The pain in arthritis can be moderate to severe. Arthritic joints appear to be larger, are stiff and painful, and usually feel worse the more they are used as the day progresses. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. I found relief from my arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. I know the secret to getting rid of arthritis pain and it's not taking NSAIDs or any other drugs.

Cartilage contains chondrocytes, water, proteoglycans and collagen; chondrocytes are the basic cartilage cells and are necessary for balance and function. Joints are designed for normal and painless movement and are primarily supplied by the synovium and cartilage. In young people, cartilage is about 85% water and in older folks about 70% of cartilage is water.

One possible cause of arthritis is the inflammatory response due to the over-reaction of the immune system to an injury or other assault in the body, like an infection. Genetic factors are thought to be involved in about 50% of osteoarthritis cases in the hands and hips and a somewhat lower percentage of cases in the knee.

Possible causes of arthritis include lesser known: bleeding disorders, like hemophilia, which causes bleeding to occur in the joint; disorders such as avascular necrosis, that block the blood supply closest to the joint; and conditions like hemochromatosis, that causes iron build-up in the joints.

If your osteoarthritis is affecting your load-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important. Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, refined, packaged and processed food. Watch your diet closely - load-bearing joints are affected by excessive weight; they are the hips, knees, feet and spine.

Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question the value of these supplements; it's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly. Some people swear by morning drinks of raw apple cider vinegar and honey for arthritis pain relief. A study in Great Britain touted the beneficial effects of cod liver oil on osteoarthritis; relieving pain and stiffness, and reversing the destruction of joint cartilage within 24 hours.

I eat a diet of living foods (fruits, raw veggies, raw nuts and raw seeds) to relieve my arthritis pain and this should be tried for at least 30 days, thus eliminating any foods that might be culprits. Nutrition experts say it takes a combination of supplements, that no one supplement can relieve arthritis pain, build cartilage, etc.

For snacks, choose raw nuts without salt instead of lifeless roasted nuts. Make smoothies with fruit only, using a base of two bananas, adding a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of coconut oil; add one or two leaves of kale for another highly nutritional boost -- no one will ever know.

Stretching and warming up the joints should always be the first step in your exercise routine to make your joints more flexible. There are a number of exercises which can benefit arthritis sufferers regardless of how much restriction of movement there is. Try to keep painful joint areas in motion, even in a limited manner. Use Taiji health balls, with the chimes, to strengthen the finger joints: hold two balls, move in a clockwise circle with your fingers to rotate them, then try counterclockwise and do throughout the day.

Exercise in a heated pool; it will help reduce the pressure on your joints and the heat will help you loosen those joints. Sign up for water aerobics classes at your local community center. Don't just sit there, keep moving.

Be aware that the use of NSAIDs or Cox-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset.

Only you know which treatment option is best for you. Let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other drugs, herbs or other supplements you're taking, to ward off any adverse drug reactions that might occur from the combining of different drugs or supplements.

Once you understand the facts about arthritis, possible causes and treatment approaches you can take, you'll be on your way to recovery and pain will disappear. The biggest secret to arthritis pain relief is to change your diet now; eat foods that are alive. Begin your treatment program with a diet change, exercise and weight loss plan to see results and pain relief fast.