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Get Moving Again, Painlessly!

by Dr. Marcus Laux

Published 02/03/09

Eating Your Way to Healthier Joints

First off, it’s important to maintain a normal weight so that you don’t place unnecessary stress and work on your joints. So, if you have some weight to lose, there’s never a better time than the present to start down a healthier path. It often surprises people that shedding even just a few pounds can make a tremendous difference in your joints, your heart, and your entire outlook.

Next, incorporate “joint-friendly” foods into your diet each day. Here are my top dietary recommendations for maintaining healthy joints:

• Eat fewer high-glycemic foods (white breads, packaged snacks, sweets, and so on). Instead, you want to eat whole grain breads, lentils, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and the like.
• Get your meats and dairy foods from grass-fed, organically raised cattle.
• Avoid hydrogenated oils, particularly trans fats.
• Eat more nuts and seeds. Walnuts and flaxseeds are good choices. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which we know your joints love.
• Enjoy brightly colored produce. Cherries, berries, blueberries, and other dark red-blue berries are rich sources of potent antioxidants called anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. These are naturally potent anti-inflammatory compounds, and they can enhance collagen matrix structure and strength.

As I mentioned in my recommendations above, omega-3 essential fatty acids are powerful joint helpers—which I’ve long recommended, but now we know even more about how they work. New studies show that your body turns omega-3s into special compounds called resolvins that promote a healthy inflammatory response in your body—which is essential to joint comfort.

A good way to get your omega-3s is by eating tuna fish, flaxseed, or salmon and taking a high-quality fish oil supplement.

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