“15 Easy Ways to Stay Active With Arthritis”

Play Video Games: Grab a gaming system but get off the couch. Research suggests some sports video games may burn as many calories as a brisk walk. In a study funded by Nintendo, the Wii Sports tennis, baseball, and boxing games all qualified as moderate-intensity exercise. For joint flexibility and to improve your range of motion with arthritis, try your hand at balance games and yoga exercises.

Get Your Dog and Start Walking: An eager dog can be the perfect cure for couch potato syndrome. He can keep you company and keep you motivated during your daily walks. Because walking keeps your joints flexible and your muscles strong, this low-impact, weight-bearing exercise is a good choice for people with arthritis. Research also suggests dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol than their pet-less peers.

Wash Your Car: Washing your car offers the chance to get a workout and a clean car at the same time. But don't just stand there spraying the hose at your windshield. You need to get your heart working. That means soaping up a rag and scrubbing your car from bumper to bumper. An hour's worth of hearty work can burn more than 300 calories for a 155-pound person.

Make a Play Date: If you have kids, grandkids, or babysit for neighbors, make your time with them as active as possible. Playing hide and seek or exploring a park can be an active, low-impact workout. For people with arthritis of the hands, board games, puzzles, and crafts are not only kid-friendly activities but they may also help keep your fingers limber. For the greatest benefit, arrange regular play dates a few times a week.

Carry Your Groceries: Make the most of your supermarket trip by carrying your groceries in the store and to your car. The weight adds intensity to walking and helps strengthen your upper body. Carry your bags across your arms to protect your hands. For an extra challenge, carry your bags up steps. Research suggests people who can carry groceries and climb stairs are less likely to have a stroke than those who can't.

Clean Your House: Don’t dread housework; it's a way to avoid the gym. Cleaning the floor counts as moderate exercise because it raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster. Other good exercise: washing windows, hanging laundry, and cleaning the bathroom. To protect your joints: Alternate motions and the hands you use. Don't overextend your reach, and bend with your knees to save your back. Consider knee pads for kneeling.

Dance Through Your Chores: Some household chores, like unloading the dishwasher, don't raise your heart rate on their own. But you can kick things up a notch by putting on music and moving! Try dancing while dusting, vacuuming, cooking, or putting away dishes. The trick is to use music you love, so you'll have fun while working up a sweat.

Tend Your Garden: Gardening can provide a surprisingly well-rounded workout. Wielding a rake or shovel can strengthen your muscles, improve flexibility, and raise your heart rate. An hour of weeding or digging is great for endurance, too. To avoid stooping, use long-handled tools or build raised garden beds. As a bonus, whether your focus is on tending flowers or fruit, you’ll have something to show for your efforts.

Find Fitness Friends: Instead of planning lunch dates, suggest meeting friends for a brisk walk through the mall or a park. While you may be tempted to shrug off a solo workout, you will be less likely to stand up a friend. And being active can help you meet weight loss or goals if you have them. If you're overweight, losing extra pounds can help reduce arthritis pain -- especially in the knees.

Volunteer Your Time: Help yourself and other people by taking on volunteer projects that benefit both mind and body. Consider walking dogs at the local animal shelter, planting trees, coaching a youth sports team, or building houses. Studies show that older adults who volunteer regularly have a greater sense of well-being than those who don't.

Hike or Bike on Your Next Outing: You may be in the habit of driving everywhere, no matter how close your destination. But think about some of your favorite places -- stores, restaurants, the library, parks. Are any of them close enough to reach safely by bike or foot? If so, you'll get exercise while saving gas money. In addition, biking is easy on your joints while still giving you a good workout.

Take the Stairs: When you head toward an elevator, think before using it. By taking the stairs, you can weave exercise into your daily routine without setting aside time for a workout. However, if you have knee osteoarthritis -- a condition that affects nearly one in two people before age 85 -- your health care provider may suggest that you consider another form of exercise.

Park in the Last Spot: Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for arthritis, so find ways to fit it into your day. Whether you're driving to the mall, office, or supermarket, make a habit of parking in the spot farthest from the entrance. Then power walk to the front door. When this becomes too easy, try parking a couple of blocks away from your destination. Wear a pedometer to see how much ground you’ve covered.

