Rheumatoid Arthritis – Healthy Living & Life Style Blog

Top 10 Therapies For Rheumatoid Arthritis

A chronic inflammatory disorder, Rheumatoid Arthritis affects the smaller joints in one’s hands and feet. It is an autoimmune disorder, which means it occurs when the immune system accidentally targets its own body’s tissues. It causes the lining of joints to have painful swelling, and leads to joint deformity and bone erosion. It is much more common in women than in men, and is known to usually begin after the age of 40. There are many therapies available for those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Doctors recommend keeping one’s joints healthy, strong and flexible to keep the symptoms down.

Fight Chronic RA Pain; Treatments and Medication

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Through therapy, many have been able to feel better. Some therapies, such as occupational therapy, require that one visit a professional. However, many of the therapies suggested today are ones that can be done from home, alone! The goal of each therapy is to lessen the pain, and hopefully improve the swelling. It is also important to work on being less stressed, and therapies are a great way to relax.

Top 10 Therapies for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

1. Green Tea is a soothing beverage. With the active ingredients of green tea, which are polyphenols, there have been signs that green tea can treat RA effectively. While there are many studies underway currently, these ingredients might affect the immune system by decreasing substances that deform the joints of those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

2. Exercise is perhaps one of the most important therapies suggested. It is imperative that patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis keep their joints flexible and strong. With the amount of swelling in their joints, it is important to exercise and keep the stress off. There are many possibilities for those with arthritis, from walking to biking, yoga to Tai Chi. A good exercise is done daily, with a variety of positions and weight-bearing exercises to keep the bones strong. Professionals suggest that those suffering from RA are more likely to develop osteoporosis, as well as depression. Exercise is excellent, as it keeps depression and osteoporosis away!

3. Occupational Therapy aims to target trouble areas in daily living, and work out eliminating the issue or working around it in some other way. Therapists from this line of therapy are helpful in ensuring that those suffering from RA are much less stressful over the situation. They help their patient in identifying where their struggles are, from added stress on their joints to things that might trigger depression, and modifying the situation to avoid it.

4. Physical Therapy is a type of therapy in which professionals utilize a variety of sensations on their patient. Through the use of ice, electrical stimulation, range-of-motion exercises, gentle strengthening moves and heat to ease the inflammation and swelling, as well as increase the shape of one’s joints. There are many professionals who vouch for the benefit of physical therapy.

5. Hot-Cold Treatments are meant for use at home. One can easily relax their body through the use of a hot bath or shower. Hot water is known to relax, as well as soothe particularly painful joints and muscles. It is also known to have an effect on the mind, calming and relaxing one mentally. It is also appropriate to apply heating pads or ice packs, however don’t overdo it! The cold will reduce joint swelling, as well as inflammation. The heat will relax the muscles, and stimulate blood flow.

6. Mind-Body Therapy concerns focusing the mind and body. This is accomplished through meditation, breathing exercises, guided relaxation and biofeedback. The goal of mind-body therapy is to help the patient focus their mind, find methods that help the patient cope with the pain and improve their strength and flexibility. Under this category also falls Tai Chi, as it is considered a slow moving exercise that requires the use of one’s mind. There have been studies that support mind-body therapies, as they have resulted in an improvement of mood, as well as quality of life.

7. Fish Oil is known to ease one’s pain and inflammation, so it may be a perfect “therapy” for it. The side effects of fish oil is known to be effective for relieving pain, just as much as ibuprofen takes down inflammation. However, it is more natural, and thus many find it better to take than drugs and pills.

8. Counseling concerns the mind of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Chronic illnesses often leave people feeling depressed, anxious and unhappy. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, one can have a professional assist them in identifying the problems in the way they think or act. They will have the encouragement to change their behavior to better cope with the stress, as well as pains and strains of RA.

9. Complementary Therapies Read more here at https://www.healthyatra.com/

10. Massage is one of the best therapies, at certain times. If the joints and muscles aren’t too tender, one can benefit greatly from this, as it is meant to ease muscle tension in the joints, as well as relax one’s body.

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5 Foods That Flare Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis sufferers know the many triggers that bring on flares. A flare is when your symptoms increase dramatically over a period of three to five days, resulting in increased joint pain, swelling, and fatigue. While most sufferers know what triggers their flares, there are hidden triggers they may not be aware of, and in an unlikely spot for them to look – their diet. Many foods can cause arthritis flares, and many of them are common in the American diet. Let’s take a look at five foods commonly eaten in a typical American diet plan:

Eating These Foods That Can Make Arthritis Worse

Source: HEALTH AND WELLNESS BLOG INDIA

Fried Foods and Processed Meats

Fried foods and processed meats have been linked with the production of C-reactive proteins. This is the marker doctors use to determine inflammation levels in the body. High levels of inflammation trigger arthritic symptoms, by producing a cytokines response. Cytokines are the body’s first defense against an inflammatory attack, and they will increase your RA symptoms. Reducing the amount of fried foods and processed meats, such as hot dogs or frozen meals, will help reduce the number of cytokines your body manufactures to meet an inflammatory attack. Foods you fry at home are not as bad for you as fried foods you purchase from a restaurant. This is due to the oils. When you fry at home, you pour out fresh, unheated oil to use in the frying process, whereas a restaurant reuses its frying oil all day. Heating denatures oil, resulting in an unhealthy frying medium. One-time use is ok; multiple uses are not.

