Just how healthy are your muscles and joints?
Answer our questions and find out if your flexibility is compromised.
Find out how flexible you areWhether you experience aches and pains, or you just want to keep your muscles in tip-top condition, there are a number of drinks that may prove beneficial. Here I take a look at what these drinks are and how it is they can help keep the muscles and joints healthy.
From spices such as turmeric to vegetables like spinach, there are a number of everyday foods that help to maintain healthy muscles and joints. This is something I discuss a lot here on the muscles and joints hub; however, did you know that there are actually a number of drinks that could be beneficial too? The list includes:
Read on to find out exactly how these drinks can help!
Balance Mineral Drink is a great all-round product that is most often used to address low energy levels and feelings of fatigue. However, due to the fact it contains magnesium, vitamin D, potassium and calcium, it can also be good for the health of the muscles and joints.
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From energy levels to the appearance of our skin, there are a multitude of areas that will benefit from you drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of plain, still water a day. When it comes to the joints, though, staying hydrated can help further by fending off stiffness, pain and inflammation. After all, cartilage, which acts as a cushion for the bones at the end of a joint, is mostly made up of water. On top of this, water is an important part of synovial fluid which lubricates cartilage and keeps it moving freely.
Joint pain normally comes about when cartilage becomes weakened in some way, perhaps as a result of arthritis or general wear and tear. Whilst drinking water is by no means a quick fix for these problems, it could prove helpful. You can read more about how exactly water reduces joint pain here.
In the menopause it is especially important to drink lots of water as it wards off stiffness and discomfort in the muscles and joints. This common complaint comes about at this time because of a fall in oestrogen levels. The hormone oestrogen is responsible for controlling fluid levels throughout the body.
Green tea contains polyphenols which have an anti-inflammatory effect.1 Inflammation is a process usually initiated by the body in response to trauma or infection and can result in stiffness, pain and redness around the muscles and joints.
In addition, green tea contains antioxidants which, initial research has suggested could protect cartilage and bone. In the long run this could have a small part to play in reducing the likelihood of arthritis.2
Due to a natural chemical called theanine found in green tea, it can also have a relaxing effect on the body.3 This is not only good for our mood; it could also help to relieve any tension in the muscles that has arisen as a result of stress.
Green tea does have a higher content of caffeine when compared to other herbal teas. That being said, the levels of caffeine are still much lower than you would find in coffee or a breakfast tea. Therefore, unless you are regularly drinking green tea at a very high quantity, you are unlikely to experience symptoms like cravings as you would with coffee.
Freshly made smoothies (rather than the pre-packaged type) are nutrient-packed, making them great for the health of our muscles and joints. Take your pick from a range of ingredients including:
Smoothie recipes
Tomato juice contains lots of vitamin C which is another notable nutrient when it comes to muscle and joint health. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties which means the drink may help to ease inflammation.
Vitamin C provides additional support for the joints, though, as it is an important component of the body's connective tissue. This means it could also help to speed up recovery after injury to the muscles and joints.
If you want to top up your vitamin C intake then supplements are a suitable option. I would recommend, however, that you opt for a natural one such as our Nature-C Tablets, as these are much easier for the body to absorb. This is made from extracts of many different fruits including gooseberry and blackberry.
With antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, cherry juice is another option for those looking to support their muscles and joints.6 Research shows regular cherry intake could reduce the risk of gout attacks,7 whilst other evidence suggests the drink could be beneficial in relieving the pain of osteoarthritis sufferers.8
If you are active and, in particular, enjoy running, additional studies suggest that cherry juice may reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) which is often felt post-run.9
Sugar is pro-inflammatory, plus it can cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar levels which will likely worsen inflammation further. Therefore, should you experience a muscle-and-joints-related issues; you'd be wise to avoid food products with high sugar content.
Fruit juice does tend to contain lot of sugar but nowadays there are also plenty of natural juices available which provide an alternative. If you check the labels thoroughly and compare different products, you should be able to find one without the additives, preservatives and high sugar content. Check out your nearest health food store to see what they have on offer!
When it comes to the muscles and joints, there are many problems with caffeinated drinks such as black tea and coffee. Firstly, they affect the acid/alkaline balance of the stomach and from there the whole bloodstream, making it harder to keep calcium levels balanced. Calcium is then pulled from bones to balance the increased acidity in the bloodstream and this can form calcified deposits around the joints. This isn't great for on-going bone health.
Another problem is that caffeine affects the absorption of nutrients like magnesium from both food and supplements. This can add to the problem with calcium because humans can't absorb calcium without sufficient magnesium being present. This makes you more prone to muscle tension and all sorts of other ailments!
Fizzy drinks have similar effects, with the additional problem that carbonated drinks eat away at bone density. So keeping caffeine and fizzy drinks to a minimum is a great idea for long-term health.
1 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet/best-foods-for-arthritis/best-beverages-for-arthritis.php
2 https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/458/eaar8426
3 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/theanine
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20418184
5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11710709
6 http://blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet-cherries/
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510330/
8 http://blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet-cherries/
9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874510/
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Then look no further than Balance Mineral Drink!
“I am now a regular purchaser of this product; it’s really helped me with fatigue. Pleasant tasting... I now add it to my daily smoothie as part of my routine healthy eating.”
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Answer our questions and find out if your flexibility is compromised.
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