A survey reveals that one-third of US adults reported joint pain within the past 30 days. The most common complaint being knee pain, followed by shoulder and hip pain. Sound familiar?
Joint pain can affect any part of your body and it can be either acute or chronic. Wrong posture, poor eating habits, unhealthy lifestyle, and aging are reasons for joint pain.
Luckily, there are many things you can do to improve your joint health. Eating the right foods is your key. It helps reduce pain and promote healthy joints.
Want healthy joints for a lifetime?
5 Foods to Eat at Least Once a Week
1. Include omega-3 fats
Omega- 3 fats are essential fats your body cannot make on its own and must come from food.
You can get them from nuts, plants and wild caught fish.
Omega-3 fats prevent inflammation, keep your cholesterol levels normal and crucial for heart health.
A study found that daily dose of 300 mg of omega – 3 in the form of krill oil helped arthritis patients.
TweetResearchers found that it reduced inflammation and pain with a week or 2 in patients. Rich omega- 3 sources include wild caught salmon, krill oil, cold water fatty fish.
2. Eat cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and kale are anti-inflammatory.
A study found that those who ate the most veggies had less inflammation than who ate the least. Eating more than one serving of vegetables per meal is beneficial.
Besides, these vegetables also cut your risk for heart disease and cancer.
3. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are your joint's best friends.
The recommendation for those with joint pain is to eat 1.5 ounces of nuts and seeds everyday. An ounce is about a fistful of nuts.
It gives you antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, magnesium, L-arginine and fiber. These components help in lowering inflammation in your body.
A study found those that ate most nuts cut the risk of dying from disease by 51% than who ate the fewest. The study results are from a 15 year observation period.
A recent study found that eating more nuts lowered inflammation. This helps prevent damage to the joints in your body, a direct cause and effect observation.
Consume a variety of nuts for more health benefits. As if that weren't enough, nuts can help with weight loss too!
4. Berries and other fruits
Berries are flavorful, colorful and super healthy. They protect your body from arthritis, Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer.
Berries like strawberries, blackberries, blueberries are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds are ideal for improving joint health.
Berries are high in polyphenols which are strong inflammation stoppers. Among polyphenols, anthocyanins are notable for their distinct colors. They impart red color in strawberries, purple in grapes and cherries.
5. Spice up your food
Adding herbs and spices is a sure way to lower inflammation in your body and improve joint health.
Watercress, celery, parsley, coriander, ginger, garlic are anti-inflammatory herbs.
Spices like turmeric and ginger are well known pain reducers.
You can add them to soups, and stir fries for an extra dose of anti-inflammatory compounds in your menu. (I also recommend Turmeric + Ginger Capsule).
Besides, healthy lifestyle changes are also crucial for joint health. This includes daily exercise, cutting on alcohol and caffeine, and not smoking.
Remember, mindful eating, lifestyle and healthy habits, can give you healthy joints for life.
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your loved ones who suffer with joint pain and I welcome your comments below.