1. Sips of ginger tea
Numerous studies have found that ginger can mimic Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, first-line drugs for the relief of arthritis pain. They act practically the same as medicines, but without the side effects. Use ginger powder, fresh, raw or a little cooked in food. Make your own tea: place slices of ginger for 15 minutes in a couple of cups of boiling water, or buy tea bags at the supermarket.
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2. Eat foods that fight inflammation
Forget about fast food, scrap, fried foods or processed foods. A Swedish study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that those who changed their style of eating to a more Mediterranean concept (with more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil, nuts, garlic, onions and herbs) had less inflammation and regained some physical abilities and mobility .
3. Smell fragrant spices
Pleasant scents such as lavender can alter the perception of pain, as some studies reveal. Japanese researchers found that lavender reduces levels of the stress hormone (cortisol), which will make you feel relaxed and less aware of pain .
Korean researchers found that patients with arthritis experienced less pain and felt less depressed when exposed to a variety of spice flavors you can find in the kitchen, including marjoram, rosemary and mint.
For a soothing aromatherapy treatment, add a teaspoon of one of these dried herbs to a quarter cup of vegetable oil and occasionally inhale its fragrance several times.
4. Wash the dishes by hand
It sounds contradictory, but if you have pain in your hands, this simple task can relieve the pain of arthritis . First, submerging your hands in hot water can help relax muscles and joints and relieve stiffness at the same time. Second, exercise will help you keep your hands and fingers moving.
5. Make your own heat pad
Fill a cotton sock with any type of raw rice and seal it. Put it in the microwave at maximum power for about 2-3 minutes. When it cools a little, but it is still warm, place it in a rigid joint in which you have pain to relieve it. It should stay warm for about half an hour. You will love the way the rice molds your body and provides a soft heat . If you have lavender or other aromatic herbs on hand, put a few drops in the sock to get some relaxing aromatherapy.
6. Make your own capsaicin cream
This home remedy reduces the levels of a compound called substance P, which transmits pain signals to the brain. You can do a little mixing a bit of ground cayenne with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Apply gauze on clean skin to painful joints several times a day. The first dose will cause a mild burning sensation, but you will get used to it after about a week . Just keep it away from the mouth, eyes and other mucous membranes.
7. Apply a patch of chamomile tea
Chamomile tea is an anti-inflammatory that can help relieve arthritis pain . Prepare a strong infusion with four bags of chamomile tea in a cup (or less) of hot water. Let it stand, covered, for 20 minutes, then squeeze and extract the tea bags. Soak a clean cloth in the liquid and apply it to the sore joint.
8. Give a cold-heat treatment to your joints
You need two containers. Fill one with cold water and ice cubes and the other with hot water at a temperature that you can tolerate to the touch. Submerge the joint with pain in the cold water, for a minute, then change to the hot water container and submerge for 30 seconds. Then change the affected joint from cold to warm for about 15 minutes, leaving it in each for about 30 seconds. When finished, leave it submerged in cold water for one minute.
9. Go swimming
Swimming has been recommended for a long time as a good exercise for people with arthritis; the weightlessness of water reduces the impact on the joints . One study found that Taiwanese who rehabilitate themselves in the water significantly improve flexibility in the knees and hips, as well as strength and aerobic capacity.
Another Australian study found that such programs also resulted in decreased pain and better joint function in general. Ask your health center, hospital, or local pool if there are classes designed specifically for people with arthritis.
swim
10. Take 4 cups of green tea a day
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University supplied a group of mice with the equivalent of four cups of green tea a day. They then gave the mice a substance that would normally produce rheumatoid arthritis. Mice that drank green tea were much less likely to develop arthritis than mice that drank only water. Other research found that the antioxidant polyphenols in green tea are anti-inflammatory, improve the immune response related to arthritis and significantly reduce cartilage damage.
11. Add turmeric to your food
It contains a powerful compound called curcumin, which inhibits enzymes and proteins that promote inflammation. Several studies have found that it reduces pain and inflammation in patients with arthritis . In a study of people with osteoarthritis of the knee, those who ate only 2 grams a day (less than a teaspoon) had pain relief and increased mobility equal to those who took 800 milligrams of ibuprofen.
Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of turmeric in your rice or vegetables daily. Another option is to bring some mustard packs in your pocket to add them to your food; they are the perfect dose.
12. Make sure you get enough vitamin C
Vitamin C not only helps produce collagen, a major component of the joints, it also spreads through the body avoiding the damage of destructive free radicals, which are harmful to the joints. One of the most well-known studies looking at the relationship between vitamin C and arthritis, found that people whose diets usually included large amounts of vitamin C, significantly decreased the risk that their arthritis progressed .
Extend consumption throughout the day, because your body does not store vitamin C; Rather, it takes what it needs from the blood at a given moment and eliminates the rest. So a mega-dose in the morning, actually does not do as much good as you might think . It is advisable to enjoy citrus drinks or eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries or melon, broccoli or sweet peppers throughout the day.
13. Add cloves to your diet
The cloves contain eugenol, a popular anti-inflammatory chemical that interferes with the body process that causes arthritis . A study done with animals, showed that it prevents the release of COX-2, a protein that stimulates inflammation (the same protein in which inhibitory drugs such as Celebrex).
