The Journey of Wellness

Achieving wellness is a journey. If you have arthritis, you already know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to relieving your pain and restoring mobility. 

In fact, for many people suffering with arthritis, finding the right treatment option may require trial, error, and learning over time what works best. You may already know that physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet are two of the best ways to manage your arthritis symptoms. 

However, movement and nutrition are only two pieces of the puzzle. 

Arthritis affects not only your physical health but your emotional health and wellness, too. To achieve optimal health, you must factor in other aspects of your life and understand their potential effects on your mind and body. 

For example, your routines and habits, level of social interaction and sense of community, internal dialogues and close relationships, and a host of other factors can contribute to how well you can handle and heal from the painful symptoms caused by arthritis. 

As we further develop our understanding of the complex nature of pain, we can meet the problems by expanding the scope of what we consider our health influences and determinants. 

Research demonstrates that successful self-management education programs for arthritis offer a combination of three key elements: integrative treatment education, self-care planning, and mind-body practices. 

By learning about biopsychosocial components of health, taking stock of habits and developing personalized lifestyle changes, and practicing mind-body techniques that foster relaxation and calm, patients can be much better positioned to handle the challenges they encounter in managing symptoms, particularly pain.