Pain Relief Tips For Arthritis In Cold Weather

As Promised By The Fat To Fit Radio Show...

Pain Relief Tips For Arthritis In Cold Weather

Here is some arthritis pain relief tips when your aching joints act up in winter:

Dress warmly. If it’s cold outside, keep yourself warm with gloves over hands that ache and added layers over knees and legs.

Exercise inside. A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health that measured physical activity in 241 adults with arthritis living in Chicago (a city known for its bitterly cold winters) found that the amount of sedentary time increased by over three hours between November and June. But while it's understandable to want to avoid winter chill, people with joint pain should still stay active — and the best way is with an indoor exercise plan.

Enjoy warm water. Swimming in a heated pool is both great exercise and soothing to joints. You can also get relief from warm baths. Just don’t go right out into the cold after your soak. Let your body temperature normalize a bit first.

Supplement vitamin D. Being deficient in vitamin D might make osteoarthritis worse. You are less likely to get enough vitamin D in the winter, so this is a good time to take a supplement or make sure your diet is vitamin D-rich.


How to Be Supplement Savvy

Stay safe. Particularly when the weather turns icy, people with arthritis need to protect their joints from further damage. If you’re going outside, pick solid, supportive shoes with good treads and try to walk on a surface that doesn't look icy.

Try a glucosamine-chondroitin supplement. Although there are no herbal supplements that have been proven to provide arthritis pain relief in clinical studies, some patients do report relief from these supplements.

Add fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids do have some benefit because they seem to reduce the level of inflammation. You need about 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams a day to get benefits. Make sure to let your doctor know if you try omega-3s, as they can increase the risk of bruising or bleeding.

Take NSAIDs. (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) It’s okay to take an over-the-counter pain reliever when your joint pain is worse due to the weather.

Get a massage. Yes, you have permission to indulge yourself. A lot of what’s happening in terms of pain is, some is emanating from the joint and some from the muscles around the joint. A massage can help ease those cramped muscles.

Go under the needle. Acupuncture is another option for those willing to consider non-traditional treatments. It does seem patients derive some benefit with regard to pain. You may need several sessions to get the joint pain relief you seek.

6 Fat-Burning Foods for Winter

As Promised by The Fat To Fit Radio Show...

6 Fat-Burning Foods for Winter

Dark Chocolate

Your favorite indulgence actually includes two ingredients that are known to boost metabolism: caffeine and the antioxidant catechin. Just make sure you stick to a small square a day so the sugar and calories don’t outweigh dark chocolate’s fat-burning potential.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes may just be your cold-weather fat-burning secret. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, which helps keep you feeling full while burning calories by putting your digestive system to work. And they also contain a hormone that helps regulate your blood sugar. Stick with a simply seasoned boiled or steamed sweet potatoes-not a sugary dessert-if you are eating for weight loss.

Cinnamon

This is the time of year when cinnamon is often the star, and that’s a good thing: the warming Fall spice has been shown to slow digestion and regulate blood sugar to boost your metabolism.

Pears

You can find various types of pears throughout the Fall and Winter, and there’s a reason to stock up: pears, like apple, contain high levels of pectin, which binds to water and limits the amount of fat your body absorbs.

Turkey

Rest assured, your post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey habit is helping you burn fat. Lean protein, like turkey, keeps you full and takes energy to digest-both of which mean increased metabolism. Go for skinless breast meat to keep the calories down.

Grapefruit

This citrus is prime for picking in Autumn and Winter, so stock up. Grapefruit is an excellent source of soluble fiber, which can help you stay fuller, longer, while eating less. Try tossing grapefruit segments in a hearty salad for lunch (along with grapefruit vinaigrette).