Top 5 Foods to Promote Joint Health

Joint health is crucial. Your joints need to be in great shape in order to get things done each day. Fortunately, there are many ways to accomplish this goal in your life. One of the easiest and best is by eating certain foods such as cherries, oatmeal, salmon and nuts to keep you from needing a visit to an orthopedic surgeon. Let’s look at the top foods to help keep your joints strong.

1. Cherries

Cherries are one of nature’s true delights. Many people love eating these sweet fruits when they come into season each year. Cherry season runs from about May to September.

These luscious, tart berries are not only very pretty to look at and wonderful as a healthy snack during the summer. They’re also filled with nutrients that will help your joints function much better. Like many other deeply colored fruit, cherries get their intensely vivid color from a group of chemicals called anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins are a compound and part of a class of compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are an antioxidant. As such, they fight off the process of inflammation in the entire body including the joints. This can help reduce the many symptoms of joint pain and help you feel better. Enjoy them fresh or go for the frozen version to add to smoothies as part of a well balanced breakfast.

2. Canned Salmon

Salmon comes in varied types that are easy to eat. One of the most convenient is canned salmon. Eating at least one serving of canned salmon once a week has lots of great benefits for your overall health as well as for your joints.

There are lots of types of nutrients in the serving of canned salmon that help your joints function better each day. For one thing, the product has both vitamin D and calcium in the amounts you really need. It also has something of great importance for your joint health called omega-3.

Vitamin D is very useful for your joints. You need to have at least some of this vitamin every day because you body can’t make it on your own. Eating canned salmon makes sure you get enough of it. That will strengthen your bones and keep them healthy along with your joints in the long term.

Calcium is also deeply important for the development of strong joints and bones. When you have enough calcium in your diet, you have a good foundation that will set you up for long term joint health.

Health officials estimate all it takes is less than a gram of omega 3’s every day to decrease your painful joint symptoms such as stiffness and tenderness in the morning as well as frustrating swelling.

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great example of the kind of whole grain that you should be consuming at least once each day. That’s because oatmeal is known to have lots of terrific ways that will help reduce wear and tear on your joints.

Exercise is a must for everyone in order to remain healthy in the long term. Yet exercise can put lots of strain on your joints when you are moving. That’s why eating whole grains like oatmeal can be of such wonderful use in your life. Oatmeal has a compound known as avenanthramide. Avenanthramide is an antioxidant that is only found in oatmeal.

So eat up each morning. A small serving of this classic grain helps you recover better from exercise and stay healthy. Consider other types of grains that you can easily eat each day that are just as healthy for your joints in the long term. Grains to look for include brown rice, barley and quinoa as well as whole grain bread.

4. Walnuts

Walnuts are versatile, easy to eat and full of crunch. That’s good for those who are looking for lots of ways to improve their long term joint health. Like many other kinds of nuts, walnuts have ingredients that offer the kind of assistance for your joint health that can really pay off.

These nuts are extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids. These are compounds that are proven to reduce inflammation. This can relax your blood vessels and make them stronger. Stronger blood vessels can carry more blood to your joints and make them more efficient.

This can help you reduce the levels of C-reactive proteins in your body. This type of protein can be especially dangerous for your joint health.

Walnuts also have lots of vitamin E. Vitamin E is another notable compound that can offer protection for your joints. This will also help your heart stay healthy. That’s particularly important for those who are at risk of rheumatoid arthritis as they are at special risk of heart disease.

All kinds of nuts can be helpful. Consider pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios to mix it up. Just keep in mind they are high in calories so limit your consumption to a few times a week.

5. Kale

Kale is one of those foods that everyone is talking about. There are many good reasons why so many people love this vegetable. It’s easy to make and easy to use. If you are worried about your joint health, it’s also a food you should eat.

It has calcium, beta-carotene and vitamin C. All of these compounds are known to contribute to the healthy function of your joints. They help reduce the amount of inflammation that gets to your joints. That means lots more mobility as you and exercise each day.

Kale also has the ability to help you reduce your joint pain. Joint pain is very common as people get older. It can interfere with your ability to get things done. Kale has the kind of chemical compounds you need to help reduce that pain and feel better.