Joint pain and inflammation often hit us when we least expect it. We bend down to pick up our wallet. We’re playing with the kids. We go to bed and twist in our sleep, only to wake up, unable to get on our feet. The older we get, the more likely we are to suffer from aches and pains in our joints. But, rather than reaching for prescription medications to help reduce the pain, there are far smarter natural remedies that we can turn to in order to find relief. If you’re struggling with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or any type of joint pain, there are five key nutritional adjustments that may be able to help you.

Natural Remedy #1: Proteolytic Enzymes

Proteolytic enzymes are found in certain types of fruit and vegetables. These enzymes naturally reduce inflammation. A very powerful one is bromelain, which is found in the core of pineapples. A recent study showed that athletes who were recovering from ACL joint injuries substantially reduced their recovery time by taking a supplement fortified with bromelain. Another fantastic proteolytic enzyme is wobenzym. It contains proteolytic enzymes that are great for naturally reducing joint pain.

Natural Remedy #2: Herbs

A couple of key herbs are great at bringing down joint inflammation. One of them is turmeric. Turmeric is one of the main ingredients in curry. It contains a compound called curcumin, which has been shown to be a natural anti-inflammatory. Ginger and boswellia are also excellent herbs to reduce joint pain, swelling, and inflammation.

Natural Remedy #3: Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids, especially the Omega-3 variety, are another great way to get a handle on joint pain. Omega-3 fatty acids aid the liver in the process of getting rid of toxic inflammation build-up in your body. In order to be joint pain free, you need to be looking for ways to get more Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Here are some great ways to do it:

• Eating wild caught salmon and mackerel
• Consuming grass fed beef
• Having pasture raised dairy products
• Eating flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts

 

Natural Remedy #4: Potassium

Getting more potassium and electrolytes into your body is essential for proper joint health. While sodium brings water and nutrients into your cells, potassium is what flushes waste, water, and toxins out of the cells. Americans consume ten time too much sodium and only 10% of the required daily allowance for potassium. The result of this huge imbalance is that the cells will swell up and hold on to water. This is the cause of joint swelling and tissue swelling. It’s because you have too much sodium and not enough potassium in your body. As soon as you start to consume higher-potassium-containing foods, your body will be able to flush and get rid of the extra fluid in your joints. Cultured whey and coconut water are high in potassium, as are such fruits as bananas.

Natural Remedy #5: Drink Your Greens

Green juice smoothies are a great idea when trying to reduce joint pain and inflammation. Drink your greens in the morning on an empty stomach. It will fast-track vital nutrients, amino acids, and minerals directly to your joints. Taking your greens in the form of a juice is quick and easy, meaning that you’ll do it more regularly.

Things to Eliminate for Joint health

In order to get your body on track to eliminating joint pain and inflammation, there are certain things that you need to remove from your diet. Here are the five main ones:

• Processed Food

• Alcohol

• Trans Fatty Acids

• Omega-6 Fatty Acids

• MSG

  In addition to eating clean and removing the above foods from your diet, you need to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of sleep. When you are sleeping well throughout the night, your kidneys are able to function optimally to purify your blood and supply your joints with vital nutrients that they need to stay healthy.

Supplement for Joint Health

Joint health is a key indicator of life enjoyment. In addition to the above suggestions, there are some excellent all natural supplements designed to provide relief. Such powerful healers as ginger root, devil’s claw roots, nettle leaves, the flowers of the chamomile, and black pepper seeds, when combined, can do wonders in terms of providing lasting joint relief.