condition. People with arthritis are at higher risk of developing several other chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. The huge health benefits of regular exercise will help prevent these diseases.
Osteoarthritis
The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis mostly affects people over the age of 45. Although this degenerative joint disease is common among older adults, it may appear decades earlier. Osteoarthritis begins when joint cartilage breaks down, sometimes eroding entirely, creating a bone-on-bone joint. The joint loses shape, bone ends thicken and spurs or bony growths develop. Although osteoarthritis can affect any joint, the most common are joints of the knee, hip, feet and fingers. Osteoarthritis is not fatal but it is incurable, with few effective treatments. Symptoms of pain and stiffness can persist for long periods, leading to difficulty in walking, climbing the stairs, rising from a chair, getting in and out of a car and lifting and carrying.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia sufferers experience general muscular pain, fatigue and poor sleep. Although it may feel like a joint disease, fibromyalgia is not a true form of arthritis and doesn’t cause joint deformities. In fact, it is a form of soft tissue or muscular rheumatism.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, the third most common form of arthritis, is an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks itself. It is characterized by pain, warmth, redness and swelling. Many joints of the body have a tough capsule lined with a synovial membrane, which seals the joint and provides a lubricating fluid. In rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation begins in the synovial lining of the joint and can spread to the entire joint, leading to damage of the bone and cartilage. The space between joints diminishes and the joint loses shape and alignment.
Rheumatoid arthritis can strike at any age but usually appears between 20 and 50, developing slowly over several weeks or months. Although it is most often found in the small joints of the hands and the knee joint, it can affect most joints of the body. The effects of the disease vary widely: some people must remain in bed while others run marathons. It is also difficult to control and can cause severely deformed joints.
Other Forms of Arthritis
Other common types of arthritis include:
Other Age-related Conditions
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
High blood pressure is strongly linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases as blood pressure rises, even within the normal range of blood pressures. This suggests that a large number of people may be at risk.
How the GI Walking Diet Can Help
It’s possible to reduce high blood pressure through physical activity, such as the six-week walking plan, and by adjusting your diet. The six-week menu plan is low in salt, making it ideal for people who need to reduce their blood pressure.
Diabetes
In diabetes, the body doesn’t produce or cannot properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar, starches and other foods into energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, and can lead to many health-threatening conditions. The health implications of diabetes are staggering:
The exact cause of this long-term, incurable condition is a mystery. However, genetics and environmental factors – like obesity and lack of cardiovascular exercise – appear to play roles. There are two types of diabetes:
Metabolic Syndrome
In recent years, metabolic syndrome has become increasingly prevalent. A pre-diabetic condition, it is characterized by
and, guess what? That fat deposition
