Holistic Strategies for Conquering Arthritis
Arthritis is a health condition that can significantly impact your daily life, whether by limiting your mobility with knee pain or hindering your ability to perform simple tasks with discomfort in your fingers. It’s often very painful. Traditional treatments typically involve medications to reduce pain and inflammation. However, if these standard methods aren’t working well enough for you, or if you would like to explore natural therapies, there are several options to consider.
### Dietary Changes
What we eat does more than just fuel our bodies; it can either improve our health or worsen certain conditions, including arthritis. To help manage arthritis, it’s important to follow a diet that fights inflammation, which is a major cause of arthritis pain. The typical American diet tends to increase inflammation, potentially contributing to arthritis symptoms.
Foods that trigger inflammation include refined carbs, sugary foods, trans fats, high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, and animal fats. To combat inflammation, focus on consuming antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, and various nuts and seeds. Using anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric and ginger in your cooking can also be beneficial.
### Yoga
Practicing yoga can be very beneficial for both your mind and body. It emphasizes breathing and relaxation, which can help reduce stress, and includes different poses that promote overall health. If you have arthritis, yoga might seem daunting, but there are gentler forms of yoga that are suitable.
A review of studies published in 2011 found that yoga can help people with arthritis by reducing pain, swelling, and tenderness, as well as improving mobility. If you decide to join a yoga class, make sure to inform the instructor about your arthritis so they can suggest modified poses that meet your needs.
### Acupuncture
Acupuncture may seem unusual to some because it’s not a common treatment in Western medicine. The practice involves unblocking energy channels, or meridians, in the body to restore health. According to ancient Eastern medicine, blockages in these energy paths can lead to health issues, including arthritis.
Despite initial skepticism, acupuncture is becoming more accepted in the West as research indicates its effectiveness for various health concerns, from post-surgery nausea to cancer-related fatigue. It may also help manage arthritis pain without medication. If you’re interested, acupuncturists can provide more detailed advice on using Chinese medicine to treat arthritis.
### Supplementation
Certain dietary supplements can support joint health and reduce arthritis symptoms. For instance, ginger and turmeric, which have anti-inflammatory properties, can be taken in supplement form if you want a higher dosage than what you get from food. Other helpful supplements include omega-3 fatty acids, GLA (found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant oil), holy basil, and hu zhang.
### Final Thoughts
Managing arthritis through natural methods requires patience and consistency. Natural treatments aim to address the underlying causes of health issues, so they might not provide immediate relief. Give these methods time to work and be consistent in applying them. For example, if you want to see if changing your diet helps, commit to it fully. Relief is possible, but it requires a dedicated effort to manage your health proactively.
