One of the most effective ways to manage a chronic health condition like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, is to become an effective self-manager. The folks at Arthritis Today magazine have put together a listing from A-Z of 26 things you can do to get started on self-managing your arthritis.
You may recognize some of the tips, such as:
J for Joints: "If joint pain becomes constant, interferes with daily activity and is not relieved by medication, it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery." and
M for Movement: "Regular physical activity has a slew of benefits, including reducing joint and muscle pain and stiffness, increasing range of motion, boosting your mood and reducing your risk of other health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which pose a particular threat to people with inflammatory forms of arthritis."
There may be a few tips you weren't aware of yet though, like:
G for Grapefruit Juice: "Grapefruit juice is the bad boy of breakfast beverages – if you are taking certain medications." and
Z for Zzzzs: "Nothing is quite as refreshing as a good night’s sleep, but if you have arthritis, pain or medications may make it difficult to get to sleep or stay asleep. One solution: Try changing the timing of your medications."
Read the article in full here at Arthritis Today's website. If you have other tips that have been helpful for you, please post them below in the comments!