Approximately one in four adults in the U.S. lives with severe joint pain. The persistent pain affects their life in many ways- a slowdown in activity, inability to do things like before, lower confidence or loss of independence. In many cases, the joint pain slowly builds up owing to not just age but a range of other factors as well. The good news is that keeping joints healthy (see also 'The Best Supplements For Healthy Joints') is not difficult if you know how. The earlier you start, the better.
How to keep joints healthy as you age?
Step 1- Weight control: Most people don’t realize it but their knees carry 1.5 times their body weight even when they walk over perfectly even surfaces. If you are overweight for your age, imagine how much strain your knees are under. The first step for joint health is to keep your weight in control.
The weight of adults is calculated in terms of BMI or Body Mass Index. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is normal / healthy weight for adults. 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 + is obese. Check your weight and see if you need to cut back.
Step 2- Active lifestyle: Does a desk job keep you sitting all day? At the end of the day, do you find your joints getting stiff and painful? That’s the lack of activity telling on your body. Your joints need to move throughout the day in order for them to stay lubricated. If you barely move out of your work chair or couch, you are begging for poor joint health. A simple solution if you have a desk bound job is to take a small break every one hour, get up, stretch and then resume work.
Step 3- Posture correction: Sitting straight at your desk, ensuring that your arms or feet are not forced into unnatural positions for hours as you carry out your tasks, sleeping in the right position so your neck is supported- these are all ways how to keep joints healthy as you age. Use ergonomic furniture to ensure you sit the right way. Check if you are using pillows the right size and shape to give your neck the right support at night. Use the right footwear to balance your body correctly as you walk. Even your high heeled shoes may be affecting your posture badly and preventing you from keeping joints healthy.
Step 4- Regular exercise: Apart from avoiding a sedentary life, regular exercising in the right way is essential for joint health. Non-weight bearing workouts are the best exercises to strengthen joints. This includes fun activities like swimming and simple aerobics and also walking, Pilates and more. Check with your trainer or your doctor how to strengthen joints with a suitable exercise regimen. Half an hour of exercise every single day can make a significant impact upon your joint health as well as body weight.
Step 5- Nutritious diet: This is one area where most people fail simply because they do not know what foods to add to the diet. While dairy products do offer calcium that is great for keeping joints healthy, excess can be dangerous. Add enough plant based foods, with vitamins and minerals too. Also, some essential compounds are lost when the food is processed, for example, sulfur, essential for keeping joints healthy. To prevent such dietary deficiencies, you can always take tried and tested supplements.
Also Read: 7 Exercises To Help Relieve Joint Pain
A safe supplement for keeping joints healthy
If we are talking about how to strengthen joints via supplements the first names that pop into mind are the big three - Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM. These three have been used by millions globally with good results. Studies have shown that they reduce the pain levels in those with arthritic/ joint pain. While glucosamine (see also 'Glucosamine - Benefits, Dosage and Side Effects') and chondroitin are used for prevention of joint deterioration overall, MSM with its high sulfur content is specifically used to delay the damage in the knee joints.
All three come together in the tried and tested Physio Flex Pro (see also 'Physio Flex Pro Joint Capsules Explained') supplement formulation that comes backed with physiotherapist recommendations. The product is made in FDA verified cGMP certified labs and it has no additives that can dilute the effects of the three compounds. Physio Flex Pro (see also '(Save 5%) Physio Flex Pro - 2 Month Joint Protection Course') also helps in keeping joints healthy by promoting proper lubrication of the joint. If you are looking for simple remedies on how to strengthen joints, this is your one stop solution.
