Moving my body is one of the activities that keeps me happy. One of my favourite ways to move is to run. So for me, joint health is very important to my happiness.
I suspect that joint health is important for the happiness of most people. Whether you like to play sport, work in the garden, or just want to be a crazy cat lady, being able to move freely and without pain is important.
The most effective joint health strategy by far is probably one of the hardest to achieve. This is weight loss. Did you know that you can reduce joint pain by 30% if you decrease your bodyweight by 5%. So for an 80kg person, this means losing 4kg. The level of pain relief increases further if you lose even more weight.
No Magic Medicines
Most of the pain killers that you can buy or get on prescription are good at reducing joint pain. However, most have adverse effects including worsening the underlying condition of your joints. For example, taking ibuprofen or diclofenac to reduce joint pain will eventually cause more joint pain. Most people are shocked by this.
Effective Supplements
While anti-inflammatory pain killers can worsen joint function, there are some great alternative natural pain killers that don’t have the same side effects. Think boswellia, MSM, turmeric and others.
Nutrients that repair joints are also a must for people wanting to maintain their mobility into old age. These include SAMe, glucosamine and chondroitin. Nutrients that reduce inflammation at its source should also form part of your health and happiness plan.