Because there are some readers who are much older than my youthful millennial ass, I figure I outta cater to them, because I can be a nice guy sometimes. I heard those of you who know me out there snort at that, so shut up.
Some people experience pain in their joints for a variety of reasons, as told by Mayo Clinic. It can range from something as simple as a slight injury to a tendon or ligament, or something as shitty as bone cancer or arthritis. I am not going into joint reconstruction, or osteology or anything like that. I am the food guy. So, this is about ways to prevent or ease joint pain with food. Because that’s what I do.
Omega-3 Rich foods: Some research has found that foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as soybeans or edamame, tuna, salmon, and flax seeds can counter act some of the inflammation in joints, particularly for rheumatoid arthritis.
Anthocyanins: That is a weird word, but basically these are the pigments in your red and purple fruits, such as cherries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Anthocyanins have been found to reduce the frequency of gout attacks.
Vitamin D: Like I really need to give permission for people to get the D (if you do not get that, ask a younger person what that means, or, if you ARE the younger person, preserve your innocence. Also, why are you reading my blog?). Vitamin D is found in most low-fat dairy products, as well as leafy green vegetables. These help with bone health in cases of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C does A LOT for your body, so it would make sense that joint health would be among them. Vitamin C is used in forming collagen, so it benefits those with bone troubles such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. It is commonly found in foods like oranges, and broccoli. Broccoli also has calcium, so that is also beneficial.
The list of foods to help with joint pain is non-exhaustive. There are many foods that can help or hinder on a personal basis, but overall my research shows that a healthful lifestyle across the ages can help with diseases.
I just want to reiterate in this post that I am NOT a professional in the field, I am currently a nutrition student who is researching this. Therefore, this is NOT to be taken as medical advice, so before you make a change to your diet, ask your doctor.
For more information, check out The Arthritis Foundation.
The Nutrition Punk 