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Superfoods for Joint Health -- Issue #39
September 20, 2013

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IN THIS ISSUE:

  1. Taking Care of Your Joints
  2. Top Superfoods for Healthy Joints
  3. Joint Health Super Supplements

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Taking Care of Your Joints through Diet

Joints are natural shock absorbers for the body that allow us freedom of movement. They are supported by our muscles, ligaments and tendons and cushioned by cartilage, a flexible connective tissue that is extra important to keep nourished via diet over our lifetime.

In our opinion, the time to take care of your joints is before you have any health issues with them. This approach helps you become less susceptible to wear and tear, injury, inflammation and arthritis as you age. Some of the following superfoods and supplements are preventative steps to ensure proper nutritional support for these all important “hinges” of the body.

Top Superfoods for Healthy Joints

1) Long Chain Essential Fatty Acids - especially the Omega 3's found in algae oils, krill or fish oils. These DHA and EPA rich essential oils lubricate the joint areas and provide needed nourishment to keep them strong and flexible.

2) Sulfur-rich foods and supplements - Sulfur helps to shield the joints against infectious organisms that may lead to joint problems like arthritis further down the road. Foods and supplements high in sulfur include: garlic, spirulina, eggs, MSM powder and DMSO. Nettle and horsetail herbal teas are also helpful for the joints and contain sulfur baring components. MSM is often used with the joint supplement glucosamine (usually derived from shell fish).

3) Eucommia Bark Extract – is the #1 Chinese herb for the joints and in Chinese medicine also acts as a powerful Yang tonic that is specific to the skeletal structure. It is a extracted from the rubber tree and made up of a latex material which helps to protect and maintain joint integrity. Eucommia is often considered the primary herb of choice for lower back and knee problems, including pain, stiffness, dislocation, swelling and weakness. It is safe to take on a regular basis and also acts as a kidney tonic.

4) Aloe vera – Aloe vera gel, used internally, is full of polysaccharide-rich nutrients that support healthy cartilage. Aloe soothes joint tissue sometimes affected by overly acidic conditions and replenishes an alkaline state in the body. Some versions of Prolotherapy joint injections use an extract of the aloe plant for its positive effects on joint health.

5) Medicinal mushrooms – especially reishi, chaga, coriolus, and maitake mushrooms help to boost the immune system. They are specifically known to help with joint pain and various types of arthritis because of their immune supporting properties. (See our page on medicinal mushrooms.)

6) Turmeric, ginger and bromelain (enzyme found in pineapples) - act as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Each works to relieve pain, stiffness and swelling in addition to providing preventative joint health before these issues may occur. In combination, they provide a powerhouse of natural medicine. The three in combination help to boost the other's effectiveness and medicinal actions. Turmeric and ginger can be juiced with pineapple for a tasty joint support beverage drink.

7) Lecithin – Lecithin contains essential fatty acids that keep joints, muscles, tendons and bones strong and healthy. Lecithin is a phospholipid which is a substance known to be helpful in the absorption of EPA and DHA in long chain essential fatty acids.

8) Kelp, Zeolite and Chlorella - These three superfoods we always recommend taking on a regular basis or periodically for detoxifying the body of various environmental pollutants and heavy metals that find their way into our blood and set up residence in weak joint pockets and tissues. These superfoods effectively carry out toxins through the elimination channels and prohibit them from causing inflammation in the joint regions. (See our website pages for more on kelp and chlorella algae.)

Joint Health Super Supplements

O-mega-Zen 3 + EPA - 40 caps, NuTru

NuTru has continued to expand its product line of all vegan, high potency omega-3 products by coming out this year with a new O-Mega-Zen3 product containing both DHA and EPA. This product contains 200+ mg of DHA and over 100 mg of EPA in a soft-gel format. It is an excellent substitute for krill or fish oil and is top superfood for strengthening and maintaining healthy joints and cartilage.

Omega Zen Algae Oil

Spirulina Manna Powder and Capsules - Healthforce Nutritionals

Spirulina is an exceptional food and an incredible source of concentrated, non-toxic, absorbable nutrients. It is a highly beneficial substitute for protein powders. The protein in spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Spirulina also contains sulfur-rich nutrition which supports joint health as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, E, and K. In addition, spirulina provides minerals, trace minerals, cell salts, phytonutrients and enzymes, as well as an abundance of chlorophyll (excellent for detoxifying toxins in joint pockets of the body).

Spirulina Manna - Healthforce Nutritionals




Until our next issue...

May you thrive, prosper and evolve in the best of ways!




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All information in this ezine is the personal view of the author and is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or prescription. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to cure or prevent any disease.



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