Take a Class: Like working out in a social setting? Sign up for a class. You'll have a regular exercise time and place, plus a group of people who expect to see you. Remember, a fitness class doesn't have to mean aerobics. Always wanted to learn karate or salsa dancing? Look for a class that will keep you coming back. Or join a walking group or masters swim team. Both walking and swimming are especially easy on the joints.

Add Up Your Exercise Time: You don't have to do all your exercises at once. It’s OK to do it in 10-minute spurts. If you're new to exercise, aim to be active 15 to 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Then work up to 30 minutes every day. The key is doing activities that will work your large muscle groups, quickening your breathing and heart rate. Unsure about which activities may be best for you? Ask your doctor.

Reviewed by: Tyler Wheeler, MD on October 14, 2018

Sources:

WebMD Health News: "Wii Games Burn Calories Like a Brisk Walk," "Real-World Fitness May Cut Stroke Risk."
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Healthy Aging: Physical Vitality," "Quick Tips: Fitting Physical Activity Into Your Day," "Fitness: Staying Active When You Have Young Children," "Emotional and Mental Vitality."
Arthritis Today: "Wii Fitness: Making Home Exercise Equipment Fun," "Having Fun With the Grandchildren," "Make Needlework Finger-Friendly," "Simplify Household Chores," "Gardening Tips for Everyone," "Knee Osteoarthritis: New Study Shows Higher Risk."
WebMD Feature: "5 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health," "Get Fit by Gardening," "10 Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit," "Family Fitness Made Fun." "What's Your Workout Personality?"
BBC News: "Dog Owners 'Lead Healthier Lives," "Diets for the Ages."
Arthritis Foundation: "Walking," "Protect Your Joints," "Daily Physical Activity Lessens Severity of Arthritis."
Harvard Medical School: "Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights."
CDC: "General Physical Activities Defined by Levels of Intensity."
Medline Plus: "Arthritis."
The John Hopkins Arthritis Center: "Osteoarthritis Weight Management."
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: "Arthritis of the Knee."
National Institutes of Health, Division of Nutrition Research Coordination: "General Guidance for Pedometer Use."
WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic: "Arthritis: Exercise to Treat Arthritis.

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.  

“Health Benefits of Yoga”

Anyone Can Do It: You don’t have to be flexible, fit, or comfortable wearing spandex to practice yoga. You don’t have to be young, wealthy, or able-bodied. You don’t even need a ton of free time. You can practice yoga in a wheelchair, at home in your pajamas, or in as little as 5-minute slices of time. You can do very challenging yoga poses or more gentle ones. Look for yoga classes that fit your needs or find a video online that suits you.

You Can Do Yoga Anywhere: You don’t need any special equipment or shoes to practice yoga, and you don’t need to be in a yoga studio or spend a lot to go to classes. You can practice yoga at home, at work, outside, or on vacation. All you need is little bit of floor space and you’re good to go.

Stronger Body: You don’t have to lift weights to strengthen your muscles. Hit the yoga mat for an effective strength workout. The sun salutation sequence of poses is an ideal strength workout, as it uses almost every part of your body. Even simple poses like plank and chair pose will strengthen your core. Any pose that involves a lunge will build your leg muscles, and static poses where you hold up your own weight will build lean muscle. Yoga may even help you build stronger bones.

Lots of Options: There are many types of yoga. Hatha is a slower-paced form that beginners and experienced yogis like. Vinyasa flows quickly from pose to pose. Iyengar focuses on proper alignment and uses props to hold poses for a long time. Bikram is one form of “hot” yoga, done in a very hot room. There are many other types, including yoga designed for pregnant women, new moms, older adults, people with disabilities, people who feel self-conscious about their weight, and those looking for a more spiritual practice.

Greater Flexibility: Yoga practice is on the rise among U.S. adults, and for good reason. There are many benefits to this ancient mind and body practice. For starters, it can improve your flexibility. Studies show that yoga helps many types of people become more flexible, from college athletes to adults who don’t exercise and the elderly. So, if you’re not stretchy now, that’s totally fine. You can still start with a gentle practice.

