Joint Health: Are you caring for your joints properly?

The best way to care for your joints is to keep them and your muscles, ligaments, and bones strong and stable. Here are some tips for good joint health.

Watch Your Weight for Healthy Joints

Keeping your weight within a healthy range is the best thing you can do for your joints. Weight-bearing joints, such as your knees, hips, and back, have to support some, if not all, of your body weight. That's why so many overweight people have problems with these areas of the body.

The higher the number on your bathroom scale, the more wear and tear you put on your joints. Losing weight reduces pressure on your knees, hips, and back and helps prevent joint injury. Research has shown that with every pound gained, a person puts four times more stress on the knees.

Exercise for Healthy Joints

Exercise can help you lose extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Some research suggests that aerobic exercise -- activities that get your heart rate up -- can reduce joint swelling. If your joints bother you, opt for exercises that won't give your joints a pounding. Instead of step aerobics, try low-impact exercises such as swimming or bicycling.

Another healthy idea: Don't sit still! Couch potatoes, computer addicts, and all who remain glued to a chair all day long have a high risk for joint pain. Less movement means more stiffness in your joints. So get up and get moving. Change positions frequently. Take frequent breaks at work, and stretch or go for a short walk. If you can't leave the office, try taking phone calls while standing.

Eating Right and Vitamins to Nourish Joints

Eating a healthy diet is good for your joints, because it helps build strong bones and muscles. 

For your bones, make sure you get enough calcium and glucosamine every day. You can do this by eating foods such as milk, yogurt, broccoli, kale, figs, and fortified foods like almond milk.  If those foods don't tempt your taste buds, ask your doctor if a supplement is right for you.  You may want to try USANA Procosa: Health Basics

• Delivers vegetarian glucosamine at doses shown to help maintain healthy cartilage and joints*
• Vitamin C, manganese, and other nutrients provide additional nutrition essential for joint health*
• Meriva® bioavailable curcumin complex complements the action of Procosa to provide even better benefits

Procosa Difference

• Procosa is formulated with Meriva, an innovative curcumin phytosome that has been shown to deliver noticeable improvements in joint comfort and mobility in as little as 90 days.
• A study co-authored by USANA scientists and published in the Journal of Natural Products  revealed Meriva delivers a significant improvement in bioavailability compared to traditional curcumin (from turmeric) extracts.

Protein: For your muscles, you need to get enough protein. Exactly how much you need depends on your age, sex, and how active you are. Some Canadians get enough protein. Good sources include lean meats, seafood, beans, legumes, soy products, and nuts. Go for a variety.Oranges may also give your joints a healthy boost. Some studies suggest that vitamin C and other antioxidants can help keep your joints healthy.

You also need vitamin D to keep your bones and joints in good health. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from the foods you eat. Dairy products. many cereals, and almond milk are fortified with vitamin D. You can ask your doctor about the proper amount of vitamin D and ways you can get it. There are several over the counter supplements. USANA has a few that may be right for you. If you are interested, please message me here or at sylverbullets@hotmail.com for details.