KEY POINTS

  • Arthritis is a debilitating condition and can hinder day-to-day activities fo both men and women 
  • There are ways on how you can combat the disease and health experts recommend taking a supplement
  • By taking vitamin D supplement, you would be able to help yourself against arthritis

Stiffness and swelling in the joints are typical symptoms of arthritis. If you have arthritis, not only will you be suffering from painful discomfort, but your motion will also be severely limited. The pain and swelling may also be accompanied by the reddening of the skin around your joint.

Over ten million people in the UK suffer from arthritis or parallel conditions affecting the joints. This painful condition affects people of all age brackets, and this includes children. In the latter case, administering pain medications may not be the best option unless extremely needed or as advised by the physician. So what should you do?

arthritis joint pain
arthritis joint pain guvo59 - Pixabay

The Sunshine Supplement

In a recent survey, 76% of those who suffer from arthritis say its symptoms prevent them from enjoying a normal life. Approximately 81% of arthritic females say painful symptoms curtail their ability to perform regular chores, while 68% of male sufferers say they are unable to live the life they want.

Good thing there is a certain supplement that arthritis patients can take to ease the pain they feel. As such, they would now be able to live the life they wanted even if they have the condition.

Research has shown that taking vitamin D may help alleviate the painful symptoms of arthritis. This is good news for many, particularly those who are not keen on taking pain medications.

Vitamin D helps your bones and teeth absorb calcium, which is very important to the health of the bones. The sunshine vitamin is also vital for muscle movement and nerve communication. It is also an effective aid in fighting inflammation. The Arthritis Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding solutions for this painful condition, said that taking vitamin D supplements can help ease arthritis symptoms.

Best Vitamin D Sources

Calcium is needed by the bones to keep it healthy, and vitamin D plays a vital role in helping the body absorb calcium. Aside from sunlight, you can also get this important nutrient from foods like fatty fish, beef liver, egg yolks, cheese, and some foods fortified with vitamin D.

Examples of fatty fish rich in vitamin D are salmon, tuna, and mackerel. These fatty fish are also rich sources of calcium. Vitamin D fortified foods are cereals, some dairy products, soy milk, and orange juice. To ensure you get the required amount of vitamin D from these fortified foods, you need to look at their nutrition labels. It will give you an idea of how much daily nutrient values you are getting from a type of fortified food.