How to Keep Healthy Bones and Joints

Keeping our bones and joints healthy and working as they should is something that we should all be focussing on, whatever our age. Arthritis and osteoporosis aren’t just diseases for older people; they can affect people of all ages, from all walks of life.

That said, we are all more than aware that aging can certainly take its toll on our joints, bones, and overall mobility.

Our reflexes and movements tend to slow down, and our bones lose their density and start to get thinner. As we get older, we generally tend to cut down on activities, but did you know there are some simple steps you can take to help keep your bones and joints healthy?

This article will give you a few tips on maintaining healthy bones and joints through your diet, natural supplements, and, yes, even exercise.

Eat Well & Feel Great

Keeping your weight at a healthy level may sound simple for some, but for most people, staying at a healthy and consistent weight is pretty difficult. Lifestyle plays a big part in this because we are always on the go and tend to grab a burger if we are in a rush rather than calorie count and watch what we are eating.

Look at it this way, though, because our joints bear the weight of our bodies, it is important to keep at a healthy weight because the excess weight will only put additional strain on our knees, hips, spine, and ankles.

Making sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet, perhaps occasional sushi rather than a burger,  is vital for maintaining your joint, bone and muscles, and overall health.

Make sure that you are eating plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fresh fruit, and try to limit the number of processed foods you eat as they are usually high in sugar, fat, and salt.

Calcium is an important mineral to have in your diet and can be found in dairy products such as cheese, milk, yogurt, leafy green vegetables and broccoli, and some fish such as salmon. Calcium is one of the most important natural weapons against osteoporosis and is critical for bone density and strength.

Exercise

As we get older, the key to continued mobility is keeping active, even when we don’t really feel like it!

Before starting any exercise program, speak with your physician, who should be able to recommend the best sorts of exercise for you.

Here are some of the exercises that we would recommend for keeping your bones and joints in check:

• High impact exercises: High impact aerobics, running, tennis and dancing are all good for our bone strength.
• Low impact exercises: Swimming, walking, and cycling are brilliant forms of exercise that are great ways to strengthen your muscles without putting strain on your joints.
• Stretching and flexibility exercises: Try pilates or yoga, two forms of exercises classed as low impact exercises and are excellent for increasing your flexibility and improving your balance, which can help with posture and protect us against trips and falls.
• Strength training exercises: Using weights to exercise is excellent for your muscles and your bones.
• Light stretching exercises: To help you maintain good posture and balance, keep your muscles flexible. Try some stretching exercises a few times a week but make sure your muscles are warm before you start, or you could pull a muscle or tendon.

Supplements

There are numerous natural supplements available that can help you keep your bones and joints healthy; calcium and omega 3 fish oil are two of the most popular choices.

Our joints and bones need sufficient levels of calcium to stay healthy.   Recent studies have reported that upping your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids could actually help your bones to retain more calcium, which in the long term could mean that you are less likely to suffer from bone conditions such as osteoporosis and joint conditions such as arthritis.

Omega 3 fish oil supplements benefit people of all ages but are particularly helpful to those who are looking at keeping their bones and joints healthy. These supplements are good for our bones and joints they can also help with brain function, heart health, and our skin.

Summary

Our bones and joints tend to get forgotten when it comes to keeping ourselves healthy, and we only notice them when something goes wrong. We hope that by following the suggestions we have outlined above, you can keep your joints and bones in tip-top condition for years to come.