How Can I Improve My Joint Health?

It is imperative to look after your body, even whilst you are young as how you looked after yourself during your youthful stage can determine how your body will navigate later through adulthood. If you have not been taking care of your joints for instance, then you could end up with stiffness and joint pains as you go through life. Once it does become more of a prominent issue, the pain can become excruciating and even affect your overall mobility; that's why taking care of your joints is so important! If you are reading today's post because you think you could be doing more to help improve your joint health then we highly recommend you stick around for the entire post as we will be going through natural and alternative methods of improving your overall joint health. This also includes supplements as well as diet recommendations. 

How do I make my joints stronger?

Improving your joints to keep them strong or improve their strength is not as difficult as you may have initially thought, so long as you keep them moving and lubricated; your joints can stay strong with minimal effort. Below, we will list the top 5 things you can do to make your joints stronger and healthy: 

1. It’s important to exercise regularly, which can include walking, as exercising can improve bone density and keep the surrounding muscle (for your joints) strong.
2. Build your muscle strength by adding regular strength and conditioning workouts to your workout or gym plan. 
3. Low-impact cardio can help get your heart rate pumping to help combat the impact stress can have on the joints. 
4. Stretch regularly, after exercise, first thing in the morning and even right before bed. 
5. Prevent the risk of exercise-related injury by not putting too much strain on your body during exercise as this can weaken joints over time.

You can see from our list above, that regular exercise and even low-impact cardio can both help improve your joint overall strength and resilience. That's because exercise and regular movement can be the way to ensure your joints are staying strong as well as lubricated; as strong surrounding muscles can also aid in improved joint health. Therefore, if you can take away anything from today's post, let it be the impact that regular exercise can have in strengthening your joints. This doesn't need to be too extreme; as regular brisk walks that get the heart pumping, daily stretching and some muscle strengthening can all help improve your joints and do not require you to go to the gym! Not just exercising is advised for joint health, as some supplements and foods can help strengthen your joints. 

What are the best vitamins for joint health?

If you are thinking about being more active in a bid to help strengthen your joints as well as your surrounding muscles then you might also want to consider available additional support; in the form of joint vitamins and supplements. There are many different types of vitamins and supplements on the market that are believed to help keep joints healthy and strong. Therefore, we will share with you a list of vitamins that you might want to consider for optimal joint support: 

• Vitamin D - Can be used by the body to maintain strong bones, protect you from injury as well as lower the risk of joint pain & swelling. 
• Vitamin K - This is essential for developing cartilage structure and transporting calcium to your bones; both are vital in maintaining healthy joints. 
• Glucosamine - Naturally found in the body’s cartilage, that keeps joints fluid and gives cushion to your bones. 
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help with joint inflammation. 
• Curcumin - An active ingredient that can internally address inflammation and symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. 

The vitamin, from today's list, that can support overall joint health the best is believed to be Vitamin D; supported scientific research undoubtedly supports that Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for healthy joints! You can take a suitable amount of Vitamin D daily, but it's important to ensure that you are not over-consuming or taking too much! If vitamins or supplements are not your preferred method of aiding or improving your health then there are also some more ‘natural’ alternatives… 

What foods repair joints?

There are lots of different foods that can be added to your daily diet to help improve your overall joint health; make them and the surrounding muscles and bones stronger as well as improve their natural lubrication and mobility. Again, we will include a short list of the top 7 foods that can help repair joints, but rest assured the full list is much longer; for more options and choices! 

• Seeds and Nuts
• Coldwater Fish
• Fruit 
• Cruciferous Veggies (leafy greens)
• Beans and Lentils
• Whole Grains 
• Root Vegetables

Healthy foods that are low in sugar but rich in natural goodness like antioxidants can be super beneficial for the body's overall health, not just for supporting your joint health. If you eat more healthy, natural and fresh foods; your body is going to increase in good nutrients that can be essential for keeping joints, muscles and even bones strong and healthy. 

Can you rebuild your joints?

The two approved methods of improving or rebuilding your joints (to make them stronger and more resilient) are to exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet! You can of course consider the right vitamins and supplements to help aid in recovering and repairing damaged cartilage although it does come down to keeping your body moving. Regular movement and exercise can help take the pressure off the joint as well as strengthen the surrounding muscle, tissue and bones; all related to joint health! So if you can be active regularly (avoiding injuries) and maintain a balanced diet then these are natural ways you can rebuild and strengthen your joints.