When it Affects Your Cooking
When you have arthritis, cooking isn’t so easy. It affects not only hands and fingers, but practically every joint in your body.
This includes your neck—you turn and look a lot when cooking—plus wrists, back, legs and knees, elbows and shoulders.
How can you work with your body instead of against it? Some tips include:
1. Use ergonomically designed lightweight utensils. They fit your hands and require less movement to use them.
2. Use pots and pans with two handles. They require less strength and flexibility—which can help you avoid an accident or injury.
3. Use a food processor or blender. This reduces the amount of cutting, slicing, mixing and chopping you’ll have.
4. Use a rocker knife. A half-moon shaped knife with two handles lets you lean into your chopping, rather than having to twist and bend.
5. Sit. Pull up a chair or stool while working, to ease strain on your joints.
Prepare casseroles and soups. They involve less turning, stirring and serving is easier. A slow cooker can also help.
6. Make good use of leftovers. Cook once but use the food for several different meals. Cook larger portions so you can heat and eat.
Published 03/10/10
