Eat well, exercise for healthy joints
A certain amount of wear and tear on joints is inevitable with the passage of time. But varied exercise, good posture and changing your diet can help.
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important steps; the heavier you are, the greater the impact on your joints and the stronger your muscles need to be to control movement.
According to the British Dietetic Association, for every 0.5 kilograms lost, the weight going through the knee joint at each step is reduced by 2kg.
Regular physical activity will help support a healthy weight as well as good joint functioning.
For runners, taking a few days off between runs is advised so knees have time to recover. Lowimpact exercises like cycling, pilates and swimming can be used to mix up a routine.
Squats and lunges a couple of times a week will develop strength, which supports more controlled movements. However, be careful of squatting below 90 degrees, due to the pressure placed on knees. Climbing stairs carries less risk.
Good posture helps maintain healthy joints, too. It is common to become more stooped with age,
but this changes the centre of gravity so more pressure is placed on knees and hips.
Stand tall with your head in line with your shoulders, your shoulders directly over your hips, your hips aligned with your knees, and your knees aligned with your feet.
Eating a Mediterranean diet can also help your joints. The association says some research suggests diets high in saturated fat – found in fatty meats and
meat products, full-fat dairy, cakes and biscuits – can weaken cartilage in the knees and hips. It recommends a Mediterraneanstyle diet high in monounsaturated fat and with plenty of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.
A meal based around oily fish and fresh vegetables is a perfect staple.
Omega-3 in oily fish has been found to reduce joint pain and shorten the duration of morning
stiffness. Colourful veges provide antioxidants that reduce the risk of cartilage loss and slow progression of osteoarthritis.
Monounsaturated fats in the avocado and almonds have been found to reduce pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
POWER SALAD Ingredients
80g quinoa; 150g broccoli florets; 50g green beans; handful of
rocket; 1 ripe tomato, chopped; 1 red pepper, in bite-size pieces; 1 avocado, cut into small pieces; handful of chopped red onion; 150g oily fish such as salmon or tuna; 1 tbsp flaked almonds; drizzle of olive oil. (Serves 2)
Preparation
Cook quinoa and cool. Boil beans and broccoli for four minutes and drain. Mix salad ingredients and top with drizzled extra virgin olive oil and flaked almonds. Grill fish until just cooked.