Joints are responsible for keeping your body moving freely, but over the course of a lifetime, they can take a beating. That’s why it’s so important to take care of your joints as you age.

How Do Joints Function?

The purpose of joints is to hinge two or more parts of your body to enable movement, like your thigh bone to your shin bone via the knee joint. They are designed to withstand friction and pressure, while protecting the ends of your bones as you move.

Cartilage lines the ends of your bones, and together with an added layer of sticky synovial fluid for lubrication creates a capsule between your bones for extra cushioning. Ligaments hold your joints together and keep it aligned with its axis of movement. Tendons provide extra support and attach to the muscle and bones. Working in unison, the joints, bones, and muscles allow your body to move freely; therefore, the health of one will affect the other. For example, weak muscles from inactivity will lead to weak joints.

Why is it Important to Support Joint Health as we Age?

Supporting joint health is all about taking care of your body. When you’re young your joints are supple and at their peak, but if you’re constantly pounding on them or exercising with poor form, you’ll most certainly feel the effects when you’re older.

In addition, as you age, cartilage and tendons can break down and lose their elasticity, and joints can become stiff and painful due to loss of padding and lubrication.

So exercise with care and follow these healthy habits to help support the health of your joints.

 

Tips to Help Support Joint Health

 

Regular Moderate Exercise 

Exercise is one of the most vital elements of keeping your joints healthy. Activity helps to lubricate the joints and increase the circulation.

Low impact exercises like swimming, cycling, and walking are the best as they place the least amount of stress on the body. However, any exercise is better than none, so choose something you enjoy as you’re more likely to stick to it.

Daily Stretching Exercises

Joints tend to stiffen up overnight due to being inactive for so long. So plan to wake up to some gentle stretching exercises to start your day and work out the stiffness in your waking muscles and joints.

Stretching is also an important component of your exercise program before and after working out. Warming up will help lubricate your joints and a cool down stretch will help in recovery, reduce risk of injury, and increase your flexibility.

Weight Management

Extra weight means extra stress on your joints, and over time this can increase wear and tear. If you’ve already committed to getting more active, you’re one step closer to losing weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to a high quality of life and essential to promoting joint health.

Healthy Diet

We’re always looking for ways to eat more healthy and for joint health, a diet rich in antioxidants olive oil, berries and cherries, leafy greens, fatty fish, and nuts can be beneficial.

Just as it’s important to find an activity you enjoy, so too is it vital that you find healthy foods you love to eat. Eating healthy is not a fad, it’s a commitment to living a healthy lifestyle and fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to function at optimal health.

Smoking Cessation

We all know smoking is bad for your health, but did you know it can also negatively affect your bones and joints?

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to help promote healthy joints.

Smoking is a serious addiction, but so too are the health risks. If you’re having trouble breaking the habit, please see your doctor for help.

Supplements to Support Joint Health*

Another element in your plan to promote the health and longevity of your joints is a supplement called turmeric.*

Turmeric can help support joint health; however, the problem lies with absorption.* Turmeric used in cooking may pass through the digestive system too quickly to truly benefit the body. So your best bet is a turmeric supplement with enhanced absorption.

How Qunol Turmeric can help Support Joint Health?

Qunol’s Extra Strength Turmeric Curcumin Complex is designed to deliver superior absorption. It has water dispersion technology which delivers superior absorption compared to regular turmeric§ supplements. It’s a valuable addition to your joint health regimen.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.