Three Ways to Prevent Osteoarthritis

While there is no cure, lifestyle choices can have a major impact on whether you develop arthritis later in life. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and involves wear-and-tear damage to a joint’s cartilage (the hard, slick coating on the ends of bones where they form a joint). This cartilage cushions the ends of bones allowing for nearly frictionless joint motion, but damage can result in bone grinding directing on bone, which in turn causes pain and restricted movement. 

The three main ways of preventing the onset of osteoarthritis is protecting your joints, reducing inflammation and preventing certain conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.  

Here are a few specific lifestyle changes you should be keeping an eye on to keep your joints healthy later in life.   

Maintain a healthy weight 

Extra weight places stress on the joints, particularly weight bearing joints such as the hips and knees. Maintaining a healthy weight not only reduces your risk of diabetes and heart disease, but alleviates pain and improves the function of joints and therefore,  can help to prevent arthritis later on in life. 

 At any age, low impact exercise such as walking in the pool and gentle stretching, coupled together with healthy dietary changes, can have you reaching a healthy weight range. 

Follow an anti-inflammatory diet 

We all know that maintaining a balanced nutritious diet can do wonders for reducing your risk for a number of different diseases and it’s no different for preventing and reducing your risk of osteoarthritis. 

Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and fresh tuna are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, key ingredients due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Dark leafy greens and dairy are also great sources of Vitamin D and Calcium, the ultimate duo when it comes to bone health and immune defence.  

 Research shows that eliminating certain foods and beverages may reduce symptom severity in people with osteoarthritis. These include limiting your intake of added sugars, processed and red meats, alcohol and foods high in salt such as canned soup, pizza and certain cheeses. 

To safeguard your bones and muscles, incorporate a quality supplement into your diet. 45PlusLife Muscle and Bone Health supplement is packed with not only vitamin D, but HMB, a compound known to maintain muscle mass, strength and function. 

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Prevent injuries  

Joint injuries can worsen or even cause arthritis issues and taking preventative steps to prevent injuries may safeguard you from a future of joint complications. The easiest way to do this is to focus on exercise that’s challenging, but easy on your joints such as swimming, pilates, yoga or speed walking. Gradually incorporating new activities and avoiding doing too much at once can help prevent unexpected joint injuries. Lastly, remember to check in with your health care provider before starting a new workout regimen, especially if you are recovering from a joint injury.