The inflammatory process that takes place when a person is suffering from arthritis changes the lining of the intestines thus reducing the absorption of some nutrients while increasing the need for daily nutrient requirements. Nutrition is further used up if a person has been on long term medication therapy.  When an arthritis patient is malnourished, joint pain and stiffness increases.  The condition improves with dietary intake of calcium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin E.  Selenium and zinc’s antioxidant nutrients might also be effective because of their ability to stop free radical damage to joint linings that causes the accumulation of fluids, swelling and pain.

The following vitamins are especially known to be beneficial to arthritis sufferers:

Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 is a water soluble B complex vitamin, also known as pantothenic acid.  Pantothenic acid is more or less found everywhere, from plants and animals to humans.  Natural sources of B5 include eggs, meats, whole grains, and nuts.  Vitamin B5 is used by our body to release energy and also plays a role in tissue generation, creation of antibodies and the healing process.  This arthritis vitamin is good for swelling.

Vitamin B3
This arthritis vitamin helps in reducing tissue swelling and dilates small arteries increasing blood flow.  However Vitamin B3 is not advised for persons with high blood pressure.

Vitamin B6
Is another arthritis vitamin that reduces tissue swelling.

Vitamin B12
This vitamin aids in multiple functions, generally helps with cell formation, digestion, myelin production and nerve protection.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage protecting the heart.  This vitamin is also needed to make collagen to strengthen muscles and blood vessels and plays a vital role in wound healing and fighting viruses. This arthritis vitamin acts as an anti-inflammatory, which can relieve pain, and rids the body of free radicals.

Vitamin D
Is a fat soluble vitamin that is used by the body in the absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. This arthritis vitamin in studies has shown that sufferers of the disease who took beta-carotene daily exhibited a decreased progression of this disease.  People suffering from arthritic knees who added vitamin D to their diets were less prone to suffer from arthritis in the future.

Vitamin E
This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that protects cell membranes, LDL cholesterol and other fat-soluble parts of the body. This arthritis vitamin with its strong antioxidants protects the joints from free radicals while increasing joint flexibility.
Vitamin K
This vitamin assists with mineral deposit into the bone surroundings.

COD Liver Oil (2500iu Vitamin/270iu Vitamin D)
Cod liver oil contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that are both omega-3 oils.  These special omega-3 oils, keep blood triglycerides in check, keeping blood from clotting too quickly. This arthritis vitamin is very good for various inflammatory diseases, including chronic kidney disease.

For arthritis patients, these arthritic vitamins can help your diet and aid in improving your condition; however, it should never be used as a substitute for proper medication prescribed by your doctor, it’s always best that you consult your doctor about your condition and follow proper treatment.

The Center for Disease Care and Prevention (CDC) reports that one out of every three Americans suffers from arthritis. That means approximately 70 million people in the United States suffer from some form of arthritis or other rheumatoid conditions. What’s worse, the National Arthritis Data Workshop and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases states that this number is expected to go high up at 100 million by 2020.

Presently, there is no cure for arthritis. In some cases even, the damage caused by the disease is irreversible. However, medical science is constantly at work trying to find an eventual cure. In the mean time, there are several treatment options available to help arthritic patients cope with the pain as well as arthritis products that would aid in the management of daily activities, subsequently limited due to minor disabilities as a result of the disease.

Why Arthritis Products are Important

There was a time when doctors would advise arthritic patients to rest constantly and most especially during flare ups. However, recent studies have shown that constant mobility can actually reduce the stiffness of the joints. Exercises, such as walking or treadmills, may even help boost up weak muscles and low energy levels common in patients suffering from arthritis pain.

With this discovery, doctors today are now recommending a balance between activity and rest.

Of course, this means the belief that just because you have arthritis there is absolutely nothing that you can do is false. With a little ingenuity and some low cost arthritis products, even patients suffering from the worst type of arthritis can overcome the limitations set by arthritis and take control of their lives.

How Arthritis Products Make Life Easier

Opening drawers and cupboard doors used to be a simple task that you often took for granted. But if you are suffering from arthritis, this simple task can turn out to be very painful as the force could add stress to your already tender fingers, wrists, and knees.

Arthritis products like lubricants and oils can make this repeated task less painful by applying them to the drawer runners in order to reduce resistance. Other arthritis products that you can use are pieces of rope of cloth which you can loop through handles. Slip your arm through the loops and pull with your whole body. This way, the pressure is taken off the individual joints.

Sitting up and down is a particularly difficult task for an arthritic patient. Most seats around the house, like chairs and toilet seats, allow you to sit with your hips and buttocks on a higher position than your knees. This forces you to support much of your body weight with your knees in order to get up. Reduce the stress on your knees by getting arthritis products like chairs with high seats or chair alternatives.

There are many more arthritis products that can help make painful tasks much easier to do. Most of them are pretty basic and designed to maximize effort with very little energy usage. Additionally, some arthritis products aid by showing you the shortcut in getting things done.