5 Tips for Travelling With Arthritis

From newsmax.com

Now that Memorial Day is here, vacation planning season is in full swing. Road trips, flights and train rides usually mean new destinations and adventures, but for people with rheumatoid arthritis, travelling can also mean pain, discomfort, and inflammation.

The good news is that while it may be harder for those with a chronic disease to take to the skies or hit the road, it's still possible for people to have an exciting summer vacation.

A chronic disease that affects all of the joints in the body, rheumatoid arthritis is what Dr. Grace Wright, rheumatologist and author of several publications, calls a "systemic disease."

"This is a [disease] that can affect every aspect of your life," Wright tells Newsmax Health. "You can have joint pain, but you can also have inflammation in certain internal organs, as well."

She also notes that people living with rheumatoid arthritis often struggle with overwhelming fatigue, feeling "like they'd just run a marathon" when they wake up in the morning.

And travelling can present a whole set of problems for those with rheumatoid arthritis. "When travelling by plane, car or train, you end up sitting in seats for a long time, which can cause a lot of discomfort, because all the joints get really stiff and sore," Wright explains.

Sitting in cramped conditions for an extended period of time can cause rheumatoid arthritis to flare, or worsen its symptoms.

So what can you do to make your Memorial Day and your summer vacation less stressful and pain free? Dr. Wright outlines a few simple steps that anyone can take to decrease joint stiffness and manage arthritis pain while travelling.

• Move around. "It's important to get up and walk around, massage and move," Wright explains, "not to just stay seated in this frozen position." If you're on a plane or a train, take a few minutes to move around and stretch, and if you're driving, stop every few hours to do the same. Remaining sedentary can make your joints stiffen, so it's vital that you take some time to get them moving.
   
• Travel light. When preparing for vacation, it can be easy to over-pack your suitcase, throwing in anything you "might need." This can make the suitcase extremely heavy, which will take its toll on your joints. "Get rid of the heavy luggage," Wright urges. "You can check the luggage or pack exactly what you need so that you're not dragging heavy items, putting extra strain on those joints."
   
• Talk to your doctor. Depending on the intensity of your symptoms, some trips might be more feasible than others. Before making any plans, it's important to talk to your physician and see what kind of trip is possible for you. "A 12-hour trip is very different from a two-hour one," Wright notes.
   
• Pack your meds. "Don't skip your medicines — travel with them!" Wright says. "Make sure to take them as prescribed to prevent flares while you're on the trip." If your rheumatoid arthritis does flare up, depending on your treatment regimen, you can also try to take pain relief medication to manage the pain and discomfort.
   
• Drink lots of water. Sometimes, when you're hitting the road or heading to the airport, you forget to drink your recommended daily 64 ounces of water. But, as Wright explains, hydration is vital to managing joint stiffness, so make sure to pack or buy water bottles as you travel.

https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/rheumatoid-arthritis-traveling-tips/2018/05/26/id/862598/

12 Everyday Habits That Reduce Your Risk of Arthritis Symptoms

From rd.com

There are more than 100 forms of arthritis, and symptoms can be debilitating. But, there are things you can do regularly to protect your joints. Here's how.

More than one-quarter of adults have arthritis

Alarmingly, 54 million American adults have arthritis, reports the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention. It's not just one disease either, but rather a constellation of 100 conditions that strike the joints, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling. Carpal tunnel syndrome, gout, fibromyalgia, lupus, and osteoarthritis are among some of the possible diagnoses for arthritis. Though you can't always prevent it, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk or lessen symptoms if you have it. Learn the different types of arthritis and how to know if you have them.

Keep your weight in check

The simplest advice remains the best: Eat well and stay active to keep your weight in a healthy place. "Being overweight puts extra strain on weight-bearing joints, like hips and knees," says Robert Goldfien, MD, chief of rheumatology at Kaiser Permanente in Richmond, CA. Indeed, a 2016 study found that obesity increased the odds of knee osteoarthritis by 4.7-fold compared to people with a healthy weight.

