| Arthritis affects more than 30 million Americans, | | | | One of the most important factors for building |
| resulting in severe pain and disability. While | | | | and maintaining strong, dense bones and keeping |
| osteoarthritis is the most common type, there | | | | joints fluid and healthy is regular exercise. Simply |
| are 100 other conditions, which affect joints, | | | | beginning a daily walking program will help keep |
| muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. | | | | your bones dense and lubricate your joints. The |
| Rheumatoid arthritis and gout are the other two | | | | idea that exercise will damage or hurt your |
| most familiar types. | | | | already painful joints is a fallacy. Taking the joints |
| Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that | | | | through their full range of motion helps them |
| causes the cartilage around joints to break down | | | | remain healthy. |
| causing pain, stiffness and disability. As with all the | | | | Exercise is key for several reasons: |
| major diseases, inflammation is at the root. | | | | It will strengthen muscles, which support your |
| However, damage is accelerated by the repetitive | | | | joints; |
| action of certain occupations, injuries, family | | | | It increases the flow of synovial fluid, which |
| tendency and being overweight. | | | | nourishes cartilage and improves mobility; and |
| Your joints have a natural lubricant called synovial | | | | It will help you lose excess weight, alleviating |
| fluid. Think of it as your body's natural WD-40. It | | | | stress on the joints! |
| carries nutrients to the cartilage, which does not | | | | Use common sense and approach the exercise |
| have its own blood supply, and carries waste | | | | part of this equation gently and gradually. While |
| products away. The more you move your joints, | | | | your muscles may become sore at the beginning |
| the more this lubricating and nourishing fluid flows | | | | of any exercise program, you should not have |
| through them, increasing their mobility. The less | | | | pain in your joints. Besides walking, swimming, |
| you move your joints, the less fluid flows through | | | | rebounding and yoga have been found to be |
| them and the less nourishment your cartilage | | | | excellent forms of exercise for arthritis sufferers. |
| receives. The cartilage begins to deteriorate and | | | | Gout is an arthritic type of pain in your joints. |
| that in turn causes the bones to rub together | | | | About 75% of people will experience it as an |
| which is what results in pain, stiffness, loss of | | | | excruciating pain in their big toe. The symptoms |
| mobility and finally disability. | | | | of gout (stiff, swollen and painful joints) are due |
| In order to get to the root of the problem and | | | | to excess uric acid forming crystals in your joints. |
| not simply manage pain, here are a few | | | | The pain results from your body's inflammatory |
| suggestions and natural supplements that have | | | | response to these crystals. As with osteoarthritis, |
| been shown to improve the condition as well as | | | | inflammation is the culprit - and as usual, diet is |
| relieve pain without the dangers of NSAID drugs. | | | | the number one way to decrease inflammation. |
| One of the primary treatments you should | | | | Recent research shows you can lower your risk |
| consider including is a good source of animal-based | | | | of gout by 85% simply by reducing your intake |
| Omega-3 fats like krill or cod liver oil. I consider | | | | of sugar! As far as using supplements, tart |
| Omega-3's to be a foundational supplement for | | | | cherries have been found to offer excellent |
| everyone because it is so important for so many | | | | benefits in treating gout. Tart cherries contain two |
| functions of the body. In the case of | | | | powerful compounds, which have similar activity |
| osteoarthritis, it is essential for relieving | | | | to aspirin and ibuprofen and help relieve and |
| inflammation. You may consider trying | | | | prevent these conditions. |
| glucosamine and chondroitin, which studies have | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It |
| shown to be beneficial, particularly for pain relief | | | | occurs when the body's immune cells attack and |
| and much safer than NSAIDS. The Indian herb, | | | | destroy the linings of the joints. One of the most |
| boswellia, has also been shown to be effective in | | | | important things you can do is to get adequate |
| treating joint inflammation. One of the most | | | | vitamin D3 along with omega-3's, boswellia and |
| promising natural substances is a plant enzyme | | | | tart cherries. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is |
| found in pineapple called bromelain. Studies show | | | | a powerful anti-inflammatory. Devil's Claw is |
| that enteric-coated bromelain is as effective as | | | | another herb found to be helpful. Keeping your |
| common anti-inflammatory drugs in dealing with | | | | body's pH as alkaline as possible is also key to |
| joint pain. | | | | reducing inflammation. |