7 Super Foods to Fight Joint Pain

7 Super Foods to Fight Joint Pain

Your body takes some hard wear and tear over the years and by the time you head into your sixties you may be challenged by any number of mobility issues. One of the biggest complaints among the senior community is the inflammation of their joints.

This inflammation can become very painful. Simply walking from one room to the next becomes difficult.

Conventional medicine will often prescribe a synthetic anti-inflammatory medicine or in some cases even a muscle relaxant if there is cramping due to inflammation.

However, there are ways of naturally reducing joint inflammation for seniors that can work with the body’s ability to heal rather than manipulate it into temporary relief.

Also, by implementing some minor lifestyle changes and adding natural supplements into your routine there is a chance at maintaining less inflammation and more comfortable mobility.

Always check with your doctor before taking on a physical fitness routine, dietary change or adding in natural supplements to make sure there is no contraindication regarding your personal health history as well as any medications you may be taking.

Kick the Sweet Tooth

There are so many sugary treats out there some are downright impossible to resist. If you are struggling to get your body moving without painful joint inflammation reducing or eliminating refined sugar from your diet can be essential.

According to Dr. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, contributing writer for Women to Women, she reports specifically that, “Refined sugar and other foods with high glycemic values jack up insulin levels and put the immune system on high alert.

(The glycemic index measures the immediate impact of a food on blood sugar levels; surges of blood sugar trigger the release of insulin). Short-lived hormones inside our cells called eicosanoids act as pro- or anti-inflammatory compounds depending on their type.

Eicosanoids become imbalanced — that is, skewed toward pro-inflammatory — when insulin levels are high.” To satiate your sweet tooth stick to anti-inflammatory fruits like berries (blueberry, blackberry, tart cherry, cranberry, strawberry and raspberry).

Using organic choices in this category is always best as many times non-organic berries are loaded with pesticides which can sometimes cause internal inflammation. There is also pineapple, papaya and dark chocolate which all contain anti-inflammatory properties.

The Salty Dog

Reducing your salt intake, especially before bed, can significantly improve joint inflammation.

While you sleep your body works on preparing its “toxic dumping cycle” which is why when you wake you have bad breathe, oily skin and need to go to the bathroom.

When too much salt is consumed before bed it may throw off this cycle as your body reacts by retaining water, bloating and becoming inflamed.

In many cases inflammation can be due to the body mistakenly attacking itself and a recent study confirms how over consumption of salt may be a trigger in creating this autoimmune response.

Researchers from Yale Medical School, Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute reported that, “Salt can induce and worsen pathogenic immune system responses in mice and that the response is regulated by genes already implicated in a variety of autoimmune diseases.”

Beware of how you add salt to meals and avoid high salt content foods like fried or pickled foods, sardines, pretzels, Chinese food and pizza.

Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Sometimes by removing inflammatory foods while incorporating anti-inflammatory foods, joint pain can be relieved.

Inflammatory (Lead to Joint Pain)

  • White bread
  • Trans fats (contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils)
  • Alcohol
  • Refined sugar
  • Processed red meat
  • Milk (may contain antibiotics and growth hormones which could play a role in inflammation)

Anti-Inflammatory ( Fight Joint Pain)

  1. Avocado
  2. Walnuts
  3. Ginger
  4. Organic Kelp
  5. Turmeric (contains curcumin a compound compared to hydrocortisone and Motrin)
  6. Wild salmon (contains EPA and DHA two acids which reduce inflammation)
  7. Shitake mushroom (if you suffer from gout, avoid mushrooms)

If you are a senior, naturally reducing joint inflammation may be a good start at achieving less pain during movement.

After checking with your doctor, make some of the above adjustments and see if getting around becomes less taxing.

Implement one change at a time so you don’t get too overwhelmed by trying to remove too much from your life too fast.