Birthdays are always special. They remind us to cherish ourselves while embracing the lessons learned and the upcoming challenges to conquer. However, as we age, our consideration and care towards our body should increase as well.
Be it through managing stress, regulating our sleep habits, or even taking care of our exercise routine.
Aging changes how our organs, cells, and tissues function, making it crucial to support them by eating healthy food, including bone and joint supplement, among others, and lowering consumption of junk food.
These changes don’t have to be drastic; instead, they should be adapted over time. Any sudden changes in our habits can cause excessive stress to the body, leading to concerns like headaches, stomach issues, or inability to focus clearly.
Here are some practical life changes to make:
- Exercise regularly
Regular exercise ensures your body is accustomed to moving around comfortably without experiencing pain. Joint pain usually occurs when there’s an excessive amount of uric acid build-up in the blood, the lubricating and cushioning synovial fluid is not sufficient, or when you are in the early stages of conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis or, in worst cases, bone cancer.
How to make it work:
- Walking strengthens muscles and helps shift pain, eventually reducing discomfort.
- Engaging in strength training can make the muscles and ligaments stronger, providing better support to your joint and bone health.
- Squatting and lunges are functional moves, and constantly engaging in them while holding the correct posture gives the legs and hip muscles more strength.
- Monitor your diet
Your eating habits have a direct impact on your overall health. The body needs essential nutrients like protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates to function properly. Eating junk food too often can trigger inflammation and severely stress the joints (as a result of weight gain).
Must-try diet changes:
- Significantly lower your consumption of greasy junk food and switch them to more nutrient-rich foods.
- Drink plenty of water to keep the joints well lubricated and cartilage’s cushioning effect.
- Take health supplements to ensure you get additional nutrients in their best form.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
Tobacco smoke contains free radicals that can damage cells and also accelerate the progression of severe health conditions, including age-related diseases and cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, alcohol has inflammatory effects on the joints and is dehydrating in nature, factors that directly impact the function of the joints.
Here’s what to do instead:
- Consider quitting smoking by switching to nicotine replacement therapy.
- Instead of alcohol, increase your water and organic (sugar-free) juice intake.
- Include anti-inflammatory teas in your diet, switching it with caffeine as much as possible.
- Reconsider your footwear
Adequate footwear plays a vital role in ensuring your stride and stance align appropriately with your knees, back, and hips, preventing long-term strain and stress on the joints and ligaments.
How to get it right:
- If you have backache or knee pain issues, avoid wearing heels, as they put tremendous pressure on the front of your feet and toes.
- Look for footwear with adequate arch support to prevent knee strain.
- Consider orthopedic footwear if regular footwear is unable to provide the support, cushioning, and comfort you are looking for.
- Maintain sleep hygiene
Running on fewer hours of sleep significantly impacts your body’s ability to function at its best. Lack of sleep triggers bone inflammation, muscle pain, discomfort in moving joints, and aggravating conditions like arthritis.
Key to sleep better:
- Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet and has no distractions (TV, computers, or tablet devices).
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime.
- Meditate to unwind and relax your body before hitting the bed.
Bottomline
Joint pain can significantly limit your ability to enjoy life to its fullest. While the progression is slow, it eventually catches up to you if proper care is not taken. Make sure that you are eating nutrient-rich foods and are investing time in exercising. Additionally, meditating and practicing yoga or self-care will ensure mobility while keeping joint and bone-related worries away.