We often go about our day not realizing just how much we rely on our knees until they start to ache. One of the most difficult pains to manage is chronic knee pain because whether you’re standing or just sitting down, your knees are engaged. Whether you’re walking, climbing stairs, biking, or even trying to find a comfortable sleeping position your knees are involved. That’s why any pain in your knees can completely affect your entire day.
This chronic knee pain could be caused by bursitis, arthritis, or in some cases certain injuries but luckily there are different remedies that can help you heal from the pain so that you’re back to moving around normally. Unfortunately the different OTC and prescription drugs available come with a number of strong side effects that can add to the complications in your body. An example is Acetaminophen which is known worldwide to be a leading and major cause of liver failure.
Something interesting to note is that what you eat goes a long way in affecting your pain levels especially when it involves inflammation.
Here’s a list of 11 foods that have a great impact when it comes reducing or healing knee pain. They will also significantly reduce how much you depend on pain medication and keep your body generally healthy.
1.Carrots
Carrots have over the years been recommended if you’re looking to get great eyesight. However, there’s more to carrots than just this. Eating them to help relieve knee pain is an old Chinese remedy. It’s effective because carrots are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene which are both strong anti-inflammatory compounds. The best way to get the best from carrots is to eat them when they’re cooked, however, some people don’t like them cooked. If you’re one of those people, you can still eat them raw. Eating them in two servings everyday will significantly reduce your knee pain.
2. Turmeric
If you’re a big curry lover then you will be happy to know that you’re already doing your knees a big favor. Carry usually has turmeric which is the reason it appears orange. This turmeric contains curcumin in large amounts. Curcumin has for centuries been used in medicine, particularly herbal ones because it has anti-inflammatory abilities. Eating it often will significantly reduce your risk of getting knee pains and any other kind of painful joint. Its ability to heal pain is almost similar to that of ibuprofen.
3. Apple cider vinegar
When you think of apple cider vinegar a salad dressing is probably the first thing that comes to mind. However, apple cider vinegar can be used for so much more than that. It can be used in relieving knee pain whether you choose to drink it or to topically apply it on the painful area. You’re advised to drink at least two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar a day as this will help you dissolve toxins around the knee that are known to cause inflammation. You can achieve the same effect the moment you mix apple cider vinegar with olive oil and then massage this on your knees at least once a day for about a week.
4. Ginger
Ginger is another great food that you could either eat or rub on your painful and tender knees. Whichever you choose, you’ll be happy with the result because ginger does not only taste good but it also smells great. Ginger contains an active ingredient called gingerol which is a strong anti-inflammatory substance. According to studies related to people suffering from arthritis, when ginger is added into their medication regimen, their pain is reduced even further compared to when they only take their medication. You can also enjoy ginger that’s grated in different kinds of savory meals or in making some sweet tea. There also exist some premade ginger oils which you could rub on your swollen knees directly.
5. Walnuts
When it comes to nuts, walnuts are a clear winner when it comes to the amount of omega-3 fatty acids they contain and the fact that they’re packed with antioxidants. These make walnuts ideal if you’re looking to soothe knee pain. Despite the fact that walnuts have high calorie count, eating them regularly reduces your cravings for junk food. As such, eating walnuts helps in weight loss. You can look at it like this, shedding those few pounds is a great way to reduce the stress on your painful knees.
6. Whole grains
When you choose to eat plenty of whole grains, you significantly reduce the inflammation that’s responsible for the pain you’re experiencing on your knees especially if this pain is because of exercise. Careful though, if you go for refined grains, you will increase the inflammation instead. Skip foods like white bread and instead, go for alternative products that will retain all the parts of an original grain. The three parts are the germ, the bran and the endosperm. Great alternatives include oatmeal, brown rice, barley, quinoa and breads that have been made with some whole grain floor.
7. Mustard oil
When you’re out buying mustard oil, be careful and avoid eating the mustard oil unless the label says mustard essential oil. When you have straight mustard oil, you can mix it with olive oil or even coconut oil then massage it on your painful knees but do not eat it. Mustard essential oil makes for a spicy addition to meals that will help you achieve a healthier blood flow to the painful area. While this happens, you will experience a reduction in inflammation. For more benefits, sauté some onion and some garlic with the mustard oil as they’re both rich in allicin that’s packed with anti-inflammatory properties.
8. Avocado
Avocados thanks to being rich in unsaturated fats that are healthy for your body have a creamy texture. Most of these fats are in oleic acid form and according to studies; this can lower the very biomarkers of the inflammation. Regardless of what caused your knee pain, the pain will decrease as the inflammation becomes less intense. Avocado is among the few foods that minimize the ability of many other different foods to cause inflammation. It is therefore a helpful option to include in your meals.
9. Tart Cherries
Tart cherries can help people suffering from knee problems. Cherries have a nice and vibrant red color which they get from plant chemicals known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins will to a great extent settle down the agonizing pain you have from inflammation. Tart cherries and their juice reduce flare-ups especially among people suffering from gout which is a type arthritis that leads to intense knee pain. This is because of the hard crystals that are formed around the joints area.
10. Red peppers
Eating red peppers is also good for you if you often experience knee pain since red peppers contain vitamin C in high amounts. Vitamin C is crucial in the production of some much-needed collagen. Collagen gives structure to the joints and helps in connecting the bone to muscle. This reduces pain through supporting ligaments, tendons and cartilage that help in cushioning your knee joints and keeping them properly aligned. Instead of taking pain relieving medication, you could always eat foods that are packed with vitamin C such as red peppers. By doing so, you will significantly improve the condition of your knees.
11. Pineapple, cinnamon and oat smoothie
If you’re on the search for a great way to start your day, then it’s worth going for something knee-friendly such as cinnamon, pineapple or oats smoothie. This will give you whole grains, some vitamin C and bromelain from pineapple which is a strong anti-inflammatory. Cinnamon goes a long way in reducing swelling around the joints and minimizes the pain you feel too. It also gives you that flavorful touch or kick. To properly make it, combine a cup of oats that have already been cooked, a cup of orange juice, some chopped pineapple, just about three cups of them, a cup of water, some ground cinnamon, and a teaspoon of honey. Put all the ingredients you have in a blender leaving only the oats. Reduce the heat to low and wait for twenty seconds after which you can slowly add the cooked oatmeal. Blend this until it’s smooth enough.
Each of the foods mentioned above is helpful in reducing inflammation which is the leading source of pain in your joints. The body normally uses inflammation as some kind of defense mechanism so that your injury or the illness is restricted to a single location which is good. Sometimes even despite the fact that there isn’t much of a risk of spreading, inflammation still happens. A case in which there is actually no reason to experience suffering.
When you eat a balanced diet that is full of any of the above foods, you will to a great extent be able to quell inflammation and any pain that comes as a result of it. When you make an effort to eat better, you will be able to get rid of any pain and also reduce just how much you rely on pain medication.
