The shoulder is a complex ball and socket joint made up of five articulations and three bones. The arm is able to move and perform through a synchronous, coordinated movement of all of these joints and bones. The shoulder is a mechanical miracle!
Injuries to the shoulder are usually from falls or sports trauma. The structures injured are most commonly the rotator cuff, the shoulder labrum, the AC joint, and fractures or dislocations of the clavicle. Chronic shoulder problems usually lead to symptoms of decreased range of motion and pain due to poor mechanics. This is often because of poor posture causing shoulder impingement. A proper shoulder exam by a physician is important to understand the extent of the injury and x-ray and MRI imaging may be necessary for an accurate diagnosis. Fortunately, many shoulder injuries are repairable through careful rehabilitation that starts with proper assessment from your doctor.
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin known to act as an antioxidant in over 300 metabolic functions in the human body including tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function and healthy gums.
Vitamin C is an enzyme essential to the production of collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein synthesized by the human body, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content. It is the major component of connective tissue. This connective tissue has structural and supportive functions which are essential to all bodily tissues including our joints. Collagen cannot be built without vitamin C. Collagen is a critical component of wound healing, and therefore, so is vitamin C. Vitamin C aids in the stabilization of the structure of the collagen protein. Without this stabilization, the structure of collagen disintegrates rapidly. Vitamin C also produces tensile strength in newly formed collagen.
The current US recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 60 mg.
Oranges aren’t the only source of Vitamin C. Other good sources of vitamin C include kiwis, apples, green sweet peppers, grapefruit juice, strawberries, brussel sprouts and melons. Of course, Joint Juice® supplements have the full RDI of vitamin C in every serving. Just another reason to make Joint Juice® supplements part of your daily routine.
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in foods and supplements which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage to cells and tissue in our bodies. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. When we say something has antioxidant properties, it means that it protects cells from the daily toxic stress of oxidation.
Many health problems can be attributed to oxidative damage. A recent study conducted by researchers from London found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense.
Here is a chart of the foods that are highest in antioxidant potential.
Rank | Food item | Serving size | Total antioxidant capacity |
1 | Small Red Bean (dried) | Half cup | 13,727 |
2 | Wild blueberry | 1 cup | 13,427 |
3 | Red kidney bean (dried) | Half cup | 13,259 |
4 | Pinto bean | Half cup | 11,864 |
5 | Blueberry (cultivated) | 1 cup | 9,019 |
6 | Cranberry | 1 cup (whole) | 8,983 |
7 | Artichoke (cooked) | 1 cup (hearts) | 7,904 |
8 | Blackberry | 1 cup | 7,701 |
9 | Dried Prune | Half cup | 7,291 |
10 | Raspberry | Half cup | 6,058 |
11 | Strawberry | 1 cup | 5,938 |
12 | Red Delicious apple | One | 5,900 |
13 | Granny Smith apple | One | 5,381 |
14 | Pecan | 1 ounce | 5,095 |
15 | Sweet cherry | 1 cup | 4,873 |
16 | Black plum | One | 4,844 |
17 | Russet potato (cooked) | One | 4,649 |
18 | Black bean (dried) | Half cup | 4,181 |
19 | Plum | One | 4,118 |
20 | Gala apple | One | 3,903 |
Adequate antioxidants from colorful fruits and vegetables are best, but get some insurance and make sure you get your antioxidants every day. Of course, Joint Juice® supplement with Vitamin C and Green Tea Extract is high in antioxidants.
“Oh my aching back!” Those words apply to almost all of us at some point in our lives. Studies show that 4 out of 5 adults will deal with back issues at some point. Fortunately, many causes of back pain are preventable – if you take a proactive approach.
The “back” is made up of the 17 spinal bones and cartilage disks, 12 pairs of ribs, over 50 muscles, nerves, blood vessels, thick ligaments and connective tissue. The anatomy of the spine allows us wondrous motion – not only bending in all directions but rotation. Did you know that over half of the force from throwing/swinging comes from muscles in our trunk? Just ask Joe!
