How you live your life determines whether you can avoid arthritis

Adequate rest
Getting adequate rest will support your stress reduction efforts and provide long-term benefits.  Aim for 7-8 hours/night.

Aerobic or endurance exercise
For example, bicycle riding, elliptical training, swimming) improves cardiovascular fitness, controls weight, and improves overall function with little pressure on the joints.

Daily stretching
Every day move every joint in every direction they will go.  Stretching is the first step towards healing cartilage by allowing the synovial fluid to be nourished.  Do this every day, without fail, to begin the healing process.

Dancing
The above picture shows a couple doing ballroom dancing.  If you dance long enough and do active steps such as salsa, polka, and quick step, it will be aerobic.  There is also Jazzercise, which is often done in groups.  Also consider barn dancing, line dancing, west coast swing, Argentine tango, and other fun forms of dance.

Exercise in any form
According to the Arthritis Foundation, of those who have arthritis, 81% who exercise three or more days per week are nearly pain free.  While exercising two days per week provides pain relief to 66%.

There are multiple types of exercise that are good for people with arthritis and/or those who seek to avoid the problem

Walking
Stroll leisurely a half hour a day.  Studies on arthritic patients show that exercise reduces symptoms and pain, so why not prevent the problem in the first place.  Always avoid joint pain.  ‘No pain, no gain’ refers to muscle soreness, not joint pain.”

Range-of-motion exercise
(e.g. dancing, stretching, yoga, tai chi) helps maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness.  This type of exercise maintains or increases flexibility.

Strength training
(e.g. weight lifting) helps keep or increase muscle strength.  Strong muscles help support and protect joints.

Get your blood moving
These aids are available at many health food stores:

• Massage hands and feet with warmed macerated oil of honeysuckle flowers.
• Take a foot bath with freshly ground mustard seed, 1 tablespoon to 2 quarts water.
• Soak your feet in water with cayenne seed powder, 2 tablespoons to 2 quarts.
• Drink tea made from rose hips, horsetail, or buckwheat.
• Apply a cold compress of tincture of calendula or calendula ointment.

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