The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs with age and affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Rheumatoid arthritis, a crippling disease is an autoimmune disorder, often affects the hands and feet, with mild fever.
Treatment for both exists but is tedious and includes knee replacement surgery. It is best to prevent arthritis from the start itself. Preventing arthritis includes exercise routines, and routines are best started early.
Studies show, there is a 20% chance you may end up having arthritis in your life, so it is best if one practices to prevent it.
Here are a few physical exercises anyone can do to have healthier joints, prevent arthritis, or in the worst case, delaying it.
These can also be done if you already have symptoms of arthritis, which commonly are stiffness, joint pain and swelling.
- Sun Salutations: Great for all joints. Stretches all major muscles and joints in your body, I cannot emphasizes enough on how beneficial this is for one’s flexibility, which major contributor to healthy joints. This pose is also a great yoga for lower back pain.
Stand with both feet touching and bring your hands together, palm-to-palm, and place them at your chest. Exhale and raise your arms upward. Slowly bend backward and stretch your arms above your head.
- Bālāsana or child's resting pose: Extremely simple to do. Stretches your lower back and ankles, flexes your knees, improving the health of several load bearing body parts. Also good for back pain, and relaxes any nerve pains.
- Walking: Something we already do each day. Ditch power walks and jogs, walking, turns out is more beneficial for the knees than any other continuous exercise. It builds strength without impacting joints, unlike power walks or running, keeping knee pain away. There is no harm in walking slowly, and is recommended for muscle pain in legs too.
Diet can also help you have healthier joints
A balanced diet is the best, but here’s what you should include in your diet to make sure your tendons and cartilages receive enough nutrition.
- Omega-3 fatty acids - A healthy fat. Omega-3s have a number of health benefits like reducing inflammation.
Certain fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, trout, mackerel, and sardines— recommended twice a week. Vegetarian sources include dry nuts like walnuts, cashews and almonds.
Omega 3 helps delay onset of arthritis in women, this delay in onset was also accompanied with less severe symptoms. - Control your weight by avoiding junk food – It is simple logic, the more you weigh, the more your knees have to go through wear. Studies show, weight gained due to junk food is worse than weight gained in a healthy manner (muscle weight). Being obese is not only bad for your heart, but also your knees. Try out some exercises mentioned above to control your weight, if you can’t control those cravings.
- Calcium rich foods – As we age, our body loses the ability to absorb calcium properly from our diet, requiring all people above 45 year of age to take calcium supplements, along with calcium rich foods. We need calcium for healthy bones and joints. Here are some naturally calcium rich foods: Milk, Kale, Sardines, Yogurt, Broccoli, almonds and Watercress.
About pain medication
If indeed, you suffer joint ache, try using a natural formulation like Moov. With its expert blend of pure oils, Moov is soothing, effective and most of all, 100% safe