The structure of joints 

Before we address how aging affects joints, it’s important to understand the basic structure of joints. Cartilage cushions the ends of the bones, allowing them to move smoothly and easily against each other. A membrane called the synovium surrounds the joints and is filled with synovial fluid – a thick substance that helps keep your cartilage healthy.

The health of each of these things – bones, cartilage, and synovial fluid – all contribute to healthy joints.

Age related changes in bone 

Bone health is fundamental to maintaining healthy joints. Throughout your life, your body is continually engaging in a process called remodelling, during which old bone is removed and replaced with new, fresh bone. Up until about the age of 40, all bone is replaced. After age 40, however, less bone is replaced over time

One of the best ways to promote healthy bones is to make sure you’re getting adequate calcium in your diet. Calcium is the main mineral found in bones, and it is the most important mineral for bone health. Because old bone cells are constantly being broken down and replaced with new ones, it’s important to consume calcium daily to maintain bone structure and strength.

Calcium

Taking a calcium supplement is one of the easiest ways to get your daily dose of calcium in a form that your body can easily absorb, and may be necessary if you avoid dairy products.

Age related changes in cartilage 

Cartilage is your body’s natural shock absorber.

As you age, your joints can occasionally become stiff and impact flexibility because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases, and your cartilage can become thin. This decreased cartilage can cause stiffness, especially after sitting or lying down for long periods of time.

Without cartilage, the bones wouldn’t have anything protecting them and may start to rub together, causing discomfort or stiffness.

How to support your joint health

With bone mass and cartilage starting to decrease as you age, it may seem like maintaining healthy joints can be a losing battle. Thankfully, however, there are many ways that you can help promote healthy joints within your daily routine and continue the activities you love.

1. Strengthen your muscles 

Strength training is great for building muscle, but did you know that it can also promote healthy joints?

Think of your joints like a young tree or sapling: just like a sapling needs strings or stakes to help it grow strong and straight, joints need muscles and ligaments around them for strength and stability.

Strengthening the muscles stabilizes the joints and helps to take the pressure off weaker, worn-out joints. Be sure to talk to your healthcare practitioner before introducing new exercises to your routine

2. Eat a balanced diet 

What you eat affects every aspect of your health – including your joints. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, flaxseed, salmon, or other fatty fish, can help regulate the production of signalling molecules that can affect your joints

3. Ingredients commonly found in joint supplements

Exercise and a balanced diet are crucial, but taking a supplement can also help support your joint health especially where there may be nutrient gaps in your diet.

The bottom line

Your joint mobility and flexibility may be impacted as part of the normal aging process, but by taking the right steps, you can continue to do what you love. Exercising, eating a balanced diet, and taking supplements for joint health can help keep you moving with ease. And besides, age is just a number, right?

Let’s look at some of the most important supplements to help support your active lifestyle

Supplements for energy production

As you probably know, the body gets its energy first and foremost from the food you eat. If you’ve ever binge-ate a bunch of junk food, you’ve probably noticed that you don’t exactly feel like getting up and going for a run – your body needs quality fats, carbohydrates, and protein to help give you energy.

B-complex Vitamins

B-complex vitamins play a key role in transforming the food you eat into the energy that powers your workouts. B-vitamins help convert dietary energy into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the form of energy your body uses.

Other ways to maintain your energy

Make sure you’re getting enough natural sunlight: Natural sunlight is the strongest factor that affects the circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle. Found in the brain, the pineal gland processes information regarding natural light and darkness, then relays that information to the body through melatonin. Melatonin – the hormone that promotes sleep – is released naturally as sunlight lessens later in the day

Limit your caffeine intake: Although it’s tempting to reach for that extra cup of coffee in the afternoon, the jolt of energy caffeine gives you could lead to a crash once it wears off leaving you feeling more tired than before. Try drinking a glass of water instead.

Start the day with protein: Protein-rich foods in the morning can help to keep you energized throughout the day. Start your day with eggs, oatmeal, or a chocolate or vanilla shake.

Supplements for joints 

Often, people don’t think about their joints until they are experiencing discomfort. But being proactive in caring for your joints will ensure that you can continue doing the activities you love and enjoy.

Other ways to support your joints

Warm-up before exercise: Warming up before exercising gets your blood pumping and warms up your joints, which helps prevent injury. Dynamic stretches or low-impact exercises like cycling are a great way to warm-up.

Eat a balanced diet: Maintaining a healthy diet is key to maintaining happy joints. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, flaxseed, salmon or other fatty fish, can help to regulate the production of signalling molecules that can affect your joints.

Mindful breathing: When doing resistance exercises or strenuous physical activity, don’t forget to focus on breathing. A rule of thumb is to exhale during the most challenging part of the movement and inhale during the easier portion.

