Arthritis

Arthritis is almost always preceded by a period of declining function and health in one or more body systems. For all of us, such dysfunctions are the result of life-long interactions with our environment, lifestyle, and our genetics. The good news is, with new healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors, many chronic diseases are very manageable and sometime even preventable! Even people with a genetic predisposition to arthritis can learn to maintain healthy lifestyle choices to reduce their risk, defer the onset, or at least better manage the progression of this condition.

The genetic tendencies a person has towards any given disease could, in large part, be influenced by their environment and lifestyle. Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as a lack of exercise, poor diet, and inadequate stress tempering techniques to relieve chronic stress can all lead to the development of chronic disease or increase the progression of it. A functional medicine doctor committed to bringing their patients to greater health, focuses on patient education, therapeutic lifestyle choices and integrative therapies that support the person’s own genetic expression of health.

While many people understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, they lack the skills and dedication needed to sustain these good habits. Finding a doctor who can provide appropriate interventions and encourage healthful behaviors by educating you with nutritional counseling, physical reconditioning, and stress tempering techniques to start and maintain these healthy lifestyle habits, will help you prevent arthritis, preserve your function, and stay strong for life.

About the author: Dr. Vince Sferra

Dr. Sferra is the founder and Clinic Director of Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation.  His passion is to uncover the root cause of a disease by investigating the mechanisms through which a condition is occurring in an individual. He has a committed focus for working with and improving the quality of life for people struggling with cognitive decline syndromes such as post-concussion syndrome, early stages of common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and systemic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis as well as a multitude of autoimmune diseases.