By Claire Bacon, ACN, CNC
It is a common misconception that natural aging causes lousy eyesight and joint pain. Furthermore, most people even believe we have no control over it. Age does play a factor, but maybe not in the way you’d expect. When you have consistent strain on parts of your body, these areas will deteriorate more quickly, and will need more attention. However, if you continually support your body with awareness, exercise, chiropractic, and an anti-inflammatory diet, you won’t feel like you’re “aging” quickly. Not surprisingly, it’s the effects of your everyday choices that make you feel like you’re aging.
Increasing Your Movement Patterns
Don’t you know it, the people we see in our office who commit themselves to exercise and chiropractic on a regular basis, are the happiest and healthiest people we know, regardless of age. They say, “a body in motion tends to STAY in motion”, thus, leading towards longevity and more fluid functionality.
- By creating daily habits that keep you active, you can stay in tune with your body. It’s easier to stay on top of little aches and pains before they become a chronic problem. It’s best to do a variety of activities that work different muscle groups. As you challenge yourself to do a little bit more each week, you will be reinforcing a new mindset to maintain your fitness and vitality.
- Have patience! Remember, the aches and pains you feel, as well as limited range of motion, have accumulated over a long period of time. It will take some time to regain pain-free mobility. Allow yourself the patience to relearn safe activity routines, as you listen to what your body needs.
Types of Joint Pain
Thinking broadly, many factors could influence joint discomfort, including:
- inflammatory American diet/food sensitivities/eating habits not aligned with your health
- your weight status
- potential underlying infection
- physical activity patterns (too intense, too prolonged, too repetitive, or too sedentary)
- weather patterns (low barometric pressure)
- history of fractures or trauma
Improve Your Joint Health with Tweaks to Your Lifestyle
Wouldn’t it be exciting, to examine your lifestyle and find easy ways you could make joint-friendly improvements?
- Stop smoking. It does a lot of damage by creating free radicals in the body, which are inflammatory and harmful to the joints.
- Lose weight as soon as possible. According to one report, one extra pound could add 4 pounds of pressure on your knees.
- Move your body daily to avoid discomfort, preferably to the point of sweating. Make an effort to do something active every day.
- Let go of sugary drinks, as they profoundly increase inflammation in the body.
- Eat a balanced, organic diet, avoiding your food sensitivities. Gluten, dairy, corn, soy, nuts, and peanuts are some of the most common offenders in the diet.
- Include natural whole food supplements to help decrease inflammation within joints, listed below.
- A lack of quality or consistent sleep can aggravate joint pain. Going to bed and waking up at the same time on just one alarm (no snoozing!) could help immensely!
Joint Pain Treatments
Did you know, if you’re already having joint pain, helpful treatments include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Massage Therapy
- Physical Therapy and modalities
- Natural whole food supplements:
- Glucosamine & chondroitin
- Fish oil including Omega-3 fatty acids
- Turmeric
- Boswellia
- Proteolytic enzymes
- Other supplements that promote detoxification
Health Issues That Increase Faulty Vision
Unfortunately, many adults begin having difficulty seeing clearly at close distances in their early to mid-40s. Poor eyesight is one of the most common issues between the ages of 41 and 60. Presbyopia is a regular change in the focusing power of the eye. However, from a functional standpoint, these changes are usually the result of chronic inflammation, due to the lifestyle factors stated above.
Adults over the age of 40 who have any of the following health complications may be at risk of having vision problems:
- chronic, inflammatory conditions such as diabetes, gout or high blood pressure
- a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration
- a personal history of consuming excessive wheat, grains, dairy, and industrial oils like vegetable and canola oil, or margarine
- a computer-intensive job that puts strain on your eyesight
- poor eye hygiene, like leaving in contacts or wearing old make up
- elevated cholesterol
- thyroid problems
- anxiety or depression
- arthritic changes
Understanding Age-Related Vision Changes
On an individual basis, your eyes and vision, like your body, will change over time. Not everyone will have the same symptoms.
- You will need more light to see as you get older. Reading and doing near-sighted/close-proximity work may become more difficult.
- You may experience extra glares or halos from headlights at night
- Difficulty discerning between color shades
- The tear glands in your eyes will contain fewer tears as you get older. As a consequence, your eyes might feel irritated and dry.
Support with Whole Food Supplements
- Livaplex supports your liver and gallbladder by providing minerals needed for detoxification and emulsification of fats.
- Turmeric Forte is our favorite inflammation support, with added Fenugreek fiber to help maintain the anti-inflammatory action in the bloodstream longer. Turmeric is just one of the herbs in the wonderful arthritis blend Boswellia Complex.
- Cataplex A contains Vitamin A sourced from carrots, egg yolks, cheese, broccoli, and liver is essential for eye function, and for immune health, and skin.
- Cataplex C contains Vitamin C, which is supportive of collagen production in the joints and skin, and can slow of the development of cataracts. Actually, we prefer the combination of A and C in Cataplex AC!
- Bilberry herb has been linked to improved night vision.
- Ginkgo Forte can aid in the improvement of microcirculation, blood flow to the small capillaries, and vision.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids are also an excellent source for improving vision, because they bring down inflammation systemically. You can find them in Tuna Omega 3 and Cod Liver Oil.
All in all, your diet plays a massive role in how you feel and how your body ages.
Learn more about whole food supplements by following @DrBobBacon on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook! We know healthy eating and learning supplements can be confusing, so tune in as we share simplified methods to better yourself from the inside out.