Sip green tea

It's warm, it's comforting, and it's so good for joints: In a review that looked at foods that reduce inflammation and improve common arthritis symptoms, the authors recommended green tea for its concentration of the potent antioxidant EGCG. In arthritic disease, it's been shown to help preserve bone and cartilage. 

Drink baking soda (really)

Maybe baking soda isn't just for the back of your fridge: Recent research suggests that a daily dose of water and baking soda can help combat inflammatory diseases. The authors discovered that the mixture helped flip the switch on immune cells so that they fought inflammation, rather than promoting it. "We saw it in the kidneys, we saw it in the spleen, now we see it in the peripheral blood," said Paul O'Connor, PhD, a renal physiologist at Augusta University and the study co-author, in a press release. However, the research, which was done on both rats and in healthy medical students, is preliminary. Before you dive in, ask your doctor about this potentially easy remedy.

Take a stretch break

Repetitive movements (like typing) can exacerbate arthritis symptoms. You need to take a break to stretch, says Dr. Goldfien, who recommends asking your IT department to install a stretch break app on your computer. "These remind you to take a break and recommend different stretching exercises to help release tension in your body and improve productivity," he says.

Run a little

What runner hasn't heard the call to stop running? ("It's bad for your knees!" they say.) But research suggests otherwise. A 2013 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that running lessened the risk of osteoarthritis and hip replacement. Pounding the pavement surprisingly protects joints, likely because the activity helps people maintain a healthy weight. (That said, if running does hurt your knees, there's no reason to start.)

Think happy thoughts

Maintaining an optimistic perspective can go a long way in keeping arthritis symptoms at bay. "Studies show that keeping a positive outlook can reduce day-to-day pain," says Dr. Goldfien.

Eat more fish

Research in 2017 on rheumatoid arthritis patients found that those who had fish twice a week experienced fewer aches and pains compared to those who ate it less than once a month. Healthy omega-3 fats found in fish have anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce arthritis symptoms.

Take the stairs

When you have joint pain, your instinct might be to opt for the escalator or elevator, but staying active will help you feel your best. "Taking the stairs instead of using the elevator is a simple routine that will keep you moving," says Victor Romano, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and author of Finding The Source: Maximizing Your Results—With and Without Orthopaedic Surgery.

Schedule workouts

While everyday movement is important, so too is structured exercise. "Arthritic patients who exercise have less pain than those who do not," says Romano. He recommends working out four days a week for at least 20 minutes at a time, including a day each of endurance, strength training, interval workouts, and stretching.

Eat a rainbow

Whether you suffer from arthritis symptoms or not, follow an anti-inflammatory diet, says Dr. Romano. "Sugar and processed foods cause inflammation of your joints. Avoid them and eat lean meats and fish and more fruits and vegetables," he says. The best diet is a Mediterranean diet. People who follow it enjoy a 23 percent lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis compared to people who don't follow it, finds preliminary research presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in 2017.

Set a bedtime

Choose a non-negotiable time that you will turn off the TV (and your smartphone) and head up to bed. "Restful sleep can help ease your pain," says Dr. Goldfien. Enacting a wind-down bedtime routine with calm music or a guided imagery podcast can help ease you into slumber. "Relaxing is important because stress, anger, and depression can make pain worse," Dr. Goldfien adds.

