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Healthy Joints

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Healthy Joints

Foods that help and foods that hurt your joints.

Many of us wake in the morning with stiffness or pain in our joints some days and other days without any problems and immediately discount it as aging or the all too common, “I must have arthritis”.  What many don’t consider is our diet and how it effects our joints.  In this article we’ll discuss some common foods and supplements that promote healthy joints and common foods to stay away from when you are feeling pain and stiffness in your joints.

Foods That Hurt

      sugarSugar

It’s no secret that sugar is unhealthy.  Coffee drinks, sodas, juices, sweets, pastries, cakes, snack bars all contain high levels of sugar.  The two most common sugar additives in our food are sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup.  When we eat excess amounts of sugar the body has trouble processing it.  This causes an inflammatory response in the body.

Not only will sugar cause inflammation in the body, it also decreases immunity.  Excess sugar will suppress the function of white blood cells that work to fight off bacteria that cause colds and other sicknesses.  Sticking to the sugars in fruits and vegetables to avoid additional sugar additives is your best bet.  It’s a good idea to start looking at nutrition labels to see how much sugar is in the food and drinks that you are consuming.

      Vegetable oil and trans fat

Americans eat excessive amounts of vegetable oil.  Our foods are full of these oils.  Things like bread, crackers, mayonnaise, potato chips and fried foods.  These foods that use vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids which are inflammatory.  Not to mention, vegetable oils and foods that contain them are highly processed.

           Salt

If you have to much salt in your diet you will accumulate and retain excess water resulting in some cases high blood pressure and calcium losses thus effecting your bones and joints.

 

Foods That Help

      brussel sproutsSulfur-rich foods

Methylsulfonylmethane(MSM) is a naturally occurring compound found in vegetables like brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, lettuce, corn, spinach and onions.  These sulfur rich foods reduce joint pain and helps produce collagen which is essential for bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilage.

      

     Fatty Fish

 

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring are great sources of protein.  They also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.  Why are these omega-3s so important?  Unlike plant based fatty acids, fatty fish omega-3s are already in an active form.  This means that they are more efficient in attacking inflammation in the body.  These omega-3s have also been shown to reduce heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.  Start adding fatty fish to your weekly diet for a tasty and healthy way to fight off pain.

     Tumeric

Turmeric contains a powerful active compound called curcumin.  It has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  There are numerous benefits to turmeric including reduction of pain associated with arthritis and joint pain.  You can take turmeric as a supplement or add it to foods and teas to get the benefits.

      Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral found in nuts, legumes, leafy green vegetables and whole grains. Most Americans are deficient in this vital mineral. In fact, several studies on back pain, fibromyalgia and migraine have looked at magnesium deficiency as a cause. Magnesium has been found to inhibit Substance-P, which is an inflammatory chemical in the body associated with pain. It has been widely used to help with chronic pain disorders and fibromyalgia. Magnesium taken as a supplement or used as a topical oil is an excellent natural alternative to prescription medication.

 

       Water

Drinking water and staying properly hydrated helps lubricate your joints reducing stiffness and pain.  Water is also essential for your body to flush toxins, aid in digestion, absorb nutrients and even maintain body temperature.  And if that wasn’t enough drinking more water makes you fuller so you eat less and help with weight loss.

      milkLow Fat or Non-Fat Milk

Drinking milk is a good source for calcium and vitamin D.  Both calcium and vitamin D improves the strength of bones and also helps in the healing post-fracture.  Choosing low-fat or non-fat milk you avoid the extra calories and saturated fat.

      Conclusion

These are just a few foods and supplements that help or hurt.  Making changes in your diet can drastically affect your pain levels even if you have had a chronic injury.  Not only that, changes in diet can help with weight loss and improved energy.  To stay as healthy as possible, keep your joints feeling good and inflammation down by avoiding foods that trigger it.  The important thing is to listen to your body and how it responds to changes.  If your pain is unmanageable or you are having difficulty understanding how your diet is affecting your pain, you may want to consult a pain relief and nutrition specialist as well to make sure you’re doing the right things for your body, health and fitness.  This is key to making sure you’re on the right path to a healthy, energy-filled life.

5 Tips To Mindful Eating

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5 Tips To Mindful Eating

mindful eating

When it comes to eating, mindfulness is probably not the first thing on you think of.  The truth is, most of us just eat without really thinking at all.  That’s not really a shocking statement to make.  However, when you consider that being more mindful of your eating can prevent binge eating and overeating, you may want to adopt mindful eating principals.  

Becoming mindful eater is easier said than done, but here are five tips to get you started in the right direction.

1. Remember that food should be savored 

Taking the time to enjoy each meal is one of best ways to achieve your goal weight and even boost your appreciation for food. Look at it like this, when you get lost in an activity (such as watching TV or hanging out with friend) you lose the focus you should be using to concentrate on each meal. When you focus on your meal in that moment, you’re more likely to realize once you have become full.  As a result, you’re preventing yourself from overeating and gaining weight. 

2. Check in with yourself

Before you just grab something to eat, ask yourself how hungry you are. Are you truly hungry or just bored?  Snacking out of boredom is a tough habit to break, and leads to weight gain.  On the flip side, if you are only snacking out of hunger, you will prevent overeating and gaining extra pounds.  Of course, choosing healthy snacks is crucial.  Don’t just grab a bag of chips!

3. Eliminate technology

mindful tech use

We live in a technology-driven world where it’s socially acceptable to text, send or respond to emails and binge on social media—all while enjoying a three-course meal. But you don’t have to let yourself fall victim to this bad habit. This is also referred to as “mindless eating.” People who engage with technology during a meal or snack while they watch a movie often consume more than they need. If you can’t live without a snack at the movie theatre, consider purchasing something healthy instead of popcorn and candy. 

