Proper diet is the key to prevention of almost all joint problems and it is equally important for regeneration of the knee, hip and spine cartilage.
It is proven that in order to minimize the risks of excessively wearing down and potentially damaging the cartilage one must maintain an optimum body weight by using well balanced food and avoid hard physical strain throughout the day.
Before I explain how to regenerate knee cartilage naturally, you should know the following:
Symptoms of damaged knee cartilage
The cartilage is a kind of elastic binding tissue that is part of numerous body structures in the human organism. It can be found in the chest, nose, bronchi, ears, and it covers the spine disks, elbows, knees and hip. It is less elastic than the muscles and it is not tougher than the bones.
Its main function is to allow movement of the joints by preventing the bones to rub one another – this is when the damage happens.
It is very important to be protected from injuries especially the knee cartilage. Having in mind that the knee is the largest joint in the human body, it is very important that the meniscus or cartilage is healthy and smooth from the inner and outer side so that the knee could be mobile and functional.
Yet all kinds of factors can cause disorders – aging of the organism or diseases, such as osteoarthritis, that mainly affects the joints in the shoulders, neck (hinders the mobility of the head and causes dizziness), hips, knees, arm and leg joints.
Symptoms that indicate lower quality of the structure of the cartilage or its total disappearance are: pain during movement and swelling and tension in the muscles. Beside degenerative changes, the cause of worn down and damaged cartilage can be something else – mechanical injury from impact, excess physical activity, carrying heavy objects, and excess body weight.
Below you can find the best natural remedies for cartilage regeneration.
How to Regenerate Knee Cartilage Naturally (and Hip Cartilage)
Recent study showed that consumption of foods rich in amino acid called lysine can be of great help, because it plays an important role in regeneration of the collagen from which the cartilage is made of. Because this amino acid is not synthesized in the body, it must be introduced through food – the optimum quantity is 12 mg for each kilo of body weight.
Rich in this substance are foods such as legumes, codfish, red meat, eggs, soya, yogurt, cheese, dry fruits, beans etc.
In addition to lysine, another very important substance that plays a major role in maintaining a healthy cartilage is called chondroitin. The chondroitin absorbs the water in the binding tissue and with that preserves the elasticity of the cartilage. It can also block the numerous enzymes that break down the cartilage and it can help in creation of new cartilage.
The optimum quantity of this substance is 1000 to 1200 mg a day, and is manufactured from shark cartilage and pig and cow cartilage. The chondroitin is usually combined with glucosamine which enhances the flexibility and mobility of the joints, but it is not significant in the natural regeneration of the cartilage. It is manufactured from the chitin, found in the shells of the shrimps, crabs, lobsters etc.
Food for cartilage
Diet based on products that are rich in vitamins is crucial to proper formation and regeneration of the knee cartilage.
Vitamin C is essential for the body.
The optimum daily quantity is 75 mg, and great sources for this vitamin are grapefruit, orange, tangerine, grape, blackberry, and their juices as well.
This vitamin can be also found in onions, peppers, potatoes, lettuce, etc.
Vitamin D for bones, joints and cartilage
One study conducted in 2009, published as “Arthritis and Rheumatism”, confirms that exposure to sunlight and vitamin D, directly contributed to better joint mobility to patients that were treated for joint disorders.
The results showed that vitamin D must be taken into enough quantities in order to prevent osteoarthritis. It can be found in milk, cereals, salmon, herring and oysters.
Foods rich in vitamin A also support the regeneration of the hip and knee cartilage.
Natural Remedy for Cartilage Regeneration – Gelatin
It is a supplement to many salads and desserts, and besides being easy to prepare, the gelatin has one advantage – it is an excellent natural remedy for knee joint regeneration and other joints as well. Namely, several studies have shown that the consumption of this supplement can significantly help in regeneration of the cartilage.
The optimum quantity is 10 grams per day, and by regular intake it can prevent the uncomfortable symptoms of osteoarthritis. It is rich in protein, it has 10 essential amino acids, including – proline and hydroxyproline, that help in regeneration of the muscle tissue.
Another advantage is that the gelatin does not contain fats and cholesterol, which is not the case in most foods that are rich in protein. Besides, it is abound with collagen – a substance that is important in building tissues, bones, tendons, ligaments and cartilages, which seem to diminish as the organism gets older.
