Tag: Proper Diet

No Pain, No Gain Isn’t True of Arthritis, But Exercise

No Pain, No Gain Isn’t True of Arthritis, But Exercise Is Still Important
David Silva

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesRecent studies have shown that exercise may acually help people with arthritis in a number of ways. It can reduce joint pain and stiffness. It can increase flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance. And it can also help with weight reduction and contribute to an improved sense of well-being.Most comprehensive arthritis treatment plans should include an exercise regiment. Rest and relaxation, proper diet, medication, and instruction about proper use of joints and ways to conserve energy (that is, not to waste motion), as well as the use of pain relief methods should also be included in treatment plans.What types of exercises are best for people with arthritis? Try these three:Range-of-motion exercises to help maintain normal joint movement, relieve stiffness, and increase flexibility.Strengthening exercises to help keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help support and protect joints affected by arthritis.Aerobic or endurance exercises to improve cardiovascular fitness, help control weight, and improve overall function. Weight control can be important to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts extra pressure on joints. As always, people with arthritis should discuss their options with their doctors before starting on an exercise program. Easy, range-of-motion exercises and low-impact aerobics are gennerally a good way to get started. And make sure to ask your doctor about any sports or exercise programs in which you currently participate. Some programs may do more harm than good.You should also be aware that your doctor may decide to refer you to a physical therapist. A therapist with experience in arthritis can design an appropriate home exercise program and teach you about pain-relief methods, proper body mechanics, joint protection, and conserving energy.So what’s the best way to get going? First, always first, discuss your exercise plans with your doctor.Next, start with supervision from a physical therapist or a qualified athletic trainer.Apply heat to sore joints.Stretch and warm up with range-of-motion exercises.Start strengthening exercises slowly with small weights (a 1 or 2 pound weight can make a big difference).Progress slowly.Use cold packs after exercising.Add aerobic exercise.Ease off if joints become painful, inflamed, or red and work with your doctor to find the cause and eliminate it.Like any exercise program, choose a program you enjoy and make it a habit.Range-of-motion exercises should be done at least every other day. Strengthening exercises also should be done at least every other day unless you have severe pain or swelling in your joints. Endurance exercises should be done for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week unless you have severe pain or swelling in your joints.Additional information on arthritis and exercise can be found at the following resources:Arthritis FoundationThe Foundation publishes a free pamphlet on exercise and arthritis and a monthly magazine for members that provides up-to-date information on all forms of arthritis. http://www.arthritis.orgAbout Arthritis TodayInformation on the causes, symptoms, and treatments of arthritis.http://www.aboutarthritistoday.com/arthritisexercise/Spondylitis Association of America (SAA)SAA sells books, posters, videotapes, and audiotapes about exercises for people who have arthritis of the spine.http://www.spondylitis.orgAmerican College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health ProfessionalsThis association provides referrals to physical therapists who have experience designing exercise programs for people with arthritis. The organization also provides exercise guidelines developed by the American College of Rheumatology.http://www.rheumatology.org About the Author
About Arthritis Todayhttp://aboutarthritistoday.com

Solutions For Health Problems-Keep Illness Away

People all across the planet suffer from a wide variety of health problems. These health problems can be anything, from something as minor as a simple allergy to something as serious as full blown cancer. So what are you suppose to do about these sicknesses? The best Solutions for Health Problems you can find are simply to avoid getting these problems all together.

Now obviously, a lot of problems are out of your control, some things just happen. But for a lot of them you can take preventive measures. As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense. Instead of waiting for something to happen and trying to cure it, take the steps needed to avoid getting it all together.

1: Maintain a proper diet. One of the main reasons people suffer so many problems is because they do not keep their body in top form. The human body is a remarkable thing and is quite the power house when it comes to it’s own well being. Your body is capable of fending off almost every type of illness or health problem, as long as you give it plenty of fuel.

Your body, like anything else, requires fuel to run. That fuel comes in the form of food. If you are not eating the right kinds of foods, your body has to not only fight off potential illnesses, but it has to do so while underpowered.

2: Stay active. Another great Solutions for Health Problems is to simply stay active. The human body does not do so well when forced into a sedentary life style. It was made to run and be active, that is why your metabolism and other bodily functions increase whenever you are active. You burn off excess fat, produce beneficial chemicals, and generally just give your body what it needs.

3: Avoid stress. It has been clinically proven that stress can cause all sorts of problems for people. When stressed, your body works in odd ways and will produce certain chemicals. Some of these chemicals are just downright harmful, while others are harmful because there’s too many of them. So try to avoid stress whenever possible.

4: Avoid smoking or drinking. If you really want to avoid health problems, then avoid taking harmful things into your body. We all know by now that smoking is not good for you, but even so millions of people still do it. The same can be said for drinking as well. While not as dangerous, drinking too much will still cause you problems. If you keep it in moderation it will not be a big issue.

