Good day to you Elite friend!  When you wake up in the morning do you feel tight and achy?  When you put your head to the pillow at night do you feel stiff and achy?  Are you dancing around all day and want to make sure your bones and joints are protected?  Well, we are here today to talk about healthy JOINT SUPPORT!  It is NEVER too late to start a regimen that is supportive and nourishing to your joints.  Here we have compiled a list of supplements for joint care..

Omega 3

We believe this is one of the BEST supplements for joint health.  Omega 3 acts as an internal lubricant for all the joints in the body.  Whether you take a fish oil or plant based omega oil— your joints will thank you.  Omega 3 will also help reduce inflammation in the body.  This is a great supplement to take for preserving joint elasticity or for increasing joint elasticity.  Some studies suggest that it can take up to three moths of taking Omega 3 before you start to feel the benefits.  This is a great supplement to preserve the health and wellness of your joints.

Glucosamine & Chondroitin

These two are often found together and one of the better known supplements for joint health.  Glucosamine is a supplement to consider if you are experiencing any arthritis of the joints.  Some people find it helpful to mediate the arthritic pain with Glucosamine.  It can also improve beneficial bacteria in your gut!  Chondroitin helps rebuild cartilage naturally and boosts recovery of tissue after injury or exercise.  You can find these two together in one supplement, along with MSM or in bone broth.  We also have a vegetarian glucosamine available.

MSM

This supplement is not as well known, but can be extremely helpful for joint pain management as well as to help increase joint flexibility and move-ability. MSM stands for methylsulfonylmethane– which is an organic form of sulfur (the fourth most abundant mineral in the body).  That being said, it can help the body in many ways because it is a beneficial nutrient to all the tissue in the body– skin, hair, digestion lining, joints, bones, ligaments, etc.  It can also help boost energy, hair growth, immunity, and help increase the bodies ability to repair from stress or injury.

Boswellia

This unique herbal supplement is highly beneficial for the joints!  It comes from the sap of a tree and it is also known as frankincense oil.  It has a pleasant woodsy scent that can also help reduce stress just by smelling it.  One of the number one reasons this supplement is so helpful for the joints is because of it’s ability to boost and assist the immune system response to inflammation.  It can also be helpful for pain management.  Take it internally or use it topically in essential oil form to target localized pain.

Turmeric

Turmeric is another great supplement for joints.  Mainly because it is so high in antioxidants, it is fantastic for mediating inflammation as well as pain.  It also helps to detox the liver and if the liver is working at it’s best— most likely you will be at your best!

Hyaluronic Acid

This substance occurs naturally in our body— in our joints!  Hyaluronic acid is part of a thick fluid that helps keeps water in the joints and is apart of the cushion that helps buffer the bones and prevents them from wear and tear.  Taken in a supplement form, this special substance can help ease pain for anyone with degenerative joint dis-ease or it can help bring back more moisture and fluid in the joints— possibly even help provide more cushion for the joints.

Joint Formulas

Most of the above supplements can be found combined together with other ingredients that have been found to be beneficial for the joints such as collagen as well as formulas made up of proteolytic enzymes.  Enzymes help us digest different proteins in our food so that we can receive all the nutrients possible for our bodies.  When you take an Proteolytic enzyme supplement (specifically for bones/joints/inflammation) on an empty stomach, it will scavenge the body for unwanted tissue that has built up around the joints and such from pain/inflammation and dissolve it—another great alternative for dealing with joint pain, stiffness, and/or inflammation.

Beneficial Movement for Joint Health

Movement is important to the body.  When our joints are achy it may be hard to do extra movement or exercise.  A really great movement option for increasing joint flexibility and reducing inflammation is by swimming!  This is a relatively mild form of exercising the joints and can be a great way to get the body moving without over extending the joints.  Riding a bike can also be a great way to get moving and avoid major shock to the joints.  You can also try a beginners yoga class— where the movement is slower and the poses are simple yet effective.  The point is— pain or joint swelling really makes you feel like you can not do much.  Sometimes it is good to rest and listen to your body, but sometimes it is good to challenge those limiting thoughts and implement a little bit of extra movement and/or exercise.  Our bodies are agile and they were created to move mountains!  Even if that means one stone at a time.

Unfortunately, we do not think much about joint health until we begin to experience discomfort.  Just know that there are many options for boosting the health of your joints and many options for keeping your joints in good health.

As always, do what you feel is best for YOUR body– if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor. We are health ENTHUSIASTS not licensed practitioners.