Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

How Omega 3’s Can Relieve Joint Inflammation & Pain

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Broccoli-Salad-with-Sesame-VinaigretteAs your body ages, whether you suffered an injury or not, you’re going to experience expected and unexpected pain. Muscle and joint pain is prevalent in people who have suffered some form of injury. No matter how old you are, finding ways to relieve joint and muscle pain can be a challenge, even though there is a long list of pain products and natural pain treatment alternatives available. Your diet is one of the most effective ways to help relieve chronic joint pain, especially pain that’s caused by inflammation.

Implementing Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet, which are an essential nutrient to your health, serves as an excellent way to decrease joint pain. Omega 3’s have been well known for ages for the health benefits they offer, including pain relief. They also help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. They also reduce associated symptoms of hypertension, depression, joint pain and rheumatoid problems.

Naturally, our bodies cannot produce Omega 3, so it makes you wonder how such attributes are made. The success of Omega 3s, according to research, encourages the body to produce chemicals that help control inflammation of the joints, bloodstream and body tissue. Since the body does not naturally produce Omega 3s it has to be ingested through food and supplements, and the source of consumption is very important.

Both supplements and foods with Omega 3s will supply your body with the necessary essentials, however foods naturally high in Omega 3s is the top approach. Introducing foods high in Omega 3s into your diet will give your body immediate relief from joint pain at the fastest rate of time. Some examples of foods that offer an excellent source of Omega 3s include cold-water fish such as anchovies, bluefish, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, canned white tuna (not light tuna) and canned albacore tuna. There have been concerns of mercury contamination in fish and rightly so. However, if you just add high Omega 3 fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel or tuna) to 1 or 2 meals a week, you get a great weekly dose without raising concerns over mercury.

Some other Omega 3 options for you include canola oil, broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, cauliflower, walnuts, flaxseed oil and flaxseed. Ground flaxseed ranks the highest of its form for Omega 3, and if you combine any of these Omega 3 rich foods with foods high in Omega 6 (eggs, poultry, and cereal) and cooking oils like olive oil high in Omega 9, you will reap so many awesome benefits of Omega for joint pain relief.

Medical Disclosure: Always consult with a medical professional before making any lifestyle changes to alter your health and diet.

Written by: by Jamacia Magee, Rust Built, Marketing Services

Four Strategies To Keep Your Joints Healthy For A Lifetime

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Pixmac000076209833The tread on your tires thins and wears out after miles and miles of usage, right? In a similar fashion, the cartilage—a cushioning shock absorber where our bones come together–may thin and wear out over time, and with years of usage. Here are four simple strategies to keep your joints healthy for as long as you want to use them.

  1.    Throughout life, keeping your joints healthy will ease problems when you grow older. Vary your exercise to keep your joints healthy, so that one area of your body is not over-taxed, resulting in damage. Injuries when you are young may develop into arthritis later in your life. Alternate high-impact workouts with low-impact activities, like swimming and walking, and strength training. Stretching will nourish the joint
  2. Watch inflammation. After exercise, the joints may be inflamed due to the release of synovial fluid. Applying ice to the joints used will decrease the swelling and aid in the natural repair cycle that healthy joints go through. Exercise also sends oxygen-rich blood, nourishing joints and cartilage.
  3. Eat a healthy diet to keep joints healthy. Fish oil, such as salmon and tuna, may reduce the levels of inflammation in the joints, because they’re loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. Research is beginning to imply that vitamin D may protect and keep your joints healthy, by reducing inflammation.
  4. Losing weight is the best way to lessen cartilage strain and slow the progression of osteoarthritis, which affects us as we age. Joints that support extra weight, such as the knees, experience small tears that break down the cartilage. The less they have to support the better, and the healthier your joints will be.

Consult your doctor about taking supplements, such as calcium, vitamin D, glucosamine/chondroitin and fish oil for healthy shock absorbers,…uh…,healthy joints for your lifetime.

Ruby Moseley, Rust Built, Marketing Services