A Blog About Arthritis Pain Relief

I am sure that by now we are all familiar with anti-inflammatory medications, but have you heard of the power of anti-inflammatory foods?  Did you know that adding certain foods to your diet can significantly improve how you feel and help to decrease your risk for chronic diseases?

In addition to rest, medications, and light exercise, adding special foods with anti-inflammatory properties should be considered when establishing your therapeutic approach to managing your pain. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and celebrex, can have pretty nasty side effects, so it is important to look into and incorporate other non-invasive sources to your pain management, such as a healthier diet.  The upside to including foods with natural anti-inflammatory properties is that they can also help reduce your risk of developing other deadly diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease because they are naturally low in saturated fats.

It’s never too late to change your lifestyle.  Schedule an appointment with your doctor to go over new and different approaches to alleviating your arthritis pain.  Live better and healthier by taking charge of your diet and getting your life back!

Here is a list of some of the oils, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and spices to include to you new anti-inflammatory diet.  So, be sure to add these to your grocery list!  And remember, moderation is key.

Fats and Oils

Including the correct types of fats into your diet can make a huge impact on your pain level by helping to reduce that pesky inflammation.  For example, Omega-3 essential fatty acids (found in flax seeds and special types of fish) are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

1. Cold Water Oily Fish
2. Walnuts and Walnut Oil
3. Flax Seeds
4. Canola Oil
5. Pumpkin Seeds
6. Rice Bran Oil
7. Grape Seed Oil

Protein

It is important to ensure you have a proper intake of protein because your body utilizes the protein you eat to rebuild tissue.  There are also many other great protein sources besides meat that can help reduce inflammation.  If you can’t avoid taking meat out of your diet all together, try to cut back (if not completely avoid) red meat, as it raises your risk of developing diseases and is horrible for the environment.

1. Lean Poultry
2. Fish and Seafood
3. Nuts, Legumes and Seeds
4. Soy Milk and Soy Beans
   

Carbohydrates

Be sure that the majority of your daily carbohydrate intake comes from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The carbohydrates to avoid are the simple carbs that you find in white bread, pasta, and white rice. Stick to complex carbohydrates, such as the ones listed below:

1. Oats
2. Buckwheat
3. Whole grains
4. Brown rice
5. Unrefined sugars

Fiber

Foods high in dietary fiber, such as whole grains, leafy vegetables and fruit, can help to significantly reduce inflammation.  As a rule of thumb, try to choose vibrantly colored vegetables, leafy greens, and whole fresh fruits.

1. Blueberries, Strawberries, and Cranberries
2. Pineapple
3. Grapefruit
4. Onions
5. Kale
6. Garlic
7. Broccoli
8. Spinach

Spices

There are several herbs that have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, because they contain phytochemicals, which naturally help to combat ailments such as arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.

1. Ginger
2. Turmeric
3. Black Pepper
4. Rosemary
   
5. Basil
   
6. Garlic
   
7. Cloves
   
8. Parsley

Check out these links for more examples of anti-inflammatory foods!

Shopping List

List of Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Healthy Foods

Medical discovery baffles me every day. The human body is so complex, and interconnected that I don’t think we’ll ever be able to fully understand it. Luckily, we’ve got scientists and doctors slowly working on the medical mysteries of this world. BBC News recently announced that treating gum disease (yes, like those pink things attached to your teeth!) can alleviate arthritis. Let’s find out how, shall we?

According to an article on the BBC website, gum disease is common in people with rheumatoid arthritis. What’s the connection? Both diseases are caused by toxins and bacterial infections that lead to the deterioration and inflammation of soft and hard tissues. Because of this, by treating one, you can help relieve symptoms of the other. (Further explained HERE.)

So what can you do for your teeth to help you joints? Here’s a simple four step plan:

1. Let your dentist know if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and ask for his or her help in treating any dental issues that might contribute to the problem.

2. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily. Dental health is important for so many reasons besides indirectly relieving arthritic pain.

3. Use an electric toothbrush (I used to have an acute case of gum disease, and regular use of an electric toothbrush eliminated the gum disease). Also, flossing properly can be extremely difficult. Try out the automatic flosser by Waterpik.

4. Visit the dentist frequently!  By getting yearly cleanings, your dentist can asses if you’ve got gum disease or other related dental issues that can contribute to arthritis aches.

Staying active is extremely important when dealing with arthritis.  But for many, this can be downright painful!  While doing some research on ways to stay comfortably active for arthritis sufferers, I came across the concept of exercising in water.

