Many joints, such as our knee, shoulder and hip joints are designed to move freely and be supple.
Healthy cartilage allows the bones to glide
easily over each other and with the help of synovial fluid there should be no rubbing or friction.
Cartilage is a living tissue which naturally renews itself and if kept healthy will enable your knees, shoulders, and hips to move freely for many years to come.
This article looks at how you can take care of your joints through a proper diet and exercise. It also considers what you should avoid in order to maintain and even improve the health of your joints.
You Are What You Eat
Although this statement is often considered a cliché,
advice from the Arthritis Foundation confirms
that what you eat can either help or harm the health of your joints. Fatty oils found in fish like salmon and sardines are highly recommended as are prunes, cherries and any deep colored vegetables and fruits. Soya protein and low-fat dairy products are also recommended.
Foods to avoid include white sugar, flour and saturated fats as well as salt. If you like pizza and pasta, then switching to whole wheat alternatives is a step in the right direction.
Ginger and green tea
have also been shown to help reduce joint inflammation as well as vitamins such as D and E which are found in many of the recommended foods. It’s hard to go wrong with eating curcumin to help keep inflammation down. Curcumin is found in turmeric.
To help supercharge your bodies ability to repair and grow new cartilage, a steady supplement of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate is beneficial. Remember, it takes time for your body to grow new tissues. Change your diet and/or your supplements for a good 8 to 12 weeks to have any real effects!
Keep Moving
Exercise is certainly good, but some activities like basketball, football and even running will give your joints a pounding and over time can cause wear and tear. If you are looking for a way to keep active and moving, try a low impact activity like swimming or even
get yourself a bike.
For the days when you aren’t swimming, cycling or just walking it’s still worth considering how to keep flexible and avoid tightness. Whether you are sporty or not, your hips are often overlooked, only receiving attention when you experience pain. But by
doing some simple hip exercises
you can benefit from greater flexibility as well as better digestion, deeper sleep and more energy.
By taking care of your joints and feeding them with joint supporting foods you are giving the cartilage the opportunity to repair itself. By doing low impact activities and hip exercises now, you are increasing your overall flexibility ensuring that you keep moving well into the future.