Do you have arthritis developing in your joints and not know it? Have you been diagnosed with arthritis and suffer with joint pain and stiffness that interferes with activities you enjoy doing? If so, there are four steps you can take to prevent it or slow the progression of arthritis if you already have it.

Arthritis is a degenerative joint condition that involves thinning of cartilage, narrowing of joint spaces, stiffness, loss of flexibility and pain.  Arthritis is not an inevitable part of aging as most people believe.  In most cases, it is the result of abnormal joint mechanics, inflammatory food, poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

Here are the most important steps you can take to preserve your joints for a lifetime:

1. Maintain Your Alignment.  Arthritis develops when your bones and joints are not aligned properly. The traumas, injuries and bad posture you experience throughout life causes bones to shift out of place and if left uncorrected, leads to excessive joint wear and arthritis over time. Regular chiropractic adjustments are the key to maintaining the alignment of your joints for a lifetime. Check with us to find out how often you need to be checked and adjusted to maintain proper alignment. For most people it is once a month.

What Orthopedic Surgeons Do Not Fix When They Perform Hip and Knee Replacements

2. Adopt An Anti-Inflammatory Diet.  The S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) is laden with inflammatory foods that cause a buildup of damaging arachidonic acid in joints which leads to erosion and decay of joint cartilage. Arthritis is an INFLAMMATORY condition that can be perpetuated by INFLAMMATORY food.  If you want to have healthy joints, you need to consider defaming your body.

3. Improve Your Nutrition.  Eating highly processed, packaged food is not only inflammatory, it is usually very low in nutritional value.  Try to eat at least five or more servings of organic fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) a day.  These are the best source of vitamins and minerals along with lean, organic, grass-fed meat, chicken and fish.  Drink plenty of filtered water everyday and take these key nutritional supplements that you likely do not get enough from your diet.

Besides these supplements, DISCAT, a glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate formula is one of the best arthritis-specific supplements we offer.

4. Exercise on a Consistent Basis.  Lack of exercise commonly leads to muscle and bone weakness (osteoporosis) and joint stiffness.  Regular exercise helps keep muscles and bones strong and joints flexible. Exercise is also vital for your joints because it stimulates cartilage cells to continually grow, repair and maintain healthy cartilage.

Make exercise fun by doing an activity you enjoy.  Consider joining an exercise class such as yoga or pilates (both great for your balance and core).  Strength training, bike riding, running, other sports, or merely walking for 30 minutes, five days a week are other exercise options.

Joints are designed for movement.  “Use it or lose it” applies here, but the old adage, “No pain, no gain” does not apply to exercise!  If you experience pain, joint “popping,” “clicking” or “grinding” during exercise it is a sign of a problem!  It is usually due to poor joint alignment, joint instability, or worn cartilage!

We help people with arthritis every day.  If you or someone you know is suffering from arthritic pain, contact us to see if we can help.