5 Tips to Maximize Bone and Joint Strength Naturally

Here are my top five tips to maximize bone and joint strength naturally. Think of it as your bone and joint health regimen.

Tip One: Exercise Appropriately

While some types of intense exercise can put stress on the joints, regular moderate physical activity has been shown to improve bone mineral density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. To find out what types of exercises are appropriate for you, you can talk to a fitness trainer, a physical therapist or your doctor. Low impact weight-bearing, resistance training, yoga stretches and walking are some of the exercises commonly recommended.

Tip Two: Eat More Calcium-Rich Foods

When you think of calcium-rich foods, you may immediately think of dairy products. Low-fat dairy products can be a part of a balanced diet. Greek yogurt, for example, is an excellent choice because it is also rich in protein. Protein supports muscle strength and growth. Your muscles help to support and protect your joints and bones.

There are other calcium-rich foods that may be even more beneficial than dairy because of the antioxidants they contain. Antioxidants help protect against free radical damage that can cause joint and bone deterioration. Many antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammation degrades collagen and elastin fibers that make up tendons, ligaments and other supportive body components.

Here are some "super" foods to include in your daily diet:

· Canned salmon-3 ounces provides 200 milligrams of calcium, plus protein and the potent antioxidant astaxanthin

· Broccoli-1 cup provides 90 milligrams of calcium, plus the antioxidants vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E, along with the mineral magnesium which contributes to bone mineral density and the vitamin K which provides major protection against osteoporosis

· Turnip greens-1 cup provides 200 milligrams of calcium, plus vitamin C, Vitamin A and vitamin K

Tip Three: Be Sure to Get Plenty of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin. As we get older, the conversion of sunlight to vitamin D is less efficient. Many doctors believe that we need even more vitamin D as we age. Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium.

Tip Four: Take Fish Oil

Fish oil has natural anti-inflammatory activity and is beneficial for joint pain. Some brands also provide beneficial antioxidants such as lycopene, astaxanthin and coenzyme Q10. COQ10 may be particularly beneficial because it contributes to muscle strength and the amount present in the body decreases with age. The most effective form of coenzyme Q10 is ubiquinol.

Tip Five: Take A Multi-Nutritional Supplement

Multi-nutritional supplements naturally provide extra support for bones and joints. Not all supplements are the same, of course. The best ones for bone health contain the nutrients mentioned above (calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, vitamin C) and mangosteen extract.

Mangosteen extract has been highly promoted as an overall health supplement. The value to bone and joint strength has to do with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Mangosteen has proven to be a natural COX-2 inhibitor.

COX-2 is an enzyme that contributes to pain, swelling and inflammation. COX-2 inhibiting drugs have proven to be dangerous, although effective for pain relief. Mangosteen extract provides the benefits without the risks.

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Thanks for reading the article. There is a lot more health information tips on my website - all free. I would like to invite you to visit http://www.HealthyBodySupplements.com Bones & Joint Problems

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Aerobics Vs Strength Training - The Benefits!

Before we delve in the core of the article I would like to inform the readers that neither Aerobics nor Strength training is harmful or hurtful to any individual. Both serve identical purposes as well as individual concerns. It is impertinent to match the exercises with your needs and you must always remember to listen to what your body is telling you.

Lets now discuss the benefits of Aerobics. If you have come this far I am confident you are aware of what Aerobics are. However, for the sake of the newbies and recently motivated health conscious fellow readers, I will in brief describe aerobics and its main functions. Aerobic exercise also known as cardio, is a low to moderate intensity physical exercise that involves stretching and cardio at its minimum. Its main function is to Improve overall health of the individual performing the exercises. The benefits of Aerobics are numerous from improved blood flow to reduced resting heart rate. The main aim of the individual performing these exercises is generally to improve overall health or facilitate weight loss. Either of which can be attained simultaneously with the employment of aerobics in the individuals lifestyle. However the lack of incorporation of Weight training in to an aerobics regimen can mean missing out and reducing the efficiency of your workouts considerably. Relying solely on Aerobics would result in a body that has an efficient cardiovascular system but lacks muscle mass to effectively live a healthy life. Performing Aerobics solely not only stagnates muscle growth but further reduces muscle mass, this can be a very important factor as one reaches old age since muscle mass becomes much more valuable than a healthy cardiovascular system.

To combat the aforementioned problems with Aerobics alone we introduce weight training. Weight training also known as Strength training, or working out - in its simplest form is exercising with resistance, the resistance can be in the form of weights or elastic bands etc. The benefits of Weight training are numerous, from increased strength to improved cardiovascular system, to increase in bone density and loss of fat. Weight training has an upper hand on Aerobics in several areas, for one it does not come with any negative side effects such as those of decrease in muscle mass with aerobics. It is also easy on the bones and joints as it does not have to be as high impact as Aerobics. As for the benefits it provides all of that of Aerobics plus some. With an ideal weight training regimen you can expect to improve your cardiovascular system, whilst gaining strength (muscle mass) that will come in handy as you get older. Weight training does not have to involve heavy weights and require you to have big muscles to start, on the contrary, as long as there is resistance and adequate regimen is followed you can be sure the reap the benefits of Weight training.

So from the above analysis we can conclude that weight training has the upper hand on Aerobics when it comes to improving your health and living a healthy lifestyle. However, it must be mentioned that an incorporation of both Aerobics and Weight training can be exponentially advantageous for the individual, since Aerobics compliment weight training and vise versa. I hope I have effectively addressed your concerns, I would recommend checking out the source for a true in depth analysis of this issue and much more on a breadth of topics from weight loss to healthy living. Good luck!

Note: The aforementioned substance incorporates research as well as personal experiences to arrive at the opinions stated in this article.


I hope I have been of some help to you all, with the right information and knowledge you can gain the same benefits by working out less and enjoying life more! Below is the link to the website by a personal fitness trainer/owner of a very successful fitness centre located in the heart of Toronto. (Fitness Solutions Plus)
http://www.torontofitnessonline.com/2012/04/23/aerobic-exercise-or-strength-training/

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