Stop smoking

Yes, there numerous reasons to ditch the cigarettes, and you can add another one to the list: Smoking as little as one pack per day for a year increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 26 percent compared to those who never light up, research shows. Nicotine and carbon monoxide may cause your immune reactions to go haywire and attack your joints.

https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/habits-reduce-arthritis-symptoms/

Fish oil, vitamin K reduce arthritis pain

From prohealth.com

A gram of fish oil daily, which provides the body with omega 3 fatty acids, can alleviate inflammation

A review appearing on April 17, 2018 in the journal Rheumatology suggests that fish oil, vitamin K and, among those who are overweight, a calorie restricted diet could help decrease pain in people with osteoarthritis.
The review, which has been called the largest and most up to date of its kind, analysed 68 studies that examined the association between diet and osteoarthritis self-management. Authors Sally Thomas and her colleagues at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, concluded that a gram of fish oil daily, which provides the body with omega 3 fatty acids, can alleviate inflammation, thereby relieving pain in addition to supporting cardiovascular health. An increase in vitamin K, provided by green vegetables or supplements, can also be helpful, as can ensuring adequate intake of antioxidants, including vitamins A, C and E.

For those who are overweight, restricting the number of calories consumed can improve body composition to reduce strain on the joints. Obesity is also associated with low-grade, systemic inflammation that damages joints and other tissues.

“The importance of a good diet and regular exercise should never be underestimated,” concluded lead researcher and University of Surrey Professor of Nutritional Medicine Margaret Rayman.

“A combination of good diet and regular exercise are necessary to keep joints healthy; you can’t have healthy joints with just one, you need both,” added co-author Ali Mobasheri, who is a Professor of Musculoskeletal Physiology at the University of Surrey. “Lifestyle should also be considered when attempting to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis. Patients can’t expect miracles with dietary interventions if they are overweight and drink or smoke heavily. Evidence shows that smoking and heavy drinking negatively affects body energy metabolism and inflammatory markers in the liver which may promote inflammation and disease in the body.”

https://www.prohealth.com/library/fish-oil-vitamin-k-reduce-arthritis-pain-80985

Arthritis knows no boundaries when it comes to age or gender

From kitv.com

Arthritis knows no boundaries when it comes to age, or gender.
Sometimes, it comes with no warning.
"I was just really shocked, I mean devastated, I always thought it was an old people's disease. I said what does that mean? I didn't even know what it was all about," Karen Oshiro, a medical receptionist said.
There are a lot of people like Oshiro, thinking they're too young to have Arthritis. But Arthritis doesn't care how old you are and affects one in four people in Hawaii.
"It will affect literally every man or woman sooner or later as we age and therefore is a huge problem. A huge cost, generator of a lot of misery and pain. And is something we should all come together as a community and as a society to help cure, conquer and treat more effectively," Dr. Scott McCaffrey said.
"I couldn't even lift up my shoulders above my head, it was just so painful," Oshiro said.
Karen got it bad, and early. Her Arthritis started when she was a freshmen in college.
"My hands got really swollen, I couldn't even make a fist out of them. My knees all of a sudden swelled up, I couldn't even get out of bed. I couldn't pull the covers off, I took almost an hour to just sit up right. That's when I realized something was definitely wrong," Oshiro said.
Her everyday life and tasks became not only challenging but painful.
"Sometimes if my hands aren't feeling well, just brushing your teeth or washing your face is painful," Oshiro said.
Arthritis affects women at a much higher rate than men.
"Every day is different, you never know when you're going to have a flair up. There are good days and bad days, and I always say, take advantage of the good days and do the most you can," Oshiro said.
The bad days can be really bad. It's not just the patient, it can be the caretaker dealing with the mental, physical, emotional and financial challenges. But Karen says her family, son and friends never let her miss out on anything and encourage her to live life to the fullest.
She's lives day by day and has joined the Arthritis Foundation, leading the fight and is ready for this year's Walk to Cure Arthritis.
The money raised from the event stays in Hawaii and goes toward, patient education, a summer camp for kids living with Arthritis and research to find a cure. Like the 50 million other Americans diagnosed with arthritis, Karen Oshiro's strong mind and heart keeps her body going.
"Keep that positive attitude, I know it's difficult and you're ashamed to show what you have, you know your deformities are present all the time and people look at you differently. But I say let them look, let them feel what they feel. Because it's you and when you keep yourself stress free it's just amazing and you can do anything," Oshiro said.

http://www.kitv.com/story/38228823/arthritis-knows-no-boundaries-when-it-comes-to-age-or-gender

Arthritis: Five things you MUST know about the condition

From express.co.uk

ARTHRITIS types consist of rheumatoid, psoriatic and osteoarthritis among others. Arthritis causes pain to the affected joints, such as the knee, hip and elbow. A Helpline Manager for Arthritis Research UK, a charity fighting the condition, shares her answers to top questions.

