Using Omega 3 fatty acids as part of an arthritis management strategy
Arthritis can be a pernicious and debilitating disease, and the fear of arthritis can freeze the heart of people as they grow older. Because arthritis is a condition that affects older people.
So let’s look a little at arthritis and see whether there is any evidence that Omega 3 fish oil can help relieve it. Let’s consider what arthritis is first.
There are in fact many different forms of arthritis, in fact there are over 100. However the 2 most common forms of arthritis, and the types that you might be more familiar with are called Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.
In both cases an underlying cause is inflammation in the joint.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily attacks the joints in your body, though can also occur in other parts of the body. This form is more common in women than men and generally occurs in older people after the age of 40, though not always. It can be extremely painful and for many people can lead to a serious loss of mobility.
Whilst Rheumatoid Arthritis can affect most of the joints in the body it is more common in the hands and feet and the spine.
Osteoarthritis is more common than Rheumatoid Arthritis, and can also occur in many of the moving joints in the body, often starting in the spine, though often seriously affecting the hands and feet and hips and knees. Osteoarthritis can eat away the cartilages in joints and eventually lead to bone on bone friction, which is obviously painful.
Anyone who suspects they may be developing arthritis is well advised to consult a medical professional as soon as possible. It is not currently possible to cure arthritis, and medical intervention is more for management than cure. There are some very effective management strategies..
However it is well known that as arthritis is an inflammatory condition anti-inflammatories, in other words substances which help combat inflammation in the body, can be successful as part of an overall management strategy.
Omega 3 fats for Arthritis management
Of course there are various anti-inflammatory drugs. However all of these come with some form of side-effects, often serious. On the other hand the essential fatty acids known as the Omega 3 fats, found primarily in fish oil, are also well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties, being very effective at reducing inflammation in the body.
There are also excellent non drug solutions to arthritis, and adding more Omega 3 to your diet should be a big part of that.
There are very few, if any, side-effects from taking more Omega 3 in your diet, and none of the side-effects are serious. For this reason many medical professionals are now suggesting that as part of an overall anti-arthritic strategy arthritis patients should be taking Omega 3 supplements.
If you have arthritis and are considering taking Omega 3 supplements you should consult your doctor for advice on incorporating Omega 3 supplements into an overall management strategy.
However as well as for helping reduce the symptoms of arthritis there are many other health benefits from increasing your intake of Omega 3 fish oil. Almost every month new research comes out about this new “miracle drug” called Omega 3, except that it’s not a drug at all. It’s not manufactured in a laboratory, it comes from the oil of f ish.
In fact whether or not you have arthritis there are many other health conditions which may be positively benefited from increasing your intake of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids.
If you’re getting older there are some very powerful reasons to consider increasing your intake of Omega 3. For example there is now solid evidence that more Omega 3 in the diet may help prevent macular degeneration in older people, and macular degeneration is the single biggest cause of blindness in older people. The author has personal experience of macular degeneration, having seen a friend go blind within the last few years for this exact reason. No amount of Omega 3 will help her now, it’s too late.
So if you’re getting older and are worried about arthritis, particularly if you have some symptoms like joint pain, visit your doctor and talk to them about increasing your intake of Omega 3. There’s powerful reasons to do so.To find out more about Peter Click Here