In a perfect world, pain wouldn’t exist, our weight would be optimal and we’d enjoy daily exercise and have energy to spare. But as arthritis pain and stiffness invade joints, the desire to exercise and the energy for much of anything can wane.
世界并不完美，但有一些方法可以控制体重，减少疼痛，提高能量水平。通过改变习惯，任何人都可以做出一些小的改变，随着时间的推移会产生很大的影响。
不知道从哪里开始?我们请专家帮忙整理了这10个值得采纳的习惯。
Eat Breakfast at Home
亚特兰大注册营养师雷切尔·布兰代斯解释说:“如果你在外面吃饭，你很可能以高脂肪、无热量的食物开始新的一天。”布兰代斯推荐一顿富含蛋白质、高纤维碳水化合物和少量脂肪的食物。Oatmeal with fruit and skim milk, or a poached egg with whole-grain toast.
Stress Less
“Stress exacerbates the symptoms of arthritis,” says psychologist Robert H. Phillips, PhD, founder and director of the Center for Coping in Hicksville, NY. “To minimize stress, write down the stresses in your life. Then ask yourself which ones you can change and jot down some strategies for change.” For example, if work is stressful, consider some actions you can take. Talk with your supervisor about shifting responsibilities so you’re doing more work you enjoy, for example. For the things you can’t change, change your thinking: remind yourself of the value of your accomplishments and the rewards of getting a paycheck.
Simplify Housework
Spare joints by performing household chores more efficiently. For example, fill a basket at the bottom of the stairs throughout the day to avoid multiple up-and-down trips. Professional organizer Jeanne Smith of Palo Alto, CA, suggests buying a basket with a handle you can slip over your arm. “This way, your hands are free to hold the banister.”
Get Organized
Instead of scattering doctor’s records, test results and treatment updates throughout the house, create one tidy home for them all, suggests Smith. Buy a small crate with six to eight hanging files and labels. That way you can easily drop things in and pull items out. Keep a notebook charting doctor visits, levels of pain, medications – and keep that notebook in the crate as well.
Anticipate Pain
Although it sounds pessimistic to think about pain before it starts, anticipating pain may be the best way to relieve it. Once pain starts, it can be hard to stop. Treating it before it happens is often a better option. “Many people have pain first thing in the morning or are sore after exercise,” says Deborah S. Litman, MD, a rheumatologist in Chevy Chase, Md. “So take a pain reliever before bed at night or before you exercise.”
Go Barefoot
Kick off your shoes when you come home. “Most shoes increase forces on the knees more than going barefoot will,” says D. Casey Kerrigan, MD, owner of OESH shoe company and former chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Virginia. One caveat: Barefoot means barefoot. Avoid going in stocking feet, which may cause you to slip on slick floors.
Change Your Label
菲利普斯说:“当人们通过关节炎来看待这个世界时，他们往往会认为自己也患有关节炎。”相反，练习称自己是一个恰好患有关节炎的人。不要让环境决定你是谁。”
Be Creative With Exercise
Don’t forgo exercise because it’s cold outside, your bike has a flat or the gym is closed. Take a fresh look at what constitutes exercise. Play fetch with the dog, pop in a fitness DVD, organize the kitchen cabinets or try a fitness video game. These can be just as good for you as a walk around the block.
Snack Every Three Hours
If you haven’t eaten for three hours or more, your blood sugar drops. You need to snack – which is particularly important if arthritis is already sapping your energy. Steer clear of the empty calories of candy bars or salty snacks. “Think high-fiber carbohydrates and lean protein — like whole-grain crackers and peanut butter, or yogurt with walnuts,” says Brandeis.
Take Supplements
Whole foods are the best ways to get vitamins and minerals. But for a bit of insurance, add a daily multivitamin and supplements to your diet, with your doctor’s approval, suggests Khaled J. Saleh, MD, chair of the division of orthopaedic surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield.
Related Resources:
- 12 Best Foods for Arthritis
- The Benefits of Weight Loss
- Pick a Safer Supplement for Arthritis
- 5 Bad Habits to Drop for Better Arthritis Management
- Arthritis Today Magazine
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