5: Get routine checkups. Even if you try your best, things can still go wrong. Visit your doctor routinely for a checkup. Many diseases can be cured if caught early enough, so you want to catch these problems before they get out of hand.

There are many, many more Solutions for Health Problems out there than just these. But these tips offer a place to start, from there you can go further and make sure you live a long, healthy life.

Warts And The Immune System

It makes sense that some of the risk factors for acquiring warts can be easily controlled. Simply avoiding contact with those who are already infected with warts is the most logical step to aid in not contracting warts. Not using personal items which belong to infected individuals, and taking precautions while in public areas that may contain the infection are also helpful safeguards. But while those who do not have an adequate immune system are much more likely to develop warts, this is a factor which can be aided in many cases.

Although persons who have medical conditions which negatively affect the immune system do not have much recourse, the majority of healthy people do have the ability to take steps to keep their immune systems at peak state. If one’s immune system is safeguarded, this one factor alone will go a long way in preventing warts. It is unlikely that many people consider their immune system as something over which they have control, but basic good health practices are the strongest influencing factors. Stick to a healthy lifestyle, and you will be much less likely to develop warts.

You may not initially realize the correlation between your diet and warts. You may also not consider your sleep patterns to be a factor. Both are related, because both play an important role in keeping your immune system strong and healthy. If you do not have a proper diet, this will compromise your immune system. In addition, studies have shown that specific dietary deficiencies, such as the lack of adequate potassium, greatly increase a person’s risk of warts.

It is much better to adhere to a healthy diet than to be in the position of having to deal with warts after they occur. It is important to keep in mind that one’s dietary practices have a dual role first, in keeping the immune system strong in general, and also to not end up with the potassium deficiencies that increase your risk of warts.

A proper amount of sleep on a regular basis is also very important in preventing warts. Frequent lack of sleep also undermines the immune system. A weak immune system will open you up to a wide range of potential health problems, and the various types of warts is one of the most immediate and visible.

If you add together the factors of diet and sleep, you will have the two main factors which determine the state of your immune system. For a person who is otherwise healthy, free of any serious medical complications, both of these factors should be easily within your control. To exercise good judgment with nutrition and rest will be one of the most significant factors in preventing warts.

If you do not have a proper diet, or do not get enough sleep on a regular basis, you can lessen your risk of acquiring warts by addressing these problems. To make some positive changes in your lifestyle to reflect more healthy patterns will benefit you in many ways, both currently and in the long-run. Making you less likely to develop warts is just one of the benefits.

Anxiety Stress Treatment

Everyone knows that working too hard and worrying too much are one of the causes of stress. Aside from taking pain killers and drugs such as Xanax or Buspar to relieve it, there are also natural treatments to treat anxiety.

One of the simplest things to do is maintaining a proper diet. This means not skipping meals and eating something that has a combination of carbohydrates and protein. The person should also minimize drinking coffee since a lot of tests have proven caffeine is a major cause of stress.

Food is just one of many things that can give the person proper nutrition. Since the average Joe cannot quantify this in each meal, this can be balanced with the use of nutritional supplements or vitamins. The bottle should contain things such as calcium, vitamin B complex, pantothenic acid or magnesium as part of its ingredients.

There was a time that people relied on artificial ingredients in supplements. Some doctors have discovered that taking herbs can also produce the same effects.

A good example is Kava which is found in Polynesia. This has the same natural ingredients found in drugs such as Xanax and Valium to relive stress. The big difference is that there are no side effects.

Another example is Valerian which is an herbal tranquilizer to treat those who are suffering from insomnia. This makes the person feel calm and isn’t habit forming compared to other drugs in the market. The individual can mix this with other herbs such as hops or passionflower if the smell is bad or the taste isn’t good.

Other herbs that can be used to treat anxiety disorder are lemon balm, skullcap, suma, chamomile and hops.

The person should first consult the doctor if it is safe to take these herbs. This could endanger children or those who are pregnant. The individual should be aware that improvements may happen in a matter of days or in some cases, a few weeks after usage.

Herbs don’t have to ingested every time one feels stressed. The person can go down to the store and buy some candles or oils and make this go away using aromatherapy. The oil used can be massaged in the scalp and temple while the rest is being burned.

Some examples of the oils used are rose, sandalwood, lavender, jasmine, cypress, bergamot, geranium and ylang-ylang.

The person may need some bodywork to relieve stress. A good masseur can relieve the muscle tension and stress which will help improve the individual sleep. There are various massage treatments such as swedish, shiatsu and thai that will work well with anyone that requires a rubdown.

Physical exercise is also another treatment used to treat stress. The person can walk, jog or run several times a week or play a game of basketball with friends. This will strengthen the heart and muscles which in turn will strengthen the person’s endurance at work.

Exercise doesn’t always have to be physical. The person can also release the tension from the body using mind and body breathing exercises commonly found in yoga, tai chi, meditation and bio feedback. This should be done whenever the individual feels stressed or daily.

The various treatments against anxiety stress shows that this can be overcome. The person should try these to find out which is the best to use regularly.