Supplements for muscles 

Even if your main fitness goal is not to gain a lot of muscle, it is still important to look after the health of your muscles. You have more than 600 muscles in your body, and proper care prevents them from tearing or getting strained. Strong muscles also help keep your joints in place.

Protein

Protein is one of the most important supplements for muscle health. Increased protein intake contributes to greater strength and muscle mass gain when coupled with resistance training and allows for greater muscle mass preservation when you are not working out and a nutritious diet.

Other ways to help your muscles

Warm-up before exercise: Warming up before exercising gets your blood pumping and warms up your joints, which helps prevent injury. Dynamic stretches or low-impact exercises like cycling are a great way to warm-up.

Eat a balanced diet: Maintaining a healthy diet is key to maintaining happy joints. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, flaxseed, salmon or other fatty fish, can help to regulate the production of signalling molecules that can affect your joints.

Supplements for bone health

Supporting healthy bones is extremely important. In addition to help building healthy bones, it becomes equally as important to maintain their health over time. Thankfully, there are supplements that can help maintain bone health and keep you doing the physical activity you enjoy.

Calcium & Magnesium 

Calcium is a mineral found in many foods. Almost all of the body’s calcium is contained in bones and teeth, where it supports their structure and hardness.

As you age, the efficiency of your calcium absorption from your digestive tract may decrease. You will usually find magnesium in calcium supplements because magnesium plays a role in the regulation of calcium transport and is essential for bone mineralization.

Other ways to help build & maintain strong bones

Get enough vitamin D: Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, plays a key role in helping your body absorb calcium. The sun is the primary source of vitamin D, but taking a vitamin D supplement, is also a great option – especially during the colder winter months.

Eat lots of vegetables: Vegetables provide many of the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain healthy bones. They’re also a great source of vitamin C, which may help support collagen formation that contributes to joint and bone flexibility.

The bottom line

No matter how you like to do it, staying active is a crucial part of holistic health. Supporting energy production and taking care of your joints, muscles, and bones by eating a balanced diet, exercising and adequate nutrient intake allows you to continue doing the physical activity you love.

Discover effective and natural detoxification techniques to cleanse your body and improve your overall well-being.

Detoxification is a process that helps to eliminate toxins and harmful substances from the body. It is an essential function of the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin. With the increasing exposure to pollutants, processed foods, and unhealthy lifestyle choices, our bodies often struggle to keep up with the detoxification process. This can lead to a buildup of toxins in the body, which can have negative effects on our health.

By understanding the importance of detoxification, we can take proactive steps to support our body's natural detoxification processes. Detoxification helps to improve digestion, boost energy levels, enhance immune function, promote weight loss, and improve skin health. It is a vital aspect of maintaining overall well-being.

Our bodies have their ways of letting us know when they need a detox. Some common signs that indicate the need for detoxification include fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, skin problems, frequent colds and infections, allergies, and headaches. These symptoms can be a result of the accumulation of toxins in the body, which can hinder the proper functioning of various organs and systems.

If you are experiencing any of these signs, it may be a good idea to consider incorporating detoxification techniques into your routine to support your body's natural detoxification processes.

Natural detoxification techniques offer numerous benefits for our overall health and well-being. They help to remove toxins from the body, improve digestion, boost the immune system, increase energy levels, enhance mental clarity, promote weight loss, and improve skin health. Unlike harsh detox programs or restrictive diets, natural detoxification methods focus on supporting the body's natural detoxification processes without causing any harm or deprivation.

By incorporating natural detoxification techniques into your lifestyle, you can experience improved vitality, increased resilience against illnesses, and a greater sense of well-being.

There are several proven and effective detoxification methods that you can try to cleanse your body. Some of these methods include drinking plenty of water, eating a nutrient-dense diet, reducing consumption of processed foods and alcohol, practicing intermittent fasting, engaging in regular exercise, getting adequate sleep, practicing stress-reducing techniques such as meditation or yoga, and incorporating detoxifying foods and herbs into your meals.

These methods work synergistically to support your body's natural detoxification processes and help you eliminate toxins effectively.

Incorporating detoxification into your daily routine doesn't have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. Simple changes and habits can go a long way in supporting your body's detoxification processes. Start by drinking plenty of water throughout the day to flush out toxins. Include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet to provide essential nutrients and fiber that aid in detoxification.

Make exercise a regular part of your routine to improve circulation and promote sweating, which helps to eliminate toxins through the skin. Practice stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to support your body's natural healing processes. Get enough sleep to allow your body to repair and rejuvenate.

By incorporating these detoxification practices into your daily routine, you can optimize your body's detoxification processes and experience improved health and vitality.