Joint pain in old age doesn’t have to be a problem if you do something about it early enough. According to the study, the right diet is actually crucial for preventing osteoarthritis. Here you will find valuable tips on prevention.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is characterized by joint pain, which is mainly age-related. The cause is worn joint cartilage. In the advanced stage, the bony surfaces of the articular surfaces rub against each other directly and without protection. This results in pain and inflammation. The actual cause is age, but misalignments of the joints or injuries can also be the cause. Osteoarthritis differs from arthritis or rheumatism in that there does not have to be any inflammation. However, arthritis can lead to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is often treated with painkillers. It is currently considered incurable and irreversible. The causes of both diseases can possibly be prevented with a healthy diet.
How can you prevent osteoarthritis with nutrition?
Nutrition plays an important role in both osteoarthritis and rheumatism. It should be mainly plant-based and contain little meat and eggs. This is because meat and eggs contain arachidonic acid, which can promote inflammation in the joints.
A diet rich in antioxidants can help prevent osteoarthritis. This is because antioxidants protect cells from attacks by free radicals. These are caused by normal metabolic processes, UV radiation, smoking or an unhealthy diet. Osteoarthritis may even be completely preventable with a healthy lifestyle.
Antioxidants against joint problems
The more antioxidants your diet contains, the better. Antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium. They are mainly found in fruit such as citrus fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, parsley, garden cress and sweet peppers. In order to absorb as many vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances as possible, vegetables should be regional and seasonal. You are not only doing something for your health, but also for the environment.
Which phytochemicals help to prevent osteoarthritis?
Incidentally, some of these foods can also have an anti-inflammatory effect due to their phytochemicals. These include, for example
- the allicin in garlic,
- the mustard oils in horseradish, rocket, wasabi or cabbage vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, white cabbage or kohlrabi,
- the flavonoids in spinach, onions, kale or green tea,
- the carotenoids in carrots, pumpkin or melons and
- the anthocyanins in blueberries, blue grapes or red cabbage.
Foods with healthy fats against osteoarthritis
Healthy fats such as rapeseed oil, wheat germ oil or peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds are full of vitamin E. However, osteoarthritis patients should only consume these fats in moderation. Because fats contain calories and every extra kilo can cause discomfort. Osteoarthritis patients should reduce excess weight. According to one study, just ten kilos can reduce the pain of overweight osteoarthritis patients by half.
How can you prevent osteoarthritis with herbal remedies?
With high-quality phytotherapy products such as those from medpro, you can provide your body with targeted support, for example with Curcumin combi from medpro. The patented curcumin extract BCM95™ DC has a particularly high bioavailability and, together with resveratrol from Japanese knotweed, is said to have a positive effect on the immune system and can specifically inhibit inflammation. Resveratrol is a polyphenol with particularly strong anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition to the anti-inflammatory effect, the regular intake of high doses of turmeric is even said to have reduced the need for painkillers in osteoarthritis patients. Do you have questions about how you can specifically support your health with phytopharmaceuticals? Then simply contact the medical experts at medpro!
