Lifestyle – Arthritis

Lifestyle plays a vital role in leading a healthy and happy life. Most of the diseases develop as a result of faulty lifestyle, wrong food intake, negative emotions and everyday stress and strain. I am sure that if we can change our lifestyles, we can alleviate our pains and sufferings. This I can say for sure because, my aunt, even after being a Rheumatoid Arthritis patient, is living a normal life without any oral medication since after changing her food habits.

Once, she could not even lie on the bed as each joint in her body, even the spine and the shoulder blades, was inflamed. She tried every possible system of medicine – Allopathy, Ayurveda and Homeopathy. All gave her only a temporary relief. Her hands, toes and knees were getting deformed. Finally, taking a hint from Naturopathy and Ayurveda, she changed her eating habits to suit her body needs.

She started on a low protein diet, low fat diet, low start diet rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes. She gave up all pulses, milk and milk products and started on fibrous food like unpeeled fruits and vegetable juices. The supplement of vitamins acted as anti-oxidants and improved her immunity. With a strong will to overcome this agony, she started breathing exercises, meditation and yoga asanas. These, I explained step-by-step in the later topics. Besides all these, she prepared a herbal oil using various herbs of therapeutic value and used for massaging the affected areas. It started working wonderfully. She gradually recovered from the pains after two years of treatment. Now, she wants to assure all those suffering from arthritis that they can live normal life. All you need is will power, patience and a desire to get better by changing your lifestyle as per your need.

Suggested diet:

• Vegetable juice: Prepare a glass of juice by mixing equal parts of carrots, cucumber, beetroots, amaranth and cabbage. Mix 2 table spoons of honey to the juice and take regularly.
• Salads
• Coconut water
• Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini and pumpkin
• Spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, asafetida, garlic, fennel and turmeric Green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt.

Things not suggested:

• Eating hot, spicy and fried foods, sweets, wind forming foods like cabbage, Cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra and potatoes.
• Too much tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yogurt, chocolate, cocoa.
• Sleeping during the day
• Mental tensions like worry, anxiety, fear, stress and grief.
• Use of painkillers, steroids
• Smoking