I'm falling apart!

[mrspunkysmom]

Okay, this is from my personal experiences and from what I am reading now:

Ibuprofen is great for arthritis. I took the limit of Ibuprofen for so many years that I am now allergic.

Exercise and movement - Try not to limp or favor a leg or foot, if possible. Stand straight, no crazy postures.

Simple stretches that are not overdone are great.

Sit up straight. We tend to slouch and use crazy positions while sitting.

Eat well. Calcium rich foods and well as other good foods such as veggies.

Use real butter and not margarine. Butter ahs 2 ingredients at most. Lost count of oleomargarine. Did you ever see that show about what's really in a Twinkie? It's scary.

Yes, stay hydrated. I'm weaning myself off sodas. No wonder I'm so crabby.

Wear good shoes. Clark and Grasshopper make good shoes that won't break your bank.

I've had what is TMJ for years. Since I was 15. The jaw bone dislocates. I hate going to the dentist because my bite is off center and I have a under-bite for a day or so. Try not to clench you teeth. (I have a hard time with this one.) BTW, sinus issues can affect the jaw bone, even the lower one, since the lymph glands are there.

From what I'm reading; Try to reduce the wheat and gluten impact on your diet. Supposedly these can lead to easy weight gain.

Hope you feel better.

[catnapper]

Anne,
Whew, I already do half those things (YAY!)

I wear Clarks shoes. The last pair I bought were ugly, but I had to get them because I sighed happily when I tried them on... they're like a hug for my foot (yes, I am a dork!)

I never drink soda - haven't for about 20 yers. I only drink sprite when I'm sick, and even then it takes me forver to drink a 12 oz. can. I drink 32 oz. of fresh brew iced tea at work -- very very little sugar -- as in one packet for that 32 oz cup.I know I should drink more ater, but I just can't. I've been steadily making my tea weaker and weaker.

When I eat butter, its real butter. I can't stand that margarine stuf -- yuck!

I always sit straight. My grandmom's been dead 13 years now, but I can still hear her snapping at me about posture, and can almost feel her pulling my shoulders back. I've had customers tell me that they don't see such good posture. One lady wasn't my customer and pulled me aside just to tell me that.

I gained a ton of weight this year due to not sleeping because of my snoring. I finally got my sleep apnea machine right in the past three weeks... and already lost 8 pounds!!! Now that I'm getting sufficient sleep, I am much more active, I watch what I eat, etc. When I was a zombie thanks to poor sleep, I ate a lot of bad things. Lots of carbs, lots of sugary snack, lot of candy.

I've been doing strecthes because I realized how much better I felt, especially regarding my feet.


I do take the daily limit of Advil. That's the thing that helps me, and I do worry about the long term impact that will have on me.

By the way, I'm too young to be old!!!!

[Freedom]

I have osteoarthritis, knees and neck are the worst for me. I use Schiff's Move Free (glucosamine and chondroiton), ibuprofen, and prescription naproxen. Other than that, I can't add what's already been said: regular exercise helps tons!

BTW, Sweet n Low used for any length of time will result in muscle collapse; doctors will often diagnose it as mulitple sclerosis or something else, the physical therapists are the ones who realize you need to stop the Sweet n Low and the muscles will recover strength with a bit of physical therapy.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I consider any day I can still stand on my own two feed and recognize myself when I look in a mirror as a good day!!!

A few helps I've learned along the way: I dislike water by itself. So I buy frozen fruit and drop some in my glass. It turns the water interesting colors and you get the benefits of the juices from the fruit plus can eat the fruit when you get to the bottom of the glass. My favorits are frozen cherries and blueberries but peaches and stawberries are fun too. I even stick them in my cold tea now.

I only use sugar in my tea but to help cut it down, I mix it half and half with Splenda. I can still have my sweet tea with half the sugar.

Also, I use Smart Balance spread instead of oleo. I get the kind that has olive oil and omega 3 added. I can't use normal butter. It spoils before I can get it used up.

[kitten645]

I don't have joint trouble thankfully. I attribute some of it to years of ballet training. Not full on toe shoes craziness but streching and yoga type movement. However:

"I can't use normal butter. It spoils before I can get it used up"

I'm of the mind that the less chemicals foodwise the better. I think it's better to use a little butter than the chemical substitute. I must admit I love my butter so I use it sparingly. Butter freezes REALLY well! I buy the Costco size and cut it into half sticks. Seal it well and keep a chunk to use and the rest gets frozen.

Best of luck to everyone here. My sister has had arthritis since she was a kid. I know how painful it is.