Millions of people are suffering from arthritis and it is the most common cause of disability. Although it is common to older people, it can also affect young adults and children. Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints and its surrounding tissues and there are more than a hundred types of arthritis. This condition puts limitations in one's ability to accomplish daily physical activities making it a very disabling condition. Due to the pain of inflamed joints and surrounding tissues, people with arthritis are unable to function normally in their everyday lives. Living a life with limited mobility can be very frustrating and depressing. If you are one of those people suffering from painful arthritis, you probably want to achieve arthritis freedom as soon as possible to improve the quality of your life.

The following tips can be very helpful to stop the pain and achieve arthritis freedom.

Consult your doctor. Early diagnosis, management and treatment can save you from serious complications and costly hospitalizations. Learning to manage arthritis as early as possible can also help you function better. Not to mention that it can be a symptom of a disease so it is important to see your doctor to evaluate your over-all health condition. If left untreated, arthritis can become a chronic problem that can torment you for the rest of your life. If you really want to achieve arthritis freedom, seek professional help.

Learn self-management. Arthritis can affect one's quality of life so it is important to learn how to manage your arthritis to improve the quality of your life and achieve arthritis freedom. Participate in arthritis self-management program in your area to learn how to cope with arthritis and lessen its negative effects in your daily life. There are various ways and techniques to cope with arthritis and with the help of people who are experts in dealing with arthritis, you can manage your arthritis and live your life normally. Do not hesitate to ask help because arthritis is a manageable and treatable condition if you seek treatment and act as early as possible.

Stay physically active. Lack of joint movement can worsen your arthritis so it is important to stay physically active to achieve arthritis freedom. Idleness or sedentary lifestyle doubles your risk of developing arthritis due to inactivity and lack of joint movement. Don't be a couch potato, limit your TV watching or computer usage and engage in more physically active activities and hobbies. Moderate regular physical activities like walking and swimming can be very beneficial for people with arthritis. If you have severe arthritis, it is important to ask your doctor or health provider about the best exercises applicable for your condition. But bottom line, an active life can save you from the disability brought by arthritis.

Lose weight. Obesity increases the risk of people in developing arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. For people with arthritis, maintaining a healthy weight can prevent the progression of arthritis. A healthy weight reduces the risk of people from developing arthritis and helps people suffering from arthritis to lessen the symptoms and function better in their daily lives. A weight loss program can be very helpful for you to maintain an ideal weight. Losing weight is measured in small successes and often frustrating but you need to remind yourself that you need patience and dedication to achieve your ideal weight and eventually achieve arthritis freedom.

Eat a healthy well-balanced diet. Diet plays an important role in managing arthritis. The kind of diet you follow could influence the occurrence of arthritis. Because there are various types of arthritis, no single diet plan will work on everyone but following a diet based on moderation, balance and variety could be very beneficial to your arthritis. Eating foods good for your arthritis will help you achieve arthritis freedom. Eat more fish to get more omega-3 fatty acid which is beneficial in healing joint inflammation. Avoid red meat because it promotes inflammation leading to arthritis. Eat fish as a replacement for red meat. Cut down on fats, avoid foods rich in saturated fats and avoid processed foods. Eating a healthy well-balanced diet is not only good for your arthritis but also to your over-all health.

Avoid smoking. We all know that smoking is not good for our health especially on the lungs but there are studies stating that smoking intensifies the inflammation levels of the body, thus increasing the risk of smokers in developing arthritis. You also have to know that inflammation is the underlying cause of arthritis. Avoid smoking if you want to achieve arthritis freedom. Nicotine which is the main substance found in cigarettes is not only bad for arthritis but it is also not good for your over-all health. Save your lungs and stop the progression of your arthritis by avoiding smoking.

Protect your joints. As mentioned earlier, arthritis affects the joints and if you want to achieve arthritis freedom, you have to protect your joints. Avoid activities that will hurt and stress your joints. Having a job with repetitive motion puts a lot of stress on the joints, if it is possible, avoid stress and repetitive motion. Balance physical activities with rest, be careful with your everyday tasks and accomplish your tasks in ways that will not stress your joints.