Better Balance: Balance may not be something you think too much about, but it plays a huge role in your ability to do everything from sitting to moving about in any way. Good balance may also help you prevent falls. Many yoga poses focus on balancing in different positions. So, it’s no surprise that studies show that yoga can improve your balance.

It’s Low Impact: Yoga is a safe form of exercise for most people. If you’re injured or unable to do high-impact exercise like running or jumping, you can still do yoga. It doesn’t involve jumping or running, and it can easily be modified. Even if you have joint problems, you can practice yoga. If you have a health condition, tell your yoga teacher about it. 

Less Stress: Yoga brings together body and mind, and many of its forms are meditative and peaceful. Yoga classes often end with a time of lying very still and quieting your thoughts. In one study, 86% of American adults who practice yoga said it lowers their stress, and research supports that yoga can help with stress relief. (Just don’t stress yourself out about what moves you can’t do yet or what the people around you are doing!)

Improved Eating: Yoga teaches mindfulness, which can also lead to healthier food choices. A survey of more than 1,800 young adults found that those who practiced yoga did have better eating habits. Many said yoga helped them practice mindful eating, which is when you notice how your mind and body feel while you’re eating. A positive, healthy yoga community can be a good influence, too.

Sound Sleep: Just about everyone would love a better night’s sleep. Yoga might help. A regular practice causes your body to make more melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep cycles. Studies of older adults, people with cancer, and pregnant women have found that yoga helped them sleep better.

Better Breathing: Take a deep breath. Now release it. All those mindful breaths you do in yoga class can actually improve your lung capacity. If you have asthma, yoga breathing exercises can help your lungs work better.

It’s Kid-Friendly: The whole family can do yoga together. More and more children and teens are practicing yoga and schools are even using it. Research points to benefits like improved mood, weight loss, and better self-esteem for kids who do yoga at school.

Reviewed by: Tyler Wheeler, MD on September 19, 2019

Sources:

Use of Yoga, Meditation, and Chiropractors Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 and Over, National Center for Health Statistics.
International Journal of Yoga: “Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes.”
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences: “Yoga Is as Good as Stretching–Strengthening Exercises in Improving Functional Fitness Outcomes: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.”
International Journal of Yoga Therapy: “Flexibility of the elderly after one-year practice of yoga and calisthenics.”
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Yoga: What You Need To Know.”
American Journal of Epidemiology: “The Safety of Yoga: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.”
Current Rheumatology Reports: “Yoga in Rheumatic Diseases.”
Mayo Clinic: “Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity.”
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity: “Yoga’s potential for promoting healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among young adults: a mixed-methods study.”
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: “Effects of Hatha yoga and Omkar meditation on cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile, and melatonin secretion.”
National Sleep Foundation: “What is Melatonin?”
The Indian Journal of Medical Research: “Influence of Yoga and Ayurveda on self-rated sleep in a geriatric population.”
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: “Effects of a 12-Week Hatha Yoga Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility in Hong Kong Chinese Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial.”
Asian Journal of Sports Medicine: “How Effective Is Sun Salutation in Improving Muscle Strength, General Body Endurance and Body Composition?”
Cleveland Clinic: “Yoga Poses That Can Strengthen Your Core Muscles.”
Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation: “Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”
Mayo Clinic Health System: “Yoga: Making a name in sports.”
Selecting and Effectively Using a Yoga Program, American College of Sports Medicine.
Yoga Alliance: “Types of Yoga.”
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine: “Hatha yoga: improved vital capacity of college students.”
International Journal of Yoga: “The effect of various breathing exercises (pranayama) in patients with bronchial asthma of mild to moderate severity.”
Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics: “Benefits of yoga for psychosocial well-being in a US high school curriculum: a preliminary randomized controlled trial.”
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice: “Ashtanga yoga for children and adolescents for weight management and psychological well being: an uncontrolled open pilot study.”
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: “Perceived Benefits of Yoga among Urban School Students: A Qualitative Analysis.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.