AARP discusses the worst habits for joints and includes guidance and lifestyle tips to keep joints healthy according to experts including Angelie Mascarinas, MD, physiatrist at HSS Florida.

Dr. Mascarinas underscored the damage that smoking can have on joints. She noted that smoking “may increase pain sensitivity. In other words, arthritis pain can be perceived as more severe in smokers, so the [pain-relieving] effects of arthritis medications may seem less effective to smokers.”

Dr. Mascarinas recommended 30 minutes of joint-friendly exercise five days a week. “Moderate, low-impact activities like walking, water aerobics and swimming are easy on the joints. If you have osteoarthritis, avoid deep squats and deep lunges, running, repetitive jumping, and activities with quick turns and sudden stops like basketball and tennis,” she noted.

To reduce joint inflammation, Dr. Mascarinas suggested incorporating foods like olive oil, berries and fish and foods that are high in beta-carotene, fiber, magnesium and omega-3s into a diet. She recommended “limiting pro-inflammatory foods like red meat, sugar and dairy can also decrease joint pain.”

Read the full article at AARP.org.