People seem to think that arthritis is a normal part of aging.  I had a woman in her 60s tell me that she was in pain every day from arthritis and when I asked her what she was doing to treat it she replied “what can I do?  It’s just part of getting old”.   Her comment made me realize that people believe getting old is associated with pain and discomfort, and it doesn’t have to be.

There are many different kinds of arthritis, but the most common are osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  With osteoarthritis the cartilage in the joints slowly degenerate while rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation of the joints that restrict movement.  Neither of these diseases has a cure and can cause discomfort and pain, but both are manageable.  Through a healthy lifestyle including exercise, nutrition and chiropractic adjustments, patients who are diagnosed with these diseases can live a relatively normal life with minimal pain.

Nutrition plays a large role in disease, and arthritis is no exception.  It is important to eat foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and have high amounts of vitamin C.  Some helpful foods are blueberries, apples, broccoli, wild salmon and papaya.  Spices that help reduce inflammation include turmeric, garlic, ginger and black pepper.

Staying active is also important because it keeps the joints mobile.  Water aerobics can be very beneficial because the water reduces the impact on the joints while you exercise.  If water sports are not an option for you there are floor exercises that can be done to help stretch the joints as well, one great exercise for the knees is to lie on your stomach with your knees bent while holding your foot and pulling it toward the floor.

In addition to an anti-inflammatory diet and keeping an active lifestyle, chiropractic adjustments can help keep your joints mobile.  Chiropractors adjust every joint in your body from your spine to your hips and even your fingers and toes.  Getting regular adjustments can relieve a lot of the pain that is associated with arthritis.  Dr. Joseph Morreale with The Chiropractic Center treats a lot of arthritis patients and says “A lot of the pain associated with arthritis comes when the degeneration or inflammation cause the bones to shift out of place putting pressure on the nerves.  Some of this pain can be alleviated through specific adjustments to realign the bones and free up the nerves”.

A change in lifestyle can help manage arthritis so that this disease does not have to be “just a part of getting old”.  Small changes in diet with exercise and an occasional visit to a chiropractor can make a large difference.