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Healthy Joints, Happy You

by Laura Beans

Easy tips for healthy joints

Our joints are amazing! They make the skeletal system flexible and, without them, movement would be nearly impossible.

From strains and sprains to arthritis and tendinitis, joints can face a barrage of ailments if we do not look after them properly. Like other conditions, preventive care is best. Eating a balanced diet, along with regular physical activity, are the most important things you can do to keep your joints healthy. Maintaining muscle strength means less stress on the joints and low-impact exercises, like swimming or biking, are best, especially if you are nursing an injury.

Beyond these simple principles, we’ve got three easy tips to get—and keep—your joints moving.

Stretching

Because movement is vital to maintaining joint health, keeping your body limber should be first on your list. Fascia is the densely woven connective tissue found through out the body that can lose pliability as we age, or after injuries and inflammation.

Easy to do, at-work Stretches:

  • Find an open corner in your home or office, with ample wall space. Facing the corner, raise arms in a goal-post position, with elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Place one arm on each wall and lean into the corner, creating a stretch across the upper back and shoulder joints.
  • Sitting upright in a straight back chair, stretch your neck by gently pulling your head to either side for five seconds. Next, keeping your back straight, turn your head to either side and hold for five seconds, imagining your chin in line with your shoulder.
  • Lying flat on the ground, bring your knees into your chest, and, softly hugging them, roll from side to side for tender stretch and lower back massage.

Add Fish Oil to Your Diet

The omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish are essential to keeping cells healthy throughout the body, including joints. Omega-3 fatty acids also contain anti-inflammatory properties to combat joint pain.

TRY:

Nordic Naturals A Norwegian company, Nordic Naturals offers a variety of fish oil supplements along with an unsurpassable commitment to the environment, including sustainable fishing practices.

Collagen Supplements Support Joint Health

Cartilage surrounds most major joints and acts as a connective tissue, lubricating bone movement. Because the cartilage wears down as we age, supporting and building joint cartilage is important. Collagen supplements are a way to restore that invaluable cartilage, and, some studies show, even reduce joint inflammation and pain associated with arthritis.

TRY:

Neocell A leader in collagen therapy, with a wide-range of collagen products from capsules to powders to liquids, Neocell collagen provides essential nutrients for complete joint support.

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