Water exercises are basically another work for movements done in water, like aqua aerobics. Water has the quality of making you feel light or buoyant, which relieves much of the stress gravity puts on one’s joints. The best part? All you need is water! (Well, technically you need a sizable body of contained water – a pool or Jacuzzi).To make it easier on you all, I’ve hand picked a few great tips for water exercises. Here’s to hoping aqua exercises work for you!

1)    Water should be at chest height.
2)    You should always warm up 5 minutes before starting your exercise routine. Jogging in place, kicking your feet, or basic stretched are examples of what you could do to warm up.
3)    When doing arm and shoulder exercises, use a noodle, held at about waist level while you are under water, then lift over starting under water. The resistance will work your muscles and heighten flexibility over time. Resistance exercises help tone muscles and strengthen your body.
4)    A heated pool can have soothing qualities on inflammation in muscles and joints, but a cool pool can cool you down while you exercise. It’s up to you.
5)    Find out more about specific exercises that might benefit your particular pains, by visiting Arthritis.Org. It has some great lists of benefits, precautions, and resources that will get you in the water in no time.

Video Tutorials for Simple Water Aerobics:
Step-Touch Therapy
For Elbows, Wrists, and Fingers

Go to the expertvillage YouTube Channel, to watch all sorts of health tutorials.

Hand arthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It affects the fingers, leaving the joints inflamed. Hand arthritis is particularly painful because each hand has 19 bones in it, eight of which have small joints. There are multiple types of hand related joint disorders, including osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis of the hands is most often caused by wear and tear of using your hands everyday, but it can also be caused by a specific injury.

Surprisingly, exercising your hands can help. This basically means that you can reduce joint pain by regularly moving and stretching your hands. The Mayo Clinic provides readers with 5 simple exercises that can be helpful to your aching hands – bending your fingers, making a fist, opening your hand wide, touching your finger tips, and walking your fingers.  Dr. Best’s instructional YouTube video on hand exercises that can ease arthritis pain is also quite informative.

And if you’re big on gadgets, this might interest you!  Titled simply, “The Hand Exerciser,” this invention won a Medical Design Excellence Award. It can basically be worn like a glove while you stretch and exercise the joints in your hands.

Arthritis of the hands can challenge anyone who has to work for a living, including people who spend hours and hours typing, stocking grocery store shelves, cutting hair, etc. Everything we do, we do with our hands. It’s helpful to know that there are some simple things you can do to reduce the pain at least a little…

What you swallow could be adding fuel to the fire, making your inflamed joints even more inflamed. A general rule for good health is to stay away from processed foods, but this is especially true for those with chronic joint pain. Recent research has indicated that food-related antibodies may show up in the gut rather than in the blood in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.   When these food-related antibodies combine with proteins in your gut, it can form immune complexes which will circulate all around the body and may create inflammation.  Here’s a quick list of foods to avoid if you’re trying to dodge further inflaming your already irritated joints:

1)    Saturated fats found in meats, dairy products, and eggs. These foods also contain fatty acids called arachidonic acid, which can make inflammation worse if consumed in excess. It is best to chose low fat milk and cheese, and lean meats.
2)    Loads of sugar can cause inflammation as well as obesity and diabetes.
3)    Too much of some vegetables (in the nightshade family of plants) like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant contain a Solanine which can cause you pain.
4)    Fast foods are a great catalyst for increased pain.
5)    Processed meats like lunch meat, hot dogs, and sausages contain nitrates that are associated with increased inflammation.

Even if you don’t already have joint pain, it’s a good idea to start eating healthy now to prevent the hurt later!

Arthritis doesn’t mix well with the workplace, especially the modern computer-centric workplace that a large portion of today’s workforce inhabits. According to Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), “arthritis is the leading cause of work disability and those diagnosed may have difficulty with physically demanding jobs.” If you are the unlucky owner of some sort of arthritic disease, what can you do to reduce pain in the workplace, specifically dealing with computer use?

According to a book called “Pain Free Arthritis” by Harris H. McIlwain and Debra Fulghum Bruce there are seven things you can do reduce back and neck pain while working at your computer. These strategies are health pieces of advice for anyone, not just those who suffer from chronic joint paint.

1)    Sit properly to reduce the amount of force on your back.
2)    Use a backrest on you chair at work.
3)    Stand or walk around your desk for a few hours every one or two hours.
4)    Make sure your computer chair is comfortable.
5)    Adjust the height of the level of work to a comfortable level to avoid leaning forward.
6)    Make sure the height of your work desk is comfortable
7)    Purchase wrist rests for your computer desk

If you’re willing to try some new technology to ease the pain, you might want to check out this heated computer keyboard. Infrared heat is supposed to soothe pain, so this may just help while working on the computer.

