You've heard about an arthritis diet from some well-intentional friend or in the pages of a magazine or book. Its a myth. There are over 100 arthritic conditions and Gout has been linked to what we eat. In Gout,people either make too much uric acid or are unable to flush it out through the kidneys and urine. As a result,the uric acid crystallizes and accumulates in joints,causing pain and inflammation.

 

People who have Gout are sometimes advised to avoid foods that contain purines:meat,poultry,dried beans and peas,fish such as anchovies, herring,

scallops,and certain vegetables.

 

But the dietary link to other forms of arthritis is not as clear. Certainly some people are allergic to some foods,and this might worsen the pain and symptoms of arthritis. And there are some foods,such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish like mackerel and sallmon,which might help fight inflammation in certain types of arthritis.

 

Still,the evidence so far is scare that any diet change in and of itself will protect us from arthritis. So until research proves otherwise,a well balanced diet is the next best thing.

 

As we digest food,it is broken down into nutrients that are absorbed into our blood stream and carried to every cell in our body. We need about forty different nutrients every day to stay healthy.

 

Often overlooked asa nutrient is water. It transports nutrients throughout our body and flushes away waste products. We should drink eight large glasses of water per day. that may seem like a lot,but other liquids-alcohol,coffee,and some types of soda-are diuretics that rid our body of water,so it's important to keep hydrated.

 

Enjoying a variety of foods helps keep you healthy. No one food provides all the nutrients your body needs. Choose from a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains and lean sources of protein, including legumes, fish, low-fat dairy products and lean meats, to optimize nutrition and taste and promote a healthy weight.

 

Learning more about how your body uses the nutrients different foods provide can help you better understand how eating well affects your health. Every day your body requires a certain amount of energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats to function properly. Both the energy provided by food and the energy your body needs to function are measured in calories.

 

Use the following recommendations as a guide when planning your daily meals and snacks.

Calories: 1,600 to 2,800 a day  The calorie is a measurement of the amount of energy provided by a food or recipe. Daily calorie needs vary with age, sex and activity level.

 

Average calorie goals per day:

1,600 — Most women and some older adults
2,000 — Adult average
2,200 — Most men, active women, teenage girls and children
2,800 — Active men and teenage boys

For general health and better weight control, try to distribute calories evenly at eating times throughout the day.

 

Protein: About 12 percent of calories  In a 2,000-calorie diet, 12 percent of calories from protein is 60 grams. Your body uses protein to make and maintain tissues such as muscles and organs. However, most Americans typically eat far more protein than they need. A high-protein diet is often high in fat and cholesterol.

 

You can get protein from a variety of sources. Legumes, poultry, seafood, meat, dairy products, nuts and seeds are your richest sources of protein. Grains and vegetables supply small amounts. Choose sources that are also low in fat.

 

Reduce emphasis on meats and other animal foods as part of your meals. Even if you don't eat any animal protein, you can easily get enough protein as long as you eat a variety of foods that provide enough calories to maintain your healthy weight.

 

Carbohydrates: About 55 percent to 65 percent of calories  Foods high in carbohydrates are used mostly for energy. Complex carbohydrates are the starches and fibers in grains, vegetables and legumes. Simple carbohydrates are the sugars in sweets, fruits and milk.

 

Try to eat most of your carbohydrates as complex carbohydrates. Your body absorbs complex carbohydrates more slowly than simple sugars for a more continuous energy supply. Complex carbohydrates also provide more nutrients and fiber than sweets.

 

Fat: About 20 percent to 30 percent of calories  Fat is your most concentrated energy source. Some fat is required in your diet for your body to function properly. Too much fat can have a negative impact on your health. Different kinds of fat include: Saturated. Major sources are butter, cheese, whole milk and cream, meat, poultry, chocolate, coconut, palm oil, lard and solid shortenings. Polyunsaturated. Most vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated fat.
 
Trans. When vegetable oil is hydrogenated to form margarine or shortening, trans fatty acids are formed.  Monounsaturated. Olive and canola oils and nuts contain mainly monounsaturated fat.

 

Saturated and trans fats increase your risk of coronary artery disease by raising your blood cholesterol levels. High blood levels of cholesterol can lead to narrowing of your arteries and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Polyunsaturated fats lower your blood cholesterol but also seem to be susceptible to oxidation. Oxidation is a process that enables cells in your arteries to absorb fats and cholesterol. Over time, oxidation speeds the buildup of plaques, which narrow arteries. In the right amounts, monounsaturated fats may help lower blood cholesterol and are resistant to oxidation.

