Nature’s Building Blocks for Stronger Joints
Unfortunately, joints degrade. Whether due to arthritis, wear and tear, injuries or a variety of other reasons, it is not something which is exclusive to old age, and can happen no matter how well you take care of yourself.
Joint pain is one of the most common health problems people bring to us at Elixir. Many seem to put off seeking help until the pain is quite debilitating, but I urge you to come and see us as soon as possible! The fact is many people come back and tell us they’re feeling better after just weeks on our products. So, if you or someone you know is ‘keeping calm and carrying on’, pop in so we can go through our options, find one to suit you, and get you living a more carefree life.
The main joint tissues are tendons, ligaments, cartilages and spinal discs, and the main component of these is collagen, the production of which is supported by a number of important nutrients, including Vitamin C, glucosamine, MSM and chondroitin.
Collagen plays a significant role in maintaining flexibility around the joints, but wear and tear, dehydration, aging, and many other factors reduce the amount of collagen present. Indeed, collagen production decreases from the age of 25 years at a rate of approximately 1.5% per year. Depending on your level of activity, whether through work or play, you (like me) might be putting up with a lot of pain by your early thirties.
As always when you seek advice from us, we will go through a protocol of questions to ensure that we get you on the best thing, as well as for your safety. We may ask about diet and lifestyle, and will almost certainly tell you to drink more water!
Nature’s Aid glucosamine, chondroitin & MSM
Over the years there have been numerous clinical trials which have shown glucosamine’s ability to encourage joint repair, and so reduce pain and inflammation. It does this by acting as a building block that strengthens, repairs, and improves the quality of cartilage, as well as creating more lubricating fluid in the joints.
Evidence suggests that chondroitin helps the cartilage to attract and hold onto even more fluid, lubricating the joints and creating a less brittle (and breakable) environment.
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) plays an important role in overall healing in the body, being necessary for the production of new cells. It is key to connective tissue repair, as well as making and maintaining quality hair, nails and skin. The anti-inflammatory action of MSM also helps reduce pain in the joints.
This Nature’s Aid trio comes in one handy tablet, but other brands provide liquid and powder alternatives for those of you who prefer those forms. Remember, repair jobs take time so don’t expect overnight results - though over time as those degraded tissues get replenished, the results get better and better.
There are also plenty of other things to try alongside, for example Viridian Curcumin Complex, probiotic bacteria, CBD oil, or a source of Omega 3. These products have their own wonderfully effective results with joint pain.
Nature’s Aid glucosamine, chondroitin & MSM has been one of our steadfastly best-selling products at Elixir for many years, so is often the product I reach for first when advising for joint health. Saying that, people do get joint pain as a result of medication side effects, auto-immune conditions, and myriad other reasons too, so it’s important to tell us your whole story, so we can get you on the right thing for you!
