How To Support Joint Comfort

Cartilage and collagen

Cartilage acts as a shock-absorber allowing for smooth, painless motion. Once your cartilage deteriorates either from injury, overuse, or general wear and tear without the inputs required for your body to perform daily repairs–collagen and other dietary nutrients, and, not surprisingly, a consistent amount of sound and restorative sleep–movement becomes restricted and interferes with daily activities. Sleep and essential nutrient intake are vitally important for day-to-day joint recovery. If your cartilage isn’t what it was, don’t panic–there are plenty of natural things you can try. 

Collagen is a tried-and-true joint supporter. This is why traditional human utilised the bones and connective tissues of animals in their collagen-rich broths. When denatured or broken-down collagen is consumed, it can support the production of new cartilage in joints. Supplement companies use hydrolysed collagen; “hydrolysed” collagen is another term for broken-down/denatured collagen.

Conversely, when undenatured or whole collagen is consumed some of it is not digested or broken-down in the gut and so it remains intact when it reaches the final section of the small intestine. There it can interact with the immune cells in the gut to support the maintenance of cartilage tissue. Because not all dietary collagens from bone/tendon broths can be broken down by our digestion, these broths can technically provide both forms of collagen–denatured and undenatured–but you must make the broth using tendons and other connective tissues, not just bare bones, and try and eat some of the cooked collagenous tissues. You can also incorporate a variety of animal joint and marrow bones. Combining regular intake of collagen broths with two different types of collagen supplement may be a good way to ensure you’re receiving the nutritional building blocks and positive “immune interactive” substances to support your joint health. 

Muscles and magnesium

Muscles are commonly associated with tension, affecting most of us at some point, and weak or tight muscles can adversely affect our joints. Building and maintaining muscle can support overall joint health, but if your muscles are tight and tense all the time, whether it be from going to the gym, sitting in a car for long periods of time, or sometimes for no apparent reason at all, you may be lacking magnesium.

Magnesium is the mineral most associated with muscle relaxation. Magnesium deficiency is common these days due to our modern lifestyles. Your body uses up high amounts when under stress, and when you sweat, you lose magnesium. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for us to get the amount we need from foods, so a natural supplement may help. For muscle tension, magnesium can also be applied topically as a cream, directly to the affected area to help soothe and relax your muscles, joints, and nerves.

Alternatively, Epsom salts are a great source of magnesium sulphate that you can add to your bath. They have been used for centuries to support muscles, and, as an added benefit, they eliminate toxins from your body. The warm water combined with Epsom salts increases circulation, and besides, it’s a good excuse to enjoy a relaxing hot bath!

Other natural health options for joint health

A protracted, or overactive, immune response is associated with so many of our modern health issues. There are herbs, spices, and nutrients that can support a natural resolution to continuous immune responses in the body.

• Turmeric: A popular spice that is added to curries to give it that brilliant golden colour and delicious flavour. Herbal grade turmeric, which you buy in a capsule, contains higher amounts of the active ingredient, curcumin. There are also curcumin-only extracts available that are particularly potent. Curcumin has powerful antioxidant and immune supporting properties, making it especially supportive of joints and muscles. Turmeric is one of the most well researched and effective herbal options for the support of a healthy immune response on the market today.
• Boswellia serrata: Another of the most well-known herbs for supporting a healthy immune response in the body is boswellia, otherwise known as frankincense. Boswellia has been known for millennia as a support joint comfort and mobility, as well as for supporting nerve health.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin: Well researched ingredients that serve as building blocks of cartilage. They support the cells that build cartilage, but this process is slow because there is no blood supply through the cartilaginous structure; the cells must respond from the outside in. Taking a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement over time can support your body to regenerate cartilage while you sleep. Think of it as a long-term strategy, not a short-term fix.
• Green lipped mussel extract: Another supplement that can support a range of joint-related symptoms. The active component in mussel extract, mucopolysaccharide supports the body’s defenses. It also contains an antioxidant called Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which further supports joints and bones. The essential Fatty Acids DHA and EPA also support a healthy immune response, and seafood is particularly rich in these fats. Other animal and whole, raw dairy fats also contain DHA and EPA and also arachidonic acid, which is an important part of the immune response from initiation to resolution.
• Fish oil and krill oil: Both contain omega 3 fatty acids in their active forms–DHA and EPA–shown to be effective agents for supporting joints and muscles, and especially cartilage.
• Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): Also known as palmidrol, PEA is a lipid modulating, fatty acid amide made in the body as part of a healthy immune response and oxidative processes. The problem is that production of this vital substance decreases with age, illness, and poor diet and lifestyle. PEA can support joint and nerve comfort, while also supporting brain and digestive function. PEA has been known about in scientific, military, and research circles since the 1950s as an alternative support for body comfort.
• Evening Primrose Oil: contains the omega 6, gamma linoleic acid, which may support joint health. Flax Seed Oil, in small doses, contains omega 3, 6 and 9 in the perfect ratio to support the immune response, provided the diet does not contain any other seed/vegetable oils and processed foods. Too much linoleic acid, a predominantly plant-sourced omega 6 fatty acid, can be harmful to your metabolism and encourage a protracted immune response. While flaxseed and evening primrose oil are good sources of “plant omegas”, do not rely on them to give you all your essential fatty acids. The plant omegas are poorly converted in the body with great variability between individuals. Animal fats are by far the best place to get the omega fats in the best ratios.

While joint and muscle tension may arise in different forms, for different reasons, there are a plethora of natural tools all designed for varying symptoms to combat it. If you’re unsure which is best for you, talk to your naturopath or the naturopath team at Good Health. The best thing about joint problems is that they do not have to be permanent.

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