Points to think about if you have osteoarthritis
- It's not due to obesity but due to aging. Most skeletons from the Stone
age show osteoarthritis and they were NOT FAT
- Exercise really helps. DO NO or LOW impact exercise (walking is not
a good exercise for those with arthritis!). Here are some good ones
- Water aerobics (make sure the pool is heated!)
- stationary bike if your knees don't bother you too much. You can get a
very mild biking type exercise with the PEDLAR (TM) or DURAMED pedals
available in your local medical supply store
- Glider (like Gazelle Freestyle)
- Elliptical Cross Trainer (if you are an animal - this is a HARD
workout!)
- Making wiser food choices, stay away from fast food, junk food make sense
whether you are fat or slim.
- Taking glucosamine chondroitin has been shown to not only reduce immediate
pain but in the long run to actually help improve the affected joint.
- If you have diabetes, DON'T take the oral type - use instead "Joint-Ritis"
and rub on joint most affected - this will not affect your sugar levels
- This remedy does not work instantly - takes 3 months for oral type to
show some improvement in pain - more for skin delivery type. BE
PATIENT - double blind studies have shown this to BE effective
- DO take pain medication if you find yourself not moving very much because
it's too uncomfortable. Discuss the right one with your medical provider.
Don't self medicate! Arthritis will get much nastier if you don't move
- USE SPARINGLY.
- Celebrex, Vioxx and similar may not be any easier on the stomach than
aspirin - and recently has been shown to raise the risk for heart disease!
- Be aware than taking ANY MORE THAN 325 mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol)
AT ONE DOSE, will cook your liver. MEASURE AMOUNTS - cut pills in
half if they have more Tylenol than that
- DO NOT ABUSE ANY pain medication - focus in on natural things which
lessen pain like exercise, both callisthenics, weight training light and
cardio and supplements like glucosamine chondroitin
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