 

Control calories from all fats. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, limit fat to about 65 grams daily. When you do use fat, try to choose monounsaturated sources, such as olive oil. Using oils in place of margarine also minimizes trans fats.

Saturated fat: No more than 10 percent of total calories 

Although both trans and saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels, foods containing saturated fats are more prevalent in typical diets.  In addition to limiting fat, eat smaller portions and choose low-fat varieties of foods that contain saturated fat, such as meats, cheeses and milk.

 

Cholesterol: No more than 300 milligrams (mg) a day  Almost all foods made from animals contain cholesterol. Concentrated sources include organ meats, egg yolks and whole-milk products. Limit cholesterol but don't overemphasize its significance. The primary dietary determinant of high blood cholesterol is saturated fat. For some people, however, dietary cholesterol can raise the level of blood cholesterol higher.

 

Sodium: No more than 2,400 mg a day   Sodium occurs naturally in foods. It also makes up 40 percent of table salt (sodium chloride). You need only a small amount of sodium — less than one-quarter teaspoon of salt — to help regulate fluid balance. Too much sodium may contribute to a rise in blood pressure, putting you at risk of heart attack and stroke.

 

Control sodium by limiting processed foods. Also cut back on the salt you add to food in cooking and at the table. As you use less salt, your preference for salt will lessen, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the food itself.

 

Dietary fiber: 20 to 35 grams a day  Dietary fiber is largely plant cell material that resists digestion. Insoluble fiber holds onto water, adding bulk and helping prevent constipation. It also reduces your risk of colon cancer. It's found mainly in vegetables, wheat bran and whole grains. Soluble fiber may help improve blood cholesterol levels and blood sugar control. Generous amounts are found in oats, legumes and fruits.

 

The best way to boost fiber is to eat a variety of whole grains, vegetables, legumes and fruits. When buying breads or grains, look for the word whole on the label.

 

Our body cannot make vitamins,so it is important that we consume some every day. There are thirteen essential vitamins,and each has a specific role in keeping us healthy. There is strong evidence that people who eat a lot of vitamin-rich foods such as vegetables,fruits and whole grains,are in better health then those who do not.

 

Minerals help regulate fluid balance,muscle contractions,and nerve impulses, and are essential for the development of teeth and bone. There are at least twenty minerals in a balanced diet,including calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, potassium,and phosphorous.

 

Major minerals such as calcium are needed to build bones in childhood and slow the rate of bone loss in adulthood to help prevent the bone-thinning condition of osteoporosis. Like vitamins,the best way to get minerals needed for health is by eating a balanced diet rich in fruits,vegetables,and whole grains.

 

Women who are especially vulnerable to osteoporosis,should have 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium every day,depending upon age and any medications they are taking. Teenage girls should consume this much calcium in order to build up as much bone mass as possible.

 

Additionally,recent evidence suggests that increasing Vitamin D along with calcium may be a effective way to prevent bone loss. If you don't get enough calcium and vitamin D from you diet,try supplements. Ask your doctor if you need supplements.

 

The possibility of addiction is one of the biggest fears of people who have chronic pain. And there's good reason. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that in 1999, 2.6 million people age 12 and older took prescription pain medications for nonmedical reasons. It's unlikely they all were addicted, but developing an addiction is indeed possible.

 

You think your arthritis pain is unbearable ? I am sure there is nothing more uncomfortable then having pain and being addicted to a drug at the same time. Pain you may bear,but addiction is something else. I am sure you won't want to have pain and addiction to cope with. If your disease is not controlled,no pain medication is going to solve the problem.

 

One way to relieve pain  Opioids, a family of drugs that have effects similar to those of opium, are among those prescribed for pain. The ingredient in opium and the active component of opioids that relieves pain is morphine. Morphine and other similar-acting compounds work by mimicking the actions of chemicals your body produces to relieve pain.

 

Medications containing hydrocodone (Vicodin, others), propoxyphene (Darvon, others), meperidine (Demerol, others) and oxycodone (OxyContin, others) are commonly prescribed opioids. Your doctor may prescribe other opioids, too, depending on your condition.

 

When you think about problems that pain medications can cause, you may think of addiction. But your body reacts to opioids in several ways:

Tolerance is the decreasing effect of a drug after regular use at a constant dose. Over time, you may need higher doses of the drug to achieve the same effect.

 

Physical dependence is a physiological state that occurs as your body adapts to certain medications taken regularly. Without the drug, you may experience withdrawal.

