Do you jump out of bed in the morning or does it take a while before you’re moving with less restriction?
Chances are that if you’re over 40, it’s the latter. According to a neurosurgeon I saw at the Cleveland Clinic, this is normal. He told me that anyone 40+ has some degree of degeneration in their joints. It’s a natural part of aging. Of course injuries and lifestyle do contribute.
The joys of aging…
Joint inflammation and damage can limit our movement, and yet movement is exactly what we need to keep agile and strong as we age.
Doing what you can to preserve your joints is worth every minute of effort.
Let me share with you what has worked best for me. My motto has always been: If it doesn’t hurt then it’s worth trying. (And trust me, I’ve tried a lot of different things for my joints!)
I’ll share what I’ve found to be the most effective.
If you have sore joints, it may seem counter-intuitive, but strength training is key to maintaining joint health.
Your joints are stronger if the muscles around them are stronger. As long as you have proper form as you perform the exercises, you will improve the integrity of your joints. If you aren’t sure about your form, get help from a professional.
Here’s a great strength training routine you can use.
The better you look after your joints, the longer they will serve you.
My routine since the pandemic looks different than it did before. When things get back to normal, I’ll be back to see my chiropractor since active release therapy and acupuncture help to keep me more flexible. Another change since the pandemic is that I don’t need to travel for infrared sauna because I bought a red light therapy device that I can use at home.
Here’s my current routine:
Infrared Light Therapy
I use the Baton Rouge from True Dark. I like it because it’s light, portable, easy to use and affordable. I can honestly say I’ve noticed a difference, especially in my knees and thumbs.
Every morning, I use light therapy on my knees, thumbs and any other joint that may be sore.
You can read more about it on the True Dark website. Here’s the link to the one I use.
Infrared light therapy uses certain wavelengths of light to restore, repair and protect tissue that is either injured, degenerating or at risk of dying. While varying wavelengths affect the body differently, as far as healing with red light is concerned, the most effective wavelengths range from 630-670 nm and 810-880 nm.
Benefits:
increase mitochondrial function
decrease skin inflammation
reduce wrinkles
heal wounds
help osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, and cognitive dysfunction following brain injury
Icing
After using the light therapy, I ice my knees. Fifteen minutes helps to reduce inflammation.
Essential oils
I still can’t believe that I used to get injections and take anti-inflammatories (bad for the stomach) to deal with knee pain. That was before I was introduced to essential oils.
Now that I know better, I can make healthier choices.
Over time, I’ve developed my own blend of essential oils for my knees. These oils are scientifically shown to support tissue like muscles, joints, ligaments, and cartilage. If you want the recipe, let me know and I’ll send it to you.
The main ingredient in my blend is Deep Blue Rub, which is all-natural. Remember, what you put on your skin can be absorbed into your body, so you want to make sure it doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients.
Learn more about Deep Blue rub and purchase it here
Get 25% off Deep Blue rub for an entire year with a $35 membership HERE
There are huge benefits to having a membership. With it, all doTERRA products are 25% off for an entire year!
And you get free membership in my private essential oil group. In this group you’ll learn how to replace toxic chemicals in your home with natural, health-enhancing products.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique. It can help relieve muscle tightness, soreness and inflammation, and increase your joint range of motion. I have foam rolling on my health tracker as a reminder to do it daily. That’s how effective this strategy is for me.
Foam rolling can be an effective tool to add to your warm-up or cool-down, before and after exercise.
Here’s a video that explains how to effectively foam roll.
What helps you relieve soreness? I would love to know.
