How diet and exercise influences your arthritis pain

Now that I am in my "early" forties, I am starting to experience the aches and pains that I have often heard from my patients over the years. While mine are minimal, for others the chronic inflammation of arthritic pain can be overwhelming and downright restricting.

I am definitely not big on prescription medications, unless absolutely necessary. So what other alternatives are there? 

Diet is probably the first thing that you need to look at followed closely by your exercise routine.

Hopefully by following these guidelines, you can begin your path in seeing significant changes in your pain and stiffness in as little as six weeks:

Eat spices and herbs: these are powerful antioxidants which help with reducing inflammation.  

Ginger is an extremely potent and powerful spice that has huge anti-inflammatory properties, as well as a strong antioxidant and immune system booster.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, garlic, turmeric, rosemary and basil are some other very important ingredients that can have a profound effect on the joint pain that comes with arthritis.  

Omega-3 fats: Getting enough of these good fats in such things as flax seed, fish or krill oils. Omega 3's stimulate the production of leukotrienes, which are compounds that inhibit inflammation.

Apple cider vinegar: has been shown to ease the effects of joint and muscle pain.

Chlorophyll: drinking green barley or wheat grass every day can assist in removing excess heavy metals from the joints.

Avoid the following: caffeinated beverages especially sodas, pasteurized dairy (milk, yogurt, cheeses, etc.),processed foods, refined sugars,alcohol,tobacco products.

There should be a fine balance in your diet--no extreme diets such as high protein, no carb, no fat. Remember, some saturated fats such as olive oils, coconut oil and animal fats (hormone, antibiotic free and grass fed, of course) are necessary for optimal health.

As far as supplementation, we have all heard glucosamine and magnesium can have beneficial results. Depending on the type of supplement, that may or may not be true. My belief with supplements is don't go overboard. Start with krill oil or good quality fish oil, use cod liver oil or coconut oil, take an enzyme supplement and also look for an oral chelation supplement to remove any harmful toxins in the joints such as aluminum or mercury.

As far as exercise is concerned, it's pretty simple. Don't stop!! I know that the pain with arthritis can be very painful at times, however, refraining from even gentle exercise can begin to have a profound effect on the way you feel. Things like Yoga, Tai Chi, are good beginning type forms of exercises. Brisk walking, swimming, aqua aerobics, stretching are also recommended. 

My recommendation is to journal your exercise routine from the very beginning and jot things down such as what you did, how did you feel during and afterward, the duration, how many sets/reps, and try to narrow down to what provokes,aggravates and alleviates the symptoms.

A final note is the importance of hydration. Whether you workout or not, this is crucial for cellular function.  Senior citizens are hospitalized today more for dehydration than any other condition and dehydration symptoms appear usually too late. Making sure that you are drinking at least a liter a day of good quality water is essential for joint and bone integrity.