Increasing Joint Longevity
July 25, 2017
Sometimes it feels like our joints can never catch a break! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 27 million Americans over the age of 25 have osteoarthritis. That makes this form of arthritis one of the leading causes of disabilities in adult Americans. We are constantly putting wear on our joints from not only age, but from daily activities such as cleaning the house, yard work, carrying kids around, walking up stairs, and sitting with bad posture. Not to mention, the extra wear and tear we add from keeping up with personal fitness when lifting heavy weights and running on concrete or a treadmill!
As we age and continue to be active, the more important it becomes to protect our joints’ longevity!
Healthy Weight for Healthy Joints
Maintaining a healthy weight is very important for the overall health of the body. The less weight we carry around, the less stress we put on all our organs, and the less likely it is to develop a lot of health problems. This applies directly to joint health. Joints such as your knees, hips, and back are constantly bearing our body weight. If there is extra body fat we are carrying around, these joints have work a lot harder to support us and are going to wear down a lot faster than they should.
Stay Moving!
When we stay still for too long our joints become stiff and can cause a lot of pain. How ever it is you like to move, be sure you’re doing it! Whether it’s a five-minute stretch at work, a short walk when you’ve been sitting a while, a yoga class, a run outside, a few squats during commercial breaks on TV, there are lots of options! The more you get your heart pumping, the more benefits you’ll have, including reducing joint inflammation. Along with joint stiffness, joint inflammation can cause a lot of pain as well. If exercises on hard flooring is straining on your joints, remember that swimming and cycling are great low-impact exercise choices!
Last but Not Least, Nutrition!
Taking control of our nutrition is the ultimate way to improve our health. This includes our joints! When we eat healthy, nourishing foods our bones and muscles are able to grow and become strong, thus supporting our joints. Specifically, calcium is a key component for strong bones. You can consume most of your calcium from foods such as milk, yogurt, kale, broccoli, and nut or soy milk. Another key nutrient is protein! Protein is essential for all our organs, but especially our muscles. Eat lean meats, seafood, nuts, beans, and legumes to promote strong muscles and healthy joints. Other joint supporters are vitamin D and C! A lot of vitamin D is found in dairy products and vitamin C can be found in fruits and vegetables.
Incorporate these tips in your lifestyle to improve your joint health and keep your body in tip-top shape for years to come! Sources
“Arthritis.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 July 2017. Web. 20 July 2017. (https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/index.htm).