06 Jul Ways to Reduce Joint Pain and Inflammation
At some point in our lives, all of us will suffer from some form of joint pain and inflammation. Assuming that you haven’t got a genetic disorder or chronic disease, we are generally able to combat this pain relatively easily. Balance in life is everything, and our bodies seek the same balance. The balance between exercise, supplements and food is highly important in managing joint pain and inflammation.
Find balance between exercise, supplements and food.
Balance: Exercise
Whilst the benefits of exercising are well known and documented, too much exercise can cause inflammation and joint pain. Similarly, too little exercise can also cause joint pain
Too much exercise will produce inflammatory markers. Without sufficient rest, these inflammatory cells won’t be able to be combatted by the “healing cells”. Rest is vital for the body to rebuild. Simply put: exercise is the bricks of the house; rest is the cement that sticks it all together. Both exercise and rest (and the balance between them) are vital in maintaining balance in the body.
Movement, or mobility, of the joints promotes the production of synovial fluid (fluid within the joints, which helps lubricate and assist with movement).
Too little exercise then, means that not enough synovial fluid is being produced. This leads to less efficient mobility of the joints. It is like running an engine with the oil to lubricate the engine. Be sure to get 150 minutes of moderate exercise in per week.
Balance: Supplements
Whilst supplements used to be called “expensive urine”, the growth of the health and wellness industry has led to major research and development in this area. As a result, we now have the best supplementation available to us. Depending on the severity and extent of your joint pain and inflammation, supplements can assist with combatting this. I find that Omega 3 and glucosamine are the “go-to” supplements. When in pain, take as many Omega 3’s as you can afford, and combine this with glucosamine. You will be amazed at the effect they have on your pain!
Balance: Food
The effect that food has on the body and inflammation is remarkable. I will leave the food tips to our in-house dietitian (Taryn Walton), but you need ensure that the food you are eating is beneficial to your body. Increase your anti-inflammatory foods such as nuts, avocado, orange fruits and vegetables; and decrease your inflammatory foods such as processed meats, fried food and fast foods.