7 STEPS TO HEALTHY JOINTS: TAKE CARE OF YOUR JOINTS TO HAVE HAPPY OLD AGE.

Here are some steps you can take to make sure your joints are healthy! 1. Pain killers like Tylenol (acetomenophen) This simply lessens the pain but does not address the root cause of arthritis. Tylenol type pain killers might not work for everyone and if they do work, the effects would be up to 8 hours for some and lesser for others. These pain killers can be bought over the counter or doctor-prescribed but are not meant for long-term use. Remember, your problems may still require professional treatment and the more you prolong getting the necessary treatment the greater your chances of worsening the problem. Step One and Two 2. Stay Active Even though your joints hurt, that is no excuse to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Doing so may actually make your arthritis worse. Try to take your joints through their range of motion every day. Do it as much as your joints will comfortably allow. Run, jump and swim if you can because the exercise although it might not seem so at the moment could be the best thing for you. Keep your body active and you'll thank yourself later! Step Two 3. Fight the Pain Initially you can take pain killers but do not go for long on Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) because since 2005, the FDA has required NSAID manufacturers to include a warning label on their products that alerts users of an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Pain killers like NSAIDs or Tylenol do not fight the root cause of the pain: damaged and inflamed joints. Image One 4. Fix the root cause of the problem Osteoarthritis is caused by joint wear, tear, and damage. You should start taking a supplement as soon as possible to provide your joints with the nutrients they need to regenerate tissue. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune response where your own defense systems attack your joints. The inflammation caused by the initial attack leads to more pain in damage. In both cases, inflammation results and need to be stopped. Some supplements have anti-inflammatory ingredients that will help. Step Four 5. Eliminate foods that cause inflammation Some foods, particularly in western diets, tend to cause inflammation which can make your arthritis worse. These foods include: Processed, packaged, or fast foods Hydrogenated fats (margarine, shortening, lard or products made with them such as cookies, pies, packaged foods, buns, etc.) Fried foods (French fries, onion rings, potato chips, nachos, hamburgers, etc.) White sugar and sweets, including soft drinks and sweetened juices Synthetic sweeteners (Nutrasweet, Splenda, Equal, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose etc.) Salt Food additives: colous, flavor enhancers, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. Some of the main ones include sulfites, sulfates, benzoates, and colors named FD&C #”X.” For example, FD&C #5 Alcohol Step Five 6. Stay hydrated The average person needs to consume about 8 glasses of water daily. An ample water supply ensures that all bodily are running optimally including those that handle joint lubrication and regeneration. Staying hydrating can not only is beneficial for the lubrication and regeneration of the joints, but also beneficial for the hair, skin and other bodily functioning. There are also several hydrating drinks out there such as vitamin water which adds just enough flavors to your water while still leaving you feeling refreshed and energized. Step Six 7. Use a joint supplement These provide your joints with the nutrients they need to repair themselves. Some have ingredients to address the root cause of the pain. Not just any joint supplements will do, you'll have to learn how to know what supplements are beneficial and what supplements are a complete waste of time. Try finding out what you can about the company, ingredients and view some customer testimonials or reviews if available. Choose only the best and most effective supplements in treating your joint problems. Step Seven