David Carradine’s recent death was quite a shock to us all.  For those of you who might  not recognize him, David Carradine was in the popular hit movie, Kill Bill.  Arthritis sufferers might also remember him by one of his therapeutic Tai-Chi videos, which was designed to alleviate arthritis pain. There had been speculations about the real cause of his death, which ranged from suicide, to sex games, and even to homicide.  Although the autopsy has ruled out suicide from the list of potential causes, it is still important to examine some reasons why people may have thought it was suicide that killed David Carradine.

It is well known that old age and certain arthritis medications, such as Prednisone, can cause severe depression.  Could it have been possible that David Carradine took an arthritis medication that caused an increase in his depression?  Could it have been a combination of both the drug’s side effects and his old age?

It is important for those arthritis sufferers out there who take medication for their condition, especially for the elderly, to recognize some of the warning signs of depression, such as:

1 .)    Lack of motivation

2.)    Sleepless nights

3.)    persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings

4.)    thoughts of suicide

It is extremely important to go and seek treatment for depression before it spirals out of control.  If depression is left untreated, it may lead to serious and life threatening problems, even suicide. Continue reading David Carradine’s Tragic Death: An Eye Opener for the Elderly Suffering with Arthritis

Resist the temptation to give your dog too many treats, which leads to weight gain and arthritis

Did you know that our furry friends can suffer the debilitating pains of arthritis? It’s very true - arthritis in animals is very much similar to arthritis in humans. It’s a degenerative disease that causes stiffness in the joints and muscles. This particularly applies to our aging and overweight pets.

The best way to treat arthritis is to prevent it! Here are a few tips on arthritis prevention for your loyal companion:

1.) Don’t give into your urge to give your animals extra treats - excessive weight gain on a frame that cannot sustain it will lead to extra strain on their joints

2.) Regular exercise is a must! Inactivity will not only lead to weight gain but it will also increase joint stiffness.

If your kitty or pup is already showing signs of arthritis pain, you can help treat it by doing the following:

1.) Physical therapy - passive range-of-motion exercises and stretching can reduce pain and increase their flexibility.

2.) Heat and cold therapy for 20 minutes at a time - this will help in disrupting muscle spasms.

3.) NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - alleviates pain by reducing swelling.

Unfortunately, our fuzzy friends cannot convey the pain they feel in ways that we understand, so it’s important to be aware of subtle signs. These can include inability to jump, playing less, and sleeping more. The sooner you can recognize the problem, the sooner you can help your cat or dog get on the road to recovery and enjoy a better quality of life.

Here are a few additional resources and links:

The Dog Arthritis Care Guide

Arthritis in Cats

Useful tips from a recent animal pain management symposium

Millions of people from all walks of life have suffered from the pains of arthritis. Luckily, there are many resources that reach out to offer some relief and let them know they are not alone.

One great asset to the arthritis community is the Arthritis Foundation. They offer outstanding information about different types of arthritis and how to cope with it. In addition, they also try to bring the nation together and raise awareness by having an annual arthritis walk all over the country.

Celebrities are also advocating for arthritis awareness by speaking out. Mary Lou Retton , the first American woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics in the 1984 Olympic games, is an arthritis sufferer and supporter in raising arthritis awareness. She was just recently an ambassador for the annual Annapolis Walk for Arthritis. Perez Hilton, one of the top celebrity gossip columnists, has also blogged on his site about donating to help this worthwhile cause.

We hope that influential people will continue to show their support in raising arthritis awareness, as it is the most common cause of disability in the United States.

Come show your support and join FlexMyJoints at the LA Arthritis Walk on June 7, 2009! We hope to see you there!

Kindle, the alternative option to carrying around your personal and business library, is thin, lightweight and chic.  This contemporary device can hold up to 3,500 books, magazines, and news papers, which is most suitable for active people on the go who are limited on space.  With its 3G network, you can download your reading material free - anytime, anywhere.

In light of the fact that this is a technically advanced gadget, you would probably be surprised that the majority of Kindle owners are over 40 years old. With its price between $359 - $489, it definitely appeals to older, working professionals. Click here for a breakdown of Kindle user statistics.

It is not so surprising, however, to consider the great advantages that this age group has when using the Kindle.  For example, with its ability to increase text size, it helps tired eyes to read more comfortably.  It also has other convenient components, such as a “Read-to-Me” feature and weight of slightly over 1 pound, which is a relief for people suffering from arthritis pain in their arms, hands, and fingers.

So if you are technically savvy, Kindle is an expensive but nice device to alleviate eye strain and joint pain.