Don’t Let Arthritis Spoil Your Winter

The winter months can be hard on people with arthritis-even in Florida! Colder weather can exacerbate joint pain, making life uncomfortable when temperatures are lower than normal. We offer this advice for enduring winter with arthritis:

• Exercise. Physical activity helps with flexibility, strength, and energy, and helps ease arthritis pain. Strive for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week, along with two strength training sessions.

• Dress in layers. Stay warm inside and outdoors. Wear gloves, and add layers to your knees, elbows, and other places where your body aches. Take layers off if you get too warm. Also, heated pools and hot tubs can provide extra pain relief.

• Eat healthy. Rich foods, alcohol, and sweets can cause a flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis. Limit your consumption of wine, beer, sweets, gravy, processed meats, desserts, and unhealthy snacks.

• Minimize stress. Stress can make you work harder than you should, overtaxing your muscles and leading to more pain. Try meditation, deep breathing, and yoga to stay calm and in the present.

• Take vitamin D. We naturally absorb Vitamin D from the sun, but during winter months sunlight is more scarce. A drop in Vitamin D can cause more pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory kinds of arthritis, and can also increase sensitivity to pain.

• Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to depression, fatigue, and additional pain in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Adequate rest can help you deal better with the pain.

• Talk to your doctor. If you’re in more pain than usual, consult with your physician. Be sure to let us know, too, because we can help you cope with your symptoms, relieving the risk of depression and additional injury.