 

Psychological dependence is an emotional state that may occur as you become accustomed to taking a drug to experience its positive effects. Your body may or may not become physically dependent on the drug, but you believe that you need it.

 

Withdrawal is a set of symptoms you may experience after abruptly stopping or reducing the dose of certain drugs you've been taking regularly.

 

Addiction is a chronic, potentially relapsing disorder in which you compulsively seek and use drugs. Changes in the neurochemicals in your brain occur in addiction. Even though you know there may be serious consequences if you continue seeking and using drugs, you feel compelled to do so anyway.

 

Pseudoaddiction is behavior that suggests the presence of addiction but is really an attempt to relieve pain more effectively. A person with pseudoaddiction might occasionally take a higher dose of a prescribed drug or hoard pain medications for times when the pain is worse.

 

Tolerance, physical dependence, and withdrawal are your body's natural reactions to opioids. These reactions occur with addictive and some nonaddictive drugs, and with those available over-the-counter as well as by prescription. Developing these conditions doesn't mean that you're addicted to a prescription pain medication. The presence of tolerance and withdrawal without the compulsion to take medications is not addiction.

 

People who take their pain medications as recommended aren't likely to become addicted. Physical dependency and tolerance often develop in people who take opioids regularly, but they don't always become addicted to opioids. Even people who have a family or personal history of drug or alcohol addiction can sometimes use opioids for pain control if they get proper monitoring from a doctor.

 

Some people wonder whether they'll experience problems in their daily life -in thinking, driving or other activities - if they need to increase their dose over time to maintain pain control. Side effects of opioids -nausea, constipation, sedation and unclear thinking -are less evident in people who take them regularly compared with those who take them intermittently.

 

Those who take opioids regularly develop a tolerance for many of the side effects of the drugs and function normally as long as they take the medications as prescribed.

 

If just taking opioid medications for pain over a long period doesn't cause addiction, what does? Researchers believe many things are involved in the development of addiction.

 

Genetic factors. A family history of misuse or addiction to prescription pain medications, recreational drugs or alcohol is a good indicator that you might be predisposed to become addicted to opioids.

 

Gender. In the general population, men appear to be more likely to develop an addiction than women. However, women are more likely to receive a prescription for an opioid drug that can be addictive

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Uninformed about proper use of medication. If you don't learn to take your medications correctly, you're more likely to take them in ways that promote addiction. Be sure to ask your doctor for specific instructions about proper use.

 

No one intervenes. When friends and family don't point out that you're taking larger doses or more frequent doses, it's easier to convince yourself that changing the dose without consulting your doctor is OK.

 

Use of multiple medications. Tell your doctor about the medications that you take so that he or she can avoid prescribing combinations of medications that cause problems.

 

Differences in medications' potential for addiction. In general, opioids are less addictive than cocaine but more addictive than alcohol.

 

Differences in medication delivery forms. Intravenous infusions have the greatest potential for leading to addiction, and oral medications have the least potential for developing an addiction.

Differences in drugs' chemical formulations. Rapid-onset and short-acting drugs tend to be more addictive than medications that have a slow onset or are long acting, for example, 12-hour formulations.

 

When taken as directed by a physician, addiction to opioids used to treat chronic pain is rare. But even so, it's much better to prevent addiction than to have to treat it later. A proactive approach will help you stay on the path of proper pain medication use.

 

Tell your doctor about current and past problems with pain medications if you are otherwise at risk. If you've misused alcohol, recreational drugs or other prescription medications, be sure to mention those experiences, too.Take your medications exactly as your doctor prescribed them. Your doctor will tell you about doses and schedules when he or she gives you the prescription.

 

If you're not sure about how to take a medication, ask your doctor. If you don't understand the instructions, ask him or her to repeat the answer using different words. Don't leave the office until you're certain you know how to take your medication.

 

Talk to your doctor if the pain relief isn't adequate. You and your doctor can decide what changes to make in your routine.Plan your day so that you can take long-acting, scheduled medications versus short-acting medications on an as-needed basis. Sticking to a schedule helps you avoid taking more medication than you can safely handle.

 

Develop a system for taking your medication on schedule and stick to it. Following a routine helps you avoid double doses and other mistakes. Talk to your doctor about foods, beverages, and other medications to avoid while you take the pain medication. Alcohol, some foods and some common over-the-counter remedies can alter the effects of the pain medication, so ask about these first.

