Keep Your Cartilage Healthy - 7 Simple Checks

You don’t worry about your bones. Nobody does. But you should.

You think your diet is good enough for your bones. You eat what the doctor tells you. You take rest when your joints ache. You think you are ready to face the challenges of old age. But have you thought about cartilage loss?

What is cartilage?

It is made up of firm tissue, but it is relatively more flexible than bones. Cartilage is a dense connective tissue mainly made up of collagen. As there are no blood vessels bringing nutrients to the cartilage, it generally grows slower than bone matter.

Importance of cartilage

• Cartilage serves as the starting point of bone formation.
• It provides added flexibility to the bones and joints.
• It acts as a lubricating region between the joints.
• Cartilage is essential in the growth and regeneration of long bones.
• It acts as a shock absorber between the joints.

Main causes of cartilage loss

1. Obesity: If you are carrying excess weight, then it puts pressure on the joints, especially the knees. The extra stress slowly erodes the cartilage in important joints like the knee. Excess fat also disrupts the body’s response to insulin, speeding up cartilage loss.

2. Improper nutrition: If your diet doesn’t supply enough vitamin C and collagen, then your cartilage can gradually lose its strength.

3. Age and genes: Older adults tend to have weaker cartilage. Certain genes can also lead to cartilage loss.

4. Certain medication: Local anesthesia and steroid medication can speed up cell death in cartilage. Many anti-inflammatory medicines are also known to harm cartilage tissue.

5. Hormonal changes: Leptin is one hormone known to speed up cartilage breakdown. People who overeat tend to have a higher concentration of Leptin in their body, leading to gradual loss of cartilage.

6. Poor alignment: If the joint alignment is awkward, it can lead to cartilage loss in particular joints. The improper alignment means that certain joints are exposed to chronic stress and tension.

7. Joint instability: The joints move around too much, leading to slow degradation of the cartilage. If the joint is sore or swollen and if it produces cracking or popping sound then you are probably suffering from an unstable joint.

How to manage cartilage loss

1. Reduce weight: If you can reduce just 1 kilogram of weight, it reduces the stress on your joints (especially the knees) by 4 kilograms. In order to control cartilage loss, you have to maintain a healthy weight.

2. Diet control: Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. This will keep your blood sugar level at a stable state and lead to proper insulin absorption. Research suggests that cartilage loss can be controlled by reducing the intake of carbohydrates and sugar.

3. Eat nutritious food: In order to check cartilage loss, you need adequate vitamin A, C, D and K. Remember to keep nutrient-rich foods like spinach, apples, milk and olive oil in your daily diet.

4. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise (especially aerobic exercise) increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the cartilage, allowing it to regenerate faster. Just 30 minutes of exercise per day is enough to help your cartilage tissue.

5. Do yoga: The regular practice of Yoga adds strength, balance and flexibility to you bones and joints. You are less likely to suffer from catastrophic joint injury if you do Yoga regularly.  

6. Get adequate rest: To prevent excessive wear-and-tear, take rest after any kind of activity. If your joints feel sore or painful, then don’t exercise that day. Try to avoid repetitive motions and any vigorous activity.

We at Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution are confident of our unique treatment plan. We have received thousands of enthusiastic reviews and testimonials from our patients that Classical Homoeopathy, Ayurvedic-Unani Formulations and Internationally Acclaimed Advanced Physiotherapy work together to rid one of pain in an effective and affordable manner. To avail of our services or to give your valuable feedback, call us at 1800 419 6607 (Toll free) or message us on WhatsApp at +91 98304 26607.

Courtesy - Zilaxo Advanced Pain Solution

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