Managing your arthritis with food and gentle exercise

From startsat60.com

If you live with arthritis, you know how it can sap your enjoyment of even your best-loved activities. Tenderness and stiffness around the joints, inflammation and muscle weakness make movement more difficult and can dampen your mood too.

But while there’s no cure for arthritis, there’s masses of research into simple lifestyle changes that could help people with arthritis live with less pain.

Some of the latest findings show the potential for certain types of food and exercise to have a real and positive impact on quality of life for people with arthritis. But before embarking on an exercise regime, taking new supplements, or making changes to your diet, it’s important to consult your health professional.

Try low-impact exercise 

There’s growing evidence to suggest that exercise can ease the pain of arthritis, but it’s not about lifting heavy weights or running marathons.

Research from around the world including Australia has found that older adults who have been diagnosed with musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis often experience an improvement in their condition and quality of life after completing low-impact exercise programs (usually involving regular exercise over a number of weeks).

In one study from New York, researchers measured changes after an eight-week program of one low-impact exercise class each week. The success of the program was judged by the number of participants who were able to undertake activities they’d previously been unable to. They found that the number who could climb several flights of stairs increased by an amazing 88 per cent; . there was a 69 per cent increase in the number who could lift and carry their groceries; and a 67 per cent rise in those who could bend, kneel or stoop.

There are many types of low-impact exercise – swimming, tai chi and exercises done in water or on a chair are just some – and it’s important to choose not only the one you like best but that’s also the most appropriate for your condition, which is something a health professional can advise on.

‘Chair yoga’, for example, is a low-impact exercise that’s been shown by researchers to help reduce pain in the ankles, feet, hips and knees in people with osteoarthritis.

Researchers at the Florida Atlantic University found that people who attended two, 45- minute yoga sessions a week for eight weeks reported not only less pain and improved walking speed during the eight-week program, but that pain interfered less with their daily activities for three months after the program ended.

The American College of Rheumatology says more broadly that although people with arthritis commonly limit their physical activities, becoming inactive risks making their ability to tolerate pain worse, as well as weakening their muscles, causing joints to stiffen and impacting balance.

Being active, with the right exercises, is vital for anyone with arthritis, it says. But the college cautions that anyone who has inactive, is suffering pain, has reduced joint motion or muscle strength or is recovering from surgery should start with therapeutic exercise prescribed by a health professional.

Review your diet 

Research also suggests that diet can play a vital role in managing arthritis symptoms.

Scientists created a list of foods that may help patients manage rheumatoid arthritis, on the back of a major review of the evidence regarding foods believed to have beneficial effects on signs and symptoms of arthritis. Foods including blueberries, pomegranates, ginger, turmeric, olive oil, and green tea were among the foods that may help ease inflammation, stiffness and pain, they found.

Other research indicates it may be possible to ease arthritis with more common dietary staples. For example, low-fat plain yoghurt and oily fish appear to help ease or prevent symptoms of joint inflammation and tenderness that are experienced by people with arthritis.

Scientists are continually examining new food and exercise options that could help people with arthritis; a recent piece of research from Europe indicates, for example, that an extract of brown algae may slow down the cartilage degeneration that happens in arthritic joints.

https://startsat60.com/countries/australia-countries/manage-arthritis-pain-inflammation-natural-solutions

10 eye-opening benefits of walking

From mnn.com

From your heart to your head, here's why you should get moving.

Whether you work hard to get 10,000 steps a day or just like a daily stroll with your dog, walking is a near-perfect exercise. It's good for your body and your mind and you can do it just about anywhere with no fancy equipment.
From strengthening bones to shedding pounds, researchers keep finding more and more health benefits from this simple activity. Need a reason to hit the trail or wander the pavement? Here are just a few impressive benefits of walking.

                      Walking helps nearly every part of your body. (Photo: Stasique/Shutterstock)

1. It helps you maintain a healthy weight. It may seem like a no-brainer, but regular walking can lead to weight loss because exercise burns calories. But with walking, the calories you burn depend more the distance you cover rather than your pace, according to Harvard Health. During a 15-year study, researchers found that people who walked gained significantly less weight than those who didn't and the more people walked, the less weight they gained.
2. It can help you live longer. Several studies have linked regular walking to longevity. A 2018 study found that walking can lower your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Another study in 2018 found that walking at a brisk pace seems to cut the risk of dying by 24 percent, while walking at an average pace reduces the risk by 20 percent. A study by the American Cancer Society found that even low levels of walking are linked with lower mortality.
3. Walking strengthens bones and muscles. All those steps can keep your bones strong and ward off bone loss, fractures and osteoporosis. That back-and-forth movement also tones the muscles in your legs and abs. If you swing your arms when you walk, you can strengthen those arm muscles, too.
4. It eases joint pain. Walking protects your joints by lubricating them and strengthening the surrounding muscles that support them. Several studies also have shown that walking eases arthritis-related pain and if you walk enough, it might prevent arthritis from forming in the first place, says Harvard.
5. It boosts your mood. The more people walk each day, the more energetic they feel and the better their mood, according to a California State University study. Walking releases endorphins, which are chemicals that trigger positive feelings in the body.
6. It can reduce your breast cancer risk. An American Cancer Society study found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week.
7. Walking can help you sleep. An hour of walking and stretching, especially in the morning, can help you fall asleep and stay asleep, reports WebMD.
8. It can reduce your risk of diabetes. Walking can help prevent diabetes or reduce its severity. Findings from the Harvard Nurses' Health Study suggest that walking briskly for 30 minutes daily reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 30 percent.
9. It helps your heart. Walking does wonders for your heart and circulation, according to the Arthritis Foundation. It lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your heart, cuts your risk of stroke and wards off heart disease.
10. It saves your brain. Walking keeps your mind sharp. In a University of California at San Francisco study, researchers measured the cognitive abilities of nearly 6,000 women age 65 and older. They tracked their physical activity for several years and found that age-related memory decline was lowest in the women who walked the most.

