According to studies, chronic joint pain impacts thousands of people across the globe every year. Resultantly, hundreds of patients regularly seek medical attention for joint pain. Unbeknownst to many, joint pain is also the primary cause of disability.
Acute joint pain can delimit a person’s ability to move and perform basic functions. Thus, it seriously compromises their quality of life.
Some of the common causes of joint pain include bad body posture. But it can also be caused by the overuse and even misuse of joints, such as in the case of potential athletes, footballers, and gymnasts. On the other hand, nutritional deficiencies in the body can also cause joint pain.
With the help of strict precautions, proper diet, supplement intake, and exercise – it is possible to manage joint pain.
Here are some foods you should include in your diet if you are suffering from joint pain.
Dark Green Leafy Veggies
Growing up, we detest dark green leafy veggies – the only time we might want to consume spinach is when we watch how strong Popeye the sailor man gets. Well, the thing about dark green leafy veggies is that your mom was absolutely right when she kept telling you to eat broccoli.
Broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and other green leafy veggies protect your body against the development of arthritis and joint pain.
Dark green leafy veggies also contain antioxidants which are crucial in fighting free radicals in the body and preventing damage to body cells and tissues. Free radicals do not only damage our cells but are also connected with joint inflammation and RA (rheumatoid arthritis).
That said, green leafy veggies, such as spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, and bok choy, are packed with vitamins A, K, C, and antioxidants protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. Also, dark green leafy veggies are high in calcium, which helps preserve bones.
Fish
Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for many health issues, including joint pain. By consuming fish, you can reduce joint pain and morning stiffness.
Fish contains unsaturated fats, such as EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid). These fats are good for joint health and also delimit the production of certain negative proteins that cause arthritis.
The presence of Omega-3 fatty acids in the fish also promotes blood flow throughout the body during exercise, which can also help reduce joint pain, inflammation, and swelling. Ideally, it is recommended that everyone should consume at least up to four weekly servings of fish, such as sardines and salmon.
If, due to some reasons, you might find it hard to consume the recommended quantity of fish, you can also take omega-3 fish supplements or krill oil supplements to avail yourself of the health benefits.
Nuts
We aren’t talking about just any nuts – but walnuts and Brazil nuts specifically. Like fish oil and fish itself, walnuts are a vegetarian alternative for omega-3 fatty acids. By consuming walnuts, you can efficiently reduce inflammation and swelling of the joints.
Besides, walnuts also contain other health benefits, such as promoting lower cholesterol and helping blood vessels relax, hence decreasing the stress on your heart and blood pressure.
Similarly, Brazil nuts contain a high ratio of selenium, which improves the quality of cartilage proteins that are present in the joints and bones. You might want to take a handful of walnuts and Brazilian nuts each day and snack on them to improve your joint health.
The presence of selenium in the nuts also helps to boost your immune system, which is crucial to fighting off any disease.
Some Additional Tips for Joint Health
Take Supplements
You might want to take vitamin D and calcium supplements to decrease joint and bone issues. Speaking of supplements, you might want to benefit from CBD as well. CBD has shown a promising effect on arthritis in particular.
Studies have shown that CBD can potentially decrease inflammation and reduce the perception of pain. Many patients suffering from arthritis use CBD in conjunction with the medicines prescribed by their doctors.
CBD suppresses the inflammatory response, which in turn reduces arthritis symptoms. You might want to check out this guide on CBD and its benefits: https://joyorganics.com/blogs/news/what-is-cbd-oil-our-ultimate-guide.
Some other supplements for joint pain include glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oil, omega-3, MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), and vitamin D.
Nonetheless, you can always rely on natural boosters as well, such as turmeric and avocado. Before taking supplements, you might want to consult with your pain doctor and see whether there are any potential side effects that you should know about.
Rest assured, you should prioritize your health to improve your quality of life.
Engage in Physical Activity
By staying physically active, you can lower your risk of joint and bone issues to a great extent. However, physical exercise is also great for your overall well-being as it can decrease your potential risk of heart disease as well.
When you are physically active, your muscles produce heat, increasing your body temperature and making you feel warmer. Once you start to feel warmer, your heart starts to beat faster and more blood gets pumped to the muscles that you are using.
Speaking of muscles, you should know that your heart is also a muscle, and if you are regularly active, your heart gets stronger. During exercise, your muscles work harder, so they require more oxygen. Eventually, you start to breathe faster so your blood can transfer more oxygen from your lungs.
Similarly, when you exercise, more physical demands are placed on the bones and joints, which make them thicker and stronger. On the other hand, when less physical demands are placed on bones, they become weaker, and you have more joint-related health issues.
That said, bones and joints get better when you stress them engaged in physical activity. You might want to engage in weight-bearing exercises, such as resistance training. However, other physical activities are useful as well, such as jogging, walking, and playing sports, such as tennis.
You can choose any sports where you are required to move in different directions. So, staying active is crucial for healthy joints and bones.
