Helpful Tips In The Kitchen
By: Aya C. Chow
1. Respect pain. Pain is your body’s natural
warning to stop the activity at hand.
2. Do not force your body to long periods of any
activity, even cooking. It is best to rotate periods of meal preparation with periods
of rest.
3. When preparing meals, sit down instead of
standing up. There will be less strain placed upon your body if a high bar
stool that swivels is available for your comfort and support.
4. Try to move frequently used items to areas
easily accessible to you, such as to a lower cabinet shelf, and infrequently
used items to higher shelves
.
5. Use a device, called a reacher, to help you
obtain items that are in cabinets or shelves. This may help those with
arthritis in the shoulders or elbows.
6. Traditional jar openers force your hands to
grip and twist. To reduce pain and stress on arthritic joints, use a
wall-mounted jar opener. This permits you to use both hands to hold the jar,
allowing your fingers to be in a straight position
7. Drawers should have C-shaped handles as they
are easier to pull than knobs. If you add a loop made from cloth or leather to
the handle, you can fit your arm through the loop and pull the drawer open with
your arm instead of having to use your hand. To close the drawer, push with
your forearm or hip. Try to avoid using your hands and wrists.
8. A peeler with an adapted loop handle makes
for easier peeling of fruits and vegetables.
9. A cutting board can be modified by placing two
aluminum or stainless steel nails through it (the nail points face up towards
you) to hold fruits and vegetables to make cutting or peeling easier.
10. A dull knife that has been warmed cuts
through cheese very easily.
11. A doorknob is easier to turn if you approach
it from the side rather than straight on. Wide elastic bands or adhesive-backed
foam tape wrapped around the doorknob will also give you more friction.
12. An angled-handle knife makes cutting and
chopping easier by reducing stress on the small joints of your hands and
wrists.
13. Food processors may be the most helpful item
in the kitchen as they can help you cut, chop, paste, and more, depending on
the model. Many styles and sizes are available, so look for one with easy assembly,
easily removable parts, and controls you can use stress free.
14. Lift bowls, pitchers, pots, and pans with
both hands instead of just one hand, to reduce stress and strain by 50 percent.
Keep your fingers in a more straight position when lifting items as it is less
stressful and painful than felt when using a strong grip.
15. Utensils such as forks, whisks, spoons, and knives should have enlarged handles for an easier and less stressful grip. Handles should be held parallel to the knuckles to reduce the twisting force on the fingers.
