24% of all adults in the US suffer from arthritis, making it a fairly common condition. There are various types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, and more.
While symptoms differ for each type, and different individuals may be diagnosed with this condition based on age, gender, genetic history, etc., all arthritis patients can see their doctor for arthritis treatments while also making modifications to their lifestyle including diet and exercise.
If you’re struggling with any type of arthritis, you should make the following changes while pursuing treatment at Houston Surgical Hospital near NASA, TX:
1. Add exercise to your routine
It’s understandable that having stiff, achy joints and tendons feels less than pleasant, and exercise may be the last thing on your mind. However, it’s important to realize that it’s vital to keep your joints strong, agile, mobile, and stable. Choose low-impact, low-intensity exercises that won’t stress your joints but will help you stay active and maintain a healthy weight for the best results.
2. Improve your diet and nutrition
As part of your holistic arthritis treatment, you need to improve your diet and nutrition. Eat foods that fuel your body and mind, including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein sources. Add berries and other anti-inflammatory foods to your diet to feel energized and less bloated and inflamed.
3. Minimize smoking and alcohol consumption
Smoking and drinking can worsen inflammation and cause more pain and stiffness, especially for RA. It’s important to realize that alcohol can also react with your pain medications, and arthritis treatments cause a host of problems, which is why you need to talk to your healthcare provider in detail about this.
4. Focus on regular rest and recovery
While being active and mobile is important for managing arthritis, so are rest and recovery. Make it a point to get sufficient sleep at night, take it easy during a flare-up, focus on recovery exercises after your workouts, and manage stress for the best results.
Arthritis can be a challenge to live with and it causes a wide range of complications, but with the right lifestyle modifications and medical treatments, you can maintain a large degree of your quality of life. Visit our website to get more information about arthritis treatments at Houston Physicians Hospital, TX. Then scroll down to find an arthritis specialist who’s right for you. If you have other ailments that you need addressed, you can find other doctors on our website and click on their profile to schedule an appointment with their office.