It is commonly known that a balanced and varied diet is an important requirement for maintaining good health, but many of us are not aware of which food groups are advantageous for specific parts of the body. It can be helpful to learn about this aspect, in order for you to give better consideration to the foods you are consuming. Women who suffer with joint pain, for example, will largely benefit from understanding which vitamins are good for this specific problem.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a vital necessity for maintaining bone strength, as it is needed by the body to absorb calcium. It is therefore inadvertently adept at supporting the functionality of joints. A deficiency of this compound can lead to complications such as osteoporosis.
The most well-known source of vitamin D is sunlight. For women who live in warm climates it might be possible to receive an adequate amount of this vitamin from the sun; however, for those who are not subjected to this, other sources are required. These can be:Vitamin D supplementsEgg yolkRed meatOily fish
Omega 3
Many women have had great success with regards to joint pain relief, when regularly consuming omega 3. Studies have shown that this substance is considerably effective as an anti-inflammatory, and can be beneficial to sufferers of different types of arthritis because it alleviates both pain and stiffness. Oily fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel are excellent sources of this fatty acid, or walnuts, seeds, and leafy vegetables such as spinach are an alternative for those who do not enjoy fish.
Calcium
When women reach their menopausal years, the depletion of estrogen has an effect on their bones and joints, because estrogen helps to protect bones. One way to try to counter this, or at least decrease the effects, is to ensure you consume an adequate amount of calcium.
Calcium is required by the body to maintain bone strength and supple joints; depending on your age, and adult woman should have an intake of between 1000 and 1300mg of calcium per day. This can be from:
Milk
Cheese
Yoghurt
Soybeans
Tofu
Vitamin K2
This is a lesser-known compound which can be beneficial for joint pain and has been valued in Japan for its abilities to treat osteoporosis and other disorders relating to the bones and joints. It is said to be used by the body for supporting the activities of calcium and vitamin D. Good sources of vitamin K2 include:
Spring onions
Kale
Cheese
Eggs
Joint pain is sadly a common complaint among many older women, and for some, it can be significantly damaging to their day to day lives – both physically and mentally. Armed with some awareness about the condition, and more specifically – ways it can be improved or even avoided, should hopefully enable you to feel more confident in facing it should you ever need to. There are a few different joint pain vitamins out there to choose from, each of which you should take care to consume in your normal diet. Learn more about 5 herbal supplements for joint pain.
Sources:
- National Health Service UK. (2017). Vitamin D. Retrieved June 2, 2017, from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-D.aspx
- Holick, M.F. (1996). Vitamin D and bone health. J Nutr. 126(4 Suppl):1159S-64S. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8642450
