Here are some tips for easing osteoarthritis pain and increasing your mobility through stretching.

We have discussed the importance of exercise in increasing the odds of beating osteoarthritis in previous articles. Now, we are going to add some simple stretching exercises that can be added to your arthritis-beating regimen.

Stretching the Pain Away

Stretching correctly provides an easy method of reducing arthritis pain that takes only minutes each day. Done properly, these stretching regimens serve to enhance and speed the healing process by reducing pain and increasing mobility.

Note: If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should not engage in stretching unless you have discussed this with your physician. These tips are mainly for osteoarthritis sufferers.

Knees

The knees are one of the favorite targets for osteoarthritis. As such, you should spend a little extra time stretching them. Here are some good stretches for the knees.

While sitting in your favorite chair, with your knees in front and your feet directly below your knees, move one foot at a time out in front of you (without lifting your foot off the ground). Slide your foot forward and leave it in that position for about ten seconds. Next, move this foot back into position below your knee.

Repeat this about 5-10 times and then move over to the other foot. This is especially good after you have been sitting for a long period of time. You can do this several times daily and should only take about 10 minutes each day.

This low-impact exercise is going to help with pain reduction and increase your mobility.

Wrists

The wrist is one of the most active areas of the human body. Wrists are also a favorite target for osteoarthritis, but fortunately can be easily exercised.

Sit at a table and place your forearms out in front of you at rest. Clasp your hands together and intertwine your fingers. Now, bend both wrists to the left and hold that position for about 5-10 seconds. Repeat this motion about ten times. Next, do the same exercise only this time bend to the right. This exercise provides enormous benefits in terms of reducing pain in the wrist area.

Now, add two more steps. While sitting in that same position with your arms extended in front of you and your hands intertwined, just lift your arms up toward the ceiling and hold that position for 5-10 seconds before lowering them back to the table.

Remaining seated, now remove your arms from the table and simply place them out into an open space. Slowly move your arms downward toward the floor and hold that position for a few seconds. Then, raise your arms back up into a level position. Repeat that procedure the same number of times you did when stretching upward.

Watch upcoming issues of The Arthritis Chronicle for more stretching exercises.

Quick Tip for Diarrhea

This has a rather humorous aspect but it seems to solve this problem for humans. Ever eaten something that didn't agree with your stomach or taken a medicine that gave you the runs? Here's a tip to stop diarrhea.

Here is a simple tip that solves this difficult issue for humans. (Do not ask me to provide any scientific evidence on this issue…all I know is that it works.)

To end disruptive and unpleasant diarrhea, go down to your local store and buy some Archway Chocolate Coconut cookies. Eat one or two after the onset of diarrhea. Amazingly, the problem ends in nearly all cases.

I could not begin to provide you with a rational explanation for this happening. Someone in Philadelphia first reported it in 1998 and it has repeatedly been successful.

J.R. Rogers is the founder and President of Activex America, Inc. makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®