Spend your downtime thinking about all the things you'll do when you're back on your feet. Arthritis can knock you down for a day or two, but visualizing all the great things you'll be doing tomorrow can help to keep your spirits up and keep you motivated to get moving again.
Whenever you dwell on something, you just make it worse. It is important in your healing process not to dwell on the bad things but instead dwell on the good things. Remember things that are important to you that you want to focus on, and take your mind off of the pain.
Be sure to move throughout the day. Remaining in the same position for a long time puts more stress on your joints than if you shift positions. Be sure to take regular breaks to stand and stretch and make sure that your work environment is set up to allow you to protect your joints.
Have you visited your physician and tried an exercise program, hot or cold treatments, pain medications and massages to relieve the pain, stiffness, and inflammation associated with arthritis? Have none of these worked for you? When other methods do not lessen the pain or if you have major difficulty, using and moving your joints, you may want to consult with your doctor about surgery. Sometimes, surgery may be a necessity, in order to have some quality of life.
Eat light foods. Eating heavy meals can make anyone feel slow and sluggish, and that effect is multiplied on those that suffer from arthritis. Having a light soup instead of a heavy steak can keep you feeling peppy and positive instead of fatigued and painful, so skip anything that may be too much.
If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, make sure you're getting enough omega-3 in your diet. If you're not, consider taking a supplement like fish oil to help get those levels up. Studies have shown that omega-3 has many anti-inflammatory benefits for those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Let your family and friends know what it's like to live with arthritis. They may not understand that it hurts you to stand up, or that you can't bend over to get cans out of the bottom cabinet. If you tell them what works and what doesn't they'll better be able to assist you in your everyday activities.
It is very important that you drink a lot of water and stay away from sugary drinks if you suffer from chronic arthritis. Water helps to improve muscle and joint strength, while sugary drinks like soda make you gain weight, which causes more pressure to be put on your joints.
People who suffer from one of the various forms of arthritis have great challenges in their lives. By adapting and applying the tips and principles in the above article it is possible to radically improve the quality of life for those who have arthritis. It is a difficult condition, but one that can handled and treated in order to better enjoy life.