Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints.  This can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness.  About 350 million people worldwide suffer from arthritis.  About 40 million of those people are Americans.  Of those affected, over half are women.

Arthritis is commonly misconstrued as only affecting the aging or elderly.  However, more than half of those with arthritis are under the age of 65.  With these staggering numbers, you might be wondering how one can prevent this joint pain? Check out these helpful tips below.

Healthy Diet

As with prevention of any ailment, a healthy diet is always beneficial to your overall health and wellness. There are several foods you can add to your diet to help prevent joint pain.  The foundation of any diet should consist of fruits and vegetables.   Five servings a day is recommended.  For those of you who are not likely to do that we recommend Juice Plus.   In addition, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help reduce swelling and inflammation. This healthy fat is found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, flaxseeds and walnuts. Try eating 3 to 4 ounces of fish, twice a week.  Foods rich in vitamin D promote healthy bones.  In addition to your fish, try to add some more milk or cheese to your diet as well.

Weight Loss

Excessive weight plays a large role in joint pain.  When you lose weight through diet and exercise, you are able to not only relieve stress from your joints, but also increase muscle that supports your joints.

Stay Moving

The more you are moving, the less stiff your joints will be. If you are looking to get your heart rate elevated but want a low impact exercise option, try swimming, bicycling, rowing, and elliptical or even walking.  These are best options for protecting your joints.  In addition to these low impact exercises, you might want to try practices like yoga and Pilates.  These both help strengthen your ab and back muscles, which ultimately help maintain balance and lessens your likelihood of injury by falling.

Make Use of Your Stronger Joints

Do you typically carry a heavy purse or backpack? Consider how you are lifting and carrying heavy items. Allow for larger muscles and joints such as your arms to carry these kinds of items. Take the pressure off smaller joints like fingers and wrists.

Go Hands Free

As mentioned above, keeping joints locked in the same position for an extended period of time does not help with joint pain.  A daily occurrence like talking on the phone can prove harmful over time.  Try going hands free using the speaker or blue tooth features of your phone.

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