Staying active and supplementing your diet can help reduce stiffness in your joints and keep you moving with ease for longer.
Whether you’re an ultra-marathon runner or just like a weekend kickabout, looking after your body - especially your cartilage, bones and muscles - is vital.
Exercising regularly is important for keeping your bones and muscles healthy and should ideally include a combination of weight-bearing exercises and cardiovascularactivity1.
Exercising and staying active helps to keep our bones strong and healthy throughout life and this is especially important as we age because exercise strengthens your muscles and keeps your bones strong - making them less likely to break2. Bones are living tissues that get stronger when we use them.
One way to support your exercise efforts is to take a supplement that supports those essential parts such as Joint Factor by One Nutrition. Each tablet contains a combination of powerful nutrients including Avocado and Soybean Extract (ASU), Boswellia Serrata, Vitamin D3 and more. ASU is a natural vegetable extract made from one-third avocado oil and two-thirds soybean oil. The supplement contains Vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal bones and muscle function; as well as Vitamin C which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones and cartilage. Vitamin C also contributes to the normal function of the immune system, the protection of cells from oxidative stress and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
You can support your muscles and joints in other ways too, and as well as taking a supplement such as Joint Factor there are some simple lifestyle changes that can help to keep your joints in tip top condition.
Stretch.
Stretching isn’t just for the gym. Take regular breaks during the day to have a stretch. It keeps your joints limber and moving.
Dive in.
All exercise is great but exercise done in the water is low impact, so if you have a persistent injury and need to take a break it allows you to do what you love while taking the stress off your joints.
Sit comfortably.
If you work at a desk avoid unnecessary pain by making sure your keyboard and monitor are placed at the right level. If you spend a lot of time on the phone for work, ask about a headset to reduce neck strain.
Lift it.
Strength training is not only a great way to boost your metabolism, research shows that lifting weights creates denser bones and builds muscles that will help stabilise and protect your joints.
Soak it in.
A warm bath after a busy day or a good workout is a great way to ease sore muscles and joints.
Take note.
Keep a journal of joint pain and bring it up with your doctor the next time you see them. A one-off pain after exercise might be nothing but a journal will help you to see if there’s a pattern that needs to be addressed.
Up and down.
Just as being on your feet all day isn’t good for you, sitting in the same position for hours at a time won’t do you any good either. Take regular breaks from your desk and walk around to get your circulation going again.
Warm Up.
Don’t even think about doing any kind of exercise without warming up properly first. To ensure joint safety and avoid injury, start slowly and increase your pace only when your joints and muscles have had at least five minutes to get moving.
[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12254-musculoskeletal-system-normal-structure--function
[2] https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/exercise-for-bones/