Three Tips on how to keep your back healthy:
- Practice good posture and avoid unnecessary back strain, especially while lifting. Judge the weight of an object before trying to lift it, and get assistance, if necessary. Keep your spine and head upright, and bend deeply at the knees. Make sure to keep the object as close to your body as possible since stress on the lower back increases dramatically when lifting or holding something out and away from your body.
- Keep your core muscles strong. The muscles in your trunk are responsible for keeping your back and spine in the proper position, at rest and during movement. Abdominal exercises, Pilates classes, stretching and physical therapy are just some of the ways to maintain and improve your strength and muscle tone.
- Take Supplements. Proper nutrition including supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, Vitamin D, and antioxidants can help give your body the building blocks it needs to stay healthy and keep doing what you love*
For more on the back, and other joints, check out the Healthy Joints section at www.jointjuice.com/healthy-joints/.
Remember to talk with your doctor or health care provider before starting a new exercise program.
The hip joint is one of the largest joints in the body. Similar in structure to the shoulder joint, another “ball and socket” type joint, the hip is quite mobile, with seven distinct types of motion. It’s no wonder that people who experience hip problems can often experience limitations in exercise or even day-to-day activities.
The hip joint is made up of the top of the femur (thigh bone) – the “ball” section and the lower portion of the pelvis, which creates the socket. Very heavy ligaments surround the hip joint and keep the “ball and socket” in place. Just as in the knee, special cartilage, called articular cartilage, covers the ends of knee bones. This cartilage provides for near frictionless movement, provided the cartilage is healthy.
Three Tips on how to keep your hips healthy:
- Strengthen weak muscles surrounding the hip. It’s quite common for people to have relative weakness of the hip abductors, the muscles that move the thighs out to the side. Muscle imbalance in the hips can lead to abnormal movement, which, over time can lead to cartilage damage. Muscle strengthening also helps improve bone density, which can be an issue for many of us as we age.
- Watch your weight. Maintaining healthy weight is critical to hip health, as excess weight increases the stress and strain across the hip during all activities.
- Take Supplements. Proper nutrition including supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, Vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids give your body the building blocks it needs to maintain healthy hips.*
For more on the hip, and other joints, check out the Healthy Joints section. Remember to talk with your doctor about how you can maintain your ideal weight, before starting a new exercise program, and which supplements are right for you.
Known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin,’ Vitamin D was believed to be primarily associated with our ability to absorb calcium from our foods. We now know that most tissues in the body require Vitamin D for normal operation. Low levels of this Vitamin can lead to a multitude of medical problems with our joints, bones, muscles, heart and even our immune system.
Unfortunately, many of us (up to 90% by some estimates) have insufficient levels of Vitamin D. This is due to many factors. Compared to our ancestors, fewer of us work outside full time, some refrain from foods that contain Vitamin D (such as eggs or dairy), and more of us wear sunscreen (which blocks natural production of this Vitamin). In addition, most of the U.S., the sun is not intense enough to make Vitamin D from November to March, so naturally this is the time when our levels are lowest.
The good news is that supplemental Vitamin D, found in Joint Juice® products, can help maintain healthy levels of Vitamin D throughout the year.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are two important supplements for joint health. Glucosamine occurs naturally in your body: it works to lubricate your joints by helping cartilage tissue absorb water. This process helps cartilage perform its important job of cushioning and mobility. However, we tend to produce less glucosamine as we age. Therefore, supplementing with daily glucosamine has been shown to be effective in maintaining healthy joint cartilage.*
Chondroitin also occurs naturally in healthy joint tissue and is a major component of joint cartilage. Together with glucosamine, chondroitin stimulates your body to produce glucosaminoglycans, which act as powerful water magnets. These “magnets” increase the water content of your joint cartilage keeping it healthy and lubricated while increasing its shock-absorbing potential. These effects aren’t just limited to cartilage – all the body’s tissues benefit from increased hydration.
Taking glucosamine and chondroitin together – in the liquid formula found only in Joint Juice® products – ensures that you get a full day’s supply of glucosamine (1,500 mg) and chondroitin to maintain healthy and happy joints.*