inflammation such as fish and nuts. Limit animal fats, which can trigger inflammation. Take a multivitamin.
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and elsewhere have found that aerobic exercise or resistance exercise reduces an arthritis patient’s risk of disability. Try walking, riding a bike, tai chi, or swimming.
A new study by the National Institutes of health shows that glucosamine and chrondroiton supplements had little effect on mild to moderate arthritis. In cases of moderate to severe arthritis, however, 79 percent of users reported reduced pain, a higher percentage than from a major prescription drug.
The study leader, Dr. Daniel Clegg, chief of rheumatology at the University of Utah, hopes people who get benefits from the supplements will continue taking them. Long term use of pain relievers like aspirin can result in internal bleeding and life-threatening problems. And prescription drugs don’t work for some people.