Coping with osteoarthritis can be difficult. No one quite understands the pain that you are in, and they do not understand the impact that it has on your life. Osteoarthritis can affect your overall quality of life if you are not managing the disease in the correct way. If you want practical advice on coping with osteoarthritis, you need not look any further. This guide will give you practical information, and tips, on how to deal with, and manage, osteoarthritis:
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Less is More
Changing your lifestyle can seriously improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. If you feel that you are doing too much, you need to slow down. It is necessary that you take regular rest breaks and that you aren’t putting your body under constant strain and stress. Less truly is more. Complete tasks in short, sharp bursts. This will give your body a greater chance of recovery thus enabling you to live a relatively pain free life.
Keep Calm
No one truly understands the impact of osteoarthritis. The feeling of constant pain is not enjoyable and is not understood by those that do not suffer from the illness. One of the best things that you can do is to keep calm. You can reduce inflammation in your joints by changing your nutritional habits. By eating a plethora of fresh vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids (these are commonly found in salmon, walnuts, canola oil and pumpkin seeds) you will combat inflammation in your problem areas. It may be advisable to cut out white carbohydrates from your diet as foods from this food group can aggravate the problem further.
Exercise!
While it may seem counterintuitive, exercise can make you feel better. Yes, your joints are hurting, and the pain is miserable, but if you are looking at easing the pain then you need to exercise regularly. No one is expecting you to pound the streets in your running attire, but by participating in low impact exercise you will feel significantly better. Try swimming, yoga and Pilates as a starting point. Beginner’s classes are the perfect way to start your new fitness regime.
Enjoy Sleep
Sleeping more is crucial to ensuring that you remain fit and healthy. If your sleep is of a poor quality, or you are simply not getting enough sleep, this will have a detrimental effect on your overall health. You need to ensure that you are getting a minimum of eight hours sleep per night in order for your body to fully recover from the day’s activities. While our busy lives can sometimes impact our quality of sleep, try to relax at bedtime. Ignore your phone, the television and any other gadgets and devices that affect the quality of our sleep. You will feel significantly better for it.
Walk it Off
Of course, walking when you are suffering from immense pain is the last thing on your mind. However, if you are having a particularly bad day, walking can help ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Go for a slow stroll around the block. You will feel the benefit of doing so.
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