Did you know that one in four United States adults suffers from arthritis? That is over 52.5 million individuals pushing through the pain. Now, I know what you are thinking “only old people deal with arthritis” or “it is just normal wear and tear on the body.” Turns out, there is no age requirement for arthritis and there are over 100 different types of arthritis! 

Why is this so important? Well for starters, statistics show an increase in patients worldwide affected by arthritis. In fact, it is estimated that by the year 2040 50% of the US alone will have some form of arthritis. Now before you start saying things like that’s because the national age will push those individuals into the “older” population. It is important to remember that people are being diagnosed currently at eighteen years old.

Are You At Risk?

Here is the thing, while older individuals may be at a much higher risk of developing arthritis it can and does affect people of all ages. In fact, individuals who have heart disease, diabetes, depression, or are obese are at a higher risk of developing arthritis. Conversely, individuals with arthritis are at a higher risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. It is one of those situations where one is often the precursor to the other and by avoiding one you can avoid the other.

For those of you who still struggle to see just how big of an impact this means, let me put things into perspective. The annual cost to treat arthritis in the US is over $140 billion! Which does not even compare to the average of over $164 billion in lost wages due to arthritis pain or flare-ups at work. Think about it, if you are in too much pain to perform your daily tasks it is going to cost you more than just lost wages. On average, individuals who suffer from arthritis had an additional cost of $2,117 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses. I don’t know about you, but I can think of better things to spend my money on rather than a temporary fix.

Money Talks

Clearly, there is an economic value to preventing and treating arthritis. With osteoarthritis being the 5th most common disability in the world and women having a higher risk for developing some form of arthritis it is imperative that we stack the deck in our favor. How do we do that? Great question, one of the best things to do whether you have arthritis or are looking to prevent it is to swap over to the Mediterranean or anti-inflammatory diet. This means, swapping out processed foods for whole foods designed to help you make the most out of every minute. 

Another way to treat and prevent arthritis is by increasing your fiber intake and detoxing regularly. It may not seem like much, however, fiber helps keep things moving. This means toxins have a much harder time accumulating within our bodies. More often than not, when we fail to detox regularly those excess toxins tend to accumulate in our joints first. It then acts like an acid eating away at our joint’s lubrication and cushioning.

Get Things Moving

Movement is another great way to help push these toxins out and support your joint health. While not all exercises are ideal for improving joint health the best options are exercises that rely on your body weight as a form of resistance and strength training. Some of the best options I have come across with my clients are yoga and pilates. 

At the end of the day, it is all about improving circulation throughout the body. As such, it is important to avoid smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. Another common connection people fail to make is the importance of oral hygiene. Did you know that there are oral bacteria that can actually increase your risk of heart disease? Our mouth is more often than not, the first stop for everything that enters our bodies. As such, it is important that we are removing any lingering visitors while also helping to support our teeth and gum health. 

Apricot Chicken

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Serves 4-6

• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• zest and juice of one lemon
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 white onion minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 2 tsp thyme dried

Directions:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Season the chicken, add to the pan, and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned turning once. Combine broth, zest, juice, mustard, garlic, and thyme into a slow cooker. Whisk to combine. Add onions, apricots, and seared chicken into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Serve over brown rice or couscous. 

No-Bake Peach Cheesecake

Gluten-free, Vegan, Serves 6-8

• 16 oz vegan cream cheese room temp
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 3 oz peach flavored agar
• 1/3 cup coconut cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 8 oz coconut whipped cream
• 2 cups sliced peaches
• 9-inch gluten-free graham cracker crumb crust

Directions:

In a large bowl blend the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, agar, and cream. Once mixed well fold in whipped cream until combined. Spread the mixture into the pie crust and top with peach slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Serves 3 dozen

• 2 cups coconut flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup vegan butter room temp
• 2 cups dark chocolate vegan chips
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts roughly chopped
• 1 cup browned coconut sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Into a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together until fully combined. Mix in eggs and vanilla one at a time. Slowly add in flour mixture until incorporated. Fold in the chips, raspberries, and nuts. Drop a tablespoon of dough 2 inches apart onto a pretreated baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes prior to moving over to a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Watermelon Sorbet

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Serves 12

• 1/2 large seedless watermelon cubed, frozen
• 10 strawberries wedged, frozen
• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Directions:

Into a blender combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a freezer-friendly container and let freeze for 1-2 hours.

Get Started Today

Keeping your body free of toxins and free radicals is necessary to maintain a healthy life and a healthy mind. There are tons of foods you can add to your regular diet to help your body with its critical detoxifying processes. If you are looking for a safe and all-natural way to detox your body at home be sure to check out my Balancing Abundance Program. Because detoxing is so important and realistically everyone should be doing it on at least a seasonal basis I have taken the time to put together a program to help you do just that. Here’s the thing, I know working with me one-on-one can seem difficult to get into (due to limited space) and I wanted to be able to give everyone an additional solution that has no limits. You deserve to be happy, healthy, and successful at everything you do so here are some recipes to help set you up for success!

 Need A Hand?

A happy and healthy life is closer than you may think. We all have to deal with our health daily, and when we don’t feel our best, it shows. If you are tired of just making it through your day, you NEED to start investing in your health today! You are not alone on this journey. If you ever need any help, I am always here to do just that. Even if it is something as small as acting as a sounding board, do you have any questions or concerns I can help you with? Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected], or you can even book a one-on-one call with me. Be sure to subscribe to gain access to tons of free goodies and check back daily for more great recipes and information!