Is Yoga Really Good for Arthritis?

Recently, I read an interesting and informative article about arthritis. According to the article, 46 million Americans are affected by arthritis, and the number is expected to reach 67 million by the year 2030. Unfortunately, even in today’s well-developed medical society, there is no known cure for the debilitating disease.

There are, however, various ways that you can learn to manage your arthritis. Changing your appetite is one way to slow its progression. Avoid eating a lot of red meat and increase your intake of healthy food such as deep-sea fish, flaxseed, brightly colored fruits, dark-green leafy vegetables, and olive oil. The use of ginger may also be helpful in treating moderate to severe knee arthritis. People in India have been using ginger to alleviate arthritis pain for centuries.

Another method that has been proven to help individuals control this challenging disability is exercise. Many people with arthritis are afraid that exercise can hurt them, but the opposite is actually the case. Simple exercises – such as walking daily for 20 to 30 minutes – are helpful and even necessary to make arthritic joints function properly.

Yoga is also an excellent therapy that will help to reduce stiffness in the joints, provide pain relief, and treat other ailments caused by arthritis. Start with a gentle yoga program that will teach you how to control your body through proper breathing and relaxation techniques. Controlled rhythm is a fast and effective pain reliever because it shifts the mind’s attention away from the pain.
Yoga will also teach you the proper way to stretch your body so that you will be able to reduce the stress on your affected joints and improve your range of motion.

By practicing yoga regularly, you will not only find relief from arthritis pain but also gain the benefits of having a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.

[tags]arthritis, pain relief, healthy life, balanced lifestyle, controlled breathing, exercise for arthritis, yoga therapy for arthritis[/tags]