4. Appreciate the flavors of each meal

In today’s busy world, we don’t always have time to sit down and enjoy each meal in the way it was intended. When you make a conscious effort, however, to take just a minute out of each meal to pay attention to the flavors of your favorite dish or afternoon snack you will learn to appreciate the food on your plate. Lastly, focusing on the flavors of a healthy dish vs. artificial junk food, for example, may help you make healthier meal choices.

5. “Connect” with your food

Mindful eating apples

Mindfulness is about developing a relationship to food.   Try making things on your own or planting vegetable in a garden.  You don’t have to do make anything too complicated.  Start with something like your own oat power balls rather than just buying boxed granola bars from the store.  This will allow you to better connect and make food your own.  Another tip would be to go to a farmer’s market for locally grown produce so you can see where your food is coming from.  These connections allow for greater appreciation for the food you are eating.

Consider these mindful eating tips as part of your health and nutrition program.  Nutrition, like most things we do, requires a mental component to allow for greater success.  Practicing these tips can make a huge difference in how you approach eating and allow for a healthier, more satisfying lifestyle!

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Carbs, Healthy or Not

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Carbs:  Healthy or not?Carbs

For decades carbs have been shunned in the diet world.  The abundance of “low carb” diets have caused a wave of confusion.  How many times have you or someone you know ordered a bacon cheeseburger and with no bun?  Carbs have been blamed for weight gain more than any other macronutrient, but are they really bad for you?  Do carbs really make people fat?

What do carbs do?

First, what are carbohydrates?  Carbohydrates are found in many different foods particularly starches, fibers and sugars.  They are one of the main sources of energy used by the body.  They are broken down into glucose in the bloodstream and give use energy to do all sorts of things.  The excess is stored in the body and used later when energy is needed.  Carbs play an important role in any healthy diet.  However, there are both good and bad carbs.

Good carbs vs. bad carbsGood Carb vs. Bad Carb

Carbohydrates vary greatly.  They include beans, breads, candy, sugar, potatoes, rice, donuts, cookies, oatmeal and pasta to name a few.  On a “low carb” diet all of these would be out.  But what about the good carbs?  Which carbs are okay to eat and why?

In simple terms, you should avoid bad carbs because they lead to obesity and other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.  Anything that is highly processed and highly refined are considered bad.  Processing refers to foods where water, nutrients and fiber are removed in favor of sugar, salt and other additives.  Chips, white rice, white bread, pasta, cakes, candies, cookies are just a handful of the highly processed foods on the shelves today.  They are everywhere and Americans love to consume them.  In fact, it accounts for more than 50% of our diet!  The result of this type of eating is obesity and disease.

These processed foods are the basis for the low carb movement.  It has led all carbs to hold the stigma of causing weight gain.  As a result, we may miss out on the huge health benefits of unprocessed or “good” carbs.  Things like beans, whole grains and starchy vegetables.  The low carb “diets” have also caused many people to consume much more animal foods and fats, which have a whole host of health risks that are well documented.

Starches are bad

Starches have often been pointed at for leading to weight gain and obesity.  However, there have been studies from all over the world that contradict this belief.  Sweet potatoes, barely and even rice in its less refined form are all healthy staples of a balance diet.  Again, we have to be wary of foods that are highly processed when it comes to understanding what to eat.  Low carb followers will certainly eliminate starch from their diets.  However, this leads them to eating more foods that are inflammatory to the body and can lead to more health issues such as meat and dairy.

Gluten and wheat sensitivitiesGluten

There are people who have serious issues with eating gluten and wheat products because of celiac disease or wheat sensitivity.  But this is a very small portion of the population (2-3%).  Gluten-free has become a big buzz phrase in the diet world.  The big misconception is that gluten-free equals healthy.  However, a gluten-free donut is still a donut.  If you think you have sensitivities to wheat, try eating more whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding larger quantities of meat and dairy.

How does this relate to joint and muscle pain?Muscle and joint pain

Joint and muscle pain is caused by inflammation.  Inflammation is directly related to what we eat (as well as other lifestyle behaviors).  Studies have shown that diets high in whole grains, carbs, result in lower levels of systemic inflammation.  On the other hand, diets high in meat and dairy have been shown to increase inflammation.  So, what does this have to do with how my joints and muscles feel?  Simply put, when the body is inflamed, it goes into a protective mode.  Inflammatory toxins are pushed out away from the organs in attempt to protect them.  As a result, these inflammatory biproducts end up in our muscles and joints leading to pain, stiffness and loss of function

So, don’t look at all carbs as evil.  Most are quite the opposite and can help your body fight diseases and help you lose weight.  Carbs are best avoided (as is any food) when it is highly processed and contains increase sugar and salt.  Next time you consider ordering that burger without the bun because the bread will make you fat, remember, the meat, cheese and bacon will too.

Looking for More Nutrition Help?
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6 Healthy Ways to Deal with Stress

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6 Healthy Ways to Deal with Stress

StressBelieve it or not, but stress is an important part of our lives and survival.  The body manages this stress and responds accordingly.  However, manageable stress is much different from chronic stress.  When it is chronic it affects your brain health, your emotions, hormone production, mobility and can even weaken the immune system.  The result is an increase chance of developing chronic disease. [Read more…] about 6 Healthy Ways to Deal with Stress

7 Health and Fitness Myths You Should Know

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7 Health and Fitness Myths You Should Knowhealth and fitness

There’s a lot of noise and claims in the health and fitness world.  Whether it’s on TV, the internet or social media, it can be very confusing.  It’s difficult to tell what’s true and what isn’t.  This can affect your progress to healthier living.

Here are the top 7 myths that you should know about to maximize your health and fitness. [Read more…] about 7 Health and Fitness Myths You Should Know