It’s no secret that proper nutrition is the key to optimal health and what we consume has a direct correlation to how our body performs. Over a lifetime, there are a variety of things that can negatively affect the health of your joints including injury, genetic factors, and normal wear and tear from aging. One thing you can do is ensure your nutrition is helping to promote optimal joint health, including supporting bone, soft tissue, and hydration status. In today’s post, we’ll offer some insight on how to promote joint health through nutrition (and how our NeoFlex® formulas were created).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
You’ve likely heard about omega-3 acids before because it tops the list in many nutrition articles for various benefits. Omega-3 is can be found in fish including salmon, mackerel, and tuna as well as flax, walnuts, and edamame. Omega-3 helps support natural lubrication in the joints and is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory nutrient. By effectively reducing the amount of inflammatory proteins in your body, omega-3 supports heart, brain, eye, and joint health — a superhero nutrient, if you will. In the joints specifically, omega-3 can reduce the inflammation that causes pain in patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Calcium + Vitamin D
We can bet you’ve been told about calcium and bone health, so it should come as no surprise that supporting the joints where two bones meet can be optimized by strengthening the bones that create the joint. Where calcium goes, the body needs vitamin D to absorb and use it, so these two nutrients should be consumed together. Milk and dairy products are notoriously high in both calcium and vitamin D, but lactose-free options include edamame, soy and almond milk, and leafy greens — kale, spinach, etc.
Colorful Fruit
Anthocyanins are powerful flavonoids that can be found in red and purple fruits — cherries and berries. The anthocyanins that give the fruits their color are also helpful in lowering levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Apples are fiber-rich and anti-inflammatory fruit. Pineapple is praised for its bromelain content, a nutrient that has shown to reduce joint pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruits contain the powerful antioxidant, lycopene, which plays an important role in reducing free radicals in your body to reduce inflammation and reduce the symptoms of auto-immune inflammation.
Root Vegetables
Garlic, onions, ginger, and turmeric are all rich in anti-inflammatory properties. These root vegetables can be useful in reducing symptoms of arthritis and other joint pain. The best part about these flavorful veggies is that very small amounts (like what would be needed to flavor a meal) carry enough nutrients to do your joints well.
An added bonus to all the foods listed in today’s post is that they also provide support for heart and eye health, so you can feel good while you eat well! At Viteyes, we support healthy living through optimal nutrition and focus on including quality ingredients in all of our vitamins and supplements. To help support your joints, try adding some of these nutritious foods into your weekly diet in addition to using NeoFlex bone and joint supplements for the best joint support.
