How to Stop Arthritis From Taking Away Your Favorite Fun Activities
8 minute read
Arthritis affects millions every year and is responsible for putting the ultimate dampener on daily activities and favorite pastimes. Many people are so burdened with joint pain and immobility that they lose the desire and ability to do what they love.
The good news is that this can stop now. With the right support, arthritis can no longer steal your favorite activities away from you.
Giving up something you love can be disheartening, almost depressing. You begin to feel bored and disengaged with life because emotional detachment and boredom are strongly linked.
With there being no real cure for arthritis, many feel as though there is no solution but to walk away from their hobbies and joy. But this is a big mistake.
The Alternatives to Your Passions
Arthritis can be treated effectively to the point where you can continue doing as you please. Even if you have to make some adjustments depending on how severely you are impacted by the arthritic pain, the fun doesn’t have to end.
There are a number of comparable activates to those you love that will fill the gap perfectly, keeping you engaged and joyful as opposed to detached and depressed.
Water Sports
Water sports like water-skiing, surfing, rafting, and jet-skiing get your adrenaline pumping and your excitement levels high. Because of the absence of this rush, it can be devastating to have to quit.
To protect your joints and prevent worse arthritic pain, try deep-water running instead. Strap on a floatation device and jump into a pool to get a rush of excitement without a stressful impact to your painful joints.
Kayaking on smooth water is also a way to get into the water while gently exercising your joints and muscles.
Creativity
Drawing, pottery, and woodworking were the perfect outlet for your creative mind, but now your hands are not as nimble because of arthritis. You can still immerse yourself in art and creativity by visiting museums, galleries, and art fairs as well as volunteering at exhibits and shows.
Showing support for a local artist is another way to feed your creative needs without aggravating your arthritis. You can even try teaching your skills and pass them along to the next generation.
Nature
The great outdoors is full of adventure, but the hiking, mountain-climbing, and the camping you used to do is too hard on your joints now. No need to give up on nature completely, you just have to alter the destinations slightly. After all, studies show the importance of nature for your mental health.
There are numerous trails and waterfalls that are easily accessible without strenuous treks. Camping is still an option, too, except you trade your tent and sleeping bag for a well-equipped camper. Or you may be able to try the new, luxurious camping trend known as “glamping.”
Competition
Team sports kept you fit and fed those competitive urges you had. Of course, you can still watch tennis, basketball, and golf on the television, but that doesn’t always satisfy the need to win at something.
All you have to do is switch up the game you play. Rather than physical sports, start a game night with friends and keep the competition alive. You don’t even have to settle for board games, as video games offer simulated versions of all your favorite sports, particularly those with motion controls and virtual reality.
Beating Arthritis and Staying Ahead of the Game
Now that you know you can still do what you love with a few tweaks here and there, living with arthritis shouldn’t seem as bad. In addition to modifying your favorite pastimes, you can work to promote joint health and control the painful symptoms of arthritis.
With the right combination of supplemental support and lifestyle changes, arthritis doesn’t have to stop you in your tracks. Here are natural ways to give yourself a hand.
Focus on Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for your overall health, but they also play a specific role in helping treat arthritis. The fatty acids found in fish or krill oil help to reduce joint swelling and pain associated with arthritis.
| Related: The Arthritis Diet: Eating Your Way to Inflammation Relief |
With less stiffness, you are freer to do the things you love. This can even be found in krill oil supplements specifically formulated for joint health.
Keep Moving
Just thinking about exercise or vigorous activity may seem painful, but movement actually helps arthritis. Regular movement, so long as it is low impact, helps promote flexibility and range of motion, which improves overall joint health. It’s another way to have an easier time getting out of bed in the morning with arthritis.
Exercise also helps to aid weight loss, which benefits your joints in a big way. Excess weight puts added pressure on your joints, making arthritis worse, so keep moving to your own beat and keep pain away.
EasyFlex: A Natural Joint Health Supplement
Most people turn to pain-relieving medications to help with their arthritis, but studies have found that more natural supplements are just as, if not more, effective. 1MD’s EasyFlex supplement is specially formulated to help relieve joint discomfort with some very powerful, proven ingredients:
Curcumin
The compound in the popular spice turmeric, curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that protects joints from arthritis. Curcumin has been found in studies to reduce swelling and pain associated with joint pain and often performs more effectively than standard NSAID medications.
| Related: What Is Curcumin and What Is It Good For? |
The more bioavailable your curcumin is the more potent it will be and the less arthritis pain you will feel.
Boswellia Serrata
This is another supplement that boosts joint health, especially when combined with curcumin. Also used in traditional medicine for centuries, this herb works to control and reduce inflammation that can contribute to arthritis flare-ups.
The reduction in joint pain and increased mobility will let you do the things you love, so long as you don’t overdo it. Boswellia Serrata can even rival ibuprofen when it comes to its role as a painkiller.
Undenatured Collagen
The final major ingredient to look for in a supplement meant to boost bone and joint health. While curcumin and boswellia serrata work to protect the joints from inflammation, collagen enhances joint health from within.
| Related: Collagen Types 1, 2, & 3: Not All Collagen Is Created Equal |
The gradual deterioration of collagen around the joints is associated with arthritis, but by giving your joints the collagen they need to stay strong, you can better defend against this deterioration and associated pains.
High-quality undenatured collagen has been proven to work more effectively than standard chondroitin and glucosamine treatments for arthritis.
The Bottom Line
Arthritis is common and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. That doesn’t mean it has to strip you of your favorite activities and quality of life. With the modifications discussed and lifestyle changes to promote joint health, you can live with arthritis.
And, with supplemental support, you can do more than just live with arthritis but you can live your life, your way.
