Weight Loss

• Overweight patients with arthritis can help themselves by losing weight. Excessive weight creates stress on the joints and can make it very difficult to get around. Arthritis suffers face the loss of mobility, and losing weight can increase mobility, which will help with exercise and increasing range of motion in the joints.
  
  A balanced diet is the best approach to safe and effective weight loss. Losing weight at a rate of 1or 2 lbs. per week is the ideal way to keep the pounds off without losing nutrition.
  
  

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

• The anti-inflammatory diet does not cure arthritis, but eating foods that decrease inflammation can help with mobility and pain. Omega-6 fatty acids can increase the amount of inflammation in the body while Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce it. Thus, a diet that includes more coldwater fish will naturally decrease inflammation.
  
  Nuts and seeds are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids as well. Changing to these healthier sources of fat can reduce the body's inflammatory response and may reduce arthritis pain.
  
  

Exercise

• Some people believe that arthritis pain makes exercise impossible, but evidence shows it can reduce pain and increase mobility. A program for arthritis should include activities such as water exercises that aren't stressful on joints. Swimming is effective, and water aerobics and exercises designed for the water are part of a low-impact exercise routine that can help alleviate pain.
  
  Yoga and walking also will not exacerbate joint pain. Running may not be possible, but a good, brisk walk that does not cause the feet to pound the pavement will provide a workout for the muscles without hurting the joints.