Preventing and Reducing Knee and Joint Pain

November 11, 2016

By Romaine Hanson, MS, RD, LD

According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, about 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. If you are one of those people, take comfort in knowing that relieving the pain may be easier than you might think. In many cases, the solution may be as simple as paying attention to what you are eating so you avoid inflammatory foods that often lead to pain.

Avoid inflammatory foods

Eating highly processed foods (such as pasta, bread and crackers—especially those containing gluten) creates inflammation in the body. This inflammation then leads to the actual physical pain that you may feel in your knees and joints (the joints are particularly vulnerable to inflammation).

Foods with gluten, trans fats (found in snack foods like chips and pastries) and high sugar (M & Ms®) all cause inflammation. For many people, dairy products are also inflammatory. Eating these types of foods over a long period of time means more and more inflammation within the body and ultimately more pain.

Eat more anti-inflammatory foods

Wild caught salmon, tuna, halibut, walnuts, meats from grass-fed animals, organic eggs from pastured hens, fresh vegetables and fruits have been proven to reduce pain associated with inflammation. Think about how many of these foods you eat on a regular basis. Is your eating plan helping to alleviate your pain or contributing to it?

Take steps to reduce inflammation

There are some simple things you can do to combat the inflammation in your body. At Nutritional Weight & Wellness, we recommend looking at your food choices as a first step. Some people may find additional relief with the help of key supplements.

STEP 1: Eat anti-inflammatory foods
Try the following eating plan, or variations of it, for a week or two and notice how much better you feel.

• Breakfast—Two organic eggs cooked in two teaspoons of butter, half of a sweet potato and one cup of spinach.
• Mid-morning snack—Half an apple with two tablespoons of peanut butter and two ounces of nitrate-free deli meat.
• Lunch—4-6 ounces of grilled salmon, half-cup of wild rice (cooked) and at least one cup of steamed mixed vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower) with two teaspoons of butter.
• Afternoon snack—Two-ounce chicken leg, two small tangerines and 16 almonds.
• Dinner—4-6 ounces of grass fed beef (steak or hamburger patty), half-cup of squash, and two cups of green beans sautéed in two teaspoons of coconut oil.

Eating a diet consisting of anti-inflammatory foods (healthy proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) provides the nutrients that are critical for keeping the pain at bay. These foods also help your body build the cartilage and ligaments that support healthy joints.

STEP 2: Try anti-inflammatory supplements
Often, food choices alone are not quite enough to kick joint and knee pain, especially if the body has been in an inflammatory state for an extended period of time. For extra healing, we recommend adding the following supplements:

• Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex with MSM has been found to reduce inflammation and pain by supporting the growth of cartilage. We recommend a minimum dosage of 1500mg of glucosamine daily.
• Omega-3, a well-known anti-inflammatory supplement, also helps reduce joint pain. We recommend 3000-4000mg daily.
• Kaprex, a unique supplement developed by MetagenicsTM is very effective in reducing joint pain because it stops inflammation before it starts. We recommend taking one soft gel with meals, two times per day.

Small steps can make a big difference

Joint and knee pain are complex health problems and often require guidance from a nutritionist. However, there are some steps you can take now to alleviate your pain. Tomorrow, rather than having that bowl of cereal or white toast with jelly for breakfast, try having two eggs and half a sweet potato with butter. Start with breakfast and slowly incorporate the other meal suggestions mentioned in this article. Remember, real food is an essential first step to healthy joints and knees that are pain-free.

For more information on this topic, listen to our November 10, 2012 podcast: Keeping Your Joints Healthy or take our Foods to Reduce Pain & Inflammation class.