 

When you have pain, you likely will do whatever it takes to make it go away. Treatment options can be as varied as exercise, complementary and alternative care, and stress management. But -for many people -pain medication is what brings relief. But is medication the best choice?

 

Medication may seem like an easy way to control your pain, and it’s often the best approach for acute pain, such as from a toothache or pain after a surgery. But for many chronic pain problems, medication may not be the answer. Even pain medications that are considered safe can cause side effects.

 

Medications can be costly. They can also become a crutch or distract you from more effective, safer, long-term solutions. Some people take them because they feel they need to, not because the medications help. These people are often surprised to find that stopping their medication isn’t as difficult as they anticipated. They also often find that not using drugs gives them a greater sense of control over their pain and life.

 

All medications have risks and benefits. The key to using medications to manage your pain effectively is to tailor them so that the benefits outweigh the risks:

 

Find what works for you. Each person responds differently to medications and will need different amounts or different types. Once you’ve found the right medication, it’s important to find the dose that works best for you. Your doctor will usually start you with a low dose of the medication and then, if necessary, will gradually increase it. He or she will monitor your progress to find the optimal amount for you to take.

 

Keep records. Medications often interact, and the chance of this happening is greater if you’re taking more than a few different drugs. Keep records of medications that you take and in what doses. You may also want to organize a system to help you remember when each medication needs to be taken.

 

Make sure that your doctor is aware of all of the medications that you’re taking, including over-the-counter (OTC) products and herbal supplements. Substances that you view as harmless, such as antacids, antihistamines or alcohol, may interact with your pain medication.

 

Keep track of both your current medications and those you have used in the past with these medication logs. Take them with you when you visit your doctor. Current medications log Medications history log The current medications log and the medications history log are helpful to have.

 

Monitor symptoms. If you take pain medication regularly, including OTC products, discuss your medication and its benefits and side effects with your doctor. You may be attributing your fatigue, stomach discomfort or sexual problems to your pain, when it’s really your medication that’s causing these symptoms.

 

Consider cost. If you’re taking a variety of medications, or if you’re on a fixed income, drug prices may become a financial burden. The following strategies may help lower your bills:

 

Find out if there is a less expensive brand or a generic form of your medication that you can use. Follow the directions carefully, including storing your medications as directed -usually at room temperature and out of direct sunlight - and taking them as prescribed. This will help to insure that they work properly and won’t need to be replaced.

 

Seek help for payment of your medications. Depending on your age and financial situation, you may be eligible to receive help from: Your insurance plan. Whenever possible, buy drugs that are on your health plan’s list of medications that are covered (formulary). If you buy a drug that’s not listed in the formulary, you may have to pay the entire cost.

 

Drug companies. Many companies offer special assistance programs for people who can’t afford their products. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for information. Inquire about government health plans for assistance.

 

Your doctor and pharmacist. Some assistance programs are promoted only to health professionals. Ask your doctor and pharmacist if they’re aware of programs that can help with the costs of your medication.

 

Membership organizations. Many credit unions, labor unions, professional organizations and groups offer assistance for coverage costs.

 

Though medications are necessary for some people to manage their pain, they aren’t without risks and shouldn’t be used indiscriminately. Eventually, your doctor will probably guide you to try to manage your pain without medications or to use as little as possible.

 

Once you’re able to control your pain with medications, your doctor may start you on a rehabilitation program with a gradual increase in activities.

 

When you’re able to achieve your target activities, you then may be asked to reduce the amount of medication that you take. If the pain returns, you typically resume taking medications. But by gradually decreasing the amount you take, you can determine the smallest quantity of medication necessary for you to remain comfortable. Under your doctor’s supervision, this process can be repeated every 3 to 6 months, gradually reducing your medications to see if the pain remains.

 

If you take an opioid or another potentially habit-forming drug, ask your doctor if it would be in your best interest to taper use of the drug. Before you decrease the dosage, ask about side effects that you may experience, such as anxiety and nausea. You and your doctor can discuss ways to lessen these effects. Your doctor will probably want to see you regularly during this time to check your vital signs and make sure that decreasing your use of the drug doesn’t trigger other health problems.

 

Opiods: Depending on the severity of your pain and the type of medication you’re taking, your initial goal may be simply to change to a safer medication or reduce the amount of medication you take. However, as you become more comfortable in your role as pain manager, you may want to consider eliminating your use of all pain medications and rely on other methods to manage your pain, including changes in your lifestyle.

 

Some people need medication to treat a specific condition. But you may be among those who can control your pain as, or more, effectively without drugs.