Every year, we all look forward to Christmas. It’s an exciting time of year. We always seem to have the best food and drink as well as more time with the family. It’s always colder this time of year too which means, hot drinks, warmer clothing and unfortunately for some, this can mean pain.
For those who have an inflammatory disease like arthritis, they know that it won’t do well in the cold weather. Dr. Elinor Mody, M.D. in Boston Hospital puts it best I believe; ”The fluid in your joints is like the oil in your car. It doesn’t move as well in cold weather’‘.
5 Of The Best Ways To Cope With Arthritis Over Christmas
Keep Warm
The cold weather can cause increased pain and stiffness over the Christmas period which isn’t ideal if you want to enjoy time with the family.
Make sure you wrap up warm this Christmas and keep the intake of hot/warm fluids up. Nothing says cozy like a hot cup of tea to cradle in your hands and of course, nothing says easy and safe like our Uccello Kettle to make that tea. You can always help to make life easier when it’s your turn to make the next round of tea and turkey sandwiches with the Muggi Cup Holder.
Manage the Stress
No one wants to miss out on anything over Christmas but it is important that you don’t overtax yourself. Budget your energy, you don’t have to do everything. Save your energy for the things you want to do and you should be able to avoid an arthritic flair up.
Keep Moving
There are a number of Christmas traditions we all like to take part in. Present time, Watching TV with the family while passing the tins of Roses and Pringles around or making the Christmas leftover sandwiches.
A lot of these activities involve sitting for long periods of time and sadly, this can cause stiffness. In order to avoid this, you need to move about as often as you can (at least once an hour). If you can’t why not try some exercises in your seat such as;
- Stretching
- Flexing
- Holding muscles for 5 seconds
Eat Smart
For a lot of us, Christmas is usually a time we forget our healthy eating habits and go for one more mince pie, another sherry, and perhaps another turkey sandwich because ”hey it’s Christmas”. However, for those with arthritis, this indulgence can lead to a painful flare.
Remember to include the healthier fats, like Omega-3 fatty acids are well known to help with inflammation from arthritis. Over the Christmas period, make sure you get enough fish, walnuts, or even soy (all foods that contain Omega-3).
Vitamin D & Calcium
During the winter, it’s fair to say that we don’t get a lot of exposure to the sun. This can affect your body’s vitamin D production. It’s very important to make sure you have the correct intake of both vitamin D and calcium over the Christmas period. If you are unsure, please consult your Doctor.
If you have other great ways to help our users and fans cope with their Arthritis over Christmas, please feel free to comment under the blog and we will do our best to add it to the article.
Would you or someone you know benefits from the safe pour of our Uccello Kettle? Click Now to Learn More
Leave a Comment