More than 60 million Americans live with arthritis and nearly half of them report that their joint problems (mainly from osteoarthritis) limit the activities they can do at work and during leisure hours when they'd like to socialize and have fun.

If that's you, the result is declining physical activity — which boosts the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart, kidney, and liver diseases — and increasing feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression.

To create long-range improvements in joint health, ease pain, and improve your quality of life, you want to adopt an inflammation-fighting diet that's loaded with fatty fish, olive oil, 100% whole grains, nine or more servings of fresh veggies and fruits daily, and no added sugars, red or red processed meats, fried foods, or highly processed foods.

It's also important to get regular joint-friendly exercise, such as gentle stretching, walking, swimming, and water aerobics.

To reduce pain when exercising, make sure your shoes are cushioned and have arch support. Apply heat for 20 minutes before you begin to relax muscles, and use ice afterward to reduce swelling.

In addition, change positions from sitting to standing every 30 minutes at work or at home to prevent stiffening.

Keep moving during pain flares by doing gentle range-of-motion movements. For instance, you can try leg lifts while lying down.