Arthritis and your weight

It's a horrible fact of life; for arthritis sufferers, movement is oftenvery painful and for arthritis sufferers, movement is absolutelyessential. Lack of exercise automatically adds weight. Weight increasesthe stiffness and pain of arthritis. So, what to do?Well, I'm not going to tell you to eat ten servings of fruit a day anddrink sixteen glasses of water though it would be terrific if you could dothat. No, my approach is a little simpler. And little is the operativeword. My  system is a very common sense approach to minimizing your painand decreasing your weight and doing both just a little at a time.Every morning, you get out of bed. Before you even get to the bathroom,stretch. Just raise your hands as far above your head as you can. Holdthat pose. Do five stretches. Initially, you may not be able to get yourhands above your head at all. That's OK. Just strech as far as you can,holding the pose for just a few seconds. With each passing day, you'll beable to reach a bit higher and hold the pose just a little bit longer andthat's so good for your body.In the shower, turn your back to the spray. Knead each shoulder with theopposing hand. If you can't reach, don't worry. Make the effort eachmorning. Eventually, you'll be able to reach and the reaching andkneading, under hot water, will be beneficial for your finger joints andyour shoulders.Breakfast. Forget canned or packet juice. They have added vitamins but thefresh enzymes are long gone and it's the enzymes we need. So include freshfruit or freshly squeezed fruit juice. In the kitchen, bend your kneeswhen opening drawers. Do this till it becomes automatic. It's a littlething, but you might bend one hundred times a day. Think of the cumulativebenefit!Work. If you work at a desk, stretch when you can. Get up and sit downperiodically. If you eat lunch at your desk, take a ten minute walk atlunch time every day. If you go out for lunch, pick a restaurant  fiveminutes walk away and walk there and back.Lunch. Include fruit and water. Make this a good meal. It will give youenergy for your afternoon's work. It should be your main meal. I know, Iknow, most people have their main meal at night. Since we're trying todecrease our weight as well as reduce pain, we need to eat least closer tobed time.Dinner. Include fruit and water. I'm not going to tell you what and whatnot to eat. Eat what you know is sensible and not too much of that.Remember, the ideal is to complete digestion before going to bed. If youwatch television after dinner, get to your feet during the commercials.Put your hands on your hips. Turn first to the right and then to the left.If you can't turn, that's OK. Make a movement, however small to the rightand to the left. Do this every evening. Eventually, you will be amazedthat your body has actually become supple and it's a pleasure to move.Snacks. Fruit, yogurt and water. Absolutely NO soda. Soda, diet orotherwise is verboten. It's all empty calories. Forget alcohol also. Samereason. However, I don't think wine is all bad. A glass of wine (just one)with dinner is OK. Provided you're not on medication, of course.Real exercise.  Walking is wonderful for arthritis sufferers. Start withten minutes daily and go on from there. You need cross trainers or shoeswith soft, flexi soles. These used to be expensive. Not any more. I wear a$15 version and they're perfect for the job. Of cousre the ultimateexercise is swimming. If you have a private pool, oh lucky you! Swim everyday. Don't just float around. Swim laps, increasing the number every day.If you don't have a pool, and can afford it, join a gym. Again, don't justfloat around. Swim with purpose. Increase the number of laps everysession.Now all this is virtually painless but it will have marvelous resultsover time. You're not trying to be Miss World or Mr. Universe. You'retrying to reduce both pain and weight and, believe me, results after onemonth will motivate you to greater effort. All you need to do is increaseyou efforts just a little every day. Good health!