Fuel with Purpose

Why does what you eat matter for your bone and joint health? 

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how connected the body is. Every single thing we do affects every part of our body, whether directly or indirectly, and positively or negatively. What we eat affects our bones and joints in several ways. When used properly, nutrition can bring positive benefits to bone and joint health and arthritis symptoms.

1. Proper nutrition can decrease inflammation.

One of the main sources of arthritis pain is inflammation. Although this pain is often treated with over-the-counter medications, a natural alternative or supplement to your current medication to reduce inflammation and relieve pain can be your diet. Many different vitamins and minerals have been proven to be effective anti-inflammatories and can be found in many foods and spices. 

2. Proper nutrition can help to strengthen your bones.

Our bones constantly go through the process of breaking down and rebuilding. It is vital that we equip our body with the tools it needs to rebuild new bone in order to increase your bone density, otherwise the new bone will be weaker than before. Calcium and Vitamin D are the key building blocks to forming strong bones. Eating the right foods with these nutrients in them can help aid the body in rebuilding your bones. The stronger and denser bones are, the more protected they are from injury. 

3. Proper nutrition gives you energy and boosts your immune system.

A well-balanced diet ensures that the body is healthy and has the nutrients it needs to fight infection, like Vitamin C. Other than the specific nutrients to relieve pain and improve bone strength, all nutrient-dense food is fuel for the body. It powers the body to be able to function and have energy to move. Feeling healthy and energized is especially important when it comes to managing arthritis because moving the joints relieves pain and improves mobility.

4. Proper nutrition can help you maintain a healthy weight.

By putting thought and care into creating a diet filled with nutritious, whole-foods, you will be replacing some of the higher calorie or fat-saturated foods that can cause weight gain. By replacing processed foods and perhaps take-out dinners with the foods that bring benefits to your bones and joints, you may find yourself naturally losing weight or maintaining the healthy weight that you are at. This is vital to managing arthritis because one pound of extra weight adds 5-6 pounds of pressure on the joints. 

With all of the benefits that nutritious foods have to offer, there are many foods that have negative effects on the body and can worsen arthritis symptoms. It is important to understand what you are eating and the effect it has on your bone and joint health and entire body. In the next posts, we will explore foods to eat and avoid and how they impact your body.