Autumn is a wonderful time of year, the colours of the leaves, the crush as you walk through them and the giddy childish excitement as we edge closer to the festive season. But, along with this comes cooler temperatures and with that can come arthritis flare ups and inflammation. Sadly, changes in the weather are often a source of discomfort for anyone living with arthritis.
Thankfully though there are ways you can reduce the pain and inflammation you experience throughout the changes over the years. That’s why we are here today, sharing some great tips and advice on how to help you manage your arthritis.
Keep Yourself Active
While it might not make any sense to get up and move when you experience a flare up, it’s actually better for you to keep moving. Try not to reduce your level of activity as the cooler temperatures come in. Think of a car and how if it is left to sit (and not be run over time) how many issues it may have when you finally do need to get it going.
Keeping active and adding some light exercise to your daily routine will help keep your joints limber and blood flowing. Not to mention it will also help you manage your weight, which your joints will thank you for too.
Remember, with arthritis, low-impact exercise is the way to go. This means exercise that doesn’t add any extra pressure or weight to your joints and limbs. Good examples of low-impact exercise would be walking, swimming, cycling and yoga.
Daily Living Aids
Even today, there can be a negative view on the adding of daily living aids to the home. Many do not like to be seen using them but the assistive technology sector has come on leaps and bounds. Gone are the days where the aid was clunky and unattractive. Many in this sector now look to design aids with both form and function in mind so that they can fit seamlessly into the home.
Take the Uccello Kettle as a good example. It is ideal for anyone with reduced strength, mobility, dexterity and visibility but it does not look like the typical daily living aid. It’s attractive (and award winning style) is a conversation starter. Many people liken it to a little bird on their counter and speak about how attractive it is. With our kettle you have function (no more lifting a heavy kettle, simply tilt-to-pour) and form (it comes in 4 different colour options).
Daily living aids like ours are here to make life easier, not harder. So don’t forget to check what the market and Uccello Designs can offer you.
Keep Warm
It goes without saying really, that with cooler temperatures and living with arthritis, it is important to keep yourself warm. This might be a worrying fact with the current rate of inflation and the energy crisis but there are ways to heat up without hurting your pocket.
- Hot water bottles: Great for keeping the heat close and for soothing any affected areas that you might be experiencing due to arthritis.
- Hot liquids: There really isn’t anything like a ‘hug in a mug’ and by looking after your kettle (keeping it limescale free) and only boiling what you need you can keep the costs of boiling to a minimum.
- Insulated clothing: This time of year, there are many that sell insulated socks and other forms of clothing to help keep the heat where you need it.
- Wrapping up: It’s Ireland, we all know we can experience the 4 seasons in just one day. This is why wrapping yourself up in layers is a good idea, you can warm up and cool yourself down in a matter of layers.
Remember to Relax
When it comes to living with arthritis, it’s important not to overdo it. Listen to your body, you know what you need to make things feel better. This could mean cancelling plans so that you can rest your hip or having a longer soak in the bath to sooth aching joints.
While it’s important to keep yourself active, it’s also important to relax. What is the cold weather for if not to snuggle up with a cuppa and watch your favourite movie or soaps.
For more information on managing your arthritis, please feel free to learn more on the Arthritis Ireland website.
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