Cloves also contain antioxidants, which are important in delaying cartilage and bone damage caused by arthritis. It is advisable to consume ½ to 1 teaspoon a day .
14. Recharge yourself from omega-3
It is excellent for relieving inflammation and joints. Some fish such as salmon and tuna are some of the best sources of this fatty acid. However, your body may need more omega-3 than you get from consuming only fish, so talk to your doctor about prescribing an omega-3 supplement. And when cooking, always prefer canola oil before corn . Canola contains omega-3, while corn oil contains omega-6, which can actually make the inflammation and pain of arthritis worse.
15. Eat less allergenic foods
Food allergies can play an important role in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers at the University of Oslo in Norway found that people with autoimmune diseases had higher levels of antibodies to cow's milk, eggs, cod and pork compared to people who did not have the disease.
In one study, people with rheumatoid arthritis followed a diet where they eliminated the common foods associated with allergies, such as grains (especially products containing wheat gluten), nuts, milk and eggs, after a lapse of 10 to 18 days had a significant improvement in symptoms. When they started eating these foods again, they felt worse. Other studies have found that corn, wheat, oranges, oats, rye, eggs, beef, and coffee can also be problematic foods, because many of these foods help produce arachidonic acid, a chemical in our body linked to inflammation.
16. Make yourself a paste of ginger
Applying crushed ginger to a joint with pain can deplete the body's stores of substance P , a brain chemical that carries pain signals to the central nervous system. A study of 56 people found that ginger relieved the symptoms of people with osteoarthritis by 55% and 74% in people with rheumatoid arthritis .
To make a paste, peel and finely chop a medium piece of fresh ginger. Mix with enough olive oil to form a paste, then apply it to the aching joint. Depending on where the pain is, you may have to wrap the joint with the plaster, using gauze or bandage. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes.
17. Increase the volume
Listening to your favorite music can relieve pain (usually because it raises hormone levels that reduce your sensitivity to pain). In a Cleveland Clinic Foundation study of people with persistent pain in the back, neck or joints, one group was assigned a playlist of soothing melodies, while a second group chose their own soundtrack, and a third was not prescribed with any music. The two groups that listened to music had lower rates of arthritis pain, depression and disability compared to the group without music, which experienced an increase in pain. The study also indicated that the type of music you listen to does not matter, as long as you like it . People who chose their own melodies experienced greater reduction in pain, depression and disability than those who listened to generic relaxing music.
18. Goodbye to shoes
Walking naturally reduces the load on the knee joints, which minimizes the pain and disability caused by osteoarthritis by 12% compared to when walking with shoes on, according to a study by Rush University Medical Center. to 75 people with osteoarthritis. When you have to wear shoes, look for those who intend to imitate the natural contour of the heel and arch and avoid the heels, because they only generate more pressure on the joints. Orthopedic shoes can also be another good option.
19. Opt for spicy food
Spices such as cayenne pepper, ginger and turmeric contain compounds that reduce inflammation and block brain chemicals that transmit pain signals . Eat some Mexican, Indian and Thai recipes (or always keep a bottle of hot sauce on the table!)
20. Increase your calcium intake
Taking too little calcium increases the risk of osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become brittle, and which accelerates if you have rheumatoid arthritis. All women should consume about 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day after 50 years of age. Dairy is the most famous source of calcium, but cooked milk-based foods can be a very good source as well (a large cookie can contain up to 12% of the recommended daily intake of calcium). Calcium is also found in vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and turnip. These foods have less calcium than dairy products, but they contain it in a way that the body can absorb it much more easily.
21. Sunbathe
Many people with arthritis have a deficiency of vitamin D, which plays an important role in the production of collagen in the joints. Studies have found that generating more vitamin D can protect the joints from the damage of osteoarthritis. To increase your vitamin D levels, just take the sun for 10 to 15 minutes, two or three times a week. That's all your body needs to raise the vitamin D it needs. Dairy products are also a great source of this vitamin.
22. Get a massage with spices from your pantry
Add a little pepper, rosemary or thyme to ½ cup of olive or vegetable oil and use it for a relaxing massage. It will be very healing, since all these herbs have soothing properties.
23. Take these supplements into account
Ask your doctor if any of these supplements may be right for you.
Ginger extract twice a day . Researchers from the University of Miami found that ginger significantly reduced knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis , and that it contributed significantly to improving mobility since ginger has anti-inflammatory effects, which work in the body such as ibuprofen.
Fish oil capsules. A British study found that 86% of people with arthritis who took cod liver oil had far fewer harmful cartilage enzymes, compared to those who only received a placebo. In addition to that, there was also a decrease in the enzymes that cause pain . Cod liver oil is an oil of natural origin, so its use as a supplement does very well.
Vitamin E with pure alpha-tocopherols. A German study found that taking 1,500 IU of vitamin E daily, significantly reduces stiffness and pain and improves grip strength in people with rheumatoid arthritis, as do some prescription medications.
Glucosamine / chondroitin . This combination of supplements can provide long-term pain relief and delay cartilage degeneration . (Tends to help some patients and others do not, if it works for you, you should experience relief within two to three months, but if you do not see a benefit by then, it's probably not going to work for you.). It has also been found that glucosamine and chondroitin, can actually repair damaged cartilage.