Authored by Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD and Dr. Mary James, ND
Have you told your doctor about your joint aches and pains? If so, you might have been offered just two options: prescription pain relievers and/or surgery if you have significant joint damage. The truth is, there is a lot you can do to alleviate joint pain naturally.
Women with joint pain need practical, effective solutions that improve the way they feel and naturally support their joint health going forward. Once the source of your joint pain is identified, you can take steps to resolve it.
First step to relieve joint pain: find the root source
Whether your joints hurt because of a prior injury, structural imbalances, overuse or osteoarthritis, all ongoing joint pain is fueled by inflammation. This starts as a normal immune response to injury, but once ignited the inflammatory process can continue indefinitely if the source is not snuffed out.
Most chronic joint inflammation can be driven by:
- Earlier injuries — Previous injury can make a joint more susceptible to inflammation and pain, especially when other inflammatory factors are present.
- Hormonal imbalances — Estrogen is anti-inflammatory and supports collagen, so when it declines naturally in menopause, women may become more aware of joint issues. Inflammation can also be exacerbated by chronic stress and resulting adrenal imbalances.
- Weight and mechanical stressors — Excess weight stresses the joints as do body misalignments from repetitive motions, postural imbalances and reduced flexibility. Over time, stressed joints become inflamed.
- Systemic inflammation — Body inflammation can intensify any localized pain, whether due to infection, allergy, autoimmunity or metabolic imbalances.
Your joints don’t have to hurt!
Science shows us that chronic inflammation is closely connected to lifestyle and diet. If you’re eating — or doing — the wrong things, inflammation can cause trouble for your joints, and the rest of your body. The simplest way to put out a fire is to eliminate its fuel, and inflammation is no different.
Do it with diet — eat alkalizing, plant-based meals.
Certain foods — processed, fried and fast foods, sugar, dairy products, white flour, and most animal proteins — are acid-forming in your body, and increase inflammation. Other foods — especially fruits and vegetables — do the opposite by alkalizing your system and providing antioxidants. Because a plant-based diet controls inflammation, you may be still able to eat some of your favorite acid-producing foods like fish, meats and eggs.
The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet shown to reduce joint pain and stiffness in women with arthritis. And the combination of omega-3-rich fish and olive oil — key elements of the Mediterranean diet — reduces C-reactive protein, a key marker of inflammation.
Look for joint health supplements with natural and effective compounds.
Choose a high quality joint health support formula filled with antioxidants and special natural compounds studied for their effectiveness in reducing inflammation and joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Glucosamine sulfate – a natural biochemical in the body that helps to reduce osteoarthritis symptoms by reducing joint deterioration and regulating inflammation. Glucosamine sulfate is a highly absorbable form of glucosamine.
- Turmeric — a traditional culinary herb with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that has been shown to reduce osteoarthritis symptoms.
- Boswellia — extracted from the bark of the frankincense tree, boswellia is another potent and safe anti-inflammatory herb with proven effectiveness in arthritis.
- Bromelain — a pineapple-derived enzyme, bromelain is used for joint swelling and soreness and is often paired with quercetin for synergistic anti-inflammatory effects.
- MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) — a safe and time-tested staple for relief, MSM contributes sulfur to joint tissue repair.
- Quercetin — a plant flavonoid, quercetin also functions as an antioxidant, helping to reduce cell damage and inflammation in the joints.
- Chondroitin – this naturally occurring in the body compound protects cartilage in the joints by inhibiting the breakdown of cartilage and reducing water loss from the cartilage matrix.
- Methionine – an antioxidant free radical scavenger that helps reduce inflammation in joints.
Food sensitivities can make joint pain flare and are worth investigating. A few weeks of avoiding inflammatory foods like gluten grains, corn, dairy and regularly consumed foods can help identify food intolerances. The “nightshade” family (tomato, eggplant, green/red pepper, potato) can also cause joint pain in some people.
Make your move — exercise a little every day
If you have joint pain, find your way to keep moving so your joints stay lubricated and flexible. Steer clear of high-impact sports and ease into exercise by adding more movement to your daily routine. Start by walking more — maybe walking a few blocks at lunchtime or parking a distance from your destination. Strengthening your thigh muscles will reduce stress on painful knees. Muscle strength and ease of movement can be improved by walking laps across a swimming pool, or doing yoga or tai chi. Once you get going, it’ll be easier to do more.
Stress = even worse joint pain
The effects of stress aren’t all in your head:
- Psychological distress can determine how severe your back pain is.
- Research shows that your stress may magnify your chronic arthritis pain.
Reduce stress — let emotional tension recede
Your thoughts and behaviors can work for — or against — your joint health. Letting go of stress is a crucial element for reducing anxiety, fear and inflammation. Meditation, visualization, yoga, massage and a strong, positive belief system can all effectively reduce stress. Choose the one that consistently helps you “center.”
Relief is on the way!
You can relieve joint aches and pains when you take steps to support joint health and dial back inflammation. Get started today by choosing any combination of these steps to get on the road to recovery, so you can feel better and do more with each passing day.
Galland L. Diet and inflammation. Nutr Clin Pract. 2010 Dec;25(6):634-640.
Braverman J. List of Alkaline Anti-Inflammatory Foods. Updated November 21, 2014. Livestrong.com Web site. https://www.livestrong.com/article/183217-list-of-alkaline-anti-inflammatory-foods/. Accessed July 15, 2015.
Watzl B. Anti-inflammatory effects of plant-based foods and of their constituents. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2008 Dec;78(6):293-298.
McKellar G, Morrison E, McEntegart A, et al. A pilot study of a Mediterranean-type diet intervention in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis living in areas of social deprivation in Glasgow. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007 Sep;66(9):1239-1243.
Yoneyama S, Miura K, Sasaki S, et al. Dietary intake of fatty acids and serum C-reactive protein in Japanese. J Epidemiol. 2007 May;17(3):86-92.
Gaby AR. Alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Dec;4(6):392-402.
Lind M. Nightshade Vegetables and Arthritis Pain. Updated October 19, 2013. Livestrong Web site. https://www.livestrong.com/article/431059-nightshade-vegetables-and-arthritis-pain/. Accessed July 15, 2015.
Chainani-Wu N. Safety and anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin: a component of tumeric (Curcuma longa). J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Feb;9(1):161-168.
Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Dugall M, et al. Efficacy and safety of Meriva®, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended administration in osteoarthritis patients. Altern Med Rev. 2010 Dec;15(4):337-344.
[No authors listed] Boswellia serrata. Monograph. Altern Med Rev. 2008 Jun;13(2):165-167.
Al-Nahain A, Jahan R, Rahmatullah M. Zingiber officinale: A Potential Plant against Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis. 2014;2014:159089.
Brien S, Prescott P, Coghlan B, et al. Systematic review of the nutritional supplement Perna Canaliculus (green-lipped mussel) in the treatment of osteoarthritis. QJM. 2008 Mar;101(3):167-179.
Brody JE. Keep Moving to Stay Ahead of Arthritis. April 27, 2015. New York Times blog Web site. https://tinyurl.com/o7qjcva. Accessed July 15, 2015.
Clinical Roundup: Selected Treatment Options for Chronic Joint Pain. Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 2014;20(4):218-223. First page available at: https://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2014.20405. Accessed August 3, 2015.
Brody JE. Keep Moving to Stay Ahead of Arthritis. April 27, 2015. New York Times blog Web site. https://tinyurl.com/o7qjcva. Accessed July 15, 2015.
https://communitytable.com/62609/maggiemurphylynnsherr/michelle-obama-on-the-move/
https://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/stress-and-anxiety/possible-complications.html