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates, such as those found in white bread, are high on the glycemic index. High-glycemic index foods result in an increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the body. This is turn results in more cytokines being produced, and as discussed above, results in more inflammation in the body. Any food high on the glycemic index scale, if consumed without proteins or fats to lower the glycemic effect, will increase your blood sugar and AGE levels. Refined carbohydrates are particularly bad, because the base carbohydrate has had all of the fiber processed out. Fiber is good for arthritic patients, so go with a whole-grain approach.

Sugar

Sugar is also high on the glycemic index scale. Consumption of sugars results in the formation of AGEs, resulting in the production of cytokines. It’s also a roller-coaster ride for your blood sugar levels, resulting in pre-diabetes or type II diabetes. If you crave something sweet, eat it with a protein, to reduce its effects on your blood sugar levels, and be aware it may cause a flare of your arthritic condition. Making your own sweets is a good alternative to giving them up; it’s easy to bake an apple or pear with a cinnamon-sugar topping, and these dishes will satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your blood sugar levels or increasing your AGE level.

Dairy

Dairy products contain the protein casein, which has been shown to irritate joint tissue in some people. This irritation may lead to an arthritic flare. You can purchase dairy products approved for use in kosher homes – look for the ‘Parve’ indicator on the container. These products are casein-free, and are acceptable dairy substitutes.

Salt and Preservatives

Excessive salt in your diet may contribute to arthritic joint flares. Notice the term ‘excessive’ here – salt is essential for your body’s metabolic processes, and reducing the level of your salt intake to a low level may compromise your health. Salt is used as a preservative, to increase the shelf life of processed foods. Buying your foods in the fresh state and cooking them yourself, with a moderate amount of salt, will keep your sodium levels at a normal level and reduce your RA flares.

There is an age-old adage: you are what you eat. Its age doesn’t affect its truth – what you put into your body for fuel makes a difference in how your body performs. You wouldn’t put cheap gas in your car and expect to win the Indy 500 race, would you? It’s the same with the food you put in your body. When you have a chronic condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, you need to pay special attention to your diet. Foods that are not a problem for a healthy individual may cause significant flares in you. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet to help keep your arthritis under control.

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5 Healthy Habits That Fight the Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that primary affects the synovial joints. These are the joints that are considered flexible joints. It is a painful disease and can be a very debilitating condition if not treated properly and sometimes even when it is treated properly.

5 Healthy Habits That Fight the Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Source: HEALTH AND WELLNESS BLOG INDIA

What are some of the things that I can do to the fight the signs of RA?

Because RA is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body attacks itself, fighting RA symptoms can be very difficult. However, studies have been done to highlight healthy habits that can help ward off some of the symptoms associated with RA. These habits maintained over a long period of time will help them to become part of your lifestyle which is the ultimate goal when it comes to living with RA.

Listed below are 5 healthy habits you can do to fight the signs of RA:

Have a positive outlook on life and your disease- RA is not who you are, it is something that you have. Maintaining the proper philosophy and attitude related to the disease is important for the treatment of RA. If you don’t believe that it can get better, your body tends to respond to that and will continue to feel the effects of the pain on a more regular basis than if you believed. Having a good attitude will also help you to further seek the proper treatment because you actually believe the symptoms can be relieved and will do what it takes to find out how.Maintain the proper diet- Notice that it doesn’t say to maintain a healthy diet.
The proper diet for RA is somewhat different from what a person that is trying to eat healthy may be. The proper diet for RA would include a diet rich in fish, vegetables, and healthy oils, which is also what the Mediterranean diet emphasizes. What you eat is always important when it comes to managing most disease processes and it’s no different here.
Get moving– Exercise is something that we were all put here to do and it’s not just for the “health” of it. Well maybe it is. Exercising not only can take your mind off of the pain for a while but strength training and conditioning show positive effects in the person with RA. Exercising and training smart is beneficial to your health in many different ways so consult with a trainer and with your physician to find out which exercises can help optimize your dealing with RA.
Find a support group– Support groups not only function to help you when you’re not feeling well and when you are, they also pose as a resource to help some of the ailments you may be experiencing. People with RA are actually living with the disease and can be a great help to assisting with different types of therapies that may not have been mentioned to you by a physician.
Don’t smoke– Smoking is harmful for joints in many different ways and it actually can exacerbate the disease process which will lead to further pain and decrease the amount of time that it takes for RA to have an effect on your body. Because RA is an autoimmune disease, it requires the body to respond positively even when it wants to respond negatively so smoking takes away some of the body’s ability to do so.

While all of these are helpful hints and habits, it is going to be important to maintain them over an extended period of time to see their results. Not all things work for all people but you have to start somewhere to find out what works best for you. Doing nothing about the disease will not make it disappear and may even make it worse, so it is important to seek treatment right away. Consulting with a specialist is always an important part of your health and should be done. However, doing all that you can do outside of the office plays just as an important role as well. Having a positive philosophy regarding the disease will not only help your attitude and further your actions but it can change your results and ultimately improve your lifestyle.