Osteoarthritis - How You Can Reduce The Risk?

The condition of osteoarthritis is very common as you age. The condition is said to affect women more than men and is mainly due to the low estrogen levels that women tend to experience once they cross the age of 50.

What causes this most common form of arthritis?

The problem of osteoarthritis (oa) takes place when the soft but firm connective tissue is known as cartilage found in between bones of your joints (such as knees, ankles or elbows) deteriorates. This soft connective tissue is vital for ensuring frictionless motion of joints. During osteoarthritis, the surface of this tissue takes on a rough texture, and consequently, it wears down completely.

What can you do to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis?

There are several simple ways that you can employ to prevent this condition from occurring and these are:

1. Maintain a healthy body weight: Being overweight is one of the leading risk factors for osteoarthritis. The extra body weight causes additional pressure to be exerted on weight-bearing joints like knees and hips. As time passes, this additional strain damages the cartilage that acts as pads between bones of the joints. Additionally, the extra body weight also causes your body to produce a destructive protein known cytokines, leading to inflammation of the joint areas.
2. Maintain an optimal blood sugar level: High levels of glucose in your body bring about the development of certain chemicals that make cartilage rigid and more susceptible to mechanical stress. Controlling abnormal blood sugar levels is vital for reducing this risk of inflammation that can lead to the loss of cartilage and joint damage.
3. Indulge in physical activity: Indulging in any kind of physical can help in keeping your joints healthy. You need to spend about 30 minutes of each day on performing the moderately intense exercise. This will ensure not only the ability of your joints but also make stronger the muscles that hold up and steady your hips and knees.
4. Have a well-balanced diet: Including certain foods in your diet can help in reducing your chances of developing osteoarthritis. A well-balanced diet that prevents oa should consist of ample amount of omega - 3 fatty acids, vitamin d and vitamin c. While fatty fish like tuna and salmon, eggs, sunlight etc are considered to be good sources of vitamin d, strawberries, tomatoes and potatoes are just a few of the food sources that you can consider for meeting your vitamin c requirements. For meeting your omega - 3 fatty acids requirement, you can consume fish oil as well as plant or nut oils.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!