A healthy spine and joints are the foundation for a fulfilling active life. Today, joint disease is affecting an increasingly young population: one in three people under the age of 40 has experienced a variety of joint problems.
Many experts agree that the causes are related to a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition. It turns out that what we eat directly affects the health of our joints. Which foods are good for the joints and which foods destroy them?
Summary
A bad diet is one of the causes of the articular diseases
Good nutrition for the joints: what you should consider
Weight control
A balanced diet
Drinking regimen
Reducing the use of flavor enhancers
Foods that are harmful to joints
Joint-healthy foods: the 10 best foods
Foods rich in selenium and sulfur
Foods rich in boron and zinc
What should you eat to strengthen your joints?
It is well known that gelatinous and calcium-containing foods are essential for joint health. However, according to medical recommendations, a special diet for joint disease goes far beyond cottage cheese and jellied meat. The list of prohibited and recommended foods is much longer. Why is a good diet important for joint disease?
Joint health is primarily affected by the balance of trace minerals. For example, many people know that dairy products are good for joints and cartilage. However, the stomach secretes a lot of acid and requires exactly the same calcium that creates an alkaline environment, for its balance.
A correct intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals is relatively important. It has been proven that the main cause of osteoarthritis is a dysfunction of the metabolic processes in the cartilage tissue. In addition, the modern lifestyle is far from ideal: we sit a lot, move little, carry heavy loads and sometimes have bad habits. All this negatively affects the health of your joints. Therefore, you need to eat foods that are healthy for your bones and joints.
Good nutrition for joints: what you should consider
Weight control
This is perhaps one of the most important principles of joint health nutrition. The fact is that every extra pound of weight increases the load on the joints several times over. This inevitably leads to their destruction. The recommendations are very simple: to reduce the consumption of fast carbohydrates, sugary and fatty foods, practice moderate sports activity. Fractional nutrition is also useful for painful joints.
However, all restrictions must be agreed upon with a doctor or dietician, as they can introduce imbalances in the body. And here we are not talking about any benefits. Therefore, the next important principle is a balanced diet.
A balanced diet
Your body must get enough of all the nutrients it needs. We are talking about a healthy and varied diet. And a varied diet and good food preparation play a key role here. Long-term heat treatment partially or completely destroys the fiber and vitamins in vegetables. And during frying, harmful substances are formed. Therefore, it is recommended to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, to steam or bake dishes.
Drinking regime
Water is another principle of a healthy diet for the joints. An adult should drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day, not including coffee/tea and liquid foods. This is very important because nutrients dissolve in water and are better absorbed. You should drink in the morning, when you feel thirsty, and half an hour or two after eating. It is advisable to drink in small portions.
Reduce the use of flavor enhancers
Flavor enhancers include not only glutamates and vinegar, but also table salt. Contrary to popular belief, salt does not settle in the joints, but causes water retention in the body. Thus, it increases the stress on the joints. It is desirable to replace the standard of salt, which is 4 to 5 g per day, with sea salt.
Foods that are harmful to the joints
The list of foods harmful to joints is quite long. However, this does not mean that they should be completely eliminated from your diet. Some of them should be limited or excluded if you have arthritis or osteoarthritis, but only after consulting a doctor. If your joints are healthy, these foods should not be eaten regularly:
red meats: beef, veal, pork. They are high in uric acid, which disrupts the exchange of purines;
offal, beef liver;
sunflower oil: this food is included in this list because of an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 stimulates the inflammation process of the joints, therefore it is contraindicated in gout and other diseases;
spinach: contains a lot of oxalates, which also stimulate general inflammation;
tomatoes, black pepper: excessive amounts of solanine disrupt metabolic processes in the tissues;
tea and coffee;
dark and light beer, alcohol in general;
fatty foods;
sugar and candy.
The most harmful foods for the joints are:
canned foods;
smoked meats, pickles and dried fish;
long-life cheeses;
Trans fats and refined foods: margarine, baked goods;
products containing phosphates: crab sticks, sausages, condensed milk and others;
soft drinks;
alcohol.
Nutrition for joint disease should be determined by a physician after consultation and full diagnosis.
Joint-healthy foods:
Foods rich in selenium and sulfur
Selenium is a trace element that is essential for maintaining the health of your joints. It is involved in their nutrition and hydration. Selenium is found in sufficient quantities in garlic, oatmeal, brown rice and seaweed.
Sulfur is the main substance in the production of collagen in the body. It is contained in sufficient quantities in chicken meat, eggs, salmon and cod, cereals, onions, all types of cabbage and apples.
Foods rich in boron and zinc
Zinc is another element involved in the regeneration of joints, especially collagen fibers. Zinc is found in brown rice and meat.
Boron is essential for strengthening bone tissue. It can be obtained from cabbage, prunes, seafood and nuts.