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Health Devotional
You Can Beat the Pain
Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. . . . My back is filled with searing pain. Ps. 38:3, 7, NIV.
Practically everyone, if they live long enough, will have some arthritis. It can be caused by something external that gets into the system, such as a virus or a bacteria, and affects the body by damaging the tissues. That's why keeping your immune system healthy is crucial.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the crippling type. It can create swelling in any of the 200 synovial joints in the body, half of which are in the back. When the joints become inflamed, the joint lining swells. Fluid pours out, disrupting the normal function of the joint as well as causing quite a bit of pain, tenderness, and the sensation of heat. Treatment for arthritis involves physical therapy, appropriate rest, splints, devices to assist the joints to keep them from being stressed, hot and cold compresses, and gentle exercise. Judicious use of medication can also be of help.
Rheumatism differs from arthritis, because it affects surrounding tissues outside the joint itself, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the bursas, the lubricating sacs around joints. Four lifestyle factors trigger it: overstress, overweight, underexercise, and the most important one—lack of sound sleep.
You can prevent the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, to some extent through the following approaches. Lose weight—the extra stress on the joints doesn't help. The health of the cartilage is the next most important thing, and that, of course, is related to its use. Cartilage (the pad between the bones) doesn't have a blood supply, so it has to get its nutrition from the joint lining, which occurs only when we use the joint. So we need exercise. Normal daily activities are adequate for most people, but we recommend that patients work up to 20 minutes of brisk walking four times a week. In addition, watch your diet, especially avoiding high fat and protein consumption.
Just as moving painful joints is important in reducing the pain, so it is in the spiritual realm. Dealing with guilt, bitterness, and anger, although painful, is the only way to experience true spiritual health. Don't let pain keep you from doing what you know you should!
Challenge: If you're bothered by arthritis, try a radical change in lifestyle: lose weight, eat fresh fruits and vegetables (eliminate fat and too much protein), lower stress, exercise, and get plenty of sleep!
Practically everyone, if they live long enough, will have some arthritis. It can be caused by something external that gets into the system, such as a virus or a bacteria, and affects the body by damaging the tissues. That's why keeping your immune system healthy is crucial.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the crippling type. It can create swelling in any of the 200 synovial joints in the body, half of which are in the back. When the joints become inflamed, the joint lining swells. Fluid pours out, disrupting the normal function of the joint as well as causing quite a bit of pain, tenderness, and the sensation of heat. Treatment for arthritis involves physical therapy, appropriate rest, splints, devices to assist the joints to keep them from being stressed, hot and cold compresses, and gentle exercise. Judicious use of medication can also be of help.
Rheumatism differs from arthritis, because it affects surrounding tissues outside the joint itself, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the bursas, the lubricating sacs around joints. Four lifestyle factors trigger it: overstress, overweight, underexercise, and the most important one—lack of sound sleep.
You can prevent the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, to some extent through the following approaches. Lose weight—the extra stress on the joints doesn't help. The health of the cartilage is the next most important thing, and that, of course, is related to its use. Cartilage (the pad between the bones) doesn't have a blood supply, so it has to get its nutrition from the joint lining, which occurs only when we use the joint. So we need exercise. Normal daily activities are adequate for most people, but we recommend that patients work up to 20 minutes of brisk walking four times a week. In addition, watch your diet, especially avoiding high fat and protein consumption.
Just as moving painful joints is important in reducing the pain, so it is in the spiritual realm. Dealing with guilt, bitterness, and anger, although painful, is the only way to experience true spiritual health. Don't let pain keep you from doing what you know you should!
Challenge: If you're bothered by arthritis, try a radical change in lifestyle: lose weight, eat fresh fruits and vegetables (eliminate fat and too much protein), lower stress, exercise, and get plenty of sleep!
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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