Joint discomfort is a common problem today and occurs among both young and old people. Often, these pains appear as we get older, but there may be other causes, such as excess weight. When we have a weight greater than what our joints are prepared to support, an overload occurs that can cause pain.
FOODS FOR GOOD JOINT HEALTH
- Water. It is essential to stay well hydrated so that good lubrication occurs at the joint level and discomfort is reduced.
– Foods rich in omega 3. These types of foods help reduce inflammation and possible discomfort we have in joint areas. Some examples of foods rich in omega 3 are: oily fish, nuts, chia seeds, olive oil, etc.
– Protein: meat, fish, eggs, legumes, etc. This will help the formation and maintenance of the joints and will also enhance recovery from possible injuries. In addition, animal protein is rich in sulfur, which is an essential mineral for the formation of collagen.
– Onion, leeks, garlic… These types of foods are also rich in sulfur and will help the formation of collagen.
– Foods rich in vitamin C: orange, kiwi, broccoli, parsley, etc. These types of foods inhibit processes that cause inflammation and contribute to the synthesis and maintenance of collagen and cartilage.
– Spices. There are some spices that have anti-inflammatory functions. For example: turmeric, ginger, oregano, thyme, etc.
There are some foods that are recommended to avoid if we want to reduce joint pain. These are those that belong to the group of nightshades such as: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. These types of vegetables contain certain substances that cause inflammation and can make it difficult to reduce pain.
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?
The causes of joint discomfort can be very varied, as mentioned before. From age to excess weight. In the event that the cause is the latter, it is something that we can improve and, thus, reduce the discomfort.
Excess weight can be motivated by two reasons: an increase in body fat or fluid retention. But how to identify which of the two causes it is?
We can take into account the following aspects to identify that the cause is fluid retention:
– Observe your extremities: legs, wrists, ankles, etc. These areas of your body are usually the first to change when we start to retain fluids.
– Feeling heavy. It is common to feel tingling or more tired in those areas where we retain more fluids.
– Weight variations during the day. We may notice weight gain. But, unlike if weight gain is due to an increase in body fat, when it is due to fluid retention it fluctuates significantly during the day.
– Brands. A good indicator may be to begin to notice that, for example, your socks leave marks or that when you press on inflamed areas, it takes a few seconds for it to return to its position.
– Appearance of cellulite. One of the main consequences of fluid retention is cellulite.
If none of these conditions exist, especially weight fluctuation, the problem is most likely excess fat.
Thus, after having identified where the origin of the problem is, we can begin to solve it. If the cause is due to body fat, it will be important to change your diet and increase physical exercise.
If, on the other hand, the root of the problem is fluid retention, we will have to increase the consumption of fluids and diuretic foods to enhance the expulsion of fluids. In addition, we can also accompany the process with different treatments, such as algae poultice.
EXERCISE
To have good joint health, it is important to have good muscles that help us not strain the joints so much when we do certain movements. Additionally, low-impact exercise protects our joints and will help us keep them healthy for longer.
