Saturday, January 3, 2009

Osteoarthritis Prevention with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

By Andrew John

The most popular reasons of osteoarthritis include genetics, overweight, overburden some particular joint or a joint injury (even years ago) - all of that increases a chance of suffering from osteoarthritis. That's why two most endangered groups of people are those grossly overweight and... professional sportsmen!

Osteoarthritis is the most popular form of arthritis, affecting the lives of about 12 per cent of the human population. It most commonly attacks women above the age of 45, but can happen to anyone. Osteoarthritis is an effect of wearing off the cartilage in the joints. As the amount of cartilage is reduced, the bones in the joint start to rub each other during joint movements, causing serious pain and reducing the mobility of the joint up to the point when it is stuck.

Fortunately, there are loads of things you may do stave off the onset of the disease. First and foremost, you have to keep yourself at top condition. Strong muscles will reduce the rate the cartilage wears off and reducing one's weight means that there will be even less stress for the joints. Dieting, exercising and consulting with your doctor regularly is generally all you need to prevent arthritis. Just make sure you're not overdoing it. Too strict diet may cause your organism to weaken and actually cause muscle loss and overexerting yourself may result in damaging your joints rather than helping them. What is also important, remember to protect your joints while exercising. Wrist guards will for example, greatly reduce the risk of wrist injuries while exercising. Ask a doctor if your diet and exercises routine are safe before you start them!

As for the diet, you have to keep in mind that while you should generally reduce the fat intake, some fatty acids like Omega-3 are necessary to keep your osteoarthritis in check. The researches about the influence of Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have only just begun, but their positive anti-inflammatory effects have been confirmed well enough to make many doctors encourage their patients to increase their intake either by changing their diet or by taking food supplements such as Omega Daily.

Remember that osteoarthritis can cause only mild problems - but only in case you detect it early and start the treatment soon after. If you feel pain the joint(s) and they can't move as easily as they used to be, contact your doctor ASAP. - 16083

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