Optimal Health Science
As we age our joints start to stiffen up, ache, and stimulate pain. Most individuals ignore these signs and credit the problems to aging. When in fact you can prevent the joint pain, stiffness and aching. Depending on the individual, developing joint pain can occur as early as 18 years old!
The main cause of the pain, stiffness and irritate is due to inflammation. Poor diet, stress, genetics, and many other factors can lead to joint irritation.
We live in a world that embraces convince. Fast food found on every corner. Groceries stores are stocked full of freezers stretching beyond the horizon. Storing TV Dinners, flash freeze chicken nuggets, frozen pizza and more.
These types of food not only lead to obesity and diabetes. Preserved goods trigger inflammation. In fact, so much that the amount of inflammation created is similar to your body responding to a bacterial infection.
Now that is scary.
Put away the empty calories and start eating foods with more fiber and nutrients.
Inflammation forms when you consume an excess amount of
- Sugar
- refined flour
- artificial sweeteners
- artificial additives
- saturated fats
- fried foods
- grain-fed meats
- dairy
- processes meats
- store bought bread
Here’s a hint, more than half of this list can be found in fast foods.
So, what should you be eating to help your joints?
Think. Antioxidants. Antioxidant compounds fight off inflammation by absorbing free radicals. To understand free radicals and what they do. You must look at it on a molecular level. Humans and other living organisms break down food and convert it to energy. Known as the metabolism.
As the food is broken down to smaller molecules, the atom must contain the correct number of elections to remain stable. However, when an atom does not have the desired amount of elections. The atom becomes and unstable. Think of it like an angry atom that lost one shoe.
This atom angry atom is known as a free radical. Free radicals are negatively charged, which can react with other molecules and damage it (He steals other people’s shoe). This become problematic when the free radical starts to damage your cells. Inflammation becomes a byproduct of this response.
Antioxidants are molecules that donates elections to the free radicals (has extra shoes to give away). By consuming more antioxidants, you are filling up your body with electron donors (shoe doners) that will prevent the free radical atoms from damaging your body and there fore preventing inflammation.
So what foods contain antioxidants?
Red apples contain quercetin. An antioxidant that has been proven to keep arthritis and inflammation under control. Just make sure you do NOT peel the apple before eating it. Majority of the nutrients and quercetin is found in the skin of the apple.
Berries are high in antioxidants. Generally, dark colored fruits will have a ton of antioxidants. Berries have been proven to reduce inflammation related to arthritis.
Cruciferous vegetables, dark green vegetables are high in antioxidants. Dark leafy greens are rich in sulforaphane which is linked to preventing joint deterioration and irritation.
Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in wild caught salmon or many deep-sea fish. Farmed fish will not contain the desired amount of omega-3 fatty acids your body needs to regulate inflammation in your body.
Turmeric commonly used as a pain reliever before modern medicine. Turmeric fights Inflammation by blocking chemical signals transmitting pain within your body.
Cetylated Fatty Acids (CFA). CFA’S are all-natural ingredients that have been clinically proven to restore joint health and flexibility. You can get this supplement from CetylMax and Flexadren. CFA enhances lubrication of joints by improving the cell fluidity in the joints. Cetylated Fatty Acids works by promoting the build up of synovial joints. Creating extra cushion between the bones to prevent bone to bone contact.
Sources:
https://newatlas.com/fast-food-western-diet-immune-inflammation/52938/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/antioxidants-explained#section3
https://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/11-foods-help-your-joints/slideshow