Arthritis pain is caused to sufferers in affected joints, which include the knee, hip and elbow.
You are more at risk of developing the condition if you are overweight, a smoker or have an occupation that involves repetitively bending a joint, like the knee.
The condition can be diagnosed by a GP, who can then prescribe treatment which may include exercise, a diet change and medication.
Arthritis Research UK’s Helpline Manager Louisa Gunnee, has shared answers to ten enquiries that she gets on a daily basis.

What can I do to manage pain besides taking painkillers?
Arthritis can cause “excruciating” pain in affected areas, however there are ways to manage the events that don’t require medication.
Louisa recommends tailored exercise programmes to strengthen muscles and build fitness, hot or cold therapies, massages, rest and good quality sleep, and acupuncture.
A TENS machine may also help, which is a small, battery-operated device which uses a mild electrical current to relieve pain.

Should I stop exercising if I have arthritis?
“In short, no!”, said Louisa.
“Your joints are built to move and it’s even more important if they’re stiff to keep them supple. If you have joint pain, or difficulty moving, it can be understandably difficult to start exercising but regular exercise can help keep joints healthy.”
“It’s kind of like a car - you can’t leave it on the drive for months without moving it and expect it to start.”

Should I start eating certain food types?
Louisa says that some people do find that changing their diet helps “improve” symptoms.
“But because people are all different and there are many different types of arthritis, what works for one person and one type of arthritis may not work for another.”
Oily fish and broccoli are among foods that could relieve joint pain.
Oranges, lemons, grapefruit and tomatoes could all help soothe arthritis symptoms.

Are there any complimentary therapies you recommend for osteoarthritis?
The charity has produced a report which has a look at how effective different therapies are.
“The two therapies that ranked the most highly were Tai Chi and acupuncture, suggesting that those with osteoarthritis may benefit from them regarding pain, disability or improvement to quality of life.”

Is it normal for arthritis to get me down?
Louisa says that an investigation by Arthritis Research UK found that a quarter of people with the condition say they often or frequently feel “low or depressed” due to the arthritis.
“Do not feel worried or embarrassed about talking about the mental impact of arthritis with your doctor.
"They will understand the impact your condition can have on your mental health and wellbeing and will discuss with you what support you may need to treat both the physical and mental impact of your condition side by side.”

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/961121/arthritis-rheumatoid-pain-symptoms-treatment-questions

Eating a yoghurt a day ‘could help treat asthma, arthritis, obesity and heart disease’

From thesun.co.uk

EATING a yoghurt before a fry up could help ward off the dangers of a high-fat diet, experts believe.

And they said one low-fat pot a day could help ease the agony of arthritis and treat asthma.
One day, experts say, the breakfast favourite could mean fewer people have to rely on painkillers like aspirin and naproxen, which come with nasty side-effects.
The key is yoghurt's ability to calm chronic inflammation, where the body attacks itself, scientists in the US found.

It's this process that's linked to arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, as well as obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses.
Volunteers given a 8oz pot of low-fat yoghurt before a breakfast of two sausage muffins and two hash browns, totalling 900 calories, had lower levels of inflammatory markers in their blood stream than those who didn't eat a yoghurt first.

Dr Ruisong Pei, a food scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said: "Eating 8oz of low-fat yoghurt before a meal is a feasible strategy to improve post-meal metabolism and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease."
The new findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, shows new evidence that yoghurt can dampen dangerous inflammation - and could provide a safer, long-term alternative to some drugs like aspirin, naproxen and hydrocortisone, for patients in chronic pain.

