Dr. Stone's Tips featured in the segment:
- The single best thing you can do for your joints is maintain a healthy weight. Research has shown that with every single pound gained, a person puts four times, or four additional pounds, more stress on weight-bearing joints like knees, hips, and back.
TIP: Drink two tall glasses of water before lifting the fork at each meal. The water acts as a portion control device limiting how much you eat.
- Try to incorporate more exercise into your weekly routine. A regular exercise regimen of 30-60 minutes five days per week will help you maintain a healthy weight. Low impact activities like walking, swimming, biking, Pilates, yoga, and martial arts are especially good for your joints. Try to incorporate more strength training into your daily regimen.
- When your muscles are weak, your body puts undue pressure on your joints, increasing wear and tear. By strengthening muscles and ligaments around joints, you decrease stress on the joints, protecting them from damage. Resistance training also builds bone, which strengthens joints.
- Try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. The CDC recommends everyone eat at least five servings of fruits or vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants (like leafy green vegetables, purple grapes, blueberries, cranberries, etc) protect the body against free radicals. Antioxidants absorb free radicals to limit "rusting" of the joints.
TIP: Choose deeply colored vegetables because they are the richest sources of antioxidants.
- Drink water more often than you think you should. The brain, joints and all muscles work best when fully hydrated. Simply drink water more often than you think you should.
- Vitamin D, Calcium and Vitamin C, are important for bone and Joint health. However, now it's time to incorporate Glucosamine & Chondroitin in your daily regimen. Research has shown that taking 1,500mg of Glucosamine with Chondroitin daily can improve overall joint function, mobility and flexibility. Since, there are no major food sources of Glucosamine or Chondroitin, you must supplement your diet.
- Try to incorporate more stretching into your daily routine. Good range of motion and maintaining joint flexibility is critical to protecting your joint health. Stretching, bending and moving your body lubricates your joints so you can keep doing what you love to do.
TIP: Taking stretch breaks throughout the day to stretch your muscles and help you get re-energized.
For more information about Joint Juice, go to jointjuice.com
