As our body ages, the joints that have kept us active and limber in a relatively pain-free manner begin to show a bit of wear and tear. It’s only—and quite literally—natural. Our bodies can’t last forever, and our joints are where much of the friction and damage usually show first....CONTINUE READING
Our hands, hips, knees, shoulders, and so on are susceptible to chronic pain. We have to worry about arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, and basic injuries, all of which have ramifications that can be problematic for the remainder of a lifetime.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things we can do naturally to keep our joints healthy. With any luck, that means we don’t have to rely on costly prescription meds and physical therapy to function. Instead, we can thoughtfully care for ourselves, joints included, with the following techniques.
Our bodies are made to move, and the less moving we do the more our joints will stiffen up. But, that doesn’t mean we need to run marathons or get into body-building. Regular, low-impact exercises are ideal for keeping our joints healthy. Walking, swimming, and easy yoga classes are great.
In addition to doing low-impact exercises, building muscle power protects joints, too. That doesn’t necessarily mean we have to do power-lifting or even use weights. We can build strength using our body weight
with exercises like push-ups, squat thrusts, lunges, chin-ups, and so on. Building up strength reduces the pressure we put on our joints because our muscles will take on some of their responsibility.
Keeping our bodies active and strong is a great start to having healthy joints, and adding in a good stretch
creates the exercise trilogy. It’s good to gently push our joints to their full range of motion so that they can keep their flexibility and potentially even increase it. This is different that cardio exercises or strength exercises. This is looking out for our joints and tendons and bits that keep us moving fluidly.
Having a healthy diet with plenty of foods with anti-inflammatory attributes, as well as getting adequate vitamin D, calcium, and healthy fats. Fresh herbs, as well as spices like ginger and turmeric, are great anti-inflammatory additions to dishes. Leafy greens are awesome for calcium. Nuts and seeds are fantastic for healthy fats.
It’s really important, as we all know, to drink enough water. The amount of water we drink each day has a massive impact on everything from our brains to our skin to our joints. In the case of joints, it helps to keep them lubricated and limber. The ideal amount of water is about half your body weight in ounces. For example, a 150-pound person should drink 75 ounces of water each day.
Avoiding excess body weight can be very helpful for weight-bearing joints like hips, knees, and ankles. Stay active with regular exercise can help with this, as will eating well. By no means should we be striving to be underweight or ultra-thin, but it’s important not to carry so much weight that just the gravity of it causes joint pain.
Lastly, we need to protect our joints. They have to last a lifetime, so the least we can do is try to protect them from injury. Using proper posture when sitting and walking helps. Lifting with good technique helps. Warming up before getting into big physical activities, or even before starting the day, helps. With healthy joints, we are so limited in our activities, so it’s a really good investment of time.
Joint pain is no joke. It can slow a person down, so for anyone suffering from it, it’s great to know there are some ways to ease that turmoil. None of these suggestions cost any money or require a membership to anything. They are basic and simple and great for your body. Doesn’t that sound like a steal?