Scientists have been exploring the potential for dairy products as a treatment for the last 20 years, with mixed results.
Dr Brad Bolling, assistant professor of food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said it's thought yoghurt boosts the good bacteria in the intestines.
That in turn, stops inflammatory molecules called endotoxins, from passing into the blood stream.
"There have been some mixed results over the years, but a recent article shows that things are pointing more towards anti-inflammatory, particularly for fermented dairy," he said, referring to a study from last year that reviewed 52 different clinical trials.
Dr Bolling's team looked at 120 pre-menopausal women, half who were obese and half who weren't.
Half of the volunteers ate 12oz of low-fat yoghurt every day for nine weeks.
The other half ate non-dairy pudding for nine weeks - as a control.
Regular blood tests, taken over three years measured key markers in the blood linked to inflammation.
And the results showed that over time, yoghurt-eaters had significant improvements in those key inflammatory markers.
Dr Bolling said: "The results indicate that ongoing consumption of yoghurt may be having a general anti-inflammatory effect."
And in addition, the volunteers were also given a high-calorie meal challenge at the beginning and end of their nine-week diet.It was designed to stress their metabolism, and test if yoghurt can help prevent obesity.
The volunteers were given either a yoghurt or a non-dairy pudding, followed by a fry up - two sausage muffins and two hash browns totalling 900 calories.
Dr Bolling's team found those who ate the yoghurt first, showed improved inflammatory markers as they digested their hearty breakfast.
It helped improve blood sugar levels after the big meal.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6284903/yoghurt-a-day-help-treat-asthma-arthritis-obesity-heart-disease/

Why It’s So Important to Have a Healthy Gut

From belmarrahealth.com

Our body is connected in several different ways, so it shouldn’t be that surprising that your gut health could impact your joint pain. It is well known that obesity is linked to osteoarthritis — a type of arthritis categorized by “wear-and-tear” of the joints and cartilage.
Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 31 million people and it’s the leading cause of disability worldwide. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, but your doctor can offer recommendations to ease pain and prevent further wear and tear.

A person who carries extra weight because they are overweight or obese puts added strain on joints, which can speed up osteoarthritis and worsen joint pain.
A recent study brings the link between osteoarthritis and obesity one step closer by suggesting that gut bacteria could play an important part. The researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Centre conducted tests in order to better understand this link.
The researchers first began fattening up mice by feeding them a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. At this point, the mice became diabetic and obese and their body fat percentage doubled. Bacteria residents of the mice colons were then assessed.
The findings unveiled that their bowels contained high amounts of pro-inflammatory bacteria and significantly lacked healthy probiotics.
The researchers also studied body-wide inflammation. The researchers induced osteoarthritis in the mice by tearing their menisci. Between the control mice and the obese mice, the obese mice developed osteoarthritis much quicker. Specifically, during the 12 weeks, nearly all the obese mice developed osteoarthritis compared to the control group.

They conducted the same test for the second phase of their study, but this time, while fattening up the mice, they included a probiotic into their diet. That minor change was enough to reduce pro-inflammatory bacteria and promote healthy bacteria.
Furthermore, the inflammation of the joints was reduced and cartilage in the obese mice remained similar to the control mice. The introduction of the prebiotic also reduced diabetes symptoms, but it didn’t affect the amount of weight the mice gained.
Researcher Robert Mooney explained, “That reinforces the idea that osteoarthritis is another secondary complication of obesity — just like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, which all have inflammation as part of their cause.”
The results show promise as a means of reducing arthritis, but the study was conducted on mice, which are quite different than humans. Therefore, additional research is required to confirm findings among humans. In the meantime, it’s advised that you lose weight if you are overweight and maintain a healthy weight so you don’t put added stress on your joints.

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/important-healthy-gut/