Ways to Keep Your Joints Healthy
Keeping your joints healthy can help you ward off pain, now and in your later years. But, how exactly can you maintain healthy joints while living a busy, fulfilling life? Here are our top tips.
Stay Active.
Regular exercise is essential to the health of your joints. It keeps the muscles that support your joints strong while maintaining your mobility. Additionally, exercise ramps up circulation throughout your body, ensuring that your joints receive the oxygen and nutrients that they need to stay healthy. Just make sure to opt for low-impact exercises, like walking, cycling, and swimming.
Maintain a Healthy Weight.
Extra weight puts more stress on the joints with every step. In fact, according to Kevin Fontaine, PhD, of John Hopkins University, just 10 pounds of excess weight increases the force on the knee joints by 30 to 40 pounds with each step. So, maintaining your optimal weight will help preserve the health of your joints.
Quit Smoking.
Smoking has numerous adverse health effects, one of which is an increased risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. It’s also a vasoconstrictor, meaning that it reduces blood circulation. Quitting smoking will improve the health of your joints, bones, and your body as a whole.
Focus on Anti-Inflammatory Foods.
Inflammation can cause arthritis flare-ups and compromise your joint health in the long run. An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on foods with innate inflammation-busting properties, like:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Beans and legumes
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats, such as olive oil and avocado
- Fish and seafood
Also called an arthritis diet or a Mediterranean diet, an anti-inflammatory diet can support the health of your joints and, as an added benefit, help you shed extra pounds.
Regenerative Medicine Now compiles information to help you beat joint pain and improve your health. Browse regenerative doctors and clinics near you!
