23 Secrets to Transform Your Life
Ease pain and feel your best every day with these handy tips.
Daily Living
Find an OT.
An occupational therapist (OT) can help you find easier, less painful ways of doing things — whether it’s getting dressed or getting a doorknob that’s easier to turn. Ask your physician or insurance company for a referral to a CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) or SCEM (Specialty Certification in Environmental Modification) OT.
Take steps to prevent falls.
Reduce tripping hazards by picking up clutter, taping down or removing throw rugs and keeping your home well lit, perhaps with nightlights. Install a nonslip bathmat and grab bars in your bathroom, and make sure staircases are in good repair and have railings.
Get a grip.
Give the handles of commonly used items, like your toothbrush and kitchen utensils, more grip by wrapping them with rubber bands or foam insulation used for small pipes. (Find it at home improvement stores.)
Choose good shoes.
Wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause pain in your feet and throw off your gait, which can lead to more joint, muscle and other problems and pain. Invest in professionally fitted, low-heeled shoes with good structure.
Try this tape trick.
Get credit cards out of your wallet more easily by placing a piece of clear tape along the horizontal side of the card. (Don’t cover the chip or magnetic strip.) Store it tape side out, and grasp the tape to pull it from the slot in your wallet.
Have a ball.
Massage and ease muscles in your back or foot with a tennis ball. Place the ball against a wall and roll your back on it, or put it on the floor to roll it under a foot.
Time your tasks to prevent pain.
Prepare dinner at midday if your hands tend to hurt in the evening, for example. Or bathe and prep the night before if morning stiffness makes tasks tough.
Sit to save joints.
When you are tired and in pain, sit while doing common activities. For example, use a stool while washing dishes.
Set your clock.
If you’re taking all your meds at once in the morning or at night, stop and read the instructions. Drugs that cause drowsiness or nausea are better in the p.m., for example, while others are more effective in the morning.
Physical Activity
Stay sharp by staying fit.
Physical activity improves fitness, eases arthritis symptoms and may help your mind, too. Research found that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who exercised regularly were more likely to stay sharp mentally. This is important because 30% to 71% of people with RA experience impaired thinking.
Make steps count for you.
There’s no science that says 10,000 steps should be the ultimate goal. One study found women who averaged 4,400 steps per day had a 41% lower mortality rate than the least active women, and benefits maxed out at 7,500 steps. The upshot: Even a moderate increase in activity may help reduce mortality.
Better your balance.
Try this: Stand on one leg, bracing yourself with one hand if needed. Slowly tilt your head back, left, front, right, and center, then repeat 5 to 10 times. Or do heel raises while you floss and stand on one leg while you brush.
Buddy up for workouts.
Work out with a friend to help you enjoy it more and stay accountable. Studies show it can help keep you motivated.
Get more steps.
Instead of meeting a friend for coffee or drinks, invite them to take a walk. Instead of family movie night, take the whole family on a bike ride or a hike.
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;Nutrition & Weight Loss
Fight inflammation with fiber.
Eating more dietary fiber can make you feel more satiated, which helps with weight maintenance and may help your body regulate inflammation. Sprinkle chia seeds on your cereal or add them to a smoothie; make sure whole grain is the first ingredient in your bread; and snack on almonds or fresh fruits and veggies.
Serve right-sized portions.
The serving size on food packages reflects how much Americans typically eat — not what they should eat. For example, a serving of ice cream rose from 1/2 to 2/3 cup. And any package that has between one and two servings, like a 20-ounce bottle of Coke, is labeled as one serving. Don’t take the serving size as license to overindulge.
Lighten up to ease pain.
Every 1 pound of excess weight puts 4 pounds of extra pressure on your joints, and fat cells generate bodywide inflammation.
Try a different cow.
If your arthritis symptoms kick in when you drink dairy milk, try A2 milk, from cows that produce only A2 beta-casein protein. Most U.S. milk comes from cows that also produce A1 beta-casein, which has been linked to more inflammation.
Mind & Body
Laugh more.
Not only does a good belly laugh distract you from pain, but it also reduces levels of inflammation in your body and triggers the release of feel-good chemicals. So cue up your favorite episode of Seinfeld and let laughter be your medicine.
Do good to feel better.
Roll your neighbor’s trash bin to the street. Let someone ahead of you in line, or just give them a big smile and say hi. Being kind helps reduce pain, anxiety, stress and depression.
Share your pain.
Don’t let pain force you to withdraw from social activities. It can lead to depression, which increases the risks of heart disease and other problems. You can be private about your arthritis but still let people know that you have limits because of pain. Most will understand and appreciate being told.
Ask for help.
Don’t assume others understand when you need it. And be specific so you won’t get — or have to turn down — offers of help that you don’t need.
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