https://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/benefits-walking

Weight loss benefits: 5 reasons why you need to lose weight if you're suffering from arthritis

From timesnownews.com

Being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk for arthritis at the first place. Here are five benefits of weight loss if you're living with arthritis.

New Delhi: Losing a few pounds can offer a wide range of health benefits, from decreased risk of heart disease to improved sex life and energy. Shedding those extra kilos can actually help reduce arthritis pain. Being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk for arthritis at the first place. However, weight loss can ease arthritis pain and improve the quality of life of adults living with the chronic condition.
Carrying extra weight, particularly around the middle or belly, can contribute to serious health conditions. But when you have arthritis, it puts more pressure on your joints, causing pain and discomfort. Moreover, a number of inflammatory mediators produced in fat affect joint tissues, thereby playing a role in pain. Here are five reasons to lose weight if you have arthritis.

Weight loss can ease arthritis pain and improve the quality of life of adults living with the chronic condition  |  Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Arthritis and the benefits of weight loss

Reduces pressure on your joints: A 2005 study published in Arthritis & Rheumatism suggested that overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis who lose one pound of weight experienced lesser pressure on their joints. The study found that losing just 10 pounds would relieve about 40 pounds of pressure from your knees.
Eases pain: Less body weight means less pain. A 2013 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that adults with osteoarthritis who lost weight through a combination of diet and exercise over a period of 18 months reported less knee pain. The study, led by Dr Loeser, concluded that dropping just 10 per cent of your body weight can cause improvement in joint pain and function.
Less inflammation: Fat itself is an active tissue that generates and releases pro-inflammatory chemicals, however, losing weight can ease the pain and lower inflammation levels in the body. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an endogenous chemical which is active in inflammation, has been shown to play a key role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. However, Loeser and his team found that the levels of IL-6 went down over the course of the participants' 18 months of exercise and weight loss.
Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease: Losing weight will help you maintain healthy blood pressure or get back to a normal range. A healthy lifestyle, such as eating right and engaging in physical activity that promote weight loss can also lower your cholesterol. Studies have shown that even a moderate weight loss can help to reduce your risk of various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer apart from arthritis.
Improves sleep: Research has proven that losing weight can lead to better sleep. However, musculoskeletal pain can interfere with sleep and result in insomnia over the years. Engaging in a healthy fitness routine may help improve sleep pattern in patients.

Note: All content, including tips and suggestions, is purely for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before beginning any weight loss programme.

https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/weight-loss-and-arthritis-5-reasons-to-lose-weight-living-with-arthritis/298071

How an arthritis operation by a QA surgeon changed this Fareham pianist's life

From Portsmouth.co.uk

A MUSIC teacher is back to her best after life-changing surgery helped combat her arthritis. Queen Alexandra Hospital surgeon Dr Phil Sauve is leading the way on the Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant operation, having completed the most in the world.

The surgery, for people with osteoarthritis in their thumb joints, inserts an implant into the bone to stop the pain and restriction on movement caused by the condition. Maria Howell, from Fareham, had the operation as part the Grip clinical studies being carried out by QA Hospital along with a centre in Derby and hospitals in Canada. She is one of 32 patients to have the surgery by Dr Sauve and said it had made a huge difference to her life. ‘I have been teaching singing and music for a very long time and I am a sports therapist as well,’ Maria said. ‘All these things were wearing my thumb joints out. I had to stop because I was in pain. My thumb was also partially dislocating. ‘The surgery made a tremendous difference, I am not miserable anymore and I was able to start teaching again. I am not in constant pain and my flexibility is back when playing the piano.

‘It is great to be able to play again. ’Dr Sauve, consultant trauma and orthopaedic hand and wrist surgeon, is one of two in England who can do the operation and said the study has been an exciting time for orthopaedic surgery. He said: ‘Other treatments for this condition are good for pain and movement but not for grip. The Cartiva implant gives the same results for pain and range of movement but grip strength increases by at least 100 per cent. ‘For people with an active lifestyle or are still working, it is a much better option.

‘This is still a study so we are closely monitoring the patients and the early signs are very good.’ Dr Sauve said it was great for QA Hospital to be involved in the surgery which is getting interest from overseas. It is being introduced in America and television network CBS flew over from the States to interview Dr Sauve about his work. He added: ‘It is great for us as surgeons for personal development but it is also good for QA to be leading the way.’

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/health/how-an-arthritis-operation-by-a-qa-surgeon-changed-this-fareham-pianist-s-life-1-8652250